A friend of yours tells you that they do not want to vaccinate their child because

they are worried about the risks associated with vaccinations.

• How would you rid your friend of his/her misconceptions? (Note: Don't just

say "I would direct them to websites or other sources of information" -

instead, find such references and summarize the info in a way that

demonstrates you understand)

• What would you say about the specific risks both to the unvaccinated child

and to children they come in contact with?

• Your child is too young for the vaccine in question and cannot be

vaccinated for another year, would you allow your child to play with or

carpool with an unvaccinated child? Would you take any precautions?

• In order to avoid traditional vaccinations, some parents are intentionally

infecting their children with diseases in an effort to provide "natural

immunity"- going so far as to order chicken-pox infected lollipops or

holding "pox parties," believing that this practice is safer than vaccinations.

What do you think of this practice? Are there any dangers associated with

this?

Related News Clips: Wakefield News Reports

Reference: Wakefield AJ, Murch SH, Anthony A, Linnell J, Casson DM, Malik M,

Berelowitz M, Dhillon AP, Thomson MA, Harvey P. Valentine A, Davies SE, Walker-

Smith JA. 1998. Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and

pervasive developmental disorder in children. The Lancet, 351: 637-641, Available

here: Wakefield et al. 1998.pdf.

You are not restricted to these questions - you can expand on the topic in addition

to these questions.

Do your research before you begin. Don't just state your opinion - you must

substantiate it with science-backed evidence (anecdotal evidence is not

substantiation). Be sure to use reputable sources when researching this topic.