The Times West Virginian

Opinion

September 5, 2008

With the fear of autism lifted, vaccinations must not be rejected

It is perhaps one of the most heart-breaking things a parent can hear from a doctor — a diagnosis of autism.

Their once happy, vibrant baby is now a toddler withdrawn and locked in a world she doesn’t understand, challenged by even the smallest tasks, unable to control volatile and violent behavior. She cannot communicate even her most basic needs. She cannot interact.

No one quite knows the reason a child develops autism, though most are diagnosed with the brain disorder before the age of 3.

A decade-old study suggests that the disease could be linked to the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination, which has caused parents to shy away from having the immunization. And the number of cases of measles in the United States this year is the highest its been since 1997, which doctors and researchers say is caused by fewer vaccinations being administered because of unwarranted fears about autism.

An international study released this week shows that there is absolutely no connection between the MMR vaccination and autism.

Measles, a highly contagious virus that presents as a red skin rash with fever and cold-like symptoms, was once responsible for the deaths of hundreds of children in the United States each year. While the widespread availability of the MMR vaccination has prevented outbreaks of the virus, a few cases are reported to the Center for Disease Control and Protection each year. This year, there were 131 measles cases, and nearly half of the infected children had parents who rejected the MMR immunization.

While 131 cases doesn’t seem much compared to years when there were hundreds of thousands of children who came down with the disease, it’s disturbing that parents have been put in the position of having to choose between the threat of a serious illness or the threat of a lifelong brain disorder.

Hopefully, the results of this latest international research, launched to debunk the 1998 British study linking autism and MMR shots, will change minds. The American Academy of Pediatrics has made vaccination education one of its top priorities this year.

Vaccinations eliminate diseases. Sometime during the 1970s it was no longer necessary to vaccinate children for small pox. And polio has been virtually eradicated from mainstream society because of both an oral and injectable immunization. Even the number of chicken pox cases annually has dramatically dropped since a vaccination was developed.

And vaccinations save lives. Of the 10 vaccinations the CDC recommends for those between the ages of 0 and 6, all are for diseases or sicknesses that can be life-threatening for small children, from hepatitis to influenza.

With the fear of autism lifted, there’s no reason why parents should reject or delay vaccinations during check-ups at their pediatrician’s office. The health and well-being of our children are at stake.

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