autism

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Recommended: Cause and effect of vaccination

Vaccination and other perceived causes
One of the highly contested and controversial debates in the past surrounding the cause of autism is vaccination. Those who firmly believe that vaccination is the culprit desperately cling on to whatever proof they have. Although it cannot be denied that the first symptoms of autism appear right after the child receives the first series of vaccinations. There are those who disagree vehemently denies it, claiming that the diagnosis of autism after the first introduction of inoculation into a child’s body is purely coincidental. Helen Ratajczak (2011) admitted that, “the incidence and prevalence data indicate the timing of introduction of vaccines and changes in the type and increasing vaccines given at one time implicate vaccines as a cause of autism” (p. 70).
It can also be argued that as parents and caregivers hysterically try to understand the mystery behind autism, they try to retrace their steps, trying to figure out where they went wrong.
Vaccination seemed to be the only variable to which they can place the blame. All this can be attributed to Andrew Wakefield. He is a British medical researcher who published a study in 1998 which indicated that there was a direct correlation between autism and the mumps, measles, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. However, an investigation has shown that his research was manipulated and that there was a conflict of interest. He was receiving monetary compensation from the lawyers of the families who were trying to build a case against vaccination. CNN (2011) reported that he, instead, “misrepresented or altered the medical histories of all 12 of the patients whose cases formed the basis of the 1998 study” (Health section, para. 1). Eve...

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... so, they have partnered with businesses and sports franchise like Home Depot and the National Basketball Association in recognizing the month of April as Autism Awareness Month, with promising results. Home Depot sold blue light bulbs, for which a portion of the sale is donated towards autism. The professional basketball athletes meet with children with autism and the coaching staff wore lapel pins to further increase media exposure. It has become a tradition of sort, something that they continue to do annually. Other popular celebrities, musical groups and athletes have sworn to support autism as well. Among the few are Kate Winslet, Maroon 5 and golfer Ernie Els. Their careers overlap inasmuch that they can get their message across to people from all walks of life. Most certainly, autism awareness has received the much needed exposure in popular media.

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