reply to post by Timmyboi23
I agree totally that these vaccines shouldn't be given at such an early age and that if you wait a couple of years symptoms within the autism
spectrum would show themselves and be contra-indications to the vaccine.
My son has ADHD (within the Autism/Aspergers spectrum). From the age of eight weeks he was showing obvious signs of high intelligence and very good
physical coordination (an example being, spotting something he wanted to investigate on the other side of the room, shuffling his body round so that
he was lined up with it, then rolling in a straight line to it).
He had his MMR jab at 13 months (standard practice in the UK). Following this I noticed a change in his physical development. Whilst his hand to eye
coordination was still excellent, his legs no longer kept pace with the rest of him, leading to countless falls and bumps (he had been walking since
10 months so it wasn't the usual stumbling of a child learning to walk). He then started to develop repetitive behaviour patterns and resistance to
any change in his environment - in other words, behaviour one would associate with autism.
I've had 4 kids and 2 step kids so I'm pretty used to the development stages, and each of my kids developed at completely different rates and had
totally different abilities. But I've never noticed a sudden change or disparity between mental and physical coordination in any of the others.
I don't believe that the MMR per se "caused" my sons ADHD, but I do believe that it exacerbated it, and if this vaccination had been offered when
he was older I would have known that he had contra indications for it.
Incidentally, my older son who has very mild ADHD didn't have the MMR, he had the vaccinations separately as he had suspected epilepsy. There was no
change in his behaviour or development at all.
I wholeheartedly believe in vaccinating children but think there is no need to vaccinate at such a young age, particularly when most of these diseases
are so rare nowadays. Obviously if you live in an area where there is a high risk or if an outbreak occurs then early vaccination should be
considered, but it should not be standard practice.