Autism and vaccines - new findings - Page 3

Spider · 09-05-2008, 06:48 AM

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Originally Posted by gemini12

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There was a segment on Today within the last couple of years that had a specialist and some interesting findings. A panel of Autism doctors and researchers viewed home videos of random children around 12 months (usually at their 1st birthday) and they were able to tell by almost complete accuaracy which children were later diagnosed with Autism and which ones were not, by subtle signs that early on.

Wow, I hadn't heard about that but it sounds very interesting.

more information-

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Retrospective studies involving home videos

Observation of early signs of ASDs by researchers was first made possible through analysis of home videos of infants and toddlers later diagnosed with ASDs.13 Before 9 months of age, children with ASDs might show signs of developmental disruption in social behavior (e.g. gaze avoidance or looking at people infrequently, absence of emotional expression, and poor social initiative) and in motility (e.g. hypoactivity).14, 15 One group estimated that 87.5% of children with ASDs displayed such symptoms before their first birthday.15 Some studies that used this retrospective approach also included a comparison group of children with typical development, and two studies included a group of children with non-ASD-related developmental delays.16, 17 Children with a later diagnosis of ASD could be differentiated from those with typical development or mental retardation at around the time of their first birthday by less frequently responding to their name16 and less frequently looking at the faces of other individuals.17 In addition, 12-month-old children who were later diagnosed with ASDs differed from those with typical development by less often using a pointing gesture to request or to share interest.17, 18, 19 A limited variety of gestures in children aged between 9 and 12 months was reported to be associated with a subsequent diagnosis of ASD in one retrospective study.20 http://www.nature.com/ncpneuro/journ...neuro0731.html

velvet paws · 09-05-2008, 07:33 AM

Breastfeeding only offers immunity against diarrheal diseases. Maternal antibodies are not absorbed into the bloodstream, except in extremely minute amounts. They only offer localized protection in the GI tract. I often hear some people who choose not to vaccinate saying that because they breastfeed their child, they offer them immunity against things like whooping cough and mumps and that simply isn't the case. Babies get all of their maternal antibodies while in utero, not from breastfeeding.

As far as vaccines go, I did choose to vaccinate my son on schedule, after doing a lot of research. I don't believe there is a causal link between vaccines and autism.

deezee02 · 09-05-2008, 08:41 AM

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Originally Posted by Spider

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Originally Posted by RedCatWaves

I don't have a dog in the autism argument, but just wanted to make an observation...

I've heard it said that autism is increasing. I'm not convinced of that. I think autism diagnosis is increasing, not necessarily the affliction itself. Back when I was in school, there were no special needs diagnoses or IEP's or even LD's...kids were either normal and they went to regular school, or they were retarded, and they went to "special" school. I clearly recall several kids who's behavior would definitely have fit the autism bill. Some of them stayed in regular school and were...eccentric...and some of them went to special school. We had very few vaccinations back then, and we had them at older ages than today's infants (quite traumatic to get that smallpox vaccine I'll tell ya), yet there have always been autistic spectrum kids.

I believe this also. There was a neighbor boy that fit this discription perfectly (this was mid 70's). Very high strung, very distracted, distant and always in trouble with his mom. I remember my mom telling me that Derek's mom kept insisting he was "retarded" which was the term used at the time, yet his IQ was quite high. He was very very bright about somethings, yet she would chase him down the street with a belt becasue he couldn't understand that it was time to go home for dinner.

There's a lot more education and awareness of the challenges and needs of kids in the Autism spectrum these days

ITA. I remember when my mother fought in the late eighties to get my brother into an inclusion setting. Five years prior, doctors where telling parents to send their children off to an institution and try again if they had a disability.

I am all about awareness, but I do think that sometimes everyone is so desperate to find an answer, that when there is one link, the crowd jumps on.

MistressM. · 09-05-2008, 12:48 PM

Is it true that race is a factor in autism? I've heard that autism rates are significantly higher among white babies than babies of other races. I'm not sure if this is true because I did some quick searching and couldn't find anything. If there is a link, I wonder if it could be that whites vaccinate more, or that it is more common in certain geographic areas where white people just happen to live, which would mean race isn't a factor at all? For example, I read about what was labeled an autism epidemic in a California town in 2003 I think, a mostly white area. Some people believe it's linked to chemical pollution from a fertilizer plant in the area.

Kaia · 09-05-2008, 01:01 PM

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Originally Posted by MistressM.

Is it true that race is a factor in autism? I've heard that autism rates are significantly higher among white babies than babies of other races. I'm not sure if this is true because I did some quick searching and couldn't find anything. If there is a link, I wonder if it could be that whites vaccinate more, or that it is more common in certain geographic areas where white people just happen to live, which would mean race isn't a factor at all? For example, I read about what was labeled an autism epidemic in a California town in 2003 I think, a mostly white area. Some people believe it's linked to chemical pollution from a fertilizer plant in the area.

I could also be that it's more diagnosed in whites, because they are more likely to have the time and money to take their kids from specialist to specialist until they get a correct diagnosis. I think too many factors are at play to pinpoint the exact reason, even if the statistic is true.

MistressM. · 09-05-2008, 01:16 PM

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Originally Posted by Bailey422

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Originally Posted by MistressM.

Is it true that race is a factor in autism? I've heard that autism rates are significantly higher among white babies than babies of other races. I'm not sure if this is true because I did some quick searching and couldn't find anything. If there is a link, I wonder if it could be that whites vaccinate more, or that it is more common in certain geographic areas where white people just happen to live, which would mean race isn't a factor at all? For example, I read about what was labeled an autism epidemic in a California town in 2003 I think, a mostly white area. Some people believe it's linked to chemical pollution from a fertilizer plant in the area.

I could also be that it's more diagnosed in whites, because they are more likely to have the time and money to take their kids from specialist to specialist until they get a correct diagnosis. I think too many factors are at play to pinpoint the exact reason, even if the statistic is true.

I've seen more white people with autism or that display the characteristics of it than non-white people. Granted that whites are the majority in this country, but I've lived in mostly black areas and have never known a black autistic person. I'm wondering if it could be a condition like sickle cell that is more likely to be found in one race than others. I'm curious being someone who is mixed race.

Also, Asian Americans make 12% more on average than white Americans so I'm sure they have the money for specialists, but there is not a sizable percentage of AA's being diagnosed with autism like there is with white Americans.