Autism and Vaccines: An autistic rant

Autism and Vaccines: The Underlying Issue

“Vaccine refusals and delays are linked to increasing rates of vaccine-preventable illnesses, including the recent measles outbreak in Disneyland in California” (Whelen). The rise of anti-vaccination propaganda actively impacts the lives of innocent children whose parents have fallen victim. This brings up the question of whether or not the theory that vaccines cause autism has any merit. The original vaccine that was correlated to autism was the MMR vaccine. The Measles, Mumps, and Rubella vaccine is given to infants after they stop obtaining antibodies from their mother’s breast milk and become vulnerable to such viruses. Having one vaccine for three different viruses is lifesaving for infants who typically need multiple vaccinations to be spread out, leaving them vulnerable. Autism is a neurological condition that presents as dysfunctional mirror neurons. Examples could be failure to follow social cues, repetitive movements as self-regulatory behaviors, and sensory issues. This paper will examine the research conducted regarding vaccines and autism, the man who started it all, the problems beneath the surface, and how autism should be treated. 

To put it plainly, the answer is that, no, there is no connection between autism and the MMR vaccine. To show this, “After reviewing more than 200 studies in 2004 and more than 1,000 studies in 2011, the consensus report strongly stated that the evidence did not show a link between vaccines and autism” (Merino). The fact that there are more than a plethora of studies that have all concluded that autism is not caused by any vaccine, least of all the MMR vaccine, could adequately argue this case. For the sake of argument, it shall continue further. As such, “In a systematic review of the evidence published on vaccine safety to date, they found the evidence was strong that the MMR vaccine is not associated with autism” (Merino). This is a strong reassurance that even the slightest theory in the public that a vaccine may cause unintentional effects is taken seriously by the scientific community and thoroughly researched. If a vaccine has reason to believe that it causes more harm than good, it is subsequently removed from distribution. Now that it is clarified that vaccines indeed are not connected with autism, there comes the factor of what does cause autism. 

Researchers have used "functional" MRI [magnetic resonance imaging] scans to study the connections in areas of the brain that control language, social and emotional processes, suggesting that these abnormalities contribute to the development of autism. The results of these and other studies provide promising clues for future research on the causes of autism and emphasize that finding its causes will not be as simple as pointing to vaccines as the cause (Merino). 

This research indicates that autism is rooted in genetics rather than external factors. This is because such differences in the brain with no history of head trauma is extremely unlikely and fundamentally must be based in the genetic code of the person. To further this theory, ‘In more than three out of four cases, when one identical twin has a form of autism, the other one does too. Among fraternal twins, though, this is true for one out of about seven pairs, at most” (Merino). The difference between identical twins and fraternal twins is whether there was one embryo that split into two, or simply two embryos that individually matured. Identical twins typically have 100% of the same DNA, whereas fraternal twins may only share about half of the same DNA. The reason that not every identical twin is either both autistic or both allistic can be accounted for by considering that after the embryo splits, the twins each have their own individual genetic mutations. 

Eric Courchesne and his colleagues at the University of California, San Diego, recently confirmed that the brains of children with autism have distinct patches of architectural disorganization in their prefrontal and temporal cortical tissue. Because the organization of the cortex begins in the second trimester of pregnancy, the researchers conclude that the events leading to the malformation of the cortex must begin around this time or earlier, certainly well before a child is born or ever receives a vaccine (Merino). 

This statement further proves that environmental and external factors do not play a role in whether or not a person is autistic. 

Rumors about the safety of MMR vaccine first arose about a decade ago after a British physician (a gastroenterologist, not a person trained in either vaccinology or in neurological disorders) announced he had found virus from measles vaccines lingering in the intestines of 12 autistic children. . . .  Later, a press investigation revealed that the doctor had falsified patient data and relied on laboratory reports that he had been warned were incorrect (Merino). 

The theory that the MMR vaccine causes autism came from one man, who has since been denounced by medical professionals and reputable news sources all over the world for his heinous actions. As shown, there is irrefutable proof that vaccines do not have any causation to the presence of autism. 

The man who led the study that suggested a possible connection between the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine was Dr. Andrew Wakefield. Wakefield conducted a study with twelve autistic patients to see if there was a connection between gastrointestinal disease and autism. In the study, he included the dates the child received the MMR vaccine and the date the parents first noticed any autistic traits. These dates were within weeks of each other and as such were grounds for further research. The study did not confirm anything solid, though. Regardless of the weak evidence provided in such a small sample study, Wakefield concluded that the dormant measles in the MMR vaccine entered the child's stomach, which, due to a leaky gut, allowed for the measles to move from the stomach to the brain. As a result of his studies and further research, he is no longer a doctor: “Accused of falsifying the data, [Andrew Wakefield] was subsequently barred from practicing medicine in the U.K” (Kirkus Reviews). Wakefield has a history of maliciously altering data in his reports to better fit his own beliefs, or rather, what would benefit him more. The dates when the child received the MMR vaccine and the parents noticed their child may be autistic were completely fabricated. Most parents did not mention when their child was vaccinated, and those who did said the dates were months after the vaccination and in one case even before the vaccination. In further detail, “In Britain, the General Medical Council revoked Wakefield's medical license after a lengthy hearing, citing numerous ethical violations that tainted his work, like failing to disclose financing from lawyers who were mounting a case against vaccine manufacturers” (Dominus). The detail that Wakefield started his research on Autism and the MMR vaccine contributes to the idea that he is only acting according to self-interest. In this situation, the motivation for the propaganda was to get money. Shortly after publishing his paper that the MMR vaccine caused autism, he published his patent for his own separate measles vaccine that is said to be safer. This patent was so poorly written that one of the co-inventors' names, Hugh Fudenberg, is spelled wrong. As well as the fact that Hugh Fudenburg believes that his own bone marrow could treat autism. For instance, “[Andrew Wakefield] writes in defense of the parents, who were accused of child abuse when they repeatedly sought medical services at Phoenix Children's Hospital for their five children” (Kirkus Reviews). It is crucial to note that the parents mentioned were requesting for ABA therapy, which is a treatment of autism that encourages and enforces masking in autistic people, primarily children. Masking is damaging to the psyche of autistic people and does not help the person navigate life, but rather makes the person more palatable for people ashamed of their disabled child. Wakefield’s defense of people who abuse their disabled children either shows how little he truly knows about autism or that he does not care for the lives of autistic people. It may only be a scheme to gain more supporters who will give him money. 

Andrew Wakefield has become one of the most reviled doctors of his generation, blamed directly and indirectly, depending on the accuser, for irresponsibly starting a panic with tragic repercussions: vaccination rates so low that childhood diseases once all but eradicated here -- whooping cough and measles, among them -- have re-emerged, endangering young lives (Dominus). 

The consequences of Andrew Wakefield’s actions are present within the graves of children who could still be alive if it were not for his greed. On top of that, “the General Medical Council found in January 2010 that Wakefield had committed ethical violations -- subjecting developmentally disabled children to unnecessary invasive procedures, mishandling funds and failing to disclose conflicts of interest, to name a few” (Dominus). Whenever someone undergoes a procedure, it is the doctor’s responsibility to ensure that the person understands each possible risk and side effect that the procedure may entail for the subject to give informed consent. When telling the parents of these children what tests he was going to perform on them, he failed to inform them of the risks. Hence, the parents of these children did give informed consent for the invasive procedure. One of the procedures performed was a colonoscopy, which is a life-saving test that looks for polyps and cancer in the colon. These positive effects are only when performed on adults. A child’s colon is smaller and more vulnerable to puncture. Autistic children who struggle with hyposensitivity to pain or who are non-verbal may not be able to communicate if the colonoscopy perforates their intestinal lining. Most of this information was unknown to the general public until one investigative journalist decided to set his sights on the man taking England by storm. This person was Brian Deer. One of the most significant findings of Brian Deer was that all of the testing on these children had no reason. Most of the kids were not even Autistic, “[Brian Deer] said that [Andrew Wakefield] misrepresented at least one aspect of the medical condition of every child he wrote about in the study” (Dominus). The abuse of the twelve children in the study, the concerned parents refusing to vaccinate their children, and all the funding going towards the research are all based on the lies of one man, Andrew Wakefield.

The evidence is clear that vaccines have no correlation with Autism, but within the argument, even the existence of whether or not a child should be vaccinated, even if it did cause autism, is a problem in itself. Autistic people are human beings who deserve to live and exist in the world just as much as allistic people. The desire to prevent autism is the desire to erase an entire culture of people who are absolutely incredible. The malfunction of mirror neurons inside an autistic brain allows for the person to quite literally see and experience the world differently. This difference in perspective can lead to incredible new innovations, art, music, and arguments. Yet, most people only see autistic people as a nuisance if they dare to express themselves in ways that do not conform to society. If an autistic person accomplishes anything, they are seen as an inspiration, not as a hard-working individual like everyone else. Disabled people do not exist for able-bodied people. They exist for themselves and that alone. Wishing to prevent an autistic person from coming into the world is inherently ableist, especially if the preventive measure may instead kill the child, “In just a handful of decades, vaccines prevented nearly 200 million cases of disease and prevented 450,000 deaths in the U.S. alone, finds a new study” (Krisberg). Vaccines are important to modern society to allow people who have weakened immune systems to have a higher chance of survival. Each life saved by a vaccination is a human being with hopes and dreams who deserves the chance to live. The same people who are supporting the anti-vaccines are the ones who would rather have a dead child than an autistic child. A mother at Andrew Wakefield’s event: “She narrowed her eyes when she learned that a writer from The New York Times was there to write about Wakefield. ‘Be nice to him,’ she said, ‘or we will hurt you.’” (Dominus). Wakefield has successfully manipulated these parents to do anything for him, including threatening anyone who attempts to expose him. Additionally, “Another woman, with tears in her eyes, blamed herself for not working harder to obtain a separate measles vaccine for her possibly autistic child” (Dominus). The belief that being disabled is a punishment harms the people who are actually autistic, simply coexisting in the world. What may seem selfless on the surface is actually selfish in nature. The parents blame themselves for something no one had no control over. Media and people such as Andrew Wakefield make them believe that Autism is a terrible disease that only consists of tantrums and low IQ. Yet, in reality, most autistic people are extremely intelligent. The error in the statistic is because the IQ tests are akin to judging a fish on how well they can climb a tree. A standardized test made for people who are not autistic will not be an adequate judge of intelligence for Autistic people or anyone who is neurodivergent. People who are different are not less than what is set as the average person, nor are they superior. Everyone, regardless of whether they are disabled or not, deserves a chance at experiencing the greatness of life.

The treatment of autistic people includes an ethical debate of eugenics and other previously mentioned issues. As such, the most common forms of treatment focus more on the outward presentation of autistic traits. To illustrate this, “The most widely used treatment for autism is a behavior-modification therapy called applied behavior analysis (ABA), which 64 percent of autistic children in the U.S. receive today” (Davids).  ABA therapy only looks at the outward presentation of autism and not the psychological well-being of autistic people. To make it worse, “[Actual autistic advocates] claim that ABA punishes autistic children for behaving in ways that do not harm the child or society. For instance, many autistic children engage in “stimming” behaviors, such as flapping hands or flicking fingers, which help them manage anxiety or sensory overload, and which ABA practitioners typically try to reduce or eliminate” (Davids). Not only does the goal of ABA therapy seek to make autistic people behave normally, but it also discourages positive and healthy autistic traits. Self-regulatory behavior, such as hand flapping, is used when an autistic person is either extremely happy or distressed. It is a form of not only expressing and non-verbally communicating emotions but also a way of emotional regulation. This can prevent autistic meltdowns. Autistic meltdowns happen when the person’s individual needs are not met. It is not to get something they want, such as during a tantrum. They are not always presented as screaming or crying, but could simply be the person shutting down. ABA encourages the latter form of meltdown because it is easier to ignore. An autistic person may have more meltdowns as a result of ABA, but it is ignored because they were taught to not express how they are feeling or if they need help. ABA is not only emotionally abusive, but can be physically abusive, “The mother of an autistic four-year-old, for example, secretly began filming her son’s ABA sessions after she found a red mark on his face, only to discover that the therapist had been forcefully grabbing his arm, pushing him down, and pulling his chair out from under him” (Davids). With the nature of the therapy being based in ablesist beliefs, it is not at all surprising that these therapists would not resort to fear as a tactic to get them to conform. Instead of disregarding the experiences and behaviors of autistic people when treating them, the treatment of autism should consist of embracing it. This is said because autism is not the problem. The world is the problem. A common saying when demeaning autistic people’s experience is that ‘everyone is a little autistic’. This is not only silencing the experiences of autistic people but also scientifically disproven, as autistic people have a different brain chemistry than allistic people. It is also worth noting, “If everyone were a little autistic, I would not need any accommodations, as the world would be made for me” (Engelbrecht). Autistic people usually struggle in a classroom setting. This is not because they are less intelligent than their peers, but because they are unable to filter out the buzzing of the blindingly bright fluorescent lights, the scratches of pencils, the whispers made under hushed breaths, and the thrum of the air conditioner. The ring of the bell signalling an abrupt change in scenery triggers hearing sensitivity, and furthermore, does not account for the autistic person’s difficulty with transitioning from one task to another. For each of these issues, figures of authority can easily make life easier for autistic people by making some simple adjustments. This includes having fluorescent light covers, providing autistic students with headphones to listen to music while working, having resources where to get custom earplugs available, making the bell a softer chime, and giving the student five extra minutes to prepare to transition from one task to another. Autistic people are not less intelligent; allistic people simply are not accommodating their needs.

The autistic experience is unique and beautiful. The erasure and shame of these incredible human beings' existence is a direct reflection of the current society's own misgivings and all of the ableism that has infested the public masses. Autism is not caused by vaccines. Nor is it caused by a child not receiving enough hugs. Autism is not a disease born of negativity. It is simply someone being born with a different brain. Being different does not equate to being less. Preventing autism by not vaccinating a baby is not what should be focused on. The focal points of autism research should be focusing on how the world can be made better and more accessible for everyone. Autistic people deserve to live in the world, too.

Works Cited

Davids, Jonah. “Are We Treating Autism Right?” Gale In Context, Manhattan Institute, 23 January 2024, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A780390149/OVIC?u=onlinelibrary&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=b7482b3a. Accessed 25 January 2025.

Dominus, Susan. “The Denunciation Of Dr. Wakefield.” Gale in Context, The New York Times Magazine, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A254620347/GPS?u=onlinelibrary&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=119cdf72.

Engelbrecht ND RP, Dr. Natalie. If Everyone Was A Little Autistic.

Kirkus Reviews. “Wakefield, Andrew J.: WAGING WAR ON THE AUTISTIC CHILD.” Gale in Context, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A286236299/GPS?u=onlinelibrary&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=d699db24.

Krisberg, Kim. “Study: vaccines saved millions.” Gale in Context, The Nations Health, May 2017, https://go.gale.com/ps/retrieve.do?tabID=T002&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&searchResultsType=SingleTab&retrievalId=8306a481-31d5-4ad2-b2d3-d75cfbbe8918&hitCount=27&searchType=BasicSearchForm¤tPosition=1&docId=GALE%7CA494584528&docType=Brief+article&sor.

Merino, Noël. “Evidence Shows Vaccines Unrelated to Autism.” Gale In Context, Gale, 2015, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010938206/OVIC?u=onlinelibrary&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=a7008293.

Whelan, Allison M. “lowering the age of consent: pushing back against the anti-vaccine movement.” Gale In Context, Sage Publications, Inc., Fall 2016, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A466051979/GPS?u=onlinelibrary&sid=bookmark-GPS&xid=ce1f555f.