Rates of autism have skyrocketed 1000% since 1990 - Vaccines?

Natural News

[Scythian]

Natural News

Vaccines cause autism: Supporting evidence
October 6 - Rates of autism have skyrocketed 1000% since 1990, yet defenders of vaccines and the pharmaceutical industry keep scratching their heads in confusion: What could be causing this? Lots of clues point to vaccines...

Autism rates double in children as vaccines poison an entire generation
According to a U.S. government survey just published, rates of autism in children have doubled since 2003. Today, an estimated 1 in 91 children are being diagnosed with autism ...

[raybbr]

According to what I have heard about this survey it’s based on parents answers to questions not doctor’s diagnoses.

[Moonman62]

It’s not vaccines. Anything mental gets diagnosed as Autism these days, because it turns on the money.

[RegulatorCountry]

It's being diagnosed more because there's an incentive.

Call it the "behavioral-medical complex."

Also, look at disparate impact, by gender. That tells the tale.

[BuffaloJack]

Autism is today’s hot child buzzword. Any problems with a child from whining to lying to fighting are all tagged as autism. This was liberals can feel good about themselves and ruin the life of a child in the process, and they still get credit for caring.

[dangerdoc]

Ding, Ding, Ding.

We have a winner.

Schools get paid more for kids with a diagnosis.

[pollywog]

Having a non verbal 22 year old autistic nephew, a 18 year old autistic granddaughter and a 30 year old deaf/autistic son I disagree with you. Autism is on the rise , no doubt about it.

[proxy_user]

Television and computers.

They really have increased dramatically since 1990, while the rates of vaccination have been the same.

[djf]

Diet.

Lysine, Vitamin D, DHA...

All the things you get from meat and eggs and fish but don;t get from yogurt and smoothies...

[Doogle]

....they've widen the scope of symptoms

[samtheman]

U.S. Court Finds No Link Between Vaccines, Autism

I know that an article by the ComPost doesn't carry any weight in FR -- and normally it wouldn't carry any weight with me. But this seems a pretty straight-forward account of how the Vaccine Court, set up in 1986 under Reagan, operates and how it ruled in 3 recent cases that there is no "preponderance of evidence" linking vaccines and autism.

Before you sniff with disapproval in advance, I urge you to read the entire piece (it's not long) and to websearch the names and events it mentions if you want more detail.

I have a 10 month old boy who is going through the normal vaccination schedule and I am very interested in this issue and have read a lot about it. Our kid does not have autism (that we can tell) and I have no expectation that he will but because of his age the thought is scary and I pay close attention to this. I've read both sides. My gut feeling is that the Vaccine Court is right and there is not only a lack of any provable scientific link (which is a high standard) but no preponderance of evidence pointing to a link (which is a lower standard).

Again, if you really care about this issue, not matter what your opinion is already (and no matter what your opinion is of the Compost), I strongly suggest that you read this article.

[nicolezmomma]

In the research I have done it appears that autism is linked to genetic breaks associated with the body’s methylation cycle. Methylation is the process of getting rid of metals, virus’, and bacteria. If it is broken, these build up in the system and cause havoc. The havoc can be identified as autism or other illnesses. See the work of Dr. Amy Yasko. We live in an increasingly polluted world. It is no surprise that the PCBs in our water along with other unnatural things we ingest are contributing to these genetic breaks.

[driftdiver]

Several people I know have autistic kids. Schools don’t want the kids or know how to handle them.

ADHD is much easier to diagnose and would be the choice of schools motivated by dollars.

[Sparko]

Generally speaking, if we look hard enough for something, we tend to find it.

Ever consider buying a red pick up truck and then see an increased number of red pick up trucks?

This may be a combination of refined screens to diagnose autism, increased self-reporting, and being more observant.

[LRoggy]

I for one don’t dismiss this thought so quickly. It is no secret that some vaccines can give a person the disease or sickness it is trying to prevent. I do not want to give my 14 year old son the Swine Flu vaccine. Nor will I take it.

[AUH2O Repub]

Autism is the new buzz word for kids that don’t get enough discipline from their parents. The parents can’t control these kids so they have to blame it on something. Used to be “Attention Deficit Disorder” now it’s “Autism”. True autism is very rare. These kids are suffering from Parental Child-Rearing Disorder.

[goodwithagun]

I will try to find the info. I read somewhere, it might have been something from the CDC, that the CDC and AMA have postivly linked autism to MMR vaccine if the child has leaky gut syndrome. My son had that because he was whey protein intollerant and we didn’t know for a while. Thank God we didn’t vaccinate. I can’t describe how I decided, but it just came over me when he was born. I think God was trying to tell me something. Now that he is better, we can start thinking about a vaccine schedule that does not have multiple doses at one time.

[Carley]

More like an extraordinary broadening of the definition of autism.

[samtheman]

I do not want to give my 14 year old son the Swine Flu vaccine. Nor will I take it.

I don't want to argue with your choice or try to persuade you to do something you don't want to do but I just want to point out that your words are also saying this:

I do not want my 14 year old son's body to be trained to defend itself against swine flu. Nor will I allow that training in my body either.

[samtheman]

More like an extraordinary broadening of the definition of autism.

That's what I believe happened.

[driftdiver]

Not sure how you can say that without seeing the kids. The people I know have kids that are quite obviously autistic. They aren’t bad parents and the kids are not undisciplined.

Im not saying there isnt an agenda. Just saying that blanket statements are unwarranted. Autism is far far different than ‘ADHD’.

[pollywog]

I can tell you have never been exposed to a child with autism.
Sad comment!

[cajungirl]

Correct. THe Autism Spectrum Disorder is what has increased the number of kids with diagnosis. And money for research and disability claims.

[cajungirl]

Same thing happened with Bipolar which used to be known as exceedingly rare. Now everybody has it. The definiton was changed to include people without classic Bipolar Disorder and catches those with milder variants.

This is legitimate and because of there is agreater understanding of the entire spectrum of disorders which are autistic in nature but not as severe or disabling as autism.

HOw you count and how you define a disorder makes a difference.

[cajungirl]

I believe you are nistating the case and don’t know much about these disorders. They are real and with early intervention can be improved.

[cajungirl]

mistating,,I cannot type so early!

[Canedawg]

“Schools get paid more for kids with a diagnosis.”

Exactly. The kid gets an IEP and the schools receive money stemming from the I.D.E.A.

[Cloverfarm]

“...the new buzzword for kids that don’t get enough discipline ...”

Um, no. Have to disagree on that. Discipline was rigorous in my grandma’s family yet still one uncle was “that way” like some of the other relatives.

No easy answers.

[wolfcreek]

One would have to look back at the practices of the parents and especially the grandparents. (you get most of your characteristics from your GPs)

The vaccines could be a problem but, the overall diet and exposure to modern chemicals, pesticides, illegal and legal drugs, the use of microwave ovens, tainted drinking water, lack of fresh air and lack of sunlight, etc....are more likely.

My MIL took a drug to lessen the risk of miscarriage back in the ‘60s. It was later to be found to cause problems in her grandchildren. It skipped a generation.

[Dianna]

Not sure how you can say that without seeing the kids. The people I know have kids that are quite obviously autistic. They aren’t bad parents and the kids are not undisciplined.

I worked in a special ed preschool in a public school for awhile. We had one class exclusively for autistic children. ALL of those children were textbook, classic autistic.

In my classes (morning and afternoon), we had one child who was classically autistic whose parents didn't want him in the other program, 1 child with Down's Syndrome, 1 child with extreme physical and mental handicaps, about 5 kids who had something going on because normal discipline, firmness and consistency were ineffective, and maybe 8 kids who needed speech therapy.

The other 24 kids were all diagnosed with something (had to, in order to qualify for the program) but they seemed pretty normal to me.

There is a LOT of diagnosing going on, but from what I've seen, the autism diagnoses have been spot on.

[rbg81]

I dunno. I have read that new fathers over 40 are more likely to have kids with autism than younger men. And a lot more couples (men) are getting married later and putting off having kids. It may be as simple as that.

[CalvaryJohn]

Recently, Autism Awareness advocates have “rounded down” the 1 in 162 figure to an even 1 in 150. I do not believe there is an explosion of this disorder. What other statistics have they been monkeying around with?

[Dianna]

Exactly. The kid gets an IEP and the schools receive money stemming from the I.D.E.A.

The money for children with IEP's is limited to a certain percentage of the school population. There are more than enough kids who require some kind of extra help that they really don't need to be making up autism.

[Canedawg]

there are thousands and thousands of lawsuits filed by parents of kids with IEPs seeking dAMAGES that claim the school is not giving them the proper education in accordance with the IEP.

Inner city parents are being encouraged (by ACORN types) to GET IEPs for their kids. ADD, ADHC, autism, whatever the condition- they are advised to get an IEP

That is the reality.

[Paradox]

Its a shame that real phenomena are being linked to various boogey men. Like the rise in Autism to Vaccines. Or Obesity to HFCS. Lowered sperm count to Soy. Why? Because people become fixated on these "causes" and stop paying attention to other, just as, if not more, likely causes.

There is little if any scientific evidence to link the latter to the former, yet advocates (disadvocates?) get into silly conspiracy theories to support their views. Just a shame what happens to real science these days.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Vaccines MAY be a trigger, but they are not the cause.

It is grossly irresponsible to claim vaccines cause autism. Autism spectrum disorders are genetic.

[uncbob]

It’s not vaccines. Anything mental gets diagnosed as Autism these days, because it turns on the money.

New fad diagnosis along wth the BS Attention Deficit Disorder

[C210N]

The Age of Autism: The Amish anomaly

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

there are thousands and thousands of lawsuits filed by parents of kids with IEPs seeking dAMAGES that claim the school is not giving them the proper education in accordance with the IEP.

The legal profession is full of vultures and filth.

[Canedawg]

It's even more complicated than that- in NYC, a TOP, TOP white shoe law firm is litigating these cases pro bono in conjunction with leftist, anti-board of ed organizations, who in return divert federal money to the law firm during "fundraisers" to make up for the law firm's assistance.

[Dianna]

there are thousands and thousands of lawsuits filed by parents of kids with IEPs seeking dAMAGES that claim the school is not giving them the proper education in accordance with the IEP.

I don't doubt it. The most likely explanation, of course, is that schools lack the funds to hire enough people to do everything that is required to be done.

Inner city parents are being encouraged (by ACORN types) to GET IEPs for their kids. ADD, ADHC, autism, whatever the condition- they are advised to get an IEP

How does this, in any way, refute what I said? There is a limit on the money, period. Yes, some parents will try to work the system in their own favor. Ultimately, if their kid doesn't have a real problem, they are screwing someone else's kid out of time and help. Again, it is certainly not in the school's best interest to sign up massive numbers of kids for special ed in some attempt to get more money.

I do believe that there are some diagnoses that will entitle a parent to SSI money...

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

I’m not surprised.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

This disorder is generally accepted as a biological syndrome that affects both the gastrointestinal and central nervous systems. Children who are autistic can range from mild to severe cases, and the position of autism in developmental psychiatry parallels that of schizophrenia in validity and severity.

Almost all of the researchers in this field of study agree that genetic predisposition is crucial in the neurological foundation of autism. It has been shown that if one of a pair of identical twins is autistic, there is a 90 percent chance the other twin will be autistic. Furthermore, parents of one autistic child who’s risk is 1 in 500 of having an autistic child, rises to 1 in 20 with a second child. After two autistic children, this risk increases to 1 in 3. In addition, "the chances that the siblings of an autistic child will display one or more of the other developmental disorders with a known genetic basis – such as dyslexia or Tourette’s syndrome – are also significantly higher than normal."

One most curious aspect is the dramatically higher incidence of this in Silicon Valley and the Route 128 area outside of Boston. Some high functioning people who work in these areas are considered "broad autistic phenotypes". "One provocative hypothesis that might account for the rise of spectrum disorders in technically adept communities like Silicon Valley, some geneticists speculate, is an increase in assortative mating."

This phenomena is not occurring in just the previously mentioned areas, but also in other places where a concentration of technically advanced people are having children, as well as an increase of reported rates all over the world. There is cause for alarm and an urgent need to mobilize research efforts.

The most detailed medical analysis of autism by far can be found in Topics in Clinical Chiropractic. The most detailed social analysis is in Wired magazine. The most instructive is Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism. There are other sources full of valuable information on the topic. Space prohibits their inclusion and discussion at this time.

Autism remains a puzzle. It is generally believed to be a genetic disorder related to a variant allele of HOXB1, a gene on chromosome 17, possibly regions on chromosome 15, chromosome 7 and chromosome 9. A remarkable and detailed report on the etiologies, brain mechanisms, and neuropsychological phenotypes can be found in Diagnosing Learning Disorders; A Neuropsychological Framework (which may be now outdated). This following description is a valuable bit of information from this 1991 book:  

…Briefly, existing evidence supports the conclusion that autism is familial, heritable and genetically heterogeneous. Among the possible genetic subtypes are multifactorial inheritance, autosomal recessive inheritance, X-linked inheritance and nonfamilial chromosomal anomalies.

Here are some sources...

Silberman, Steve. "The Geek Syndrome." Wired Dec 2001: 176.

Brian J Gleberzon and Anita L Rosenberg-Gleberzon. "On autism: Its prevalence, diagnosis, causes, and treatment." Topics in Clinical Chiropractic. Dec 2001.

http://proquest.umi.compdqweb?TS=1019705267&RQT=309&CC=2&Dtp=1&Did>

Maurice, Catherine, ed. Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism. Austin: PRO-ED, 1996.

Rodier, Patricia M. "The Early origins of Autism." Scientific American. Feb 2000: 56.

Bower, B. "Gene Implicated in Development of Autism." Science News. Dec 16, 2000: 390.

Holden, Constance. "The Destiny of Autism?" Science Now. Dec 6, 2000: 3.

Pennington, Bruce F. Diagnosing Learning Disorders; A Neuropsychological Framework. New York: Guilford Press, 1991.

[Toddsterpatriot]

Autism is on the rise , no doubt about it.

Autism is real. Autism has always existed. The diagnoses have changed.

It used to be underreported, it is now over reported.

[bmwcyle]

ping

[Canedawg]

I’m not trying to refute what you posted as much as i am pointing out that there are mult-layered incentives for parents to get their kids IEPs so that they can work the system to their advantage.

School boards receive federal monies when they agree to comply with the IDEA, and with the PORKULUS, there is no shortage of funding to line the pockets of inner city schools and parents who claim non-compliance with the federal mandates.

[WoofDog123]

“I do not want my 14 year old son’s body to be trained to defend itself against swine flu. Nor will I allow that training in my body either. “

You seem to ignore any possible side effects in your statement. Surely you would consider side-effects and complications of a new vaccine being pushed down our throats via presidential panic news confs when making this choice. Also, this is the same guy (president) who warns of dire imminent consequences for not passing stimulus, health care annexation, etc. I am extremely skeptical of this entire swine flu media frenzy, and have been since it started last year.

DOes what I am saying make semse? In considering the potential benefits of a vaccine, it is of dubious wisdom or advisability to simply not consider the downside of sticking it in your (or your childrens’) bodies.

[dangerdoc]

There is the diagnosis of autism spectrum. Is your kid shy, socially awkward, has difficulty standing up to bullies? Welcome to the world of Autism spectrum.

Also, a significant number of children who would be traditionally diagnosed with mental retardation are now getting labeled at various medical conditions including autism spectrum. This makes the concept of looking at diagnosis rates over time frought with inaccuracy.

[Dianna]

School boards receive federal monies when they agree to comply with the IDEA, and with the PORKULUS, there is no shortage of funding to line the pockets of inner city schools and parents who claim non-compliance with the federal mandates.

Your original point was that autism is overdiagnosed because schools get money for special ed. There IS a limit on special ed funding, as I recall it is 8% of the population. It is laughably easy to find 40 kids out of 500 who have SOME kind of problem. There is no need for schools to make up diagnoses.

The stimulus bill may very well come into play, but I have been arguing the funding point here on FR for 6 years. In every thread about ADHD or autism someone posts that schools rake in the dough for diagnosing kids with the BS of the day. It simply isn't true.

[Roses0508]

At one point in grade school, the counselor suggested my very bright son was autistic and urged testing. To be honest, almost every teacher had a suggestions, because my very bright son was not doing well in school and was a space cadet.

I find the statistical correlation between the locus with highly intelligent people and autistic children very interesting. My grandson’s father was diagnoised as mildly autistic. He comes from one of those families of highly intelligent individuals in just such a corridor.