Some Mid-Missouri parents objecting to vaccines
Children who receive the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine aren’t at an increased risk for autism, according to a new study.
“They did not find any evidence in this study involving over 650 thousand children that the vaccine caused autism,” said local pediatrician Dr. Brian Conley.
The study looked at children born in Denmark from 1999 to 2010. Researchers linked information on MMR vaccination with autism diagnoses, other childhood vaccines, sibling history of autism and other risk factors.
Conley said the study supports similar research on the MMR vaccine. He said parents should understand vaccinations protect their own child and all other people around them.
“Measles was eliminated in the United States in the year 2000 and now we have an outbreak out west,” he said.
Missouri statutes allows a parent or guardian to exempt their child from immunizations while enrolled in day care through the parental exemption. The religious and medical exemption includes children through high school.
“Parents or guardians may claim a parental exemption by signing a form that they object to vaccines,” said Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services Spokesperson Lisa Cox.
Currently 1.54% of children enrolled in child care are exempt from the MMR vaccine in the counties of Audrain, Benton, Boone, Callaway, Camden, Chariton, Cole, Cooper, Gasconade, Howard, Johnson, Macon, Maries, Miller, Moniteau, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Osage, Pettis, Phelps, Pulaski, Randolph, and Saline, according to the state health department.
Day cares, preschools and nursery schools with more than 10 enrolled children in Missouri must keep record of the immunization status of each child.
“Those of us that have spent our whole lives studying vaccinations and studying childhood diseases are vaccinating our own children,” Conley said. “I would never give my own child a vaccine that I wouldn’t give to a patient.”
