In an age where preventable illnesses still pose serious threats, it’s disheartening to see parents opting out of vaccinations for their children. One mother, Jessica Lane from Vancouver, British Columbia, is sharing her heart-wrenching experience to emphasize the importance of vaccination—not just for individual children, but for the community as a whole.
Jessica took to social media to share the struggles of her infant daughter, Lily, who has been battling whooping cough since she was just six weeks old. Now ten weeks, Lily has spent the last month in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and has endured a ventilator for three weeks and CPAP for another three days. “I never imagined I’d have to watch my baby fight for every breath,” Jessica wrote. “When parents choose not to vaccinate for personal reasons, it doesn’t just affect their own kids; it puts all vulnerable children at risk.”
Lily was too young to receive her whooping cough vaccine, which isn’t administered to infants until they are at least two months old in British Columbia, and the same is true in the U.S. “It’s been heartbreaking to see Lily go through withdrawal from the medications she needed while on the ventilator. It’s something no parent should have to witness,” Jessica shared.
These poignant images and stories serve as crucial reminders that vaccinations are a public health issue. Vaccinating a child helps protect those who are too young or unable to receive vaccines due to health conditions. Herd immunity is essential for safeguarding vulnerable individuals within our communities.
Protecting Newborns Before Vaccination
Expecting mothers can also take steps to protect their newborns before they’re eligible for vaccinations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that pregnant women receive the whooping cough vaccine (Tdap) during their third trimester. This vaccine enables the mother’s body to create protective antibodies that can be passed to the baby before birth, offering some short-term protection against whooping cough. For optimal results, the CDC suggests getting vaccinated between the 27th and 36th week of pregnancy.
Jessica concluded her emotional post with an urgent message: “Please, vaccinate your kids. It’s not fair that my little girl is struggling with a disease that could be prevented.”
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In summary, Jessica Lane’s story underscores the significance of vaccinations, not only for individual protection but for community health. Vaccination is a collective responsibility that safeguards our most vulnerable populations.