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    Apr 17, '08 by wtbcrna
    "As the brother of an autistic person and a brain scientist, I have been hoping that the increased focus on autism in the news would lead to a greater public understanding of this disorder. Instead, I am angry that this coverage is spreading dangerous myths."

    "A link that isn't there


    Recently, celebrities such as Jenny McCarthy and other activists have taken to the airwaves to repeat the myth that autism is linked to vaccination. Although peer-reviewed scientific evidence overwhelmingly opposes their views, they have attracted attention. In a recent discussion on Larry King Live, three pediatricians invited to make the case for science were no match for McCarthy's star power. Situations like this could mistakenly persuade parents to leave their children unvaccinated and vulnerable to contagious diseases."

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/200...ismmythliveson
    MissMonica, michigooseBSN, nrsang97, and 9 others like this.

  2. 98 Comments so far...

  3. Apr 17, '08 by hellerd2003
    Quote from wtbcrna
    "As the brother of an autistic person and a brain scientist, I have been hoping that the increased focus on autism in the news would lead to a greater public understanding of this disorder. Instead, I am angry that this coverage is spreading dangerous myths."

    "A link that isn't there


    Recently, celebrities such as Jenny McCarthy and other activists have taken to the airwaves to repeat the myth that autism is linked to vaccination. Although peer-reviewed scientific evidence overwhelmingly opposes their views, they have attracted attention. In a recent discussion on Larry King Live, three pediatricians invited to make the case for science were no match for McCarthy's star power. Situations like this could mistakenly persuade parents to leave their children unvaccinated and vulnerable to contagious diseases."

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/usatoday/200...ismmythliveson
    My brother, three weeks after having his vaccinations, had a series of grand mal seizures. At the time, the docs told my mother that the pertussis vaccination was the cause. Although he's not autistic, he's a paranoid schizophrenic with OCD that before the vaccinations was a healthy, happy child. Personally, I'd never use a pertussis vaccination on a child. Whooping cough is bad, yes; however, a side effect from pertussis vaccination is far worse.
    Mumma, SDALPN, chaxanmom, and 2 others like this.
  4. Apr 17, '08 by hypocaffeinemia
    Personally, I don't think anecdote-based practice is best for our patients.
    s_le2006, MissMonica, michigooseBSN, and 11 others like this.
  5. Apr 17, '08 by rph3664
    Quote from hellerd2003
    My brother, three weeks after having his vaccinations, had a series of grand mal seizures. At the time, the docs told my mother that the pertussis vaccination was the cause. Although he's not autistic, he's a paranoid schizophrenic with OCD that before the vaccinations was a healthy, happy child. Personally, I'd never use a pertussis vaccination on a child. Whooping cough is bad, yes; however, a side effect from pertussis vaccination is far worse.
    How old is your brother and how old was he when he took the shot? The old pertussis vaccine did cause neurological damage in a small percentage of the people who took it, and neither they nor their first- or even second-degree relatives should have it again because this tendency seems to run in families.

    That's why it was reformulated.

    MMR seems to get all the blame, but ironically, rubella can cause autism when contracted during the first month of pregnancy (before Mom even suspects she's pregnant!) and I wonder how much of a factor this might have been when I hear about older adults who are autistic. The actress Gene Tierney and fashion designer Oleg Cassini had a daughter who was disabled in this manner.
    Last edit by rph3664 on Apr 17, '08 : Reason: addendum
    nursingis4me, Elvish, HM2VikingRN, and 1 other like this.
  6. Apr 17, '08 by rph3664
    Okay, now that I actually read the article, yes, this family needs to be concerned because it seems that the most severely autistic people almost always seem to have at least one physician parent. I have no idea why this is so.

    Someone on another board described Jenny McCarthy as "the self-appointed Jonas Salk of autism". If you have seen any of her "comedy", you know that she's warped to say the least. And anyone who wants to know what I heard was the REAL reason for her divorce can PM me. Having a disabled child may have been a catalyst for a marriage already in trouble, but I heard this story long before the story about her son broke and it's quite scandalous.
  7. Apr 17, '08 by TiredMD
    Quote from hellerd2003
    My brother, three weeks after having his vaccinations, had a series of grand mal seizures. At the time, the docs told my mother that the pertussis vaccination was the cause. Although he's not autistic, he's a paranoid schizophrenic with OCD that before the vaccinations was a healthy, happy child. Personally, I'd never use a pertussis vaccination on a child. Whooping cough is bad, yes; however, a side effect from pertussis vaccination is far worse.
    While vaccinations are known to cause seizures in some cases, I don't quite understand how you connect seizures to mental illness.

    Schizophrenia is a disease that occurs at almost the exact same rate across all cultures and races, regardless of whether or not they receive vaccinations. This rate does not seem to have changed with the introduction and spread of vaccinations.

    I'm sorry for your brother's illness. However, paranoid schizophrenia and OCD are not side-effects of the pertussis vaccine or any other vaccine.
    michigooseBSN, nursingis4me, DeLana_RN, and 12 others like this.
  8. Apr 17, '08 by elkpark
    Quote from TiredMD
    While vaccinations are known to cause seizures in some cases, I don't quite understand how you connect seizures to mental illness.

    Schizophrenia is a disease that occurs at almost the exact same rate across all cultures and races, regardless of whether or not they receive vaccinations. This rate does not seem to have changed with the introduction and spread of vaccinations.

    I'm sorry for your brother's illness. However, paranoid schizophrenia and OCD are not side-effects of the pertussis vaccine or any other vaccine.
    Paranoid schizophrenia is also an disorder that manifests in early adulthood in the large majority of cases (although childhood schizophrenia does occur). There are many, many people with CPS who were "healthy, happy child(ren)," regardless of what vaccinations they did or didn't receive.

    I'm very sorry for your brother's (and family's -- chronic mental illness affects the entire family) difficulties.
    nursingis4me, talaxandra, BBFRN, and 6 others like this.
  9. Apr 17, '08 by rph3664
    Quote from elkpark
    Paranoid schizophrenia is also an disorder that manifests in early adulthood in the large majority of cases (although childhood schizophrenia does occur). There are many, many people with CPS who were "healthy, happy child(ren)," regardless of what vaccinations they did or didn't receive.

    I'm very sorry for your brother's (and family's -- chronic mental illness affects the entire family) difficulties.
    I did some relief work at an independent pharmacy that serviced the chronically mentally ill community, and I believe that schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are the worst things that can happen to a person and their family.

    This does not minimize what people who experience other devastating diseases and tragedies go through.

    BabyRN2Be and HM2VikingRN like this.
  10. Apr 17, '08 by SillyStudent
    Quote from hellerd2003
    My brother, three weeks after having his vaccinations, had a series of grand mal seizures. At the time, the docs told my mother that the pertussis vaccination was the cause. Although he's not autistic, he's a paranoid schizophrenic with OCD that before the vaccinations was a healthy, happy child. Personally, I'd never use a pertussis vaccination on a child. Whooping cough is bad, yes; however, a side effect from pertussis vaccination is far worse.
    Children with pertussis can be terribly ill and wind up on a vent. Children can die of pertussis, especially former preemies.

    Adults can get seriously ill when they are exposed to pertussis and their immunity is no longer working because it's been like 20 years since their last vaccine. I was one of those adults. I got it from a PICU infant, who was too young to get the vaccine. She got it from her cousin.....who had not been vaccinated. The kid came in with resp distress on NOCS and nobody put her on isolation until the next morning when the PICU attending came in and figured out what it was.

    I am not aware of any connection between seizures and schizophrenia. Has anyone ever heard of a connection that is backed up with any decent research?

    Having said that, I am terribly sorry about your brother. Living with a mental illness like that is something I wouldn't wish on anyone. I hope he is doing well on his meds.
    rizzle, talaxandra, kristenncrn, and 1 other like this.
  11. Apr 17, '08 by HM2VikingRN
    correlation does not equal causation.....

    I agree that mental illness is one of the greates tragedies that can befall a family...
    moonchild86, BBFRN, SuesquatchRN, and 1 other like this.