There has been concern that the preservative, thimerosal, (which contains mercury) may be the cause of some cases of autism. Without any research to show a true correlation between the preservative and autism, in 1999, the Public Service agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the vaccine manufacturers chose to remove thimerosal from their vaccines due to public outcry.
No one really knows how children develop autism and developmental disabilities (ASD). 1:150 children have an ASD. This estimate is higher than those in the 1990’s. However, the increased number of vaccines are most likely not to blame. The medical field is much better at detecting and diagnosing ASD than in the 1990’s. Scientific reviews by the Institute of Medicine and the CDC reject causal relationships between autism and thimerosal-containing vaccines.
It could be that in some coincidental cases, the timing of the diagnosis of autism came about the same time the child had been vaccinated. That may just be a coincidence. Also, the parents want something to blame the autism on (they did not get their perfect child).
In societies where these vaccines are readily available, many childhood diseases have just about been eradicated. If we stop vaccinating our children based on nothing but a guess that thimerosal, or the vaccine itself, may cause autism, we could be opening up a floodgate for the return of these diseases that we have finally gotten under control. Consumers must realize that their fears must be justified and based on valid research and scientific fact.
Reference
CDC, 2009. Retrieved 7/1/2009 from
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/updates/thimerosal.htm
Original Post:
July 1, 2009
Title: Second Puzzling Autism Case Report
Federal health officials at an upcoming conference the controversial cases of a 9-year-old girl who became autistic after receiving numerous vaccinations. In January a 6-year-old girl received a flu vaccine and a week later became ill requiring hospitalization and ultimately died. Study after study has failed to show a link between vaccines and autism but many parents of autistic children claim that childhood vaccinations they received are responsible. In 1986 a National Vaccine injury compensation program was introduced to compensate injured children from vaccines. Many deadly epidemics have been prevented by vaccination. For the parent of a child injured following vaccination, grief and ambivalence would prevail. The questions that continue regarding these very complicated situations cause great concern for parents trying to decide whether to immunize a child.
Tags: Forensic Nursing, Forensic Nursing Chronicles, Forensic Nursing Theories, Forensic Toxicology
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