- Knowledgebase: Immunization Questions
- Questions about immunizations, side effects, and not vaccinating.
- 16. Why should I immunize my child against Polio? - Top
- Polio is caused by a virus. About 95% of polio infections have no symptoms at all. Flu like symptoms occur in 4-8% of those infected. However these people can still give polio to other susceptible people, who can get meningitis and flaccid paralysis which may be permenant.
We used to give the LIVE oral polio vaccine until recently. That vaccine had a small, but present, risk of causing a polio syndrome. Since the risk of polio in the US is so low now, we have switched to the DEAD polio vaccine (IPV). This vaccine is not as good at preventing polio, but it is good enough. This vaccine has NO risk of causing polio.
If you wnat to help erradicate polio from the globe, continue with your child's polio shots, and it may be a reality in the next decade. If you dont want to give your child this fairly harmless dead vaccine, read A Paralyzing Fear: The Story of Polio in America (or get the video of the TV production). Then you will understand what you are saving yourself from.
- Updated: March 14, 2001
-
[e-Mail me the Knowledgebase]- [Search
our Knowledgebase] - [Question Not Answered?]
|
