Childhood vaccinations have taken up a lot of media bandwidth lately. Thanks to high-profile celebrities who’ve called the ostensibly settled practice of routine vaccination into question, many parents have opted not to provide this basic protection for their children. Unfortunately, vaccinations exist for a reason: They prevent serious, sometimes life-threatening diseases that can be — at minimum — expensive and stressful to treat. If you have young children, don’t listen to the myths: Multiple vaccinations won’t overwhelm your child’s immune system, herd immunity won’t protect your child, and vaccines don’t cause autism or other disorders. While no vaccine is 100% safe, the benefits of protecting children from potentially deadly infectious diseases far outweigh the potential risks associated with the immunizations. Just ask your pediatrician.