The Vaccination Debate

I just got off the phone with my friend Amy, who's a new mom. She called me at the perfect time, as I was sitting here trying to think of things to blog about! She filled me in on some of the new challenges she is facing as a parent, and believe me there are a lot!

One thing she mentioned is that she just tool her daughter Madelyn in for her first vaccinations. This topic has been in the news a lot lately, as many of you may know. The celebrity Jenny McCarthy has been on tour for her book "Mother Warriors", speaking about her belief that certain vaccinations (specifically MMR - which protects against measles, mumps, and rubella) can cause conditions such as autism in children (McCarthy herself has a son who was diagnosed with autism).

On the other side of the issues are mothers who say that the idea of skipping out on vaccinations is harmful to children, and that there hasn't been a direct correlation found between the vaccines and autism. It is true that autism has surged since this particular vaccine was established, but many doctors and scientists attribute this to pure coincidence.

This debate has sparked a lot of controversy, and new parents in particular are facing confusion about what is best for their children. The jury is still out now, and doctors continue to recommend the vaccine.

Please post your comments about this hot-button issue. I imagine that this is a big topic of conversation among parents - as both options may to carry a risk that they would not want for their kids.