A few years ago I was watching a guest on the Today Show talking about a book she wrote about her son who was diagnosed with Autism after receiving his MMR vaccination. She reversed her child's autism by removing milk, milk products, and other allergens from his diet, as well as other therapies. This interview intrigued me. I forgot about this book until I passed by it in the bookstore and decided to buy it. I am glad I did!

The book Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder by Karyn Seroussi was her story describing her journey through diagnosis to treatment to recovery of autism with her son. I was pregnant while reading the book and since we do not have a child with autism my husband was wondering why I was reading this book! This book was a God-send. It not only helped my oldest son with his stomaches, it also saved my youngest from developing autism.

As mentioned above, I was pregnant while reading this book and from all the bloodwork they did, my obstetrician said that I was not immune to rubella and I needed to be re-vaccinated after the baby was born. Having stopped my children's vaccinations, I now had to make a decision about my own vaccinations. I, also, found it curious that my two previous pregnancies showed that I was immune to rubella. The only difference was that I did not have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with the first two pregnancies. Knowing that doctors are pro-vaccinations, I prayed and would try and find out more information as the birth of the baby drew closer and they would want to vaccinate.

We were at our families cottages and I was relaxing and reading this book. I couldn't believe what I read and I finally knew why I was suppose to read this book:

Is There a Relationship Between the MMR Vaccine and Autistic Syndromes?

by F. Edward Yazbak, M.D., FAAP

Dear Friends,

Two recent studies have shown that during this decade there has been an alarming increase in the incidence of autistic syndromes in the United States. Both studies have also suggested that this increase will accelerate in the coming years. Because the "outbreak" is so recent, we have postulated that:

Certain families seem to have a genetic predisposition to a fragile immune system. When a mother is repeatedly exposed to certain antigens or toxic environmental factors, she develops antibodies against them, which she transmits to her children. If the immature immune system of those children is attacked, early in life, by several simultaneous antigenic insults, violent complex immune reactions take place, which affect their whole body, and particularly their actively growing brain centers, leading to autism.

For the past few years, many parents of autistic children have reported a temporal relationship between the administration of the MMR vaccine to their children, and the onset of their symptoms.

To date [1999], spokesperson for the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), pro-vaccine groups, and vaccine manufacturers, have all adamantly denied any such link. The many studies which they quote in support of their argument, including one just published this week, have been, in return, rejected by the parents' groups, because of flaws in design, unsupported conclusions, short follow-ups, and the fact that some are funded by vaccine manufacturers.

It is therefore obvious that, because of this polarization, and the present, very peculiar set of circumstances, it has been impossible to prove or disprove that the MMR vaccine contributes, or has contributed, to the increase in autistic disorders.

Prospective studies cannot be done because of all the vaccine mandates. Retrospective-case controlled studies have to include huge numbers of patients, and require a lot of time, effort and resources. Health and vaccine authorities have no interest in undertaking such extensive studies, which may lead to a causal relationship between MMR and autism— a relationship they deny.

We are a team of independent investigators trained in pediatrics and infectious diseases. We are not looking for, and we will not accept, any financial gain from this study, nor from any other work we do, in the fight against autism. We would like to investigate one unique aspect of the MMR controversy, never examined to date.

Some mothers who have been immunized as youngsters against measles, mumps, and rubella, either with single vaccines or with the MMR, are found to have inadequate rubella (German measles) titers when they are tested before marriage, or during a pregnancy. I believe that the lack of protective antibodies is not due to a problem with the vaccine, but actually to a problem with the immune system of the woman herself, an abnormality that she could pass down to her children. In the past it was believed that this lack of protective antibodies was due to a problem with the vaccine itself. Therefore, an additional MMR booster is then administered, usually at an appropriate and recommended time. Even after that booster, however, some of these mothers still do not show immune titers of rubella antibodies, so another MMR is administered, and sometimes yet another. Similarly, many women starting college are required to receive an MMR booster, regardless of their immune status, and/or examination of their existing disease titers.

We think that it is possible that some of these mothers have produced sky-high titers of antibodies against measles, which they subsequently have transferred to their children. (Note that they could have already had adequate or high measles antibody titers, before the MMR booster or boosters.)

Distinguished investigators in the United States have demonstrated extremely high measles and/or rubella titers in mothers of autistic children (and in the affected children themselves). If we can identify a large number of mothers who have received such MMR boosters, we can then look and see if they were more likely to have autistic children. —Pages 178 - 180

I couldn't believe what I read! It was describing me and my situation! I had not retained a rubella titer and I have an immune system abnormality (chronic fatigue). I could be passing this on to the baby. I read on:

In June 1999, researchers led by Dr. Anne M. Comi of the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore reported that study subjects with a strong family history of immune disorder were twice as likely to have autism compared to subjects without such histories. The researchers compared rates of various autoimmune disorders in the families of sixty-one autistic patients and forty-six healthy controls. They reported that families with two or more members suffering from autoimmune disease faced double the risk for autism compared with families without such history. And the risk increased further when more family members were affected. "Those [subjects] with at least three family members with autoimmune disorders were 5.5 times more likely to have autism," according to the authors."

The investigators also point out that having a mother with some form of autoimmune disease raised individual risks for autism nearly ninefold. The autoimmune illnesses most often associated with raised risks for autism include type 1 (early-onset) diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, hypothyroidism, and lupus. —Page 181 - 182

What a God-send from the Lord! Not only did this answer my questions about receiving the rubella vaccine after the baby was born but the consequences of this vaccine on the baby!

I had a planned caesarean section and after the baby was born I had various nurses and doctors ask me about getting the MMR vaccine. At the very least, five times. And it wasn't formed in a question, it was formed as if it was going to happen and I kept insisting that I was not getting the vaccine.

I mentioned the above information to my Primary Care Physician and he decided to re-check my rubella immunity. My test came back that I was IMMUNE to rubella! I did not need to be re-vaccinated! I could not believe it. I email Dr Yazbak, who wrote the article above, about my situation and he sent me a link to a study he did called Adverse Outcomes Associated with Postpartum Rubella or MMR Vaccine.

I wrote to my OB/GYN asking that they re-check women's rubella immunity before re-vaccinating, but they refused. You can see this letter here.

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