Autism Vaccine? - Could My Child's Autism Have Been Caused by a Vaccine?

                

 

It is a sad but true fact; many more children are being diagnosed with autism each year. Autism comes in many different forms, but regardless of the symptoms it causes; it is a very serious and life-altering disorder, both for the parents or caregivers of the child, and obviously, the child itself. Some of the children who have autism don?t develop social skills as they should, and have a hard time interacting with other people, adults and children. Some autistic children have difficulty with repetitive behaviors, and others even have language problems, affecting the way they communicate. Some people only have mild cases of autism, and are able to fully function in modern society, while others require constant care for the rest of their lives. Many doctors and researchers have theorized that there is a significant link between autism and vaccines, but currently there is no hard evidence to prove such a link.

There have been several research studies done over the years, trying to determine the exact cause of autism, but to date, no one has been able to definitively prove that autism is caused by childhood vaccinations. In fact, at one time autism was believed to be linked specifically to the measles vaccine, and a study was conducted in 1997 to verify that fact. Just the opposite was proved, evidence was found that clearly proved that there was no way that autism could be caused by the measles vaccine, not was it to blame for any other type of neurological disorder or malady.

Another study was done in 1998, trying again to prove a link between common childhood vaccines and autism, but no links were found. This study did claim to find proof that some intestinal deformities and developmental delays often began shortly after being vaccinated with the MMR vaccine, but this study came under fire in the medical community. One of the problems that this study came under fire for was the fact that the data was based only on 12 test subjects, and that none of them were healthy to begin with. When approached with this information, the researchers who were involved in the study retracted their claims, and the study was declared invalid.

Currently, although there is still a lot of suspicion surrounding the subject, there has been no concrete evidence found linking autism to childhood vaccines in any way. In fact, there are studies being conducted at this moment, trying to prove that autism is in fact caused by a genetic element, but it is still in process, and no results have been released as of yet.

Though many parents will research and hear about childhood immunizations and autism, the risks are far worse for your children if they receive no vaccines at all. There is no research to date that proves any kind of link between the two, so you shouldn?t really be concerned with it at this point. If you do have worries or fears about the vaccines, talk to your child?s pediatrician, or do some research on the subject. Just make certain that you also consider the illnesses and diseases that your child could be stricken with if he or she doesn?t get their immunizations, and then make an educated decision based on the information you have gathered. You can bet that as cautious as medical professionals are when it comes to children, if there was any real concern about a vaccine actually causing something as serious as autism, something would be done about it, and the vaccine would no longer be given.

If you enjoyed reading about Autism vaccine, and want to read more about Autism, visit http://www.autism.healthanddiettips.com/

 

Autism Statistics

                

 

It is quite well known that at this point in time there is no actual cure for autism, yet an earlier diagnosis of the disorder will help in selecting a treatment that will help the individual better cope with day to day life. Therapy may be in two different forms, depending on the degree of autism exhibited by the patient. In examining the autism statistics, the earlier the therapy is started, the more positive will be the results. in general terms it appears that treatment administered to a child between two to three years old, has the most chance of success. Waiting until the later ages can decrease this result by as much as 36 percent.

Steady Rise Over Two Decades

According to the latest autism statistics, the number of children diagnosed with autism is rising steadily. It appears that since the 80's the number of people afflicted with this condition has increase by 600%. These children can only hope that their therapy will start before they are three years old and even then the chance of a total recovery is less then 40%. Doctors say that the autistic child?s nervous system is not set up properly and that therapy will prevent further damage and partially repair the problem. Every year that delays the therapy appears to allow the nervous system to solidify and stabilize its condition making it harder and harder to effect proper repairs.

The most unfortunate thing is that less than 10 percent of the diagnosed children are recommended for therapy, and only 3%-4% actually do receive treatment. the reason for this is that the therapy is expensive and costs more then most people can afford. The autism statistics clearly indicate that a minimum of 25 hours of therapy per week is necessary for any hope of improvement. The costs are prohibitive and the government does not have sufficient funds or the priority to help. Many parents, will try and undertake special training themselves so that they can administer the required therapy and help their autistic child. In the absence of a better solution this will have to do for now. The real solution is for the government to recognize the need to step in and provide help. Only then will this problem even begin to be resolved.

Kerry Ng is a successful Webmaster and publisher of The Autism Info Blog. Click here for more helpful information on Autism: http://www.autisminfoblog.com/increasing-autism-awareness

Autism - What Causes Autism and How Can You Prevent It

                

 

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that causes delays in social interaction, language as used in social communication, and/or imaginative play, that orginates prior to 3 years of age, according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

What causes Autism? This question is still answered with open-ended possibilities. Autism in laymen terms is an otherwise healthy person that cannot either speak in a given

Language format, interact with others in a social setting, or becomes emotionally triggered by very normal functions of others around them.

Autism studies have found a distinctive link with people diagnoised with autism and their unusually high heavy metal content in their blood. Mercury and lead seem to read high in their blood count. The body's ability to defuse or expunge certain metals causes a build up or high concentration of these metals and the link suggests that this build up of heavy metals seems to block certain social solving skills in the brain.

Retention of these heavy metals in the body creates a severe imbalance in the ratio of active to inactive glutathione, the body's most important tool for detoxifying and excreting metals. Glutathione works as an antioxidant, which regulates the potentially destructive process of oxidative stress caused both by normal metabolism and environmental contaminants. Autistic children showed a significant impairment in every one of five measurements of the body's ability to maintain a healthy glutathione defense.

Autism has increased 10-fold from 6 in 10,000 in the 1980s, to about 60 in 10,000 today. Boys are higher candidates than girls of having autism. Since the discovery link of heavy metals in autistic people, there are some studies that suggest that if you can reduce or aid in expunging metal content from the body through the skin's pores using a special cr?me, testing has shown to produce some very significant, almost immediate results.

So how does these heavy metals get into the body? One very elusive method that we seldom hear about is through vaccines. The preservatives that were placed in the vaccines were found to have adverse affects that could account for some of this metal build up. As of 2002 these preservatives have been removed.

Our food supply is also a big contributor of metals. Fish and shellfish can contain high levels of mercury. Women would are of child bearing age are warned to avoid these foods if they are anticipating pregnancy. Green leafy plants can retain levels of lead from the soil. So, basically you can come in contact with several ways of ingesting these offensive metals.

The intake is not as much the problem, as the releasing of these essential minerals. If a person cannot release these minerals, then the build-up appears to cause or at least contribute to the symptoms of autism. Autism is not something to be ashamed of, understand that your child is relying on you to get the help they need asap, for a more responsive life.

Bottom line is to have a child tested as soon as you notice certain behavioral problems that just aren't normal. For instance,

- autistic children will avoid eye to eye contact

- they don't interact with other children well, they like playing alone

- they don't form words, or mimic your coaching words

- they can be sensitive to normal sounds, like that of a vacuum cleaner

- they tend to want to line up there toys in straight lines and become upset if they are rearranged

- they can indicate they are hungry, yet when food is given, they reject it

- they may want an item but not accept it from you by hand, they prefer to pick it up themselves when they decide the time is right

While some of these symptoms, done separately, may not suggest autism, it's the collection of a larger group of items listed that tend to send signals that testing would be advised. When asking your doctor if they think your child is okay or normal, please alert the doctor to have your child tested for high levels of heavy metals and explain some of the child's odd mannerisms. Doctors don't have the same perceptions as you simply from a doctor's visit. Being more verbal with your concerns for your child as soon as you notice their different behaviors could greatly improve by treatments as early as possible.

Doctors in general do not consider testing for autism before the age of 3 years, but if you have seen some of the behaviors listed above, remember, you can suggest to the doctor to do some testing for autism earlier than your child's 3rd birthday.

President Bush recently signed the Combating Autism Act of 2006 bill on December 19, 2006. This bill, widely applauded by autism activists groups, authorizes nearly $1 billion over the next five years to combat autism through research, screening, early detection and early intervention. The new legislation will increase federal spending on autism by at least fifty percent. Please support their efforts whenever and wherever possible.

http://wealthsmith.com/autism-symptoms-autism-cure.htm

Jim has found a disorder that has touched him on a personal level and he is becoming a strong advocate for a cure of autism. To have so much knowledge available the cure is within our grasp. http://wealthsmith.com/autism-symptoms-autism-cure.htm

Understanding Autism

                

 

Autism, which is sometimes also referred to Childhood Autism, Early Infantile Autism, or Kanner's Autism, is caused by some neurological malfunction that causes marked delays in the development in the areas of communication and social interaction. Autism is a developmental disability that often occurs during the first three years of a child's life. Autism, generally, affects the perception, attention, and thought of a person, though, it normally occurs at a younger age.

Autism isn't an easy disorder to diagnose. Diagnosing autism is a very subjective process, though the DSM IV lists specific criteria that must be met for a formal diagnosis of autism.

Autism has been known as one of the most severe neurological disorders affecting children for about fifty years, but until recently, it was considered to be fairly rare, affecting less than one in 1000 people. According to figures published by the Department of Education, the incidence of autism and diagnoses of autism have risen a staggering 800% since 1993.

It would be easy if there was a standard treatment for all children with autism spectrum disorder, but unlike disorders like diabetes, there is no 'best' treatment for ASD. Since the mid-90s, there have been numerous anecdotal reports that treatment with secretin results in amazing and immediate improvements in many autistic children and adults. Amongst the commonly used treatments are behavioral interventions, medication, and lifestyle and dietary changes.

What causes autism? Autism is a brain disorder the etiology of which is not yet understood, which means, in basic langauge, the cause is not yet understood. There are lots of theories, and a lot of debate about the reasons for autism, and much of it is involved in the controversy surrounding exactly how common autism is, and whether or not there's been a noticeable rise in actual cases of autism in recent times.

For mothers and fathers, one of the most crucial pieces of information is that autism is not a psychological illness. Specialists quite specifically dismissed the worrying theory that autism is brought on by the absence of a nurturing mother, but the belief still exists in some circles. If your child suffers from autism, don't worry, it is not due to the fact that you were a inadequate parent

The gene connection There is a great deal of research that implies a gene-related cause for autism. For example, the rates of autism in the public is approximately 1.5 in 1000, but families with one autistic child have a 5 percent chance of having another autistic child. In fact, the majority of autism experts think that autism is the most likely to be inherited of all the neurobiological disorders. The most persuasive evidence is the studies completed involving twins. Studying twins can help to identify a genetic link for a condition by analyzing the differencein frequency rates of the complaint in identical (monozygotic) and fraternal (dizygotic) twins. If a disorder is genetic in origin, the frequency rate will be significantly elevated in monozygotic (identical) twins, since they share the very same chromosomes. In the majority of such studies researching autism, the frequency of autism is as much as 90% higher in monozygotic (identical) twins than in fraternal (dizygotic).

On the other hand, the studies raise other questions. The fact that not one of the studies showed 100% concordance in monozygotic twins suggests that there are other factors at play in the causes of autism, for instance. And other familial studies have noted common characteristics, for instance, that autism is more common in families of physicists and engineers, giving rise to the term 'the geek syndrome' to identify autism.

Lifestyle factors A number of doctors suspect that there could be an environmental factor in the progression of autism. Dr. Bernard Rimland, for instance, proposed in 1967 that autism may be a result of mercury and heavy metal toxicity to which a few youngsters have a genetic sensitivity. His treatment of autistic kids with a gluten-free, casein-free diet and mercury chelation therapy (removal of mercury from the system) has shown many success with most children.

Other lifestyle factors that have been suggested to play roles are viral or bacterial infections, vaccines and thalidomide.

The Supermale Brain Theory One particularly interesting recent theory about the etiology of autism is that it's brought on by high levels of testosterone during progression. A study in England measured the testosterone level of the amniotic fluid in mothers, then followed up with testing of youngsters after birth and at four years. It was found that the babies with the highest levels of testosterone pre-birth had a smaller vocabulary and made eye contact less usually at a year old, and were less socially developed at age four. The theory holds that elevated testosterone levels in the brain support the indicence of 'male skills' such as analysis of systems and seeing patterns, but repress the progression of 'female skills' such as communication and empathy

Roger Wakefield is a staff writer at: Information About Autism ... a site dedicated to helping those with family members suffering from Autism

Exploring Treatment Options for Patients with Autism

                

 

Although there is no known cure for autism, a combination of specialized treatment and education programs can often help many patients. The most common autism treatment options involve both occupational and physical therapy. Occupational therapy helps improve independent function and teaches patients basic skills such as buttoning a shirt or bathing - while physical therapy involves using exercise and other physical measures such as using massage and heat in order to help patients control body movements. Other common autism treatment options include: * Behavior modification * Communication therapy * Dietary modifications * Medication Behavior modification: There are several methods of behavior modification that are used to treat autistic patients. Most behavior modification principles are based on the theory that rewarded behavior is more likely to be repeated than behavior that is ignored. For instance, Sensory integration therapy is a type of behavior modification that focuses on helping autistic patients cope with different sensory stimulation. The treatment may include having the patient handle materials with different textures or listen to different sounds. Play therapy is yet another type of behavior modification used to improve emotional development. Play therapy most often helps patients understand and cope with their own feelings and involves adult-child interaction that is controlled by the child. Along the same lines, another behavior modification technique called "social stories" can also prove helpful in improving an autism patient's undeveloped social skills. Using social stories helps a patient better understand their feelings, ideas, as well as the points of view of others, and may suggest to the patient an alternate response to a particular situation. Communication therapy Many other alternate treatment options for autistic patients involve the use of communication therapy Communication therapy is used to treat autistic patients who are unable to communicate verbally, or to it may be used to initiate language development in young children with the disorder. Today, clinical studies show that Video Modeling Therapy Programs are highly effective in teaching children with autism. One such program entitled "Special Kids" (www.specialkids.com) was pioneered by a father of a boy with autism, Special Kids maintains a distribution to over 500 different school systems within the USA as well as 30 different countries. The program helps children with a variety of developmental, cognitive and learning disabilities acquire speech, reading, writing, early academics, personal hygiene, self-help, social and play skills. Another program, called 'Safety Harbor' is the brainchild of two school therapists, Anne Pesacov and Betty Dixon, as well as teaching artist Emily Harris. This series of eight workshops is designed to teach social skills to children with Asperger's syndrome through the use of puppets. To learn more about puppet-assisted relationship therapy, contact Betty S. Dixon of Tampa at (813) 431-9790, Emily Harris of Tarpon Springs at (727) 934-5890 or Anne Pesacov of Safety Harbor at (727) 738-9232. The use of music has also proven to be an effective communication therapy for autism patients. Professor Tony Wigram. Head of PhD Studies in Music Therapy at the Institute for Music and Music Therapy at the University of Aalborg, Denmark has authored several books on the subject. He has concluded that since music therapy can be easily adjusted to an individual child's strengths and weaknesses it is often quite helpful in improving patient's deficiencies in social and communication skills Yet another alternate treatment option for patients with autism is the use of Dolphin Assisted Therapy. The foundation of the Dolphin Assisted Therapy program in dates back to Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and the Black Sea. This field of medicine has shown extraordinary results in relation to the conventional methods of treatments such as prescribed medication. An overview of Dolphin Assisted Therapy is available at : http://www.dolphinassistedtherapy.com/ Dietary modifications Autism is not caused by diet so the use of dietary modifications and supplements to treat the disorder is somewhat controversial. Changing the diet or adding vitamin supplements may improve digestion and eliminate food intolerances or allergies, which may contribute to behavioral problems in autistic patients. Scientific Researchers have discovered the byproducts found in wheat, oats and rye (gluten) and casein (protein in dairy products) have appeared at elevated levels in patients with autism. This may suggest that the digestion of these substances may affect brain function. However, eliminating foods that contain gluten and casein from the diet may cause side effects and should not be done without the advice of a health care practitioner. Studies have also shown that vitamin B, magnesium and cod liver oil supplements (which contain vitamins A and D) may improve behavior, eye contact, attention span, and learning in autistic patients. Vitamin C has been shown to improve depression and lessen the severity of symptoms in patients with autism. The DAN (Defeat Autism Now) Protocol is another dietary modification program gaining popularity. The protocol involves a combination of changes to the diet and implementation of vitamin supplement therapy in order to produce changes in autistic behaviors. These diet changes include eliminating certain dairy and grains while supplementing the patient's diet with the vitamin and mineral therapy. An overview of the DAN Protocol is available at : http://autism.about.com/cs/medicaltreatments/a/danprotocol_2.htm Medication Medication may be also be used to treat various symptoms of autism and can also be used to help other conditions that may accompany the disorder. Depression, obsessive-compulsive behavior, and anxiety may be treated using antidepressants. These drugs often reduce the frequency and intensity of repetitive behavior; decrease irritability, tantrums, and aggression; and improve eye contact and responsiveness. Benzodiazepines such as diazepam (Valium?), lorazepam (Ativan?), and alprazolam (Xanax?) can also be used to treat behavioral problems. While antipsychotic medications such as clozapine (Clozaril?), risperidone (Risperdal?), olanzapine (Zyprexa?), and quetiapine (Seroquel?) may decrease hyperactivity, behavioral problems, withdrawal, and aggression in autistic patients Stimulants such as methylphenidate (Ritalin?), amphetamine (Adderall?), and dextroamphetamine (Dexedine?) may also be prescribed for autism. These drugs may increase focus and decrease impulsive behavior and hyperactivity in patients. It's best to consult a medical expert before considering any medications as the patient's medical history needs to be taken into consideration as well as possible side effects. For more information on anything Autism, have a stop, at the one stop shop http://www.autismtoday.com/