Curbing contagious children
Protective parents have endangered an immune population by preventing their children from getting vaccinated.
By: Kat Drinkwater
Issue date: 11/24/09 Section: Opinion
The idea that vaccines cause autism began in 1998, and it should have ended there. Instead the myth has grown, leading some parents to choose not to vaccinate their children. Not only are these unvaccinated children at risk for preventable diseases, but also they put everyone else in danger too. The misinformation about vaccines has persisted long enough; it's time to stop the lies.
Autism is a genetic disorder that impairs social functioning, sometimes accompanied by other deficits. Individuals with severe cases can require constant, lifelong support. There's no valid evidence that vaccines directly cause autism. More importantly there are many studies that prove there is no relation at all.
Of course unvaccinated children can still have the disorder. The original study which suggested a correlated link between the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism was poorly designed and funded by lawyers in need of evidence to prove a connection, representing a serious conflict of interest. It was later discovered the data had been falsely manipulated.
The study should have been of little consequence, but the issue persists because autism is a terrible disorder affecting millions. People need someone or something to blame.
The movement against vaccinations is championed by actress Jenny McCarthy, the mother of an autistic child. Although autism is present from birth, symptoms often don't manifest until around 18 months old, as was the case for McCarthy's son. Since the MMR vaccine is given just before the age symptoms become visible, it's easy for desperate, scared parents to cling to the idea that by not vaccinating they can spare their child. With celebrities such as Jim Carrey throwing their weight behind her movement, the misinformation is far spread.
Until recently, the poor decision for a minority of parents not to vaccinate their children wasn't much of an issue. However, as the first substantial wave of unvaccinated children enters California's school system, it has become an issue concerning everyone. The growing number of unvaccinated children compromises the herd immunity of our society. Herd immunity allows unvaccinated individuals to benefit from the immunity of vaccinated individuals. For the very young or those whose vaccines don't work, such as people undergoing chemotherapy, the vaccination status of others becomes very important. When there's no one to catch the disease from, the vulnerable people are protected. This is very important because the unvaccinated individuals protected by herd immunity typically have weak immune systems and are especially susceptible to disease.
Autism is a genetic disorder that impairs social functioning, sometimes accompanied by other deficits. Individuals with severe cases can require constant, lifelong support. There's no valid evidence that vaccines directly cause autism. More importantly there are many studies that prove there is no relation at all.
Of course unvaccinated children can still have the disorder. The original study which suggested a correlated link between the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism was poorly designed and funded by lawyers in need of evidence to prove a connection, representing a serious conflict of interest. It was later discovered the data had been falsely manipulated.
The study should have been of little consequence, but the issue persists because autism is a terrible disorder affecting millions. People need someone or something to blame.
The movement against vaccinations is championed by actress Jenny McCarthy, the mother of an autistic child. Although autism is present from birth, symptoms often don't manifest until around 18 months old, as was the case for McCarthy's son. Since the MMR vaccine is given just before the age symptoms become visible, it's easy for desperate, scared parents to cling to the idea that by not vaccinating they can spare their child. With celebrities such as Jim Carrey throwing their weight behind her movement, the misinformation is far spread.
Until recently, the poor decision for a minority of parents not to vaccinate their children wasn't much of an issue. However, as the first substantial wave of unvaccinated children enters California's school system, it has become an issue concerning everyone. The growing number of unvaccinated children compromises the herd immunity of our society. Herd immunity allows unvaccinated individuals to benefit from the immunity of vaccinated individuals. For the very young or those whose vaccines don't work, such as people undergoing chemotherapy, the vaccination status of others becomes very important. When there's no one to catch the disease from, the vulnerable people are protected. This is very important because the unvaccinated individuals protected by herd immunity typically have weak immune systems and are especially susceptible to disease.
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