Why is it that whenever parents of children with autism report a huge change in their child the morning after they were vaccinated, the medical community goes into tantrum mode? Parent Cindy Pokezwinski believes in vaccination for children ("MMR vaccine caused my son's autism," May 23). She was simply suggesting that perhaps the MMR vaccine might be given a bit later in the child's development.
Parents who live with children with autism are truly on the front lines. To call them "uneducated" demonstrates a complete lack of respect for what parents are trying to tell the medical community ("'My View' irresponsible," May 25). Of course we need vaccines and many more studies. But for Travis Stafford to jump down the throat of a parent or a newspaper that suggests the timing of vaccines needs to be studied is, to me, completely irresponsible.
Perhaps Stafford is not aware that we here in Utah have the highest rate of autism in the country, and we are all trying to find out why. I believe parents who report these changes in their children deserve as much respect as the researchers and physicians. Thank you, Deseret News, for publishing a parent's opinion.
Terrell Dougan
Salt Lake City