Sep 12, 2008 5:47 pm US/Eastern
Health Alert: Child Autism And Vaccines
PHILADELPHIA (CBS 3) ―
Autism rates are
skyrocketing, and it's unclear why.
There is a lot of controversy and confusion about autism, a neurological
disorder that interferes with a child's ability to communicate.
Now a new book from a respected Philadelphia doctor says
the science is clear.
Childhood vaccines
prevent potentially deadly diseases.
Some shots used to contain the preservative thimerosal, which some claim
caused a spike in autism.
"I think all of us
who know vaccines well, know that vaccines are safe and know that they're
effective.
And probably the best way
that we show that is we vaccinate our own children," said Dr. Paul Offit,
with The Children's Hospital
of Philadelphia who has researched
vaccines for decades.
His new book is
called "Autism's False Prophets."
Dr. Offit says the science on vaccines is clear.
"Looking again at
hundreds of thousands of children that received thimerosal containing vaccines.
Compared them to hundreds of thousands of children who received the same
vaccine that were free of thimerosal to see whether the risk of autism was
greater and it wasn't.
The book also blasts
alternative therapies, using things like special diets, which have not been
proven to work
"Historically in
medicine when you have disorders or diseases that don't have clear causes or
clear cures quackery and charlatanism abounds," said Dr. Offit.
Research shows
traditional behavioral therapy can be helpful for autistic kids.
Dr. Offit is donating all the money he makes
from the book to autism research.
CBS-3 is having an
Autism Phone Bank on Tuesday, September 16th.
A panel of experts will be here to answer your questions about the
disorder from 4:00pm to 6:30pm.
Then the
Philadelphia Walk Now For Autism event is next Saturday, September 20th.
RELATED LINK:
"Autism's False Prophets"
Information- http://www.cup.columbia.edu/
Autism Speaks: Walk Now For Autism Information- http://www.walknowforautism.org/site/c.rmL1KbN1LzH/b.3628309/
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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