Vaccines and Autism Debate Save Email Print
Posted: 6:15 PM Mar 7, 2008
 Last Updated: 6:39 PM Mar 7, 2008
 Reporter: Stephanie Stang
Email Address: stephanie.stang@wndu.com
19 comments
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Could childhood vaccines and autism be linked?

It's a question that may be asked after a recent ruling by the United States government.

Thursday it was announced that immunizations intensified a young girl's autism symptoms.

One Mishawaka mother, Jennifer Parker, says her son Adam became very ill after a series of childhood vaccinations just before he was two.

She says he was constantly sick and started to display the classic signs of autism.

He now suffers from severe autistic symptoms and barely speaks.

“I do not feel that my son was born with autism. I feel he was born and developing normal and shortly after the vaccinations he started getting ill whether it did damage to his immune system where he couldn't fight things off,” says Jennifer Parker.

Adam's mom says she still believes in vaccinations.

Her advice is to space them out and make sure to give them to your child when they are healthy.

Keep in mind the CDC says vaccines are still safe for children.

They are also the same timetable they always have.

For more information about the Parker family go to www.amazingadamfund.com
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Posted by: Linda Location: warsaw area on Mar 9, 2008 at 03:29 PM
I have a 10 year old son with Autism and he can speak now but it took years for him to speak! Hes in special needs class! He was dignosed with Autism at the age of 18 months! Autism kids are very smart!I think shots is the cause of Autism and yes kids need shots but the doctors need to not give kids more then 1 shot at a time!Kids with Autism go through alot! My son doesnt play with other kids and he talks to himself and when you talk to him you have to make sure he is looking at you!I love my son and he is fighting with Autism!
Posted by: anonymous Location: Elkhart on Mar 9, 2008 at 12:20 AM
I am a proud parent of a child with autism. I FIRMLY believe that the MMR Vaccine is what caused our son to have autism. When he had his other shots he had no reaction to them,when he had his MMR his fever spiked to over 102, after that he started banging his head against the walls,stopped eating, due to sensory issues.He was walking then stopped.My husband and i seen it happen to our son. Our son started school this year and he had to get another MMR which we decided to split up his vaccines he needed over the summer, which was 7 before he could start school. we gave him all but the MMR. we saved it for last,he had no reactions to the others but the mmr he ran a very high 104-105 fever his body broke out red blothes all over his face,arms,legs.the doctor told me it looked like a viral infection.looked like rubella to me and that came from the mmr. this is a epidemic!Do you know whats in vaccines?you'd be surprised. www.909shot.com (check out ingredients)
Posted by: Bill Location: Osceola on Mar 8, 2008 at 08:17 PM
No...I'll never believe our government would do, or recommend anything that could be harmful to us...say it aint so.
Posted by: Nina on Mar 8, 2008 at 07:18 PM
There are MILLIONS of kids who have had vaccines that DON'T have autism. I have not gotten to know several relatives (my parent's siblings) who died from polio and smallpox. I hope we don't have to have another epidemic to prove how valuable vaccines are. The BIG QUESTION IS:If autism is from vaccines, why don't ALL children that get vaccines have autism? Call me a cynic, but I think everyone whose child has autism will be blaming it on the drug companies so they can sue.
Posted by: Jennifer Parker Location: MIshawaka on Mar 8, 2008 at 07:04 PM
I have to stress that I to feel that Vaccination is important,BUT,we not only do we want to prevent disease we do not want to create it either. What persons who live with Autism everyday are asking is, can every child handle the currant schedule? I dont think so, Can other disorders be missed and vaccines trigger chasos in the body? I think Yes! Can the toxins/viruses/chemicals in vaccines trigger problems for children? I think Yes. So its our job then to figure this out, remove those toxins that cause harm and find which groups of children (which seem to be a lot 1 in 150)and why it effects them. Its all about educating ourselves and knowing what these potential risks are, and if they can be avoided. Vaccines have not only saved lives, but they have taken lives also. Not all children are the same. All I can say is that if I knew then what I know now, I could have made different choices and possibly Adams outcome would have been different.
Posted by: Nicole on Mar 8, 2008 at 06:16 PM
Lee, you asked a very good question, and the answer to your question is, no they can not come up with the ratio numbers of children that do not end up with autsim is because most parents that have an autistic child do not have any more, do to fear of another child ending up the same way, or just financially can not afford another one. But i am a parent with a autistic child,and took that chance and had another child. And to be very honest with you, i do believe the vaccines are what caused the onset of autism, only because both of my sons had a dangerously high fever at 2 months old. The only difference between the two of them is because i wised up with my second son when the fever started. I had a big fit in the doctors office and told them, " this is how it started with my first son, first the fever, then the seizures and now my oldest has autism." And because of that my second son does not have autism only because i made the choice as to " how many and when" he will have his vaccines
Posted by: Mercury/Autism Location: S. B. on Mar 8, 2008 at 03:45 PM
Dr. Mercola has a web site to study Mercury/Autism. It is worth your time to to study his information at www.mercola.com
Posted by: Jenni Location: Mishawaka on Mar 8, 2008 at 01:18 PM
I firmly belive in everything that Jenn says! I lived across the street from her for years and Adam is one of the most amazing little boys I have ever met!All of the things that she has told me in the past I have followed I have a nephew that is strugling with problems himself and we also belive it has something to do with the shots that he has recived. Jen & Adam you are 2 of the strongest and most heartfelt people I have ever met keep your head up and God bless you!
Posted by: anon Location: South Bend on Mar 8, 2008 at 12:39 PM
this debate is not new. Yes autism is on the rise, but so is our use of chemicals, radio waves, etc. The truth is its worse to bury your head and pretend that vaccines are the only potential problem. Vaccines have saved countless lives and have put an end to many diseases that would have killed our children in years past. Thanks to vaccines we no longer live in fear of polio, smallpox, and many other truly scary diseases. I will be vaccinating my child and this causes me alot less worry than strapping her into her car seat and driving on our roads with the potholes and less than sane drivers.
Posted by: Fighting Chance Location: South Bend, IN on Mar 8, 2008 at 09:22 AM
My son has a speech disorder. He showed some signs in spectrums of autism. I said all along after jennie Garth's PEOPLE interview that it was vaccinations. Shortly after that interview my son was hospitalized with seizures. During his stay he was given Diflucan (same drug Jennie Garth says cured her son). Shortly after my sons release his speech and motor skills improved sooooo much! He now says complete sentences and holds a conversation. No flapping of the hands or anything! Diflucan is normally given to women with yeast infections. It's a brand often assocaited with Flagel. Autism is real. But there is hope out there....
Posted by: Margaret Location: south bend on Mar 8, 2008 at 06:44 AM
I don't know what causes autism-I'm no doctor, but I have been teaching for over 25 years and I have never seen do many children diagnosed with autism before. TV commercials several years ago that a child's chance of being diagnoed with autism was 1 in 166. Recent commercials have now said that the chances are 1 in 150. Hopwfully researchers will find out the cause.
Posted by: Kim on Mar 8, 2008 at 05:46 AM
Lee.. Do some research. There are over 100,000 new cases of autism each year and that number is increasing as more vaccines are being shoved into your kids. Using the word polution is correct but it is the polution that is jabbed into your kids by law from the government via a needle and a live virus with many other ingredients that would make your head spin. It is unatural and out of control and drug comapnies continue to make new vaccines that get advertised as blessings and pushed onto and suggested for everyone. Vaccines are every bit as dangerous to your health 'if not more' as cigarettes. The CDC continues to make mole hills out of mountains. If you want the truth, seek it yourself because the government has been covering up problems like this for a long time and it won't be anytime soon that they tell the truth. Just say NO to drugs, Even if it is your government pushing them or allowing them to be pushed. ie every other commercial on TV is pushing drugs! WAKE UP PEOPLE!
Posted by: Kim Location: Argos on Mar 8, 2008 at 05:23 AM
The CDC doesn't want to cause panic. The drug companies don't want to lose money, The Dr.s are given biased information. The truth about vaccines is that they are damaging in many ways. The American Veterinary Association learned this and changed protocols for animals in all 27 vet schools but you will be hard pressed to find an honest vet. It's about lining pockets. Autism is not the only thing wrong with vaccines. A lifetime of autoimmune diseases lurks for many. Everything from allergies to behavior disorders. Limiting the number is a start. Where in nature would a living being come into contact with 5 to 9 diseases at once? It is a no brainer to me that in doing so, there might be havoc in the immune system and all other systems. Visit thinktwice.com and stop being a victim of government approved drug pushers on your kids. Learn the truth about diseases and how they come and go in society naturally. Vaccines are not and have not been a 'hero'. Read the truth. Take a stand.
Posted by: Lee Location: SB on Mar 7, 2008 at 11:30 PM
I have a question that I never seem to hear the answer to concerning vaccines & autism. What is the ratio of kids that have received these suspected vaccines that don't end up with ausism, as opposed to the ones that supposedly do? I never hear those numbers, there's just a lot of finger pointing & accusations. If it is due to the vaccines, wouldn't everyone that received them have it, or is it because of weak genes? Personally, I think autism has something to do with some kind of pollution considering all the things we put into the environment.
Posted by: Mellissa Johnson-Jared's mom! Location: Mishawaka on Mar 7, 2008 at 09:12 PM
Bless you Jennifer & Adam too! I just saw the article and Jared is bouncing telling me that's his buddy Adam! I totally agree with you that the whole issue is that there are to many shots at a time, any one of which could be the trigger but when they receive 4 at a time its hard to tell which one. Its not any easy road we have been given with our special children but we survive and they thrive with help, support, love and devotion. I am so proud of you for getting your message out there- its our message as well. The only thing I can say with certainty is that we will not be taking this big "chance" with our second child. If only we had known then what we know now. Its not about being anti-vaccine is about being informed and making the right choices for your child. Take care of yourself and your beautiful son....Jared adores your son and I have a feeling its mutual! They have a wonderful understanding of each other, I guess there are small miracles in all of this.
Posted by: R.A. Location: Elkhart on Mar 7, 2008 at 08:35 PM
My 12 year old son has Aspergers Syndrome due to a complication during my pregnancy. We are one of the few "lucky" ones who know why he is disabled. My heart goes out to the families that are struggling to find answers. Our son has received all his shots but we did space them out more then what is suggested. We did the same thing with our 5 year old. If they werent in PERFECT health on "shot day" we would cancel the appointment. Each child is different and each parent should trust their own judgement on when its the right time to have the shots given. I don't believe in the schedule the Drs have come up with. As long as the children have what they need to protect them from illness by the time they start kindergarden then that should be good enough.
Posted by: Jackie Dembinski Location: Niles, Mi. on Mar 7, 2008 at 08:21 PM
My 7yr.old son Jesse also had the exact same thing happen to him as this story. I've read on different web sights that children today get double,sometimes triple the vacines we got in the mid 60's. Is this all really necessary? Plus the mercury perservitive that was taken out of the children's shots is still being used in the flu shotsthat they are now giving to infants under one yr.of age.
Posted by: Laura Cichoracki Location: Osceola on Mar 7, 2008 at 06:59 PM
Way to go, Jen! I really admire the way you are working so hard for what you feel is right for you son! I also appreciate that you are not anti-vaccine in spite of what the shots did to you sweet boy, but rather pro common sense. There is no credible reason why these shots can't be spread out a month or two to lessen the impact on the immune system. Even if we are never able to prove the link between the shots and/or their preservatives and autism, the fact remains that if a child has a mega shot and then has a reaction, the odds of finding out what triggered a response are not great because there are too many components. I spread my daughter's shots out with the blessing of our doctor and she is perfectly healthy - and protected from dangerous diseases. God bless your family for how hard you work to make Adam a great kid! NEVER GIVE UP! We're always praying for you, and all special needs familes.
Posted by: Lisa Location: Lapaz on Mar 7, 2008 at 06:54 PM
my son will be two in may and i have not had him vaccinated since he was seven months. i have a huge fear of this happening to my son. i will get his vaccinations, but after he is two years of age. i feel that he will be out of the woods by then. i also heard that sometimes it's the fever they get from the shots that "triggers" something in the brain. i don't know, but i am very fearfull of this.
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