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To Vaccinate, or Not to Vaccinate: That is the Question by Caren Shapiro Department of Mathematics...

To Vaccinate, or Not to Vaccinate: That is the Question

by

Caren Shapiro

Department of Mathematics & Natural Sciences D'Youville College, Buffalo, NY

Paula Highsmith was quite distraught. She had returned from a routine checkup for her four-week-old daughter Jennifer. The pediatrician, Dr. Feiller, had informed Paula that he would begin giving Jennifer her DTP shots at her next appointment in a month.

Paula phoned her mother, Marion Johnson. “Oh, Mother, I don’t know what to do.”
“You were vaccinated as a child and you didn’t have any problems,” replied Mrs. Johnson.

“You know my friend Julie? Her oldest son Sam had a seizure after getting the DTP shot when he was Jennifer’s age. And what about that couple on television that said the rubella vaccine was responsible for their son’s autism?”

“I don’t know about that couple,” replied Mrs. Johnson, “but Sam was vaccinated ten years ago. If the vaccine was really the problem, I’m sure they would have a different vaccine now.”

“But now there are so many shots and, besides, the diseases they prevent have practically disappeared, so why do I have to have Jennifer vaccinated?”

“Jennifer will be required to show evidence of vaccination before she’ll be allowed to go to school and perhaps even some daycare centers. Don’t you remember the article in the Buffalo News about the couple whose son wasn’t allowed to register for school because he hadn’t had his vaccinations? His parents said they had refused to have him vaccinated for religious reasons.”

This case presents many of the issues facing parents when they need to begin the vaccination series for their child. Paula wants to do what is best for her child and she wants to make her decision based on scientific fact not emotional rhetoric.

What are the issues raised about vaccination by this case study and what kind of information will help Paula make an informed decision about vaccinating her daughter?

1. Is vaccination necessary? What are the consequences of natural infection? Do microorganisms cause asymptomatic infections or disease?

What are the symptoms of the major vaccine preventable diseases?
What are the possible sequelae of the infections?
What groups of individuals are particularly susceptible to serious disease consequences? How are infections transmitted?

  1. What kinds of vaccines are available?

  2. (a) What are the advantages (e.g., efficacy and duration of immunity) of the different kinds of vaccines?

    (b) What are the disadvantages (e.g., side-effects) of the different kinds of vaccines?

  3. What is the purpose of vaccination (i.e., prevent infection and/or disease)?

  4. Are there reasons for not being vaccinated?
    Are there beneficial effects of acquiring an infection naturally? Are religious concerns justifiable?

Solutions

Expert Solution

1)Yes, The vaccine is necessary, because here we're talking about DPT vaccine which prevents diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.
Diphtheria and pertussis spread from person to person. Tetanus enters the body through cuts or wounds.

Symptoms these diseases can cause

  • DIPHTHERIA (D) difficulty breathing, heart failure, paralysis, death.
  • TETANUS (T) stiffening of the muscles. being unable to open the mouth, having trouble swallowing and breathing, or death.
  • PERTUSSIS (aP), also known as “whooping cough,” can cause uncontrollable, violent coughing which makes it hard to breathe, eat, or drink. Pertussis can be extremely serious in babies and young children, causing pneumonia, convulsions, brain damage, or death. In teens and adults, it can cause weight loss, loss of bladder control, and rib fractures from severe coughing

The possible  sequelae of the infection in case of tetanus abs pertussis is actually high. So it's better to take the vaccine.
It can affect every age group not just kids , infants or adults.
the kind of vaccine that are available are DTWP , DTaP, Tadp , DT and Td . Among these vaccines, three vaccines i.e ( Dtwp, DTaP and DT) are given to kids younger than 7 years, and two (Tadp and Td )  are given to individuals 7 years or older.

Side effects:

  • Soreness or swelling fever, fussiness, feeling tired, loss of appetite, and vomiting after DTaP vaccination.
  • More serious reactions, such as seizures, non-stop crying for 3 hours or more, or high fever (over 105°F) Rarely, the vaccine is followed by swelling of the entire arm or leg, especially in older children when they receive their fourth or fifth dose.
  • Very rarely, long-term seizures, coma, lowered consciousness, or permanent brain damage may happen after DTaP vaccination.

Like any other medicine, there is a very remote chance of a vaccine causing a severe allergic reaction, other serious injury, or death.


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