Kids hate shots. Parents aren’t too fond of them either. But Dr. Kimberly Smith, associate professor of pediatrics at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston is an unabashed fan of immunizations.

“They are the best way to spend your money to protect your children,” Smith says.

We can thank immunizations for erasing diseases like polio, the most common types of meningitis and measles, from our collective memory. However, immunizations rates in Houston still rank among the lowest in the country – at 65 percent. Experts can only speculate on the lag, which may include lack of access to immunizations, a poor reminder system and a general lack of understanding of the importance of immunizations. A small percentage of parents worry that vaccinations may harm their children.

“What probably happened is that we have a whole generation of doctors and a whole generation of parents who have not seen these terrible diseases,” Smith says. “Now we have parents who are more afraid of the vaccine, and not as afraid of the diseases.”

Top Myths and Misconceptions

There’s a lot of scary information available about vaccinations, especially on the Internet. Much of it, doctors say, just isn’t true. Smith and her colleague, Dr. Michelle S. Barratt, associate professor of pediatrics at UT Medical School, bust some common myths and misconceptions about childhood immunizations.

1. ‘My child may get autism from being vaccinated.’

The scariest stories link immunization to an increase in cases of the neurological disease autism. At issue is an ingredient once contained in many vaccinations, a mercury-based preservative called thimerosal. Thimerosal was removed from most vaccines in 1999 to reduce the amount of mercury children are exposed to in their lifetimes.

In 2004, a report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that there is no association between autism and vaccines that contain thimerosal as a preservative, or the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Because signs of autism may appear at around the same time children receive the MMR vaccine, some parents worry that the vaccine causes autism.

“When a baby is born, we don’t know whether he or she will develop autism,” Smith says. “We may recognize that he or she has autism soon after the baby is immunized. It may happen by coincidence.

“There is no question that autism has increased,” she continues, “The scientific community is still looking for answers but we do not have any proof that autism is linked to vaccinations.”

2. ‘Deadly diseases are things of the past.
I don’t need to vaccine my child.’

Many of the diseases parents had to worry about in the past – polio, whooping cough, measles – are almost unheard of in the United States in modern times. But that doesn’t mean they are gone forever. In the 70s and 80s, Japan and Britain stopped routine vaccinations against pertussis, also known as whooping cough.

“Epidemics resulted,” Smith says. “I still see kids with pertussis. If you are a little bitty baby, it is very dangerous. The disease can cause brain damage and death.”

Smith says she has seen outbreaks of measles and other diseases that could have been prevented if children had been vaccinated. Of every 1,000 people who get measles, one to two will die, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The measles epidemic of 1989-1990 resulted in 55,000 cases of measles, 11,000 hospitalizations, and 123 deaths. Most patients who died were unimmunized preschool children.

“There is no reason to expose your child to something that they can keep from getting if they can get shots,” Barratt says.

3. ‘The shot will make my child sick.’

Most vaccines manufactured today are made from a killed virus, so the virus cannot reproduce and infect your child. Even vaccines made from live viruses or bacteria – called live attenuated vaccines – are made with only part of the virus or bacteria. For example, the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is made from live viruses, and in some cases can cause side effects similar to a mild case of the measles. However, the measles won’t be nearly as severe as a full-blown case, and it won’t be contagious. You also can’t get the flu from the flu vaccine, because the vaccine is made from a killed virus.

“You can get some symptoms, such as an achy feeling for a few days,” Smith says. “But the full blown flu will put you in bed.”

Most side effects caused by immunizations are mild. Depending on the vaccine given, they can include mild fever, soreness at the injection site or a slight rash. Severe side effects are very rare.

4. ‘My child is sick. She can’t get her shots.’

“This is one of the most common misunderstandings I see,” Barratt says.

Unless they have a very high fever, most children can get vaccinated if they are a little under the weather.

“There is nothing about having a runny nose and the sniffles or even a cough that means you can’t get the vaccination,” she continues. “The vaccination is still recommended.”

5. ‘Once my child gets shots as a baby, she is protected for life.’

“Not every shot will protect your child for life,” Smith says. “With many shots, you need boosters.”

In fact, some children may only get protection from disease with the booster shots.

“Five percent of children don’t get immunity from the first MMR shot,” Barratt adds.

Both doctors advise following recommended immunization schedules as closely as possible to guarantee the maximum protection for your child. But if you don’t start on time, don’t think it is too late to immunize your child. You can follow a catch-up schedule.

And parents, the myth about lifelong immunity applies to you, as well. Certain vaccines, such as tetanus, must be repeated every several years (whether you have stepped on a rusty nail or not.)

Consider the Source

Though the news media and the Internet may help spread the good news about immunizations, Smith and Barratt say these news outlets also may be to blame for much of the misinformation about immunizations. Doctors recommend parents visit sites such as the American Academy of Pediatrics (www.cispimmunize.org) or the CDC (http://www.cdc.gov/node.do/id/0900f3ec8000e2f3), which post information based on carefully reviewed research.

“If there are questions you have [about vaccines] because of something you have read, or something that someone told you, you need to ask your doctor about it,” Barratt says. Often there is a medical answer that makes sense, and might change things for the health of your child.”

UPDATED: 08-16-2005

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