• Skip to content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • Shop ModernMom
  • Become An Insider

ModernMom

The premiere destination for moms

  • Parenting
    • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Kids
    • Tweens and Teens
    • ModernMom Monday Videos
  • Cooking
  • Living Healthy
    • Breast Cancer
    • Health & Fitness
    • Body after Baby
    • Beauty
    • Relationships
    • Love
  • Lifestyle
    • Crafts
    • At Home
    • Education
    • Travel
    • Pets
    • Decorate
    • Money
    • Brooke Burke
  • Celebrate
    • Holidays
      • Easter
      • Valentine’s Day
      • New Year’s
      • Christmas
      • Hanukah
      • Halloween
      • Thanksgiving
    • Birthdays
    • Parties
  • Must Have
  • Contests
  • Entertainment

Vaccines, Autism, and the Coronavirus – Part One

September 30, 2018 by kimkaplan

Vaccines, Autism, and the Coronavirus – Part One

I’m very passionate about this issue, so I need to “check in” with it from time to time. Now seems like a really good time to check in on the topic of vaccines.

First, I’ll discuss my (relatedly strong) opinion on autism-related vaccines.

What’s the issue with vaccines and autism?

The false notion that vaccines cause autism.

This is a pretty big issue in the autism community. It’s an issue with an important and very wide reach because it has to do with the health of our entire country (and the world, for that matter). Vaccines make our communities safe by eradicating certain diseases in the largest sense of a population. Vaccines have all-but eliminated certain diseases/illnesses. They are essential to the health of society as a whole. (Yes, there’s something like a 1% chance that a person who takes a vaccine can have a reaction, but the odds of that are so low that it’s worth (IMHO) making large populations safe.

What’s my personal and specific position?

I have never believed that vaccines caused my son’s autism, nor do I believe that any vaccination causes autism. I believe that autism has a genetic link and may or may not surface in an individual in varying degrees (hence the autism “spectrum” disorder). It is that genetic link that begins all of it, it is not a shot of a vaccine that “triggers” autism. My son’s diagnosis was mild, high-functioning autism. I am convinced of the genetic links in my and my husband’s family.

It is genetics.

My son’s diagnosis came fourteen years ago. Today, the diagnosis may be “worded” differently (for example, Aspergers is no longer a part of the dsm-5) but I believe it was and still is accurate.

What bugs me the most about the autism-vaccine issue?

The way the anti-vaccination movement came about.

It is my understanding that a doctor (not mentioning the time period or the doctor’s name here) did a study that “proved” a link between autism and the MMR vaccine.

The study was discovered to be fraudulent, the doctor had falsified some of his work, and that very same doctor eventually lost his license to practice medicine.

However, the anti-vaccination movement grew out of celebrity Jenny McCarthy’s touting of this study as a “cure” for her son’s autism. She went on interviews claiming that this study was proof of how a child gets autism. She claimed that her son got his autism from the MMR vaccine. She said he was cured but blamed the MMR vaccine. She said this doctor was brilliant for discovering that the MMR vaccine causes autism. Her celebrity got her this attention.

And, that created a problem…

What problem?

The false idea that the MMR vaccine causes autism.

It does not (again, IMHO).

After the doctor was called out, this celebrity had to recant. (Or, more truthfully, she just shut up about it.

The damage, however, had been done. The anti-vaccination movement was on. Parents all over the country began to refuse to vaccinate their children.

Soon measles, whooping cough, and other diseases began to creep back into society. We had them eliminated. They were back.

All of this is my opinion, yet I feel very strongly about this issue.

I feel very strongly that Jenny McCarthy began this anti-vaccination movement.

And, I believe it is bad.

What are some recent developments?

One was the release of yet another study (we’re around 150 or so studies now) that thoroughly debunks the theory that vaccines cause autism. 150 is not a small number.

The second development displays the power of reason (to me, at least).

A young man with autism stood up for his rights.

How?

A young guy who had just turned eighteen went against his mother’s wishes and got himself vaccinated.

Woo hoo, I say.

This young man felt his body needed protecting. He said that his mother had spent his entire life saying that vaccines were dangerous. As he got older, he began to do some research on vaccines and he had learned that they were not dangerous at all. They were (generally) safe. He had tried to convince his mother of this, but she refused to vaccine him when he was under eighteen.

So, when he turned eighteen, he got himself vaccinated. His mother continued to publicly object, but I say congratulations to the young man who believed in science and wanted to make his own life choices.

To his credit, this young man testified before Congress.

I believe these two recent stories support my belief that vaccines do not cause autism. They’re stories that continue to show the strength is science and reason. People want to feel safe. This is how we can do it.

How does this lead to a discussion on the coronavirus?

Read Vaccines, Autism, and the Coronavirus – Part Two to find out.

Vaccines, Autism, and the Coronavirus – Part One

 

More on Kimberly Kaplan:

To purchase “Two Years Autism Blogs Featured on ModernMom.com”

or “A Parentsʼ Guide to Early Autism Intervention” visit Amazon (print or digital) or Smashwords

Twitter: tipsautismmom

LinkedIn: Kimberly Kaplan

 

Comments

comments

Filed Under: Uncategorized

About kimkaplan

As Kim and her husband cared for their son with autism, Kim was led back into writing. She wrote about her son's journey with autism which includes her son's struggles, the parental learning curve, their good fortunes...and a myriad of missteps. The resulting book "A Parents' Guide to Early Autism Intervention" has helped many parents with young children on the autism spectrum. She followed that book with another autism-related book, "Two Years of Autism Blogs Featured on ModernMom.com."
Kim continues to be active in the autism world. She blogs weekly for Modernmom.com as well as her own website. Her screenplay writing has blossomed with the addition of many autistic characters. She was featured on Shannon Penrod's show, "Autism Live." She volunteers and attends conferences as well as helps parents whenever she can.

Reader Interactions

Primary Sidebar

Search

Tell a friend

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
ModernMom Boutique

ModernMom TV

Featured

Kissing Kids on the Lips: Fine or Not?

I recently read an article that says that parents should not … [Read More...] about Kissing Kids on the Lips: Fine or Not?

Must Have

STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

April has arrived which means it’s time to pull out the food … [Read More...] about STEM-related Toys to Include in Your Child’s Easter Basket This Year 

Did you know?

Signs You're Having a Miscarriage

Signs You’re Having a Miscarriage

Post-Pregnancy Headaches

Post-Pregnancy Headaches

What Will Draw Smells Out of a Closet?

What Will Draw Smells Out of a Closet?

Use Frozen Bananas for Baking

How to Use Frozen Bananas for Baking

Children Overcome a Fear of Water

How Do Children Overcome a Fear of Water?

Cures & Remedies for Head Lice

Cures & Remedies for Head Lice

Soothe Red and Irritated Skin After a Brazilian Wax

How to Soothe Red and Irritated Skin After a Brazilian Wax

Footer

  • About Us
  • Contact ModernMom
  • Advertise With Us
  • Press
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contributors

Copyright © 2022 Modern Mom. All Rights Reserved.

Reproduction of any portion of this website only at the express permission of Mom, Inc.

The information provided on ModernMom is for educational use only. It should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.