AIBU to remind everyone that the MMR vaccine does NOT cause autism?

[TheHodgeoftheHedge]

Seeing as this worry comes up so many times on MN and in wider life, I feel obliged to post this and remind everyone that MMR has not link to autism whatsoever, as yet another HUGE study has found.

www.independent.co.uk/news/health/mmr-vaccine-autism-antivax-measles-study-andrew-wakefield-a8808086.html

Thanks.

Totally agree.

I subscribe to a podcast called "Behind the Bastards" and the last episode that I listened to was about Andrew Wakefield. I'd always assumed that he was a bit misguided and just a pretty poor scientist. I hadn't realised how corrupt the whole thing was. And now he's deeply in with the extreme American anti-vaccers.

www.iheart.com/podcast/105-behind-the-bastards-29236323/episode/part-two-andrew-wakefield-the-worst-30587764/

It's scary how measles is on the rise because of the damage that he's done.

That man should be in prison. He has caused harm to an untold number of children.

It's depressing that so many people are caught-up in the lies that we're likely to experience an epidemic sometime soon. Then lots of people will realise how stupid they've been and be queuing up for vaccines that end up being in short supply.

This felt apt as well...

Hate Andrew Wakefield. YANBU!

I just can't understand why people are more scared of autism than allowing their child to possibly contract a preventable disease

@Cherylshaw I have always wondered this !! It's drives me insane at the thought you would take that risk

autism than allowing their child to possibly contract a preventable disease

Because people are "scared" of disablity and autism is for sone reason partically scarey. I know as as an aspie people really cant cope with even the lack of eye contact. And they'd mucg rather label it poor parebting or sprited child. Than admit its a disablity.

The anti vaxers play on every parents disire to have a "normal" child and say that its a life long commitment to have anautistic child they wojt be accepted etc ect

Yeah i think i'd rather have an autistic child than a dead one but

Those who don't want to believe it will just say big pharma commissioned it and there for it says what they want.

Can't reason with stupid.

I think there would be fewer anti-vaxxers if vaccinations didn't involve sticking needles in babies. Causing your child pain doesn't feel very comfortable for anyone. but as soon as there's a case down the road they suddenly find the balls to do it.

Shame they can't just grow a pair and take them at the right time.

I just can't understand why people are more scared of autism than allowing their child to possibly contract a preventable disease

This! They'd rather have a child with lifelong symptoms of a preventable disease or worse, a child who didn't survive the preventable disease than a child like me or my kids.

I just can't understand why people are more scared of autism than allowing their child to possibly contract a preventable disease

As I think is at best Ableism and at worst, Eugenics, it's pretty clear to me that a dead child is always perfect, whereas a live but not typical one is a reflection upon their poor genes/lack of perfection. In a word, narcissism.

havingtochangeusernameagain is the perfect example of an anti-vaxer - a combination of stupidity and ignorance

I thinks it's probably because autism is far more visible in society now than disability caused by measles, mumps and rubella and this distorts the perception of risk.

It's not as cool and trendy a theory as diagnosing narcissism in strangers though.

I find it interesting that people take advise from nut jobs in tin foil hats on YouTube about their children’s medical care as opposed to drs and scientists that dedicate their lives to vaccinations that save people. Over 20million lives have been saved thanks to the MMR. And for all you anti vaxers wondering why your kids aren’t crawling with disease? It’s becuase responsible parents vaccinated and their kids are protecting your kids, but now the stupidity is spreading and your little darlings may no longer be safe.

I think it should be that if you refuse to vaccinate, your child should not be allowed into school.

Andrew Wakefield now lives with Elle McPherson....

@pizzawithchicken so you'd rather have the blood of your child on your hands than 'risking' the unfounded chance they'll become autistic?

I'm deeply concerned for your children.

“Because they fear their child being a vegetable who smears poo up the walls and can't talk”

What a fucking horrendous thing to say. My son has severe autism and is non verbal but is a beautiful boy in every way who enriches my life everyday. I’m not going to pretend that it isn’t hard sometimes, but I’m sure it’s harder for him than for me when he is having a difficult time. How can you describe human beings that way? Do you know any autistic people??!

And OF COURSE vaccines don’t cause autism. There is no evidence for this. My two autistic children were autistic before birth-it describes a neurological difference. And different does not mean less.

I've had my daughter vaccinated as to protect her against a disease that could kill her. An illness or an accident could render a child with a profound disability so I never take for granted what I have. And who's to say in a few years time, she might be diagnosed with a learning disability. I'd never link it to the jabs. It is distressing to have them go through it but only because they can't rationalise pain and we spend so much time comforting them after. We've all had vaccinations(I assume maybe wrongly we have) and they've caused discomfort but they're provided for a reason. To protect us from disease.

YANBU OP. It is really important to understand the concept of herd immunity too. Anti-vaxxers are not only risking their own children’s lives, they are risking the most vulnerable in society too.

Anti Vaxxers are cult like. You can’t reason with them, they believe that they are right and we are not. Scary stuff.

We all seem to hear so much about autism these days and I know of a number of people who are on the autistic spectrum. It seems to be on the increase over the past 20+ years. It would be great to know what does cause it.

I also think there is a lot of hysteria around measles in particular yet I don't know of anybody who had any major issues following contracting measles.

I think we are far less likely to take for granted what we are told by experts and more likely to trust in what we see evidenced for ourselves.

My cousins an anti-vaxxer and her sons recently diagnosed autistic . FWIW my nephew is an amazing little boy, I’ll keep listening to his amazing stories about space and Nasa and anti-vaxxers can minimise that risk by listening to their kids eulogy’s.