Do you think MMR is responsible for some types of Autism?
100166
In a word NO.\n\nWhile autism rates have appeared to be on the rise, the primary reason for this is better diagnostics and more in school and early behavioral testing.  While many studies show a 45% increase in cases, the number of kids tested has increased over 500%. So more kids have autism today than 1980, but 10 ties more have been tested professionaly for it. Previosuly kids might have been labeled special ed or ADHD, or LD.\nAs for the vaccine. In general, vaccines that contain the Mercury based preservative Thmerisol CAN be harmful. No direct link has been established. but it goes to reason that Mercury = bad, and mercury in a vaccine for kids = bad. So avoid them. EVERY required shot for kids on the market has a brand free of Thimerisol. Ask your doctor.\n\nThe MMR is made by a few companies. Merck is the major manufacturer.\n\nIt is very hard to elicit a cause and effect for a disease condition liek Autism. For one, it is very subjective. Second, you cannot easily experiment with kids, so you really do not know other factors that contrinute that are environmental.\n\nKids today are exposed to worse air, more contaminents in the wwater, food, etc. It goes to reason that those also play a role on autism.
507028
As the father of an Autistic daughter, I can say with no doubt whatsovever that the MMR vaccination trigered my daughter's Autism. She came out of the Pediatrician's office after receiving this mutiple vaccination and began banging her head on the ground, screaming at the top of her lungs. She screamed and banged her head on the ground for about a year after that vaccination. The Pediatrician said it had nothing to do with the vaccinations... He was a liar. They know and vaccinate anyway. \n\nA child's liver is not even fully developed or capable of handling the 72 plus toxins administered to a child by the the time they are six months of age. Ethical doctors in the past would never vaccinate a child less than six months of age. In addition, a child's brain is not fully developed until they are closeer to two years of age. Pediatricians know their window of time they have with children in their care is limited so they have to begin at birth administering vaccinations and keep every child they can get into their office on the deadly vaccination schedule to make a living.\n\nAt the very least a parent should not give their children any vaccinations until they are at least two years of age but I think that age five would be a better age as most Austism begin before age five. Then consider that most vaccines that are supposedly designed to prevent diseases cause more of the diseases to those who are vaccinated than occurs to those who choose not to vaccinate.\n\nIf you do the least little bit of research about vaccines, you would never abuse! your child with poison but doctors today are not ethical. Who do you think is the least likely to vaccinate their children? Answer: Pediatricians.\n\n\nBecome educated about this issue. You think it will not happen to your child...
634465
My best friend's sister has Autism.\nMy sister knows someone who has a child who's Autistic.\nAnd a mother brought her Autistic child to me for dance lessons.\nSo that's three.
1047683
Unfortunatley, statistics on autism are lacking, but this is a good source for general health statistics by state: http://www.statemaster.com/cat/hea-health\n\nbetween the two states listed, a safe bet is Washingotn, since there overall healthcare is far better than Oregon.
103175
They have been linked for quit some time now. I research the condition just about every other day. This site ghas good info. http://www.autismtoday.com/index.asp
463622
Thanks for the information, I saved the link and will read thought it later. I have a 5 year old nephew who has been diagnosed as autistic, he also has vision problems. I have had my doubts about the diagnosis from the beginning, hope your paper helps bring some light to the situation. \nThanks.
614184
The causes of autism are not yet known. However, many researchers suspect that autism results from genetic vulnerabilities to environmental factors. While there is disagreement about the magnitude, nature, and mechanisms for such environmental triggers, researchers have found seven genes prevalent among individuals diagnosed as autistic. Some estimate that autism occurs in as many as one United States child in 166, however the National Institute of Mental Health gives a more conservative estimate of one in 1000. Drinking soft drink would probably not be a factor.
384955
Does your son have aspergers?  I know that this is often referred to as High functioning autism.  I personally know one young man with aspergers and my mother has worked with autistic children and adults for many years now.  I hope you and your son are both well!
370564
Yes, and love them, too.\nMy son has Asperger's.  He has many good qualities and faults that have nothing to do with the syndrome and others that seem absolutely tied to having it.  People who don't know the label "Asperger's" or understand that the difficulty the guy has isn't something he chooses to have are often reluctant to spend time with him.  He sometimes acts in ways that embarrass his siblings or alarm their friends because he is different.\nHe has a hard life.   He will never be able to benefit from the remarkable talents he has because he finds others in the world impossible to understand.\nPlease add love/worry about/pity to your list.
150426
Hmm, interesting answers. Norah, the only correlation that I have seen, recently, is that when there is a child in the family who is on the Autism Spectrum, other children, within that family, have an increased risk of Autism, dyslexia, or other developmental/learning delays.  The reason for this is not yet known, and being researched at this time.  If you want to email me, I can give you some info as to where I found that.  Don't have it in front of me at the moment.  By the way...Julie, do you think there was a less harsh way of putting your rather judgemental answer?
390414
I don't usually respond to website questions but I read this one and thought I would. My 7yr old daughter has high functioning autism. At first she was diagnosed with aspergers. She is a loner and quite happy to be that way.There are 5 children in the family and she would prefer to be on her own. It saddens me more to see her in the school playground on her own that what it does her.She has an aide at school and is left out by other children because of this - she has only just come to understand that people actually like people.There are a lot of educational things for people with aspergers and autism to help them along on their lives.An example is - social stories (where one learns the correct behaviour in social settings).\nThere is a program called The Dore Program (I think the website is  www.dore.com or could have .au on the end!!!) They take children and adults with learning disabilities - including autism and aspergers - the create exercises for each individual and they are done a couple of timesa day for 12 to 18 months.During this time the client can go from non reading and writing to overtaking their peers. It also helps with behaviour and motor skills. I have read these stories and spoken to a consultant at the institue. \nI know this isnt answering the above question but to all sufferes of any disability there is always hope and tomorow can only be a better day.\nThanks for reading.
309706
OK, firstly, vaccinations DO NOT cause autism. There is NO scientific evidence to back up this claim. The study which sparked off this whole controvercy was based on 13 children and was NOT a properly controlled study. The whole link is totally coincidental - if a child is going to be diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder, it will be somewhere between 18 months and 2 years of age. Which is in the few months after the MMR vaccination. But it is NOT caused by the vaccination.\n\nAnyway, in response to your question, it depends where you are in the world. Here in the UK, the recommended vaccination schedule is as follows:\n\n2 months - DTP, Polio, Hib, MenC\n3 months - DTP, Polio, Hib, MenC\n4 months - DTP, Polio, Hib, MenC\n\n12-15 months - MMR\n\nDTP stands for diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough). Hib is agains a bug called haemophilus influenza which causes epiglottitis and meningitis. Men C immunises against a certain form of meningitis. And the MMR is against measles, mumps, and rubella.\n\nAs a health professional I would fully recommend that you have your baby immunised. If you don't, you leave your baby at risk of developing serious illnesses which can cause complications such as deafness, brain damage, and even death.
1098459
it doesn't matter if you have autism or not.  sometimes i tell my husband that "nothing" is wrong when there really is something wrong. i will finally "spill the beans" when I get ready to.  until then, he just takes my word for it, that i am ok, until i get ready to talk.
778633
There is currently no "cure" for autism. I know that it is devastating for parents when their child has autism. There is research being done all over the world for this condition, but as of yet, there is no cure & anyone that tries to tell you that there is, is just trying to take advantage of the fact that desperate parents will try ANYTHING to help their children. These guys have no scruples & I often wonder how they can sleep at night.
723860
Whether due to better diagnosing by doctors, greater general awareness in the community or a true increase in cases- Autism is going up.  Where a few years ago it was a rare and almost unknown disorder affecting 1 in around 1000 - 1500 children, it now affects 1 in 166 children.   It has been proven that the increase is not due to a loosening of diag. criteria, is not due to artificailly inflated statistics and that there is a true, rapid increase of cases.   In fact, many feel that it was under reported or misdiagnosed in the past as mental retardation and still is today. \nAutism and PDD are real and affect children in a real way.   I know because my son has High Functioning Autism and I work with special needs children.  And every day I meet more and more parents with young children recently diagnosed with it and it is startling and worrysome.  I was a preschool teacher and never saw or heard of it until about 5-10 years ago.  Now it is so common.  \nSo, I would say in my experience as an educator and as a parent that yes, it is increasing and it is not a myth.  And it is proven by more and more studies showing that conclusion.
593065
As someone with plenty of experience with related conditions, I think the answer is kind of complicated... Yes, there is a tendency towards overdiagnosis and overanalyzing these days, however...I think they've also gotten better at recognizing these kinds of problems. I don't think any of it reflects an actual increase in cases...I think it reflects things like catching cases that would have formerly gone under the radar, having broader definitions for the terms, and that tendency to label everything as pathological. There are some fringe groups who would have you believe otherwise, and I have encountered them as a person with NLD who's done a lot of research about it...but that's all they are: fringe groups who either want to scare people, sell something to people, or just benefit from bending the statistics somehow. \n\n"Autism", when it first came into the lexicon, was something very specific and very rare; these days, they talk about an "autistic spectrum", which is broad and easy to manipulate into whatever you want it to be to fit a particular situation. I think ADHD has a similar problem with terminology.
1110986
I just emailed you! Lol! I have a 7 year old with autism who is on a gluten free/casein free diet. He is EXTREMELY hyperactive. Before I put him on the diet (he was almost 3) he would be even MORE hyper after eating foods with milk, and would have these crazy laughing spells. He already bounces off the walls, but it was obviously more so with the milk products, not to mention the stools he would have after eating them. I was changing like 10 pull ups a day. He would not even touch milk after I took him off of the bottle but he was addicted to cheese, and cereals/crackers with wheat in them.  AFTER I put him on the diet, within a matter of only a couple of weeks, he just stopped peeing on himself. Period, including at night. So to me I related that directly to the diet. I have wanted to give up on the diet sometimes, but you know, every time I let him have some foods which he normally doesn't have, he acts even more hyper than usual, and if you knew my son you would find that hard to believe! Lol! I have considered Feingold as well as vitamin therapy(B6 and Magnesium), but with my financial situation and stress level, any more changes would just be really hard for me to enforce right now. I also had completely takem him off of sugar for a long time, but I have caved and so he has it every now and then. I can't really tell if it affects his behavior or not. I am still looking for a solution that works, I am just kind of burned out by the trial and error of it all!