Autism and Vaccines - Is there a link?

The other night Josh was watching a special on autism on PBS. I happened to walk into the room and immediately started listening to the program. What I saw really scared me. Children who could not speak or interact with their parents because of their autism. Parents who testified that their children were developing normally before their vaccines. I have to admit this was the first time I really began to think about a link between autism and vaccines. Immediately after the program was over, I went to Thomas' room and just prayed over my precious child. I asked the Lord to protect him and to give me wisdom concerning this subject.

Thus far Thomas had had all of his scheduled vaccines, including a flu shot. He has had no negative reactions to any of the shots. However, it is his 12 month and 18 month shots that are controversial and many parents believe their child became autistic after these shots. Doctors say that it is just a coincidence because it is around 18 months that a child exhibits signs of autism, while parents say it is because of all the mercury in the shots. On the PBS special, parents were trying to "detox" their child of mercury hoping if they could decrease the mercury it would help cure the autism.

I don't think that parents should stop vaccinating their children. We don't want an epidemic of childhood diseases to return. There has to be a balance and I pray more research will be done into the link between vaccines and autism.

Right now, I have no idea what I'm going to do. I want to be able to trust the doctors and the CDC, but I also think that mamas know their children better than a doctor. I'm thinking that I may delay some of his shots until he is a little older. More than anything, I want Thomas to be healthy and it really scares me to think I could make a decision that would hurt him. However, I know that God is sovereign and nothing happens outside of His perfect will.

Please comment on your thoughts or links to information you think would be helpful. I know this is a highly volatile subject, so please be kind in your remarks.