| m is a neurological, developmental disorder, which | | | | However, this study had its problems, including the |
| can inhibit the normal developmental growth of | | | | fact that only 12 children were used in the study, |
| individuals. Symptoms of autism include | | | | they did not use any healthy children for control |
| impairments in social skills, as well as | | | | subjects, and at least 4 out of the 12 children |
| communication skills, repetitive behaviors, and | | | | involved had behavioral problems before they |
| poor speech patterns. Because the severity of | | | | experienced any symptoms of bowel |
| the symptoms will vary, some individuals | | | | abnormalities. Due to the fact that so much was |
| diagnosed with autism may be able to live on their | | | | wrong with the research, many of the researches |
| own, while others become totally reliant on | | | | retracted their opinions of the results and none of |
| someone to care for them. While there have | | | | the results gained can be used as supporting |
| been theories that autism may be caused by | | | | evidence. |
| immunizations, there has been no scientific data | | | | What does all of this mean? Generally, for any |
| found to link the two together. | | | | theory to be proved, scientific data must point |
| Research has been conducted to find a | | | | one toward the answer. None of the research |
| connection between autism and immunizations and | | | | conducted in trying to find a link has been proven. |
| research will be continued to discover what | | | | Many studies are going on that are following the |
| causes this damaging disorder. However, none of | | | | theory that autism is linked to a genetic |
| the data collected, from the research conducted | | | | abnormality. |
| so far, has been able to prove this theory. The | | | | Recently, a study was conducted on over 30,000 |
| National Childhood Encephalopathy Study was | | | | Japanese children, born in Yokohama between |
| investigated in 1997. The study was to find a | | | | 1988 and 1996, that has really taken hold as |
| connection between neurological function and the | | | | proof that there is no connection between the |
| measles vaccine. Researchers did not find any | | | | MMR and autism. Basically, what this study shows |
| connection between the two and if anything, only | | | | is that even after the MMR was replaced with |
| confirmed that the measles vaccine did not | | | | single vaccines, the number of children diagnosed |
| contribute to any neurological disorders or | | | | with autism has continued to rise. What this |
| dysfunction. | | | | means is that parents should no longer be worried |
| Several other studies done over the course of | | | | they are putting their children in danger when |
| the next nine years were also conducted to find | | | | they get the MMR. |
| the link between immunizations and autism. Again, | | | | The fact is that throughout the years of |
| none of these have shown as strong link between | | | | research, not one study can prove that there is a |
| the two. One of these studies, conducted in 1998 | | | | link between the triple immunization, MMR, and |
| by Wakefield and colleagues, suggested that the | | | | autism. The research will continue, however, for |
| MMR vaccine caused intestinal abnormalities and | | | | the cause of autism in the hope that we will not |
| developmental regression in children within a few | | | | just find a cause, but a cure, as well. |
| weeks of receiving the MMR. | | | | |