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I believe more research needs to be done before dismissing he theory. It is my opinion that the increase of autism diagnosis is due to the rise in awareness and the push for early intervention. The possible connection between the vaccinations and autism became public knowledge in the late ass’s. By 2009 there was a significant decrease in children being vaccinated. According to Worthy “The Lancet published a study written by Andrew Wakefield, MD. That linked the measles, mumps, and rubella (MR.) vaccine to intestinal problems that led to autism”. The Lancet later rejected the study due to failure of disclosing vaccine litigation injections. Worthy admits that there are certain risk that comes with having your children vaccinated and offers an alternate solution to not vaccinating at all. Worthy references The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child, written by Robert Sears, M. D, gives the option of spacing out the vaccines to limit the exposure of aluminum.
The population will be at risk of a [come back] of these infectious diseases if at least 80 percent of children do not get their immunization vaccines per the CDC. (K. K. Worthy. 2011) There is no generally accepted, scientifically valid evidence to show that mercury and aluminum exposure from immunization causes autistic spectrum disorder. As a mother of two children on the spectrum, I have a firsthand experience of why parents would believe that vaccines could play a role in the rise of SAD. Like many parent with children on the spectrum, I listened to the main stream media.
It was easy to blame the vaccines when my 3rd and 4th son was diagnosed. It probably would have been easier than thinking that I somehow have failed my sons. I done my research and realized that my youngest ones’ age was the time frame that most autism symptoms manifest. Many years later Jenny McCarthy published a book reinforcing the theory that the vaccines caused her son to have autism. It is no wonder with all the hype and publicity that parents grasp at anything they can to help explain the currently unexplainable.
Unfortunately the theory has received more publicity than the actual facts and because there isn’t conclusive evidence stating that vaccines are absolutely not the cause of the autism epidemic there will always be parents who will listen to main stream media before doing their research. I do not believe that this particular article soundly supports the title. There are too many questions that are not answered. In Worth’s article she stated that “In 2007…. Mercer’s HIP vaccine [was] recalled…. Hough the vaccine themselves tested negative for contamination”. (P. 4/7) If the vaccines were not contaminated then why were they recalled? If the MR. held too much mercury for infants then they should have explored other ways to vaccinate. Merck no longer produces the vaccines in separate doses, why? In Worth’s article she states “at least seven large studies…. Eve now found no association between the MR. vaccine and SAD”. (P. 3/7) She does not cite the studies. She does not give specifics that could have supported her hypotheses.