Let me say first that this blog is my opinion on the situation. I have researched at length the various issues, the Hannah Polling case, as well as the Vaccine Compensation program. With that said, I’m not a doctor. I would encourage all parents to be fully informed about the vaccinations their children are receiving, and to consider all the evidence. Here are some things to know, as I understand the case.
What is the Hannah Polling Case?
Hannah Polling is a little girl who began exhibiting autism symptoms right after immunizations she received at her 19 month old well baby physical. More significantly, this is the first family to win a law suit and receive compensation for an autism ‘injury’ under the United States Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.
Advocacy groups quickly proclaimed that the government is now conceding that vaccines cause autism. The CDC as well as the AAP have also been quick to proclaim how there is no evidence that vaccines cause autism in most people. Who are you to believe?
Good Logic and Faulty Evidence
Good logic dictates that we can’t jump to conclusions based on one case, or even based on a small handful of research. My own personal growing conviction is that autism and vaccines can be linked in the presence of other genetic factors. This is a theory that’s been floating around for awhile and it certainly was an issue in the Hannah Polling case. (For more information you can see the AAP’s statement on the case, and their comments regarding mitochondrial disease.) Clearly vaccines do cause some injury because if they didn’t ever cause injury, there wouldn’t be a vaccination injury compensation program set up by the government.
There is research that indicates a link between autism and vaccines. However, parents need to understand that there is numerous research also disproving the idea that a link exists. One such study was done in California where autism rates continue to rise, but thimerisol has been taken out of vaccines since 1999. If the two were related, autism rates would decline rather than rise.
So what should parents do?
Consider all of your options carefully. Talk with your child’s pediatrician. Consider your various risk factors, etc. and go from there. Don’t rule out vaccinating based on this one case. For more information on vaccinations and safety see:
Are Vaccines Really Safe? Looking at Vaccines Differently
No Link Between Autism and Thimerasol
Valorie Delp shares recipes and kitchen tips in the food blog, solves breastfeeding problems, shares parenting tips, and current research in the baby blog, and insight, resources and ideas as a regular guest blogger in the homeschooling blog. To read more articles by Valorie Delp, click here.
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