|

Translate/Traduisez/Übersetzen Sie/Traduzca/Traduca/Traduza:

You've seen the news stories. The mercury in childhood vaccinations has been linked to everything from mental illness to developmental disorders. But are these stories actually credible or are they the result of an overzealous "natural" movement? Let's look at the facts. Studies by four completely separate research teams working on three different continents have failed to provide any evidence linking autism to the mercury in childhood vaccines. Over and over, vaccines have been proven safe and effective for the vast majority of children.

Why Parents Are Worried

Despite the fact that an overwhelming majority of mainstream physicians endorse vaccines as a safe, effective way to prevent childhood illnesses, the media has afforded anti-vaccine proponents a significant amount of attention on both the national and local levels. Using scientifically shaky research, these marginalized scientists have built compelling cases by preying on the fears of worried parents who have neither the time nor resources to de-bunk them.

The truth is that autism is typically diagnosed at about the same time a child receives most of his vaccines. Because the two events--vaccinations and the diagnosis of autism--occur with months of each other, parents just naturally associate the two. But the alleged cause-and-effect relationship is nothing more than mere coincidence.

Evidence to the Contrary

It's important to realize that the form of mercury we normally associate with mercury poisoning is very different from the form of mercury used to preserve vaccines. Methylmercury, which is the "natural" form of mercury found in the environment, has long been recognized as a toxin, especially in high doses. However, ethylmercury, the form of mercury used to preserve some vaccines, is a different form of mercury. Ethylmercury is broken down in the body and excreted relatively quickly. While methylmercury is stored in the tissues of the body, ethylmercury is not.

The danger of mercury poisoning was graphically illustrated in Iraq in the early 1970s. In 1971, Iraq imported a large amount of mercury-laden grain which Iraqi farmers later made into bread. At least 6500 Iraqis were sickened and 450 died as a result of mercury poisoning. Pregnant women who ate the bread delivered babies suffering from epilepsy and retardation but the incident of autism remained the same.

And if mercury was really related to autism we would see an increased incident of this developmental disorder in breastfed babies. A baby who is nursed exclusively will absorb more than ten times the amount of mercury used in all his childhood vaccines combined yet there's no evidence that suggests breastfed babies are at any higher risk than formula-fed infants.

The Real Tragedy

Parents in the 1940s and 1950s knew all too well what polio, measles and other childhood diseases could do to a child's body. They feared the disease much more than they feared the potential side-effects of the vaccines. By contrast, today's young parents have likely never seen a child paralyzed by polio or brain-damaged by measles. They simply don't realize that these once-common illnesses are still very real threats to their children. And that's the real tragedy. Thousands of children for whom vaccines are both safe and appropriate are being put at risk by parents who, for various reasons, choose not to vaccinate.

Article Keywords: Autism

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Autism... Cause of Autism Thus far, medical researchers have not been able to find the actual cause of autism. It is believed that the disorder is caused by abnormalities in the brain structure that results in a disorder in the mental development. The reason for this has never been pinpointed. Findings have only shown that patients with autism have abnormalities in several areas of the brain. Speculations point to several causes of autism. These include genetics, environmental factors, metabolic disorders, viral infections or complications during pregnancy and delivery. Genetically speaking, doctors are not able to narrow down the cause of autism to a single gene. The disorder is a result of several unstable genes, but they are all unpredictable. As a result, isolating which gene may turn “bad” and cause autism is impossible. It is suspected that the combinations of different unstable genes increases the risk of autism in a patient. Risk Factors If someone in the family has already been diagnosed with autism, there is a higher risk that another child may be diagnosed with the same condition, especially if he is a first-degree relative. Medical conditions like metabolic disorders, genetic disorders, developmental brain abnormalities and neurological disorders acquired after birth are risk factors that may lead to autism. Environmental conditions that may aggravate genetic risks increase the incidence of autism in the family. Rejected Speculations There were several causes that were attributed to autism, but these were eventually dismissed. Among them were emotional trauma and vaccines. It was believed that a child experiencing severe emotional trauma could acquire autism. But this state is a sign of anxiety disorder rather than autism. Mercury found in early vaccines contained...