"Ok, Just a Little Pinprick"

I first became aware of the possible dangers from childhood vaccinations containing mercury in an article by Dr. Paula Baillie-Hamilton. Through her I learned that the mercury preservatives used in the vaccinations might be linked to an alarming rise in autism and other neurological disorders (such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) in children. My children were undergoing their first rounds of vaccinations at the time, and I was surprised at how damn many shots there are.

Not wanting to be a hysterical parent, but also not wanting to endanger my children, I corresponded with Dr. Baillie-Hamilton and other scientists who conducted the studies that concluded the vaccinations posed a danger. I also spoke to their critics, including the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization. The CDC and WHO both assured me that there was "no evidence" linking thimerosal (the mercury derivative used in the vaccines) and autism. I found their assurances less-than-satisfying for two reasons: one, as an English major, I know that an Allness Fallacy ("NO" evidence) weakens an argument, and two, the WHO itself stated that mercury——the world's second most toxic substance——is unsafe in the body, in any form and in any amount.

I confronted Dr. Baillie-Hamilton and the other scientists with what the doubters had to say, and their rebuttal boiled down to this: medical science doesn't know what causes autism, and until they do, they can't say what doesn't cause it. In short, they told me to just stick with a mercury-free vaccine, and my kids should be okay.

At our next pediatric visit, I told the nurse that we would be using mercury-free vaccines from now on. She wrote it down, and muttered something about how they'd get "more mercury from a can of tuna fish." When the doctor came in, I asked him about it. He echoed the WHO and CDC that the harmful effects were unproven, and repeated the tuna fish line. I know talking points when I hear them. I didn't feel like arguing about it, otherwise I would have told him that most 6-month-olds I know don't eat entire cans of tuna fish and even if they did, that still doesn't make mercury healthy.

What brought this all to mind was a recent article in Newsmax. In it, we learn that autism rates—which rose dramatically as more and more shots were added to a child's vaccination schedule——are plummeting now that mercury is being removed from the shots. Some frightening statistics from the article:

• Iowa banned thimerosal from child vaccines after a 700-fold increase in autism.
• Prior to 1989, children only received 3 vaccines. By 1999, the CDC recommended 22 vaccines by the first grade.
  
• In the 1990's, 40 million children were injected with mercury-containing vaccines.
• Between 1989 and 2003, autism rates increased from 1 in 2,500 children to 1 in 166.

If you have children being vaccinated at any age, I strongly recommend getting mercury-free shots. It costs us an extra $5 to do so, but it's a small price to be safe. Don't ask the doctor "pretty please, my I have the mercury-free shot?" You tell them you want your child to be given the safe shot or you're taking your children to another doctor who will.

Please read the articles. Don't take the chance.