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Childhood vaccines: Tough questions, straight answers
Do vaccines cause autism? Is it OK to skip certain vaccines? Get the facts on these and other common vaccine questions.
By Mayo Clinic staffChildhood vaccines protect children from a variety of serious or potentially fatal diseases, including diphtheria, measles, meningitis, polio, tetanus and whooping cough. If these diseases seem uncommon — or even unheard of — it simply means that vaccines are doing their job. Still, you may wonder about the benefits and risks of childhood vaccines. Here are straight answers to common questions about childhood vaccines.
Is natural immunity better than vaccination?
A natural infection often provides more complete immunity than a series of vaccinations — but there's a price to pay for natural immunity. For example, a natural chickenpox (varicella) infection could lead to pneumonia. A natural polio infection could cause permanent paralysis. A natural mumps infection could lead to deafness. A natural Hib infection could result in permanent brain damage. Vaccination can help prevent these diseases and their potentially serious complications.
Do vaccines cause autism?
Vaccines do not cause autism. Despite much controversy on the topic, researchers haven't found a connection between autism and childhood vaccines. In fact, the original study that ignited the debate years ago has been retracted. Although signs of autism may appear at about the same time children receive certain vaccines — such as the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine — this is simply a coincidence.
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- Mink CM. Immunizations. In: Berkowitz CD. Berkowitz's Pediatrics: A Primary Care Approach. 3rd ed. Washington, D.C.: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2008:115.
- Possible side-effects from vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/side-effects.htm. Accessed March 4, 2010.
- Common questions parents ask about infant immunizations. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/spec-grps/infants/parent-questions.htm. Accessed March 4, 2010.
- Bedford HE, et al. MMR vaccine and autism. BMJ. 2010;340:c655.
- Freed GL, et al. Parental vaccine safety concerns in 2009. Pediatrics. 2010;125:654.
- Varicella disease questions & answers. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/varicella/dis-faqs-gen.htm. Accessed March 4, 2010.
- Polio disease in-short. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/polio/in-short-both.htm. Accessed March 4, 2010.
- Hib in-short. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/hib/in-short-adult.htm. Accessed March 4, 2010.
- Complications of mumps. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/mumps/about/complications.html. Accessed March 4, 2010.
- Fisher MC. How safe are vaccines? In: Fisher MC. Immunizations & Infectious Diseases: An Informed Parent's Guide. Washington, D.C.: American Academy of Pediatrics; 2006:19.
- Gust DA, et al. Parents with doubts about vaccines: Which vaccines and reasons why. Pediatrics. 2008;122:718.
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