Opinions on Autism and Vaccines

M.,
I am a nurse and mother of 3 my youngest being 10 mos old. I had been really worried about it also because it had been all over the news last year. But after talking to several people in the medical profession there have been several studies done and none of them have any evidence that the vaccines actually cause the autism. the fact is that usually when autism is diagnosed is around 2 years of age shortly after the last round of vaccinations are due. I am pretty convinced now that it is coincidence. Just think of all the diseases your child could be exposed to if not vaccinated.
good luck
S.

I would certainly have your youngest child vaccinated...the problems that can occur from NOT vaccinated are not worth the potential loss of life. After seeing some medical shows about the consequences of not vaccinating a child, to me, it would not be worth the risk.
I have a 12 yr. old & 5 yr. old...both have received the necessary vaccines and to date, have been healthy. My cousins, who have a 2 yr. old, 3 yr. old, & 6 yr. old...all have been vaccinated without any problems.
Hope you figure out what is best for you & your child.
G.

Hi M.,

I'm really impressed that you are looking into vaccines so much. This is definitely an important, yet controversial, topic that can be overlooked. Each doctor can have their own opinion about the issue. The most important thing is that YOU look at all your options and do your research before you make any decisions.

One of the best books, in my opinion, can be found here... http://thedoctorwithin.com/books-and-cds.php

This book is updated every year, it includes the science and history of vaccines, as well as, factual information, including the risks, pros and cons and all
the major statistics that you need to know to make an educated decision.

I'm sure this post will drum up a lot of conversation and I wish you the best of luck making an informed decision:)

Have a great night,
B.

Hi M. -

I simply do not vaccinate my kids until they go to kindergarten. I had a bad experience with vaccines with my oldest son (I did the ridiculous 20+ vaccines they recommend in the first year of life with him) The reason they vaccinate new babies so much is because their immune system is not developed all the way. The mother's body is designed to give a certain amount of immune protection to a newborn through breastmilk until their system is fully functional. So giving all those vaccines just puts an enormous stress on their systems, and I'm convinced can sometimes (not always) cause neurological and other damage. If you send your child to daycare, or he is in another environment where there is a high risk of infection, you could weigh the risks. I thought the risks to vaccinating newborns far outweighed the risk of disease (how many children become autistic vs. come down with diptheria or tetanus???????)

After age 4 or 5, kids' systems are fairly robust, and the risk of autism goes way down. I still do not do very many vaccinations for kindergarten (I sign the waiver every time - so I, not the state, can decide what is best for my child. I for sure and definitely avoid the MMR vaccine at age 15 months - that one should only be given to older children.
The more research I see, it is coming out that autism is an environmental disease that shows in genetically sensitive individuals. I am trying to keep the environment my kids are in as free of negative environmental influences as possible.

And lastly, I cannot stress this enough - pay attention to your intuition!!!!!! It is worth more that all the doctors' opinions or studies in the world. You are your child's mother, advocate, and know him best. He is an individual, not an average. If your intuition is kicking in on this baby and not the other kids about this, I would pay attention to that. It is the best source of information we have on an individual level. Trust your intuition.

studies consistly demonstrate that there is no correlation. take care of your sweet baby, and protect him from diseases that could affect him by vaccination.

You are going to open a can of worms here, but I applaud you for raising your concerns.

To me, the thought of NOT vaccinating my child and watching her contract something like Whooping Cough and DYING worries me more than Autism. Especially with our ecomony being a global one. You never know who is going to bring home something nasty from a business trip abroad and infect others. There are no cures or treatments for some of the diseases we vaccinate for which KILL more babies and children than I think is acceptable. So yes, I am for vaccination. There have also been new studies suggesting that autism in MOST children occurs because of a certain hormone in the uterus during pregnancy. So these children are probably more sensitive to the vaccines, and unfortunately develop Autism. But seeing as how your other two children are vaccinated and show no signs of Autism, you might want to consider vaccinating your third child. Chances are he won't develop Autism, and it will keep your child healthy.

This is a HUGE, controversial topic and with all the conflicting studies/research out there, we may never, ever TRULY know what causes Autism. It's a hard decision to make, especially with the numbers of children with Autism. But, I think it's a risk we should take. I would much rather do the extra work and treatments required to care for a child with Autism, than watch my child die of an incurable disease that could have been prevented with vaccination. Just my "two cents". Good luck!!