The Age of Autism: The Amish anomaly

The Washington Times ^ | April 18, 2005 | Dan Omstead

[agsloss]

Lancaster, PA, Apr. 18 (UPI) -- Part 1 of 2. Where are the autistic Amish? Here in Lancaster County, heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, there should be well over 100 with some form of the disorder. I have come here to find them, but so far my mission has failed, and the very few I have identified raise some very interesting questions about some widely held views on autism. The mainstream scientific consensus says autism is a complex genetic disorder, one that has been around for millennia at roughly the same prevalence. That prevalence is now considered to be 1 in every 166 children born in the United States. Applying that model to Lancaster County, there ought to be 130 Amish men, women and children here with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Well over 100, in rough terms. Typically, half would harbor milder variants such as Asperger's Disorder or the catch-all Pervasive Development Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified -- PDD-NOS for short. So let's drop those from our calculation, even though "mild" is a relative term when it comes to autism. That means upwards of 50 Amish people of all ages should be living in Lancaster County with full-syndrome autism, the "classic autism"...

-snip-

I have identified three Amish residents of Lancaster County who apparently have full-syndrome autism, all of them children. A local woman told me there is one classroom with about 30 "special-needs" Amish children. In that classroom, there is one autistic Amish child. Another autistic Amish child does not go to school. The third is that woman's pre-school-age daughter. If there were more, she said, she would know it. What I learned about those children is the subject of the next column.

[TomB]

I accept everything but the last statement.

Thank you.

Are you saying that no other vaccines are currently in development or under consideration?

Using currently available cell lines or new ones?

[Egon]

The committee concluded that this body of evidence favors rejection of a causal relationship between thimerosal-containing vaccines and autism, and that hypotheses generated to date concerning a biological mechanism for such causality are theoretical only. Further, the committee stated that the benefits of vaccination are proven and the hypothesis of susceptible populations is presently speculative, and that widespread rejection of vaccines would lead to increases in incidences of serious infectious diseases like measles, whooping cough and Hib bacterial meningitis.

This translates roughly to: Not enough people have died yet to warrant actual independent review that would be acceptable scientific proof. Until then, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.

In other words: we're not sure that an excess of water will kill you so stop rocking the boat before we all die.

[Orgiveme]

But hey, what am I going to do now?

There's no use beating up on oneself. Wouldn't we all do things differently if we'd known? I've spent very little time doing that -- didn't shed a single tear over our autistic guy until he was 11, and then I cried buckets practically on command because of a cold-hearted teacher backed by an evil district nurse -- and we keep looking and trying. Virtually everything we have used has helped some, some more than others. The most helpful stuff has been the stuff that promoted vasodilation and new vascularization (sequela of vasodilation), and include: electromagnetic stimulation -- see Len Ochs on the internet -- and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) also on the internet.

The next thing we'll be trying is HBOT along with vasodilation mitigated by FDA meds and supplements, per Dr. Hammesfahr (of Terri Schiavo fame).

Sensory integration helped a lot, also, but somewhat less dramatically than the other two things, IMHO. It is quite powerful, however (and not to be confused with SMI, sensorimotor integration -- which is the "harsher" equivalent to the homeopathic SI).

[Egon]

Using currently available cell lines or new ones?

Don't know. We're still fighting that battle in the courts, aren't we?

Until then, let's create as much of a demand as possible and tip the scales toward abortion.

[najida]

Fair enough,

I think my point was that we, as a culture, don't understand what it's like to bury nearly half the children you birth. I remember hearing my Granny weep about the 3 she buried in one year (2 at once and then another 8 months later), and my other grandma talking about the babies she lost. And so forth, listening to various family stories. Seems everyone lost a baby or 2.

There are patterns in graveyards ya know.

You can see big epidemics (yellow fever, the big flu epidemic) and then little mini ones (a bout of stomach virus or diphtheria).

I also remember the polio epidemic, the iron lungs and the palpable fear that was felt in the community. Then when the vaccine came out, people literally walked for miles, carrying their kids to the site where the vaccine was being dispensed, and the near panic when a rumor started that there wasn't enough vaccine.

It's all a very vivid memory still.

[TomB]

: Not enough people have died yet to warrant actual independent review that would be acceptable scientific proof.

You said "scientific proof"?

Interesting you left this part out:

In this report, the committee incorporated new epidemiological evidence from the U.S., Denmark, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and studies of biologic mechanisms related to vaccines and autism since its report in 2001.

That's an awful lot of studies and co-conspirators. Are all these countries in this together?

[hobbes1]

I am not taking their information as accurate, merely pointing out that in order to make my previous post, look inaccurate, you provided a link describing the very comparison you derided.

And as for the second paragraph you just posted, It says exactly what I said their position was, "You cant prove it", it actually goes a step further.

In Bureaucratese
this body of evidence favors rejection of a causal relationship .... and that hypotheses generated to date concerning a biological mechanism for such causality are theoretical only....
Further, the committee stated that the benefits of vaccination are proven and the hypothesis of susceptible populations is presently speculative, and that widespread rejection of vaccines would lead to increases in incidences of serious infectious diseases like measles, whooping cough and Hib bacterial meningitis.

Means, We cant Disprove it, you cant prove it, but we like the overall effects of the NIP, so deal with it.

[walden]

"It is my belief that one component in the rise of autism is the relative decrease in the exposure of most parents/older siblings to their preschoolers."

Interesting theory. We certainly do put stresses on young children today that weren't formerly a factor.

[Orgiveme]

I'm close to an Autistic. Its rough.

Check this out "to Peacebaby," and I hope it proves helpful:

But hey, what am I going to do now?

There's no use beating up on oneself. Wouldn't we all do things differently if we'd known? I've spent very little time doing that -- didn't shed a single tear over our autistic guy until he was 11, and then I cried buckets practically on command because of a cold-hearted teacher backed by an evil district nurse -- and we keep looking and trying. Virtually everything we have used has helped some, some more than others. The most helpful stuff has been the stuff that promoted vasodilation and new vascularization (sequela of vasodilation), and include: electromagnetic stimulation -- see Len Ochs on the internet -- and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) also on the internet. The next thing we'll be trying is HBOT along with vasodilation mitigated by FDA meds and supplements, per Dr. Hammesfahr (of Terri Schiavo fame). Sensory integration helped a lot, also, but somewhat less dramatically than the other two things, IMHO. It is quite powerful, however (and not to be confused with SMI, sensorimotor integration -- which is the "harsher" equivalent to the homeopathic SI). 223 posted on 04/20/2005 12:05:19 PM PDT by Orgiveme (Give me liberty orgiveme death!)

[hobbes1]

In a word, pretty much. They all are true believers in the fact that if this scandal reached acceptance proportions that Mass Immunization would be threatened.

However, Going further, do you mean to say that the fact that they are relying on Epidemiolgical studies, when we already know that it is restricted to a population subset, (thereby rendering epidemiolgical methodology inaccurate) doesn't tell you something.


This is a case for Lab work, not Statistics.

[TomB]

Until then, let's create as much of a demand as possible and tip the scales toward abortion.

What demand? We already agreed that the current vaccines do not use any more stem cells. A company can continue to make the current vaccines FOREVER and not need any more lines.

[Egon]

Interesting you left this part out...

I left nothing out. I translated the intent.

That's an awful lot of studies and co-conspirators. Are all these countries in this together?

It sure is. It's also a LOT of money and liability if people don't stick together.

Who's talking about countries? I said nothing about countries. I've been talking about coalitions of drug companies and the medical community. And, yes, I believe it's a gigantic CYA conspiracy.

...and, no, I refuse to put on my tinfoil hat.

;-)

[Orgiveme]

Or more likely as rather independent people they don't spend a lot of time with hassling a doctor about every little thing so they don't get any of the so called "mild" form of autism diagnosed, thus putting them back to how autism was diagnosed back in the 60s and 70s before anybody had decided there was such a thing as functional autistics.

You're touting the AMA/FDA line; they don't want the massive class-action lawsuit they so richly deserve.

Again: what's your hands-on exposure/experience?

[TheBattman]

Let me restate, the MMR vaccine never, EVER contained thimerosal.

No - it's just manufactured using aborted fetal tissue...

[hobbes1]

And you left out the most important line of all, form the IOM's opening statement.

The committee does not dispute that mercury-containing compounds, including thimerosal, can be very damaging to the nervous system.

[Egon]

What demand? We already agreed that the current vaccines do not use any more stem cells. A company can continue to make the current vaccines FOREVER and not need any more lines.

By this logic, Henry Ford should never have made more than one type of automobile. After all, he could make that one forever!

Why have a polio vaccine when you can market a polio AND a smallpox vaccine? Why have a polio vaccine when you can market a polio, smallpox, and Diptheria vaccine together! Oh, because the government shut us down... OK. Why have a polio and a smallpox vaccine when you can have a flu vaccine as well!

Oh, I know! How about an HIV vaccine?? Now... where did I put those damn stem cells...

[TomB]

However, Going further, do you mean to say that the fact that they are relying on Epidemiolgical studies, when we already know that it is restricted to a population subset, (thereby rendering epidemiolgical methodology inaccurate) doesn't tell you something.

Huh? What are you talking about?

When a substance is already present in the environment in vivo studies are absolutely more accurate than in vitro. Why do you think drugs have to be tested on people before they are approved?

[TomB]

What does making a vaccine for a disease that doesn't have one have to do with vaccinating kids with current vaccines? And why would that create "more demand". Once they are vaccinated, they're vaccinated. There's no more demand.

I'm not following your logic.

[Orgiveme]

Do you have any idea how offensive your post is to this grandmother of a beautiful, loved, well cared for, 3 year old autistic child? We're also contributors to the National Alliance for Autism Research where they KNOW what they're talking about.

I don't think the posting you're responding to was meant to be offensive at all, and I responded to it elsewhere.

Another thing you mentioned intrigued me, and I wondered if you have considered or perhaps used what I mention below:

The next thing we'll be trying is HBOT along with vasodilation mitigated by FDA meds and supplements, per Dr. Hammesfahr (of Terri Schiavo fame). Sensory integration helped a lot, also, but somewhat less dramatically than the other two things, IMHO. It is quite powerful, however (and not to be confused with SMI, sensorimotor integration -- which is the "harsher" equivalent to the homeopathic SI). 223 posted on 04/20/2005 12:05:19 PM PDT by Orgiveme (Give me liberty orgiveme death!)

Post me privately if you prefer, but the information may prove helpful to others, including those (currently) "unaffected."

[TomB]

The committee does not dispute that mercury-containing compounds, including thimerosal, can be very damaging to the nervous system.

So can arsenic.

Do you want that completely removed from the water?

THE DOSE MAKES THE POISON.