Vermont has seen an outbreak of pertussis, commonly called whooping cough, and for a very obvious reason — it is one of the states with the highest rates of exemption for childhood vaccinations. Parents are typically either extremely supportive or very much against the requirement for vaccinations in order to enroll their children in school. While Alaska is the state with the highest exemption rate, at 9 percent, Vermont is not far behind with a rate of 6 percent. The "philosophical exemption" basically allows parents to choose whether or not their children are vaccinated. While the Senate sways in favor of eliminating philosophical exemption, the House is in favor of keeping it. If no agreement can be made, Vermont will remain one of 20 states that allow the refusal of childhood immunizations. Supporters of vaccinations say they don't want to wait until there is a measles outbreak — prevention is necessary now. Between January and the first week of April of 2012, Vermont saw 102 cases of pertussis. Washington state wins the highest number of cases; 640 cases were reported between January and March 2012, up from just 94 during the same months in the previous year. Individuals who support philosophical exemption say they don't want to deny their children public school education simply because they do not want to vaccinate them. These individuals also say we're not in a public health crisis. However, the increasing rate of...

Vermont sees whooping cough outbreak as it maintains high vaccine exemption rates, risking further preventable diseases.

Vermont Lets Parents Say No to Vaccines

 Vermont has seen an outbreak of pertussis, commonly called whooping cough, and for a very obvious reason — it is one of the states with the highest rates of exemption for childhood vaccinations.   Parents are typically either extremely supportive or very much against the requirement for vaccinations in order to enroll their children in school. While Alaska is the state with the highest exemption rate, at 9 percent, Vermont is not far behind with a rate of 6 percent. The "philosophical exemption" basically allows parents to choose whether or not their children are vaccinated.   While the Senate sways in favor of eliminating philosophical exemption, the House is in favor of keeping it. If no agreement can be made, Vermont will remain one of 20 states that allow the refusal of childhood immunizations.   Supporters of vaccinations say they don't want to wait until there is a measles outbreak — prevention is necessary now. Between January and the first week of April of 2012, Vermont saw 102 cases of pertussis. Washington state wins the highest number of cases; 640 cases were reported between January and March 2012, up from just 94 during the same months in the previous year.   Individuals who support philosophical exemption say they don't want to deny their children public school education simply because they do not want to vaccinate them. These individuals also say we're not in a public health crisis.    However, the increasing rate of...

Vermont sees whooping cough outbreak as it maintains high vaccine exemption rates, risking further preventable diseases.

Autoimmune reactions have long been a concern connected with Gardisil, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. It has become common for the vaccine to be recommended to adolescents and young adults to protect against sexually transmitted infections, which can also lead to cervical cancer in females. Now, according to a recent Kaiser Permanente observational safety study that followed 189,629 girls ages 9 – 26 after receiving the HPV vaccine, researchers did not find any increase in 16 pre-specified autoimmune conditions, compared to a matched group of unvaccinated females. The list of conditions included lupus, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, Hashimoto's disease, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, immune thrombocytopenia, Graves' disease, multiple sclerosis, Gillian-Barre syndrome, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, neuromyelitis optica, uveitis, optic neuritis, neuromyelitis optica and other demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system. The associations between Gardasil and autoimmune reactions were the result of case reports that had never before been confirmed by a large, controlled study. Previous safety data on the HPV vaccine had been collected from clinical trials, which usually include a highly selected population with very small sample sizes and too short a time for follow-up. Data had also been gathered from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, but it is difficult to determine from such reports, which lack a proper comparison group, whether the onset of the autoimmune condition may have preceded the vaccination. The Kaiser Permanente study's findings can now offer some assurance to patients and their families that "among a large and generalizable female...

Study finds HPV vaccine Gardasil doesn't increase the risk of autoimmune diseases in females aged 9-26.

HPV Vaccine Does Not Trigger Autoimmune Issue

Autoimmune reactions have long been a concern connected with Gardisil, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. It has become common for the vaccine to be recommended to adolescents and young adults to protect against sexually transmitted infections, which can also lead to cervical cancer in females. Now, according to a recent Kaiser Permanente observational safety study that followed 189,629 girls ages 9 – 26 after receiving the HPV vaccine, researchers did not find any increase in 16 pre-specified autoimmune conditions, compared to a matched group of unvaccinated females. The list of conditions included lupus, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, Hashimoto's disease, acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, immune thrombocytopenia, Graves' disease, multiple sclerosis, Gillian-Barre syndrome, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, neuromyelitis optica, uveitis, optic neuritis, neuromyelitis optica and other demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system.  The associations between Gardasil and autoimmune reactions were the result of case reports that had never before been confirmed by a large, controlled study. Previous safety data on the HPV vaccine had been collected from clinical trials, which usually include a highly selected population with very small sample sizes and too short a time for follow-up. Data had also been gathered from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System, but it is difficult to determine from such reports, which lack a proper comparison group, whether the onset of the autoimmune condition may have preceded the vaccination.  The Kaiser Permanente study's findings can now offer some assurance to patients and their families that "among a large and generalizable female...

It seems that with the rise of awareness of autism, the rate of diagnosis of the disorder is ever increasing. In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control reported that nearly 1 in 150 children have autism; in 2009, the numbers rose to 1 in 110. According to the Schafer Autism Report, the number of instances of autism in Indiana is on the rise. In 2009, reports from the Indiana Department of Education accounted a rate of 1 in 101 children are diagnosed with autism. In 2011, nearly 12 in 1,000 students in Indiana were diagnosed, and the rate increased in 2012 to 1 in 83. The actual rate could be higher, as this data does not include children who are not a part of special education programs — those with an IEP or other special education plan are included. Experts are uncertain as to why the number of cases of autism continues to increase every year. Awareness of the disorder is multiplying, and the ability of medical professionals to better define and understand autism is expanding. Experts do not know if the rise in cases is due to an actual increase in autism or just our ability to define and diagnosis it. The definition of autism continues to expand to encompass more individuals, and it covers an enormous range of abilities and needs. While the number of cases of autism in Indiana is particularly high, many states are seeing a similar trend. Hypotheses of vaccinations or diet choices causing autism...

Autism diagnoses are rising, possibly due to increased awareness and broader definitions, not just prevalence.

Cases of Autism on the Rise

It seems that with the rise of awareness of autism, the rate of diagnosis of the disorder is ever increasing. In 2007, the Centers for Disease Control reported that nearly 1 in 150 children have autism; in 2009, the numbers rose to 1 in 110. According to the Schafer Autism Report, the number of instances of autism in Indiana is on the rise. In 2009, reports from the Indiana Department of Education accounted a rate of 1 in 101 children are diagnosed with autism. In 2011, nearly 12 in 1,000 students in Indiana were diagnosed, and the rate increased in 2012 to 1 in 83. The actual rate could be higher, as this data does not include children who are not a part of special education programs — those with an IEP or other special education plan are included. Experts are uncertain as to why the number of cases of autism continues to increase every year. Awareness of the disorder is multiplying, and the ability of medical professionals to better define and understand autism is expanding. Experts do not know if the rise in cases is due to an actual increase in autism or just our ability to define and diagnosis it. The definition of autism continues to expand to encompass more individuals, and it covers an enormous range of abilities and needs. While the number of cases of autism in Indiana is particularly high, many states are seeing a similar trend. Hypotheses of vaccinations or diet choices causing autism...

Autism can seem like a mysterious disease that can affect any family. It causes one to question, "How do you get autism?" as well as make parents wonder if they did something wrong to cause their child to be autistic. However, just as there is not one type of autism, there is also not one specific cause of autism. There are a number of different factors that could be the cause for autism. Most of these causes fall under one of two categories: genes and environmental factors. Usually, autism is not caused by just one factor but by a combination of different factors. Some of these factors include the parents' age during conception, difficulties during pregnancy or delivering, illness or medication from the mother during pregnancy, or the baby not receiving enough oxygen to the brain while the womb. Vaccinations, Toxins, and Chemicals an Answer to "How Do You Get Autism?" There has been much argument over vaccines and their role in autism. Many doctors and professionals claim that there is no link between the vaccines, while others believe that a certain vaccine could have activated pre-existing autism genes. While there is no set answer for whether vaccinations are to blame for autism, all parents are encouraged to research and make this decision for themselves. An option for new parents is to delay vaccines or spread them out over a longer period of time. As far as environmental factors are concerned, many believe that the toxins and...

Autism has no single cause; it's linked to genetic and environmental factors. No concrete proof vaccines or toxins are causes.

How Do You Get Autism?

Autism can seem like a mysterious disease that can affect any family. It causes one to question, "How do you get autism?" as well as make parents wonder if they did something wrong to cause their child to be autistic. However, just as there is not one type of autism, there is also not one specific cause of autism.  There are a number of different factors that could be the cause for autism. Most of these causes fall under one of two categories: genes and environmental factors. Usually, autism is not caused by just one factor but by a combination of different factors. Some of these factors include the parents' age during conception, difficulties during pregnancy or delivering, illness or medication from the mother during pregnancy, or the baby not receiving enough oxygen to the brain while the womb.  Vaccinations, Toxins, and Chemicals an Answer to "How Do You Get Autism?"  There has been much argument over vaccines and their role in autism. Many doctors and professionals claim that there is no link between the vaccines, while others believe that a certain vaccine could have activated pre-existing autism genes. While there is no set answer for whether vaccinations are to blame for autism, all parents are encouraged to research and make this decision for themselves. An option for new parents is to delay vaccines or spread them out over a longer period of time. As far as environmental factors are concerned, many believe that the toxins and...

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Special Needs
Articles

Vermont Lets Parents Say No to Vaccines

HPV Vaccine Does Not Trigger Autoimmune Issue

Cases of Autism on the Rise

How Do You Get Autism?

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs Articles

Vermont Lets Parents Say No to Vaccines

HPV Vaccine Does Not Trigger Autoimmune Issue

Cases of Autism on the Rise

How Do You Get Autism?

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs
Articles