Opinion about autism

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Apr 8, 2007

Ain't it funny how all of the research that has concluded that thirmosal does not cause autism was funded and researched either directly or indirectly by the drug companies who made those vaccines.
These guys knew years ago that the thirmosal in the vaccines could cause autism in kids who are genetically susceptible. These kids don't filter toxins out of their systems like other people do because of a chromosomal abnormality. The mercury in the vaccines is just too much for these special kids.

If thimerisol in vaccines has caused autism rates to skyrocket - sadly I don't think we will find out in our lifetimes.

The cynic in me thinks the answers will be suppressed until another generation passes to protect the public health establishment that pushed and denied (if vaccines are a cause). How could any official own up to causing autism in 1 in 133 children?

Baby Catcher, CNM · Apr 8, 2007

The View just did a show on Autism and they said 1/166 kids are diagnosed with it. They said the rate 20 years agao was 1/10,000. It made me wonder why such a huge jump in numbers. I'm sure some can be attributed to increased awareness but not that big of an increase.

It makes me wonder what has changed in obstetrics and peds in the last 20 years. I don't work in peds but here are some things that have changed in OB just off the top of my head:

1. Increased use of continuous EFM.

2. Increased rate of inductions.

3. Increased rate of epidurals.

4. Incresed rate of c/s.

5. Almost every pregnant women gets an ultrasound now. Before it was just if a problem was suspected.

6. I'm not sure but I think the breastfeeding rate has increased in the last 20 years.

That's all I can think of. Anyone else?

LydiaNN · Apr 8, 2007

The View just did a show on Autism and they said 1/166 kids are diagnosed with it. They said the rate 20 years agao was 1/10,000. It made me wonder why such a huge jump in numbers. I'm sure some can be attributed to increased awareness but not that big of an increase.
It makes me wonder what has changed in obstetrics and peds in the last 20 years. I don't work in peds but here are some things that have changed in OB just off the top of my head:
1. Increased use of continuous EFM.
2. Increased rate of inductions.
3. Increased rate of epidurals.
4. Incresed rate of c/s.
5. Almost every pregnant women gets an ultrasound now. Before it was just if a problem was suspected.
6. I'm not sure but I think the breastfeeding rate has increased in the last 20 years.
That's all I can think of. Anyone else?

I hope that was a repeat. I wouldn't typically feel compelled to correct a figure like that, but Barbara Walters gets on my nerves. Iin Feb. the CDC issued prevalence figures in 8 year olds as 1 in 150. There are areas of the country where it is even higher.

judyblueeyes · Apr 8, 2007

I don't believe there is a link between autism and vaccines for several reasons.

One is that the "Wakefield Study" that started the idea of the link was fraudulent. The study was funded by some lawyers hired by the parents of a few autistic kids to prove the link so the parents could sue someone. As with most of these kinds of suits, the people with the deepest pocket were the target- in this case it was the vaccine manufacturers. Wakefield published the study, but when the study was peer reviewed (and roundly criticized for many flaws) all of his co authors dropped their names from the study. I think the whole "study" included 6-8 kids, and having lawyers as the study sponsors ($) is highly irregular.

Another is that the supposed causative agent (thimerisol) has been removed from vaccines for years now, yet diagnosis numbers are still rising. If thimerisol was the cause, numbers should be dropping dramatically.

Another is that autism (and Aspergers) is a fairly new DSM diagnosis, so technically there was a time recently when there was no diagnosis of autism available as it was not even an official diagnosis. This certainly has something to do with the supposed "explosion" in new cases diagnosed.

Next, I see it as kind of a "band wagon" disorder right now- kind like ADD was a while back. I find it very difficult to see why some of the kids in his school are diagnosed other than it's a win-win situation for our schools, kids, and parents. The school gets extra funding, the kids get extra attention and the parents have special entre' into the classroom.

Another reason is that I feel if parents are honest, they will admit that their kids were 'different' early on. I know my DS was. While I realize my experience is not a universal truth, all of the moms I know through my groups will tell stories of how their babies were 'different' (such as poor feeders, sleepers, or eye contact makers as infants) even if they also report their kids were normally deveolping. Some of these ladies have a lot of cognitive dissonance regarding these two competeing facts.

OK- I could come up with a few more, but one of the kids wants the computer.....

prmenrs, RN · Apr 8, 2007

"... ''autism is a developmental disorder'' and ''syndromes can have known etiologies''? "

I very much agree w/that.

Down's Syndrome has a know cause, it's a gene mutation. What's not known is what causes the gene mutation.

pat8585 · Apr 8, 2007

My 2 cents....there are too many parents that have noticed that their child got symptoms of autism shortly after receiving vaccinations.

I dont think their concerns should be trivialized.

LydiaNN · Apr 8, 2007

I don't believe there is a link between autism and vaccines for several reasons.
One is that the "Wakefield Study" that started the idea of the link was fraudulent. The study was funded by some lawyers hired by the parents of a few autistic kids to prove the link so the parents could sue someone. As with most of these kinds of suits, the people with the deepest pocket were the target- in this case it was the vaccine manufacturers. Wakefield published the study, but when the study was peer reviewed (and roundly criticized for many flaws) all of his co authors dropped their names from the study. I think the whole "study" included 6-8 kids, and having lawyers as the study sponsors ($) is highly irregular.
Another is that the supposed causative agent (thimerisol) has been removed from vaccines for years now, yet diagnosis numbers are still rising. If thimerisol was the cause, numbers should be dropping dramatically.
Another is that autism (and Aspergers) is a fairly new DSM diagnosis, so technically there was a time recently when there was no diagnosis of autism available as it was not even an official diagnosis. This certainly has something to do with the supposed "explosion" in new cases diagnosed.
Next, I see it as kind of a "band wagon" disorder right now- kind like ADD was a while back. I find it very difficult to see why some of the kids in his school are diagnosed other than it's a win-win situation for our schools, kids, and parents. The school gets extra funding, the kids get extra attention and the parents have special entre' into the classroom.
Another reason is that I feel if parents are honest, they will admit that their kids were 'different' early on. I know my DS was. While I realize my experience is not a universal truth, all of the moms I know through my groups will tell stories of how their babies were 'different' (such as poor feeders, sleepers, or eye contact makers as infants) even if they also report their kids were normally deveolping. Some of these ladies have a lot of cognitive dissonance regarding these two competeing facts.
OK- I could come up with a few more, but one of the kids wants the computer.....

Sorry, but not all children with autism are different early on. If a child has the type of autism where they develop typically and then start losing previously acquired skills, there is nothing to be ''honest'' about. And I don't think it is ever a good idea to suggest that parents of children with special needs are somehow in denial... we've got plenty of professionals to do that for us, haven't we?

PeachPie · Apr 8, 2007

I keep hearing about high rates or Autism in places like Silicon Valley. A theory is that there's so many people with similar brains that their kids get bred into having superconcentrated brain areas.

SmilingBluEyes · Apr 8, 2007

I wish those living with autism peace and some definitive answers to the questions plaguing them. I wish we get those answers, very soon. This is a very real concern that affects everyone, but no one more than those living with loved ones affected personally by autism.

HM2VikingRN, RN · Apr 8, 2007

Dear Lord, while we're on the subject, I'm listening to the neighbor's autistic kid scream at the top of his lungs. He does this for hours on end, mostly because he doesn't like the fence that keeps him from running out into the street and getting himself killed. The first time I heard his screams, I honestly thought someone was being brutally murdered and I was about to call the cops, but then I saw his mom struggling to keep him from bashing his head on the fence. Man, someday, someone's really going to be screaming for help, and the whole neighborhood will assume that it's one of the kid's temper tantrums and just go about their business. I'm concerned for the kid, and it's a tragedy for the kid and the family. I do hope that this can be prevented in the future.

I would call child protection not because of suspected abuse but to make sure that the child is receiving special ed services.

Baby Catcher, CNM · Apr 8, 2007

I hope that was a repeat. I wouldn't typically feel compelled to correct a figure like that, but Barbara Walters gets on my nerves. Iin Feb. the CDC issued prevalence figures in 8 year olds as 1 in 150. There are areas of the country where it is even higher.

It was not a re-run. Rosie was the queen bee not Barbara. Every source I looked at uses different figures but the one thing that is consistent is the increase of cases in the past 20 years. Mandatory reporting did not begin until 1993 but it just makes me wonder what is happening to cause this.

As a health care provider (CNM), I'm concerned that something I do in my practice may be harmful to babies. Something is causing this increase.

LydiaNN · Apr 8, 2007

It was not a re-run. Rosie was the queen bee not Barbara. Every source I looked at uses different figures but the one thing that is consistent is the increase of cases in the past 20 years. Mandatory reporting did not begin until 1993 but it just makes me wonder what is happening to cause this.
As a health care provider (CNM), I'm concerned that something I do in my practice may be harmful to babies. Something is causing this increase.

Oh well, Rosie gets on my nerves, too, lol! Really, the 1 in 166 figure is barely out of date, so the only reason it bothers me that these 2 would use it is because they both like to speak so authoritatively about....well, just about everything.

Yes, the increase is alarming. I don't really understand why there isn't more of a sense of urgency to find out why. Everytime some Congressman's child or grandchild gets dxed, there's new and helpful legislation introduced. I'm not complaining because we need the help and will take it any way it comes, but you do sometimes have to wonder why it isn't important to them unless it's in their family.