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Issue 1561 November 25, 2012
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FEAR FACTOR: Some Parents Frightened Vaccines May Cause Autism in Children

December 18, 2014       1 Comments
By: Dave Rogers

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Those opposed to vaccination range from the vaccine anxious to the anti-vaxxers.
 

The state of Michigan is stepping up to stop a growing ideological movement that threatens to bring back the disease scourges of bygone days: measles, mumps, chicken pox, tetanus, whooping cough.

Some parents reportedly are frightened that their children may become autistic as a result of mercury once used to preserve various vaccines, according to a Florida nurse and psychology para-professional who has monitored opinion on the subject.

In the past 20 years, childhood vaccinations will have prevented 322 million illnesses and 732,000 deaths throughout their lifetime, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC states: "Today, one in four parents believes vaccines have caused autism in children who were otherwise healthy. As a consequence, there has been a steady decline in the amount of children vaccinated."

Those opposed to vaccination range from the vaccine anxious to the anti-vaxxers. Health authorities believe they are putting others at risk under the belief their child will be better off without vaccination.

On the Science-Based Medicine blog, John Snyder examines "the socioeconomic and cultural characteristics commonly found in communities with high rates of parental vaccine refusal. Ironically, these tend to include people who are educated and socially privileged; those empowered to question authority."

Under new rules that will take effect Jan. 1, Michigan parents will still have the right to refuse the required shots for their children. But they will have to:

* Be educated by a local health worker about vaccines and the diseases they are intended to prevent.

* Sign the universal state form that includes a statement of acknowledgment that parents understand they may be putting their own children and others at risk by refusing the shots.

News Reporters Julie Mack and Rosemary Parker of the Kalamazoo Gazette have done a tremendous service to the people of Michigan by shining the journalistic spotlight on a trend among parents to decline to have their children vaccinated.

Michigan has three times the national median of vaccine waiver rates for kindergarteners, a rate that has increased 23 percent over the past five years, reporters Mack and Parker noted. This creates a serious health threat.

"Those opting out of vaccines tend to be health-conscious families who buy organic food, give their children health supplements and are drawn to alternatives to Western medicine," they wrote. "They cite websites skeptical about immunizations and and worry the risk of vaccines outweigh the benefits."

That the waiver rate is more prevalent in affluent, highly educated areas is shown by the following comparison:

Bay County, 1.5 percent of parents asking for vaccination waivers;

Oakland County, 10.1 percent.

Midland County, 12.1 percent.

However, Cheboygan County, with 18.5 percent (state's highest), has about the same level of educational attainment as Bay County, about 18 percent of persons over age 25 with a bachelor's degree or higher.

Midland County has an educational attainment of 32 percent while Oakland is at 42 percent.

The parental hysteria may be largely unfounded, however.

The Centers for Disease Control states: "Since 2001, with the exception of some influenza (flu) vaccines, thimerosal is not used as a preservative in routinely recommended childhood vaccines.

"Thimerosal is a mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines and other products since the 1930s. There is no convincing evidence of harm caused by the low doses of thimerosal in vaccines, except for minor reactions like redness and swelling at the injection site.

"However, in July 1999, the Public Health Service agencies, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure."

The Florida nurse suggests: "At the doctor's office, prior to their child actually getting injected, physicians need to give the parents either a form or documentation listing the vaccine bottle used, specific lot number, and formulation which lists the vaccine constituents that are actually being injected into their children. This would give them the factual information right then and there providing the environment of them being in control (which is what they want to be and have every right to be)."

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"The BUZZ" - Read Feedback From Readers!

mombee58 Says:       On December 19, 2014 at 08:46 AM
Another well written, informative piece of journalism. Thank you Dave for clearing the air regarding what is used in typical vaccinations. Giving these scared parents some power with a list of ingredients is an excellent idea. I enjoyed the comparison of several counties educational acheivements. It seems to be one of the driving factors in the numbers of waivers against vaccinating with the one glaring exception.

Did in fact the manufacturers, in 1999, change the ingredients used in vaccines?

Thanks again for a well written piece .... now let's put it in the right hands to hopefully turn these numbers around.
Agree? or Disagree?


Dave Rogers

Dave Rogers is a former editorial writer for the Bay City Times and a widely read,
respected journalist/writer in and around Bay City.
(Contact Dave Via Email at carraroe@aol.com)

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