I am looking for pediatricians that have mercury free immunizations and flu shots. I have an 8 month old son and am very concerned about the link to autism.
Thanks everyone for your advice and infomation!
It has really helped! I hope I can return the favor.
F.
hi im not aware of mercury free immunizations,and was curious if you could tell me more about this. so does mercury really lead to autism? pls be appreciated if you could tell me more. ty T.. my email is ____@____.com.
All immunizations today are mercury-free. Only immunizations made a while back (198?) can have mercury, and they are all expired now. Check with your pediatrician. In a busy pediatric practice, your doctor should use immunizations with NO PRESERVATIVES. You should check with your pedia on that, too. Only family practices, etc. should typically have immunizations with preservatives, as they don't give them as often as a pedia office.
Regards,
K.
F.,
Check out this web site:
http://www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/thimerosal.htm
It gives some good facts about mercury/thimerisol in injections. For basic immunizations there is no longer any mercury in childhood (>6 y/o) vaccines.
The flu shot does contain trace amounts but is not a required vaccine.
I have never heard of a link between flu immunizations and autism-
FWIW since there has been documneted flu in the DFW area it is too late for the flu shot to do any good now anyway.
D.
All shots were made Mercury free in 2001 or 2002 (I can't remember exactly) though some dr.s do still have the old one's on their shelf, but most drs got rid of them or have used them up by now.
Dr. William T Lin in Richardson has the preservative free flu shot (I have LOTS of friends with kids with autism and so I am very protective of my own too in this regard). I would also advise a delayed vaccination schedule so you're not overloading your kid with so many shots at once. My kids just get one at a time and we try to avoid combo shots and ask for them to be separated. Also, I hear that Dr. Russell McDonald at Med Center Plano will divide the MMR into three shots so you get one every 4-6 months. Several moms of kids with autism I know see him. And there's a Dr. Bain in Allen who I hear is also open minded about vaccinations and schedules.
Good Luck!
F.,
I don't know where you are located, but my son's pediatrician uses only mercury-free immunizations. His name is Dr. Jim Ulanoski, and he is located in Coppell. To be honest, I was under the impression that all childrens' immunizations were mercury free now (at least in the USA). Flu shots may contain mercury, but only the cheap ones that you can get at at a grocery store or pharmacy. That's why those places will not give flu shots to young children (at least I think they won't)or pregnant women. Anyway, I may be wrong about all that, but I am positive my son's pediatrcian give only mercury-free shots because I asked about it.
I'm a Behavioral Specialist who works with children with Autism. Though most doctors will tell you that mercury in shots is not linked to Autism, I tend to believe that it probably is, and I'm not willing to take chances, either. As far as vaccines go, here are a couple of helpful facts-
- Thermersorol (mercury preservative) has been taken out of all vaccines other than the flu shot, so you needn't worry about other shots.
- Thermersorol is in all flu shots except for the Flu Mist. Kids have to be a certain age before they can get the Flu Mist, and by that time, their risks of developing Autism are usually completely gone.
So, if you're worried, your best bet is to skip the flu shot. In addition, you might ask about breaking up the MMR into 3 seperate vaccines, since there are many people who believe that introducing 3 into the child's body at one time is a risk as well. I would not recommend skipping any required vaccinations- there are so many cases now of previously extinct viruses/ diseases popping up in clusters within communities as a result of the trend for parents to do so. The strong thought is that children are born with or without a genetic propensity to Autism, and if they aren't, nothing can "make them Autistic". However, if they are, some things in our encironment that are easily handled or tolerated by you and I can serve as a catalyst to their developing Autism. Hope that helps!
F.,
Most shots are now mercury-free. You can call your pediatrician and ask to verify. Otherwise, I know that Dr. Kanadia in Lewisville has mercury-free shots.
Good luck!
K
