Introduction
Understanding how vaccines work is substantial especially for the immune system of young children. A vaccine is a type of medicine, which trains or else improves the body’s immune system making it strong enough to fight a predicted disease. For the benefit of good health, vaccines are designed to prevent diseases saving the treatment of the respective disease once the immune system gets infected. Vaccines aid the immune system to recognize and fight pathogens, either bacteria or viruses. To accomplish this, antigens, pathogen molecules are introduced into the body to trigger the immune system. The antigens are always present in all bacteria and viruses (Vannice et. al, 2019). Therefore, through safely injecting the antigens in the body, the immune system identifies the antigens as hostile invaders, produces antibodies to fight them and keeps their memory. If the bacteria and virus appear in the future, the immune system aggressively fights it before the pathogen can spread in the body and cause a disorder.
The vaccination process has gradually developed from the ancient era characterized by traditional methods to the current modern vaccination that employs modern technology techniques. From the ancient era, all vaccines have been focusing on eliciting an immune response against an antigen so that in case of the reintroduction of the antigen, the immune system would be strong enough to fight it. The first traditional vaccine method was employed for immunization of smallpox. The vaccine could be applied through rubbing smallpox scabs against the skin (Biggs, 2010). The method was employed in Africa, China, and Britain and later introduced in America. However, the inoculation introduced controversy as it could cause death. Henceforth, a better vaccine had to be searched. In 1813, a better smallpox vaccine was quickly spread in the U.S leading to the formation of the Vaccine Act of 1813.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The identified traditional method on the smallpox vaccine is just an example of different vaccine methods used in the ancient era. A comparative difference exists between traditional and modern vaccine methods. First, modern immunization employs live attenuated vaccines. These are vaccines whose pathogens have been weakened so as to be less violent like their hostile counterparts. The weakening is done so that the pathogens cannot cause the actual disorder. On the contrary, the traditional methods had no weakening of pathogens. As a consequence, the pathogens could mimic the actual hostile pathogens and instead cause harm (Biggs, 2010). The traditional example presented above is a good example. Also, the biotechnology techniques have more improvised ways of vaccine administration including oral and use of a hypodermic needle. This contrasts with the traditional approaches that included rubbing the skin with the pathogens.
The following are some of the diseases that babies and children are routinely vaccinated against.
Polio
Tetanus
The flu (Influenza)
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis A
Rubella
Measles
Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
Pneumococcal disease
Rota Virus
Mumps
Chicken Pox
Diphtheria
Over the past 100 years, vaccination has influenced the frequency of diseases. To start with, vaccination has reduced diseases and infections by eliminating the burden of infectious diseases. As a preventive measure, vaccination has prevented the re-emergence of eradicated pathogens. For instance, smallpox has been eradicated globally following the immunization routine established all over the world. Also, vaccination has effectively eliminated different diseases in various regions. For instance, WHO has ventured into different regions where significant progress on the elimination of measles is evident. A good example involves increased measles immunization in Africa where a positive change has been evident over the past years (Vannice et. al, 2019).
Additionally, vaccination has controlled mortality and disability cases resulting from infectious diseases. Vaccines protect individuals against infection if administered before exposure to the respective disease. In return, vaccination has eradicated the impact of invasive diseases which posted threats on people’s lives earlier. For instance, clinical studies obtained from African, Chilean, Native American and European children recorded a 90% vaccine efficacy against the hostile Hib disease (WHO, 2001). Furthermore, vaccination has been effective for the prevention of infection hence reducing the frequency of diseases. Immunization is usually done to prevent disease but not to protect against the disease. Also, some vaccines protect against infection hence reducing the frequency of the disease. Vaccination is also necessary for protecting the unvaccinated population. This is possible through herd vaccination and source drying that involves vaccinating the source of the pathogens that upon spreading might cause harm.
Misconceptions against vaccination are the main reason why people worry about giving their children vaccines. Vaccination side effects also increase the worry. For instance, vaccines can cause a slight fever and soreness on the surface where the needle went in. Parents hold misconceptions that autism results from vaccines. Autism is neither caused by vaccine nor is it its side effect. Symptoms of autism develop in the same period when vaccines are administered on children because they are easily associated with the symptoms (WHO, 2001). Also, parents fear the additives in vaccines including elements of mercury that are dangerous in the body.
Relating to the worry on the vaccines, scientific laboratories discussed thimerosal, a preservative that contains mercury. It was removed in the list of additives after considering its effect on the health of children. The misconceptions on autism have been cleared through confirmation that vaccines are not associated with the disorder (Vannice et. al, 2019).
In conclusion, it is important to get babies and children through the vaccination program, to protect them from vaccine-prevented diseases as presented in the list above. Vaccinating your baby is important for the best protection in the future. Evidenced from different cases identified above, you can be sure to improve your child’s immune system through the immunization process to effectively eliminate the burden of infectious diseases.
References
Biggs, P. M. (2010). Vaccines and vaccination—past, present and future. British poultry science , 31 (1), 3-22.
Vannice, K. S., Cassetti, M. C., Eisinger, R. W., Hombach, J., Knezevic, I., Marston, H. D., ... & Krause, P. R. (2019). Demonstrating vaccine effectiveness during a waning epidemic: A WHO/NIH meeting report on approaches to development and licensure of Zika vaccine candidates. Vaccine , 37 (6), 863-868.
World Health Organization. (2001). Immunization in practice (No. WHO/EPI/TRAM/98.01-13 Rev. 1). World Health Organization.
