VACCINES and AUTISM By Laura Weis By Laura Weis

Controversy Vaccines vs. Autism  Parents of Autistic Children  Scientists and Medical Professionals  Vaccines and Safety  Normal Child Development  Parents of Autistic Children  Scientists and Medical Professionals  Vaccines and Safety  Normal Child Development

Increase in Cases of Autism

Parents of Autistic Children  Believe that their child got autism by the MMR vaccine  Noticeable change about the age of 2  Verbal skills and motor skills have regressed  Social interaction has declined or vanished  Change in behavior and personality  Believe that their child got autism by the MMR vaccine  Noticeable change about the age of 2  Verbal skills and motor skills have regressed  Social interaction has declined or vanished  Change in behavior and personality

Scientists and Medical Professionals  Genetic Disorder  Vaccines are Safe  No Link Between the Two  Genetic Disorder  Vaccines are Safe  No Link Between the Two

Decrease of Disease  The number of deadly disease cases has dramatically decreased since the introduction of the MMR Vaccine

Vaccines Administered in the United States  1960 children received 19 doses of 4 different vaccines before school age  Children were not given multiple shots on the same day  1960 children received 19 doses of 4 different vaccines before school age  Children were not given multiple shots on the same day  Currently children receive 24 vaccines against 9 diseases by the age of 6 months  Next 2 years children receive another 9 shots of 14 vaccines against 12 diseases

MMR Vaccine Measles Mumps Rubella Measles Mumps Rubella

Measles  Contagious viral disease that can cause death  Cough and runny nose  Fever  Rash  Red eyes  Most common causes of death are pneumonia and encephalitis  Contagious viral disease that can cause death  Cough and runny nose  Fever  Rash  Red eyes  Most common causes of death are pneumonia and encephalitis

Mumps  Contagious viral disease  Fever  Headache  Muscle aches  Tiredness  Loss of appetite  Swelling of salivary glands  Contagious viral disease  Fever  Headache  Muscle aches  Tiredness  Loss of appetite  Swelling of salivary glands

Rubella  Viral disease  Rubella causes measles  Fever  Rash  Viral disease  Rubella causes measles  Fever  Rash

Health of Society It is everyone’s responsibility to help maintain a healthy society by doing what we can to remain disease free.

Ongoing Debate Although there is much controversy with this issue, there are many support groups for autistic people and their family members. With help and support autism can be managed and a quality of life can exist.

References  CDC. Measles surveillance report No. 11, September 1982;6-89  CDC. Summary of notifiable diseases, United States MMWR 1993;42:67.  CDC. Measles, Mumps, and Rubella -- Vaccine Use and Strategies for Elimination of Measles, Rubella, and Congenital Rubella Syndrome and Control of Mumps: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices (ACIP). MMWR. Recommendations and Reports. May 22, 1998/ 47(RR-8);1-57.  CDC Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders -- Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, United States, Surveillance Summaries. December 18, 2009 / 58(SS10);1-20  Koch, K. (2000, August 25) Vaccine Controversies. CQ Research, 10, “Mumps: a resurgent disease with protean manifestations”. Med J Aust 189 (8):  Offit PA (2007). One Man’s Quest to Defeat the World’s Deadliest Diseases. Washington, DC: Smithsonian. ISBN X.  Pruitt D. Your Child: Emotional, Behavioral, and Cognitive Development from Birth through Preadolescence by AACAP. Harper Paperbacks (March 22, 2000).  Treffert, D.A The Epidemiology of Infantile Autism. American Journal of Psychiatry. 22:  CDC. Measles surveillance report No. 11, September 1982;6-89  CDC. Summary of notifiable diseases, United States MMWR 1993;42:67.  CDC. Measles, Mumps, and Rubella -- Vaccine Use and Strategies for Elimination of Measles, Rubella, and Congenital Rubella Syndrome and Control of Mumps: Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices (ACIP). MMWR. Recommendations and Reports. May 22, 1998/ 47(RR-8);1-57.  CDC Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders -- Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, United States, Surveillance Summaries. December 18, 2009 / 58(SS10);1-20  Koch, K. (2000, August 25) Vaccine Controversies. CQ Research, 10, “Mumps: a resurgent disease with protean manifestations”. Med J Aust 189 (8):  Offit PA (2007). One Man’s Quest to Defeat the World’s Deadliest Diseases. Washington, DC: Smithsonian. ISBN X.  Pruitt D. Your Child: Emotional, Behavioral, and Cognitive Development from Birth through Preadolescence by AACAP. Harper Paperbacks (March 22, 2000).  Treffert, D.A The Epidemiology of Infantile Autism. American Journal of Psychiatry. 22: