I have never mentioned it, so I believe it is time to weigh in. Vaccinations do not cause autism. The risks of vaccination are real (and sometimes tragic), but the risks of not vaccinating are greater, to your child individually, as well as to your child's schoolmates.
The anti-vaccinators want a certain view of reality to be true, so they pretend it is.
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This fad has gotten so bad that when my cousin just had her baby in March, her pediatrician actually launched in to a preemptive attack on this topic. She (the pediatrician) looked somewhat surprised when my cousin broke in to say she had no objections and to go right ahead.
This was doubly interesting because this is my cousin's second child, and she got her first one vaccinated on schedule. Apparently it's been a long three years for this pediatrician.
I'm just personally interested to see what happens when these unimmunized kids start growing up and wanting to work in health care. I had to prove all sorts of vaccinations in order to work at Dana Farber because of our high risk patient population. I never asked, but there was a heavy implication that this a condition of my employment. Look for this to be an issue starting about, hmm, 15-20 years from now?
I can't wait till they start entering my classroom.
It infuriates me because I have grandchildren young enough to not have had all their vaccinations yet. What are their mothers to do? Keep them at home until they are fully vaccinated?
Why should the vaccinated suffer this extra burden?
Also, jerk that I am, I contend that these people who say their children were perfectly normal until they had a vaccination are -- at best -- less than objective.
As part of the autism community, my paltry opinion is that vaccination can cause autism in a very, very few vulnerable children.
After age four the vulnerable children ought to get a stretched out routine of vaccinations. Who are vulnerable? Those of us with Asperger's or Autism who have children.
Even before age four children ought to get oral polio and diphtheria vaccines on regular schedule.
Lelia, that's actually my mom's opinion on the matter. Well, not exactly, but she said that if she had to do it over again she would stretch out our vaccination courses, because the only reason they are all together is that the risk of people coming back gets lower as visits increase.
I think this whole issue may have started with autism, but most people are clearly finishing with something else, because it doesn't make sense to keep your kids unimmunized forever because it might give them autism. I guess I don't know a lot about autism, but shouldn't the risk drop dramatically as you age?
I've thought a decent amount about this because, while no one in my family is autistic, there seems to be a decent celiac/autism connection, and then I married a guy who does has some autism in the family. Also, I have reacted poorly to every single vaccination I've ever had (my last tetanus booster left me sick for a whole weekend). So, in conclusion, I like giving people the option of spacing vaccines out. I don't like the option of having kids not be vaccinated forever.
"The anti-vaccinators want a certain view of reality to be true, so they pretend it is."
The number and variety of noun phrases by which "the anti-vaccinators" could be replaced and yield a correct statement is mind boggling.
"Democratic politicians in Washington, DC" would probably top my list.
So sad you spoke before knowing the facts. We are not anti-vaccine but rather pro alternative vaccine schedule. Not all of them at once. Space them out. Not according to the big pharma money schedule if the child has been ill or has a weakened immune system but when they are well.
Simply speaking, those in the autism community are looking for parental choice to take precedence over government mandates. We seek compromise on the vaccine age schedule and packaging lots with study. Sounds fair to me.
For anyone interested in learning more on this topic:
http://www.ageofautism.com/
So sad I spoke before knowing the facts? Are you insane?! Because I don't agree with you, you conclude without evidence that I don't know what I am talking about? What better evidence could you present that you are unable to evaluate information clearly? You haven't the faintest idea what I know or how much I have studied this.
Oh wait, the use of the words "big pharma" might be an even better tipoff.
The fallback position of greater spacing is also without evidence. However, those who space are less likely to complete the series. Which means, ultimately, more sick kids, and some dead ones to boot.
Vaccinations have risks. Autism isn't one of them.
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