The CDC is at it again, trying to prove that the thimerosal in vaccines does not cause neurological damage. It appears that the harder the try to prove this, the more it looks like mercury is to blame for a whole host of neurological/neuropsychological disorders.

This article, from David Kirby, clearly outlines the questionable parts of a recent CDC report published yesterday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

David Kirby, for those who don’t know, is the author of Evidence of Harm, the groundbreaking book about the possible link between the mercury in thimerosal and the increasing autism rates. David, the consummate journalist, explains in the column in the Huffington Post that the conclusions drawn from the results of this latest CDC study into thimerosal all depend on whose doing the interpreting.

The CDC clearly concludes that there is no causal relationship between neonatal exposure to vaccines and neuropsychological deficits. Their studies did, however show a few “significant associations” with exposure to mercury through thimerosal. As a parent, not a researcher or statistician, I have to believe than any “significant association” to neuropsychological deficits is enough for cause of alarm. If vaccines care causing disorders, don’t we need to fix the vaccines?

This study looked outside the diagnoses of ADHD and autism, and specifically at things like language development, fine and gross motor skills, and tics.

The tics discussion definitely caught my attention. If there’s a link between giving children vaccines (the link was specific for boys) and increasing their chances of tics, then it’s worth further research and exploration.

I frankly don’t know what to think about this issue. I totally understand the need for vaccinations against childhood diseases. I’m ambivalent about the flu vaccine. And I’m squarely opposed to the government pushing the cervical cancer vaccination. Yes, I know cervical cancer is a horrid disease and awful way to die. But making the vaccine available is much different than making it mandatory or even hinting at the necessity of it (through mass distributing literature through middle schools, suggesting colleges make the vaccine mandatory, and marketing to young girls).

Are the “Vaccines cause Autism” proponents all stark-raving mad? Somehow, I don’t think so. While mercury may not be the only toxin to cause (or increase the likelihood of) autism, it’s scary to think that trying to protect our child from one evil (fatal diseases) causes them to develop a life-long disabling neurological condition. It’s mind-boggling for sure.

And as the parent of a child with the neurological conditions at question, I second guess our decisions to re-vaccinate LuLu (like all good internationally adoptive parents are encouraged to do). We thought we were being responsible by running titers and only re-vaccinating on that to which she didn’t show immunity. But the subject of mercury toxicity and other heavy metals causing these problems is complex (a degree in biochemistry would come in very handy right now).

Our vaccination decisions at this point are much different…single vaccines, no preservatives if possible, administered separately and watched carefully. This goes for Kay as well. And no, she won’t be doing the cervical cancer one, until she’s old enough to decide that for herself, since she’s not likely to spread cervical cancer around her school.

So like many parents, I’m watching and wondering what will become of all this controversy around the CDC. How can they continue to stand by using thimerosal in any vaccine at this point? Can’t they find an alternative?

Kirby’s question of this latest study raises a very important point:

The findings...suggest a possible adverse association between neonatal exposure to mercury and language development."
AND
"Our study does not support a causal association between early exposure to mercury...and deficits in neuropsychological functioning."

What’s the answer?

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