Hot Topic (2/11) - Do You Think Vaccinations Can Lead to Autism? Do You Vaccinate Your Children?
While many parents are convinced that the MMR shot triggered autism in their child, vaccine safety experts, including experts at CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), agree that MMR vaccine is not responsible for recent increases in the number of children with autism. In 2004, a report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) concluded that there is no link between autism and MMR vaccine, and that there is no link between autism and vaccines that contain thimerosal as a preservative.
Not all parentsa are convinced as they see their perfectly 'normal' child change immediately after receiving the shot.
What do you think?
Is there a relationship between vaccines and autism?
Many studies have looked at whether there is a relationship between vaccines and autism. The weight of the evidence indicates that vaccines are not associated with autism. But CDC knows that some parents and others may still have concerns about this issue. CDC is committed to protecting the health of children and to identifying the biological and environmental causes of autism and other developmental disabilities, so we will continue to study the role of vaccines. Click here to view a chart of CDC’s studies about vaccines and ASDs.
For more information about vaccines and autism, see:
- Thimerosal (mercury) and autism
- Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) Vaccine and Autism
- Thimerosal in Seasonal Influenza Vaccine
- Timeline: Thimerosal in Vaccines (1999-2008)
Research
After doing 2-3 years of research on the topic my strongest opinion was triggered by my son's doctor herself. We both are in strong belief that doctors every -where are not doing their "jobs" the right way, when a child is born it is absolutely necessary to take a full family history of the parents and grandparents. This holds true to any new doctor your child may see, if a child has mental, emotional and/or neuro illnesses in their immediate family it is recommended to spread out the vaccs as much as possible. The downfall to this as well is most parents and grandparents may indeed have illnesses that have been undiagnosed or untreated and the persons may be unaware they even have these illnesses. Advert reactions in children or far more higher when family members have these illness than holds true for children who do not have a family history of these illnesses.
So just a little FYI if you are certain your family members have illnesses or are just about certain of it, it does not hurt your child by any means to ask for their shots to be spread out as much as possible.
Again this is just my educated opinion based on what I have learned and experienced with my children and others children, these statements are not FACTS.
No I do not believe that vaccines cause autism. I honestly believe that this is genetic. Unfortunately, (and take this from a mom with a special needs child) it is hard to get a grasp on the fact that you (or DH) contributed to your childs illness. Trust me, I know exactly how heart wretching that feeling is.
Hot topic..but since you asked...:)
As all children are different, the answer to this question will also be as diverse. There is no black and white answer, and to suggest that it is or is not a determining factor is to suggest that all children are the same. Which again, they are not.
I can only speak to my personal experience, and will not comment on others. I believe my son was genetically predisposed to autism spectrum disorder. Medically speaking, both sides of our family are also carriers of autoimmune disorders that again, have a genetic link to it. In our case, my son was immunized with several shots during a period when his immune system was severly comprised by an infection that his ped said was irrelevant. Within 5 hours of this immunization (which included MMR, flu and something else), he developed a rash on his face that was misdiagnosed as spinal meningitis...it was from this point that my son changed - completely. BTW: they never could determine what caused the rash.
What I am saying is that although the vaccine as it existed in its form did not cause the autism, its presence, delivered in a triple dose, along iwth the flu shot (which at that time had full blow thimerisol in it), my son's compromised immune system and his genetic predisposition was a disastrous cocktail waiting to happen. His ped FAILED to educate herself, or me, for that matter, and now we are where we are.
This was 6 years ago. I have seen much change over the last 6 years. I don't really care if people agree or disagree with me. I've walked this walk, I know where I come from on this and I know what we have been through.
I know what all of the experts say and what selected studies show, but here is the real issue....I do not honestly believe that the government, the CDC, the Medical community, the underwriting agencies for malpractice insurance, and the pharmaceutical companies are goinng to really admit anything but denial. Our medical system would collapse...doctors would lose their practices left and right and the insurance companies would go irrevocably out of business from all of the lawsuits.
This issue will be debated long after I am gone...and nothing will change.
IMO.
(CNN) -- A Department of Justice special court will hand down rulings Thursday in cases asking whether certain vaccines cause autism, the lead plaintiffs' attorney told CNN Wednesday.
A group of parents are seeking compensation saying early childhood vaccinations triggered their children's autism.
A panel of "special masters" will issue decisions on three test cases heard in 2007 involving children with autism that their parents contend was triggered by early childhood vaccination, said attorney Thomas Powers.
The parents seek compensation, saying the "combined" exposure to thimerosal, a mercury-containing preservative, in some vaccines and the MMR vaccine led to autism, he said.
The three families -- the Cedillos, the Hazelhursts and the Snyders -- have been notified of the development, as have the more than 180 lawyers collectively representing the 4,800 families with claims in the Vaccine Court Omnibus Autism Proceeding, Powers said.
At 14, Michelle Cedillo can't speak, wears a diaper and requires round-the-clock monitoring in case she has a seizure. Her parents say their only child was a happy, engaged toddler who responded to her name, said "mommy" and "daddy" and was otherwise normal until at 15 months she received a measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine combined with thimerosal, found in that and other vaccines a the time.
The other two families described similar alterations in their children's development after receiving vaccinations in their first two years of life.
The government argued during the 2007 bench trials that the plaintiffs' claims linking the vaccines with autism are not supported by "good science."
Likewise, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization and the Institute of Medicine have found no credible link between vaccinations and autism.
Powers' litigation steering committee is representing thousands of families that fall into three categories: those that claim MMR vaccines and thimerosal-containing vaccines can combine to cause autism; those who claim thimerosal-containing vaccines alone can cause autism; and those who claim MMR vaccines, without any link to thimerosal, can cause autism.
Thursday's rulings will only affect the families that fall under the first category, Powers said.
Since 2001, thousands of parents with autistic children have filed petitions seeking compensation with Vaccine Injury Compensation Program at the Department of Health and Humans Services.
By mid-2008, more than 5,300 cases were filed in the program -- 5,000 of those await adjudication, according to the agency.
A friend of mine was torn about letting her son get the MMR shot because she was afraid that it might trigger autism. She had a long talk with her doctor (who really thought he should get the shot) and they decided to break the shot up into 3 smaller doses - spaced out.
Her son is 2 and a half and no signs of autism.
Has anyone else heard of splitting up the shot like this?
I have vaxed both of my children and will do so with any other ones that I may be blessed with. I think that every parent should know the risk factors of each vax as well as other things that we give our children, including the food they eat.
Join us at the Roundtable.
Good point. I've heard it was the mercury in them. And that mercury is also found in edibles like HFCS. Consumption of these foods has been on the rise along the same timeline as the rise in autism......
Quoting jennmarie77:
I have vaxed both of my children and will do so with any other ones that I may be blessed with. I think that every parent should know the risk factors of each vax as well as other things that we give our children, including the food they eat.
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MSNBC kicks off racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic Buchanan - About damn time
- Robin
on Feb. 11, 2009 at 7:35 AM