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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why the f* people still think vaccines cause autism?

691 replies

coolitcathy · 16/12/2020 16:18

Name changed for privacy reasons.

Stumbled across a Facebook group about "parents against vaccines" a few minutes ago which suggested, nay STATED, that vaccines cause autism and are essentially poison. I think the hysteria is potentially getting worse due to this Covid vaccination that's getting rolled out at the mo. Is anyone still infuriated or is the anger dying down now as we all get distracted by something else happening? Also why is autism seen as such a bad thing?

(If you're anti vax I'm open to you sharing your viewpoints but I haven't seen any information that makes me consider that outlook)

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Bells3032 · 16/12/2020 16:19

because 25 years ago one idiot published a paper that stated that. And despite the fact he's admitted it was poor research and it has been disproved over and over again (inc by research commissioned by anti-vax movements) they refuse to change their minds because they're idiots.

Figgygal · 16/12/2020 16:21

@Bells3032

because 25 years ago one idiot published a paper that stated that. And despite the fact he's admitted it was poor research and it has been disproved over and over again (inc by research commissioned by anti-vax movements) they refuse to change their minds because they're idiots.
This

Some people are just stupid

Bells3032 · 16/12/2020 16:21

Whoever said one person can't make a difference has never heard of Andrew Wakefield. I think he should be convicted of negligent manslaughter for every child who died of a preventable disease cos their parents didn't get them vaccinated

Original poster
coolitcathy · 16/12/2020 16:22

Fundamentally people would really GENUINELY prefer dead kids over autistic ones. That's further than being stupid, that's a complete empathy bypass in my book

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Mintjulia · 16/12/2020 16:22

Scared of needles and looking for a way out?

Have no grasp of how vaccinations work, and see it as some kind of black magic?

Or just into conspiracy theories and think govt/big pharma are trying to control us all by injecting microchips into our brains. Who knows. Sometimes people are just stupid. It's supposed to be the one thing you can't legislate against Smile

nancy75 · 16/12/2020 16:23

Because they read it on the internet so it must be true
Their friend’s friends uncle is a doctor & says it true
Because they’re more awake to things than us
But mainly because they’re bloody idiots

NailsNeedDoing · 16/12/2020 16:25

Because there are plenty of good parents out there that are genuinely convinced that the vaccine damaged their child, and they haven’t been proved wrong despite studies saying that vaccines are safe.

Because vaccine damage is a real thing that people are regularly paid compensation for.

Personally I don’t believe the MMR or any other vaccine causes autism, but I can’t be convinced that the whole idea is ridiculous when no study apart from the one that has been discredited has even looked at the children whose parents believe that it did.

Somethingsnappy · 16/12/2020 16:26

@Bells3032

because 25 years ago one idiot published a paper that stated that. And despite the fact he's admitted it was poor research and it has been disproved over and over again (inc by research commissioned by anti-vax movements) they refuse to change their minds because they're idiots.
He didn't actually state that; he simply said it would benefit from further research. I'm not an anti-vaxxer by the way, just like facts to be facts.
Original poster
coolitcathy · 16/12/2020 16:28

Because there are plenty of good parents out there that are genuinely convinced that the vaccine damaged their child, and they haven’t been proved wrong despite studies saying that vaccines are safe.

I hear that Nails but it also reminds me of this article. (Titled "How Anti-Vaxxers target grieving moms and turn them into crusaders" for those who aren't keen opening links).
www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/how-anti-vaxxers-target-grieving-moms-turn-them-crusaders-n1057566

Also how could vaccines cause autism if autism is a condition that develops in the womb?

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NoDabbingPlease · 16/12/2020 16:28

@coolitcathy

Fundamentally people would really GENUINELY prefer dead kids over autistic ones. That's further than being stupid, that's a complete empathy bypass in my book
This. It's insulting to those with autism abd their families.
SinkGirl · 16/12/2020 16:29

Just imagine how different the world would be without Wakefield and Nigel Farage....

I have twins who are autistic. They had skill regression at 18 months, for one it was basically overnight. If it had happened shortly after a vaccine I could totally understand why you’d think it was connected because it was so sudden and you’d think there must be an external cause.

RedMarauder · 16/12/2020 16:30

@Mintjulia

Scared of needles and looking for a way out?

Have no grasp of how vaccinations work, and see it as some kind of black magic?

Or just into conspiracy theories and think govt/big pharma are trying to control us all by injecting microchips into our brains. Who knows. Sometimes people are just stupid. It's supposed to be the one thing you can't legislate against Smile

Yet they have mobile phones, do card payments, use the internet particularly Facebook, and if they live in the UK they live in a country with about 1.5 million CCTV cameras.

If I wanted to control someone I know far easier ways than injecting microchips into their brain....

Norwester · 16/12/2020 16:30

They're idiots.

TheTrashBagIsOursCmonTrashBag · 16/12/2020 16:31

@coolitcathy

Fundamentally people would really GENUINELY prefer dead kids over autistic ones. That's further than being stupid, that's a complete empathy bypass in my book
Totally agree with you. As the mother of a child with autism it’s hard to not be that but more pissed off at the idea that an epidemic of a potentially deadly disease is a better outcome than the possibility of having a child with autism. My kid is awesome, autism or not.

Most importantly though: there is no link between the MMR and autism, there never was it was all made up, there is a tonne of evidence that Andrew Wakefield is a fucking conman and a liar.

ThatIsNotMyUsername · 16/12/2020 16:32

I don’t know many parents whose children have autism - but none of them who believe this.

PollyPorcupine · 16/12/2020 16:32

From my experience with my anti-vax acquaintances they fall into two camps - 1) the ignorant and scared ones who don't really understand how and why vaccines work so don't trust them and 2) the better-educated superior conspiracy theorist types who think vaccines are a government/big pharma money-making scam and the rest of the population of 'sheeple' are too stupid to question it.

And then I have an acquaintance who understands them but doesn't think his PFB should be subjected to any vaccine risk for the sake of protecting hypothetical vulnerable people that he doesn't know, as she's healthy so unlikely to be seriously affected if she happens to catch one of the diseases

Nottherealslimshady · 16/12/2020 16:32

I dont believe vaccines cause autism. But I do think people ignore and dont understand that there are risks. Our kid will be vaccinated but on an extended timeframe.

The MMR vaccine is given at around 2yo. 2-3 is when autism really starts to become apparent n most kids so it's easy to see how the connection is made.

toconclude · 16/12/2020 16:35

Because they (men especially in my experience) can't bear the idea that they have produced a disabled child. There is still a remnant of the 'bad blood' nonsense that used to be common and led to the old Mental Deficiency legislation of last century.
Plus children with autism look "normal" therefore the assumption is they must be "normal" and been damaged by something outside.

Original poster
coolitcathy · 16/12/2020 16:35

there are risks to some vaccines sure, but typhoid and rabies seem a whole lot less fun. you shouldn't ignore the risks, but making up shit about autism (a commonly misrepresented condition) is directly lying and playing into the Autism Speaks nonsense that autism is a condition that will ruin your beautiful little child forever

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Funkyfriends · 16/12/2020 16:36

My family are convinced that the MMR jab causes autism after a family member supposedly was fine until they had the MMR jab and then developed autism 🤔🤔. I was vaccinated but not until I was much older.

When I vaccinated DD, I constantly got that she was having too many injections at a young age and that I should space them out. I just ignored them.

BitOfANameChange · 16/12/2020 16:36

@Bells3032

because 25 years ago one idiot published a paper that stated that. And despite the fact he's admitted it was poor research and it has been disproved over and over again (inc by research commissioned by anti-vax movements) they refuse to change their minds because they're idiots.
At the height of the frenzy, I had my DC vaccinated with single dose injections. I'm not antivax at all, but at the time, it wasn't just autism, this doctor was claiming he'd come across a new bowel condition he considered was linked to the MMR jab specifically.

Now, both my dad and mum come from families with a variety of bowel conditions, and I was very worried that I might have passed on a genetic predisposition to bowel disorders.

So I very much wanted my DC to be vaccinated, but worried about maybe triggering a bowel condition, hence me going for single dose vaccines as a way of managing this. Youngest DC did go on to have bowel issues, needed medication, and eventually he grew out of it. Once both DC got older, they had the MMR jab at around 10 years of age and they are fully up to date with vaccinations.

WhipperSnapperSteve · 16/12/2020 16:37

@Bells3032

Whoever said one person can't make a difference has never heard of Andrew Wakefield. I think he should be convicted of negligent manslaughter for every child who died of a preventable disease cos their parents didn't get them vaccinated
I wholeheartedly agree. Stripping him of his medical licence and barring him for life from the GMC didn't go far enough.
PicsInRed · 16/12/2020 16:38

They don't want to believe it's genetics. Grief is complicated.

LastChristmas19 · 16/12/2020 16:39

Because things stick in people’s minds and they struggle to forget even though the article was discredited and it’s bullshit and most people know that.

My son has autism. I don’t believe for one minute the vaccines he had caused it. He was showing subtle signs of autism way before the mmr. Even as a baby he didn’t make eye contact, struggled with too much going on around him, fixations even from a young age and hated being cuddled. As well as being late meeting his milestones!

The mmr is given at a time where asd really does become noticeable and people want something to blame.

Original poster
coolitcathy · 16/12/2020 16:39

My family are convinced that the MMR jab causes autism after a family member supposedly was fine until they had the MMR jab and then developed autism

How does that even happen, funky? It's not like depression or a mood disorder where it can come in and out of your life, it's a permanent thing that you've grown up with. Maybe your family member just wanted to stop masking and thought taking away the "culpability" (I know horrendous) of having autism by blaming it on a vaccine would help their parents accept them better

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