Are Autism and Vaccines Linked?

Are Autism and Vaccines Linked?

Over the last decade, autism has gone from a rare and misunderstood condition to a disorder that may affect as many as 1.5 million Americans. Without a clear explanation in sight, parents and doctors have worked tirelessly to pinpoint the cause of autism, but the answer remains elusive. Are vaccines the missing link?

Next question in Special Needs

This content is inappropriate
Loading

Please select the category that most closely reflects your concern about this content, so that we can review it and determine whether it violates Civility 101 or isn't appropriate for some other reason.
Abusing this feature is also a violation of Civility 101.

Explanation:


You are seeing 8 Comments on this Argument. See all 346 Comments on this Question.
Regarding Argument
Not Just Mercury
- From NAA
Yes Side
By National Autism Association - Think Autism. Think Cure.

Thank You for your Comment

We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.

  • Kristam
    Hepatitis B Shot

    My son received this shot the day he was born, 1 at 2 months and 1 at 4 months,which at the time was a Washington State requirement. I have always been convinced that this was the sole cause of his Autism. Since then, I ask any doctor I see to give me 1 good reason why a new born baby is required to have this shot. Isn't the only way to get Hep B from drug use and sex? If I am tested during my pregnancy, what are the odds my baby will get this. The only response I have received is, " we cannot trust that parents will get their children this shot later in life, so we must do this when they are infants." Personally this reasoning does not make sense. I wonder how many children have Autism because of this useless, unnecessary shot.

    - Kristam August 29, 2008 11:43AM

    Reply to this Recommend (0) Icon flag Side: Yes

    Thank You for your Comment

    We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.

    • Kev Leitch
      No, thats not right

      Infants are very much in a risk group for Hep B. Transmission occurs via:

      1) unprotected sexual contact,
      2) blood transfusions,
      3) re-use of contaminated needles & syringes,
      4) and vertical transmission from mother to child during childbirth.

      Transmission between family members can also occur via nonintact skin.

      What peer reviewed evidence do you have to support your opinion that the Hep B caused your sons autism?

      - Kev LeitchGB August 29, 2008 12:09PM

      Reply to this Recommend (2) Icon flag Side: Uncommitted

      Thank You for your Comment

      We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.

      • Kristam
        Re: No, that's not right

        Ok- You are right about that the ways of getting Hep B, I did not mention those, but as I did mentioned, if I had been tested for Hep B before having him, how can he receive it during child birth? Odds are pretty against sexual contact as a baby, blood transfusion; not only that he would need one, but that the blood that he gets is contaminated, and needles that are re-used and that are contaminated. I believe that the levels of aluminum and mercury can cause a much greater risk for a child than the slim to no chance that Hep B will happen.

        I have no proof that my son has autism because of these shots, but I do know that the reactions he had after the shots were not normal. He never did regress, but he had the signs of Autism since day one. It is a gut feeling that this was the cause. In addition to that, his Challenge test prove that he is loaded up on Mercury and Aluminum. How else would you suggest that I have proof that it was these shots. If there was a way to prove this, I do not imagine there would be this ongoing debate and we would all agree. Do you have a way to support your opinion on it not being the cause. I would be interested in hearing this, maybe I will be convinced.

        I do have one last question for you, why is it that babies receive this vaccination in the State of WA, and here in Charlotte, NC this is a not a requirement until Middle School. I think that shot is overall a good thing, but why at such a young age?

        - Kristam August 29, 2008 12:51PM

        Reply to this Recommend (0) Icon flag Side: Yes

        Thank You for your Comment

        We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.

        • Citizen Deux
          False Positives from Urine Challenge Tests

          "In addition to that, his Challenge test prove that he is loaded up on Mercury and Aluminum. "

          Sadly, you have made an error in trusting the urine challenge tests to provide indications of metal levels in your child. Provoked urine challenge tests have been disproven as informative on metal loads in humans. Substantial peer reveiwed literature exists on this subject and most practioners who claim this test is indicatiev fail to inform their patients that there is NO baseline for provoked (post-chelation) level measures. In other words, there is no information as to what constitutes "elevated" levels of metallics. Additionally, the standard indicated by such labs as DDI and others, always are graded against UNPROVOKED samples. This is akin to measuring a runner's time after completing an all you can eat buffet and an hour's worth of rigorous exercise to a same course in whcih they are unencumbered.

          - Citizen DeuxUS November 9, 2009 8:45AM

          Reply to this Recommend (0) Icon flag Side: No

          Thank You for your Comment

          We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.

      • crunchymom
        You use "Very Much In a Risk Group" Quite Loosely

        The CDC's own documentation on Hepatits B States:

        "In the United States, Western Europe, and Australia, HBV infection is a disease of low endemicity. Infection occurs primarily during adulthood, and only 0.1% to 0.5% of the population are chronic carriers. Lifetime risk of HBV infection is less than 20% in low prevalence areas."

        http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/pinkbook/downloads/hepb.pdf

        If, as a doctor, you cannot restrain yourself from hyperbole to inflict unnecessary fear on parents to further your own agenda, you should refrain from participating in the argument entirely. People trust you for information and you have an ethical obligation to represent it fairly.

        - crunchymom September 18, 2008 8:18PM

        Reply to this Recommend (0) Icon flag Side: Yes

        Thank You for your Comment

        We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.

        • Citizen Deux
          Cherry picking anyone...

          As is typical of anti-vacc advocates, you carefully cherry pick data. From the very report you cite, incorrectly, I might add -

          "During 1990–2004, incidence of acute hepatitis B in the United States declined 75%. The greatest decline (94%) occurred among children and adolescents, coincident with an increase in hepatitis B vaccine coverage. A total of 4,519 cases of hepatitis B were reported in 2007

          Reported cases of HBV infection represent only a fraction of cases that actually occur. In 2001, a total of 7,844 cases of acute hepatitis B were reported to CDC. Based on these reports, CDC estimates that 22,000 acute cases of hepatitis B resulted from an estimated 78,000 new infections. An estimated 1–1.25 million persons in the United States are chronically infected with HBV, and an additional 5,000–8,000 persons become chronically infected each year.

          Before routine childhood hepatitis B vaccination was recommended, more than 80% of acute HBV infections occurred among adults. Adolescents accounted for approximately 8% of infections, and children and infants infected through perinatal transmission accounted for approximately 4% each. Perinatal transmission accounted for a disproportionate 24% of chronic infections."

          Your ad hominem attacks on the prior poster reflect an overly emotional attachment to your own fear and ignorance.

          - Citizen DeuxUS November 9, 2009 8:36AM

          Reply to this Recommend (1) Icon flag Side: No

          Thank You for your Comment

          We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.

  • fedupwithitall
    A "witches brew" of possible causes and combinations

    1. Vaccinating before six months is a serious if not fatal error in judgement because an infant's liver does not begin to produce ample antibodies to create the intended immunity.

    2. There are over thirty "fire walls" of immunilogical protection built into the healthy human to render disease-causing agents less harmful. When the patholgoical and foreign materials such as what are present in current vaccines are injected directly into the blood stream via a syringe these protective "fire walls" are rendered useless thereby allowing the pathogens and adjuvents such as mercury, aluminum, barium, etc. to enter the body full potency.

    3. Vacccine producers include a lengthy list with each vial warning of possible side-effects and when the vaccine is contraindicated such as: child born of a difficult pregnancy, difficult birth, multiple births, low Apgar, lung problems, health problems, a family history of auto-immune disorders (such as arthritis in its 30+ forms)or any of dozens of other auto-immune associated diseases, a family history of allergy to eggs, feathers, metal allergies (gold, silver, aluminum, zinc, etc), and so forth.

    I have had seven children. Six had vaccine-related problems that are still in existance today. Two grandson are classic non-verbal low-function autistics and one has severe classification with rage issues; one grandson is ADHD at two. NOT ONCE did any doctor, nurse, or health offical every ask any of the above questions before sauntering up with the needle in hand.

    Is this disaster genetic? Not in the classic sense such as Tye-Sacks or Duchene MD. But I do believe we are seeing a cumulative effect of three generations of vaccination now bringing to fruition a "broken" generation and is there a sinister possible "plan"? The Nazi's began serious use of vaccination in the 1930's in conjunction with their "eugenics" plans. These same doctors were given amnesty and brought to the U.S. at WWII's end under "Operation: Paper Clip" and set up to continue their "research". Mass vaccination began in earnest during the forties escalating in numbers of shots and variety over the decades until today the insanity of giving newborns vaccinations has become the norm. Dr. Blaylock has said, "No better means of eugenics has been developed than vaccination."

    If you doubt a fine hand in this affair than look at the numbers of children who will never have families. Look at the families ruined financially and emotionally by the ravages of vaccination due to autism, learning disabilites, behavior problems, health ruined.

    Family physicians in rural areas have been raising alarms for years at the rising incidence of cancers in children never seen before. Numerous doctors that have cared for two and three and even four generations have been declaring on deaf ears their fears that many cancers now seen in children, toddlers, and infants have their suspected origins in the vaccines themselves for that is the ONLY commonality that has presented itself over thousands of cases spanning decades and widely varied living conditons.

    Is it just the mercury? Just the MMR? Just the aluminum? I don't honestly think so. After thirteen years of research and thousands upon thousands of pages of materials I do honestly believe we are looking right at a modern plague that is so finely crafted by evil people with multiple machinations that normal people can not - do not- want to believe such evil can exist.

    - fedupwithitall September 1, 2008 6:23PM

    Reply to this Recommend (0) Icon flag Side: Yes

    Thank You for your Comment

    We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.

    • Citizen Deux
      Out of your head

      Respectfully, you are out of your head. To make such a specious claim implies a complicity of action across the globe as to have been unprecedented in human history.

      "I do honestly believe we are looking right at a modern plague that is so finely crafted by evil people with multiple machinations that normal people can not - do not- want to believe such evil can exist."

      Spend some time rereading your last paragraph. You sound more like a delusional paranoid than a rational human.

      - Citizen DeuxUS November 9, 2009 8:15AM

      Reply to this Recommend (1) Icon flag Side: No

      Thank You for your Comment

      We review all comments before they're posted. For more on our comment policy, please see our FAQ.

Autism and Vaccines Linked?

Loading
  • Yes
  • No
Vote
View Results

Ask Your Friends to Vote

Spotlight

Loading
  • Montreal Childrens Hospital
    Our doctors, nurses and staff consider themselves part of your extended family and our hospital as your home when your child is not well. We welcome, support and... More

Subscribe to Opposing News

Biweekly updates on new debates and experts

Loading
Thank you for signing up

Please check your email to confirm your subscription.