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Experts are warning the UK could be facing a ‘vaccination timebomb’ as more young parents turn to anti-vaccination sites online.
Research revealed half of parents – including 59 per cent of those under 25 - feel the so-called ‘anti-vaxx’ movement is becoming more influential.
A significant 83 per cent of young mums and dads with children aged five and under – the age when most vaccines are administered – admit reading anti-jab scare stories, compared to 65 per cent of parents overall.
Currently, just over half of parents carry out their own research before deciding whether to vaccinate their child, the study for UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health and parenting site ChannelMum.com found.
Worryingly, only 41 per cent trust the current range of official information available, with 15 per cent believing information is ‘promoted by drug companies’.
And one in five actively search out alarmist vaccine stories as part of their research while one in ten has a ‘anti-vaxxer’ friend they discuss immunisations with.
The study also showed young parents are more likely to view anti-vaxx sites (33%) than talk to their midwife (30%) about having their child immunised.
Dr Helen Bedford, Professor of Children’s Health at UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health said: “While the majority of parents are happy to vaccinate, the rapid rise of anti-vaccination scares on social media is causing many to now question the need for vaccines.
“Due to a long-standing successful vaccination programme, as a nation we have forgotten the terrible toll these diseases can take on children.
"While the anti-vaccination sites may concentrate on perceived side-effects, they don’t show the real and often life-changing impact of catching a disease we vaccinate for.”
According to Unicef, 500,000 children in the UK are currently unvaccinated against disease including measles.
The charity has blamed a recent global surge in the potentially-fatal disease on plummeting vaccination rates.
The study showed the main source of anti-vaxx stories for parents is Facebook, with 44 per cent of UK parents viewing material there.
One in 10 looked up the misleading material on picture-sharing site Instagram.
Overall, one in five parents say the anti-vaxx movement has made them less likely to vaccinate their child.
One in seven also admit to ‘questioning the need to give vaccines’, soaring to quarter of young mums aged 25 and under.
Two in five also believe fewer people are vaccinating compared to five years ago.
The poll of 1,000 parents carried out via OnePoll also revealed a third of parents confess they don’t know which diseases the standard UK immunisation program protects their child against.
However, three in five parents believes children should be banned from attending school or nursery if they have not been vaccinated.
Siobhan Freegard, founder of ChannelMum.com said: “When it comes to vaccinations, there has been a breakdown in trust between some parents and the authorities - but it will be children who pay the price if they are not vaccinated.
“While it’s essential voices on both sides of the debate are listened too, we have to examine the reasons why parents are prepared to put their child’s health at risk?
"There needs to be an honest debate on all sides about what we can do better.
"‘Your child, your choice’ is a common parenting mantra, but not vaccinating can have implications far wider than just your child alone.”
CASE STUDY - with pics
Mum Sophie Dale is campaigning for parents to give their children the MMR jab after her son Levi almost died from measles aged just 11 months.
Although initially unsure about vaccinating, she decided to inoculate the tot after carrying out her own research.
However, Levi was struck down by the killer disease a month before he was due to have his first jab.
Single mum Sophie, 22, from Chesham, Bucks, said: “Measles causes an onset of infections. It is life threatening. It is scary and my son could have died.
“Seeing my son in hospital was the most terrifying six days of my life and I want all parents to know what could happen and what to watch out for.
Levi first caught measles in November last year, just before his first birthday. It wasn't until days later that he suffered with complications as a result of the disease.
“Some people think measles is just having a few spots and a fever but one in 15 children will develop very serious complications including encephalitis, convulsions, meningitis, deafness, bronchitis or pneumonia.
“I was baking Levi’s birthday cake and preparing for his party when he began to have terrifying convulsions.
"His face was swollen, his body was sore, he didn’t eat, he had the highest temperature I’ve ever seen, he had seizures and he just stared unnervingly into space. It’s something no parent ever wants to see.
“He was blue lighted by ambulance to hospital and taken straight to the High Dependency Unit where he was checked and treated for sepsis, encephalitis, pneumonia, meningitis and a whole heap of other things.
“Intensive care was put on standby as my poor little baby had MRI scans, lumbar punctures, EEGs, cannulas, drips, antibiotics by the multitude and was sedated.
“He was hospitalised for six days and they were the scariest six days of my entire life.
“He was prodded and poked left right and centre. I just wanted to scream at the doctors and nurses to leave him alone, but I knew they were saving his life.
“I was heartbroken about how scared and confused my poor baby must be.
"He wouldn’t have been able to understand why mummy – his protector – was letting medics stab him and jab him every 30 minutes with needles.
“He would be crying for me when I wasn’t allowed in the room for some procedures. He spent his first birthday in hospital attached to machines and I was terrified he would lose his spark and never smile again.
“Health body Public Health England even phoned me at midnight wanting to know where I’d been and who I had seen to stop the disease spreading. It was then I realised how very serious a measles epidemic could be.
“The effects have been ongoing as he has had to learn to walk over again but Levi has now had his MMR and is fully recovered.
“Our experience shows vaccinations shouldn’t be feared. They save lives. There are so many posts online about encouraging parents not to vaccinate and claiming is causes autism and cot death. Please learn from Levi and I and please vaccinate your children.”
ENDS
