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Autism is one of the most dreaded words in the modern parental vocabulary. It reigns atop the mountain of things like polio, typhoid and the bubonic plague as one of the most serious issues many parents fear. At its least, autism means social remediation and a lifetime spent primarily alone, and at its worst autism implies an institutional setting and a child who can never have a proper adult life. Some parents have even been told that vaccinations are among the causes of autism, which thankfully is not the case.
Years ago, there was a study done on vaccinations that declared a connection between the bubonic plague, sparking a huge amount of controversy. Over time, a lot of scientists duplicated the research behind the study in question, and found no connection between the administration of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and the onset of autistic symptoms. However, the damage had been done, and many parents believe to this day that one causes the other in many cases. The good news is, this supposed connection has been found to not exist at all.
