...the rise in autism, a developmental disorder characterized by poor socialization, poor communication and restrictive and repetitive behavior. This is not true. There is no correlation between vaccinations and autism, be it vaccinations with the preservative Thimerosal or the Measles Mumps and Rubella vaccine. With the biggest concern over not getting vaccinated debunked, the many benefits of receiving vaccinations seem even more alluring. There is no danger in vaccinating. First and foremost, one needs to consider that Thimerosal, the mercury containing ingredient found in childhood vaccinations, had been removed from vaccinations. In fact, autism has been on the rise since the reduction of Thimerosal in vaccinations (JAMA). “The prevalence at ages 3 to 5 years has increased monotonically for each birth year since 1999, during which period exposure to Thimerosal has been reduced,” says Science Daily about a report done earlier this year in California by Doctors Robert Schechter and Judith K. Grether of the California Department of Public Health. Along with this, they also studied the prevalence of autism among 3 to 5 year olds from 1995 through March 2007 (JAMA). They found that the rate of autism has increased, while the use of vaccinations containing Thimerosal decreased, leading researches to the conclusion that Thimerosal played little if any role in the increase of autism. The Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccination is another of...
Words: 678 - Pages: 3
...Do Childhood Vaccinations Cause Autism? Jennifer Jones XBCOM / 275 August 24, 2014 Kristine Dunn Do Childhood Vaccinations Cause Autism? The idea that autism is caused by childhood vaccinations has been influencing public policy, even though rigorous studies do not support this hypothesis. Legislators are right to take into account the concerns of parent groups and other individuals who are directly affected by autism, but policy decisions should be based on hard evidence rather than unproven ideas. The hypothesis is based on the observation that the number of autism cases increased in the years of the 1980s, coinciding with a push for greater childhood vaccinations, which increased above recommended levels of a child’s exposure to mercury in the vaccine preservative, called thimerosal. The autism diagnosis continued to rise even after thimerosal was removed from the United States childhood vaccines in the year of 2001. A review by the Institute of Medicine, of over 200 studies concluded that there were no links between vaccines containing thimerosal and autism. Autism is no more common among vaccinated children than those children who are unvaccinated, and its incidence has not varied with the presence of thimerosal in vaccines across different times and locations. These findings have not persuaded supporters of the mercury autism link, whose strategies have become more extreme as the evidence against the hypothesis have mounted. Mercury is a known neurotoxin,...
Words: 1805 - Pages: 8
...qwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwertyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmrtyuiopasdfghjklzxcvbnmqwer...
Words: 3927 - Pages: 16
...knowing that most of these vaccines may contain thimerosal in them and may be harmful to their child in the long run. However, vaccines are known to have preventive measures in protecting your child from various diseases that may lead to death. As the quote above rightly states it, “Vaccines save lives.” This topic has been quite a controversial one for many years and even up to now there is growing controversy surrounding Vaccinations. Vaccinations are an effective means of inhibiting serious illnesses and fatalities; however, controversy remains over whether the risk of the side effects outweighs the risk of contracting the disease....
Words: 1696 - Pages: 7
...77% of American kindergarteners are up to date with their vaccinations. (Park, 2008) This percentage makes Americans the most vaccinated group of people in the world. The number of shots required for school age children has doubled since 1980; today’s children will receive up to 28 injections for 11 to 15 diseases by the time they go to kindergarten. Many of these mandatory vaccinations are not safe because of the toxic chemicals, the multiple doses that they are administered in, and the neurological disorders, such as autism, that the immunizations may be causing. One main concern for many parents is the amount of injections that infants and young children are receiving at once. It is very common for the doctor’s office to administer three or even four different vaccinations in one visit. Many doctors and nurses share the concern that it is unhealthy for our children to receive so many shots at one time. One survey taken in Minnesota found that between 60 and 70 percent of the pediatricians, nurses, and parents they asked, felt uncomfortable giving a child more than two vaccinations in one office visit. (Madlon-Kay & Harper, 1994) The simultaneous injections can cause more severe side effects for the child and also increases the level of mercury that the child is exposed to because of the multiple doses. One the same line as simultaneous injections is combined injections. These are multiple vaccinations administered with one shot. One example of a combined injection...
Words: 1314 - Pages: 6
...Vaccinations is a process where a person is injected with a substance to make them immune to a disease. Diseases that can make you sick, disabled or even kill you. Most vaccines contain the disease that it is trying to protect you from by building up your immune system to help you fight it if you ever come across the real thing. Many parents of an autistic child blame the condition on vaccines being the direct and only cause. Often, many of those parents have no real concrete evidence to support their claim. Those parents usually are just reading blogs of parents who are facing the same issue. Over the past decade many parents face the hard decision on whether they want to vaccine their child or not. Jenny McCarthy said, “If you ask...
Words: 1125 - Pages: 5
...Vaccines are designed to produce immunity. Viruses in the vaccine cannot reproduce itself or cause diseases because they are made by killing or weakening them. Vaccines are given from the time of infancy. It helps in protecting the body against diseases in the future. Autism Spectrum Disorder, by definition, occurs before age 3 (Miller et al., 2009). It was during the 20th century, it was said that ASD occurred due to the ingredients in the vaccination given to the children. Although, more research and studies have changed the conversation about the effects of vaccines on autism to be more positive based on the history of vaccines, the ingredients in it such as thimerosal, and Wakefield’s fraud study. Starting by talking about the history...
Words: 560 - Pages: 3
...Autism Jennifer Van Puymbrouck ENGL 112, Composition DeVry University Autism, what is autism? Autism “is a complex neurobehavioral disorder that includes impairments in social interaction and developmental language and communication skills combined with rigid, repetitive behaviors” (WebMD). Autism spectrum disorder or ASD for short; is how the doctors are recognizing any child or adult that falls within the Autism category. Clearly we have a growing problem with ASD, it is estimated that “1 out of every 88 children” will be given a diagnosis of autism (Jaslow, 2014). Why instead of decreasing, are autism cases rising? Some say it due to the ways that doctors are able to diagnose autism, but I think there is a different cause. There is one thing that most children have in common and that is the immunizations that are given to most children from birth. Doctors have found that ASD affect boys more that girls and they are “almost five times more likely” to be diagnosed with some form of ASD then girls (Jaslow, 2014). There is enough evidence at present to say that the rise in autism cases can be linked to immunizations. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism can be defined by “a group of complex disorders of the brain development” and “has roots in very early brain development” (Autism Speaks, 2015). Children typically show some signs of autism between 2 to 3 years old. Some of the most common characteristics that most ASD patients display would include: difficulties...
Words: 2137 - Pages: 9
...methods of vaccinations was known as, variolation (Nazarko, 2013). Variolation was popular in China as well as other countries in the Middle East during the 10th century. Asians and Middle Eastern people collected samples of dry tissues from the scabs of smallpox survivors and would put it into healthy people’s bodies. The process of variolation consisted of making a wound on a person’s arm and inserting the dry tissues scabs in the wound to contract the virus and obtain...
Words: 1553 - Pages: 7
...related to increased rates of autism. (Adams, 2014) The article goes on to provide supporting quotes from various authors on the subject. Of those supporting quotes, some claim that a preservative called thimerosal found in vaccines, such as the flu shot, is the culprit. Another author’s method of persuasion was rhetoric in their comparison of the ‘dangerous’ vaccines to faulty tires. Despite the many claims that vaccines are to blame and the growing hysteria in parents against vaccines, there has been no hard evidence supplied to support these claims. The frenzy surrounding vaccinations began when Dr. Andrew Wakefield wrote a counterfeit research paper claiming that there was a link between the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccines and autism. The doctor has since been discredited as he was paid over $700,000 by an interested party, to falsify his research and findings in a related lawsuit against the vaccine’s manufacturer. (Salahi, ABC News, 2011) However, even after Dr. Wakefield’s claim has been proven to be false and lack any supporting evidence, there are still those who cannot be convinced otherwise. Years later, there is still a substantial following of parents who believe that vaccines stand to do more harm than good in regards to their children’s health. Hearsay has been the enemy in this situation that fans the flames of these false claims. Everyone knows someone who has a child or knows a child who was diagnosed with autism after being vaccinated. Unfortunately...
Words: 507 - Pages: 3
...Administration (FDA) regulate all vaccines to ensure safety and effectiveness. No federal laws mandating vaccination exist, but all 50 states require certain vaccinations (exemptions allowed) for children entering public schools (ProCon.org, 2013). Children who are not vaccinated have a higher death rate than children who have obtained vaccinations. There are many arguments as to whether vaccinations are safe for children to receive. Vaccines should be a requirement for children because they help prevent diseases, minimize the risks for some disease and increase economic benefits. Vaccines are designed to put foreign antigens into the body so the body will produce antibodies to fight it off. When an antigen is introduced into the body and an antigen-antibody formation is produced, an immune response is stimulated. The body produces two types of immune response to ensure maximum immunity from disease. Vaccines provide children with the opportunity to receive immunity against the disease rather than actually contracting disease. The advantage of just having immunity against the disease is the fact that there will be fewer complications. Fewer complications leads to a decreased risk of stroke, heart disease, post herpetic neuralgia and pneumonia (Nazarko, 2013). Vaccines are very essential in preventing many diseases and the possibility of death. There are certain vaccinations that were not available many years ago. As a result, numerous people died from diseases that were common...
Words: 1989 - Pages: 8
...vs Autism Emily Willingham and Laura Helft/posted 09.05.2014/NOVA www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/autism-vaccine-myth.html In the late 90’s the vaccine Measles, Mumps, and Rubella know as (MMR) was said to have a link to Autism in children. In my literature review I compared two articles both from the relation to Vaccines and Autism from the late 90’s until the present time. The assertion that vaccines could be linked to Autism burst onto the international stage with the 1998 publication of a paper in the British journal “The Lancet”. (Willingham, E.; Helft, L.et.al.) The other article I reviewed has somewhat of a different outlook. The 1998 publication of a study suggesting an association between (MMR) vaccine and Autism, 13 studies in five countries showed no such link, no data supported any causal connection between the (MMR) vaccine and Autism. (Thompson, J.et.al). I will describe the problem, if the vaccine MMR is the cause of Autism in infant children. Is this vaccine the cause of infant babies developing Autism? Here is what the problem was thought to be in the vaccine MMR. According to the article “The Autism/Vaccine Myth” the vaccine MMR is not responsible for Autism. The myth behind this assumption is first the ingredients used in the vaccine MMR and then the febrile seizures that the parents were concerned about. According to the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, most febrile seizure happen when a child is sick rather than after a vaccination though...
Words: 758 - Pages: 4
...Continuing Vaccination Question As young Americans living in the twenty first century, vaccines have always had a place in our lives. It is taught to us at a young age that vaccines are not only beneficial but necessary to the pursuit of healthy and long lives. For decades, we have been giving vaccines to ourselves and our children without question because the doctors say we should and they have the education, not us. The number of vaccines that children are mandated to receive continues to rise at an alarming rate. Currently, children receive approximately fourteen different vaccinations before the age of two Many of these vaccinations require multiple inoculations, which often have a child receiving four more shots in a single visit (Akinsanya-Beysolow). Every year, more vaccines are added to the list. With the speed of vaccine approval, it is time to step back and reevaluate who is making these recommendations and for what reasons. The cost to vaccinate a child from birth to eighteen has risen from one hundred dollars in1986 to $2,192 (Rosenthal). Vaccine manufacturing is a huge business with a vested interest in mandating vaccines. The decision to vaccinate should be left to the patient and parents, not the government or vaccine manufacturers. Data shows that even before vaccines most of the diseases we vaccinate for were on the decline (Obomsawin). Childhood illness rates have been on a steady increase over the last few decades. As the childhood vaccination list grows...
Words: 1547 - Pages: 7
...Autism: The increase in Autism Diagnoses Autism is one of a group of serious developmental problems called autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that appear in early childhood — usually before age 3. Though symptoms and severity vary, all autism disorders affect a child's ability to communicate and interact with others. Many researchers have believed that the continuous increase in autism cases over the last decade isn't real, but can be explained by "artifacts." Among these artifacts are the vaccines containing Thimerosal, a genetic problem, and the broadening of the diagnostic criteria for autism. One in 110 American children are considered to fall somewhere along the autism spectrum, according to the latest report released by the federal government (Park). One train of thinking is that the increased numbers of mandatory vaccinations have exposed the children to an overdose of mercury that can have adverse effects on a child. The main reason why anyone talks about vaccines and autism is that some parents have noticed changes in children shortly after the children were vaccinated. Their kids seemed to be developing normally, then suddenly stopped interacting with people and lost language abilities, a condition called "regressive" autism. Most medical researchers argue that this is probably a coincidence: Autism symptoms tend to become apparent around the same time that children are scheduled to get routine vaccines. Although there are two separate issues concerning vaccines and autism...
Words: 1445 - Pages: 6
...THE AUTISM EPIDEMIC By ENGL 135 December 9, 2008 The Autism Epidemic For many adults one of the happiest days of their lives is when they see their children being born. Sometime between the two and four age some parents begin to realize that their child’s behavior is a bit abnormal. At first they chalk it up to just children being children and ignore what is happening with their behavior. It gets to a point and the parents realize that they should go see the child’s pediatrician concerning the abnormal behavior. The doctor runs tests and comes back with a scary diagnosis: Autism. Autism, a lifelong disorder, is defined as a behavioral and neurological disorder affecting physical, language, and social skills1. Autism is a common condition among children that begins within the first two and a half years of life, although it may not be evident until three or four years of age. Autism is a mental behavior that causes children to experience the world differently than normal kids. Autism impairs behavioral skills and development from early on and into adulthood. Children with autism almost always learn at a slower rate, have a lower rate of communication skills, and often times have repetitive types of behavior such as body rocking, clicking a pen for hours at a time, or turning the TV on and off again. Adults with autism continue to have difficulties interacting with society, show some socially inappropriate behavior, and show peculiar use of language such as repetitive...
Words: 2945 - Pages: 12
