Ever since this theory was first proposed by one scientist, the scientific community has been trying to prove whether the theory is right or wrong, all in the interest of child health. The conclusions of the IOM report and those of the soon to be released report in Pediatrics should lessen the worries of parents who have wondered whether or not to have their child immunized. The American Academy of Pediatrics continues to recommend that parents fully vaccinate their children in order to prevent dangerous diseases like measles. Although there has been a suggestion by a few people about separating the combination MMR vaccine into three separate shots, there is no medical reason to do so. As pediatricians we support aggressive research into the causes, treatment and prevention of autism.
Autism is a very serious but poorly understood condition.
Many important questions about its causes and management need to be addressed. The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 55,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists, and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.