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No Link Between Autism and MMR

On 22 Sep 2009, In Autism, Dhuha, by , 2 Comments

As Salaam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

To be honest it is difficult to tell whether Dhuha had autism at birth or if she developed autism sometime within her first year of life. I lean towards her being autistic at birth but my own ignorance of the disorder didn’t allow me to see a problem until she was two years old. Looking back I can recognise clear autistic traits as far back as her ninth month and somewhat foggy memories of autistic traits when she was an infant.

One thing that troubled us was the MMR vaccine. Parents of autistic children have since the late 1990′s blamed it for their child’s condition. Zahira tells me that Dhuha actually received the MMR vaccine twice because for some reason the doctor’s office failed to record it the first time. Then just today we received a letter in the mail stating that it was time for Dhuha to get the MMR vaccine again, a third time! It is truly upsetting. When I read the letter I feel sick. My daughter doesn’t deserve that.

The BBC has reported that the British National Health Service has carried out some research that suggests that there is no link between the MMR vaccine and autism because the percentage of adults with ASD is similar to Children with ASD despite the MMR vaccine only being used since the 1990′s. (Autism rates back MMR jab safety)

Even with the reports and even with my suspicion that Dhuha was autistic at birth, I still am struggling with what to do with Abdurrahman but I won’t likely be sending him for many vaccinations, no matter the guilt trips the doctors and nurses try to put on us.

To Allah we belong and to Him is our return.

Thank Allah for such a Beautiful Girl

On 18 Mar 2009, In Autism, Dhuha, by , 1 Comment

As Salaam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

Yesterday Dhuha’s special needs teacher came and she sat and played with her for over an hour. As I sat there watching her, how she played and copied her teacher, I couldn’t help but think no matter what happens I am so thankful that Allah the Most High has given me Dhuha just as she is.

Having a special needs child is challenging and frustrating and worrying but the benefits and rewards surpass all of that. I do want her to improve and get better and it seems as if she is but I don’t know how much of that is in my own head or how much of it is real progress.

In a few weeks, we have to take her to the hospital to have a hearing test done. During this test they have to put her to sleep and they will be looking at her brain stem for reactions to the test. She cannot do a normal hearing test because she doesn’t respond as normal children do. Although, I am 100% sure she can hear normally, her paediatrician ‘needs’ the test done so that she can diagnose her as autistic. Please make du’aa for her.

Getting the diagnoses has been a real mission impossible, which consisted of a number of trips across town, hours of waiting and ten minute meetings. Long waits at the paediatrician’s office with long meetings asking familiar questions about her development. Making phone calls that are not returned and people sending us in the wrong direction. Alhamdulillah, we now have an appointment for diagnoses, which is for the 27th of April. We need the diagnoses to get more specialised help, especially access to nurseries that deal with autistic children.

Oh Allah, All thanks and praise belongs to You alone.

Meningitis C and Autism

On 03 Mar 2009, In Abdullah, Autism, Dhuha, by , No comments

As Salaam Alaykum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuhu,

I grew up in a family with a long tradition in chiropractics, which meant we all had a strong negative view of drugs and the practices of medical doctors. My uncle (my father’s father’s brother) Dr. LSD, who shot himself in a park a few years ago would often rant about the evils of antibiotics at family functions. My father did his best to prevent us from getting vaccinated and the only ones I got was when my mother took me or when school forced my father. I remember a few time missing a couple of days of school because he waited until the last minute.

I took this anti-drug attitude a bit further and I went years without taking any sort of medication. I would suffer through sickness or pain. My attitude towards taking pills and things carried on until, I suffered from severe toothache a year ago; I never went to dentists either. I was too poor to get it pulled and so I had to suffer that’s when I discovered the joy of Acetaminophen.

I am aware of the Islamic tradition of treating illness and that is why I have taken a different approach with my daughters. When they are sick, they take medicine and see a doctor and when it’s time for their vaccinations they get them. Sabah even got three in one day. However, recently I have been giving a lot of thought to Dhuha’s condition and I have heard that some research suggested that the MMR vaccination might have something to do with autism. Although, it should be said that the WHO has dismissed it and many other professionals have as well. In any case, since Meningitis C is an optional vaccination, I wanted to see if I could find anything that might connect them. I couldn’t find anything, which is good. In fact, it seems like a safe and beneficial immunisation. So, I don’t think I will object to her getting the vaccination.

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