Vaccines Do Not Cause Autism

Is there association between autism and vaccines? The issue of the dangers of this vaccine broke a few years ago when the body of a group of children with autism in the United States found mercury levels above the normal level. Where does mercury come from? Vaccine becomes suspect because some vaccines containing thimerosal preservative. Nearly half of the content of this compound consists of etilmerkuri.


Accusations vaccines trigger autism by Andrew Wakefield reinforced. In 1998 a British doctor describes the combination vaccine MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine to prevent measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles) can invite autism spectrum disorder (ASD) although it does not contain mercury.

Opinions about thimerosal and MMR is not fully accepted child health experts. In fact, not all children who get the vaccine, either MMR or thimerosal-containing vaccines, diagnosed with ASD. Parties who do not accept this argument still trust and make the vaccine as a global health solutions. Because only by giving vaccinations, infectious disease transmission that threatens human health can be alleviated. In this case the vaccine should still be given to all children on the basis that it provides more benefits than harm is still a rumor.

While the parties believe the above information ask the authorities reacted strongly attracted vaccines that allegedly trigger autism. This has an impact on the growth of the use of the vaccine, in a number of countries. For example in the UK, the use of the MMR vaccine was reduced from 92% to 88%. This is not good news. If 'strike' this vaccine continues and spread to other countries, the world is threatened by a new problem. Pandemic diseases such as smallpox could spread harmful back.

Valid Research on Vaccines

The controversy surrounding the use of thimerosal and MMR vaccine encourages the experts to do more research in order to get the correct information about this issue. Because the previous studies that sparked the 'dangers of the vaccine' still questionable. Medscape Today from the February 2008 issue proclaiming 1998 study that discusses link the MMR vaccine to autism involves only 12 children with autism. A very small sample on which to base inferences.

Research recently conducted in southern England to see the connection with the pathogenesis of ASD measles vaccine can be used as a comparison. This research validation techniques can be justified scientifically. Population of children who were born in this area in 1990 and 1991 amounted to nearly 57,000 children. With the concept of community-based study, the research carried out by a large enough sample, consisting of 98 children with ASD comparison group the two special needs children 52 non-ASD and 90 normal children. All children in the ASD group and the comparison group getting the MMR vaccine. As a result, research led Gillian Baird, PhD, of Guy's Hospital in London concluded no visible link between vaccination measels with ASD.

In line with research in the UK, last February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) United States launched the news that a group of experts, including members of The American Academy of Pediatrics, agreed declares the MMR vaccine is not responsible for increasing cases of autism in recent years. Also added, to date there is no scientific publications showing the measles vaccine, Mump, and rubella separately is more favorable than in the form of MMR is given at the same time. Because the CDC still recommends giving MMR vaccine in two phases (1 and MMR2 MMMR) for all children.

In terms of materials vaccine makers also obtained evidence that contradicted the initial guess. Report of The Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2004 concluded there was no link autism with thimerosal as a vaccine preservative. Research conducted in California against children with autism in the year 1995-2007 also gives the same conclusion. Based on the study of Public Health Department of the State of California stated that a decline in cases of autism in California despite several child did not get vaccinated with etilmerkuri material.

The use of thimerosal has been going on since the 1970's with very little etilmerkuri levels and harmless. Yet not all children with autism found in this substance. On the other hand on the child's body also contained normal levels of mercury. Problem vaccine, it is individual. Give more important and should not be generalized to all children.

Not easy to detect cases of autism. Some of the symptoms are similar to other developmental problems. For example, children with autism can not speak. It is also found in children who have a hearing loss. In addition, autism has a broad spectrum of categories including mild, moderate, and severe. In severe cases, symptoms can be seen clearly. The child seemed impaired interaction and verbal and non-verbal communication. He likes to perform repetitive actions, alone, and absorbed in his own world. In mild degree of autism is more difficult to identify. Especially when a child aged less than one and a half years. Therefore, the diagnosis of autism should be enforced through a set of observations by a team of experts who are able to observe the children's behavior problems from various aspects. This team is comprised of specialists in the field of child neurology, child development experts, and a child psychiatrist or psychologist.

From this observation can be formulated therapeutic measures that are appropriate for the child. Every child with autism requires specific treatment patterns for himself, because basically the incidence of autism is the individual and the severity spectrum in each child with autism was not the same.

Tips for Parents

Many rumors about autism has made parents panicked and mistakenly take a stand. Here are some tips for parents with children with autism.

• Plenty of reading sources of information about autism from a clear and credible. As official institutions established by the state, instead of mailing lists on the internet that does not clear the source. It is not possible, there are those who deliberately create chaos by spreading the news slanted to benefit from this condition.
• Talk with your doctor about the case at hand about the various possibilities that can be done in addressing children with autism, including in determining what needs to be done and what should be avoided.
• Make sure you know all the benefits and risks that will be encountered in any decision made with respect to children with autism. Remember, autism is highly individualistic. From one case to another is different. Suitable to other children is not necessarily fit for your baby.