From Clem Boughton
Jim Giles’s point makes a valid point that because immunisation has succeeded in many countries and parents do not see the illnesses prevented, it is often difficult to persuade parents that their children still need to be protected their children (26 January, p 37).
Comparisons of figures for deaths and disabilities from vaccine preventable infectious diseases of childhood in years preceding immunisation, with those following successful use of vaccines, is certainly understood by public health workers and some parents – but certainly not all. Alarmist and often irresponsible media reporting of alleged adverse effects, combined with the efforts of the anti-immunisation lobby, deters many parents from having their children vaccinated.
As appeals to reason are often ineffective, the approach needs to be emotional and graphic. A video or DVD recording of a little baby with pertussis, coughing and struggling for breath, steadily becoming more distressed and then cyanotic, is likely to convince most sceptics that such distress should be prevented if at all possible.
Some time ago I was involved in putting together a series of such clinical recordings, including diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, poliomyelitis, Haemophilus influenzae b infections (particularly epiglottitis), measles and complications, rubella embryopathy, and mumps. We showed these to young mothers – and convinced them to immunise their children.
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The showing on national TV of a small baby struggling with pertussis convinced more people of the need for immunisation than much quoting of statistics.
These are horrible diseases; I have treated all of the above and do not want to see them resurgent in our communities, as they will be if we drop our guard.
Vaucluse, New South Wales, Australia
