Vaccinations:The Facts! & Your Possible Options...
Thiomersal (called Thimerosal in USA) is a preservative used in some vaccines which is approximately 50% mercury in weight (FDA, 2010)
Even though our children may share the same diagnostic 'label' and display similar or the same behaviours, every child is different and it doesn't mean the underlying causes for their diagnosis are the same.
Autism is diagnosed on a child's behaviours not on any biologically identified cause and individuals can have additional underlying conditions which are not always identified and diagnosed due to the ASD diagnosis being their primary diagnosis.
Since 2002 all UK and USA childhood vaccines have been thiomersal (thimerosal) free due to its accumulative exposure to infants (American Academy of Pediatrics, 1999; Department of Health, 2003).
Please do not assume that all children diagnosed with autism have 'mercury poisoning,' needing chelation therapy or that they all have the same underlying clinical conditions.
The licensed levels of use for thiomersal differs from country to country enormously (Parker et al., 2004); from 75 micrograms - 237 micrograms, with the UK being at the lower end. So, before assuming your child is 'mercury toxic' or burdened with any heavy metals and taking them abroad for chelation therapy, as one UK mother did...please, please, have the relevant tests done by a registered and qualified physician and then if the results confirm the need, report and take the results to your GP or paediatrician for their advice and who should refer your child immediately to the hospital for further evaluation, verification and any required safe treatment.
Taking your child abroad for procedures which may not be carried out by registered, qualified and experienced clinicians can have a fatal outcome!
A 5 year old boy tragically died after he was taken by his mother from the UK to the USA for chelation therapy because the clinician used the wrong treatment (Lewis, 2005)
NB. The MMR does not contain thiomersal (MRC, 2001).
NB. Not all USA and other countries' information is relevant in the UK and vice-versa. This is due to different laws and regulations.
If you are worried about giving your child vaccines and want advice on how you could reduce the risks of the possible side effects, MO RAMZAN AT BUXTON & GRANT can offer you some advice and choices related to homeopathy and/or alternative complimentary medicine.
NB. My work has been through an electronic plagarism service so, if you wish to use it, please remember to reference it!
Here are the links and references:
http://www.news-medical.net/news/2005/08/29/12746.aspx
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9074208/ns/health-mental_health/
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS (AAP) 1999. Thimerosal in Vaccines: a Joint Statement of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Public.Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC).
CDC. Blood lead levels---United States, 1999--2002. MMWR 2005;54:513--6.
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH).2003. Thiomersal and vaccines.[WWW]. http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4070148 (12/18/2010).
LEWIS, S. 2005. Autistic boy, 5, dies after US therapy.Times Online. [Online Newspaper]. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article559318.ece (28 December 2010).
MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (MRC). 2001. [WWW]. MRC Review of Autism Research: Epidemiology and Causes. http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Utilities/Documentrecord/index.htm?d=MRC002394 (27 December 2010).
PARKER, S.K., SCHWARTZ, B., TODD, J. and PICKERING, L.K. 2004. Thimerosal-Containing Vaccines and Autistic Spectrum Disorder: A Critical Review of Published Original Data. Pediatrics, 114(3), 793-804
FEDERAL FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION. 2010. Thimerosal in Vaccines. [WWW]. http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/UCM096228#thi
