The Real Deal on Vaccinations

i have been hesitant to join the vaccination debate, although i have strong opinions about it. but as i watched from the sidelines, i had an interesting realization: at heart, pro- and anti-vaxxers are actually quite alike. what this massive, contentious, and at times vicious debate boils down to is loving parents who want to do the best for their kids. pro and anti alike, we are bombarded with information/misinformation, we are confused and truly, we are scared. we all just want happy, healthy kids that can grow up in a safe environment.

armed with the realization that pro- and anti-vaxxers come from a similar place, i am reviving my blog and adding my voice to the din. the facts and science are out there, so i will not appeal to your brain. instead, i will appeal to your heart.

have you held your newborn's hand through the openings of an incubator? 

i have.

have you held her while trying to untangle all the tubes and lines protruding from her body?

i have.

and i was grateful every day that she only had minor issues from which to recover, and that we had access to a NICU that could quickly and easily get her home with us.

have you known someone with a chronically ill child? a terminally ill child?

i have.

have you tried to comfort someone who has lost their child, feeling useless, clumsy and utterly insufficient while doing so?

i have.

four times i have looked upon and prayed over tiny, satin-draped coffins, wondering how it could happen and how it could have been prevented.

perhaps not in those cases, but in an ever-increasing number of cases today, tragedy CAN be prevented. we have the means and have had it for decades. it works - bottom line. and as more members of our human family vaccinate against diseases, the stronger we are as a global community. 

let me tell you a story. his name was Isaiah. he was my cousin's young son - thick hair, dark eyes, and a serious little face. in a developing nation across the ocean, he died at the age of six. if he was here in North America, with our science, our technology and our access to medicine, he may still be alive today. we are privileged in so very many ways, and we have a responsibility to our children to use what we have to protect the innocent ones as best we can. 

misinformation is as powerful as knowledge especially in a world of social media. please read everything, even blogs like mine, with a critical eye. do your own research, trust valid sources, and be wary of pseudoscientific hokum. cause does not equal effect. correlation is not causation. and a handful of anecdotal stories does not equal hundreds of rigorously tested studies published in peer-reviewed journals. 

a vaccine can protect your child. it will not cause autism. it may produce side effects but never the disease. it will make both your child and mine healthier, stronger, and safer in the long run. 

and in the end, isn't that what we all want?