Study turns up 10 autism clusters in California

[giddyup]

my question would be... what else are they controlling for, what other avenues are they looking at? I would be curious about professional and self-use pesticide sales/usage in those areas, drinking water studies (rates of flouride and other things that don't belong in drinking water), vaccine rates and spacing, home construction (are these older, presumably affluent folks moving into new construction with lots of chemical off-gassing or are the moving into older holds with mold overgrowth, etc)... I could go on.

Having a child with autism who I have almost totally recovered through diet and biomedical treatments, I've done a lot of research over the years. I firmly believe that these kids have some kind of genetic predisposition/weakness/hyper-reactivity that is being triggered by the incredible amount of toxins they are bombarded with in our environment - be it through propylene glycol/aluminum/mercury/genetic material in vaccines or rampant pesticide use or chemicals in our food. I believe my son's disorder was triggered by a flu shot I got while about 20 wks pregnant (mercury crosses the placenta and the blood/brain barrier in fetuses).

It's just not as simple as median age of the parents, nor is it as simple as pointing the finger at vaccines and mercury. Unfortunately, I believe it's much more complicated than that and until we stop poisoning our environments, our children will keep getting autism, adhd, juvenile diabetes, cancer, etc etc.

 

[Romulus]

look at the autism rates in the amish community. They do not vaccinate.

I think it starts with vaccines coupled with a weakness or predisposition for it. That IMO is the main cause. And we are breeding kids who are really susceptible to autism.. too much mercury and bad..the damage is done. I think thats the bulk of it.. but other factors like diet play a part.

my boss' son as diagnosed with ADHD. he was on medicine to calm him. he brought his kid into work one day. The kid ate doughnuts, chips and drank soda.

we allow ourselves to be softkilled.

 

[MelissaWV]

You know, I hadn't thought of that...

I would think, specifically, it would be the age of the mother more than anything. Sperm are sort of manufactured on demand. A woman's eggs all but have an expiration date stamped on them. This may become difficult to hone in on as a cause, though, because perhaps "damage" to genetic data occurs between an older mother and, say, a daughter who seems perfectly healthy... but perhaps that daughter's child is autistic? It would depend on precisely what's being passed on. Autism is such a massive catch-all for a collection of symptoms and syndromes

 

[squarepusher]

You know, I hadn't thought of that...

I would think, specifically, it would be the age of the mother more than anything. Sperm are sort of manufactured on demand. A woman's eggs all but have an expiration date stamped on them. This may become difficult to hone in on as a cause, though, because perhaps "damage" to genetic data occurs between an older mother and, say, a daughter who seems perfectly healthy... but perhaps that daughter's child is autistic? It would depend on precisely what's being passed on. Autism is such a massive catch-all for a collection of symptoms and syndromes

that was a colorful analogy

 

[Romulus]

they say 'autism' does show its signs until 18months though.

 

[Zippyjuan]

For anyone who thinks vaccines dont play a part in autism, the evidence is pretty clear in this peer reviewed journal.

Autism Rates Drop After Mercury Removed From Childhood Vaccines
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/38784.php

A more recent article (2008) from the exact same source you linked to:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/93217.php

Autism Cases Still Going Up As Vaccine Mercury Removed
Featured Article
Article Date: 08 Jan 2008 - 0:00 PST


Autism spectrum disorders continued to rise in the state of California, US, even after mercury-containing thimerosal was removed from childhood vaccines, suggesting that exposure to the compound is not a cause of autism, as claimed by some groups.

These are the findings of a study published in the January issue of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry that was carried out by Drs Robert Schechter and Judith K. Grether of the California Department of Public Health, based in Richmond.

They found that:
For each year of age from 3 to 12, the estimated prevalence of childhood autism went up through the study period.

For children born in 1993, the prevalence of autism at age 3 was 0.3 per 1,000 children.

This compared with 1.3 per 1,000 children with autism at age 3 who were born 10 years later, in 2003.

The highest estimated prevalence occurred in 2006, when 4.5 out of every 1,000 children born in 2000 were estimated to have autism.

Although it is too early to calculate prevalence for ages 6 and up for children born after 2000, the prevalence at ages 3 to 5 years has risen steadily for each birth year since 1999.

Thimerosal was phased out over the same period as the 3 to 5 years old autism cases rose steadily.

Based on quarterly figures, the rate of autism cases among 3 to 5 year olds increased each quarter from January 1995 (0.6 per 1,000 live births) to March 2007 (4.1 per 1,000 live births).

 

[giddyup]

look at the autism rates in the amish community. They do not vaccinate.

Can you link to any studies about the ASD rates in the Amish communities? Any confirmation that they really don't vaccinate? I believe you, I just like sources.

It would make sense even beyond the scope of vaccines because they also eat mostly organic and whole foods, don't use many (if any) pesticides, are active and work outdoors (Vit D), have drug free births, breastfeed, etc. I'd hazard a guess that overall their health is far superior to mainstream America.

we allow ourselves to be softkilled.

so true.

 

[Zippyjuan]

A study of the Amish would have to control for the usual factors including average of parents. Amish don't watch TV either. Maybe TV causes it.
http://www.slate.com/id/2151538/

Last month, I speculated in Slate that the mounting incidence of childhood autism may be related to increased television viewing among the very young. The autism rise began around 1980, about the same time cable television and VCRs became common, allowing children to watch television aimed at them any time. Since the brain is organizing during the first years of life and since human beings evolved responding to three-dimensional stimuli, I wondered if exposing toddlers to lots of colorful two-dimensional stimulation could be harmful to brain development. This was sheer speculation, since I knew of no researchers pursuing the question.


Today, Cornell University researchers are reporting what appears to be a statistically significant relationship between autism rates and television watching by children under the age of 3. The researchers studied autism incidence in California, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington state. They found that as cable television became common in California and Pennsylvania beginning around 1980, childhood autism rose more in the counties that had cable than in the counties that did not. They further found that in all the Western states, the more time toddlers spent in front of the television, the more likely they were to exhibit symptoms of autism disorders.

There are many things they do or don't do which other people do which may or may not contribute to autism.

 

[Brian4Liberty]

If it's genetic and the Amish don't have it in their genes, they won't have it.

 

[raiha]

Rich folk can afford more medication to treat their mental and physical problems. I imagine these can have an adverse effect on the fetus.

^
Also Fetal Alcohol Spectrum.
http://specialchildren.about.com/od/gettingadiagnosis/g/fetalalcohol.htm

 

[squarepusher]

If it's genetic and the Amish don't have it in their genes, they won't have it.

then how come no one had it 20 years ago if its genetic

 

[Cinderella]

its so crazy how people just get their kids shot up with so many vaccines and whats shocking is its all in one sitting!! my fiances daughters' mother ( i know its a mouthful) took her to get her shots...in sept 2009 the little girl (just turned 4 yrs old) had her flu vaccine followed by a really bad cold ( or maybe it was the flu?)... then shortly she got the H1N1 in oct which was the nasal spray...then in november she comes down with 2 horrible ear infections and was prescribed antibiotics and when the infection didnt clear was prescribed the same antibiotic for another 10 days! and btw she loves the bubble gum flavor...now the other day when she came home she was proclaiming what a big girl she was and how we should be so proud of her because today she got 5 shots!!! shortly after my daughter who is 6 told me she wanted to go to the doctors and get shots!! wtf?!?

we are experiencing a war against our own immune system and its being programmed into our childrens heads that getting shots is what is good for us and eating mcdonalds is approriate dinner and soda is an acceptable beverage for a 5 yr old, it drives me insane!! my fiances daughters mother feeds her mcdonalds or burger king at least 2x a week or she decides to have cookies for dinner!!! again shes only 4...the kid wont eat a veggie to save her life!

unfortunately i have no say on how her mom raises her but when she is home with us i do try to introduce all varietys of foods and veggies and fruit and water etc...i have not vaccinated my daughter against the deadly swine flu (which is a complete lie) and knock on wood we havent gotten sick and we lead healthy lives...i attribute this all to a healthy diet NO VACCINES NEEDED!

sorry i just vented and rambled all of this but this issue of parents teaching their kids how great it is to be vaccinated and medicated is absurd!

 

[Brian4Liberty]

then how come no one had it 20 years ago if its genetic

They came up with the name for it around then. How long has it actually been around before that though?