Autism, mercury and cover up???

[LydiaNN]

This is a hot topic in the autism community, especially amongst parents who have to make a decision about vaccinating their children. My son had already had all his vaccinations before I even heard of the controversy, so I didn't have to make the decision. I probably would have chosen to vaccinate anyway, given that when we were little, my sister contracted encephalitis from the measles and nearly died. It caused pretty significant neurological damage for her. The irony is that the vaccine actually was available at the time, but it was fairly new, and the pediatrician told my parents, who didn't have health insurance for us, that "kids get the measles all the time and do just fine."

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/_/id/7395411?rnd=1118937794114&has-player=true&version=6.0.12.872

[twinkerrs]

Thanks for all of the wonderful posts and links.

One of my 3.5 yr old twins has autism. He showed traits of autism as young as 6 months. Heck to be completely honest he has his whole life. He never liked to be held or cuddled even as a small child. We started a progression of hearing tests, vision tests, any other tests they could do. Having had a niece who presented with autism after her 18 month shots, I had started from the begining spreading everything out to be on the safe side. so I honestly dont think I can blame Jake's autism on the vaccines, but I do blame them on environmental factors(the poor air quality in B'ham alabama), lead(has tested high for lead forever until recent homeopathic tx and vitamin tx) because all of the toys he gummed on are now toys that are on the lead recall list.

He now has about 10 words maybe 15, which is spectacular considering he was completely non verbal until this past January. I dont what finally flipped the switch for him, but I know the child spends more time with therapists then he does in his classroom at developmental preschool.

Once again thanks for the info. It is really good to read a wide variety of information.

[PedsAtHeart, LPN]

Amen, sister! I get so frustrated when I hear this! It's a bunch of hooey to try and explain away the rise is in the autism spectrum disorders by saying they've always been there and we are just now diagnosing them. Argh! I don't buy it, and I'm glad to know that there are others out there who don't buy it!

There are NO scientific studies to show that immunizations have anything to do with autism. Actually quite the opposite. They are finding that is has a more genetic link than anything. Everyone is scared to give their child an MMR shot because of the fear of autism, studies have shown that in places where there is a DECREASE in MMR use, there is still an INCREASE in the diagnosis of autism. But yeah... I am quite the immunization advocate. I have given probably thousands of vaccines to children over the years I have been in nursing and I have yet to have a child come up with autism from it.