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Measles arrives in Kansas, spreads quickly in undervaccinated counties
Since a single case last week, at least 9 more have been reported with more pending.
arstechnica.com
Measles outbreak tracker
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is planning to devote research dollars to the debunked myth that vaccines cause autism – legitimizing stigma not only around vaccines, but around autism itself.
Matthew Shallenberger, father to an 11-year-old autistic son in Tennessee, says this myth is harmful because “it treats autism as some dreadful disease to avoid at all costs”.
Parents in the Texas community where an unvaccinated child died of measles last month, have continued to resist vaccines in the name of vague potential harms, including autism.
Shallenberger finds this bewildering: “I would much rather my son be alive, healthy and autistic than dead from a preventable childhood illness. It’s not even a decision, really. There is only one choice for me: vaccinate my kids.”
Parents including Shallenberger are in the odd position of defending their decision to vaccinate – even though there is no evidence of a link between vaccines and autism.
The myth, based on a 1998 study that was later retracted due to ethical concerns and falsified data, has been regaining traction since Covid-19 sparked debates over vaccine safety.
Robert F Kennedy Jr, who was recently appointed as the US health and human services secretary, has also publicly suggested that autism may be linked to vaccination.
Lynne Peskoe-Yang, a 34-year-old Massachusetts-based journalist with autism, says the myth’s persistence illustrates something disturbing about how the world sees autistic people – that because they are different, they must be contaminated somehow.
“It fits really well into other kinds of beliefs about health that really boil down to morals more than science,” Peskoe-Yang said.
Autism spectrum disorder is defined by persistent social difficulties as well as repetitive behaviors and interests, sometimes shaped by heightened sensitivity to stimuli like noises, textures and touch, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
The “spectrum” refers to the variety of ways people fit this definition. Many autistic people make it to adulthood without a diagnosis – despite the challenges that come even with mild cases, they are able to live independently. Others require lifetime support.
While autism as a disability is defined by impairments, it is also associated with strengths, including dedication, focus and creativity in the workplace.
Even in more challenging cases, parents of autistic children find it repugnant that other parents are risking their own children’s serious illness or death, ostensibly to avoid the condition……..
A 37-year-old autistic sound engineer said he finds misinformation so disturbing he loses sleep over it, adding that anti-vaxxers are not “entitled” to “their own set of facts”.
He echoed Lopez’s sentiment that this cognitive dissonance can be especially distressing for autistic people: “It saps your energy away. You lose your appetite and your body temperature changes. It’s a drastically physical thing.”.
Knapp, too, said he’s lost days replaying social media conversations with anti-vaxxers over and over in his head.
While Lopez is troubled by misunderstandings over autism, he says he’s most concerned over declining vaccination rates.
“People need to vaccinate. This is life or death. People are dying. Babies are dying!”…….
www.theguardian.com
Matthew Shallenberger, father to an 11-year-old autistic son in Tennessee, says this myth is harmful because “it treats autism as some dreadful disease to avoid at all costs”.
Parents in the Texas community where an unvaccinated child died of measles last month, have continued to resist vaccines in the name of vague potential harms, including autism.
Shallenberger finds this bewildering: “I would much rather my son be alive, healthy and autistic than dead from a preventable childhood illness. It’s not even a decision, really. There is only one choice for me: vaccinate my kids.”
Parents including Shallenberger are in the odd position of defending their decision to vaccinate – even though there is no evidence of a link between vaccines and autism.
The myth, based on a 1998 study that was later retracted due to ethical concerns and falsified data, has been regaining traction since Covid-19 sparked debates over vaccine safety.
Robert F Kennedy Jr, who was recently appointed as the US health and human services secretary, has also publicly suggested that autism may be linked to vaccination.
Lynne Peskoe-Yang, a 34-year-old Massachusetts-based journalist with autism, says the myth’s persistence illustrates something disturbing about how the world sees autistic people – that because they are different, they must be contaminated somehow.
“It fits really well into other kinds of beliefs about health that really boil down to morals more than science,” Peskoe-Yang said.
Autism spectrum disorder is defined by persistent social difficulties as well as repetitive behaviors and interests, sometimes shaped by heightened sensitivity to stimuli like noises, textures and touch, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.
The “spectrum” refers to the variety of ways people fit this definition. Many autistic people make it to adulthood without a diagnosis – despite the challenges that come even with mild cases, they are able to live independently. Others require lifetime support.
While autism as a disability is defined by impairments, it is also associated with strengths, including dedication, focus and creativity in the workplace.
Even in more challenging cases, parents of autistic children find it repugnant that other parents are risking their own children’s serious illness or death, ostensibly to avoid the condition……..
A 37-year-old autistic sound engineer said he finds misinformation so disturbing he loses sleep over it, adding that anti-vaxxers are not “entitled” to “their own set of facts”.
He echoed Lopez’s sentiment that this cognitive dissonance can be especially distressing for autistic people: “It saps your energy away. You lose your appetite and your body temperature changes. It’s a drastically physical thing.”.
Knapp, too, said he’s lost days replaying social media conversations with anti-vaxxers over and over in his head.
While Lopez is troubled by misunderstandings over autism, he says he’s most concerned over declining vaccination rates.
“People need to vaccinate. This is life or death. People are dying. Babies are dying!”…….
Debunked myths that vaccines cause autism are increasing stigma
As parents resist vaccines over vague potential harms, advocates call it a case of ‘morals more than science’
Online
why not use those dollars into what actually causes autism instead of trying to find a link between vaccines and autism?
but i guess politics is more important than science for summer groups..
but i guess politics is more important than science for summer groups..
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