July 12, 2008 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
Fear of Autism May Be the Cause of the Recent Measles Outbreak
says the headline for a July 12th Associated Content article.
Maybe more like, “fear of autism is the cause [or at least a major cause] of the recent measles outbreak“?
[...] all times but in relatively low frequency.” Some have questioned the use of the word “outbreak” to refer to the 127 people in 15 states in the US who (as of July 9) have gotten measles. [...]
[...] likes of (as Orac blogs) Jenny McCarthy and the aforementioned Andrew Wakefield. It does seems that fear of autism has led to a rise in measles. As a commenter on Orac’s Respectful Insolence [...]
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We don’t do the MMR because of the rubella vaccine. If they SEPARATED it into a measles vaccine and a mumps vaccine and a rubella vaccine, we could at least do the measles and mumps. We have a religious objection to the rubella.
It’s all rather silly to blame lack of vaccination on people getting measles, though. I had a case and was fully vaccinated. Maybe it MIGHT be more LIKELY to get measles if you aren’t vaccinated, but that’s about it.
My 20-month old does not talk at all and did not have this vaccine. He has two autistic brothers and I’m a bit suspicious. We do plenty of things differently with each successive child and haven’t found a surefire preventive yet. When one comes up, let me know. :[
PS. I meant I’m a bit suspicious that the toddler is autistic, not anything about autism in the vaccine. Sorry.
Well, well, well.
Who would ever have imagined that fearmongering about autism might lead to the needless destruction of innocent lives?
*bangs head*
@Mrs. C, are you starting to have the 20-month old evaluated? certainly you’ll know what to do….
@dkmnow, well indeed and a big sigh.
…no way. Not getting vaccinated causes vaccine preventable diseases.
DUH STUDY OF THE DECADE AWARD.
On a bb another regular posted only a couple of weeks ago about the death of her friend’s infant (3wks old) from measles.
It’s going to happen. There’s a reason for these vaccines.
S.
Mrs C – I got the mumps as a child and I had been vaccinated. It does happen for a variety of reason. The advantage to having the vaccine is that the severity is lessened for those who’ve had the vaccine.
My niece got the whooping cough. And was only ill a couple of weeks and never severely enough to miss much school.
A lack of vaccines, will definately cause an epidemic. Especially with the ease of travelling in today’s world. Call your health unit, you’ll find pockets everywhere, they just never make the news… Yet.
S.
To farmwifetwo; You are going have to explain what massage you are trying to convey abou the infant thay died after three wk. Are you saying that the child hadn”t had its vaccine yet or that some one who came to visit nad not been vaccined and had measles. Are you saying if the infant had had it would have might nad died because i don”t think the vaccines work that fast.
@ Kristina, I’m delaying looking into “autism” as long as possible because frankly there is nothing to be done if he has it. He’s in First Steps now (runs to age 3) and maybe if necessary I’ll let him go to public preschool when he’s three, but the “services” for autism are through public school and in the past we’ve seen abuse at the elementary level. And insurance doesn’t pay and I’m not poor enough for real help.
Stuck.
So my choice is to work really intensively on therapy now and hope.
Anyway…
I didn’t mean to hijack the thread, but I did want to say FWIW this kiddo is the most “severe” I have so far and he’s missed about half his shots (long story).
I’m not enamoured of being coerced on the shot issue by physicians, but I’ll also be honest and say I can’t say “it’s the shots!” either.
“Not getting vaccinated causes vaccine preventable diseases.”
That is an incorrect statement. Being exposed to viruses increases the likelihood of catching the disease. Being exposed to the viruses does not guarantee contracting the disease and being vaccinated does not guarantee immunity from the disease.
I read an article the other day that recommended that those in their 30s and 40s should consider being tested to see if they still have immunity to the measles as this is the group most likely to not be immuned anymore. That would be me–I am in that group. That being said the first thing I thought of was those who were thinking about getting pregnant should definitely have this test.
Here in Ireland there are a small no. of doctors who administer single vaccines. I believe a parent should be given the choice whether to do MMR or each one singly. If the MMR was marketed right the uptake would be higher. The dept of health need to advertise MMR in a positive light stating it is not harmful, does not cause autism etc etc and that they and all the GP’s are 100% behind it. We know it’s all about saving money so if people are willing to pay over the odds for single vaccines then so be it – make them more available. Better to be vaccinated than not whatever the cost.
What they are not mentioning in the news is that the Pharmaceutical company removed single dose Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccines as a choice for parents after the MMR scare. Thus, the massive decrease in shots, not because they didn’t want vaccines altogether.