Vaccines and Autism: MMR and Its Relationship with Autism

Many fear childhood vaccines and believe they can be potentially dangerous, but vaccines do not cause autism. I am here to explain the importance of vaccinating children and the benefits of doing so. First and foremost, it is always better to prevent a disease than treat it after it occurs.

Over the years, vaccines have prevented countless cases of disease and saved millions of lives. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlight that vaccines contain the same germs that cause disease and report that vaccines stimulate your immune system to produce antibodies like it would if exposed to the disease. After receiving your immunization, you develop immunity to that disease without having to get the disease first.

Some parents and families of children with autism believe that the Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) vaccine caused their children's autism. These individuals claim symptoms of autism arose after the child received the immunization, which leads them to believe the MMR vaccine is the cause of autism. However, just because the events happen around the same time does not mean there is causation.

According to a case study published by Psychological Medicine, The first British twin sample was re-examined, and a second total population sample of autistic twins was recruited. In the combined sample, 60 % of monozygotic (MZ) pairs were accordant for autism versus no dizygotic (DZ) pairs; 92% of MZ pairs were accordant for a broader spectrum of related cognitive or social abnormalities versus 10% of DZ pairs. These findings indicate autism is correlated with a higher degree of genetic control. The obstetric hazard usually appears to be the result of genetically influenced abnormal development, not independent aetiological factors.

The MMR immunization is a well-developed and well-researched inoculation. It has gone through years of vigorous testing and has had many case studies conducted to determine potential side effects. While a few side effects have been determined, the onset of autism spectrum disorder is not among them.

Vaccinating children is essential to aid in the protection of potentially devastating and even fatal diseases. If you have concerns about the vaccination of children, it is best to call that individual's primary care physician.

If you wish to conduct a little research of your own, it is wise to refer to the CDC website. Here you can find a plethora of up-to-date and accurate information. In short, the benefits of childhood vaccination, such as the MMR vaccine, far outweigh any risk. Fighting off a potentially lethal disease is much more plausible for a child who has been inoculated.