A recent (Online publication date: 26 May 2011) study published in the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health reports ,as set out in the report title, that a positive association has been found between autism and vaccines: A Positive Association found between Autism Prevalence and Childhood Vaccination uptake across the U.S. Population. The study abstract places the conclusion in the context of current thinking which sees autism as the interaction of genetic predispositions and environmental triggers. It also identifies flaws in some of the major studies which are touted as "debunking" any possible autism vaccine connection.
The genetic-environmental model of autism causation does not appear to have broken through the rigid mindsets of those who sek to discourage any further investigation of possible autism vaccine connections, people like Paul Offit, Bill Gates and Richard Gorski. These attack dogs will undoubtedly bark and snarl at this study and attack personally anyone involved with it.
"One of those triggers might be the battery of vaccinations that young children receive. Using regression analysis and controlling for family income and ethnicity, the relationship between the proportion of children who received the recommended vaccines by age 2 years and the prevalence of autism (AUT) or speech or language impairment (SLI) in each U.S. state from 2001 and 2007 was determined. A positive and statistically significant relationship was found: The higher the proportion of children receiving recommended vaccinations, the higher was the prevalence of AUT or SLI. A 1% increase in vaccination was associated with an additional 680 children having AUT or SLI. Neither parental behavior nor access to care affected the results, since vaccination proportions were not significantly related (statistically) to any other disability or to the number of pediatricians in a U.S. state. The results suggest that although mercury has been removed from many vaccines, other culprits may link vaccines to autism. Further study into the relationship between vaccines and autism is warranted."
This study, like all studies, including those that purport to "debunk" any autism vaccine connections will, and should, be given close examination, and criticism, if warranted. Hopefully reviews of this study will be conducted by serious, objective scientists and not just those with a "defend vaccines at all costs" agenda. That, of course, is a very faint hope. Paul Offit and his followers have doubled down on the irrational strategy of personally attacking parents, and researchers, concerned about possible role of vaccines and vaccine ingredients in triggering autism and other neurological disorders in children instead of continuing calmly with objective examination of their concerns.
15 comments:
"One of those triggers might be the battery of vaccinations that young children receive." Finally!! Someone said it out loud. We need a different vaccine schedule!!!
Thank you for posting this. I have always had fears about vaccines and injected my daughter on a different schedule than my son, after he was diagnosed with PDD-NOS. You just never know. All the best, Heather
It's wonderful that this study has been made public, but I have to wonder how much good it will do after all of the negative publicity the vaccines-autism connection in the last year.
If we look at it objectively, it's the only thing that makes sense, though. What is the single common denominator here? It can't be race, income status, prenatal care or anything else. Autism doesn't discriminate. The only things that seem to be universal are the vaccine schedule and age of the child at the onset of symptoms.
The number of new diagnoses of autism are increasing every day.
I am so tired of hearing 'it's a mystery'. The scientific community needs to take a closer look at vaccines and the schedules at which they are administered.
Sorry about the typo - sdeems I posted too fast! I intended to say:
...but I have to wonder how much good it will do after all of the negative publicity the vaccines-autism connection has received in the last year.
Thanks for posting. Makes one think...
I tend to believe it has more to do with the chemicals, preservatives, and hormones found in most processed food today. That is another common link that isn't getting much attention.
The only way to conclusively tell whether or not vaccines lead to autism is a long-term, randomized, placebo controlled, double blind study, which this study is not. Even though they accounted for certain variables, it is impossible to rule out all confounding variables which may account for the results seen in this study.
so we mut postpone all vaccination until the child is over 2 years old to rid the probabilities of autism?
The fact is that they DON'T know and I can accept that. It is the fact that they don't want to find out that I cannot accept. I have seen the correlation. I am a speech-language pathologist and have seen typically developing children regress and then be diagnosed with some form of PDD after recieving thier vaccines. I believe that there are multiple factors and that some of that ill gotten vaccine money should be used to find out causes, preventions, and better treatments.
The Amish do NOT get vaccinated, and they do NOT get autism. What better control group can you ask for. The Amish also don't suffer from the most common diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart disease, they don't suffer learning disabilities either.......
Paul, the Amish also do not drive cars, or use cell phones, or use flush toilets. That does not mean that cars and cell phones and flushing toilets cause autism. They also have a "pure" genetic line, live a different lifestyle, eat foods from different sources, clean with different products, and they also access health services at different rates. These things may have more to do with diagnosis of any number of diseases and disorders. How man Amish are depressed? Who knows, and because they don't typically go to the doctor for such things doesn't mean that depression doesn't exist among Amish communities. I have grown up with Amish, believe me, there are many illnesses in that community.
Claire, I would like to comment on your statement "We need a new vaccine schedule." My son, now 18 years of age, was diagnosed with HFA at age 14. He only had one round of immunizations when he was about nine months of age. So apparently only one round was all it took.
I wonder at the amount of parents that would rather their child dies from a preventable disease, than take responsibility for giving their child a good start on life. Diseases that had been all but irradicated are now on the rise. Whooping cough for example. The New South Wales state government(Australia), has just brought in a no vaccine, no pre school law. To protect children of rational parents from the inaction of the medically illiterate few.
I live in the highest non vaccinated (50%) part of the first world apparently. What infuriates me the most is the fear mongering led by the anti vaxers that your precious child will get autism if you vax. The herd here is very unprotected. As the person above mentioned, this has led to the NSW (Australia) govt introducing no vax no preschool laws. This area I live in also has a high influx of international travellers, both local and foreign, leaving us wide open to many diseases from many counties.
This is by far the most upsetting thing I have had to deal with regarding parenthood. My 2yo son is vaccinated, as I know of at least 3 babies who have died from whooping cough in this small area. It is so hard to know who to believe - the hysterical anti vaxers with no real 'proof' and the hard hitting medical profession with plenty of industry funded 'proof'.
Ps I wonder what stats Bill Gates has on autism in Africa where he funds millions of vaccination programs??
Vaccines are excitotoxins that can and do affect developing brains, small and large. Babies do not have a choice in what they are given but the parents do. Does it make sense to any of you to pump at least 4 different vaccines and sometimes upwards of 6 into a little body and brain and expect it not to do some damage? Wake up! My children got maybe 13thirty years ago now kids today get upwards of 40! Can you say OVERKILL!!!!!!!
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