The risks of not vaccinating children include exposing your children to a variety of severe diseases. It is the choice of the parents whether to vaccinate their children. Consult a doctor, pediatrician or an immunization coordinator at your local health department to discuss your vaccination concerns and to learn what vaccinations your children require.
Lockjaw
Tetanus, or lockjaw, can occur when a child gets cut and the open wound is at risk of accumulating bacteria such as Clostridium tetani, which causes tetanus. A child who has not received vaccination against tetanus can suffer from the effects of the disease, including severe, painful muscle spasms and possibly death.
Whooping Cough
Pertussis, or whooping cough, is an airborne virus that can result in permanent brain damage or death, according to Why I Choose, a website run by the California Immunization Coalition. A child with pertussis may cough with such intensity as to damage the ribs and internal organs. Pertussis can put your child at risk of contracting pneumonia, further complicating his condition.
Diphtheria
Diphtheria is a contagious disease that affects the nose and throat, and can result in heart failure, paralysis, severe breathing complications and even death. Why I Choose reports that there is no risk of having a severe reaction to the diphtheria vaccine.
Risks to Others
A single exposure to a disease for which your child requires a vaccination can lead to severe health complications and possibly death. Treatment for diseases for which your child could have received a vaccination can be painful to experience and costly to combat. Isolation through quarantine may be necessary to prevent your child from passing the disease to others, according to Why I Choose. The Mom Logic website suggests that parents who decide not to vaccinate their children are indirectly relying upon the other parents in the community to vaccinate their children. Unvaccinated children can be a threat to children who have leukemia and cannot receive immunizations because of their medical condition, according to Why I Choose. An unvaccinated child can be a danger to you, to your family, to other children and to others with whom she comes in contact.
Doctor's Advice
Mom Logic suggests discussing what illnesses pose the greatest threat to your children at various ages in order to decide which vaccines your children should receive. The website suggests an ongoing dialog with your health care provider in the early years of your children's lives.
