So, earlier this month, the study which sparked the controversial vaccines-causing-autism debate was retracted. Will this affect your practice with your children? Have you always been confident in immunizations, or do you believe, despite scientific evidence, that they could cause autism?
Our current family doctor is the same one who delivered me, let’s say “a number” of years ago. This gives you a clue as to his age and experience, and as you would expect, his pro-vaccine stance. Whenever it comes time for my daughters to have any sort of shots, I always check with my good friend, also a family doctor with young children of her own, to see what she’s doing with her own flesh and blood. Armed with a recent education, the latest research, and an attachment to her own three living subjects, it’s a pretty good second opinion as far as I’m concerned, and therefore my girls are completely up-to-date on their immunizations, including this year’s H1N1 vaccine.
I feel slightly relieved by the retraction of this study, hoping it will guide some parents and researchers to a more fruitful path in terms of identifying the cause of autism. Perhaps, though, I am just another insensitive skeptic who has no idea what it would feel like to take your child for a routine immunization, and soon after have him withdraw, regress, and change forever. What conclusion would I make in that situation?
What are your thoughts? Do you get your children vaccinated? Does the retraction of this study do anything to change your mind about the MMR vaccine/autism link?
For more information on the recently retracted findings, go to The Wall Street Journal or CNN Health.
Hi! I'm also glad to see this new information. As the mother of a post heart transplant immuno-suppressed child I am very nervous of the reports of the return of some of the former dreaded childhood diseases. So many parents were choosing not to vaccinate based on one faulty study, potentially putting my child at risk. She can't have some of the vaccines such as MMR due to her immuno-suppression, so these outbreaks of mumps are a real concern for me. Hopefully this will help to reduce these cases.
Wow – I would never have thought of the fact that some kids actually can't have certain vaccines. You make a great point – people don't always realize that by not vaccinating their children, they could be putting others in danger as well. Thanks for sharing!
I have always been leary of vaccinations. I have only had the minimum vaccinations for my children…so the ones I would have received as a child. I think it's interesting that few adults my age are autistic, and so many children now are being diagnosed with this condition. In fact, I considered not having my third child vaccinated at all, but I didn't win that debate with my husband. We compromised…minimum vaccinations. Also, I don't remember very many children (when I was a child) having constant ear infections. I don't think vaccinations cause ear infections, but I do think some parents now are quick to turn to antibiotics before letting children's bodies cure themselves. Of course antibiotics are necessary sometimes, but in general, medicine makes me nervous…even for myself. Perhaps I have just been lucky as my children have only had the usual minor childhood illnesses, and we have rarely had to use prescribed medications. They have also received chiropractic adjustments since they were newborn. So….how do you like me now???