Former anti-vaxxer and mother of three Kristen O' Meara is finally recognizing just how important it is to get your children vaccinated. Sadly, she had to learn it the hard way.
"I felt really guilty"
O' Meara was adamant about not having her children vaccinated. According to her, she had done her research and was convinced that vaccines do more harm than good. She also added that even though she did her research, she only read material that was against vaccination.
This all changed however, when her entire family, which include three daughters, became ill because of a rotavirus infection, a potentially fatal disease that could have been prevented through vaccination.
"It was awful, and it didn't have to happen, because I could have had them vaccinated. I felt guilty. I felt really guilty." O' Meara shares. Thankfully, she and her family have since recovered from the ordeal, and she has learned just how important vaccinations are.
Trust your doctor
Vaccinating your children is the best way to make sure that they receive immunity from potentially fatal and debilitating diseases such as measles, polio, mumps, tetanus, and rotavirus. While some studies might show that specific types of vaccines may have dangerous side effects, vaccines for the most part are generally perceived as safe as the benefits greatly outweigh the drawbacks.
Getting your child vaccinated is also a way to prevent other children who aren't vaccinated from getting sick. This phenomenon is called "herd immunity". This happens when a large part of the population are immune to the disease, which makes it hard for a virus or disease to infect those who aren't immune to the disease.
It's also very important to have a close relationship with your doctor regarding vaccines and a vaccination schedule to figure out the best way to vaccinate your kids. That way, you can always make sure that your kids' vaccinations are up-to-date so that you can be sure that they won't get sick.
READ: UNICEF: Breastfeeding within first hour of birth is the baby’s “first vaccine”
Sources: Self, PJMedia
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