Vaccinating Early is Not Needed

  Babies are born with some immunity to certain diseases that are passed to them from the mother’s breast milk. However, this natural immunity dissipates in the first few months of life. In addition, babies are born with no natural immunity to a wide range of diseases that have historically caused a large proportion of infant mortality, like diphtheria, pertussis, and rubella (2). Young children are also more susceptible to pathogens because their body and its defensive mechanisms are immature. For example, the short distance between an infant’s nose and throat, compared to an adult, which allows more pathogens to be able to cause infection. In addition, young children have not yet been exposed to many pathogens and therefore do not have any immune system memory set up (3). It is estimated that early vaccination saves from 2-2 ½ million children’s lives every year (1).  

(1)
 
  ¹Importance of Immunization Programs (2020), retrieved 2 May 2020, https://vaccine-safety-training.org/Importance-of-immunization-programmes.html 
 ²Multiple Vaccines and the Immune System (1 October 2018), retrieved 2 May 2020, https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/multiple-vaccines-immunity.html 
 ³Marotz, Lynn R., Health, Safety and Nutrition for the Young Child, 2012, retrieved 2 May 2020, http://college.cengage.com/early_childhood_education/course360/health_safety_and_nutrition_1111942250/ebook/marotz_1111298378_ch05.pdf