| (V.K. Singh, a respected Indian doctor and professor | | | | author's opinion, that "a measles virus-induced |
| of organic chemistry, has been studying autoimmune | | | | autoimmune response was a causal factor in |
| disorders and autism and vaccines for the better part | | | | autism...[which] may also explain why some children |
| of 20 years. Byron Richards is a founding member of | | | | show autistic regression after the |
| the International and American Associations of Clinical | | | | measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) immunization." (For |
| Nutritionists and the director of Wellness Resources, | | | | those of you that are not aware, a huge |
| Inc. This article leans heavily on both of their bodies | | | | MMR-vaccine scandal erupted in Europe about a |
| of work.) | | | | decade ago, which is likely the source of Dr. Singh's |
| Many people have been crying out that the | | | | focus on this particular vaccine.) |
| autism-vaccines connection is patently false ever | | | | Quoting another doctor's work, Singh points out: "In |
| since the Democratic candidates brought up the issue | | | | several cases, electron microscopy has revealed live |
| in this American election cycle. The reasoning is | | | | measles virus in the intestinal lining of children with the |
| simple: the best theory most people can find on the | | | | gastrointestinal abnormalities common in children with |
| connection is the presence of Thimerosal, a | | | | autism." Translation: a significant number of kids have |
| mercury-based preservative, in many vaccine | | | | live measles in their guts - and a statistically-significant |
| formulations. Everyone knows that mercury is toxic, | | | | number of those kids have autism. If Singh's |
| and it makes sense that there was a causal link. But | | | | measles-induced-autism theory is correct, it means |
| with a little more research, everyone learns that the | | | | that lots more children were almost autistic, but |
| FDA and CDC required the vaccine producers to | | | | avoided that fate through some unrecognized |
| remove thimerosal from most vaccines (but not the | | | | mechanism. |
| flu shot!) back in 2002, and autism rates continue to | | | | Inflammation of the brain |
| rise. | | | | Richards, in an article on naturalnews.com, said "It is |
| There is another, much more subtle connection | | | | clear that those with autism have an excessively |
| between autism and vaccines, however. According to | | | | inflamed brain...The multiple inflammatory insults from |
| Byron Richards: "The rate of autism is directly | | | | the adjuvant in vaccines, at a rate of 1 in 150 cases, |
| time-associated with the increased vaccines given to | | | | sets the brain 'on fire' and causes autism. As an aside, |
| our infants." This should lead us to the conclusion | | | | and to a lesser extent (but just as important to |
| that, if there is a connection, it is between autism | | | | society), a minor 'brush fire' causes ADHD and |
| and the amount -- not the presence -- of vaccines | | | | impaired intelligence." |
| given to infants. The number of shots given to | | | | The brain has a lot of what are called 'glial' cells, which |
| infants under 15 months of age has tripled in the last | | | | are cells that provide nutrition and create myelin, |
| 15 years, from 7 to 21. | | | | which form the outer layer of our neurons and keep |
| The point? | | | | them from short-circuiting. These glial cells serve a |
| So, what about getting more shots could cause this | | | | secondary anti-inflammatory function for the brain. A |
| increase in autism? Independently, Richards and Dr. | | | | weak glial anti-inflammatory barrier could be the |
| V.K. Singh have come up with strikingly similar | | | | reason why 1 in 150 people fall victim to autism |
| hypotheses. | | | | induced by vaccine adjuvants. |
| According to Singh, autism shows many striking | | | | I don't want my kid to go unvaccinated. What can I |
| similarities to an autoimmune disease. The same kinds | | | | do? |
| of tests that register autoimmune diseases also | | | | Fully-developed children (2+ years of age) have |
| register autism; autism occurs four times more often | | | | significantly more time to develop a glial barrier than |
| in boys than girls (similar to the pathology of several | | | | infants, whose nervous system is still developing. |
| common autoimmune disorders - girls may be | | | | Also, the glial barrier regenerates with time, so |
| genetically more resistant to this phenomenon | | | | vaccinating infants more slowly is safer (though not |
| because of the autoimmune dangers of bearing a | | | | perfectly safe, of course). |
| child); autistic patients respond well to treatments for | | | | Keep in mind that, according to Singh, "A |
| autoimmune diseases. | | | | small...proportion of children develop autism as a result |
| Singh said: "The linkage of vaccines to neurological | | | | of pre-or post-natal infections - for example, with |
| disorders comes through the promotion of an | | | | rubella, cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex, HIV, and so |
| auto-immune process, triggered by the virus present | | | | on." There is no absolute guarantee that, by avoiding |
| in the vaccine together with the adjuvant used to | | | | vaccinations altogether, your child will also avoid |
| sensitize the body to this virus." Simplified, this means | | | | autism - but when you examine the autism rate |
| that the adjuvants put into almost all vaccines trigger | | | | today (1 in 150) with the autism rate 20 years ago (1 |
| autoimmune reactions that can cause neurological | | | | in 500), you can cut the chance of your child getting |
| disorders. | | | | autism by more than two-thirds. |
| An adjuvant is a substance added to a vaccine to | | | | Having done the math myself, as a first-time father, I |
| enhance the body's immunological response to the | | | | can tell you that my child isn't getting vaccinated |
| vaccine's primary ingredient. According to Richards, | | | | against anything until he is a year old, and after that, |
| this "initiates an inflammatory reaction (the first step | | | | I am going to insist that at least a month pass |
| in any immune response). The idea is to get the | | | | between injections. (As a side benefit, there is a |
| immune system revved up so that it can see the | | | | chance, however slim, that this will blow up in the |
| weakened disease and learn what it looks like so that | | | | pharmaceutical companies' faces in the meantime, and |
| if it ever sees it again it will be more prepared to | | | | they will be forced to reformulate the vaccines with |
| fight it." So, adjuvants cause inflammation (which | | | | less dangerous ingredients before I have to vaccinate |
| helps your body find and build immunity to the virus | | | | my child.) That will still give plenty of time to get the |
| in the vaccine) - and also trigger autoimmune | | | | necessary immunizations in time for him to go to |
| neurological disorders. | | | | school, and keep this whole autism and vaccines |
| A side note | | | | concern to a minimum. |
| Singh also hypothesizes, rather narrowly in this | | | | |