Vaccines, Cognitive Function, and Fathers
Posted on 27. Sep, 2007 by rebel in General
If you’re into the whole are-vaccines-liked-to-cognitive-problems, you’re probably already heard that researchers writing New England Journal of Medicine today offered their take: “Our study does not support a causal association between early exposure to mercury from thimerosal-containing vaccines and immune globulins and deficits in neuropsychological functioning at the age of 7 to 10 years.”
This is obviously not usually a forum to discuss epidemiology (though a subject near and dear to my heart), and I wanted to flag the study for one other reason, which was brought to my attention by a sharp-eyed erstwhile colleague of mine. In the methods section, the researchers noted that kids were not to have been given ADHD drugs before they were assessed. Except that’s not exactly how they put it:
Mothers were asked to refrain from giving children selected prescription medicines for attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) the day before testing. [emph. mine]
I am sure the medical literature is riddled with this sort of thing, and I miss examples all the time. Still: shouldn’t researchers — of all people — concede that some times, in some families, it’s dad who dispenses the meds?
Amy
28. Sep, 2007
Great catch! I would have probably read that sentence without even noticing, and I consider myself a gender-equality watchdog. It’s insidious….
Mom2_2
28. Sep, 2007
Love your blog! But in this case, since the next paragraph is about the maternal interview on pre- and post-natal health, I suspect what they did is interview the mothers one day and then have them bring in the child for testing at a later date. So at the maternal interview they said “now, no medication before the testing” to the mothers because the mothers were there. There are multiple references to parents in the report.
Perhaps I’m too generous, but I’m willing to give this one a pass.
Rebel Dad
28. Sep, 2007
Mom2_2: That is an excellent theory, and I have accordingly cranked my indignation down a notch or two.
colin
28. Sep, 2007
We already knew that thimerosal is not the cause of autism because it was completely taken out of vaccines four years ago… and yet the autism rates did not decline.
I know that wasn’t the point of the blog, but the whole blaming vaccines on autism thing is just irresponsible and wrong.
Take that Jenny McCarthy!
colin
28. Sep, 2007
It wasn’t about autism. It was about cognitive function. Jenny McCarthy still sucks.
Kelly M. Bray
30. Sep, 2007
Wow Colin, pretty smug and self righteous slam on Jenny McCarthy. What did she personally do to you? She is going through a terrible kind of hell. Have you ever had your child sieze? Have you watched the little boy you love with all your heart, watch him disappear before your eyes? Watch him turn mute, seemingly deaf, avoiding your eyes? I have, she has, have you? Try a little compassion, it works wonders….