Possible relationship of autism to DPT vaccine

Autism & Vaccines: A New Look At An Old Story .2 - National Vaccine Information Center

Class, Vaccines and Autism

Rimland, like Kanner, noticed early in his research that autistic children often came from intelligent, well-educated parents who were successful professionals in their communities. Upper middle class families in America have always sought out and received quality medical care.  Children, whose parents are well educated are the most likely to take full advantage of the latest developments in medicine. This would have been especially true in Kanner’s day as two miracle drugs of the 20^th century - antibiotics and new vaccines - elevated trust in and reliance upon pharmaceuticals to a new plateau.

In the early 1940’s, state-of-the-art pediatric medical care would have included a smallpox vaccination plus a separate dose of diphtheria vaccine. In 1944, pertussis vaccine was recommended for all babies. By 1947, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommended routine use of the new combination DPT vaccine. By 1958, Kanner’s case files contained more than 100 cases of autism.

Vaccine Timelines

Vaccines as a Triggering Agent - Autism and Autoimmunity Excerpts of Articles