Expert: James Michael Roan - 12/31/2005

Question
I have heard that immunization in newborns have had reactions and has caused babies to develope autism ???? I have never been able to find the answer.  Can immunizations in my 4 month old , go bad to cause autism in any way shape or form?
What exactly causes autism to form in children, when does it begin in a child. Is it something gone wrong with what the Mom did when carrying the child ??

Answer
Hi Jennifer;

Here is what I know about this topic:

1. There is, apparently, no conclusive evidence that immunizations cause autism.

2. Many have speculated that the preservative in the MMR vaccine regime, which historically contained Thimerisol (a lead containing substance) was the culprit. Thememrisol was discontinued in the U.S., but sold off to some other countries, so depending on where you live you want to make sure the Mumps, Measles, and Rubella (MMR) regime your child receives does not contain Thimerisol,

3. There are two basic courses of autism:

A. A child begins to have noticeably different social and affective behavior from almost the first few months of life.

b. A child develops on typical trajectory until age 2 1/2 to 3, then suddenly loses language, social skills/behaviors etc. This type of autism is known as the regressive type and is associated a variety of other conditions in addition to lead poisoning. It is this course of autism that has led to many to suspect the MMR vaccine. There is a solid body of research that has correlated a weak immune system with the regressive type autism. I have heard many parent accounts here and in Ireland where a child between the ages of 2 and 3 enters a hospital for one reason or another, is given an antibiotic of some sort, and develops autism straight away. These are anecdotes and not research.

Here is my advice to you:

First ask your pediatrician if the MMR vaccine is Thimerisol free...get proof. Secondly, have the vaccines broken down into 3 individual injections separated by around 6-8 weeks. This will put less of a strain on your child's immune system.

I am not a physician and these topics should be discussed thoroughly with your pediatrician. Do some research online. Remember, this is your child and you have every right to take whatever steps YOU believe are necessary to ensure the safety of your child.

Kind Regards,
James