Child health risks increase as immunisation rates drop

Getty Images

Scientists fear disease outbreak as the number of Australian parents refusing to immunise their children soars by more than 600 per cent in 13 years

While vaccines protect children from a host of infectious diseases - think chicken pox or measles - the number of parents opposing immunisation has risen from 4,271 in 1999 to over 30,000 in 2012. Today, the number of babies not fully immunised now stands at one in 12.

In response to these plunging figures, today, the Australian Academy of Science has released a 20-page booklet designed to demystify the contradictory claims around the dangers of child immunisation.

The research was led by Professor Ian Frazer, who developed the cervical cancer vaccine, and involved 12 top researchers from around the country, including renowned biologist Sir Gustav Nossal.

RELATED: Vaccination: For or against immunisation?

The booklet sets out to counter the argument by the anti-vaccination lobby that vaccinations are dangerous by addressing these six key questions:

1. What is immunisation?
2. What is in a vaccine?
3. Who benefits from vaccines?
4. Are vaccines safe?
5. How are vaccines shown to be safe?
6. What does the future hold for vaccination?

Professor Frazer says that the drop in immunisation levels for diseases including whooping cough, measles, mumps and diptheria, could lead to deadly outbreaks in future. Currently, 92 per cent of 12-15 month old babies are immunised against whooping cough, however should that figure drop to 95 per cent, Professor Frazer warns the disease spreads more easily.

In the first three months of 2012, more than 7,100 of whooping cough cases occurred across Australia.

RELATED: Why Some Parents Are Choosing Not to Vaccinate Their Kids

The booklet also sets out to explain that immunity from vaccination is far safer than gaining immunity from the disease, with an important reminder that chicken pox and measles are known to be fatal, while mumps can make a male sterile – something which parents may not be aware of.

For parents concerned about the side effects of child immunisation, the booklet outlines that the risks are minimal: only three in 10,000 children who get the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine develop a fever high enough to cause seizures.

The claim that this vaccine can cause autism is also addressed, with the booklet citing medical studies that show autism amongst vaccinated children is identical to that of children not vaccinated.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: See The Science of Immunisation, by The Australian Academy of Science

Where do you stand on the immunisation debate? We would love to know your thoughts. To join the discussion on Facebook head to Yahoo7 Lifestyle