Despite persistent rumors, it’s a well-documented fact that childhood vaccines do not cause the onset of autism. (A 1998 study that suggested otherwise has since been debunked.) But many new parents remain concerned about a possible link – so pediatricians are making an effort to get the word out about the positive effects of vaccination.

“It’s the devil you don’t know” that can be the most dangerous, says Durham-Orange County Medical Society president Dr. Kunal Mitra of Burlington Pediatrics. Mitra says parents often fail to recognize the danger of not vaccinating their children – because vaccinations have been so prevalent for so long, we’ve forgotten the horrors of the diseases (like polio) that they prevent.

Vaccines do come with possible side effects, and for some kids they’re not an option – but Dr. Mitra says that’s all the more reason everyone else should make it a point to vaccinate. Doing so helps develop what doctors call “herd immunity”: the more people are vaccinated against a disease, the less of a chance there is of an outbreak, and that lowers the risk for unvaccinated kids too.

Kunal Mitra spoke with WCHL’s Aaron Keck.

 

Dr. Mitra says he’s always willing to talk with parents who are unsure about vaccination or have questions. Ultimately, though, he says if a parent does decide not to vaccinate their kids, he generally refers them to some other doctor.

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