Vaccines Cause Autism- Or Do They?

The debate about vaccines being a cause of Autism has been going for over a decade now. Why do people make this link?  What do doctors and the medical industry have to say about this?  To date there has been no significant evidence that vaccination are the cause of increasing rates of Autism.  Still there is disagreement  How are people weighing in on this issue?

The medical industry insists that vaccines are safe, and important for children to get.  They state that most people today are unfamiliar with the devastating effects than an outbreak of these previously prevalent, and severe childhood diseases, and may become complacent about the issue.  Vaccination not only protects the child, but also the community.  There are some individuals who can not be inoculated because of other health concerns.  If someone who is infected comes into the contact with the community, the idea is that those who have been vaccinated will be immune, and will stop the disease from being able to spread to those who can not be.  The more unvaccinated people there are, the greater the chance that the disease will have a vector to spread.  Further, the medical community refutes the few studies that have linked vaccinations, and primarily thimeriosal, to Autism, based on the scientific soundness of the studies, conflicts of interest, and a perception of correlation instead of causation.

Those who advocate against vaccinations do so for many varied reasons including religious beliefs.  Some do so because they believe there is a link between vaccinations and Autism.  Their fear of Autism drives them to avoid vaccinating their child(ren).  Although there has been no reliable scientific proof that there is a connection between the two, the idea persists.  Thymirisol is a mercury derivative that was widely used as a vaccine preservative.  Many claim that it is the cause of their concern.    Some claim that there is a conspiracy to cover up the truth about thimerisol, ostensibly to prevent those whose children may have developed Autism as a result of vaccinations to seek damages from pharmaceutical companies.  They also question why thimerisol was phased out after this correlation was made, despite the industry's insistence that it is safe, and that there are still no standards set by the federal government for a safe dosage of ethyl mercury (thimerisol).  There has been renewed vigor to their arguments since a case was decided that gave compensation to a family for thier child's Autism based on it being an underlying condition that was aggravated by her vaccination.

Although I understand the adamacy about the herd vaccination concept, I have to question how much the industry really believes in this claim.  I read a book this summer titled The American Plague, that was about the history of Yellow Fever in America, and how it has affected our history.  The reason this is important  is that today there is a vaccine to prevent people from getting yellow fever.  It could be readily available, but is not administered to United States populations at all.  It is recommended for those travelling to regions where the disease is still a problem, but isn't required.  According to CDC (Center for Disease Control) regulations even a single case of yellow fever is to be treated as an epidemic.  It is a ruthless disease and spreads rapidly via direct contact with infected blood (like with AIDS), or through the vector of mosquitoes.  If something as serious as yellow fever doesn't still need to be vaccinated against, then why are other diseases that are just as uncommon and not nearly as virulent, so important?  It just provides an area of skepticism and something to think about.  I agree that although there seems to be a correlation between when children are vaccinated and when symptoms of Autism are typically identified, there isn't strong scientific evidence that the relationship is causal.  To me, the important benefits that vaccines offer outweigh the risks.  There is always the risk that a vaccine could have an adverse affect on a person.  It does seem like we cram a lot of shots into a very short period of time for children who are extremely young.  Perhaps simple overload stresses the body more than any particular ingredient.

There are two very different views when it comes to the potential connection between Autism and vaccinations.  While medical professionals maintain that there is no correlation, many parents remain unsure and demand that there be further investigation.  One thing that both agree on is that Autism is a growing challenge for youth, and something that should be addressed.

Despite the differences in opinion, a link to vaccinations as the cause of Autism is unverifiable.  At best there is a correlation between the timing of childhood vaccinations, and the identification of Autism symptoms.  Autism is an extremely varying condition.  Some of the increase in identification in recent years may simply be due to people looking for it.  Children who used to be labeled differently are re-categorized as having Autism.  It can run the spectrum from children who would have simply been called introverts, to those classified as having opposition-defiance disorder.  The truth is, that we live in a time when people what to be able to label everything.  They want to have a diagnosis so that they can push for extra services for their child, and for an IEP (Individual Education Plan) with their school.  And then they want to have someone, or something to blame.  It has become unacceptable to many people that sometimes people simply get sick, or in the case of Autism, that some people just function differently.  Too many people see these, likely normal variations in the human condition, to be defects.  Parents on both sides of the issue are passionate, but both want to do what is best for their children.  The medical industry has tried to address people's concerns, and further research has been conducted that shows no linkage to vaccines or thimerisol as the cause of Autism.  There will always be those who won't accept these answers, and they will continue to spread rumors about the alleged connection.  The best thing that parents can do is to do some research, and educate themselves about this issue before deciding not to vaccinate their children for this reason.


Sources:
Vaccines and Autisum: Separating fact from Fiction
http://www.babycenter.com/0_vaccines-and-autism-separating-fact-from-fiction_1470554.bc?page=1
Accessed 25 January 2013

Vaccines & Autism: Controversy Persists, But Why?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/11/vaccines-autism-controversy-why_n_1586898.html
Accessed 25 January 2013

WebMD Special Report: Autism- Searching for Answers
http://www.webmd.com/brain/autism/searching-for-answers/vaccines-autism
Accessed 25 January 2013

The American Plague by Molly Caldwell Crosby. Print.