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MEDICINE

Mysteries and Complications

Autism is everywhere—once again. Separating fact from fear as the courts and Hollywood wade in.

By Claudia Kalb | NEWSWEEK
Mar 24, 2008 Issue

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  • Posted By: JoyFord @ 03/28/2008 3:14:37 PM

    Comment: My 26 year old stepson has just recently been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome and the challenges of daily living with him has been and continues to be physically, emotionally and financially exhausting for my husband and myself. We have discovered that there is little help available to parents and other caregivers because of lack of knowledge and understanding of this illness/condition. Hopefully, more people will acknowledge and support further research with this important health issue. Another health related consequence that is increasing, is the number of adult autistic individuals that are "self-medicating" with alcohol, prescription drugs, inhalants and other drugs to hide their being "different".

  • Posted By: BeckyLynn @ 03/28/2008 7:36:57 AM

    Comment: I'm very bothered by the description of Autism in this article! I wonder if the author bothered to spend time with a child with autism and if so was it more than one. My child is autistic and does not fit any of the descriptive characteristics mentioned in the first paragraph explaining characteristics of autism. No wonder why "the world" and autism is such a mystery and misunderstood.

  • Posted By: GWL1950 @ 03/23/2008 9:34:57 PM

    Comment: In the absence of knowledge, all we have is belief.

    Reporting on this "controversy" is mostly useful insofar as it illuminates the belief systems that exist in our society regarding science, medicine, and c ausality. It's human behavior. to seek explanation, particularly when is becomes clear that something affects so many children.

    The bias towards correlational thinking is a strong survival trait. Eat something unusual, get sick and you'll likely never eat it again. When we don't understand, those correlations are important.

    How does it relate to the "Controversy"? Well, when the Institutes of Mediciine looked at the rise of autism in California, they found correlations:

    >>Dr. Liebermann then talked about ecological studies. In 2000 the Institute of Medicine presented data showing the amount of thimerosal in vaccines and cases of autism diagnosed in California by year of birth. The data show increases in the amount of thimerosal given to children by birth cohort and increases in the rates of diagnosis of autism, and they track fairly well. The rate of autism rose in the mid-eighties, even before an increase in thimerosal. However, anything that increased in the nineties tracks with diagnoses of autism, including use of home personal computers and cell phones. This kind of data only shows that two things were increasing at the same time. It says nothing about a possible association.
    http://www.autism-watch.org/rsch/thimerosal.shtml<<

    I have no quarrel with challenges to "conventional wisdom", medical or otherwise. Once there was no reason to link handwashing and other sanitary practices in the operating room with post-operative infections. But those challenges should be structured to test assumptions and scrutinize belief-driven logic, not to replace one set of assumptions and beliefs with another.

    It's interesting to read what the WSJ Health Blog reports:

    >>The father of a girl who developed autism-like symptoms after receiving several vaccinations in a single sitting doesn???t oppose vaccines.

    ???I want to make it clear I am not anti-vaccine,??? Jon Poling, who has an MD and a PhD, told WebMD. ???Vaccines are one of the most important, if not the most important advance, in medicine in at least the past 100 years.??? But, he added, ???every treatment has a risk and a benefit. To say there are no risks to any treatment is not true.???.>>

    Informed consent is never a bad thing.

    But in a world where pediatricians have 90 seconds of discretionary time, it is incumbent on parents to learn the objective facts, fit those facts to the objective circumstances and then discuss any questions that result with their pediatrician.

  • Posted By: GWL1950 @ 03/23/2008 9:31:06 PM

    Comment: In the absence of knowledge, all we have is belief.

    Reporting on this "controversy" is mostly useful insofar as it illuminates the belief systems that exist in our society regarding science, medicine, and c ausality. It's human behavior. to seek explanation, particularly when is becomes clear that something affects so many children.

    The bias towards correlational thinking is a strong survival trait. Eat something unusual, get sick and you'll likely never eat it again. When we don't understand, those correlations are important.

    How does it relate to the Controversy? Well, when the Institutes of Mediciine looked at the rise of autism in California, they found correlations:

    >>Dr. Liebermann then talked about ecological studies. In 2000 the Institute of Medicine presented data showing the amount of thimerosal in vaccines and cases of autism diagnosed in California by year of birth. The data show increases in the amount of thimerosal given to children by birth cohort and increases in the rates of diagnosis of autism, and they track fairly well. The rate of autism rose in the mid-eighties, even before an increase in thimerosal. However, anything that increased in the nineties tracks with diagnoses of autism, including use of home personal computers and cell phones. This kind of data only shows that two things were increasing at the same time. It says nothing about a possible association.
    http://www.autism-watch.org/rsch/thimerosal.shtml<<

    I have no quarrel with challenges to "conventional wisdom", medical or otherwise. Once there was no reason to link handwashing and other sanitary practices in the operating room with post-operative infections. But those challenges should be structured to test assumptions and scrutinize belief-driven logic, not to replace one set of assumptions and beliefs with another.

    It's interesting to read what the WSJ Health Blog reports:

    >>The father of a girl who developed autism-like symptoms after receiving several vaccinations in a single sitting doesn???t oppose vaccines. ???I want to make it clear I am not anti-vaccine,??? Jon Poling, who has an MD and a PhD, told WebMD. ???Vaccines are one of the most important, if not the most important advance, in medicine in at least the past 100 years.??? But, he added, ???every treatment has a risk and a benefit. To say there are no risks to any treatment is not true.???<<

    Informed consent is never a bad thing.

    But in a world where pediatricians have 90 seconds of discretionary time, it is incumbent on us, as parents, to learn the objective facts, fit those facts to the objective circumstances and then discuss any questions that result with their pediatrician.

    George

  • Posted By: markwax @ 03/23/2008 7:17:35 PM

    Comment: You need to make a closer examination of your "facts" in the Poling case. You state that Hannah Poling "had" a mitochondrial condition. The Poling family is on record as sayiong that their child showed no evidence of any such disorder before the vaccinations at 18 months. The father, Dr. Jon Poling, a neurologist, suggests rather that the mitochondrial disorder itself was caused by vaccines.

    The complete facts of the case remain under seal, not by agreement of the parties, but by a prior legeisaltive order under the Bush administration. This rule was enacted only after the pharmaceutical industry came under seige with the huge number of cases filed in the NVICP. Waht are they hiding?

  • Posted By: Terramuggus @ 03/23/2008 6:55:10 PM

    Comment: The only science that will ultimately matter in this debate will be when a properly conducted Vaccinated versus Never-vaccinated study is complete. The chronic brain/body inflamation caused by vaccines will prove that vaccinated children have appreciably lower IQs, much high percentages of behavioral and medical diagnoses, and of course, an incredibly higher level of autism. I'd venture to guess that the Never-vaccinated group will be near zero ASD diagnoses.

    Vaccinated versus Never-Vaccinated will bring us the answer, once and for all.

  • Posted By: Terramuggus @ 03/23/2008 6:54:39 PM

    Comment: The only science that will ultimately matter in this debate will be when a properly conducted Vaccinated versus Never-vaccinated study is complete. The chronic brain/body inflamation caused by vaccines will prove that vaccinated children have appreciably lower IQs, much high percentages of behavioral and medical diagnoses, and of course, an incredibly higher level of autism. I'd venture to guess that the Never-vaccinated group will be near zero ASD diagnoses.

    Vaccinated versus Never-Vaccinated will bring us the answer, once and for all.

  • Posted By: Maxson McDowell @ 03/23/2008 2:41:14 PM

    Comment:
    A major environmental trigger for autism has already been identified. Michael Waldman's research (2006)[1] has proven that autism is strongly correlated with early childhood exposure to television. Such exposure, like autism, has risen dramatically in recent years.

    In scientific terms, Waldman's research is highly convincing. Nevertheless is has been ignored or dismissed. Our culture is so enamored of television and the computer that it resists the accumulating evidence that early over-exposure leads to behavioral problems in children. Parents of autistic children dread feeling blamed and so resist the possibility that their use of television, DVDs, or computer games may inadvertently have triggered autism.

    Both the public and many researchers have been misled by the evidence that autism is correlated with genetic factors. In fact the genetic evidence shows that genetic factors may predispose an infant to autism, but that genetic factors alone do not cause autism. For example, when one genetically identical twin is autistic, the other is usually not autistic.

    Research on autism is often flawed by mechanistic assumptions about the brain. It is now well-established - but not widely understood, even amongst biologists and medical professionals - that biological structures are not mechanisms but dynamic systems. Mechanisms miss-function when a component is faulty - hence people expect a faulty gene to cause autism. Dynamic systems organize themselves with extensive input from the environment. This is why early learning is critical in autism. These issues are explained more fully in an on-line article in Dynamical Psychology (2004)[2].

    Meanwhile, Waldman's results continue to be highly convincing. They deserve to be taken very seriously indeed.

    (My own scientific experience was as a molecular biologist at Duke University, M.I.T., and the M.R.C. Laboratories in Cambridge, England.)

    Sincerely,
    Maxson J. McDowell PhD, LMSW, LP

    (1) www.johnson.cornell.edu/faculty/profiles/wald...
    (2) www.goertzel.org/dynapsyc/2004/Autism04.htm

  • Posted By: autietalki @ 03/22/2008 4:11:33 PM

    Comment: Newsweek is right in saying that autism is everywhere - and one hopes that the United Nations World Autism Awareness Day will raise the profile even more in the US and across the world - this is a call to action. There is a news report on Blogger News Network urging the candidates - Senator Barack Obama, Senator Hillary Clinton and Senator John McCain to spell out their plans for autism on World Autism Awareness Day.

  • Posted By: Mom2JT @ 03/20/2008 7:31:54 PM

    Comment: The researchers need to stop focusing on Thimerosol and look at vaccines in general -- the list of things in a typical vaccine is horrifying. They also need to look at the 3-in-1 to 5-in-1 vaccines. Who ever said combining viruses was a good idea? What really irks me is that there were 10 vaccines on the schedule in the early '80's and now there are 36, and I for one would like to know why. I don't recall there being any epidemics that would call for this increase. Must we really give a newborn a vaccine? We never used to, so why now? Look at the increase in antibiotic use, pollution, pesticides, and other environmental toxins we are subjected to. I just read an article about there being mercury vapor in fluorescent lightbulbs... I had no idea and I'm sure I am not the only one. Bottom line is that there is more than 1 reason kids are getting autism, and it is probably a combination of factors coupled with a genetic predisposition. It will take decades before we know all the reasons, so lets put more research money into treating it, so parents can DO SOMETHING sooner rather than later.

  • Posted By: Mom2JT @ 03/20/2008 7:31:06 PM

    Comment: The researchers need to stop focusing on Thimerosol and look at vaccines in general -- the list of things in a typical vaccine is horrifying. They also need to look at the 3-in-1 to 5-in-1 vaccines. Who ever said combining viruses was a good idea? What really irks me is that there were 10 vaccines on the schedule in the early '80's and now there are 36, and I for one would like to know why. I don't recall there being any epidemics that would call for this increase. Must we really give a newborn a vaccine? We never used to, so why now? Look at the increase in antibiotic use, pollution, pesticides, and other environmental toxins we are subjected to. I just read an article about there being mercury vapor in fluorescent lightbulbs... I had no idea and I'm sure I am not the only one. Bottom line is that there is more than 1 reason kids are getting autism, and it is probably a combination of factors coupled with a genetic predisposition. It will take decades before we know all the reasons, so lets put more research money into treating it, so parents can DO SOMETHING sooner rather than later.

  • Posted By: grannieracer @ 03/19/2008 5:40:19 PM

    Comment: As a grandparent of the most joy anyone in life could ever have, I respect and share everyone's concerns about autism. I am particurlarily interest inthe Rh negative aspect, as my daughter is Rh negative who gave birt to my Pervasive delayed disorder nonspecific grandson. I share the fustration also over burgeoning diagnosis numbers without more adequate definitions. I have no doubt about my grandson's diagnosis because he exhibited almost everyone of the indicators, flapping hands, obsession with objects, delayed speech, failure to respond to name and difficulty with verbal construction and echolia. My prayer for him is not a better or different diagnosis, but the ability to live in a world that defines him by his many talents and abilities and not by his limitations.

  • Posted By: osenia @ 03/19/2008 10:23:06 AM

    Comment: Of course I believe that multiple factors are probably responsible for the fact that my son has the condition that he has, but as a parent, I want to be among those who decides whether I am willing to take the chance with controversial factors , such as how vaccinations are administered or how they are preserved or when my children receive them. We parents are not given enough information early enough. We often discover the "controversies" only when we are researching how to help our children. Why couldn't we be given the options without being considered trouble-makers? I would gladly trade the inconvenience of upsetting vaccination schedules for the daily assault that autism has had on my son and family. All I and plenty of other families ask is that we be given the information and choices early enough, before potential harm is done. If my child still was diagnosed with any of the autism spectrum disorders, at least I would feel that I had done one of my parts in keeping my child safe.

  • Posted By: mouseker @ 03/18/2008 8:43:08 PM

    Comment: Not all parents who believe that thimerosal or even the MMR as being an environmental trigger to a genetic predisposition believe that all vaccines are bad. I do believe there is a connection between either or both since most of the time the MMR is given at the same time as a vaccine that does (or did) contain thimerosal (which is by the way STILL in the FLU shots and was in some infant vaccines until they expired in 2006). However the parents of an autistic child like me who believe there is a connection want there to be more caution when injecting these live viruses and chemicals into our infants. We want UNBIASED research into the issue so that it can be truly proven or eliminated. All of this covering up by redoing the data sets of the Verstraten study then the CDC loosing the data sets; and all of the financial ties of CDC Dr.s owning drug patents, shares in the drug companies or like Dr. Verstraten retiring from the CDC to get jobs at the drug companies makes us parents really really suspicious of any studies they do. I would like this issue to be settled but until the serious conflicts of interest are resolved in the CDC, FDA, NIH etc and there is a seperation of power between these government agencies and the drug companies I will NOT believe any studies regarding vaccines that come out of these agencies. So for my family since there is an obvious genetic predisposition we will no longer vaccinate. However just because that is what is right for my kids does not mean that it is right for yours (unlike the afore mentioned agencies I am not pushing a one size fits all mentality). As a parent I am torn between protecting my kids from these diseases and protecting them from becoming autistic. How do you choose between two such awful possible outcomes. I took me two years to make that decision and was not one I made lightly and only after intense research. We need to be more careful and have unbiased research done on these issues.

  • Posted By: horseback @ 03/18/2008 7:43:18 PM

    Comment: Posted By:couger10@hotmail.com Comment: I have twin boys that are now 18 and 1 was diagnosed with Autism at 10 years old. Why only one child and not both. It does make sense to me,but I wouldnt change my world for anything raising these twins. What an experience.I learned so much about Autism its mind boggling. My twins are very smart and lovable.They graduate this year and I'm so proud. Society has accepted Autistic children with open eyes and learned from alot of there accomplishments.

    • Posted By: momsheartmeki @ 03/20/2008 13:13:08

      Comment: reply to horseback--I am very happy for you--society accepting your situation. It surely has not accepted my sons autism and many people that I know.

    • Posted By: momsheartmeki @ 03/20/2008 13:11:50

      Comment: I am very happy for you that society has accepted your autistic children because it certainly has not accepted mine.

  • Posted By: osenia @ 03/18/2008 7:20:09 PM

    Comment: Why any theory is minimized or treated as quacky is beyond me. Why is it that most women with autistic children are Rh-negative? Only 16% of the general population is Rh-negative, but we got a Rhogam shot while pregnant, which is preserved with thimerosal. Yes, I see similar traits in other family members, but why is my child diagnosed? Why does the Patriot Act contain provisions to protect drug companies from responsibility? Why aren't we parents (and doctors) better infomed when it is time for vaccinations? We should be making better choices about immunizations even if we have to pay for additional doctor visits to minimize the poential risks associated with vaccines, but we have to have realistic access to the information. Even if vaccines don't affect most children, I wish I had known enough early enough (about the possibilities of harm) for it to have possibly made a difference if I had made moderate changes to the way my children received their vaccinations. Now I and countless others will never know. I want help for my son and our family (that autism affects), and I certainly want to prevent my grandchildren from being so affected

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  • Posted By: BluPoet @ 03/17/2008 9:50:36 PM

    Comment: As a PS to my above comment I highly recoment the book "LooK Me in the Eye, My life with Asperger's, By John Elder Robison, fantastic insite

  • Posted By: BluPoet @ 03/17/2008 6:30:31 PM

    Comment: My boyfriend has Asperger's, and until about 2yrs ago no one knew his social issues had a name, and though they are subtle they have caused him a lot of difficulty, I think over the years he has learned to adapt however more often than not he is very mis-understood partly due to what to me anyway is this spectacular combination of cocky and confident it's a dance only he knows how to do. As a side effect of this he has acquired many trust issues. At 25 yrs old his mentality will always in part be about 9 or 10, I have found that parts of my own personality help me interact with him, ( patience, understanding, calm, being analytical and logical) Be aggressive only causes him to feel alienated, better to be rational and keep in mind their are things he can't help being most of time, he's aware of his compulsiveness and does his best. Aside from all of that, he's the most driven person I've ever known has presence un-like anyone else. In a nutshell he's the most amazing person in my life, wouldn't trade him for anything. I agree with Ari Ne-eman lets not jump to find a way to phase out things we don't fully understand yet, for those who fall in the more severe section they need all the help and love they can get. Also let us not simply point fingers of blame it's not overly productive.

    • Posted By: Babsbais @ 03/21/2008 08:03:04

      Comment: BluePoet: We need more people like you in this world. I appreciate your ability to see a beautiful person in your boyfriend. I wish you all the best.

  • Posted By: Autismville @ 03/17/2008 4:57:53 PM

    Comment: Thank you for providing a glimpse into the extremely diverse perspectives related to autism. As the mom of a beautiful, non-verbal four year old who falls on the more severe end of the spectrum, I feel that comments made by those like Ari Ne'eman are equal to someone who is slightly nearsighted telling a blind person that they really don't need sight. IIt's counterproductive and inapplicable.

    I do agree that clarity, via quality science, will bring greater understanding.

  • Posted By: CDePalma @ 03/17/2008 4:40:30 PM

    Comment: Your bias is obvious in this article. Is it that Newsweek fears a loss of revenue from vaccine manufacturers? The truth is that we do have a great deal of good evidence that vaccine's cause more harm, than the good that we are pretending that they are doing. Blinding yourself to this research does not make it easier to find answers. The fact is that we allow our most fragile citizens to be injected with untested chemicals in quanitites greater than ever. If we look at the history of disease, most of the things that we vaccinate our children against were on the decline, well before the vaccines for them became mandated. You are not protecting the public health with these vaccines, you are creating a great deal of damage to otherwise healthy individuals. Let's do the research, and let us not allow organizations with obvious bias' analyize the results.

  • Posted By: howarthlisa @ 03/17/2008 1:27:44 PM

    Comment: The article states that Thimerosol was removed from vaccines in 2001. That is true, however, pharmaceutical companies continued to ship vaccines containing thimerosol from their stockpiles until 2003 when they were ordered by the FDA to stop shipping these vaccines. Most of the studies that "disprove" any link between autism and vaccines are funded by the large pharmaceutical companies. Finally, can anyone tell me of an epidemic that occurred in the late 1990's that would require our vaccine scehdule to be changed from a total of 8 shots to 36? Most frightening is that they never test what happens when you give a child an MMR and a DPT in the same day. As a parent of a child on the spectrum, I want answers, but I do not trust the CDC or the pharmaceutical companies to give it to me. These organizations put financial prosperity ahead of the health of our children.

  • Posted By: lohri @ 03/17/2008 1:21:00 PM

    Comment: I would like to correct one statement made in this article ("In 1998, a controversial British study, later retracted by most of its authors, suggested a possible link between autism and the MMR vaccine, which then contained thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative") : The Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine NEVER contained any thimerosal. As the author indicated, the controversial study suggesting a link between MMR vaccine and autism, as since been disavowed by the journal that published it (Lancet), and most of the authors, except one who had died and the primary author who was identified to have major economic conflicts of interest. Yet, misinformation about this vaccine lead to many parents refusing vaccination, reduced immunization rates in Great Britain, and increased outbreaks of these vaccine preventable diseases that continue to be documented to the current time.

    Refusal of vaccines due to concern about thimerosal (which is no longer even used in pediatric vaccines), also puts American children at risk of vaccine preventable diseases. There is no doubt that these diseases can cause severe illness and death - there is ample historical record of this risk.
    Starting in 2001, thimerosal was removed from almost every childhood inoculation (some flu shots still contain it), and the weight of scientific evidence has found no connection between autism and the preservative.

  • Posted By: SeniorK @ 03/17/2008 12:54:11 PM

    Comment: Let's not forget the contribution of improvements in prenatal and infant survival. Thousands of "fragile" fetuses, which in the past would have died before or shortly after birth, now survive, but often with some less-than-perfect outcomes. These children often exhibit learning disabilities, ADHD, visual and/or hearing difficulties, and yes, autism. Progress often comes with a price.

    • Posted By: smidget73 @ 03/18/2008 22:57:37

      Comment: I am the proud mommy of not one, but THREE boys with autism. I can honestly say that I couldn't care less whether or not the vaccines my boys received triggered their autism. Why not? Because it doesn't change what we have to deal with on a daily basis! They received their vaccinations because their father and I (both of us highly educated) felt that not doing so would expose them to diseases that could KILL them... whereas their autism, while challenging, will not. We can keep screaming from the rooftops about vaccines and all the damage they are causing, but that won't help the fact that millions of parents and school systems are facing an epidemic of children with a spectrum disorder that is hard to diagnose and even harder to determine the right path of treatment and schooling for. Focusing on the who and what to blame won't help these precious children like my sons... getting us the right resources will.

  • Posted By: Susan E. @ 03/17/2008 12:46:12 PM

    Comment: Here in NC, its even very difficult to get a poor child properly evaluated and diagnosed, since Medicaid will not pay for the psychological testing necessary to make an autism diagnosis. Our public schools refuse to provide the extensibve educational supports needed, until there is an official diagnosis of the disorder. As interesting as investigating the cause of autism is, when are we going to address the REAL expensive challenges of providing therapy and education to these kids?

  • Posted By: sstimatz @ 03/17/2008 12:34:51 PM

    Comment: There is no serious debate between a link in autism and childhood vaccines. Study after study has shown no affect and even after thimerisal was taken out of vaccines the autism rates have still been rising. But this rise in rates is not a pandemic like many would like you to think. In reality the rising rates is from increased surveillance and a broadening of the definition. Basically we are finding more cases because people are looking for it more and the definition has expanded to include more people.

    • Posted By: bettwice33 @ 03/17/2008 13:32:51

      Comment: Sstimatz, You know you are not being truthful when you state that the thimnerosal has been removed. The vaccines are still processed with thimerosal and nobody can tell us exactly how much is left in the trace they claim is still in the vaccines. The fku shot still contains the full dose of thimerosal and, when given to pregnant woman, can poison the fetus.

      Your claim that more autistic people are being found because we are looking for it is completely untrue. Full blown autism is a nightmare that could never be missed by anyone.

      • Posted By: sstimatz @ 03/17/2008 14:03:28

        Comment: Your right bettwice33, Full blown autism can't be missed. I think you missed the point though. Before autism became under public awareness full blown autism was diagnosed. Now that it is being looked for those with less severe symptoms are also diagnosed with autism that wouldn't have been several years ago.

    • Posted By: mrsavizdrav @ 03/17/2008 13:31:26

      Comment: "Basically we are finding more cases because people are looking for it more and the definition has expanded to include more people."

      You are right. I'm sure there are a lot of kids that have other developmental problems and are "labeled" as autistic, just because that is what everyone is looking for.
      My kid has some mild delay in language development and likes to sort thing by color or shape, and his preschool teacher thinks he is "on the autistic spectrum". Well, he was tested twice by a child psychologist and we know he is not autistic. It is often difficult to explain to people that a couple of "abnormal" things a child does, don't make him/her autistic.

      • Posted By: deerhart @ 03/19/2008 10:56:51

        Comment: we have run into the same problem, speech delay with other issues seems to always equate to autism. In my son's case, it was a combination of 3 conditions, each of which can mimic many autistic traits, plus intelligence that was causing the behaviors and NOT autism!

  • Posted By: sstimatz @ 03/17/2008 12:31:08 PM

    Comment: There is no serious debate in the scientific community regarding a link to autism and childhood vaccines. It has been settled several years ago when themerisal was taken out of vaccines in 2001 and autism rates still rise. The important thing to know is there is no real increase in autism rates. The apparent increase is from increased survelance and a brodening of the deffinition to include more people. It is not a pandemic like many would have you believe just the fact that we are finding more cases of autism because we are looking for it more and the deffinition has expanded so that more kids are considered autistic.

  • Posted By: psychoannie @ 03/17/2008 11:43:48 AM

    Comment: While we all feel compassion for families where autism has mjarked their lives; it is also unfair to deprive millions of other children the right to be vaccinated against serious diseases. And the hue and cry now seems to be that an ingredient in vaccines is the culprit. Scientifically there is NO proof of that--no matter which radio, TV, or political personality says so. The ingredient was even removed several years ago and there has been continuing cases; thus by itself, one would think the scientific community would begin analyses of other sources of this disorder. There are always going to be birth defects; genetic disorders are now recognized. We have not cured cancer; we have not cured ALS, nor muscular dystrophy, or even Downs Syndrome--autisim ranks in those categories. They are complex diseases or abnormalities and while I appreciate a "personality" taking up a cause to raise funds--I do NOT appreciate the pronounciations of causation.

  • Posted By: Starfarer @ 03/17/2008 11:22:55 AM

    Comment: Labels are useful in the world of research, but in the everyday world they are an obstacle. My brother was diagnosed with autism at a young age, and the more we've learned about it, the more we've been able to discern similar symptoms in some of the rest of the family. I've never considered myself or ever been identified as autistic, but like my brother, I am unusually disoriented by changes in routine, was always less social than most, have difficulty with faces, and on occasion have difficulty recalling the obvious. I imagine all of that applies to lots of non-autistic people.

  • Posted By: torisdad @ 03/17/2008 11:14:50 AM

    Comment: While I welcome the efforts to find the causes of autism, and I am sure there are multiple causes, I like many others, need a "cure". I have an 8-year-old daughter who has the dual diagnosis of autism and Down Syndrome. This is yet another subset of autism not well-studied at this point. We have been working woth experts from CHOPS in Philadelphia and Cincinnatti, Kennedy Krieger in Maryland and a host of agencies and support groups. I realize that finding the cause can go hand in hand with aiming at prevention in the future, but the immediate need for families like us is to optimize the outcome for our children by assuring that enough resources and support are available to confront the many challenges we face today.

    • Posted By: deerhart @ 03/17/2008 11:37:54

      Comment: the universitys are doing research, you just have to search it out. We are involved in a study regarding genes and autism at a local university and I know of other universities that have members of their staff knee deep in studying autism.

      The same university that is doing gene study on autism also offers a parents night out to families of autistic children and other community services to this community. it is difficult to begin to tap into the network of resources but once you do, you can then be funneled into more and more. Whether it be which school districts, which teachers, which doctors will work better with your child to social skill groups, and other therapies you had no idea were out there.

  • Posted By: Air_Mom @ 03/17/2008 11:14:48 AM

    Comment: There is too great of "coincidence" for there not to be a connection to these children's immunizations, medications, family genetics, environmental factors. Instead of arguing about the "right one", this country needs to launch a full-scale investigative and research assault into autism. Someone has to save our children. Instead of the government heading up the studies, why don't our public colleges, universities, public research hospitals, i.e. all take on this war? Blame isn't helping the children and more are falling every moment we waste. Families are stressed emotionally and financially. Their limits being pushed. We have too little to offer those who are in the trenches with Autism. It is time for change.

  • Posted By: steverobert @ 03/17/2008 10:51:04 AM

    Comment: Let's put this in really simplistic terms. ( the American Government is Covering there A --) My child is a fantastic 13 year old Autistic boy. At the age of 2, my neighbor, with a child 2 weeks younger than our child, both decided to get our children the Great MMR shot at the same time. Both boys were great little buddies smiling saying there first words and were the most normal of two little boys you could find. Two weeks after the MMR shot, at the same clinic i might add , the same doctor administering the shots i might add as well, began to loose there speech, started staring at walls and not looking you into the eyes.,,,,need i go further. Come on America,,,, this isn't just a strange coinsidence. Please keep your opinions to yourself if you haven't seen it first hand like we have.

  • Posted By: steverobert @ 03/17/2008 10:45:01 AM

    Comment: What's absoulutely funny is that my wife and i have a 13 year old autistic son whom at birth beyond a shadow of a doubt was completely normal. At the age of 2 when shots are normally given, our neighbor with a child the same age as our 2 year, perfectly normal as well went to get shots at the same pediatrican office to receive there MMR shots. Two weeks after the fact, they lost eye contact. and speech as well. Kind of coincendental you might ask..,,,,,,DON'T THINK SO!!! The American government is covering this up because they do not want the lawsuits paying out trillions of dollars to help there mistake,,,(its really not that difficult to understand is it?????)

    • Posted By: smidget73 @ 03/18/2008 23:07:55

      Comment: While I can certainly sympathize and empathize with what your son and family have had to endure, I have a hard time accepting the fact that your son, among MILLIONS of children vaccinated at the same time across the country, was statiscally among the 1 in 150 that developed autism. Mind you, I have THREE boys with autism (one is profoundly affected) and I simply cannot make that connection because, to do so, you'd have to negate the fact that there actually aren't MORE cases of autism around the world. Instead, this has become an issue of almost epidemic proportions in the US.- but not the rest of the world, even among other industrialized countries, such as Canada, which shares many of the same medicines and practices---yet does NOT have the same incidence rate of autism as we do. There simply has to be more to it than the vaccines... though they very well DO play a role in children who may have had other (often undiagnosed) variables, such as mitochondrial or even chromosomal abnormalities. Even prematurity is being considered as a contributor, as these children are born without the fully-developed immune systems and neurological networks as their full-term peers. There is simply toooooo much out there that has to be considered and, to lay blame simply on one aspect, I think, is over-simplifying the situation.

  • Posted By: deerhart @ 03/17/2008 10:44:32 AM

    Comment: If vaccines cause autism, then explain how children who have thimerosal free vaccines still have autistic traits and are being diagnosed. I find an even BIGGER problem with autism is how little even the professionals understand the diagnosis and what they base it on. We had doctors trying to diagnosis my son PDD because he was hyperactive, had speech problems, and disliked toys for his actual age. They ignored all the things that pointed away from autism and then ignored the DSM IV criteria to get a diagnosis. Thankfully, we kept going, getting a proper diagnosis (CAPD, ADHD-HI, gifted, and a mixed expressive-receptive speech delay) and now have to wiat for his teenage years to totally rule out aspergers.

    Yes, autistic traits (and ADHD traits) run on both sides of my family. Its also why many of my son's behaviors seem very normal to much of my family. They are the same behaviors that were seen in the generation before him, and the generation before that, and the one before that etc.

    There are many reasons to explain the rise in humbers. From how the CDC collects the information (using both medical and school records and thus using both medical and educational diagnosis which aren't the same) to changes in our society in which some of these traits are sought after and well rewarded (think engineers and computer scientists)

    • Posted By: malinn @ 03/17/2008 19:34:11

      Comment: What I think you are trying to say is that the problem with autism is that it is a behavioral disorder, diagnosed through the expression of behavior by the field of psychiatry. YES that is the problem - - we need a biological basis of diagnosis for this and other "psychiatric" disorders. You also don't seem to understand that the vaccine issue is not just related to thimerosal - - know one really knows how live and innert viruses interact to affect an infant's neurological or immune systems. Yet many people, who you'd think would be the brighter crayons in the box (think engineers and scientists) simply look the other way instead of questioning the exploding rates of ADD, ADHD, and autism. Yes, the traits that allowed me to obtain graduate and undergraduate engineering degrees are sought after, but these traits have gone awry when they show themselves in my two children with autism. The traits are there, but the disability that perverts them is not natural. We need to stop kidding ourselves that these kids are simply "special" - - they are disabled and will be unemployed or underemployed for the rest of their lives. When you start to consider that your child may have been injured by something in the environment and then start to consider what your child's potential might have been had it not been for the injury, then you might start to see how urgent this matter is and why we need to find a cause, and a cure, for autism and all the other things that look like it.

      • Posted By: deerhart @ 03/19/2008 11:09:10

        Comment: What is missing in your post is when you start bringing in biology. For example, if you pick a mate who is going to have similiar (ie compatible) genes, then your increasing the chance that autistic triats are going to be more pronounced in your children. This has been going on now for several generation.

        Again, autism, like ADHD is at a time of high awareness and children on the fringes of these diagnosis are being swept into it. 25 years ago, no one would EVER have diagnosed me with ADHD or with Aspergers. Today I could easily get the ADHD diagnosis and probably find a doc who would easily diagnosis me with Aspergers. These rates are exploding for a variety of reasons, we aren't simply diagnosis the worst of the worst anymore, the nubmers they are taking diagnositc rates from is inaccurate as its NOT being taken from medical records or doctors reporting the cases they have diagnosed (and then being cross referenced to make sure that the same kid isn't being reported more then once). When you have autism rates being based on the Educational Autism diagnosis, which has nothing to do with the medical diagnosis and doesn't require anywhere near the same type of condition, that IS a problem that has to be dealt with.

        The problem is not that its a behavior disorder, but rather that the people diagnosis the condition are ignoring the behaviors the criteria requires and calling everything and the kitchen sink an autistic behavior. It is simple. if the child has a speech delay and any behavior problems, most of today's doctors say its autism and throw up their hands. They don't bother to parse out the behaviors, many of the ones we saw couldn't even explain to us what the criteria for the diagnosis WAS and how our son's behaviors met that criteria. That type of action undermines the value and integrity of the diagnosis and in the long run becomes a PR nightmare because now you have to deal with the problem of people thinking autism is a designer diagnosis that anyone can get and not the severe condition that it truly is.

  • Posted By: bettwice33 @ 03/17/2008 10:26:45 AM

    Comment: Claudia, There is no controversy about the cause of autism. We know thimerosal is the primary cause and we are proving that by chelating the mercury out of our childrens' brains. The only people who dispute this fact are those who have something to gain by fooling the public into believing thimerosal is safe.

    Our kids are improving by removing the mercury and that's all the proof any rational person needs.

  • Posted By: Air_Mom @ 03/17/2008 9:44:52 AM

    Comment: While my children do not have autism, we do have autism in our circle of friends and extended family. The mystery of it all is so frustrating to those who face it every day. In the most recent health related news is the controversy of drugs/medications in all our public water supplies. It is a common denominator among all the young and innocent victims of autism. Why is this not being treated more seriously and the opportunity to explore it being seized. Our children are one of most vulnerable areas and common sense seems that they would not be able to process or handle being subjected to these "additives" (in any amount) without having some effect. The increase in autism in our children seems to have risen with the huge jump of over-medication in our modern society? We hope answers are found soon for the future of our world...our children. Thank you.

  • Posted By: jackson146 @ 03/17/2008 9:39:06 AM

    Comment: Wow.. being that we don't know enough about Autism, it's amazing to see 2 posts already that are outrightly dismissing vaccination and making false claims that there is zero evidence to support a closer look at vaccinations. Cool your engines and let's figure this one out before we start taking out our own base of support.. US...
    Nanoreid I am glad you are not a research Dr.. remember that even if the children were twins that shared genetic makeup.. it is possible for for one to have mutations and the other child to not have mutations. Be careful how much you regurgitate and let's truly be open minded to finding a solution to this growing problem.

  • Posted By: starstruck @ 03/17/2008 9:26:50 AM

    Comment: My daughter was diagnosed with Asperger's -like symptoms and then officially diagnosed by an Autism specialist when she was 21 years old. Since then she has been overmedicated on toxic anti-spychotics, ECT'd 25 times and now no one will believe the Autism diagnosis because "they "say she had to have had the symptoms when she was younger. She is currently on a toxic medicine called Clozaril which causes her to run away, hear voices be fearful of just about everything. She was prescribed Clozaril after taken off forced medication of high doses of antipsychotics, haldol, loxitane, and resperidol + 11 other drugs to offset the side effects of all the antipsychoticswhich made her zombiefied.
    Her primary Autistic symtoms were flapping her arms, not being able to understand subtle non -verbal clues,
    and abstractism, social insecurity and difficulty making friends, communication difficulty . She has attended 3 years of college studying French languages and is articulate, likes dogs and languages as
    main interests.
    Currently she is in counseling and found to have a significant attention prolem and difficulty with abstractism.
    She is also being re-evaluated for Asperger's. There is very little finacial help with an Asperger's diagnosis
    and many health professional are steping up to the bandwagon who don't have a lot of knowledge about Autism yet claim to be. I believe in the vaccine theory yet there needs tto be more research and help for those struggling with diagnosed Autism and their families.

  • Posted By: nanoreid @ 03/17/2008 9:17:50 AM

    Comment: Let me say this one more time. I'll even say it in all caps. VACCINES DO NOT CAUSE AUTISM. My sister in law has two sons, one with and one without autism. Both had the same shots as children. If vaccines caused autism, the incident would be 1 in 1 child instead of 1 in 150. Parents, stop trying to blame everyone else for your troubles. Do what my wife and I do. Buckle down and find every possible source of help for your child. Concentrate on the solution to the problem.

  • Posted By: pagantino @ 03/17/2008 9:01:19 AM

    Comment: I have twin boys now 15. One has Asperger's the other one doesn't. My sons were premies and had a weak immune system. One got his vaccine and the other one didn't because he was too sick. Who do you think has Asperger's? The one who received the shot. I don't think the vaccines can cause Autism, but if your immune system is compromised than I think it acts as a trigger. My son is very high functioning, but it has been a long rode to get him where he is.

  • Posted By: dlnw @ 03/17/2008 7:18:34 AM

    Comment: I am the mother of a daughter with Asperger's. I do not buy into the idea that vaccines caused her condition. There has been no scientific evidence to support that. I DO believe there is a genetic link since I know several families that have more than one child with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Look at the mother with 6 autistic children who has TWO different fathers... There has to be something genetic. I also think some children may be more predisposed to autism than others due to underlying conditions like the Poling case but I believe that is the exception rather than the rule. In any case, I can't waste my time worrying about what CAUSED my daughter to be autistic. My time is more productively spent looking for ways to help my child to reach her fullest potential and to have a good life and to also raise awareness so she is accepted and not ostracized. Knowing what CASUED the autism is not going to change that reality for me. We need to educate teachers as to how to reach these children because they CAN learn and they are smart... We need to educate the public that they make good employees and they have talents far beyond our wildest imaginations. I understand the need for parents to want to find a cause or something to blame .,,, but sometimes, things happen. I was blessed with my daugher and I am a better human being because of her.. She has taught me patience, tolerance and unconditional love in ways that I would have never thought possible and even though our lives are difficult and it is a day to day struggle, I would not change one thing and I will do everything within my power to make sure my daughter has everything she needs to succeed, to have a good life and to be able to take care of herself.

  • Posted By: baconbits777 @ 03/17/2008 3:00:13 AM

    Comment: Vaccines cause autism.

  • Posted By: SONUNIGAM @ 03/17/2008 2:40:05 AM

    Comment: When people say the rate of autism has gone up and correlate this with the increase in vaccinations on the immunization schedule why do they not consider all the other changes that have taken place in our lifestyle over the past generation. Why not blame microwave cooking, noise that working pregnant women are exposed to when they commute to work in subway tunnels, pollution, average higher age of todays parents, oral contraceptives, processed foods, painkillers used during delivery or any number of othere factors that have also changed? Why just blame the vaccines?
    Couldn't autism just represent a higher form of human evolution? Isn't it possible that the same symptoms that classify a person as autitstic (aloneness, ability to have a narrow focus, less interest in socializing) confer some advantages in the present day world when present in milder forms? Perhaps this is why people with these features are favored by natural selection and thats why some of the extreme forms (full blown autism) are showing up more?

  • Posted By: gablegal @ 03/16/2008 11:37:49 PM

    Comment: I am the mom of two children with autism. My daughter has Asperger's Syndrome, my son is austic. Guess what? I am not looking for someone or something to blame. It is what it is and I am more interested in getting my children the intervention they need. I also do not buy into the vaccine scare. Sorry but there has been no scientific correlation between thimerosal and autism. In some Scandanavian countries, thimerosal has been banned since the mid-1990's and their autsim rates have NOT gone down. The reason for the "boom" in autism is better understanding, better diagnosis and the widening of the spectrum. Instead of looking for blame, let's try and get these kids the help they need. I am also far more interested in educating the public about autism. Not all autistics are locked in, never say "I love you" or never speak. As the article says, some even go to college. Not all autistics are "Rainman", which is what I get tired of when the subject of autism comes up or documentaries are done. No one is ever interested in kids like my son, who is loving and funny or my daughter who is super-smart. They all seem to be interested in the lowest functioning, not the kids who, with intervention, do very well. The public needs far better education and less of the scary end of autism.

  • Posted By: ptboya @ 03/16/2008 11:35:15 PM

    Comment: 1) Thimerosal was never used in MMR vaccines because it would kill the live organisms designed ti elicit the desired immune response. <http://www.fda.gov/CBER/vaccine/thimerosal.htm#t1> 2) The Danes stoped using thimerosal in all vaccines in 1992 after which autism incresed at rates paralleling that in other industrialized countries. <http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/112/3/604> This dosesn't argue against environmental causes, just against those proposed thus far, i.e., MMR vaccines or thimerosal.

  • Posted By: gablegal @ 03/16/2008 11:31:17 PM

    Comment: I am the mom of two children with autism. My daughter has Asperger's Syndrome and my son is autistic. Guess what? I don't blame anyone. Why should I? it is what it is and I am more concerned with getting the help that my children need than blaming. No, I don't buy the vaccine argument. It has been proven time and again that there is no connection. In some Scandanavian countries, Thimerosal has been banned for a lot longer and their autism rates are still the same. Why is there such a "boom"? Better understand of the disorder and the widening of the spectrum. What I am more interested in is better understanding. Like the article says, some autistic live full, functioning lives. Not every autistic is "Rainman". With intervention, we can help people with autism live very functioning lives. That is what we should look for, not blame.

  • Posted By: ptboya @ 03/16/2008 11:29:04 PM

    Comment: 1) MMR is a live, attenuated vaccine. Thimerosal, contrary to the article's claim, was never used as a preservative in MMR vaccines because it would kill the living organisms used to promote the desired immune response. <http://www.fda.gov/CBER/vaccine/thimerosal.htm#t1>. 2) The Danes stopped using thimerosal in ALL vaccines in 1992, after which there was an increase in the incidence of autism that paralleled that seen in other industrialized countries that continued to use thimerosal. (http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/112/3/604).

  • Posted By: baconbits777 @ 03/16/2008 9:21:09 PM

    Comment: The article above is your typical "he-said/she-said" controversy reporting. Useless. Pharmaceutical companies make a lot of money with mandatory vaccinations. Pharmaceutical companies control the regulatory agencies, especially under Bush. I don't trust any of them and I don't trust Newsweek. Try this: http://www.909shot.com/Default.htm

  • Posted By: dog123456 @ 03/16/2008 9:05:43 PM

    Comment: Thimerosal has been removed from all childhood vaccines. Even the flu shot can be obtained without it. We should nevertheless make these decisions on sound research and not extreme statements. If we use the statement "When there is doubt, ban it" we once agin submit to a state of irrational fear. Just apply this logic to other medications and interventions. There is doubt about the risks of supplemental oxygen in children. Yes, oxygen can have toxicity. Should we ban oxygen? What about air bags. There is doubt about the safety of airbags in all situations. Should we ban air bags? All I am saying is make rational logical decisions based on good solid research and avoid the illogical fear mongering.

  • Posted By: dog123456 @ 03/16/2008 7:08:04 PM

    Comment: we will never discovery the root cause of autism if we continue to draw conclusions despite the evidence. This major publication asserts a link between the thimerosal in MMR and autism despite the fact that MMR has never contained thimerosal. We must demand and rely on good quality unbiased science to lead us to the answer and not fear mongering poorly researched journalism.

    • Posted By: Alamerica @ 03/16/2008 19:41:55

      Comment: We may never discover the root cause of autism regardless of what we do with limited human knowledge. An old saying: "When there is doubt, ban it". It is time to ban thimerosal regardless of its impact on autism.

      • Posted By: deerhart @ 03/17/2008 10:55:00

        Comment: it was banned back in 2000, in fact my son (born in 2000) got thimerosal free shots as did my son born in 2002. Guess what! WE STILL have bene through the whole is he isn't he autstic (currently he isn't)

        But he is still counted as one of the 1 in 150 with autism (he has an educational autism diagnosis and the CDC generates numbers from school records and SPED labels) even though his medical diganosis are CAPD, ADHD-HI and a mixed expressive-receptive speech delay.

        There are much bigger problems with autism, including that many doctors and therapists simply do NOT understand the diagnostic criteria or they go by gut feeling rather then the criteria and try to make the child fit. When the child doesn't or has things pointing away, its simply ignored and excuses made.

        Instead of going the route of 25 hours of ABA a week and expecting that my son would never ever be able to be mainstreamed, we focused on what wasn't adding up and klept pursuing. My son's issues stem from his genetics (since ADHD and autism traits run on both sides of my family) and a series of ear infections as a child (most likely causing the CAPD which caused the speech/langague issues).

        Also, many associate vaccines iwth autism becuase the child dissapears near the time a vaccine was given. What hans't been looked at is the developmental age the child was at when the vaccine was given. As autism is a developmental disorder, its just as plausible that the child hit a specific developmental stage and everything shut down and the vaccination timing is mere coincidence. Having watched my oldest shut down at at 2.5 years old (due most likely to depression of his younger bro being born, the difficulties he was having with his intelligence and his CAPD) I completely understand the the child is there one day and gone the next. But coincidence does not equal causation.

  • Posted By: syoumans @ 03/16/2008 7:05:23 PM

    Comment: My son has Aspergers. There is no doubt in his father's or my mind that this disease has its origins in our genes. I don't buy the vaccine theory or the "gluten-free" diet. The evidence just isn't there to support it. I'm much less concerned about cooky theories than I am about making sure his school stays in compliance with his IEP, that our insurance pays its obligated portion of his therapy bills, and that he continues to learn new mechanisms for coping with the effect of AS.

    People talk a lot about "Autism Specturm Disorders" when they just mean autism. Aspergers is often forgotten or glamourized as being a mark of genius. The reality is that AS kids struggle every day to cope in a world that they often ill-equipped to handle and very few people even know what immense struggles they face. My son deserves better than that.

    • Posted By: steverobert @ 03/17/2008 10:54:01

      Comment: lady,,,,,you need to find out facts before you spout off noncense about something you aren't up to date on facts

      • Posted By: jfinlayson @ 03/18/2008 12:10:32

        Comment: Thanks for sharing your thoughts, syoumans, and for your dogged and I'm sure too-often unthanked efforts to obtain the services your son needs. Those efforts help not only your son, but the whole world of people he interacts with throughout his life.

        Don't mind the ill-mannered and baseless comment by steverobert. It has nothing to do with you.

  • Posted By: weiss guy @ 03/16/2008 5:16:18 PM

    Comment: Some with Autism respond, at least partially, to a 100% gluten free diet. Some now are considering gluten to be a neurotoxin that is one of the contributors to Autism, ADHD, MS, ALS, Peripheral Neuropathy, and Migraine. This is a much larger percent of the population than just those with Celiac Disease according to the latest testing procedures.

  • Posted By: TannersDad @ 03/16/2008 2:10:32 PM

    Comment: All the hysterical parents are saying is Green our vaccines. Look at the facts:
    1983: Autism rate 1 in 10,000
    Vaccine schedule 10 shots
    2008: Autism rate in boys 1 in 70
    Vaccine schedule 36
    My sons last words at the time he got his shots:
    "My name is Tanner. My name is Tanner."
    Show me any other campaign for disinformation as wound up as this one by the medical(vaccine maker) community. Remove the Mercury, Aluminum, formaldehyde, ether, antifreeze. Reevaluate the schedule. What was the death rate from these deadly diseases in 1983 that we had to add 26shots? If there are side effects to the vaccinations all we asking for is support for therapy, respite, and recovery.

    • Posted By: jfinlayson @ 03/18/2008 12:28:22

      Comment: Yes, autism diagnoses increased alongside the increase of vaccines in the schedule. But while correlation may be a good reason to form a testable hypothesis, it isn't evidence by itself. As SONUNIGAM noted above, many many things have changed over the same period. If we let ourselves be similarly convinced by all those correlations, we would go insane.

      That may be part of the reason why we are so eager to seize upon a single answer -- then we could banish the paralyzing fears of the myriad other things that have been trotted out as possible causes of autism, such as cell phones, wifi, power lines, TVs, pesticides, tap water, dental fillings, too much fish, not enough fish, too much folic acid, not enough folic acid, pitocin, antibiotics, epidural anaesthetics, etc.

  • Posted By: TannersDad @ 03/16/2008 2:09:08 PM

    Comment: All the hysterical parents are saying is Green our vaccines. Look at the facts:
    1983: Autism rate 1 in 10,000
    Vaccine schedule 10 shots
    2008: Autism rate in boys 1 in 70
    Vaccine schedule 36
    My sons last words at the time of his shots:
    "My name is Tanner. My name is Tanner."
    Show me any other campaign for disinformation as wound up as this one by the medical(vaccine maker) community. Remove the Mercury, Aluminum, formaldehyde, ether, antifreeze. Reevaluate the schedule. What was the death rate from these deadly diseases in 1983 that we had to add 26shots? If there are side effects to the vaccinations all we asking for is support for therapy, respite, and recovery.

    • Posted By: deerhart @ 03/17/2008 11:02:17

      Comment: Enter Your CommentCan you show how the CDC developed those numbers? The last I saw, they were taking them from school records, not medical diagnosis. Thus a child diagnosed with educational autsim (which does NOT require a medical autism diagnoses) would be included.

      Also biology and technology plays a big part. Many people who are on the higher functioning end of the ASD excel in computer science and engineering which are some of the higher paying jobs in todays technological world. This means that these people become, biologically, seen as better providers and having traits that are good to pass down to their kids. This increases the likelyhood of reporduction and thus increases the likelyhood that they pass the traits down to their children. The techno boom of the last 60 years could be contributing to those numbers.

      Finally, it has been our experience that if you want an autism diagnosis for your child and your child isn't perfectly normal, you can find a doctor who will give it. My son had a speech/language delay and that was pretty much all it took. They considered his hyperactivity to be the self stimulating behavior and his unwillingness to play with toys in his age range, prefering toys above his age, as his severe social skill problems. Again, these types of issues put those numbers into question. Really how accurate ARE they? Anyone looked at how they got them, how those children where diagnosed etc...? Not that I have seen.

  • Posted By: Alamerica @ 03/16/2008 2:51:30 AM

    Comment: Medicine has to be in compliance with evolution. To inject vaccines containing mercury into children is not how Mother Nature does things. Regardless of the true impact of mercury on autism, it is urgent to develop a new generation of vaccine that does not contain strange artificial ingredients not frequently exposed to the immune system during evolution. The vaccine also has to be inoculated noninvasively without needle injections.

    • Posted By: jfinlayson @ 03/18/2008 12:42:35

      Comment: I'm all for minimizing risks in vaccines, but Mother Nature is a dubious guide. Evolution is driven by natural selection. Accordingly,.the "way Mother Nature does things" is to wipe out vast populations that don't naturally have immune systems equipped to handle an invading pathogen. In the decades after 1492, something like 95% of the native Americans died of diseases endemic to Europe. Those that survived did so because their immune systems happened to work better against those diseases. If vaccines for those diseases had been available in 1492, would you have advocated "compliance with evolution" and suggested withholding them from native Americans in favor of Mother Nature solving the problem her way?

      • Posted By: markwax @ 03/23/2008 19:27:24

        Comment: Pay attention to what was said: vaccines CONTAING MERCURY. It's the mercury, ******! Why don't we use uranium just for good measure, if it too is a good preservative. Good grief.

 
 
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