Re: Chicago Tribune: Parents on Edge (very practical)

[Guest guest]

interviwed me last year for an autism article so when I saw this

I contacted her to thank her. She said she heard from some

pediatricians who accused her of endangering children's lives.

Please, e-mail her and let her know how much we appreciate her

coverage of our concerns.

>

> http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/living/12197178.htm

> Posted on Fri, Jul. 22, 2005

>

>

>

>

>

> Debate on autism and vaccine puts parents on edge

>

> BY JULIE DEARDORFF

>

> Chicago Tribune

>

>

> (KRT) - I held my son and cried when he received his first

> vaccinations. But my tears weren't over his pain. Instead, I was

thinking,

> " What if vaccines really do cause autism? "

>

> Most parents fall into two camps when it comes to the complex

issue of

> childhood immunizations. One group has no idea a controversy is

raging over

> the mercury-based preservative thimerosal still found in some

vaccines. They

> dutifully give their babies 21 jabs in the first 18 months of life.

>

> Others have heard just enough to be terrified. We're moms and

dads who

> know disease prevention must be a collective effort. We never want

to see a

> child with polio or diphtheria.

>

> Yet we also wonder whether thimerosal, containing about 50

percent

> ethyl mercury, is linked to autism, an unproven theory. We wonder why

> mercury, a neurotoxin, is still in vaccines, even though government

agencies

> asked that it be removed several years ago.

>

> But most of all, we wonder: How do I best protect my child?

>

> Mercury exposure from childhood vaccinations more than doubled

between

> 1988 and 1992 as more vaccines were introduced. But no one bothered to

> calculate cumulative exposure. When a government researcher finally

did in

> 1999, he found it exceeded the federal limits.

>

> During the same time period, there was a corresponding spike in

> reported cases of autism spectrum disorders, according to Kirby,

> author of " Evidence of Harm " (St. 's Press, $26.95), who cites a

> peer-reviewed study published in the journal Pediatrics.

>

> Despite no conclusive evidence that thimerosal was harmful, the

> American Academy of Pediatrics and the Public Health Service in 1999

called

> for its removal.

>

> Today, as a preventive measure, most - but not all - vaccines are

> thimerosal-free. Regardless, the government says our children will

be safe.

> In what was to be the final word on the contentious issue, the

prestigious

> Institute of Medicine issued a report last May that found no connection

> between vaccines and autism.

>

> But the finding only further enraged parents of autistic

children.

> Moms Against Mercury and nearly a dozen other advocacy groups have

planned a

> rally for anti-thimerosal legislation in Washington, D.C. Three

states have

> banned it, and more than 30 others have pending legislation.

>

> Illinois' sweeping Mercury-Free Vaccine Act, currently sitting

on Gov.

> Rod Blagojevich's desk, would phase out vaccines with mercury by

2008. It's

> a logical start; there's no reason to be injecting mercury into

babies and

> toddlers. But what can parents of low-risk infants do in the meantime?

>

> Ask for thimerosal-free vaccines. " Look at the package

insert, " said

> Dr. Anju Usman, a family practice physician, who treats autism spectrum

> disorders using alternative methods. Her Naperville, Ill., practice is

> booked through August 2006.

>

> Time it right. Don't vaccinate your child when he's sick or on

> antibiotics. Don't use acetaminophen after a vaccination, because some

> studies suggest it inhibits a key detoxification pathway, Usman said.

>

> Consider delaying Hepatitis B vaccine. Your infant probably

isn't an

> IV drug user or engaging in promiscuous sex. Hep B is given at birth

for

> convenience.

>

> Skip the flu vaccine. For the first time last year, the

government

> recommended flu vaccine for children as young as 6 months. The

pediatrics

> academy expects a shortage of the thimerosal-free flu vaccine for

several

> years.

>

> Pay attention. Watch your child closely after vaccination and

call

> your doctor if you suspect a reaction. If your doctor isn't

concerned and

> you are, go to the emergency room.

>

> Get educated. Learn about the state vaccine requirements, your

rights

> and legal exemption. You can find a copy of mandatory vaccination

laws at

> the National Vaccine Information Center (www.nvic.org), a parent-led

group

> that advocates reforming the mass vaccination system.

>

> ---

>

> ( Deardorff is a columnist with the Chicago Tribune.

Write to her

> at jdeardorff(AT)tribune.com. )

>

> ---

>

> © 2005, Chicago Tribune.

>

>

> ---

> Lori A. Ehrlich, CPA, MPA

> lale@c...

> lori@t...

> (wk) 781-639-0299

> (cell) 781-424-7774

[Guest guest]

I did, earlier this am..what a great article..

---

In EOHarm , " illobby2 " <illobby2@y...> wrote:

> interviwed me last year for an autism article so when I saw this

> I contacted her to thank her. She said she heard from some

> pediatricians who accused her of endangering children's lives.

> Please, e-mail her and let her know how much we appreciate her

> coverage of our concerns.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> >

> > http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/living/12197178.htm

> > Posted on Fri, Jul. 22, 2005

> >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Debate on autism and vaccine puts parents on edge

> >

> > BY JULIE DEARDORFF

> >

> > Chicago Tribune

> >

> >

> > (KRT) - I held my son and cried when he received his first

> > vaccinations. But my tears weren't over his pain. Instead, I was

> thinking,

> > " What if vaccines really do cause autism? "

> >

> > Most parents fall into two camps when it comes to the complex

> issue of

> > childhood immunizations. One group has no idea a controversy is

> raging over

> > the mercury-based preservative thimerosal still found in some

> vaccines. They

> > dutifully give their babies 21 jabs in the first 18 months of life.

> >

> > Others have heard just enough to be terrified. We're moms and

> dads who

> > know disease prevention must be a collective effort. We never want

> to see a

> > child with polio or diphtheria.

> >

> > Yet we also wonder whether thimerosal, containing about 50

> percent

> > ethyl mercury, is linked to autism, an unproven theory. We wonder why

> > mercury, a neurotoxin, is still in vaccines, even though government

> agencies

> > asked that it be removed several years ago.

> >

> > But most of all, we wonder: How do I best protect my child?

> >

> > Mercury exposure from childhood vaccinations more than doubled

> between

> > 1988 and 1992 as more vaccines were introduced. But no one

bothered to

> > calculate cumulative exposure. When a government researcher finally

> did in

> > 1999, he found it exceeded the federal limits.

> >

> > During the same time period, there was a corresponding spike in

> > reported cases of autism spectrum disorders, according to

Kirby,

> > author of " Evidence of Harm " (St. 's Press, $26.95), who

cites a

> > peer-reviewed study published in the journal Pediatrics.

> >

> > Despite no conclusive evidence that thimerosal was harmful, the

> > American Academy of Pediatrics and the Public Health Service in 1999

> called

> > for its removal.

> >

> > Today, as a preventive measure, most - but not all -

vaccines are

> > thimerosal-free. Regardless, the government says our children will

> be safe.

> > In what was to be the final word on the contentious issue, the

> prestigious

> > Institute of Medicine issued a report last May that found no

connection

> > between vaccines and autism.

> >

> > But the finding only further enraged parents of autistic

> children.

> > Moms Against Mercury and nearly a dozen other advocacy groups have

> planned a

> > rally for anti-thimerosal legislation in Washington, D.C. Three

> states have

> > banned it, and more than 30 others have pending legislation.

> >

> > Illinois' sweeping Mercury-Free Vaccine Act, currently sitting

> on Gov.

> > Rod Blagojevich's desk, would phase out vaccines with mercury by

> 2008. It's

> > a logical start; there's no reason to be injecting mercury into

> babies and

> > toddlers. But what can parents of low-risk infants do in the meantime?

> >

> > Ask for thimerosal-free vaccines. " Look at the package

> insert, " said

> > Dr. Anju Usman, a family practice physician, who treats autism

spectrum

> > disorders using alternative methods. Her Naperville, Ill.,

practice is

> > booked through August 2006.

> >

> > Time it right. Don't vaccinate your child when he's sick or on

> > antibiotics. Don't use acetaminophen after a vaccination, because

some

> > studies suggest it inhibits a key detoxification pathway, Usman said.

> >

> > Consider delaying Hepatitis B vaccine. Your infant probably

> isn't an

> > IV drug user or engaging in promiscuous sex. Hep B is given at birth

> for

> > convenience.

> >

> > Skip the flu vaccine. For the first time last year, the

> government

> > recommended flu vaccine for children as young as 6 months. The

> pediatrics

> > academy expects a shortage of the thimerosal-free flu vaccine for

> several

> > years.

> >

> > Pay attention. Watch your child closely after vaccination and

> call

> > your doctor if you suspect a reaction. If your doctor isn't

> concerned and

> > you are, go to the emergency room.

> >

> > Get educated. Learn about the state vaccine requirements, your

> rights

> > and legal exemption. You can find a copy of mandatory vaccination

> laws at

> > the National Vaccine Information Center (www.nvic.org), a parent-led

> group

> > that advocates reforming the mass vaccination system.

> >

> > ---

> >

> > ( Deardorff is a columnist with the Chicago Tribune.

> Write to her

> > at jdeardorff(AT)tribune.com. )

> >

> > ---

> >

> > � 2005, Chicago Tribune.

> >

> >

> > ---

> > Lori A. Ehrlich, CPA, MPA

> > lale@c...

> > lori@t...

> > (wk) 781-639-0299

> > (cell) 781-424-7774

[Guest guest]

Here is a comment that was posted on the chicago tribune

website " knocking " her article.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/moreletters/chi-

gm91v1uu8.4jul18,1,3840435.story?ctrack=1 & cset=true

Wrongly placed blame

Published July 18, 2005

Deardorff generally writes thoughtful, well-researched

columns, but her column on mercury and vaccines was irresponsible,

( " Debate on autism and vaccine puts parents on edge, " Q, July 17).

She gave a lot of space to books and resources based on outdated or

fringe research but only glossed over the large Institute of

Medicine study and did not even mention the World Health

Organization's well-researched contention that there is no link

between immunizations and autism. Additionally, she implies the

AAP/PHS call to remove thimerosal supports this position, even

though that statement clearly states there is no known evidence of

harm, only public concern. Additionally, the only time the

phrase " peer-reviewed " appears in her article is to support one

book, even though the WHO and IOM studies are filled with references

to peer-reviewed studies. Deardorff is being far from objective and

is presenting information in a very slanted manner.

Some of her final advice is reasonable: removing mercury from

vaccines whenever possible, paying attention to your child post-

vaccination. However, suggesting that the National Vaccine

Information Center as a source for information is abysmal -- this

group is biased and thrives on pseudo-science and fear mongering.

Far more reputable sources of information are the National Network

for Immunization Information (www.immunizationinfo.org) and the

Immunization Action Coalition (www.immunize.org), not to mention the

Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov/nip/default.htm).

Autism is a terrible disease, and the impact on the child and their

family is enormous. However, blaming vaccinations when there is

little real proof after large-scale studies is irresponsible and

potentially harmful. The outbreaks of measles and mumps in the

United Kingdom over the last few years as a result of vaccine fear

mongering should be a warning to us all.

Dipesh Navsaria

Champaign

[Guest guest]

---She's either a doc, pharm rep or " Pod Person " ... " Invasion of the

Body Snatchers " ....

In EOHarm , " " <angndon1994@h...> wrote:

> Here is a comment that was posted on the chicago tribune

> website " knocking " her article.

>

> http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/moreletters/chi-

> gm91v1uu8.4jul18,1,3840435.story?ctrack=1 & cset=true

>

> Wrongly placed blame

>

> Published July 18, 2005

>

>

> Deardorff generally writes thoughtful, well-researched

> columns, but her column on mercury and vaccines was irresponsible,

> ( " Debate on autism and vaccine puts parents on edge, " Q, July 17).

>

> She gave a lot of space to books and resources based on outdated or

> fringe research but only glossed over the large Institute of

> Medicine study and did not even mention the World Health

> Organization's well-researched contention that there is no link

> between immunizations and autism. Additionally, she implies the

> AAP/PHS call to remove thimerosal supports this position, even

> though that statement clearly states there is no known evidence of

> harm, only public concern. Additionally, the only time the

> phrase " peer-reviewed " appears in her article is to support one

> book, even though the WHO and IOM studies are filled with references

> to peer-reviewed studies. Deardorff is being far from objective and

> is presenting information in a very slanted manner.

>

> Some of her final advice is reasonable: removing mercury from

> vaccines whenever possible, paying attention to your child post-

> vaccination. However, suggesting that the National Vaccine

> Information Center as a source for information is abysmal -- this

> group is biased and thrives on pseudo-science and fear mongering.

> Far more reputable sources of information are the National Network

> for Immunization Information (www.immunizationinfo.org) and the

> Immunization Action Coalition (www.immunize.org), not to mention the

> Centers for Disease Control (www.cdc.gov/nip/default.htm).

>

> Autism is a terrible disease, and the impact on the child and their

> family is enormous. However, blaming vaccinations when there is

> little real proof after large-scale studies is irresponsible and

> potentially harmful. The outbreaks of measles and mumps in the

> United Kingdom over the last few years as a result of vaccine fear

> mongering should be a warning to us all.

>

> Dipesh Navsaria

>

> Champaign