When we talk about the importance of vaccinating children, we do it not only for their own benefit and protection in the short and long term, but for keep group immunity high and thus protect those who, for different reasons, cannot get vaccinated.
Such is the case of immunosuppressed children, as the protagonist of the story we share. This is a girl from New York who has just overcome cancer and her mother wanted to share her story to raise awareness among all parents about the importance of vaccinating their children.
Why immunocompromised children benefit from group immunity
The story has been shared in Parents magazine by way of reflection, by the mother of a six-year-old girl who has just overcome cancer. She explains something that many people do not know and is that after chemotherapy, the immune system is so weakened that children must be vaccinated again, because they are more susceptible to contracting diseases.
But vaccines should be received when they are strong enough, so until then they live unprotected and fearing for their health, especially if they reside in countries or areas where disease outbreaks are recorded, as is the case with this small one.
In Babies and more Measles alert in Europe: which are the most affected countriesThe mother explains, distraught, that they live in Brooklyn, a town in New York affected by a measles outbreak that has already infected more than 626 people so far this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC ).
"I would love to have the privilege of being able to vaccinate my daughter, but we don't have that option, and I can't help but fear for her health," this mother laments.Like all children of her age, the little girl attends school and travels with her mother on public transport. But in the face of the measles outbreak that has already affected several children in neighboring schools, the woman Reflect on the reasons that push people not to vaccinate their children:
"I wonder if parents opposed to vaccines would change their minds if they had to hospitalize their children for complications from measles or any other disease that could be prevented with vaccines"
And in the midst of the outbreak, this mother is torn between taking her daughter out of school or taking risks allowing her to continue enjoying the precious daily moments that teachers and classmates provide After so many months of suffering:
"Should I leave my daughter at home to prevent her from being exposed to measles? But in that case, would the education department send me teachers to teach her her right to receive a free public education? And what would happen? with me? Would I have to stop working to take care of my daughter? "the woman reflects.
In Babies and more After overcoming a leukemia you will have to change schools because some classmates are not vaccinatedBut group immunity not only helps protect immunocompromised people, but also newborns or babies who have not yet received all their vaccines, pregnant women for whom certain vaccines are contraindicated but the disease could put their health and health at risk Your baby, and old people.
Mandatory vaccinations to maintain group coverage
Maybe this mother's reflection helps to become aware to those who are against vaccines. And it is essential to fight against vaccines with truthful and scientific information that helps fight false myths and prejudices.
In Babies and more The American Academy of Pediatrics asks Facebook, Google and Pinterest to stop the spread of anti-vaccine publicationsBut when this is not enough, there is a debate about the obligatory nature of vaccines, a measure that has already been taken by several countries such as France, Italy and Australia, where unvaccinated children cannot attend school.
According to data from the Spanish Association of Vaccination, in our country the vaccine coverage is very high, exceeding 95%. It is because of that it is not considered necessary to impose vaccination, although some autonomous communities are beginning to demand the vaccination card when enrolling children in daycare centers.
Recall, then, that the correct vaccination protects our children during their childhood and adolescence, while contributing to maintaining high group immunity and helping those who need it most.
Photos | iStock
