The Vaccination Dilemma – Question All Parents Should Ask (Part 8)
Over the past many months, I have discussed in great detail numerous questions on the subject of childhood vaccination. Don’t forget to review the discussions of these previous questions at the Neighbors Newspaper website, www.NeighborsNewspaper.com or at my own website, www.DonohoeChiropractic.com.
1. Are vaccinated children healthier than non-vaccinated children?
2. Do the benefits of vaccination outweigh the risks?
3. What are the real numbers of children being hurt?
4. Are vaccinations “effective”?
5. Are vaccine doses personalized?
6. Can vaccines cause damage that may not surface for years?
7. Can vaccines cause crib death (SIDS)?
8. Did vaccines eliminate diseases?
9. What if we stopped vaccinating?
10. How many people are really getting diseases?
11. What’s in a vaccine?
12. Are there benefits to acute illness?
13. What’s the difference between natural immunity and artificial immunity?
14. How do vaccines cause damage?
This month, I’d like to begin by sharing some startling numbers with you.
• 20 years ago autism affected 1 in 10,000 children
• 10 years ago it was 1 in 5000
• 3 years ago it was 1 in 166
• 2 years ago it was 1 in 150
• Today it is 1 in 91
• Among boys under 8 years of age the number today is a staggering 1 in 58!
Scared yet? The relationship between autism or autism spectrum disorder and vaccines has been noticed by parents for many years, only most doctors refused to listen to the parents. However, there are some doctors who do see the connection…
Mark R. Geier, M.D., Ph.D. in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons Fall 2003 writes: “The United States is in the midst of a devastating epidemic of neurodevelopmental disorders. From 1992-93 to 2001-02 there was a 714% increase [This epidemic is a] threat…to the very existence of our society.” It is not surprising that our recent article, in which we have shown an epidemiologic link between thimerosal and neurodevelopmental disorders, has generated a tremendous controversy.
And so, the question begs to be asked:
15. Can vaccines cause autism?
On February 12th of last year the federal “vaccine court” rejected claims that either the measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine or thimerosal (the mercury based preservative used in many childhood vaccinations) caused children’s autism.
Many chiropractors and other natural healing professionals disagree with their findings. In my practice over the last 13 years I have personally worked with many families whose children were diagnosed with autism. Several of those families stand out as clearly noting when the signs of autism began… almost immediately after the 18-24 month series of vaccinations.
It seems that any vaccine can cause autism. The MMR shot has been implicated, as has the DPT shot (given at two months of age) and even the Hepatitis B shot (given at birth!) or it could be a combination of shots. Some children may not exhibit autistic symptoms until weeks or months after their shots, though it’s very common to see an immediate change. Let’s explore this subject a little more in depth, starting with a little history.
In 1943 the world’s best known child psychiatrist, Leo Kanner, described eleven cases of a new mental illness in young people which he called “inborn autistic disturbances of affective contact.”
Dr. Kanner wrote in the Journal of Pediatrics in 1944, “autism is seen in the families of wealthy, well educated people. Autism is not seen in working class families.”
Dr. Kanner was surprised to find that he never saw a case of autism in a working class family. The families were all upper class, professionals, artists and industrialists. Originally, Dr. Kanner believed that autism was a psychological disorder that may have been triggered by cold, or inattentive, mothering. What was known as the “refrigerator mother”.
It’s quite possible to assume that the reason all autistics came from upper class families was because they were the only ones who could afford to go to the doctor (many of them were doctors). This was before health insurance, welfare or well baby visits (a euphemism for vaccine visits).
Bernard Rimland, Ph.D. demolished the refrigerator mother theory, showing that autism was not a psychological condition, but a neurological condition – autistics have damaged brains. Autistics often were mentally retarded, suffered from seizures, allergies and a host of other problems not associated with a psychological cause.
Some of the proposed mechanisms of autism mentioned at a Congressional hearing are:
✓ Autistics are allergic to their own nervous system.
✓ They have antibodies to myelin-basic protein, interfering with myelination in the brain.
✓ Some autistic’s intestines are infected with measles virus and the intestines are swollen causing partially digested proteins (peptides) to “leak” into the blood before they are completely digested. These peptides, derived from wheat (gluten) and dairy (casein) pass the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and change brain chemistry, as do mind-altering drugs. Many parents of autistic children have reported that when they put their autistic child on a gluten (wheat)-free or casein (dairy)-free diet, their children begin to lose their autistic qualities, start to talk, interact, ‘wake up.’
✓ Autistics lack night vision, which is dependent on Vitamin A which is one mechanism of vaccine damage. The measles vaccine drains the body of Vitamin A.
✓ Antigen-antibody complexes may cause decreased brain blood flow.
As we have discussed in earlier articles from this series, all of these proposed mechanisms can be directly related to vaccine damage in especially very young children.
The medical profession is playing “blame the victim” trying to prove that autism is a genetic disorder. But geneticists do not agree. The incidence of genetic diseases is random and stable. Autism has increased dramatically in a relatively short period of time often occurring after a vaccine. How can a genetic condition go from 1 in 10,000 to one in 100 in a few decades? It is impossible. Our genes don’t change so quickly.
Dr. Harris Coulter, the medical historian whom I’ve referred to many times in this series, stated the following. “No one at the time, or for many decades thereafter, noted that the first cases of autism emerged in the United States at a time when vaccination against whooping cough was becoming increasingly popular and widespread.”
Next month we’ll wrap this subject with a final discussion on vaccine policy and answer the question – Can you legally avoid vaccinations?
Dr. Donohoe is a family practice chiropractor who specializes in the unique needs of pregnant women and children. His office is located at 41880 Kalmia St., Suite 135 in Murrieta. He can be reached at 951-677-6500 or through his website at www.DonohoeChiropractic.com.