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Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

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Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

SN children

What would you do? MMR and autism question

62 replies

CeilingThomas · 05/04/2013 20:54

Hi, I've being doing a lot of research into this but have ended up even more unsure what to do, so thought I'd ask for your thoughts.

My DS is 13months and I've just received the slip to get his MMR jab. I am generally pro vaccinations and my son has had all his to date. But DS's cousins (all 3) on my DH's side are on the autistic spectrum.

My concerns are:
Does the fact that all 3 are on the spectrum suggest a hereditary link?
If there is a hereditary link is it more likely that the MMR could trigger autism in my son if he is already predisposed to it?

I know medical science has concluded there is no link between the MMR and autism but I just don't think I'm convinced, there seems to be so much anecdotal evidence and a large number of compensation claims in the US that suggest vaccination does cause changes in some children.

In my position would you get the jab? Would waiting a year help?

Thanks!

OP posts:

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EllenJanesthickerknickers · 08/04/2013 19:47

Not an expert! But I did ask our GP. Also when pregnant I had various bloods taken to test for rubella immunity etc, so I'm sure immunity to measles could also be checked.

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EllenJanesthickerknickers · 08/04/2013 19:50

labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/measles/tab/test

Quick google shows lots of serology tests for antigens.

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zumbaleena · 08/04/2013 20:06

oh ok! yes...i tend to agree...immunity to rubella an be checked. I got mine checked

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lirael · 08/04/2013 21:28

Thanks Ellen

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BlackeyedSusan · 09/04/2013 01:06

ds was showing signs of autism before he had the mmr. bloody fixation with wheels.

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lirael · 09/04/2013 18:54

Looking back, DS2 had a few signs too. Very self-reliant, hated going out, would scream in the car and the supermarket. But DS1 also had traits - his didn't develop into anything major, whereas DS2's did, which is what leads me to the environmental trigger theory

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mrslaughan · 09/04/2013 19:00

Your choice as to whether to vaccinate or not but if 75% are unvaccinated, 25% are.... What we are seeing is the effect of a largish proportion of the population unvaccinated, affecting the efficacy of vaccination.
Never under estimate how dangerous measles can be - my brother had weeks in hospital with seizures and a class mate of his died.

Mumps causes infertility, so is hardly innocuous .

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saintlyjimjams · 09/04/2013 19:04

But the efficacy of the vaccination is better with circulating disease (at least in terms of how long it confers immunity). Not sure what you mean mrslaughan. The 25% figure was not confirmed today during the webchat so maybe it's wrong.

OP I would say go and read the David Salisbury thread as one of the Lancet mothers was posting her story on there, but unfortunately her posts seem to have been deleted (no explanation as to why yet).

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mymatemax · 09/04/2013 19:24

Ds2 was vaccinated, his disabilities (including autism) were evident before vaccination & are as a result of prematurity & brain damage. Of the families we know with more severe autismthere seems to be an identifiable cause\link. Epilepsy, brain injury & in two cases hospitalisation following reaction to vaccine. In the vaccine families other children also havecsevere asthma & ecxema & one parent has a serious auto immune disorder (vargners grandula mitosis. (sp)). of the families I know that have more than one child with autism there seems to be nothing unusual to point to a cause but the children are hfa. Not sure if the families I know r are true reflection? Or even if it helps the op :)

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bigbluebus · 09/04/2013 19:29

Well, having discussed the issue of Measles and MMR jabs with DS(16), he has decided that he will have the vaccination - entirely his decision - I just gave him the facts of the case for and against.
I have phoned the GP and he has an appointment for tomorrow morning.
So please keep your fingers crossed for us that it all goes well and that he doesn't suffer any ill effects - especially as his GCSEs start in 4 weeks!

Interestingly, I was the 1st person to enquire about the MMR vaccination at our surgery in the wake of the current media coverage(other than for babies who are having scheduled jabs). They didn't even know if they had one in stock - but apparently they have got 1 )

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saintlyjimjams · 09/04/2013 20:31

mymate - very similar pattern amongst my circle of friends as well.

Fingers crossed for you bigblue! And yes ds2 and ds3 can make their own minds up when they're 16 as well. :)

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Maisiemoo13 · 09/04/2013 22:09

Hi everyone , I decided against the mmr for my son as he had horrible reactions toward his previous injections as a baby And i felt he couldnt handle having three live viruses being injected into him at one time This was around the time that concerns were being raised.
I paid for him to have the single vaccines and they were given three months apart at the time, if you are concerned you should trust your instincts , I wouldn't have liked him to not be covered at all , when I spoke to my health visitor to ask for help locating a private clinic I was told she wasn't allowed to give me information on that!!! Could not believe that she would rather see him unprotected against these viruses! I am so glad I went down the single vaccine route, I know they say no link has been found but its hard to ignore the numerous reports of parents who know there children