The MMR vaccine and autism, is there a link?

I've seen a lot of scientific studies that show no link between the MMR vaccine and autism, but I've seen a ton of anecdotes about children who got the vaccine, and within hours, showed distinct signs of being autistic. So my question is :

Could the MMR vaccine be one of several triggers: something that makes a kid genetically predisposed to autism develop it (like turning on a light switch)? So those particular kids who get the MMR vaccine would develop autism anyways, but perhaps a few months later without the vaccine? Any thoughts from autism experts or doctors?

That's a good theory actually, I don't think that the MMR jab has any link to autism, but I bet I would think differently if my child had autism. Your theory would make sense, why don't you sell it to the BMA?!

Many people believe it was the thermasol (sp) in the vaccines that was causing the autism. It has since been removed. I'm not convinced all vaccines are safe, but they have removed that non-therapeutic component to the vaccine.

I'm no expert, but I have researched this subject a lot for various reasons.

So far there is no well studted article or any authentic information in medical community that MMR vaccine causes autism . If it occured after vaccination it could just coincidental.

The anecdotal evidence is useless because it can't demonstrate cause and effect. For that you need a long-term study with an enormous database along with control groups.

When that is done it appears that autism typically occurs between the ages of 14 months and 27 months regardless of whether children get mmr shots. That age span coincides with shot schedules. However, there is no evidence and not even a reasonable theory as to how the shot causes autism.

This is not to deny the possilbity that a disastrous reaction to mmr might occur which can lead to autism. The big problem with that hypothesis, though, is it gives credence to the politically-incorrect theory that autism is caused by infantile trauma administered by someone the child trusted, as Bettelheim suggested.

Anyway, here is the latest scientific study that refutes the mmr link to autism once and for all:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080205/hl_...

The man that first did the study on Mercury in Vaccines and Autism link was found out to be a fraud. Since then there has been NO proof of vaccines causing Autism. Go to www.IANproject.org for up to the minute scientific based info.

I am the mother of two autistic boys. I am also a registered nurse, and spent years giving kids these vaccines. Here is my theory: I feel that studies have ruled out thimerosol as a cause of autism, but I still think it's stupid to inject mercury into babies. I still have not seen a study explaining satisfactorily why autistic kids would have live measles virus in their bowel years after vaccination. For this reason I still do not allow my boys to get the second dose of MMR. I also do not allow them to get vaccines containing thimerosol. I agree the cause of autism is probably complex, involving multiple factors. I've included a jump to Dr Andrew Wakefield, who originally linked the two. (his current research group)

There was a very good article written in Rolling Stone a few years ago by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. exposing a cover-up. It specifically targets a preservative called Thermosol that was used in vaccines such as MMR.

Very interesting stuff. Here's the link:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/sto...

Moe than a link my friend.
Vaccines cause autism and a number of other developmental disorders.
Virtually everyone connected with autism whose paycheck doesn't require they not know it- knows this. The latest propaganda released was funded by Merck pharmaceuticals and they will do anything to prevent another viox debacle-that cost them some bucks! Can't have that! The medical community is not going to take the hit so they know nothing about it, why what autism epidemic? they say. The CDC has half their staff on pharmaceutical companies payroll, so you can trust them. NOT!
I won't bother you with any REAL science because the pro mercury crowd can't possibly produce a real study showing vaccines are safe-or effective for that matter but hey who cares. But if you are in the mood check out what these crazy doctors and scientists whose paychecks don't depend on the religion of vaccines have to say.

http://www.whale.to/vaccine/mmr49.html

I like your using the word "contributes." There are many conflicting studies saying either there is or is no connection between autism & the MMR (more specifically, the thimerisol-mercury deriviative) vaccine.

I am of the opinion that there is a genetic predispostion to it & a number of environmental triggers necessary to activate the autism.

My son, now 15, was showing signs before his first MMR vaccine, but he did get worse after. My other son, had the same very mild symptoms from birth, got the same MMR vaccine & did not get worse.

I'd also caution you that the MMR's that were first brought under suspicion contained Thimerisol, a mercury derivative that has now been phased out almost entirely from our vaccines.

Or what would have been a case of mild autism becomes low functioning autism?

I have my doubts about a link, but I would postpone getting my child vaccinations until they are older.

And something I have learned concerning anecdotal stories. They are notoriously inaccurate. My brother had 4 kids, 2 with autism. His stories of how Arianna was when she was little have changed over the years. Once he told us she was deveoping normally then, whamo! Another time he said she was always slow to show eye-contact & interact.

But Dominic was born shortly before his sister was diagnosed. So he was never given the MMR, yet he became autistic - low-functioning as well.

So there is some anecdotal evidence AGAINST the notion that autism is caused by MMR.