Is There a Link Between Autism and Vaccinations?

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Autism rates have skyrocketed in the past two decades, but defenders of vaccines are unable to say why. In just twenty-four years, we have gone from a recommended ten vaccines to fifty and growing. Many people that back the Autism Vaccine theory believe that scientists that have claimed to debunk the theory are paid to do so and also afraid to speak against it because they will be socially defamed for doing so.

While everything in the media cannot be believed, there have been several cases of celebrities speaking out for a cause they believe in. Jenny McCarthy spoke out on the Oprah Winfrey Show to say publicly that she believes her son’s autism was caused by the many vacinations he had received. Senator John McCain had said at a campaign that he feels there is pretty strong evidence that some vaccines can cause autism. This can be hard to dispute after federal officials agreed that a child from Georgia was entitled to compensation because vaccines may have aggravated an underlying condition, causing autism like symptoms. Furthermore, researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health said they are still looking into parent concerns that vaccines are tied to the disorder.

Mercury toxicity is a suspected cause of a steep rise in diagnosed cases of autism in children around the world, according to scientists. Specifically speaking of thimerosal, a mercury-based compound used as a preservative in vaccines commonly administered to babies and infants. Thimerosal-free vaccines are available and supporters of the autism vaccine community are urging parents to ask for these to be given to their children as opposed to others. (Imus, Dierdre)

There has yet to be a determined cause of autism. This diagnosis has been around in society for quite some time now and it becoming steadily more prominent. Many parents want to know why it has taken so long and why it is such a complex disorder to not even know the causes of it. Many of the people behind the movement that vaccines cause autism stand behind the idea that big pharmaceutical companies are paying off experts to keep information secret so that they can keep making money from giving the vaccines as well as the medications produced to treat the conditions they cause. As mentioned before, there has been no scientific link between autism and vaccines made public. However, when it comes to a child’s life and future, do the proven benefits of a vaccine outweigh their possible consequences?

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References

Griswold, B., & Ann, B. (2015). Autism debate. Salem Press Encyclopedia.

Krans, B. (2013). Anti-Vaccination movement causes a deadly year in the U.S. Retrieved from http://www.healthline.com/health-news/children-anti-vaccination-movement-leads-to-disease-outbreaks-120312#1

Recame, M. (, October 2012). The immunization-autism myth debunked. International Journal of Childbirth Education , 27(4).

White , E. (2014). Science, pseudoscience, and the frontline practitioner: the vaccination/ autism debate. Journal of Evidence-Based Social Work, 269-274.

Woo, E. J., Ball, R., Bostrom, A., Shadomy, S. V., Ball, L., Evans, G., & Braun, M. (, June 2004). Vaccine risk perception among reporters of Autism after vaccination: vaccine adverse event reporting system 1990-2001. American Journal of Public Health, 94, 990-995.

Imus, Deirdre. Growing Up Green: Baby and Child Care: Volume 2