Vaccines possibly linked to autism

By Patricia Fifield
In the wake of the H1N1 vaccine, the dangers and risks of vaccinations is becoming a hot topic, although it has always been a topic of interest with parents. Vaccinations are unofficially linked to Autism and often blamed as the cause of the disorder that affects one in 150 children in the United States.
Autism Spectrum disorders (ASDs) consists of three different types: Autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome, and Pervasive Developmental disorder. All three disorders affect the mind, development and behavior on all different levels from mild to extreme. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “ASDs begin before the age of three and last throughout a person’s life.”
Some believe that the mercury, also called thimerosal, in vaccines has a direct connection to causing ASDs. Mercury is blamed for affecting the nervous systems that could lead to the neurological disorders like Autism. Pregnant women are warned to stay away from food or medicine that contains mercury because it could be harmful to the fetus, so it is only natural that some parents would think it could be dangerous to their young children.
Generation Rescue is a non-profit organization founded by actress Jenny McCarthy after her son was diagnosed with autism. This group strongly believes that vaccines are the reason their children are now suffering from this complicated disease. “We believe in the awareness and recovery of the disease (autism) is crucial for every parent to understand,” said a representative of the group Alicia Banks. Banks said they believe parents should delay their children’s vaccine schedule to about 18-24 months instead of starting at birth or eliminating them entirely.
Erin MacMullen, a special education teacher in Albany said that she has seen autism first-hand and has chosen to delay her 1-year-old daughter’s vaccines. “I think the amount of mercury in the vaccines is too much for a small baby to handle,” she explained, “I’d rather wait until she’s older to vaccinate her when she can probably handle the level of mercury better.” MacMullen also has a 26-month-old son who was vaccinated according to the CDC’s schedule and has no symptoms of autism.
The American Board of Pediatrics believes that vaccines do not cause autism and there have been no scientific connections between the two. Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, Martha Passino of Plattsburgh Pediatrics said there is not enough mercury in the vaccines to actually harm the child. Pediatricians strongly suggest children receive their vaccines and follow the CDC schedule.
Parents are faced with the difficult decision on whether to vaccinate their little bundle of joy. There are eight vaccines that children receive within the first years of their life and as with everything in life, there is always a risk involved. “If I don’t get him vaccinated what if he gets sick?” asked new mother Shelly Laidman. Her 4-month-old son has already received two rounds of three vaccinations in his short life along with a Hepatitis B shot the day he was born. Laidman said she knows about the belief of vaccines causing autism, but believes the risk of it happening is less than the chance of her son getting a disease that could have been prevented. “I’d never forgive myself if he ended up with something ridiculous like Polio or something,” she said.
There are some risks attributed to vaccines, but the ones listed by the CDC are mild. Redness, swelling, mild fever, and tenderness are listed as the most common problems after a vaccination along with fussiness and poor appetite. The handout given to parents who vaccinate their children includes a “serious problems” list that includes seizures, comas and permanent brain damage, but says it has only been reported rarely.
The controversy between vaccines and Austin will continue until more research has been done. According to the Autism Society of America, autism is the fastest-growing developmental disability in our country so it is difficult to ignore the possible explanations of this statistic.