Vaccines Are Crucial And Safe. So Why Are Parents Still Questioning Them?

If ever there was an idea that doctors, researchers and public health experts are in agreement upon, it’s that vaccines are safe and strongly recommended. The American Academy of Pediatrics supports immunizing children. So does the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The vast majority of parents in the United States clearly do as well, as evidenced by national vaccination rates that have remained relatively stable ― and high.  Yet according to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics on Monday, pediatricians say they’ve seen a shift in parents’ concerns about childhood vaccines in the past decade ― and not necessarily a good one. Doctors report that they’re seeing more caregivers who are looking to delay vaccines, or refusing them altogether, suggesting the anti-vaccination movement may still have legs. The researchers compared surveys of random samples of practicing pediatricians administered in 2006 and 2013. Both years, roughly 600 doctors responded. The 2006 survey did not ask about vaccine delays, so the researchers were unable to track trends overtime. However, the 2013 survey found that nearly 88 percent of pediatricians had been asked by parents to hold off on at least one vaccine within the last year. Most parents were worried about their child’s discomfort, or believed the vaccines would be too much for their immune system all at once, pediatricians reported. There's sufficient evidence, however, that delays can ...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news