We’re preparing for back to school, and I’m talking….. I have a kindergartener! What?? There are so many things that come with back to school. One of the first choices we had to make were vaccinations. It’s a personal choice, not to be taken lightly. The main reason we choose to vaccinate is because it could save our child’s life. It’s important to do your own research. I found some helpful information at the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Our choices are simply, ours.
Why we Vaccinate
1. Vaccination can mean the difference between life and death. In the US, vaccine-preventable infections kill more individuals annually than HIV/AIDS, breast cancer, or traffic accidents. Approximately 50,000 people die each year from vaccine-preventable diseases in the US.
2.Vaccine-preventable diseases haven’t gone away. The viruses and bacteria that cause illness and death still exist and can be passed on to those who are not protected by vaccines. In a time when people can travel across the globe in just one day, it’s not hard to see just how easily diseases can travel too.
3. When your children get sick, your family and friends are at risk, too. A vaccine-preventable disease that might make you sick for a week or two could prove deadly for your children, grandchildren, or parents if it spreads to them. In general, vaccine-preventable diseases are more serious for the very young and the very old. So when you vaccinate to protect your children, you’re protecting your family as well.
Education & Research
I believe all parents, whether their game plan for health looks like ours or a little different, make decisions that they feel are best for their children and family. I know that this topic can be a passionate issue for many – even amongst some of my dearest friends. Our personal decisions aren’t a judgment toward what any other family decides to do. We simply choose this path because it’s what we feel is best for us. And I encourage you to do the same. Talk to your healthcare provider, read the facts, and make an educated decision on how you want to approach health this fall and winter. What is most important to me is that parents and guardians get the proper information and seek out valid research before making this extremely important decision.
I partnered with I Vaccinate to share my story. This content is sponsored by I Vaccinate, however, all thoughts and opinions on this topic are my own!
I Vaccinate provides information & tools based on real medical science and research to help Michigan parents protect their kids.
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Xo, Brooke
