The controversy, as far as I can tell, is mostly relegated to the internet and not within credible sources. I've had all of my children vaccinated. One of the tenets of the non-vaccine camp is that of "herd immunity", which means that as long as everyone else vaccinates their kids, you don't need to. Make of that what you will.
Besides the fact that the diseases for which vaccines are needed are still around, if you ever plan to travel at all, or have your kids go to school, or be around people who have recently immigrated, you'll defintely need to have your kids vaccinated.
On the autism front, there is an alarming rise in the doagnosis of autism, and it does tend to be diagnosed around the same time as your child is vaccinated, but as far as I can tell, that's the only link. You can't really tell if your child is autistic until they are verbal and have started to miss a few milestones in development, and that happens to be the same time that vaccines are administered. There doesn't seem to be a causative realtionship between the two, it just happens at the same time.
I'm not familiar with the alternative vaccine plan, but I can't see any reason not to go that route if it both eases your mind and vaccinates your kid. I'm not sure why MMR is pointed out as the one that causes autism, but it's a pretty important vaccine and not one I would skip as an attempt at compromise.
In my opinion; based on what I've read, my understanding of the underpinnings of autism, and my experience; vaccinating your child is far more safe than leaving them unvaccinated.
Definitely vaccinate
The controversy, as far as I can tell, is mostly relegated to the internet and not within credible sources. I've had all of my children vaccinated. One of the tenets of the non-vaccine camp is that of "herd immunity", which means that as long as everyone else vaccinates their kids, you don't need to. Make of that what you will.
Besides the fact that the diseases for which vaccines are needed are still around, if you ever plan to travel at all, or have your kids go to school, or be around people who have recently immigrated, you'll defintely need to have your kids vaccinated.
On the autism front, there is an alarming rise in the doagnosis of autism, and it does tend to be diagnosed around the same time as your child is vaccinated, but as far as I can tell, that's the only link. You can't really tell if your child is autistic until they are verbal and have started to miss a few milestones in development, and that happens to be the same time that vaccines are administered. There doesn't seem to be a causative realtionship between the two, it just happens at the same time.
I'm not familiar with the alternative vaccine plan, but I can't see any reason not to go that route if it both eases your mind and vaccinates your kid. I'm not sure why MMR is pointed out as the one that causes autism, but it's a pretty important vaccine and not one I would skip as an attempt at compromise.
In my opinion; based on what I've read, my understanding of the underpinnings of autism, and my experience; vaccinating your child is far more safe than leaving them unvaccinated.