Autism Awareness Day - great article - GoFuckYourself.com

StuartD · 04-02-2009, 01:21 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/31...ism/index.html

This story, describing the looks and judgements from others hits really close to home for me because I live it every time we go out.

It does a good job of really describing just how much it hurts.

04-02-2009, 01:32 PM

That is a great article. My younger brother is Autistic and I know he has had some hard times.

StuartD · 04-02-2009, 01:40 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/02...ate/index.html

Do vaccines cause autism?

In 1998, a theory emerged that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine caused autism, the theory being that the vaccine lingered in the gut, causing gastrointestinal problems, and that those GI problems led to autism.

A few years later, the very small study that was the basis of this theory was debunked and discredited. However, this did not quash the belief among many parents that vaccines caused autism, leading them to stop or delay immunizing their children.

Since the first World Autism Awareness Day last year, a couple of studies and a major court decision declared definitively that vaccines do not cause autism.

In September, researchers in the United States and Europe re-created the original 1998 study, even using one of the same laboratories to analyze their results. The study authors concluded that "no evidence" linked the MMR vaccine to autism or the GI problems.

While many experts said this study is conclusive and "puts the issue to rest," some groups that hold to the belief vaccines are the cause of autism called the research flawed.

Another study, published in the March 2009 issue of Pediatrics, provided an explanation of why the MMR vaccine does not cause GI problems and autism.

Daniel Campbell, a researcher at Vanderbilt University, suggested that he has found a reasonable explanation for why many children also have GI problems. According to his research, a genetic variation of a protein called MET contributes to both autism and GI problems, rather than GI problems causing autism.

In addition, a decision inside a courtroom rather than a laboratory drew the conclusion that the vaccines do not cause autism.

On February 12, a special vaccine court ruled in three test cases, representing more than 5,000 families, that the "combination of the thimerosal-containing vaccines and the MMR vaccine are not casual factors in the development of autism."

It's probably still too early to tell whether these rulings changed anyone's opinions. "I don't think they were important from the standpoint of changing the minds of those with firmly held beliefs regarding vaccines," said Dr. Bryan King, director of child psychiatry at Seattle Children's Hospital. He said that it will not be until we find credible causes for autism that people can leave this debate behind.

"We still support research that would potentially identify small groups with underlying medical or genetic conditions who may be more vulnerable to the adverse effects of vaccines," said Dr. Geraldine Dawson, the chief science officer of Autism Speaks, the nation's largest advocacy group.

"For the vast majority of kids, vaccines are safe and we support vaccine programs," Dawson said, adding that more research into vaccines is needed.

xxxdesign-net · 04-02-2009, 02:13 PM

did your son shut down soon after the last round of vaccine shots?

StuartD · 04-02-2009, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xxxdesign-net

did your son shut down soon after the last round of vaccine shots?

nope, vaccines had nothing to do with it.

WarChild · 04-02-2009, 02:20 PM

I don't know how severe your son's outbursts might be but I have a good friend who works with children that have severe Autism and often Tourettes too. He has cards printed that are basically business cards and just say something like "You are watching an Autistic child. The best way you can help is to just leave him alone.".

He'd hand these cards out to people that insited on staring and talking and according to him just giving someone a card without even talking to them explains it all at once and tends to make people just leave the situation.

StuartD · 04-02-2009, 02:41 PM

That is a great idea, but not always the easiest to do when at a grocery store or restaurant. But it would be nice to have cards like that handy.
It would really put people in their place without being rude about it... which can be difficult to avoid when you're being judged by a bunch of people who just have no clue.

04-02-2009, 01:21 PM	#1
StuartD Sofa King Band Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Outside the box Posts: 29,903	Autism Awareness Day - great article http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/31...ism/index.html This story, describing the looks and judgements from others hits really close to home for me because I live it every time we go out. It does a good job of really describing just how much it hurts. __________________ This is me on facebook This is me on twitter

04-02-2009, 01:40 PM	#3
StuartD Sofa King Band Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Outside the box Posts: 29,903	http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/04/02...ate/index.html Do vaccines cause autism? In 1998, a theory emerged that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine caused autism, the theory being that the vaccine lingered in the gut, causing gastrointestinal problems, and that those GI problems led to autism. A few years later, the very small study that was the basis of this theory was debunked and discredited. However, this did not quash the belief among many parents that vaccines caused autism, leading them to stop or delay immunizing their children. Since the first World Autism Awareness Day last year, a couple of studies and a major court decision declared definitively that vaccines do not cause autism. In September, researchers in the United States and Europe re-created the original 1998 study, even using one of the same laboratories to analyze their results. The study authors concluded that "no evidence" linked the MMR vaccine to autism or the GI problems. While many experts said this study is conclusive and "puts the issue to rest," some groups that hold to the belief vaccines are the cause of autism called the research flawed. Another study, published in the March 2009 issue of Pediatrics, provided an explanation of why the MMR vaccine does not cause GI problems and autism. Daniel Campbell, a researcher at Vanderbilt University, suggested that he has found a reasonable explanation for why many children also have GI problems. According to his research, a genetic variation of a protein called MET contributes to both autism and GI problems, rather than GI problems causing autism. In addition, a decision inside a courtroom rather than a laboratory drew the conclusion that the vaccines do not cause autism. On February 12, a special vaccine court ruled in three test cases, representing more than 5,000 families, that the "combination of the thimerosal-containing vaccines and the MMR vaccine are not casual factors in the development of autism." It's probably still too early to tell whether these rulings changed anyone's opinions. "I don't think they were important from the standpoint of changing the minds of those with firmly held beliefs regarding vaccines," said Dr. Bryan King, director of child psychiatry at Seattle Children's Hospital. He said that it will not be until we find credible causes for autism that people can leave this debate behind. "We still support research that would potentially identify small groups with underlying medical or genetic conditions who may be more vulnerable to the adverse effects of vaccines," said Dr. Geraldine Dawson, the chief science officer of Autism Speaks, the nation's largest advocacy group. "For the vast majority of kids, vaccines are safe and we support vaccine programs," Dawson said, adding that more research into vaccines is needed. __________________ This is me on facebook This is me on twitter

04-02-2009, 02:20 PM	#6
WarChild Let slip the dogs of war. Industry Role: Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Bermuda Posts: 17,263	I don't know how severe your son's outbursts might be but I have a good friend who works with children that have severe Autism and often Tourettes too. He has cards printed that are basically business cards and just say something like "You are watching an Autistic child. The best way you can help is to just leave him alone.". He'd hand these cards out to people that insited on staring and talking and according to him just giving someone a card without even talking to them explains it all at once and tends to make people just leave the situation. __________________ .

04-02-2009, 02:41 PM	#7
StuartD Sofa King Band Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Outside the box Posts: 29,903	That is a great idea, but not always the easiest to do when at a grocery store or restaurant. But it would be nice to have cards like that handy. It would really put people in their place without being rude about it... which can be difficult to avoid when you're being judged by a bunch of people who just have no clue. __________________ This is me on facebook This is me on twitter

04-02-2009, 01:32 PM	#2
JaneB Guest Posts: n/a	That is a great article. My younger brother is Autistic and I know he has had some hard times.

04-02-2009, 02:13 PM	#4
xxxdesign-net My hips don't lie Industry Role: Join Date: Nov 2002 Posts: 10,129	did your son shut down soon after the last round of vaccine shots?