There are unfortunately many children in America who lack the proper vaccinations. The problem appears to exist on both sides of the Atlantic with a prominent British MP recently proposing tough measures to address the issue. Unvaccinated children fall into one of several categories.

The first of these categories is by far the largest and represents the group for which one can feel the least sympathy for parents. These are children who's parents are simply too lazy to ensure proper vaccinations at the appropriate times. One recent case in Maryland provided a good example of this universe of parents. Even when given two different opportunities for free vaccinations most failed to show up. Only threat of severe fines prompted the majority to finally find the time to protect their child's health.

The second group of parents acts out of misinformation as opposed to apathy. There is much debate, especially on the Internet, about potential adverse consequences claimed to arise from common vaccinations. The evidence clearly shows otherwise. There is no medical treatment completely devoid of risk. As with much of life there exists a cost versus benefit analysis. The cost of childhood disease is well documented in the history books. One needs to research them in a library, not in the newspapers, because most have been defeated by effective vaccination programs.

However, many well meaning parents expose their children to significant danger of disease out of misplaced fear. Many of these children are surely skateboarding, riding their bicycles and engaging in other normal activities which entail far more risk than even the most pessimistic attach to vaccinations. Just think if every parent adopted this philosophy. The term "iron lung" might rapidly find its way back into common vernacular.

The final group in this analysis is the most difficult to address. These are parents who refuse vaccinations based upon religious belief. Part of America's greatness is its tolerance of people of all belief systems. Our law attempts to accommodate even some egregious behaviors if it stems from a sincerely held spiritual belief. The intersection of child welfare and religious freedom presents a true quandary. Balancing these two very important competing interests is a tall task. However, the scales are tipped by the fact that unvaccinated children do not only present a risk to themselves, but they also put at risk other children around them at school and on the playground.

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