The topic of vaccines and autism is always controversial and the retraction on Tuesday of Dr. Andrew Wakefield's study will likely do little to calm it. Kim Spencer is the parent of an autistic child who also works in a local pediatrician's office. She doesn't mince words when she talks about what she believes was the cause of her son's autism. She lays the blame on a vaccine he was given at the age of two...and nothing that's happened regarding Dr. Wakefield's work is going to change her mind.
Her son is 9 years old now and was diagnosed with autism about 7 years ago. Spencer doesn't believe the Measles/Mumps/Rubella vaccine is to blame, but thinks another vaccine was. She has heard Dr. Wakefield speak and says the ethical concerns about his research don't change her opinion, “There's nothing in this decision that says at all that MMR can't be linked to autism in the future or that vaccines don't have anything to do with autism.” In fact, signs of a link between gastrointestinal illnesses and autism have been found by other researchers...though not necessarily a specific link to the MMR vaccine; but Spencer believes a memo sent to doctors just two weeks ago backs up the link first examined in Dr. Wakefield's research, “The American Academy of Pediatrics sent out a request to their pediatricians saying that it is a trend that gastrointestinal issues show up in children with autism quite often and that it's time for pediatricians to start paying attention to those gastrointestinal issues and also trying to treat them.”
It's treatment of those issues she credits with helping improve her son's autistic symptoms.
With incidents of autism on the rise in this country - the dialogue, and controversy, is sure to continue as parents and researchers look for a cause.
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