Expert answers to your top vaccine questions

Making decisions for your child’s health and future can be nerve-racking. But one decision that shouldn’t keep you up at night is whether to vaccinate your kids.   

One doesn’t have to look far back in history to see that families commonly experienced suffering from diseases such as diphtheria, polio, and whooping cough. Fortunately, these diseases are now relatively rare. 

But that’s true only if you’ve been vaccinated. For example: Measles outbreaks on various college campuses and in communities across the country in recent years are a direct result of widespread hesitation to vaccinate children.    

“Vaccine-preventable diseases have declined dramatically in the U.S., but they still occur and cause pediatric hospitalizations and deaths every year,” says Ritu Banerjee, M.D., Ph.D., a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. “Vaccines are safe and effective, and staying up to date with childhood vaccinations is one of the most important things you can do to protect your child’s health.”

Overall, the benefits of preventing diseases with vaccines far outweigh the risks associated with the diseases they protect against. Young children are especially at risk and have the highest chance of having complications or dying from these diseases. That’s why it’s so important for children to be vaccinated.    

That said, many new parents are faced with conflicting information about vaccines. Here are Dr. Banerjee’s answers to a few common questions and concerns about vaccines.

What’s in a vaccine?

Most vaccines contain antigens. That means they’re “dead” versions of the bacteria and viruses they are protecting against. Because they’re a protein or a killed version of the germ, they cannot cause disease. Antigens work by tricking the immune system into thinking it has been exposed to the real disease. Our immune system uses these antigens to remember what viruses and bacteria look like. That way, if the actual bug invades your body, it knows how to fight it off.

Is an infant’s immune system mature enough for vaccines?

Yes. A baby’s immune system is fully developed but inexperienced. It has all the parts needed to fight diseases. Vaccines teach their immune system how to recognize and protect against certain infections. Modern vaccines contain far fewer antigens than the original versions did decades ago. As science progresses, vaccines keep getting safer.

Are vaccines well-studied?

Yes. Medical literature contains thousands of studies on vaccines, spanning more than 100 years. That includes cellular and molecular studies, safety studies, long-term population studies, animal studies, single- and combined-vaccine studies, vaccine delivery methods, and much more. Studies have been done by a wide range of people around the world, including independent university studies, government labs, and drug companies.

Are additives in vaccines safe?

Ingredients in vaccines are tested for safety. In fact, they are used to make vaccines safer and to help them last longer and work more effectively. Some people worry about the added ingredients because they have chemical-sounding names. However, just because something has a complex name does not mean it is dangerous.

Do vaccines cause cognitive disabilities and a lack of social skills?

No. The vast majority of people with any cognitive disabilities have abnormal brain development. They are born that way, and vaccines don’t change that. Previous generations were not tested for cognitive disabilities such as autism, dyslexia, or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Today, the tests for these disabilities are very different than they used to be, and the definitions include a wider variety of symptoms. Testing has also become much more common, leading to improved detection and an apparent rise in cognitive disabilities such as these. Twenty years ago, very mild cases were not included, or even tested for, whereas they are today.

Our family eats healthy foods. Doesn’t that protect us against diseases?

Paying attention to proper nutrition is important for your family. A wholesome and nourishing diet is vital to maintaining proper health and a healthy weight, and it is a big contributor to a strong immune system. However, people with healthy diets can still catch infectious diseases and should always be properly vaccinated.

The bottom line: Vaccines are safe and effective, and they’re a simple way to help protect your child’s health.