Getting Ahead

Do Vaccinations Cause Autism?

Autism Controversy Assignment

Do Vaccinations Cause Autism?

The debate on whether vaccinations cause autism has been going on for many years. In the mid 1980s, the development of autism showed a significant change. Instead of showing possible signs of autism early on, children were developing normally until they reached about 18 months old, and then suddenly started showing signs of autism. Most of the 30 vaccines that infants receive are given during the first 18 months of life. National Autism Association (n.d.)

The vaccines that infants received contained mercury, which is an extremely toxic substance. Mercury is in the preservative called thimerosal. Thimerosal is used as a preservative so that vaccines can be packaged in multi-dose bottles and used on multiple children. The amount of mercury in typical doses of vaccines, given to infants, can be as high as 400 times the amount which is considered safe for adult exposure. National Autism Association (n.d.)

The link between autism rates and vaccination rate is very clear and simple, as the number of children being vaccinated has risen, so has the number of children with autism. In the 1970s where children received few vaccines, autism affected about one in 10,000 children. By the year 2000, children were receiving 22 mandatory vaccines before the age of two. Autism now affects about one in 500 children. National Autism Association (n.d.)

Until a couple of years ago, I did not think anything of my son receiving vaccinations until a friend of mine’s son was diagnosed with autism. He was a healthy normal child until he was vaccinated. At the time I had no idea that mercury was in the vaccinations. My friend did a lot of research and found out that mercury can cause serious health problems, one being autism.

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