Autism and Vaccinations: What Every Parent Should Know to Make an Informed Decision

7/31/2019 Autism and Vaccinations: What Every Parent Should Know to Make an Informed Decision

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Vaccinations & Autism:

Communication Station Speech Therapy, PLLC


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In 1998, Dr. Andrew Wakefield and Prof. Walker-Smith

published a study in a UK medical journal thatrecommended further research regarding a possible linkbetween autism and MMR vaccination

Results of this study weremisinterpreted

internationally to suggestthat vaccinations cause

autism.

Wakefield and Walker-Smiths medical licenseswere suspended and thisstudy was retracted from

medical journals in the UK.

In 2012, Prof. Walker-Smiths medical license was

reinstated when it wasdetermined that the study inquestion suggested further

research in this areaRATHER than causality!

Basis for recommendation: 8/12child participants began exhibitingdelays (including GI problems andautism) shortly after receiving the MMR

vaccination according to parent report.


Research Gives Rise to a Myth?


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Criticism of Study: Results have never been replicated even when attempted by Dr. Wakefield

himself.

At least 20 studies, worldwide, using various epidemiological/statisticalmethodologies result in the same conclusion: there is no scientific evidencethat thimerosal or the MMR vaccine causes Autism (Gerber, Offit . August,

2012)

Still, in an interview in April 2012, Dr. Wakefield maintains that although theCDC and pharmaceutical companies tell the general public that themercury-autism debate is over when 74 percent plus of the studies that havebeen published support a link.

Dr. Wakefield did not reference studies by name, therefore, this statistic couldnot be corroborated at this time.



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Facts on Thimerosal:

Thimerosal, the mercury component in question, was used as a

preservative in vaccinations since 1930s -1990s, however the

incidence of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) was not observed to

be significantly affected.

In 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Public

Health Service recommended the immediate removal of

mercury from all infant vaccinations only as a precaution. Atthe time, the general public understood this information as

definitive proof that mercury caused ASD.



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Facts on Mercury Removal:

Since the removal of mercury from infant vaccinations overa decade ago (influenza vaccination being the exception,containing trace amounts of thimerosal according to theFDA), there has been an increase in the incidence of ASD to

1 in every 88 children as current studies suggest.

Children with mercury poison present with motor, speech,sensory, and visual deficits as well as changes in headcircumference that are distinctly different from thosediagnosed with ASD. Therefore, suggesting that mercury isthe cause of ASD is considered highly improbable.



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Theory vs. Facts:

Theory: simultaneous administration of multiple vaccinations weakens a childs

immune system which then triggers autism in a susceptible host.

Theory appeared to have merit particularly in a recent UnitedStates lawsuit:

Parents of 9 year-old female were awarded compensation by the VICP(Vaccine Injury Compensation Program).

The 9 year-old had an with an underlying mitochondrial enzymedeficiency,

in which her encephalopathy, which included features of autismspectrum disorder, was judged to have worsened following the receipt ofmultiple vaccinations at the age of 19 months (Gerber, Offit . August,2012).



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Lawsuit vs. Proof:

1. Vaccinated vs. unvaccinatedchildren exhibit same immune

responses.

2. Children today are exposed to fewerimmunological components

(1980s: 7 vaccines/1300 enzymes,

2012: 14 vaccines/


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Herd Immunity vs. Outbreak:

Herd Immunity is the ability to stop the spread ofdisease based on the percentages of people withimmunity in a given population.

The more contagious a disease the higher thepercentage of immunized persons is required toachieve herd immunity (often times >90% ofpopulation).

In fact, there are certain communities within theUS that have less than 80% of personsvaccinated within their population.



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Herd Immunity vs. Outbreak:

Who benefits from herd immunity?

The Elderly population

Adults and children with weakened immunesystems due to illness, disease, cancer, etc.

What happens when herd immunity is notachieved?

An outbreak can occur with detrimentaleffects.

Even immunized persons are at risk of

contracting diseases if herd immunity is notachieved as vaccinations are not 100%effective.

Is an outbreak really a true threat? ABSOLUTELY!

In 2009, Pennsylvania had a outbreak ofmeasles and in 2011, California reported ameasles outbreak (cdc.gov).

In 2006, Iowa had an outbreak of the mumps ,while in 2009 New York and New Jerseyreported outbreaks (cdc.gov).

In 2012, the Pertussis (whopping cough)outbreak across the US had incidences ashigh as 50% (Wisconsin) in some states, whereas the national recommended average is 5.24%nationwide (cdc.gov)

Vaccinated persons were affected by theseoutbreaks as well.



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Other side-effects to vaccinations:

August, 2011, the National Academies reviewed over 1,000 research articlesregarding health problems associated with vaccinations and identified 14health outcomes including :

Febrile seizures

Inflammation of the Brain

Fainting

Allergic reactions

Temporary joint pain Pneumonia

Hepatitis

Meningitis

Shingles

Inflammation of the shoulder

Temporary oculo-respiratory syndrome characterized by conjunctivitis,facial swelling, and mild respiratory symptoms.

In addition, the evidence shows there are no links between immunization andsome serious conditions that have raised concerns, including Type 1diabetes and autism.-National Academies



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Anecdotal Information/Thoughts:

At any given time, one can go on the internet and find various parentalreports stating that their particular child began exhibiting various

medical problems and symptoms after receiving certain vaccinations.

It is not our position to dismiss parental report but to illustrate the

current research findings.

We encourage EVERY parent to conduct your own research, draw

your own conclusions, and make educated decisions regarding the

vaccination of your child.



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Works cited: CNN Wire Staff. Retracted autism study an elaborate fraud, British journal finds. CNN. Jan.

2011. Web. Accessed 21 June 2011. http://www.cnn.com/.

Peacock and Yeargin-Allsopp. Autism Spectrum Disorders: Prevalence and Vaccines. PediatricAnnuals. 38(1). Jan. (2009): 22-26. ProQuest. Web. 21 June 2011.

Progress in Global Measles Mortality, 2000-2008.JAMA 303(3). (2010): 216-224. ProQuest.Web. 21 June 2011.

Salmon and Siegel. Religious and Philosophical Exemptions from Vaccination Requirements andLessons Learned from Conscientious Objectors from Conscription. Public Health Reports. 116.July-August (2001): 280-295. ProQuest. Web. 21 June 2011.

Steinhauer, J. Public Health Risk Seen as Parents Reject Vaccines. The New York Times. Mar.2008. Web. Accessed 21 June 2011. http://www.nytimes.com.

Gerber and Offit. Vaccinations and Autism: A Tale of Shifting Hypotheses. Clinical InfectiousDiseases. 48 (4). (2009): 456-461. . Web. 16 July 2012.http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/48/4/456.full.pdf+html

Additional Information from:

Food and Drug Administration website: www.fda.gov Center for Disease Control website: www.cdc.gov

You can find the complete transcript of Dr. Andrew Wakefields interview at:http://www.naturalnews.com/035513_Andrew_Wakefield_vaccines_autism.html

National Academy of Science, National Academy of Engineering, Institute of Medicine, NationalResearch Council press release website:http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=13164

http://www.nytimes.com/http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/48/4/456.full.pdf+htmlhttp://www.fda.gov/http://www.cdc.gov/http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=13164http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=13164http://www.cdc.gov/http://www.fda.gov/http://cid.oxfordjournals.org/content/48/4/456.full.pdf+htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/

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Autism and Vaccinations: What Every Parent Should Know to Make an Informed Decision