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By EmpowHER February 28, 2008 - 2:17pm
 
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Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication, and unusual, repetitive, or severely limited activities and interests. Share your stories.

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I find it scary that the vaccinations required for all children keep increasing almost every year. I specifically remember when Prevnar was first introduced and I looked it up. Their own website said that it was only recommended for young children in daycare settings. Later, the ages it was recommended for increased and it was recommended for ALL children. But there are so many variations on the pneumococcal infection and Prevnar prevents only a few. The odds of a non-immuno-compromised child contracting the pneumoccal bacteria is rare, and complications are even rarer.

As it was already mentioned, Hep B is not a childhood disease. It is caused by risky adult behavior, but the campaign to vaccinate adults failed miserably. So now they give it within a day after birth, just to make sure everyone is vaccinated.

I have an unusual situation in that my second son abruptly stopped babbling the day after receiving a round of infant vaccinations (not the MMR). He didn't speak at all until he was almost 3, and when he did he used no consonants. He also has some gross motor delays. Through early intervention and therapy, he is mainstreamed in a standard kindergarten class, and I am grateful he doesn't display the social symtoms associated with autism/asperger's. But he DOES display every single other marker.

It goes without saying that I delayed the rest of his vaccinations. I even requested the MMR shot be split into its component vaccines, but my dr. told me they were unavailable separately.

Research is all fine and good, but even the research and experts now admit that vaccinations, especially the MMR, can trigger autism spectrum disorders in children who are succeptible. The true problem is that no one knows which children are succeptible until the shots are administered and it is too late. Children developing autism after age 6 is virtually unheard of, and all future vaccinations for my children will be delayed until they are at least that age. I did vaccinate for polio and pertussis early, and after extensive research, but the MMR, varicella and some others can wait.

April 15, 2008 - 9:18am

Does anyone know the purpose of adding thimerosal to vaccines, and if there is another additive that can replace this?

Also...are there other substances or additives in vaccines that have been linked/associated with autism, or is thimerosal the only one?

I'm so glad we are talking about this, because I definitely haven't done my research. I just knew that autism diagnoses are on the rise, and so are many other environmental influences, like pollution and TV (wasn't there, at one time, a link between autism and TV-watching?). I assumed that since autism rates were on the rise, researchers were trying to find the cause, and looked at other factors that were on the rise: hence the possible links to pollution, TV and vaccinations.

I'm personally all for vaccines; there is a reason that many previously common diseases are not common anymore (polio, mumps, etc). Vaccines do work, and like any substance that is put into our body, we are usually advised as to the possible side effects. So, vaccines have possible side effects...and maybe worse. Why isn't this discussed more openly? I feel that it is discussed in a few ways, none that are helpful for me: either a 30-second blurb on the 7pm news (in a scary, alarmist way that I tend to disregard), or you have to become an honorary doctor and review publications on the CDC website. Then, there are outspoken advocates for or against this issue, who have been personally effected, and I'm not sure which "side" to believe. I agree with you, Susan, that more information to the general public (and some security for pediatricians to feel comfortable in talking about this issue) is the key to lessening the fear.

March 1, 2008 - 2:17pm

Good grief, I had no idea!

February 29, 2008 - 7:07pm
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