By age 6, children should have vaccinations against 14 diseases, in at least two dozen separate doses, the U.S. government advises. More than 1 in 10 parents reject that, refusing some shots or delaying others mainly because of safety concerns, a national survey found.
In this Sept. 29, 2011 photo, Kandace O'Neill poses with her 7-month-old daughter, in Lakeville, Minn. O'Neill's views on child vaccinations are shared by many parents who don't follow federal vaccine advice. Her 5-year-old son has had no vaccinations since he turned 1 and the baby girl has received none of the recommended shots. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)
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Worries about vaccine safety were common even among parents whose kids were fully vaccinated: 1 in 5 among that group said they think delaying shots is safer than the recommended schedule. The results suggest that more than 2 million infants and young children may not be fully protected against preventable diseases, including some that can be deadly or disabling.