Should children be vaccinated: all the arguments for and against vaccination

As soon as a child is born, he receives the first vaccinations in his life. His immunity begins to work hard, even before it has had time to get stronger. Next comes a great many vaccinations. And it’s not surprising: after all, at every step, dangerous infections await the baby in our large and colorful world, but so “rich” in pathogenic microorganisms. How to protect him from serious diseases that can be fatal or lead to irreversible consequences and disability?

The solution is clear: there are vaccinations for this. But are they as safe as doctors and medical sources claim? Many parents do just this, which sometimes has a negative impact on the child’s health. How to protect your child from serious illnesses? Are we taking risks by refusing vaccinations or, conversely, by vaccinating him? Let's figure it out together with experts in this field.

What is the purpose of vaccination and is it mandatory for everyone?

Immunity is the human body’s protective reaction to the introduction of a pathogenic virus, bacterial or other infection. It can be congenital or acquired.

1. Innate protection is transmitted from mother to fetus and is responsible for immunity to a specific type of pathogen.
2. Acquired or adaptive, formed during life as a result of a previous disease or after vaccination against it.

The mechanism of development of protective cells in humans can be expressed as follows: when a virus enters the body, it produces specific agents - antibodies, which multiply intensively and “fight” it. The antigen-antibody system turns on, and the pathogen (virus) acts as a foreign agent.

Once healed, a certain amount of these immune components are stored as “memory cells.” Thanks to them, the defense system stores information about the pathogen and, if necessary, reactivates the defense mechanisms. As a result, the disease does not develop or passes easily, leaving no complications.

As a result, a person also develops immunity, only the antigens here are modified and weakened live cultures of viruses or cell-free products of their processing. Accordingly, vaccines are divided into “live” and “dead”.

If a killed virus is introduced, then the occurrence of pathology is completely excluded, there are only some side effects. In the case of a viable product, minor manifestations of the disease are allowed.

This is much better than the development of a full clinical picture of the pathology with severe complications.

The duration of formed immunity to various pathogens is not the same and varies from several months to tens of years. Some have lifelong immunity.

Previously, compulsory vaccinations were given to every child. Children whose doctors gave medical exemptions for any reason were not vaccinated.

Today you have the right to refuse to vaccinate your child. But then they take responsibility for the risk of dangerous illnesses after infection. They may have great difficulties registering an unvaccinated child in a kindergarten, camp or school.

If I decide to get one or more vaccinations, where can I go?

Vaccination is carried out by public clinics, as well as private ones that are licensed for this type of medical activity. State clinics usually use domestic vaccines and provide vaccinations according to the National Vaccination Calendar free of charge. In private clinics there may be a larger selection of vaccines, but you will have to pay for them.

Before vaccination, it is recommended to consult at least with a general practitioner, and preferably with an immunologist or infectious disease specialist, who will help assess your health condition and the need for vaccinations.

* We left out the conversation of travelers to exotic countries or countries with an unfavorable epidemiological situation - we are talking about ordinary residents of our country.

What vaccinations do children need based on age?

A vaccination calendar has been introduced and is in effect in Russia, which contains a list of these procedures depending on the age of the child. There are vaccinations against diseases endemic in specific regions.

You may want to consider getting vaccinated against influenza, which usually occurs seasonally. Sometimes it takes on the character of an epidemic, after which preschool, school and other institutions are forced to close for quarantine.

Vaccination of a child is not mandatory and is done at will. It will save you from a lot of complications. You should take care of this in advance, since in the midst of an epidemic it will no longer help and will probably even harm. It is worth vaccinating 30 days before the expected outbreak of the disease.

Below is a list of vaccinations included in the National Calendar.

1. On the first day of life, a hepatitis B vaccine is given.
2. On the third - seventh day - BCG for tuberculosis.
3. At the age of three months, DTP and polio are the first vaccinations.
4. At four to five months: second vaccination with DTP plus polio.
5. Six months: third vaccination against polio and DTP, hepatitis B.
6. One year old: measles-rubella-mumps.
7. One and a half years: 1st revaccination with polio and DTP vaccines.
8. At 1 year 8 months: 2nd revaccination against polio.
9. 6 years: 2nd vaccination measles-mumps-rubella.
10. 7 years: repeated from tetanus, diphtheria, mycobacterium tuberculosis.
11. 13 years old: against rubella and hepatitis B.
12. 14 years: repeated vaccinations against diphtheria infection, tuberculosis, tetanus bacillus, polio.

Important! When vaccinating your baby, make sure he is in complete health. To do this, consult a doctor. If you have minor respiratory or other cold symptoms, vaccination should be postponed until you have recovered.

Before the procedure, it is necessary to show the child to a pediatrician and examine him, passing the required minimum of tests. If the indicators are normal, you can vaccinate.

Types of vaccines

Vaccination is an effective way to prevent infectious diseases of various etiologies, which consists of introducing a weakened or dead virus into the body in order to form acquired immunity.

Modern medicine uses the following types of vaccines:

1. live, produced on the basis of living weakened microorganisms. These include BCG (tuberculosis), vaccinations against measles, mumps, rubella, polio (administered through the oral cavity).
2. dead (inactivated), made by neutralizing pathogens. Among them are polio (IPV), pertussis (part of DTP) injections.
3. synthetic, produced through genetic engineering synthesis - against hepatitis B.
4. toxoids obtained by neutralizing pathogen toxins (most often formaldehyde). These are components of DTP against tetanus and diphtheria.

There are also polyvaccines consisting of several provoking viruses at once, which can significantly reduce the total number of vaccinations. These include DPT (whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus), Tetracok (whooping cough, diphtheria, tetanus, polio), Priorix, or CPC (whooping cough, mumps, rubella).

The Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation has developed and approved a national calendar of preventive vaccinations, according to which an individual vaccination plan is drawn up for each child. In addition to scheduled injections, injections are administered for epidemic indications, for example, against influenza, rabies and others.

Adverse reactions to vaccinations

Most often, increased body temperature and weakness. It manifests itself in the child’s capriciousness and lethargy. After vaccination, compaction and slight pain and swelling are sometimes observed. These phenomena do not require special treatment; fever is eliminated with antipyretic drugs.

Post-vaccination manifestations may also have significant differences, which should still be mentioned:

• Hepatitis B: with the first injection, a temperature of up to 37.5 degrees and local redness is possible. Repeated administrations are usually not accompanied by any changes in condition.
• BCG: over time, a painless thickening and even redness appear at the injection site. Such phenomena can be detected in a newborn 3-4 weeks after vaccination. Then the wound will gradually heal and after 90 days there will be a small scar that will remain for life.
• DPT: local redness and slight local compaction; the next day the temperature may rise to 38 degrees. Rarely a rash is observed.
• Spinal palsy: Can be administered in two ways: in the mouth as drops or as an injection. When injected, manifestations are possible, as is the case with DPT. Oral drops cause virtually no reactions.
• Rubella: a delayed response of the child’s body is possible, manifesting seven days after vaccination with low-grade fever and slight enlargement of the lymph nodes.
• Measles: has serious consequences. After five and sometimes ten days after the vaccination, the temperature may rise to febrile levels, redness of the cheeks and eyes, and nasal congestion are also characteristic.
• Epidemic mumps, popularly known as mumps. Reactions may be identical to those seen with measles immunization.

The most pronounced complications in humans after DPT. After vaccination, the child’s temperature rose to 39 degrees and remained for up to three days. But giving it up is not a solution to the problem. It is worth thinking about an imported analogue of the vaccine.

If allergic reactions occur, the child should be given antihistamines.

Will they be allowed into kindergarten and school without vaccinations?

Many are convinced that without a vaccination card a child cannot be placed anywhere. However, it is not. The state is obliged to ensure that every person has the right to education and its accessibility to the general public (clause 2 of article 41 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation). Therefore, they are required to take a child to educational institutions regardless of the presence/absence of vaccinations (Clause 3, Article 5 of Federal Law No. 273-FZ “On Education in the Russian Federation”). But let’s not lie, parents can still get on their nerves.

The law provides only 2 consequences for unvaccinated children. Firstly, unvaccinated children may be temporarily (for as long as there are reasons) not allowed to attend classes in the event of mass infections or the threat of epidemics. Secondly, they may not be released from the Russian Federation to countries where vaccinations are mandatory (Clause 2, Article 5 of Federal Law No. 157-FZ).

Thus, a child may indeed be suspended from school, but only for the period of quarantine while the epidemic rages. And not just because the school director “imagined” the epidemic. An official decision on the epidemic in the region and the announcement of quarantine must be approved. It is announced by local authorities on the orders of chief sanitary doctors and their deputies (clause 2 of article 31 of Federal Law N 52-FZ “On the sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population”).

“For” or “against” vaccination

From birth, doctors convince young parents of the undoubted benefits. But is this really true? This problem has both supporters and opponents. Let's try to figure it out.

Drug manufacturing companies are interested in this issue. They are trying their best to promote their products and push medications. They attract the media, create advertising, use psychological techniques, promoting this or that drug.

Vaccines use toxic substances and even (albeit in minute quantities) poisons as fillers and preservatives.

When bringing a child to the vaccination office, they give an injection, but it later turns out that this vaccination is contraindicated for him.

On the other hand, vaccinating a child is a method of specific prevention of various types of infections and a guarantee of health. Nonspecific measures, such as hardening, taking immunomodulators, playing sports, etc. do not always help. When faced with a pathogen, the body sometimes cannot cope and succumbs to the disease.

Attention! Before you refuse to vaccinate your child, you need to weigh the pros and cons. It is very important to consult a pediatrician to make sure there are no concomitant diseases. After examining and clarifying the presence of contraindications, if necessary, the doctor will issue a medical exemption.

Which vaccines are mandatory?

Why are a number of vaccinations necessary for children? This question is often asked to pediatricians by parents who doubt the benefits of vaccination. When children enter a preschool educational institution, they must provide a certificate of preventive vaccinations. Immunoprophylaxis of children in this case is confirmed by legislative acts. On their basis, admission to the institution is carried out.

What vaccinations are needed for kindergarten? The list of required vaccines for a preschooler is as follows:

• DPT;
• polio;
• Hepatitis B;
• BCG, Mantoux;
• against measles, rubella, mumps;
• against pneumococcal infection;
• seasonal flu shot;
• from chicken pox.

If parents are categorically against vaccination, then when enrolling their child in kindergarten, they must provide a documented official refusal of medical intervention indicating possible negative consequences.

At the same time, if there is an outbreak of an epidemic or a quarantine is declared, an unvaccinated child may be temporarily prohibited from visiting a child care facility.

Protection from disease and justified risk?

Is it better to cope with the possible side effects of the vaccine or (in the case of a “live” vaccine) to suffer from a mild disease? Will you soon forget about the injection or will you spend a long time treating a child who has not received the vaccine for an illness that has befallen him and then continue to suffer from its consequences? After all, immunization is the only sure way to avoid infection by pathogens such as diphtheria or tetanus, whooping cough or polio.

Some vaccines produce antibodies and keep them at high levels for three to five years. Then the strength of their action decreases. This happens, for example, with the whooping cough vaccine. But the whole point is that the disease itself is extremely dangerous for the first four years of life, when the defense system is still weak.

The resulting pathological processes result in general intoxication, lead to rupture of blood vessels, and sometimes result in severe pneumonia. Conclusion: timely vaccination will save you from a fatal disease.

The following provisions indicate “for”:

• antibodies formed in this way will help avoid dangerous diseases;
• immunization of the population on a mass scale will prevent outbreaks of epidemics: tuberculosis, rubella, mumps, measles, hepatitis B;
• parents of a vaccinated child will not have any difficulties with registration at institutions;
• vaccination is considered effective and safe; post-vaccination complications arise due to insufficient examination, late diagnosis, or a cold during the vaccination period.

Important! If a child has suffered an acute respiratory disease, then procedures should begin no earlier than two weeks after recovery.

Try to carry out injections within the time limits established by the calendar, and do not miss the time for revaccinations. Vaccinations given to a child correctly and on time will be the key to effective protection in the future and will relieve him of negative effects.

Vaccinations for children - pros and cons

The question of whether to vaccinate a child causes a lot of controversy among parents. Many mothers and fathers have the opinion that vaccination is harmful because it destroys the baby’s innate immunity. They give the following arguments against:

• there is no absolute guarantee that the child will not catch the infection even if the microbe that causes it is introduced;
• the immune system weakened by introduced infectious agents does not protect against other diseases;
• toxic substances in the vaccine have a harmful effect;
• the immune system of a breastfed newborn is protected by maternal antibodies contained in milk;
• the development of an allergic reaction and other serious complications, including death, is possible.

In reviews of vaccinations performed, parents note the poor quality of administered medications, non-compliance with storage conditions (temperature conditions), and violation of injection technique. Medical professionals can refute many of the arguments presented.

Vaccination supporters advocate the introduction of mandatory vaccinations, believing that they keep children healthy. They prove their answer to the question: why are vaccinations needed with the following arguments:

• form adaptive immunity against dangerous and fatal diseases;
• universal vaccination prevents mass diseases and the development of epidemics of dangerous infections;
• The absence of a vaccination certificate or immunization card will cause difficulties when enrolling in a kindergarten, educational institution, camp, or when applying for travel abroad.

The vaccine does not provide lifelong immunity, but it prevents the development of possible dangerous complications, for example, infertility in boys after mumps, arthritis after rubella measles, etc.

Arguments against: illusion or reality?

More and more people are refusing vaccinations. There are reports on television and radio about the fatal results of this or that vaccine. True, these are isolated cases. Of great importance are the shelf life of the drugs, the conditions of their transportation and storage, the tightness of the packaging, individual characteristics (color change, appearance of flakes), etc., which may not have been taken into account during the manipulation process.

Some fathers and mothers believe that their child already has innate immunoglobulins. Artificially administered drugs will destroy it. Yes, indeed, a child is born with initial protection received from the mother. Next, he receives immunoglobulins with mother's milk. But this is not enough to combat these diseases.

Opponents of vaccinations are inclined to believe that the administration of vaccines has a lot of negative effects: swelling and redness, skin rashes and itching, sometimes peeling, even suppuration. In severe cases, the development of anaphylactic shock is possible. Such options are usually associated with underestimation of the patient’s allergic mood, incorrect administration of the injection, low-quality drug, and violation of the terms of use.

Attention! Irreparable harm to health that can be caused by individual intolerance not taken into account before the injection. To avoid such complications, you should carefully study your allergic history and test your vaccine tolerance.

Parents refuse vaccination, citing the following reasons:

• not all vaccines have proven effectiveness;
• the newborn’s body is too weak;
• infections at an early age are tolerated more easily than by adults (this is not always the case; measles and rubella leave behind severe side effects);
• Some vaccines contain live pathogens that can cause disease;
• there is no individual approach to young patients;
• inattention of medical staff.

The letter from the famous oncoimmunologist, deputy director of the Moscow Research Institute of Oncology, Vera Vladimirovna Gorodilova, is still being discussed on social networks. Although she died back in 1996, her opinions and conclusions about side effects still disturb the scientific world.

According to her data, as a result of vaccination, an unbalanced overexpenditure of the body’s immune forces occurs, followed by a decrease. Thus, BCG vaccination on the fifth to seventh day after birth can lead to a restructuring of protein compounds in the blood plasma. The baby's protective function is not able to cope with the colossal load. The result is loss of immune abilities.

How does this happen? Excessive accumulation of antibodies will lead to “overconsumption” of white blood cells and changes in the process of hematopoiesis. V.V. Gorodilova connected all these “restructurings” with the danger of oncopathologies and autoimmune processes.

Infectious disease doctor and teacher at NSU P. Gladky cast great doubt on these arguments, advocating a complete refusal of vaccinations. He cited facts that as a result of the introduction of vaccinations, the morbidity and mortality rate of the population sharply decreased. And all this happened not because the vaccines were safe in those days (they were unrefined), they showed their impeccable effectiveness. The incidence of smallpox decreased significantly, and at the beginning of the twentieth century it was completely eliminated.

The author admits that in our time we should not carry out “universal” vaccinations; we should approach the issue individually. It is necessary to take into account the characteristics of each little citizen, the presence of concomitant diseases and contraindications in order to prevent complications.

He commented on his positive approach to paid vaccination clinics using foreign vaccines that are more adapted to the characteristics of immunity. In conclusion, the author expressed the hope that supporters and opponents of vaccines will finally agree and come to a consensus.

Is it worth risking the health of a child by leaving him unprotected?

Marina Vladislavovna Fedoseenko , Ph.D., pediatrician, allergist-immunologist, head, told the Medical Bulletin about how children's vaccination programs are going during the coronavirus pandemic, about the responsibilities of parents and much more Department of Vaccine Prevention, Research Institute of Pediatrics and Children's Health, Central Clinical Hospital of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Associate Professor, Department of Faculty Pediatrics, Pediatric Faculty, Russian National Research Medical University named after. N.I. Pirogov.

‒ Marina Vladislavovna, the COVID-19 pandemic continues today. And despite the long history of vaccination, difficulties are now arising with the implementation of planned programs. What difficulties does a pediatrician encounter in his practice when prescribing preventive vaccinations for a child?

‒ Indeed, in the context of a pandemic and restrictive measures, parents are afraid to visit the clinic, and also for preventive vaccinations. Some families with infants hid from the infection in a country house outside the city, remaining for a long time without access to protective vaccination opportunities. School vaccination programs were also suspended during the pandemic during the summer months.

We, pediatricians and other physicians, are very concerned about the situation in which large numbers of infants and children remain unprotected from the dangers of deadly infections.

In addition, some parents are not informed about the possibility of maintaining routine vaccination during a pandemic. In fact, preventive vaccinations for healthy and uncontacted children should not stop at this time. Since vaccination does not increase the risk of infection of a child during a pandemic and does not weaken the post-vaccination immune response against a pathogen with a high level of spread. On the contrary, it is very important to continue vaccination, especially primary vaccination of infants and young children, according to the National Immunization Schedule to prevent the threat of outbreaks and epidemics of controlled diseases such as measles, polio, diphtheria, Haemophilus influenzae type b and whooping cough.

‒ What does a pediatrician need to convey to parents who get information from social networks and refuse to vaccinate their child?

‒ The most important thing for parents is to approach the issue of their child’s health in a very balanced, reasonable manner, without giving in to emotions. You should study information from different sources and rationally consider what dangers this or that situation will entail. It is necessary to take a responsible approach to the issue of the consequences of an infectious disease, for which a safe vaccine is completely available. Is it worth risking the life of a child by leaving him unprotected? After all, most of us are vaccinated and therefore protected from severe infections.

‒ How now, against the background of the high incidence of COVID-19, is vaccination against such common respiratory infections as pneumococcal infection, whooping cough and influenza?

‒ The process is active among those who came to the clinic with the general intention of getting vaccinated. Nowadays, many parents no longer need to explain what pneumococcus is, why it is dangerous, and they don’t have to take a long time to convince them of the need for vaccination against pneumococcal infection. Often, when adults bring their child for routine vaccination, they themselves ask to be vaccinated against pneumonia. This year's seasonal influenza vaccination campaign was very dynamic. Our citizens showed interest in vaccination before the vaccinations arrived at the vaccination centers. Many were vaccinated at mobile sites, in clinics on the way to work, in parks, in general, they used every opportunity to protect themselves from the flu. Currently, we continue to vaccinate those who wish to receive influenza vaccines.

But the problem of protection against whooping cough using vaccines remains extremely painful and this is due to several reasons. The difficulties lie in reducing routine immunization of the child population, which is associated with its suspension during the pandemic. In addition, the imperfection of the domestic vaccination calendar, according to which immunization ends at the age of 1.5 years, which leads to an increase in susceptibility to pertussis infection among primary schoolchildren and adolescents. We should not forget about the morbidity of the adult population, who do not easily tolerate whooping cough. At the same time, due to traditional beliefs that whooping cough is a childhood infection, adult patients are left without an established diagnosis and proper treatment and, to top it all, become indirect sources of further spread of the pathogen, including for children under 1 year of age who have not completed the full course vaccinations.

‒ In the country as a whole, are there any changes in the incidence of influenza and ARVI in children against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic?

‒ Over the last weeks of the traditional epidemic season, the incidence of respiratory infections has increased. But no matter how strange it may sound, it is precisely thanks to restrictive sanitary measures that this increase is moderate. However, despite the low activity of the influenza virus, parents should now be advised to hurry up and vaccinate their children against influenza and get vaccinated themselves. During this unusual season, the risk of severe influenza infection is especially high, due to the danger of co-infection, i.e. simultaneous illness caused by SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus.

It should also be understood that during a pandemic, with extreme strain on the healthcare system, the ability to provide care to patients with other diseases will be limited. The current season will be characterized by a fundamentally different set of circulating influenza viruses compared to previous years. As a result, the majority of the population lacks immunity.

‒ What is the incidence of whooping cough in children in the Russian Federation over the past year and what is the dynamics of the spread of this infection??

“It must be admitted that over the past year, due to measures to limit communication, the incidence of whooping cough has decreased significantly. However, this only means that with the resumption of the normal course of our active life and the functioning of children's institutions as usual, the incidence of whooping cough, transmitted by airborne droplets, will resume. Moreover, with the growth pattern inherent in pertussis infection, as has been observed in the last few years. Moreover, the situation that concerns us with the suspension of routine childhood vaccinations during the first wave of the pandemic will further aggravate this epidemiological problem.

‒ How much should we be afraid of hemophilus influenzae type b infection, especially for parents of children in the first years of life?

‒ Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) is a bacterium responsible for severe pneumonia, meningitis and other invasive diseases almost exclusively in children. Children from 4 to 18 months of age are most vulnerable to infection. In case of illness, every fifth child dies. 10–15% of survivors of Hib infection develop severe complications: epilepsy, deafness, cerebral palsy. Haemophilus influenzae is difficult to treat because it is very resistant to antibiotics, but can be successfully prevented through timely vaccination.

‒ Your position as an allergist-immunologist is very interesting - can a vaccine “trigger” autoimmune processes?

‒ The possible link between vaccination and autoimmune processes has been extensively studied in a number of different autoimmune disorders, including type 1 diabetes mellitus, Guillain-Barré syndrome, multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating disorders.

Numerous studies published over the past 15 years in the form of a systematic analysis and meta-review, based on the principles of evidence-based medicine, have not found the effect of vaccination on increasing the risk of initiating autoimmune diseases. Moreover, the impact of various preventive vaccinations, including those administered simultaneously, was carefully studied. The results of epidemiological studies have demonstrated similar levels of autoimmune pathology in populations of vaccinated and unvaccinated patients.

‒ What absolute contraindications to vaccination in children remain today?

‒ Of course, when prescribing a vaccine, like any drug, there is a list of contraindications. However, in modern conditions the list of “prohibitions” for introducing vaccinations is extremely limited. It includes anaphylactic allergic reactions to components included in the vaccine, such as urticaria, which develops after eating a small amount of a chicken egg, is highly likely to prevent the patient from being vaccinated against influenza vaccine. In addition, you should refrain from re-administering the vaccine if in the first days after its previous use the temperature rose to significant levels or a red spot larger than 8 cm in size was detected at the injection site.

Certain vaccinations produced in the form of a live attenuated culture (against tuberculosis, measles, mumps) are not used in children with severe primary immunodeficiency. Believe me, such situations are extremely rare and must be taken into account by the pediatrician.

‒ What, in your opinion, is the main task for controlling infectious diseases in the population?

‒ The most important thing is the population’s trust in the system and practice of preventive vaccinations. Thanks to this, the most important criterion for the effectiveness of vaccine prevention will be achieved - high coverage of the population with preventive vaccinations. This is a significant barrier, the protective power of society against the real-life danger of rapidly spreading severe infectious diseases. Citizens' commitment and openness to vaccination depend on a large number of factors, including complete and accessible information to parents about vaccination-preventable infections and about preventive vaccinations themselves: how they work, what post-vaccination reactions may occur, and many others.

‒ Why is it important to comply with vaccination dates? What could be the consequences if these deadlines are constantly violated and shifted? What to do if the schedule has already been disrupted?

‒ The timing of the recommended introduction of preventive vaccinations was not chosen by chance. They are justified by the possible risk of infection of the child and the severe course of a controlled infection, the age of the infant, at which a decrease in protective maternal antibodies occurs. The schedule for administering repeat doses was verified in the course of clinical studies and observations of the immunological effectiveness of the vaccines. Therefore, it is very important to comply with the specified schedules for preventive vaccinations, and violations and deviations from them put the child at risk of developing an infectious disease. If parents have missed the age-specific dose of the vaccine, it should be administered as soon as possible, but not start the regimen from the very beginning.

‒ According to the National Preventive Vaccination Calendar, infants under two years of age should be vaccinated against 12 infections. The ideal vaccination calendar of the Union of Pediatricians of Russia offers additional vaccinations in addition to those indicated in the National Calendar. What infections is it important to vaccinate children in the first years of life and what schedule is recommended to follow?

‒ The ideal vaccination schedule proposed by the Union of Pediatricians of Russia provides protection against the most dangerous infectious agents at a particular age. It is much broader than the traditionally accepted National calendar of preventive vaccinations and includes a number of additional modern vaccines presented on the domestic market. They are administered according to the optimal schedule, in the right combination with other vaccines, at a strictly defined age of the child. Thus, vaccinations against 12 infections already available in the national calendar are supplemented by vaccinations against rotavirus infection, chickenpox, meningococcal infection, viral hepatitis A, tick-borne encephalitis, human papillomavirus infection, as well as mandatory vaccination against Haemophilus influenzae type b for all children in the first two years of life. All this is thought out and designed to achieve the highest level of post-vaccination immunity in a safe manner for the child.

What does Dr. Komarovsky advise about vaccinations?

Pediatrician E. O. Komarovsky, known to a wide audience for his programs about health problems with in-depth coverage of topics, convinces caring mothers of the high effectiveness of vaccinations.

According to him, any immunization that leaves behind, albeit minimally, the risk of getting sick. Another thing is that the child will endure the disease in a milder form and without complications.

Another factor that encourages relatives to refuse vaccination is a reaction from the child’s body in the form of skin rash, fever, and lethargy. Dr. Komarovsky draws attention to three main factors that are “guilty” in this process:

• the condition of the baby himself, absence of signs of a cold, etc.;
• type of vaccine, as well as its properties and quality;
• actions of medical personnel.

The main thing, the pediatrician urges, is to adhere to the vaccination schedule. In order for the child to respond adequately to the injection, he advises:

• During the day, you should not stuff him with allergenic foods, sweets, and also try not to overfeed him.
• Do not introduce complementary foods to infants on the eve of vaccination.
• Do not feed one hour before vaccination and 60 minutes later.
• Adhere to the optimal drinking regimen (one to one and a half liters per day, depending on age).
• Avoid drafts and large crowds of people.

After some vaccinations, it is not recommended to take your child to kindergarten for several days. Try to prevent him from getting sick during this time. In conclusion, the specialist focuses on the features of care and education.

Why is vaccination needed?

Should my child be vaccinated? During the injection, harmless antigens enter the child's body, which are considered part of microorganisms that provoke various diseases. In turn, the immune system produces lymphocytes, protective cells. When a live microbe is introduced, the immune system is already ready to prevent the disease.

When using live vaccines, 3-5% of children do not develop immunity, so the injections are repeated. Children vaccinated against measles can get sick once, but this happens much less frequently than with children who have not received the vaccine and in a milder form.

Killed vaccines made from inactivated cultures do not provide lifelong protection, but even in the event of illness, vaccinated children have much milder symptoms and no serious consequences occur.

What can happen if you refuse vaccinations?

Parents' refusal to vaccinate can result in irreparable disaster. If mothers complain about the low level of antibodies in their child and therefore do not want to vaccinate him, then if he encounters a real infectious agent, the baby will even more so not cope with the disease!

As he grows up, a garden and a school await him, where there are many children. Among them may be carriers of infections. Such children will not get sick because they have been vaccinated. And for an unvaccinated child, an encounter with a pathogen can turn into a tragedy.

The transferred diseases often leave complications from the cardiovascular, nervous and other systems, sometimes ending in death.

What risks do parents face if they don’t vaccinate their children?

All dubious aspects were assessed, thought through, and weighed. If in the end you decide “not to do it,” a lot of questions arise. Can the child be taken away? Do they have the right to force or can doctors themselves vaccinate a child in a kindergarten or school without your consent? Will intractable parents be sent to prison, as in Uruguay, for six months? There is only one answer to these “painful” questions: no. Let's return to paragraph 1 of Art. 5 Federal Law No. 157, which establishes that vaccinations are a voluntary matter and the decision of parents. There is no liability for refusal. Instead of punitive measures, we have established restrictions for unvaccinated citizens on leaving the country and admission to educational institutions (Clause 2, Article 5 of Federal Law No. 157-FZ). No one can hold a person accountable for exercising his right established by law!

Of course, if the child was not vaccinated because the parents did not care about him at all, and the child was actually “abandoned,” then this is a completely different story. If, in addition to the lack of vaccinations, in addition, improper fulfillment of other parental responsibilities is established (prolonged and systematic neglect of the child’s needs, lack of concern for his health, nutrition, neglect, unsanitary living conditions), then the issue may be raised up to the deprivation of parental rights (Article 69 of the Family Code of the Russian Federation) and administrative liability (Article 5.35 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation). But these are already extreme cases, which, we hope, are not relevant to our readers.

Within the meaning of paragraphs 1-2 of Article 5 of Federal Law No. 157-FZ, parents should not be held accountable to the law even if their unvaccinated child eventually contracts a disease from the national vaccination calendar. On the other hand, those parents whose child, God forbid, suffered from vaccination, should not be held accountable before the law. After all, it was their choice too! However, no clear judicial practice has been developed in this regard at the moment.

More than once, some public figures, ministers and deputies have come out with a demand to oblige parents to vaccinate all their children, but so far the Duma has consistently rejected these initiatives.