my son due for mmr vaccine! is it really causing autism?should he get the vaccine?

Question

did you or will you let your child to have vaccine?

he is 14 months his first mmr vaccine

Answer 1

I had this dilema and the statistcs or evidence is very low insufficent, however it far more common for your child to contract measles as more parents abstain from MMR vaccine creating measle epidemics, which is highly dangerous can cause blindness, deafness and loss of limbs. Also mumps in adolesence can cause male infertility. I took my chance he's 3 end of May and saw no difference in him shall get his pre-school booster also.
I also feel there is a more significant risk as more economic migrants enter the UK are not always upto date ith their own and childs immunisations, it is a gamble as there is no firm evidence either way I know I just went for it after several months deliberating, I never had it personally, (30) now my mother was against it I developed hearing difficulties after a bought of measles and developed severe ear infections. And had a severe reaction to mumps I think my mum wishes she had took the chance in heinsight.

Answer 2

A few years ago a researcher reported in the Lancet medical journal that there was a link between autism and MMR. It was widely reported by the press and frightened a lot of parents.

Since then the research has been found to be substantially flawed and the researcher has lost all credibility. Numerous other investigations have been carried out and found NO link between MMR vaccination and autism. In other words your child is no more likely to develop autism with the jab than without.

What is clear however, is that since parents have actively avoided MMR vaccination, the number of children who catch measles has increased and could lead to an epidemic if there was a bad outbreak.

Even if it was the case that it caused autism I would look at it in these terms: Autism is a very difficult problem to deal with and has a big impact on people's lives but measles can kill and lead to serious long term health problems, I would vaccinate.

I don't have children but can understand your concerns. If and when I do have children, I will vaccinate as I believe there is a smaller risk. I couldn't bear the guilt if I lost my child because I didn't do something to prevent a disease which can be prevented.

Ultimately it has to be your choice. I wish you luck with whichever decision you make.

Answer 3

This is a contraversial subject. However, I believe that the piece of research that originally linked the MMR with autism has been discredited as it was revealed that it was partly funded by a group of parents whose children had autism, and who blamed this on the MMR vaccine. I think the Lancet who originally published the research actually published a retraction and said they wanted nothing to do with the research because it was very biased.
If you feel unhappy about it you can try to get the jabs done seperately. It seems to be the combination of the jabs that could potentially cause a problem. I think this is quite possible with all but one of the jabs, which is quite difficult and expensive to obtain.
More of a worry is the mercury that many jabs are carried in. This is a highly toxic substance and should be avoided if possible.

By the way, people saying 'my child had it and is fine' is not really a very strong argument - clearly if it caused autism in every single child who had it then it wouldn't be being used still. The question is whether it increases the risk.

Personally I think that the risk of the diseases it is meant to prevent outweighs the risk of autism.

Answer 4

According to the Autism Society, there is NO link between MMR vaccine and Autism. (Google the Autism Society) Some people believe it causes it, but the truth is - no one really knows exactly what causes Autism. Some studies show it's a genetic mutation, some say recessive gene.... The reason why people think the vaccine causes autism is because babies really don't show much of a true personality until they're over a year old - and any signs of abnormality aren't seen until then, either, and the MMR can't be given before one year of age.

If the possibilty really worries you - there's no harm medically in waiting to give the vaccine. It can be given anytime after one year old. More and more people are waiting until at least 18 months or as long as 3 years old to give it. However, bear in mind, many daycares now prefer your child to have it, and two doses are usually required before kindergarten. (And kindergarteners HATE that visit because they get 3 or 4 shots - depending on what they're missing.) Also, the older your child gets, the more he'll realize that shots are not fun.

Personally, if it were me, I'd give the vaccine, maybe not until 18 months or 2 years old, but I'd defninitely give it. The World Health Organization (WHO) has statistics on how many people worldwide contract different diseases, and how many die from preventable ones.

Answer 5

My daughter had it, and she is fine.
If it really caused autism, do you think for one second that DOCTORS would continue to give it to children?

Also, I believe that those children 'affected' this way by the MMR jab would already have been autistic long before the MMR, but it is around the time of having the vaccination that symptoms would start showing, and parents wanted something to 'blame' their children being ill on, and the jab seems like the perfect thing.

But I think that autism is a condition that people are born with, not one that is induced by giving a vaccination.

I look at it this way, I would rather my daughter had the injection than the diseases it prevents.

Please note, this is MY opinion only, after reading up everything I could find on the subject. My daughter is okay, the only thing that happened after the jab was slight clinginess and a measles-type rash.
There have been NO other effects :)

Answer 6

This is a personal choice, that needs careful thought on your part.

I have spoken to parents of autistic children (I work with a lot of autistic children) and most of them have said that they noticed the traits of autism before their child got the MMR vaccine or if they didn't then when they look back they can see the traits were there, they just didn't pick up on them at the time.

The choice is yours as many argue that it does increase the chance of autism. To be honest if it was my child i would give them the vaccine.
Good luck with whatever you choose!

Answer 7

I have six children... all of mine have or are being vaccinated (one yr old and three yr old still have more to go :(

I am for vaccinations.. I have read as much over the years the pros, the cons.. and honestly...? I hate them... I hate holding my baby down while I allow some stranger to inflict pain! sorry... I am venting.... and it has nothing to do with this really.....

I can offer you a little about both sides.. see, where i do the shots? my sister does not... she has eight children... none have vaccinations.... here is what I can offer in information (of the non-professional type)

I think, if I remember correctly, vaccines were started due to the outbreaks... like of polio... without the vaccines, these illnesses would still go destructively town to town, city to city... and leave a lot worse than anything on those stat sheets have listed... the death toll...? can you imagine?

most vaccines work well, the stats for the most horrid of the side efffects are very low.. any is too much in my opinion as well, but? unless you are going to home school? your child needs them.. and if you home school? and someday they go to college? then they will have to get the as an adult..... which is a little worse....

the diseases have changed just as every other part/aspect of this world... from work, family, technology... and yes.. the childhood diseases are more virile... in part because of vaccines, in part just dynamics of life... after all those diseases? are living organisms.... and we all remember the phrase "what does not kill us makes us stronger"? well... if something kills only 99.9% then there is a .1% that was just made stronger... did you know chickenpox can kill a child these days? measles, mumps and rubella.... all diseases, illnesses that used to kill... like smallpox.... we only keep these at bay... because of the vaccines...... if people stopped? these would find their way back..... unfortunately....

the downside? well... as I said, my sister and a lot of other people do not have their children vaccinated... which puts all our children at risk.. their children more so... because they are not protected... the stronger, newer diseases rip thru them.. and grow... change...

now for the worse... those changes are already out there... and the shots we give? need to be updated... changed and not all are.... some are outdated to the point where if our children were to be exposed to the disease they would have no protection... they can only work on improvements as fast as they can find the newer diseases... so.. people have to get sick first.. that one really bites...

it seems to be that the cons almost out weigh the pros for ever giving these.. but? it is still working to protect the children... and unless there is a problem that already exists in the child? an example.. my three year old JUST started to get his. he was born with a hole in his heart... and small, did not gain well... on the growth chart? he was negative fourteen percent.... so I was very uncomfortable having him exposed to the illnesses via shot even... and opted to argue with the drs every visit and tell them NO..... as he has grown he started to gain.. and was doing well.. and wanted to start school... so... I allowed them... I watched him closer than the rest of my children...... I may be for the shots.... I openly hate them.... look forward to a day when there is a better solution...

it is a personal choice I think..... you are the only one who can say if he should have shots..
the shot does not cause autism....
all of mine are vacciniated, up to date....

hope this helps... good luck

Answer 8

There is absolutely no proven link between autism and vaccines. Only the flu vaccine still contains thermosil, which is a form of murcury. The mmr does not.

Answer 9

I let my son have the vaccine - because i would rather risk him being austistic than risk him having any horrific illness like measles, mumps or rubella which can cause allsorts!!
hes had every vacination since he was born, and i wouldnt have it any other way
please dont be silly - vacinnate your son! there is NO proven link between the MMR and Austism - my HV told me it was media hype and nothing has ever been proven! so i took her advice, got my son vaccinated and he is fine!
Do whats best for your son - i mean how would you live with yourself if he got one of these childhood illnesses!

Answer 10

I did let my son get his mmr,he was assessed for autism but thankfully he doesn`t have it,i don`t know for certain if he would still have the same learning dificulties as he does now or if it is just down to him being born so premature.There isn`t a proven link between mmr and autism.