Vaccines are Safe!

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/08/25/139947193/report-vaccines-are-safe-hazards-few-and-far-between?sc=fb&cc=fp

So vaccines are safe- contrary to popular "autism frenzy" belief. I'm sure most of you know about this debate by now, so I won't go into detail.

But coming from Minneapolis, which has the largest Somali immigrant population in the U.S., we are seeing rates rising very quickly of autism diagnoses in children of immigrants. Why? They're not sure- it could be the water (all laden with mercury and other fun chemicals) in refugee camps or it could be something in the diet (specifically the peanut butter like, protein rich stuff they give out). Poor kids- they're parents come to the US from chaos for a better life and then they're hit with this disorder that the parents don't understand or how to deal with. Whenever I see more national news on autism, I never hear about the cultural issues that face this disorder- how are different cultures addressing this new disorder? From my very limited experience many of the Somali parents are quite distraught and don't know what to do when their children are diagnosed on the spectrum. Many times they give in to the children and their behavior. I guess it's not much different across cultures, in that sense.

I knew I had to get out of the school I worked at previously when we were doing a staff training on autism and our director of Special Ed (that's right, the director) went on and on about this whole vaccine nonsense. She totally bought into it. Now, I know there is something to be said about slowing down the process and not inundating kids with so many vaccines all at once- but to think they cause autism? I mean, come on...