[luckystarmom]

You're right. I think there needs to be lots more research on this topic.

My doctor told me something else interesting. One of the reason that there are more autistic children is because they have changed the definition of what autism is. The definition has been broadened and encompasses a lot more children.

[TomB]

You're right. I think there needs to be lots more research on this topic.

Well, there needs to be much more research into autism, but considering the lack of evidence of a connection to MMR, I'm afraid the money could be better spent on other areas of autism.

One of the reason that there are more autistic children is because they have changed the definition of what autism is.

There is a post in this thread that essentially shows that, according to the current diagnosis guidelines for autism, most FReepers are autistic!

[rubbertramp]

Tom B is soooo droll. Autism is not funny. Maybe you are lucky and your children don't have it. But wait a while, this issue will affect your children's children. Autism is usually not diagnosed initially by docs. They don't like to tell parents the bad news...they lose a customer. Little Joey isn't talking at three and the neighbors kids are way ahead of him. He doesn't hang with the other kids but flaps his hands or lines up his toy cars.

The broadening of this category is not good news. More serious conditions are lumped into the Autism category because it is easier for Medicaid rules to handle it that way. Just think neurolgical and mitochondrial...that is the level that this poison is attacking the children of this country.