General Discussion
Showing Original Post only (View all)I was a child in a time before there were vaccines for most [View all]
common childhood illnesses. I got measles, chickenpox, whooping cough, mumps and just about everything else that was going around. I survived all of them, without any lingering consequences. However, not all of my friends were so lucky.
One friend died in third grade from complications of the measles.
Another kid I knew lost his vision due to the measles.
Another friend developed encephalitis from chicken pox and missed a year of school. She always had weakness on her left side.
Three kids I knew got polio. Two died. The other is my brother-in-law.
When I was in 7th grade, the polio vaccine became available. We all lined up for our shots. All of us. Nobody was exempt. Period.
Today, smallpox has been eradicated. Most doctors will never see a case of diphtheria, and polio is not a thread to American children.
Vaccination prevents diseases and saves lives. Childhood diseases kill and cripple children. It is that simple.