Vaccinations and Autism, Information and Association

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the leading health agencies committed to protecting the public. On the CDC website the CDC has an area that addresses the concern that most parents face when vaccinating their children. The CDC knows that many parents have heard of a link between childhood vaccinations and autism spectrum disorders or ASD. However the CDC has an Autism Developmental Disabilities Monitoring network that provides valuable information about childhood ASD estimates and the network has found that the number has steadily risen since the early 1990's.

There are some people however that believe the increase in ASD is linked to more exposure to thimerosal and ethylmercury due to the important new vaccinations that have been recommended for children in recent years. Evidence from many medical studies, however do not support this link between the increase in vaccines and the increase in more reported cases of ASD. The IOM, Institute of Medicine says that there is no association between the ethylmercury vaccines and autism, to which the CDC concurs.

It should be noted however that the CDC does recognize the overwhelming health concern that parents share and highly supports all medical research concerning the causes for autism and other childhood developmental disorders.

The CDC is however concerned that many parents may not fully understand the health risks children who are not fully immunized are taking and hopes that parents will contact their physicians for further information before not having their children properly vaccinated.

Thimerosal or ethylmercury is a preservative that is used in multiple dose vaccines. The thimerosal or ethylmercury is added to vaccine to prevent bacteria and fungus from growing. Bacteria or fungi in a vaccine can cause severe reactions and in some cases even be fatal. Preservatives like ethylmercury are added normally in the manufacturing process of the vaccine.

Ethylmercury is not a additive that stays in a person or builds up over time. After the thimerosal is given it starts to break down and then the body eliminates it easily.

As in all vaccinations the most common side effect is that of swelling, redness and warmth at the injection site.
Although research shows no association to autism with ethylmercury and thimerosal in vaccinations, the preservative was taken out of vaccines in 2001. However interestingly ASD has continued to rise among children since the preservative has been discontinued in vaccines.

Another interesting fact about vaccinations is that measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations never did contain the preservative thimerosal. As well as the chickenpox vaccine and the inactivated polio vaccination also never contained the preservative thimerosal, as did some others. A complete listing of thimerosal containing vaccines are available on the United States Food and Drug Administration website.

Influenza vaccinations are also interestingly available in both thimerosal free versions and thimerosal preservative containing vaccines.

I have been a nurse for over 28 years and I have also had four beautiful children, all of which are grown now. I also feel like I understand the worries that many parents have to face with their children in this world today, especially the health risks. However as a nurse I know that vaccinations are extremely important now more than ever in this world and I encourage any parent with vaccination concerns to talk to their pediatrician or medical professional. It is extremely important that your physician understand your worries and they are best equipped to counsel you on the health risks that your child may be exposed to on a daily basis if they are not properly vaccinated.

References for this article include:

www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/vaccines/QuestionsaboutVaccines/ucm070430.htm
www.nytimes.com/2010/02/03/health/research/03lancet.html
www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm048750.htm