Study Finds No Autism, MMR Link

Parents who avoid getting their children standard measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccinations out of fear of a possible link with autism can breathe a little easier.

A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concludes there is no link between the shot and an increased risk for autism.

Researchers looked into data related to nearly 96,000 children from across the United States who were privately insured. A total of 2 percent of the sample of children had older siblings who had been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which automatically placed them at higher risk for ASD.

Researchers found no association between the shot and autism, even among children in the higher-risk group. This was regardless of whether or not children only had the first MMR delivered before the age of 2 or also received the booster MMR around the age of 5.

See Also:

• Measles Confirmed in Florida
• CDC: Adults Need Immunizations, Too

The study’s findings come on the heels of measles outbreaks across the country. Last week, an unimmunized 6-year-old in St. Lucie County was confirmed to have the disease, which is a highly contagious respiratory virus.

The study’s authors point out that parents sometimes shy away from vaccinations due to fears about a perceived link between the MMR vaccine and ASD.

“Families with a child affected by ASD may be particularly concerned about reports linking MMR and ASD, despite the lack of evidence,” the report states. “Surveys of parents who have children with ASD suggest that many believe the MMR vaccine was a contributing cause.”

As new cases of measles continue to be reported across the country, health department officials caution that children’s – and adults’ – immunizations should be up to date.

Measles is transmittable through the air and has symptoms that generally appear within seven to 14 days from exposure. Those symptoms may include:

• A blotchy rash
• Fever
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Watery eyes
• Fatigue

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that three out of 10 people who get the measles develop complications that may include pneumonia, ear infections and diarrhea.

Once declared eradicated, measles has been on the rebound in recent years, the CDC states.

“The United States experienced a record number of measles cases during 2014, with 644 cases from 27 states reported to CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD),” the agency’s website states. “This is the greatest number of cases since measles elimination was documented in the U.S. in 2000.”

The majority of people who contract measles are unvaccinated, according to the CDC.

For more information about measles, visit the Florida Department of Health’s website.

Image via Shutterstock

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