[Incorrigible]

Gee, first they said MMR caused autism, and now it's mercury.

I know you've had your ongoing battle with the other guy about vaccines but the issue as far as I've know it has always been about the mercury in the Thimerosal.  This applies to more than just the MMR injection.  In Great Britain, the National Health only provides the MMR triple shot and it's very difficult to get separate injections what can be done in the US.  This is why there's so much hype around the MMR injection in England and not so much here.

My wife is a chemist and I tend to agree with you Tom that the direct link between vaccines and Autism is specious.  However, there needs to be more of an explanation for the exponential rise in Autism that goes beyond simply better diagnosis.  None the less, for the new parents who ask me, I recommend they push back their children receiving vaccinations by 6 months.

Yes, I am the father of a 4 year old Autistic boy.

[Severa]

My son had a horrible reaction to the MMR shot (I have pictures to show just how bad). After having doctors tell me his delays were just a sign of him being a 'late bloomer' he was diagnosed with high-functioning autism at age 4. I don't know what to think about the supposed link between vaccines and autism but I am trying to get all the information I can.

For what it's worth, my son is in the SECEP program for autistic children here in VA and doing wonderfully.

[equus]

I don't think the link is specious. There is great genetic variability among us all, and all you need is a slight variation genetically--perhaps in a detoxifying enzyme in the case of sensitivity to mercury, or perhaps a case of molecular mimicry where the vaccine throws off the immune system--to create autism in a small but significant group of kids. The majority don't get it--but we shouldn't be so sanguine about vaccines. Some of the polio virus vaccines were contaminated with SV-40 a monkey virus now implicated in several cancers.

The human immune system is actually set up to learn by getting infections and combatting them. It is exquisitely tuned. We've now found that kids who were allowed to be exposed to dirt and not living in hygienic environments have less allergies. So we've coopted the immune system by vaccines. We shouldn't have done it in infections that were not life threatening, as the result is that some kids are permanently damaged. Mumps may be unpleasant, but it passes.

[tinacart]

I'm sorry about your child. I don't have anyone in my family with autism, but my sister used to care for the most darling little boy - he was autistic. Very, very sad! Anyone that thinks this is "misbehaving" is either a 100% idiot or insane. Bless your child.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Thanks for the ping

[bonesmccoy]

Dear sir,

There is NO exponential increase in autistic disorder. While there has been a rise in the incidence of autism, it is not related to MMR or any other vaccine. I've already posted repeated messages on this issue.

Most importantly, there is NO mercury in ANY of the vaccines in the US at this point. Thimerosal was removed as a preservative over the past 18 months and this is partly reponsible for the problems with vaccine supply and distribution.

The chiropractor posting these messages should be banned from this board. He is a democrat from Massachusetts and is CLEARLY attempting to interfere with the political purposes of this board.

Lastly, any review of the dozens of papers regarding vaccines and autism published in the last two years supports this opinion.