Although Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders can be treated with a
variety
of different therapies or medications, it cannot be cured. Not yet,
anyway.
In order to one day find a cure, many professionals and parents are
trying
to find what causes autism and why the autism rates have increased so
rapidly. One possible cause linked to autism is vaccinations. This
fear, in
fact, has caused some parents to opt for alternative vaccination
schedules
or opt out of vaccinating children completely.
The argument connecting vaccinations and autism begins with the MMR
vaccination. The MMR vaccination is administered between 15 to 24
months of
age. Parents have noticed that symptoms of Autism typically have begun
during this age. Along with the vaccination schedule of the MMR shot,
the
preservative once used comes into question.
The preservative is called
thiomersol and contains 49.6% mercury. Another concern in the autism –
vaccination link is the number of vaccinations children receive before
they
reach the age of five. One professional noted that at one time,
children
received only 8 vaccinations and that number has increased to over
twenty.
The scientific and medical communities are conflicted on their
opinions
dealing with the link of vaccinations and autism. It has been agreed
upon;
however, further research is needed to find a definitive answer.