measles outbreak in Wales - fear of autism can kill

Post Reply New Topic

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/apr/25/measles-cases-south-wales-outbreak-up

Okay, the preservative thimerosal as a cause of autism is pretty unlikely, even though this perservative does contain mercury.

If vaccines do cause (some) cases of autism, it is more likely that it's some funky auto-immune something, say like Guillain Barre Syndrome.

Guillain Barre can be caused by getting an infection itself, like influenza. Guillain Barre can also be caused by getting a vaccine, which is why they ask or at least should ask, if you've had it before. Because if you've had, you're at a higher risk of getting it again.

That's sad news. That's particular sad for this young Dad who was probably a thoroughly okay guy. And I think measles is in fact more dangerous if you're older when you get it.


But please don't blame autism. Certainly not as the only factor.

The main problem is that doctors and public health authorities treat as luddites and anti-science kooks anyone who raises any reasonable question about vaccines. And there are reasonable questions to be raised. I come down easily on the side of being pro-vaccine. The world needs a malaria vaccine, plus a tuberculosis vaccine. Not to mention an AIDS vaccine.

So, pro-vaccine, and also pro-leveling with people and being honest. Like anything else, a vaccine has its pluses and minuses. I myself have gotten the flu vaccine three out of the last four years.

No, the main problem is that luddites and other anti-science kooks provoke unreasonable fear of Autism in the minds of anyone who needs a vaccine.

Yeah, vaccines is known that it can't cause autism by itself, but a triggering factor in a pre-disposed, developing may, sitll the science is sketchy at best.

Ti is a shame that false study influenced many a number. I know actual family that outright refuse the MMR for Autism still. My darents even did blame it when I was diagnosed.

I have to agree, in fact I recently dealt with some moron on youtube (whom I had to report 3 times for harrassment after the fact) who honestly beleived that bilge (that the thimerosal is causing autism). Like I told him, the CDC wouldn't allow the stuff to be used if there was a chance of such damage occuring to anyone because that would severely compromise social development for future generations. Not to mention that whatever amount of mercury is actually in it, would have to only be a trace amount which is practically harmless, there's no way that amount could do enough brain damage to cause autism in an individual that didn't have it beforehand. It's just not scientifically sound.

The swine flu vaccination program of 1976 was blamed for about five hundred cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome (with about fifty fatalities).

A recent study, and a big study at that, shows that vaccines do not cause additional cases of Guillain Barre.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSB ... 9?irpc=932 <-- iphone link

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/04/ ... Z420130419 <-- desktop

Or, just go to google news and do a search for Guillain Barre.

========

This contradicts the speculation I made early. So be it. I want to lay the best, most current information on the table. That's more important than me being "right."

Last edited by AardvarkGoodSwimmer on 26 Apr 2013, 4:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Why would you want to do that?

On the other hand . . .

This CDC webpage citing a 2001 New England Journal of Medicine article says that the MMR vaccine causes about 1 additional case of febrile seizure for every 3,000 children who are vaccinated.

And if it's the MMRV vaccine (V for Varicella, meaning chickenpox), it looks like it's about an average of 2 and a half kids out of 3,000 who end up having a febrile seizure they otherwise would not have had. And this can be up to ten days after the vaccine, so it's confusing. (One lesson, get the chickenpox vaccine separately. Put the odds even more in your favor!)

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/Vaccin ... RV_qa.html

Now, a fair number of young children have an occasional seizure from a fever. And usually the child is just fine. But, it's certainly within the realm of possibility that a high enough fever and/or seizure could cause brain damage and perhaps autism symptoms.

And a parent who raises real concerns is not a kook. And if medical professionals respond in defensive style, almost in lawyer-like fashion, yes, it will feed in to whatever paranoia is out there.

And 1 or 2 febrile seizures out of every 3,000 children vaccinated, that is higher than I would have expected.

I'm supposed to be getting flu vaccine every year because of my asthma. But I'm too disorganized to do it, and my asthma is unusually mild anyway.

Because influenza is a pretty serious disease that occasionally leads to either direct viral pneumonia or secondary bacterial pneumonia.

I used to have the theory that if I'm at the pharmacy anyway and I have the time (even told myself the risk of an extra motor vehicle trip may not be worth it!). Now, a little extra effort if I'm going that way.

I requested of a moderator that the following post I started be moved to the Parents' Discussion:

MMR vaccine, 1 additional febrile seizure every 3,000 kids
http://www.wrongplanet.net/postp5359385 ... t=#5359385

Yes, even though this CDC website uses a single 2001 New England Journal of Medical article, and thus it's somewhat dated information. And yes, even though when a child has a seizure from a fever, the child is usually fine. And this CDC page talks about children between six months and five years.

Yes, even with both of those, I think parents do have a right to know the information we currently have. And I mean the best our group, acting individually and together, has to offer at any point in time.