Help With Autism

Generally, we look to medical associations and scientists when it comes to gauging the effectiveness of medicines and creating links in the health field, but the federal appeals court has recently weighed in on the vaccination debate. A special vaccine court ruled last year that there is little, if any, evidence to support the claim that vaccines—the MMR vaccine in particular—causes autism. When Dr. Wakefield reported the supposed link years ago, more than 5,500 families sought compensation under the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. But as we’ve reported before, Dr. Wakefield’s findings have been discredited by virtually everyone in the medical community.

The US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the lower court’s decision, saying that there was only weak and contradictory evidence to support the claim. The vaccine court also found that thimerosal, an additive in vaccines, was not responsible for causing autism, which many had claimed.

Scientifically, thimerosal is an organomercury compound commonly utilized as an antifungal agent and antiseptic. Many people now know the compound by its trade name Merthioltae, which Eli Lilly and Company gave it in order to market it as a preservative in vaccines, skin test antigens and other medical products. Several interest groups, countries and international organizations have called the use of thimerosal into question.

The concern stems from the fact that thimerosal is mercury-based. This has led many to believe that thimerosal’s presence in vaccines are responsible for the increase in autism cases and instances of other brain development, although there is no scientific evidence. Mercury and other types of heavy metal exposure are associated with several neurological disorders, but a link between thimerosal in vaccines is yet to be found.

The presence of heavy metals in our bodies can wreak havoc on our various systems. Mercury alone can create psychiatric disturbances, speech problems and sensory abnormalities, among others. With the myriad risks associated with heavy metal poisoning and exposure, it seems intuitive that ridding our bodies of these chemicals is imperative.

One of the most efficient and common methods for achieving this is through heavy metal detox. There are several means for performing a detox, but chelation therapy is one of the most readily available. Another option is using a product such as PCA-Rx, which contains microorganisms that purify and detoxify your body by eliminating heavy metals and other pollutants.

In an effort to address the controversy surrounding the contents of childhood vaccinations – most notably the H1N1 vaccine – we went straight to the source. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the government agency tasked with protecting public health and safety, most vaccines contain several key ingredients. There’s a suspending fluid such as water or saline, which is of little interest to us because it is relatively inactive.

Then there are the preservatives or stabilizers of which thimerosal is the most notorious. While it has been removed from most childhood vaccines because of its potential link to the onset of autism, traces of it are present in the H1N1 vaccine. The final important component of a vaccine treatment is the enhancer, which is meant to improve its effectiveness. While vaccine damage is not common, the CDC lists several “common” substances found in vaccines that could be cause for concern.

First and perhaps most troubling, formaldehyde is often used to kill viruses and bacteria that may contaminate the vaccine while it’s being made. Most of us will recognize it as a key embalming agent. Thimerosal is the mercury-based preservative that is meant to stop the contamination and proliferation of harmful bacteria within a vaccine. As documented previously in this blog, mercury is capable of wreaking havoc when exposed to human tissue.

For conscientious parents, the worst fears about swine flu have recently been confirmed. And those fears don’t even relate to the H1N1 virus itself. Rather, they concern the release of the new flu vaccine and its all-too-familiar contents. As it turns out, the vaccine contains trace amounts of thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative that has been linked to the onset of autism in a number of cases dating back to the 1990s.

Although the medical establishment prefers to downplay the disastrous effects thimerosal has wrought throughout last decade, the preservative was nonetheless banned in 2001. It’s a shame that it’s making an unwelcome reemergence at a time when many American families will be seeking out early flu shots. There may be a way to receive a vaccination while still forgoing the preservative, however.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, which has been trumpeting the release of the vaccine and the public’s need to use it, a single-dose version doesn’t require a preservative. That means it should be thimerosal-free. In any case, it’s important for parents to do their homework before leaving their children susceptible to mercury exposure.

By now many of you have undoubtedly heard about the disastrous effects of thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative that found its way into some children’s vaccines in recent years. Unsurprisingly, the fallout has been tremendous, and the medical establishment has been taken to task for its negligence and incompetence on the issue. While many parents are understandably angered and confused by their children’s exposure to a dangerous heavy metal, it’s important to correctly diagnose a problem before its treatment is addressed.

The Environmental Protection Agency lists the following problems as potential mercury poisoning symptoms. Peripheral vision is generally impaired, and patients complain of “pins and needles” sensations in their extremities. Coordination suffers as do speech, hearing, a motor function. Mood swings and memory loss are also common. If your child seems to be experiencing some or all of these symptoms, he or she should be examined by a medical professional. The sooner the problem is diagnosed, the sooner it can be resolved through innovative techniques.

When their child is finally diagnosed with autism, parents often experience conflicting emotions. It’s perfectly normal to feel frustrated and angry, but there is also a sense of closure associated with the experience – some justification that the parents’ fears were justified and their suspicions were correct. If left untreated, autism can tear a hole in the fabric of a healthy family dynamic. It complicates communication and presents a number of unique difficulties.

In order to deal with the issue with quickness and efficiency, parents should first remember that their child is no different now that he or she has been diagnosed with autism. The diagnosis should not be viewed as a damning sentence but rather as the first step on the road to recovery. After all, it’s impossible to treat a disorder that you don’t understand or cannot identify in the first place.

After a doctor makes that diagnosis, ask around to find specialists in the geographic area. Although pediatricians are for the most part very competent at treating a range of childhood problems, most are not equipped to deal with an autistic patient. You’ll want to get to work immediately in an attempt to trace the cause of the disorder. If you suspect that your child has been exposed to heavy metals such as mercury as a result of vaccine damage, you’ll want to do some homework on alternative therapeutic methods.

Each fall, news reports serve up the grim reminder that flu season is on the way. And in the wake of the recent swine flu scare that spread from Mexico into the United States and abroad, the level of hype and fear surrounding flu season is underscored further. Doctors and health professionals nationwide have been quick to point out, however, that swine flu vaccines shouldn’t be hastily slapped together and made available to the public without some serious scrutiny.

Experts are urging patience on the part of the Centers for Disease Control, which aim to release 120 million doses of H1N1 virus vaccine for popular consumption by autumn. The reason for this buzz kill? It’s “highly probable” that many of the doses of the new vaccine will include trace amounts of thimerosal. That mercury-based preservative has been linked to the development of autism and other disorders. As a result it has become notorious in autism support circles.

Government health officials have assured the press that rigorous clinical trials are set to take place before the fall release date, so there is certainly no reason to panic. Still, it remains essential for every conscientious parent to read as much as possible about the benefits and detriments of vaccination. It could mean the difference between a healthy childhood and serious communicative disorder.

A study released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services would appear to confirm the suspicion that autism rates have risen significantly in recent years. According to the findings, 1 percent of all U.S. children have an autism spectrum disorder. That percentage is even greater among male children – perhaps as high as 2.6 percent.

The symptoms of autism can differ tremendously on a case-by-case basis, and there are a few other disorders that fall under the purview of autism spectrum disorder. These include Asperger syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder. The health department study is particularly jarring because its findings are far different from previous autism estimates from the Centers for Disease Control.

Some experts have been led to wonder whether vaccine damage could be responsible for the spike in autism diagnoses. The Hepatitis B vaccine, which was introduced in 1991 and given to newborn babies within a few hours of birth, contained 25 micrograms of the mercury-based preservative thimerosal. Mercury exposure has been linked to the onset of autism in young children, which makes this potential connection even more troubling. 

The Swine Flu virus, which directly caused or contributed to 430 deaths this year alone, has been weighing on the minds of health professionals and other citizens since early spring. Many minds were eased when it was announced that a vaccine could treat the H1N1 outbreak. Unfortunately, that news has been tempered considerably by a new, disturbing discovery.

According to a number of natural health advocates, the vaccine could contain traces of the mercury-based preservative thimerosal. Parents of autistic children will likely be familiar with this substance, which has been banned in the United States for some time. It has been linked to the eventual onset of autism in young children.

The National Autism Association has reported that an ever increasing number of doctors and other health professionals have admitted a link between heavy-metal exposure and autism. As a conscientious consumer, it’s important to seek out information about thimerosal and other dangerous compounds. Make sure that you understand the potential benefits and detriments of a particular medication before having your child vaccinated.