H1N1 Vaccine Dangers: Facts And Fears

Today my five year old son will be receiving the H1N1, or “swine flu” inactivated vaccine. For those who are unaware, this shot works to block transmission of H1N1 by depositing a sample of the H1N1 virus that has been killed into the system. Thus the body recognizes the living virus when it comes into contact with it, and generates the proper immune system response.

There are unsubstantiated fears that vaccines cause autism in children, and these fears are groundless. They’re based on nothing more than coincidence, stemming from the fact that many times recognizable autism signs arrive at the same time that vaccines are given to children. It’s important to remember that correlation is not causation; there have been numerous studies to show that there is no link between vaccination and autism.

Having said that, there is concern over the H1N1 vaccine due to its relatively widespread untested nature, but as the vaccine is based upon the same principles that govern all vaccines, there is little cause for concern on that score. The Center for Disease Control’s website has the information you need to make your informed decision on whether or not to give the vaccine to your child, or even yourself. In general, it must be said that while there may be side effects in some cases, the benefit of getting the vaccine far outweighs the detriment.