To those Facebook Parents who believe that they should not vaccinate their kids because it leads to autism or other medical issues:
How come is it that you are all suddenly becoming doctors on Facebook? Taking opinions to social media and voicing reasons for not vaccinating your children. Some people say, “Oh, they’re too young to make their own decisions; we are just looking out what is best for them.” Even providing articles that once again are either not credible or are just other parents reiterating the statement that you believe in. In the United States, it is not normal to hear about parents opting out of vaccines in fear for their children’s safety. But is it vital to be Dr. WebMD on every social media platform? There is one thing that I have seen many times again, and that is that the MMR vaccine causes autism. It has been proven to be false. However, his statement seemed to be taken to everyone as “all vaccines pose a health risk to people.” But I can attest to you that vaccinating your kids and even yourselves are quite possibly the best thing you can do for health and safety.
First of all, I would like to mention that I have a family member who is autistic. My younger brother got diagnosed when he was two years old. Yes, that did affect my family, knowing that he was going to be different and that some people would treat him differently. Would he be normal? Would he go to college? Would he get a regular job? Could he be on his own? We did not know at the time. Fast forward to today, he is the most kind, incredibly smart, and independent person I know of. He is going to college for Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence at a school that is essentially the hiring ground of big tech companies like Microsoft, EA, and Apple. He has the biggest heart in the entire world, and his autistic brain is hardwired to have special attachments, so once he decides if he can trust you, he showers you with kindness and love. Now, when people say “I don’t want to risk my child getting autism, so I am not getting my child vaccinated,” that affects other people. Especially who (1) Have autism like my brother and (2) People like me whose entire life has been shaped around a person with autism. You’re saying that you would not want a child that needs your help, love, and affection like any other child, but just slightly different. Why should that be a deciding factor on whether or not you should want to vaccinate your kids? It just boggles my mind in that sense. But I am here to tell you as to why that autism shouldn’t even come to your mind when you say the word “vaccine.”
An article is what started it all. British gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield published a piece of literature in 1998, describing how eight children showed signs of autism after they had been given the Mumps, Measles, and Rubella Vaccine (MMR). The theory was that the MMR vaccine had cause inflammation in the intestine to which proteins were then released into the bloodstream, leading them to the brain (Gerber). Once it reached the brain, it affects development. There are issues to Wakefield’s study. There was no control group, groups of data not collected completely, gastrointestinal issues were not found in kids that had already previously had the vaccine and autism, the MMR vaccine had shown to not make the intestines inflamed, and these proteins that were supposedly in the bloodstream were never identified. This theory was rejected and proven false. Although it is still being used as a method to get parents to stop vaccinating, sure, this is a man that has credibility, but the findings were incomplete. After this, the study was published, and many people began to research this topic. Again, the theories were rejected. After the accusation, Denmark decided to do a ten-year study on 657,461 children born between 1999 and 2010. As it concluded, there was an incidence rate of 129.7 per 100,000 people. They were taken into account if they had received the MMR shot and family history. After check-ups and constant monitoring of those children that had been given the vaccine, there was no risk for autism, nor does it trigger it (Hviid). After this, you’re probably wondering, what does cause autism?
There is no easier way to say this, autism is genetic. There is no increased risk of your children being diagnosed with autism if they have received a vaccine. It is all in your genes. These genes have been identified as those that affect the function of brain neurons. Parents of kids with autism are shown to exhibit some mild impairments in skills and repetitive behaviors (“Autism Spectrum Disorder Sheet”). My mom and I believe that my dad has some sort of the gene in him as my brother and him essentially have twin personalities. But unless you know that there is someone who has had their genes tested you would not really know if you carried the gene. Not everyone who has the gene, will get autism. It is all a matter of chance. Not the vaccines.
The time you have all been waiting for is why vaccines are good for you. First of all, it is so much easier to prevent a disease rather than to get it and treat it afterwards. So many diseases can be prevented after the first round of vaccinations. When a young child is exposed to a disease that they have not been vaccinated for, it’s a possibility that they would not be strong enough to fight it. Why risk that chance? Why go backwards in time when kids would die from vaccine-preventable diseases? Receiving vaccines provide immunity for both themselves and those in the community who cannot get vaccines due to allergies and other health reasons (CDC). According to the CDC, a vaccine is a safer substitute for a child’s first exposure to a disease. Listen to the CDC on those benefits. Receiving a vaccine is the safest way to fight a disease without actually suffering from it.
In a way would you rather have a child that has autism or an incurable, unpredictable disease that can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars? So, Facebook parents, next time don’t just think of your child, think of other people. Listen to the facts. Vaccines do not cause autism. Vaccinate your children, and yourself to protect everyone. Also, just be considerate about what you are saying online about vaccines cause autism. There are people out there who have it and they can easily take what you’re saying about vaccines in the wrong way.
Sincerely,
Carina Laukaitis
“Autism Spectrum Disorder Fact Sheet.” National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 13 Mar. 2020, http://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Autism-Spectrum-Disorder-Fact-Sheet.
CDC. “Vaccines: Vac-Gen/Why Are Childhood Vaccines So Important?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 May 2018, http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/howvpd.htm.
Gerber, Jeffrey S, and Paul A Offit. “Vaccines and Autism: a Tale of Shifting Hypotheses.” Clinical Infectious Diseases : an Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 15 Feb. 2009, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2908388/.
Hviid, Anders, et al. “Measles, Mumps, Rubella Vaccination and Autism: A Nationwide Cohort Study.” Annals of Internal Medicine, American College of Physicians, 16 Apr. 2019, annals.org/aim/fullarticle/2727726/measles-mumps-rubella-vaccination-autism-nationwide-cohort-study.
carina laukaitis 