Monday is Light it Up Blue Day in preparation for World Autism Awareness Day. Display blue in homes, businesses, and blogs to support Autism research and awareness. In celebration, I just ordered these beautiful angel wing necklaces for the girls and myself. A portion of the funds go to research and therapy for people with Autism. If you know someone who'd enjoy wearing one, please buy one to show support. And remember to Light It Up Blue next week.
Since you are so greatly affected by it, maybe you could give me some insight. you have obviously done a lifetime of research, so you will know more than anyone I know. What do you think is the cause of the increase in autism, if there actually is an increase, which appears from my uneducated observations to be the case?
ReplyDeleteAh, timbo, the million dollar question. A lot of it has to do with awareness and changing diagnostic criteria. It's a broad spectrum disorder with variable degrees of severity. So kids that 20-30 years ago would hve just been labeled anti-social, weird, or even catatonic would probably be diagnosed with Autism today. And parents are more educated in getting a proper diagnosis.
ReplyDeleteThen there are the external issues. Yep, I'm a crazy anti-innoculation mom. Fifty years ago, we were told cigarettes don't cause lung cancer because not ALL smokers got lung cancer. Same argument is being fed to us about the MMR shot and Autism. I think, at the very least, innoculations can wait until 3 or 4, when the child's immune system is better formed. Also, if there is a chance of Autism, it usually shows by 18-24 months.
I have two autistic kids and they are very different in their autism. I have medium functioning, moderately verbal, with severe auditory, visual and tactile hypersensitivity. And the baby is low functioning, non-verbal, with extreme auditory and tactile hypersensitivity. And they both have moments of stunning clarity.
And that's probably enough to confuse the hell out of you. I really need to do an Innoculations and Autism post, huh?
Yes, you really do need to do that post. I have wondered about the same things.
ReplyDeleteReminded me of being asked if I was allergic to mercury when I got a flu shot a couple of years ago. I replied, well yes, mercury is a poison. I got the flu shot anyway but the pharmacist realized what a stupid question it was.
Terry
Fla.
Another factor being studied is acetaminophen poisoning. Standard advice for children receiving innoculations is to give them Tylenol before the shots to minimize injection site pain and potential fever. In countries with innoculations, but no access to acetaminophen, incidents of autism are drastically lower.
ReplyDeleteWow. Thanks.
ReplyDelete