Childhood vaccinations. Is there a link to Autism?

Michael Esposito The incidence of Autism or the spectrum of diseases referred to as Autism is now estimated to be one in five hundred in America. If this number is correct then the incidence of Autism is much greater now than in preceding decades. Others disagree, arguing that the incidence of Autism is stable in the population but the condition is better diagnosed. There is no general consensus but the experts are leaning towards supporting an increase in incidence.

The cause or causes of Autism are not well defined and believed to be mulifactorial. In some people, it is genetic while in others it is probably environmental, infectious or a combination of these factors. Currently, there is no scientific evidence to support any theory as to why one becomes Autistic. However, for many years some scientists, doctors and lay people have tried to link Autism to childhood vaccinations.

Proponents of the theory that vaccinations are the cause of autism lay the blame on a mercury based preservative called Thimericol. Thimericol was present in many childhood vaccines until about 2002. The supporters believe the incidence of Autism has increased and the increase coincided with the first Bush administration’s push for greater use of vaccinations for infants and toddlers. The vaccine most often associated with autism was the MMR vaccine. Thimericol was used as a preservative in the MMR vaccine and it also was present in many others including the flu vaccine. Reports in the medical literature in the 1980s and 1990s suggested a causal relationship between the mercury and Autism. In response to that information, the vaccines are now being manufactured without the Thimericol except for the flu vaccine. Another link supporters point to is the similarity between the symptoms of Autism and mercury poisoning.

Arguing against the Thimericol link to Autism are many large scientific papers and medical societies. The most recent and thorough reports, including the CDC, state clearly that there is no link between Thimericol and Autism. They concluded firmly that no connection exists between vaccination and Autism. They view the occurrence of Autism at about age eighteen to twenty-four months just after the administration of the MMR vaccine as coincidence. They recommended parents follow the immunization guidelines for the vaccines are safe and do not lead to Autism.

Parents, researchers and doctors continue to search for a cause or event which trigger Autism. The cause of autism is probably multifactorial rather than singular. The research continues but as of today, the best scientists and doctors do believe that the vaccines are safe and do not lead to an increased risk of Autism.

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