Discovering the Reality of Autism: Busting the Vaccination Myth and Addressing Social Stigma

“Vaccinations do not cause autism,” emphasizes teacher Aleksandra Badura. She is explaining which genetic mutations occur in people with autism spectrum disorders. It is an umbrella term for neurodevelopmental disorders in the field of social communication and interaction.

The rumor that vaccines cause autism began in 1998 when British anti-vaccine activist and physician Andrew Lakefield claimed in a study that there was a causal relationship between the MMR vaccine (for mumps, measles and rubella) and autism. “But it all turned out to be lies! The data has been falsified, the entire research was fabricated,” says Badura. Follow-up studies have shown that there is no connection at all between vaccinations and autism. “Unfortunately, the rumor is so persistent that some people don’t want their children vaccinated.”

Four students are scattered in the room, they focus their attention on the PowerPoint presentation of teacher Badura. In the back of the room, lecturer Anderson Mora Cortes follows the lecture, and the students have a tutorial with him later in the week.

“When we talk about autism in TV series or movies, which character comes to mind?” asks teacher Badura. Students mention a number of names: Sheldon van The Big Bang TheoryShaun Murphy van The Good DoctorI’m out Atypical, and the famous detective Sherlock Holmes.

The teacher’s next slide shows exactly the pictures of the characters mentioned. Badura: “And what do they have in common?” A student with curly hair: “That they are very intelligent and hyper-focused.” A student next to him: “And anti-social.”

The representation of people with autism in popular culture is not realistic, says teacher Badura. “People with autism are portrayed as super smart, antisocial, high functioning people who need little or no care, when in reality things can be very different,” says Badura.

She then leaves one Watch YouTube video in which an adult with a severe form of autism follows behavioral therapy. He must do simple exercises such as learning to drink and walk. He cannot speak and has motor problems that make him dependent on the care of his family. “It can be that intense.” It is therefore not true that all people with autism are exceptionally intelligent. “Only about 0.06 percent have the so-called savant syndrome. These people have extraordinary skills, such as an excellent memory, mathematical skills or perfect hearing,” says the teacher.

Em listens carefully to Badura’s story. The Life Sciences student is very interested in how neurodevelopmental disorders develop, she says. “And I also know people with autism, so I think it’s so cool that I’m learning this, then I know a little bit how to deal with it.” She also finds it special that this course not only discusses the biological aspects. “It’s also about the social aspects: what is the impact of such a disorder on social life, what stigma is attached to it and what can we do to get rid of the stigma? It is an exciting profession.”

It’s very important that children with autism are diagnosed and receive therapy as early as possible, says Badura. “Why do you think?” she asks the students.

“Because the therapy works better then?”, one student guesses.

“Exactly, research shows that the sooner an intervention is introduced, the better the result,” says Badura. “The first two years of life are crucial, that’s when you can get the most out of it.”

Student Theresa gets a lot of new information in this lecture, she says. “I didn’t know, for example, that there are crucial years when certain neurological developments take place, such as vision and language development in babies and toddlers,” she continues. “This lecture uses a lot of case studies and current studies. We compare old and new studies, which gives us a better understanding of how disorders have been studied over the years.”

Student Gabriel likes the small group of students. “You know everyone and that makes it more pleasant to work together.” The teachers are great too, adds student Challah. Lecturer Badura explains the lecture clearly and they can always have good discussions with teacher Mora, he thinks. “It’s nice to have experts as teachers. They have a lot of knowledge and they are passionate about the subject. They give us the space to express our opinion and ask questions, but they also guide us very well during the discussions.”