Click HERE to read the study Delayed Acquisition of Neonatal Reflexes in Newborn Primates Receiving a Thimerosal-containing Hepatitis B Vaccine: Influence of Gestational Age and Birth Weight in .PDF form in the journal, NeuroToxicology.
Read an analysis of the study by Mark Blaxill in his Age of Autism post, Blockbuster primate study shows significant harm from one birth dose of a mercury-containing vaccine.
Abstract
This study examined whether acquisition of neonatal reflexes and sensorimotor skills in newborn rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) is influenced by receipt of the single neonatal dose of Hepatitis B (HB) vaccine containing the preservative thimerosal (Th). HB vaccine containing a standardized weight-adjusted Th dose was administered to male macaques within 24 hours of birth (n = 13). Unexposed animals received saline placebo (n = 4) or no injection (n = 3). Infants were raised identically and tested daily for acquisition of 9 survival, motor, and sensorimotor reflexes by a blinded observer. In exposed animals there was a significant delay in the acquisition of three survival reflexes: root, snout and suck, compared with unexposed animals. No neonatal responses were significantly delayed in unexposed animals compared with exposed.
Gestational age (GA) and birth weight were not significantly correlated. Cox regression models were used to evaluate the main effects and interactions of exposure with birth weight and GA as independent predictors and time-invariant covariates. Significant main effects remained for exposure on root and suck when controlling for GA and birth weight such that exposed animals were relatively delayed in time-to-criterion. There was a significant effect of GA on visual follow far when controlling for exposure such that increasing GA was associated with shorter time-to-criterion. Interaction models indicated that while there were no main effects of GA or birth weight on root, suck or snout reflexes there were various interactions between exposure, GA, and birth weight such that inclusion of the relevant interaction terms significantly improved model fit. This, in turn, indicated important influences of birth weight and/or GA on the effect of exposure which, in general, operated in a way that lower birth weight and/or lower GA exacerbated the detrimental effect of vaccine exposure. This primate model provides a possible means of assessing adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes from neonatal Th-containing HB vaccine exposure, particularly in infants of lower GA or low birth weight. The mechanism of these effects and the requirements for Th is not known and requires further study.
You know when my daughter was born, I swear she was not nursing when I tried to get her to latch. It took 3 weeks of much frustration to try and figure out how to get nursing right. My daughter had colic and was screaming constantly in the hospital. Her face was red and swollen. It had to be the shots :-( She screamed for 6 months!!!!!! Then still was fussy after that!! It was not a joy being a new mom at all. :-(
Today she is 10 and still has intestinal troubles!! Uhgggg!
Posted by: Jodi | August 14, 2013 at 11:16 PM
When my husband and I took the Bradley natural childbirth class, one of the videos we watched was a compare-and-contrast video of babies from unmedicated births vs. babies from medicated births trying to crawl up the mommies' tummies and latch on to nurse on their own. The unmedicated babies just wriggled up, latched on, and started nursing with no problem. The medicated babies ... well, they looked drunk, and they couldn't do it.
At the time, we attributed it to the fentanyl or other pain drugs given during the birth, but those "medicated" babies could very well have been given the birth dose of the hepatitis B vaccine. (This is not to say that medication during childbirth doesn't cause problems--just that I'm dying to know whether the babies in that video were vaccinated before they tried to nurse.)
Posted by: Theresa | October 13, 2009 at 10:33 AM
My son too had latching on issues but not in the first feeding. I too was bloody and raw from his poor latching on. I have suspected the first vaccine (which by the way I refused in the hospital, but which my family doctor assured me at the first well baby visit was actually given in the hospital). Now I have more evidence that this was a problem.
Posted by: Maria Durci | October 13, 2009 at 08:31 AM
it needs to be repeated with non-Tm HepB because in my opinion aluminum can do this too. Did AW study separate Tm from Al effect?
Geary in 1980 reported loss of suck reflex in a 7 month old with aluminum toxicity.
: J Pediatr. 1980 Jul;97(1):41-4
Encephalopathy in children with chronic renal failure.
Geary DF, Fennell RS, Andriola M, Gudat J, Rodgers BM, Richard GA.
dayoub, md
Posted by: d ayoub | October 08, 2009 at 12:17 PM
Engerix B did or didn't have thimerosal in it in 2006? I find conflicting information. Anyone know? When was it completely mercury free? FDA site says "approval date for thimerosal-free formulation 1/30/2007" whatever that means.
http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/SafetyAvailability/VaccineSafety/UCM096228#t1
Posted by: bensmyson | October 08, 2009 at 11:30 AM
I have always thought that the birth dose of hep B set my son up for the fall. He was born full term, 9lbs. 8 oz and had a 9/9 apgar. He was healthy and happy at birth and breastfed immediately.
The next day, the "colic" started! He has recovered through intensive natural liver treatment, biomedical and diet. His liver is always the weak organ and probably will be for the rest of his life.
I also had a natural birth with no drugs and had no idea that they gave him Hep B until the ped neurologist ordered his birth records.
Posted by: l. | October 08, 2009 at 11:00 AM
My Gianna was an angel in the hospital. She latched on perfectly and was content and peaceful. When I got her home, she was a screaming, keening infant who bit me bloody every time she nursed. For months she coughed up blood - MY blood as she broke the scabs and nursed. I dreaded nursing her, the pain was so severe. I called LaLeche, I begged the ped for answers. I continued to nurse her. I have the consent form I SIGNED for her Hep B, having no idea it contained mercury (1996) or that it was for a disease I did not carry and that my infant would not be exposed to in our home. It's simply what I was supposed to do for my child, yes? I had natural childbirth so I wouldn't put drugs into her tiny body and then allowed mercury into her. My God.
Posted by: Stagmom | October 08, 2009 at 10:12 AM
My daughter was given to me immediately after birth to breatfeed. She latched on immediately, I was praising the Lord, as my son born 2 yrs earlier could not latch on (but he was not given to me immediately, only after his Hep B shot..) Then, she was taken away for her shot, and when she was given back to me SUDDENLY could no longer latch on. It was then that I realized something had happened to her while the doctors were doing their "routine exam" on her. My son wound up in the NICU after his Hep B shot and the doctors and nurses blamed it on dehydration.
I'm glad to know that this study was done. It confirms what I have suspected for quite a while now.
Thank you for posting this story!
Posted by: Kathy M | October 08, 2009 at 10:04 AM
That is a fairly strong indictment of the dangers of Thimerosal. It might be worth explaining that the sucking reflex is indicative of future language problems. At least that is what I was told years ago when it became obvious that my son Erik was not going to talk, and a physical therapist was helping him shut his mouth to keep from drooling. He eventually learned to suck with a straw. My son was never diagnosed with autism, just psycho-motor retardation. I wished they had come out with it then. I am positive, at this point, that he was mercury poisoned. At this point, I wonder if it is possible to retroactively prove mercury poisoning by a lack of rooting reflex. My son also had pink disease. But nobody ever saw mercury poisoning/autism. No doctor ever ventured any diagnosis despite classical signs.
Posted by: Birgit Calhoun | October 07, 2009 at 04:15 PM
I immediately knew something was different in the hospital. I remember saying to the nurse, "I don't know if my breasts are making any more milk. My son is not satisfied and he's crying all the time." She helped me massage my breast/nipple until I saw colostrum and she said see your still making milk, don't worry. I brought my son home and he was failure to thrive. I took him to the ped and he suggested I stop breastfeeding and put him on formula. I always knew mothers milk was best so I woke him up every 2 hours to breastfeed and within 2 weeks he started to pick up weight. While he wouldn't nurse, I banished our birds to the basement and blamed them for making too much noise and upseting me and my son. He also wouldn't sleep away from my body. He had to be on my chest.
Posted by: Holly M. | October 07, 2009 at 03:56 PM
Thank you so much for posting the study. And thank you, Kim, for all you do every day to educate us and the rest of the world. You must be so tired. ;-D
Posted by: Garbo | October 07, 2009 at 11:58 AM
I just returned from minor dental surgery for my 13 year old. "Allergies?" asked the nurse. "Yes, Thimerosal and all mercury," I answered. "And what are her reactions?" asked the nurse. "Brain damage," said I.
Yesterday with the intake nurse: "Allergies?" "We use no mercury products, Thimerosal, silver amalgam." (our dental practice is mercury free) "Is she allergic to mercury?" "All humans are allergic to mercury," said I. Insert awkward pause and I'm could hear her eyes rolling in her head.
Today, Anesthesiologist pointed out how hard it is to sedate autistic kids, especially as they age. I happened to have my copy of Autism FIle with it's articles on dental work and anesthesia. She asked to copy the article. She realized that autistic people have definite metabolic differences that affect her job, but she had never heard of any studies or talk about it. I hope I helped her learn today.
Posted by: Stagmom | October 07, 2009 at 11:13 AM
"In exposed animals there was a significant delay in the acquisition of three survival reflexes: root, snout and suck, compared with unexposed animals."
I wonder if a new mother, at home with her first child would recognize if the infant is rooting, snouting or sucking properly. I remember Ben had "latching" problems, but then we were told it was normal.
Posted by: bensmyson | October 07, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Giving this vaccine on the day that a baby is born,and it becomes ill right away could really full a new parent and make them think thier child was just born that way.
I read the book Blaze I suppose close to a decade ago. Blaze's mother thought she had a very bad cold while she was carrying.
As soon as he was born he had trouble drawing breath - but I wonder if the Hep B was the finally nail in the coffin for his dignosis later on.
Posted by: Benedetta | October 07, 2009 at 09:35 AM
Thank-you for providing an actual link to the full study. So many times times I find references to scientific information I'd like to dig into, but I just can't afford to "sign-up and pay" for access to all of them. It doesn't seem that there is any central collection point as each autism group seems to have their own focus. If there is such a thing with a summary of each study's relevance or implications to our daily lives, please feel free to point me in the right direction.
Jenny
Posted by: Jenny | October 07, 2009 at 09:28 AM