The first study, comparing unvaccinated and vaccinated children, looked at the link between preterm (i.e., premature) infants, vaccination, and the development of neurological development disorders (NDD) such as autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, and learning disabilities. Preterm babies are already at increased risk for NDD, but the study found that vaccinating preterm babies—which is standard medical practice—significantly increases that risk. Preterm birth combined with vaccination was associated with nearly seven-fold increased odds of NDD.

That’s not all. The second study, which surveyed more than 400 homeschooling mothers with 666 children (39% of whom were unvaccinated), found even more causes for concern. It found that vaccinated kids were, on the whole, sicker than unvaccinated kids. Vaccinated children were more than three times as likely to have allergies, six times as likely to have pneumonia, about three times as likely to have NDD, and almost twice as likely to have any chronic illness.

Additionally, the study also found that vaccinated kids were far more likely to use medications and other health services. They were more likely to have been prescribed antibiotics, allergy drugs, and fever medications; fitted with ventilation ear tubes; visited a doctor in the previous year for a health issue; and been hospitalized. Readers can consult the study for the specific numbers, but we can extrapolate that the healthcare costs of vaccinated children are at least twice that of unvaccinated children—not counting the real costs of caring for children with NDD and chronically sick children for a lifetime.

Like any study, these papers have limitations. The sample size (666 children) is relatively small, and self-reporting surveys can be unreliable. These findings indicate that larger studies comparing the health outcomes of vaccinated and unvaccinated kids should be done.