We were at a maternity home recently, and one of the things that really surprised us was the number of parents who were reluctant to have their children immunized. And I started wondering, why are so many parents hesitant about something that is meant to protect their children? Is it because they don’t understand what immunization does, or have they had experiences that make them afraid of it?
I think we need to have this conversation because, at the end of the day, every parent wants to see their child grow up. You want to see your child play, go to school, learn new things and become the person you hope they will become. You don’t want to watch that child suffer from a disease that could have been prevented.
Of course, parents have questions. Some may have heard stories from other people, while others may have had experiences that made them lose confidence in immunization. We shouldn’t pretend those concerns don’t exist. If a parent is worried, there should be room to ask questions and get proper answers. If you don’t understand something, please ask. Speak to a qualified health worker and get information from a reliable source rather than making a decision based only on what somebody told you.
But we also need to understand what is at stake when we refuse immunization. Some of these diseases can make children seriously ill, and the cost of treating a sick child can be a lot for a family to bear. There is also the worry, the hospital visits and the possibility of complications. We may not think much about prevention when everybody is healthy, but when a child becomes seriously ill, we suddenly understand why prevention matters.
And this is why, when immunization campaigns come around, I think parents should cooperate with the health workers and facilitators who are trying to reach them. If you have concerns, raise them. Ask your questions. But please don’t dismiss the opportunity to protect your child without first understanding what is being offered and why it is recommended.
Things change, and our understanding of health changes too. Something that happened in the past, or something we heard from someone, should be a reason to seek better information, not necessarily a reason to reject every recommendation.
We all want healthy children. We want to watch them grow, enjoy their childhood and have the opportunity to live their lives. So when immunization is recommended to protect them against a preventable disease, let us take it seriously. And especially when there is an outbreak, please find out what the health authorities are recommending and act on reliable information.
Our children depend on us to make decisions for them. Let us make those decisions with the information we need to protect them.
🧠 Curious Fact of the Week
Did you know that many modern medicines have been developed from, or inspired by, substances found in nature? 🌿
From medicinal plants to vaccines, understanding how different interventions work has taken years of observation and scientific investigation. And there is still more to learn about protecting our health.
What health fact have you always been curious about?
Explore our programmes:
https://cyrilliccollegehht.com/programmes/
Speak with our admissions team:
https://wa.me/message/I2HANGAAVNMGI1
Visit Cyrillic College:
https://cyrilliccollegehht.com/
Want more?
These articles come out every Friday, bringing you fascinating questions about the human body, health and the science behind both, explained without the headache.
Subscribe here:
Until next Friday…
Stay curious.
