causes of autism
By friendster
@friendster (18)
Philippines
13 responses
@bhchy1 (6047)
• United States
31 Dec 06
I firmly believe that vaccinations amd formula has nothing to do with Autism. In my case it's a genetic thread. I have a child with Autism and now that I have learned more about it, can see it not only in her biological father but have also found out that her half-brother and two cousins on her father's side have also been diagnosed with Autism. There could also be environmental factors that may pre-dispose children to being born with some form of neurological unbalance. The brain being a mystery it is hard to put all the puzzle pieces together regarding Autism, Asperger's and other Pervasive Developmental Disorders. But it definetly is something a child is born with not something they get after birth.
3 people like this
@bhchy1 (6047)
• United States
1 Jan 07
I know my facts and I know that the "metals" in the body or vaccinations is pure hysteria. And yes you are going to find "facts" on internet supporting them but that doesn't make them validated. BTW, I am LSW (Licensed Social Worker) and a Behavioral Health Tech with a degree in Behaviral Science, doesn't make me the information tree but being a parent of a child with Autism, I have made it my business to find out everything I could. We are all entitled to out opinion regardless.
And one more thing..my information regarding Bill Gates came from the Autism Research Center. I have personally never met the man.
2 people like this
@kittykatzz (1132)
• United States
31 Dec 06
please look at ALL the facts, they lead to genetics as WELL as possibilities of toxic metals in the system, i think that the problem is how some peoples' genetics are affected by the thimerisol as well as alot of other toxic metals and even environmental factors, a lot of doctors also agree that although its something that YES a child is born with, but that with the toxins reacting with their personal gentic makeup, their "characteristics of autism" may have lied dormant their entire life..
1 person likes this
@kittykatzz (1132)
• United States
4 Jan 07
for the record i TOO am a parent of a severly autistic son who is now 9..
@SageMother (2277)
• United States
31 Dec 06
For all the reasons given there is one that people tend to ignore. WE are seeing a rise in autism as we see people wait until they are over 30 to have children.
That probably has more to do with its rise than anything else. People got vaccines for several decades, grew up, and had their own children...without our also seeing a rise in autism.
Give it thought!
@bhchy1 (6047)
• United States
31 Dec 06
There is medical research that suggest that males who wait to father children after the age of forty have a higher risk of having a child with Autism or Schizophrenia. Autism by the way was referred to as "Childhood Schizophrenia" before the term Autism was coined. Part of the rise in the diagnoses od Autism is the newer understanding that this is a spectrum disorder and that not all people who are Autistic are like the character in "Rainman" or male. Vaccinations has nothing do to with Autism, that is basically a "hysteria" theory for parents who were unaccepting of their child's diagnosis. BTW, Bill Gates has Asperger's which is an Autism Spectrum Disorder and look where he is in life.
1 person likes this
@kittykatzz (1132)
• United States
31 Dec 06
there is alot of information and opinions here http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/348962.aspx i have a son with autism and have done alot of research.. not to say that 100% right but i feel that i do bring up some good points.. just want to show you some of the information there without retyping it becuase you seem to legitimitely care, i dont want mylot to delete me thinking im "thread referencing" becuase it is my own thread.
1 person likes this
@jolala (70)
• United States
6 Jan 07
I don't know! There are some days that I wish I did. My son has been diagnosed with Asperger's and sometimes I wish I knew what caused it. Other times I don't know if I really want to know the reason! Was it something I could have prevented? (that's the big question I'd ask myself) For him I can definitely see a genetic predisposition. My husband and his father both exhibit some autistic characteristics. I also believe that environmental factors could have contributed. Vaccines? Maybe. Parents' age? Probably not in our case - I haven't ever heard that one until reading here. Birth "trauma"? Very possible. I ended up having an emergency c-section with him because his heart rate was going down between contractions (doctor said it's normal DURING but not between).
In the end, I don't know that I really "care" what caused it. I just know that I have a special little boy who brings a very unique perspective to our world. It can be challenging at times but we're learning!
@bhchy1 (6047)
• United States
6 Jan 07
It is very refreshing to read a thread that has a positive outlook on Autism. While I searched for the answers to Autism and how it affects my childs life, I did so to learn how to help her grow and be happy. I never grieved that my child was not neuro-typical. She has always been special to me and I have learned from her strenghts and weaknesses to be a better person. God gave me this child for a reason and I am thankful everyday for her.
1 person likes this
@kittykatzz (1132)
• United States
6 Jan 07
all of us searching for answers when it comes to autism do so because we want to better the quality of life for our children... i understand that some may need to "place the blame" somewhere because it can be so frustrating at times .. but a LARGE reason that i "care" what causes it is because i have a younger son about to turn 2.. and though im happy for you that your daughter's disorder doesnt seem to destroy your family, in my situation as well as another woman's that i know.. our older children of whom both are severly autistic have harmed themselves, us, as well as their younger siblings.. there was a time where she actually took the baby as an infant and stayed with her mother to let the father stay with theolder child because he ran to his mother (holding the infant) with a knife and tried to stab the baby.. now situations like this as well as my own personal "close calls" make our living situations a little different.. not all of us are looking to "place blame" and i love my son unconditionally, but that doesnt stop me from trying every day to look for answers to better his condition to maybe someday allow him to lead a productive life, and understand typical day to day functions in society.
@organicmom (3)
• United States
3 Jan 07
My son is 7yrs old and was diagnosed with having Autism at the age of 2yrs. At the time he was our only child so as a new mother I wanted to do everything I could to ensure that he grew up as healthy as humanly possible. Well in trusting the government and the vaccination schedule for newborns MY opinion on how my son got this disease is from all the mercury he was exposed to everytime a vaccination was given to him. He in esence was poisioned by the mercury.
When he was born in 1999 Mercury poisioning was at an all time high here in the United States. If I had known that back then - my son never would have gotten vaccinations.
@kittykatzz (1132)
• United States
4 Jan 07
THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH FOR ADDING THIS STATEMENT!!!! i believe in this wholeheartedly but i also believe that its not ONLY the mercury, but the fact that our children unlike the "average child" are born with genetics that make them "non-excretors" therefore making them unable to allow these poisons to pass through their systems as a typical person would.. it doesnt help the matter any that they give some of these shots when there a few days up to a few months old!.. feel free to add me as a friend or send me a message anytime!.. i'd be happy to communicate on a more personal level!
@cjsmom (1423)
• United States
6 Jan 07
My son is 8 and is high-functioning Autistic. Until the age of 2 he was developing just fine; as I've had two children (now grown) previously to know. He was starting to talk in complete sentences, etc. Then, when he turned 2 and went in for his vaccinations for that age everything changed. He was given a vaccination that contained Thimerosol (Mercury). Less than 2 weeks later he stopped talking, interacting and began throwing fits at the drop of a hat.
I'm not saying that all cases of Autism stem from vaccinations but having gone through what we did with our son, I believe it was so for us.
1 person likes this
@teenal (1400)
• Dublin, Ireland
17 Jan 07
Im not a medical person but I work with an immunisation team and as far as I have seen and read the link between vaccinations and autism has never been prooved and has been refuted my many immunoligists through the years as being groundless. The reason most people think there is a link with vaccination (MMR) is that the age the first MMR is given (usually 12 to 15 months) is the age when the first signs of autism become apparent in either an immunised or non immunised child.
@clownfish (3269)
• United States
12 Feb 07
Hi! You are correct. There has never been anything proven one way or the other about vaccinations being the cause of autism. :-)
@Languish (137)
•
2 Jan 07
It's hard to say... as there were three factors in my youngest son's life that could have caused it (or a combination of two or three)... my wife smoked, albeit lightly, but still... my son was born in an emergency c-section and was without oxygen for a critical few minutes, he had the multiple jab thing (unlike my other sons). I feel sure it was the lack of oxygen myself. Either way, no matter what, i wouldnt change him for the world. He is a loving, energetic boy who proves to me autism is hardly a disability.
@Ingmar (3)
• United States
4 Jan 07
I was very mild Kanner's as a child. My opinion on the rise of autism is based upon the following
1. Medical rackett. Any excuse to scare the hell out of parents into throwing their income into a pool of pharma and smake oil makes money for the industry. Notice how the whole of psychology has become a huge industry since the 1960s? Notice too how many more "high functioning" autistics exist as opposed to the 1960's. People who really don't require a diagnosis are getting it.
2. Varied poisons are on the rise, which contributes to the environmental factors of true autism.
3. Emotional isolationism due to the breakdown of family and the social isolationism of high tech and low interaction. Kids don't go outside to play anymore. Political correctness causes us to curb our language and interaction. Few people really 'connect' with one another like they used to. For those who could have benefitted from early intervention, they don't get it today.
@clarity (65)
• United States
13 Jan 07
1 in 166 children have an autism spectrum disorder. I believe that genetics plays a huge role, a combination from both sides. I can see it with my two autistic boys. There has been a lot of debate about the shots. I'm not sure. Just recently there definately was a report out about fathers over 40 contributing to more autism and schizophrenia in children. It was documented in the papers. I really doubt Bill Gates has a diagnosis of Asperger's. I've seen him interviewed on TV--no way. AS have the darnest time relating and communicating with people. They can have very poor eye contact and are extremely self absorbed. Some can be very low functioning.
@clownfish (3269)
• United States
12 Feb 07
Hi! Bill Gates may not have Aspbergers, what I've heard is that he has been diagnosed to be on the Autistic Spectrum. That could mean anything, really, not necessarily Aspbergers. A lot of famous, productive people, like Einstein, are on the Spectrum. :-)
@payingforschool (678)
• Canada
17 Jan 07
I think it must be a combination of factors - both genetic and environmental. There is likely some gene or genes associated with autism ... but they have to be in the right chemical environment to 'trigger' so to speak .. and if the environment was different, the child could have the gene/genes and not show any symptoms.
That being said - I think that the more energy we can divert from wondering what caused our child to be different to leearning how to help our child - the better. I know that it gives us a sense of control to know why somethign happened ... but in this case, it really isn't possible.
@clownfish (3269)
• United States
12 Feb 07
Hi! I completely agree! I just had to "let go" of all the doubt and blame and just make my peace with it. My daughter is the child God gave me and I am completely happy with her. If He intends her to have autism, then so be it. It's for a reason and she's the person He intended her to be. I wouldn't trade her for the world! :-)
