Anti-Vax Hysteria

Donald J. Trump ‏

 @realDonaldTrump

“If I were President, I would push for proper vaccinations but would not allow one-time massive shots that a small child cannot take - AUTISM.”

And there you have it. Just another example of gross ignorance in a list, huge and growing daily. Trump uses those superlatives like “massive” while having no real idea related to the subject. MMR isn’t massive. It isn’t even particularly big. Adding the word “Autism” at the end is the action of a medically illiterate person. Every clinical study done where actual data was simply taken and not “fudged” has shown absolutely zero correlation between the Measles (or any other for that matter) vaccine and any increased incidence of Autism spectrum in children. The initial study which suggested one was long ago discredited when some of his fellow junior researchers “blew the whistle “on the British doctor who published his finagled data. He was, furthermore, “struck off” (UK jargon for no longer allowed to practice”.   

        Unfortunately, most Americans won’t ever read the volumes of research showing no Autism-Vaccine link, because it’s dry and scientific. Additionally, they will vaccinate their children and their kids won’t get measles mumps, Whooping Cough etc. What they may read, however is any of a number of Celebrity screeds about the “dangers” of vaccination, with apparently Autism as their only concern, since no other possible ill effects are ever mentioned. One such (ex) celeb is Jenny McCarthy, who “believes” that her child was autistic due to vaccines. Why? She just does, that’s why. As it turns out, her son is now largely non-autistic, perhaps due to the regimen of various “natural” treatments to which he has been exposed.  These include treatment of “yeast overgrowth” in the gut, heavy metal “detox” (a murky” term if ever there was one) and other protocols. One writer plaintively whines, “Why shouldn’t Jenny McCarthy believe that Vaccines caused her son’s Autism?". Well, Bunky, because instead of exposing only her son to the plethora of childhood diseases, some potentially fatal (like measles), she has been so outspoken that there are many, even more ignorant, who  jump on the Anti-Vaxx bandwagon, probably with good intention, but in some cases, simply like any good conspiracy theorist, latching on to the “next big thing.”

 As an example of McCarthy and ex-hubby Jim Carrey’s efforts, they have produced an op-ed stating that there are “36 vaccines which doctors want to give your children.” This is Trumpish in its grandiose exaggeration. There only 16 even recognized by the CDC, and a number of these are for older children, such as HPV, Meningitis, Hep A and B, etc., which can be given at an early age but are not nearly as vital as the four most consider essential, polio, MMR, diphtheria/tetanus and, if desired or at risk, flu. Four isn’t 36! None of these are, “One-time massive shots.” Interestingly enough, no older normally developing child has ever been given a vaccine and “caught” autism. Never. Nope!

        Finally, do we think it’s possible that anyone with a child exhibiting Autism spectrum, and possibly, even though it’s not genetic (as far as anyone has determined), blaming themselves a bit, might jump on any alternate theory of the crime which seemed to absolve them? Just asking. Lastly, while data shows more children on the Autism spectrum than decades ago, let’s use Occam’s razor to explain it rather than blaming vaccines. (For you non-philosophers, that means that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one). Vaccines with far more potentially toxic bases (the media in which the vaccine is diluted) have been used for decades and modern ones are far less so. So, what’s really increasing? Is it the incidence of Autism spectrum disorders, or is it the more frequent diagnosis of them? 7 decades ago, no one had heard the word “Autism.” Until 1943, such patients were diagnosed as schizophrenic! Does that mean there were no persons alive with Autism Spectrum disorder? Of course not.

       As a 20-year teacher, I can attest to the fact that there is another parallel example which mirrors this. It’s the increased frequency of “learning disability” diagnosis. Are more children learning disabled than 40 years ago? Highly unlikely. Are parents (and others) more attuned to it today. Yep!  Unsurprisingly, the most aggressive parents in pursuing extra “accommodations" for their child, sometimes even lobbying to have their child declared “learning disabled,” are in some ways more realistic than those who blame vaccines. Rather than look for a place to focus blame, they deal with the present.  Some of these learning-disabled children are much like high performic autistic children. I’ve taught at least two, in honors and/or AP courses. Both went on to college, both are successful adults.

        The Jenny McCarthys of the world, using their celebrity status and talk show bully pulpits to spread anti-vax hysteria are doing potentially irreparable harm with no actual justification. Ask the sick kids out in Clark County Washington where there are currently over 40 cases of measles, a disease which was all but eradicated in the US.