Time Magazine Article on Autism

[Cyphermage]

She told me the other day, and I verifed her accusation with a google search, that the incidence of autism has skyrocketed in the U.S. and U.K. over the past 20 years by thousands of percents.

Childhood inoculations are leading the field of suspicions on why this has occurred.

Maybe we're just better at diagnosing it today, than we were 20 years ago. I know some people believe there to be a link between autism, and the small number of micrograms of mercury in the Thimerosal preservative used in vaccines.

Are there any double blind peer-reviewed studies on whether this theory makes sense?

 

[Huntster]

Originally Posted by Huntster :
She told me the other day, and I verifed her accusation with a google search, that the incidence of autism has skyrocketed in the U.S. and U.K. over the past 20 years by thousands of percents.

Childhood inoculations are leading the field of suspicions on why this has occurred.....

Maybe we're just better at diagnosing it today, than we were 20 years ago...

That was my first thought when the wife told me of what she had been reading. After all, I never heard of autism before 1980 (but, then, I wasn't tuned in to such things then, and research then was a library intensive activity then).

...I know some people believe there to be a link between autism, and the small number of micrograms of mercury in the Thimerosal preservative used in vaccines.

Are there any double blind peer-reviewed studies on whether this theory makes sense?

Apparently, nothing yet confirmed. I think studies are in an elementary stage.

 

[Miss Whiplash]

That was my first thought when the wife told me of what she had been reading. After all, I never heard of autism before 1980 (but, then, I wasn't tuned in to such things then, and research then was a library intensive activity then).

Apparently, nothing yet confirmed. I think studies are in an elementary stage.

Yet millions and millions were exposed to Thimerosal in the form of Merthiolate, a common antisceptic since the early 1900s.

I do wonder if Asperger's Disorder is becoming the new ADD in pop science.

 

[digithead]

Maybe we're just better at diagnosing it today, than we were 20 years ago.

I don't think diagnostic techniques have gotten better, our data capturing systems have gotten better. Ergo, better estimates, especially prevalence data...

Basically, these databases now have more granularity, e.g. retarded or developmentally disabled have now become autistic, spina bifida, Down's syndrome or some other cognitive impairment. In addition, the integration of these special needs populations into school systems would give better estimates because we're aware of them now...

 

[TobiasTheViking]

Maybe we're just better at diagnosing it today, than we were 20 years ago. I know some people believe there to be a link between autism, and the small number of micrograms of mercury in the Thimerosal preservative used in vaccines.

Are there any double blind peer-reviewed studies on whether this theory makes sense?

There have been many many MANY peer-reviewed studies on the subject of mercury. And there is no truth to it, what so ever.

Just to spam, here is some info i've written on the subject.

http://www.autismmyths.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=11 <- Thimerosal/MMR/Mercury

http://www.autismmyths.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=19 <- Chelation

Chelation is a woo process to remove mercury, and it has a lot more information on why mercury doesn't cause autism.

Soon i will do an article on the misconception that there are more autists today(unless i'm convinced otherwise).

The difference is
1) Better methods of detecting autism, so more are diagnosed.
2) It is harder to live with the mild forms of autism today, than it was 100 years ago.

So, there is an increase in diagnosed people with autism, but that doesn't mean there is an increase of autism.

 

[TobiasTheViking]

Apparently, nothing yet confirmed. I think studies are in an elementary stage.

nope, not elementary.

 

[Cyphermage]

Chelation is a woo process to remove mercury, and it has a lot more information on why mercury doesn't cause autism.

Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that chelation for the mercury acquired from vaccines is a woo application of a recognized treatment for heavy metal poisoning. The problem is that chelation is not without risk, and 25 micrograms of mercury is an insignificant one-time dose.

 

[TobiasTheViking]

agreed, it is also a real procedure, which is mentioned in my article, i appologize for not mentioning it here.

But the procedure is also used as woo. So can be kinda hard to figure out.

Especially if you read the quackwatch article on chelation, it doesn't even mention there is something real called chelation.

 

[chance]

IMO if there was a direct link, it would be rather more obvious than it is.

Has she used http://www.autism-watch.org/ or http://www.quackwatch.org/03HealthPromotion/immu/thimerosal.html
as a resource?

In the past those with the affliction were just labelled ‘retarded’. As the disorder has been better understood, some of these number have been re-classified. I doubt there is a significant difference in the ‘total’ number.

http://www.autism-watch.org/general/ninds.shtml is an excellent overview.

 

[Huntster]

Yet millions and millions were exposed to Thimerosal in the form of Merthiolate, a common antisceptic since the early 1900s.....

Not having any background in medicine, I'm "elementary" in understanding what I read.

I remember a controversy some years back involving the use of "live" cells vrs. "dead" cells in some inoculations.

Is it possible that a minor change in vaccine ingredients could be suspect?

 

[Huntster]

IMO if there was a direct link, it would be rather more obvious than it is.

Has she used http://www.autism-watch.org/ or http://www.quackwatch.org/03HealthPromotion/immu/thimerosal.html
as a resource?...

I'm not sure where the ultimate source of her information is, but I'm sure she's getting it through school district resources.

...http://www.autism-watch.org/general/ninds.shtml is an excellent overview.

Thanks for that link and recommendation. I'll pass it on to her.

 

[TobiasTheViking]

Not having any background in medicine, I'm "elementary" in understanding what I read.

I remember a controversy some years back involving the use of "live" cells vrs. "dead" cells in some inoculations.

Is it possible that a minor change in vaccine ingredients could be suspect?

Possible, sure, everything is possible. Plausible, no, i don't believe so.

 

[ChristineR]

Asperger's is very trendy right now. There's not a clear line between Asperger's and just being anti-social, and people are pushing the line further and further out. Asperger's are not usually retarded. When I was young the only "austistic people" you ever heard of were severely retarded and Asperger's basically didn't exist.

 

[TobiasTheViking]

Asperger's is very trendy right now. There's not a clear line between Asperger's and just being anti-social, and people are pushing the line further and further out. Asperger's are not usually retarded. When I was young the only "austistic people" you ever heard of were severely retarded and Asperger's basically didn't exist.

True, but i would argue that that has a lot to do with both diagnosis, and the fact that todays society is a lot harder for a person with aspergers than it was 50, 100, 200 years ago.

Also, there is a big difference between Aspergers and just being anti-social.

 

[digithead]

Asperger's is very trendy right now. There's not a clear line between Asperger's and just being anti-social, and people are pushing the line further and further out. Asperger's are not usually retarded. When I was young the only "austistic people" you ever heard of were severely retarded and Asperger's basically didn't exist.

What do you mean by anti-social? Shy? Because antisocial personality disorder or sociopathy is an entirely different diagnosis. Not trying to be picky, but definitions do matter when discussing cognitive and personality disorders...

 

[ChristineR]

No, I don't mean antisocial personality disorder. I just mean that there are people with personalities that are Asperger's-like without having a disorder, just as you can be moody and pessimistic without necessarily having a mood disorder. Thirty years ago no one would ever think to call these people austistic or mention Asperger's syndrome. Nowadays every school teacher is labeling kids.

What is the difference between Asperger's and being anti-social (in that loose sense), Tobias? I think the usual distinction is whether or not the person can function sucessfully.

 

[digithead]

No, I don't mean antisocial personality disorder. I just mean that there are people with personalities that are Asperger's-like without having a disorder, just as you can be moody and pessimistic without necessarily having a mood disorder.

No worries, it's just that terms are easy to get confused because they have different meanings depending on the context...

As for being moody and pessimistic without having a mood disorder, my n of 1 experience with my ex-girlfriend causes me to doubt this. Although maybe she was only crazy rather than moody and pessimistic...

 

[TobiasTheViking]

No, I don't mean antisocial personality disorder. I just mean that there are people with personalities that are Asperger's-like without having a disorder, just as you can be moody and pessimistic without necessarily having a mood disorder. Thirty years ago no one would ever think to call these people austistic or mention Asperger's syndrome. Nowadays every school teacher is labeling kids.

What is the difference between Asperger's and being anti-social (in that loose sense), Tobias? I think the usual distinction is whether or not the person can function sucessfully.

Just being anti-social, in and off itself, can cause problems. And it can be(isn't necesarily) a symptom of Aspergers.

Now, the idea of teachers labeling kids as autists, adhd, etc, is stupid.

Anti-social kids without autism won't have the same kind of learning problem autists have.
Anti-social kids without autism won't have the same number of depressions.
Anti-social kids without autism won't have the same median level of stress.

Being anti-social isn't even a requirement for Aspergers.

 

[ChristineR]

Diagnostic Criteria For 299.80 Asperger's Disorder
A. Qualitative impairment in social interaction, as manifested by at least two of the following:

1. marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
2. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
3. a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g. by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
4. lack of social or emotional reciprocity

B. Restricted repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as manifested by at least one of the following:

1. encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus
2. apparently inflexible adherence to specific, nonfunctional routines or rituals
3. stereotyped and repetitive motor mannerisms (e.g., hand or finger flapping or twisting, or complex whole-body movements)
4. persistent preoccupation with parts of objects

C. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning

D. There is no clinically significant general delay in language (e.g., single words used by age 2 years, communicative phrases used by age 3 years)

E. There is no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or in the development of age-appropriate self-help skills, adaptive behavior (other than social interaction), and curiosity about the environment in childhood

F. Criteria are not met for another specific Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Schizophrenia

On the contrary, it's fundamental to the definition.

 

[TobiasTheViking]

On the contrary, it's fundamental to the definition.

Lack of TWO of the following, and with
1. marked impairments in the use of multiple nonverbal behaviors such as eye-to-eye gaze, facial expression, body postures, and gestures to regulate social interaction
and
4. lack of emotional reciprocity
one can still be very social.

And then one of the following

1. encompassing preoccupation with one or more stereotyped and restricted patterns of interest that is abnormal either in intensity or focus

Again, doesn't make one anti-social.


Of the first 4 items where two are required
2. failure to develop peer relationships appropriate to developmental level
3. a lack of spontaneous seeking to share enjoyment, interests, or achievements with other people (e.g. by a lack of showing, bringing, or pointing out objects of interest to other people)
4. lack of social or emotional reciprocity
number 2 and 3 are anti social, and number 4 can be (it says or emotional).

Many many Aspergers are very social. They may still be inept at social interaction, as in, they may not know what is allowed to be said, what should be said, what is expected. But that doesn't mean anti-social, not if they still communicate.