Help With Autism

According to a recent study, one in four parents in the United States believes that vaccination causes autism. The irony in this is that some of the parents who have fears about the vaccine still say that they will get their children vaccinated. This contradiction in beliefs and actions underscores the ambiguity of the debate.

Research has failed to prove any causation, and even worried parents tend to follow the advice of their doctor and get the vaccines. While 25 percent believe that vaccines cause autism, 90 percent say that vaccination is a good way to prevent disease. In the wake of Dr. Wakefield’s dubious study, outbreaks of measles and other diseases have occurred due to lack of vaccination.

The saga of Dr. Wakefield, the physician whose study on vaccine damage led to many parents foregoing MMR vaccines, continued this past week. Wakefield resigned from an autism center in Texas this week, an institution that he founded. Even after the Lancet redacted the study, Wakefield says that he stands by its results.

Since the institution of MMR vaccines in the 1970s, the number of autism cases has risen. Many people say that this correlation is proof that the vaccines are damaging, but correlation does not always equal causation. A contributing factor to this trend is that fact that more doctors are using autism as a diagnosis that they had previously.

Despite research showing the amazing benefits of vaccination, many parents are reluctant to get their children vaccinated. Surprisingly, the groups of people that are most hesitant to provide vaccinations to their children are those that are college educated. Many are concerned about contracting the disease through vaccination or other medical complications.

Dozens of studies have been conducted that debunk these rumors circling around vaccination. Some people say that since epidemics like the mumps or measles are not wide spread, there is no need for vaccines. What they fail to realize, however, is that the reason that these diseases are no longer a wide spread problem is that vaccines have, in large part, eliminated them.

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.

By now most of us are familiar with H1N1 influenza, colloquially known as swine flu, a respiratory condition that has besieged many workplaces and a few universities as well. The flu is still relatively new to the American public, as it was first identified in spring of this year. H1N1 is particularly troublesome because of how quickly and easily it can spread from one person to another.

A vaccine has been formulated and made available to the public for the 2009-10 fuel season, which lasts until next May. The vaccine purports to prevent the following flu symptoms: fever, sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue, diarrhea, vomiting. If infected, most individuals experience flu-like symptoms for eight days. Although the Centers for Disease Control would have us believe that flu vaccines are safe, it’s important to weigh the benefits and drawbacks.

The H1N1 vaccine does contain thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative that has been linked in some studies to the onset of autism in young children. Anyone who has read about or experienced the effects of mercury poisoning knows how harmful that toxic metal can be when it’s unleashed on human tissue. The Mayo Clinic recommends the following swine flu prevention options: stay home when you’re sick, wash your hands regularly and avoid contact with crowds.

When parents begin to notice warning signs in their children’s behavior – difficulties communicating, compulsive behaviors and the like – they often jump to conclusions. Diagnosing autism spectrum disorders isn’t a matter that should be taken lightly. The process involves lengthy discussions with a family pediatrician who may or may not have any experience dealing with autistic children.

If you suspect that your child has a developmental disorder, but your doctor seems out of his or her element on the matter, get a referral to see a specialist. You’ll then encounter a number of diagnostic tests, including long interviews with the specialist which will be studied afterward. When the diagnosis finally arrives, you’ll have plenty to think about it. The market is saturated with products that ostensibly treat autism to some extent or another.

In order to effectively treat the disorder, you’ll need to trace it back to its roots. Many doctors suspect that the onset of autism in young children correlates with mercury-based preservatives in vaccines. The long-term effects of mercury poisoning match up with the symptoms of autism. Considering that mercury stays in the brain for years and years following the original exposure, it’s crucial that parents take a proactive approach to treating the problem.

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.

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.

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. 

As a parent, it can be shocking a dispiriting to learn that your child has developed autism. The disorder is seldom simple to diagnose, and it’s likewise difficult to pinpoint a cause. This ordeal is made even worse in the case of regressive autism, which manifests itself later, after the child has begun to speak and develop normally. Very few people could imagine the heartbreaking process of watching a child’s social and language skills slipping away.

There are people out there who understand, however. Autism support groups offer limitless advice and resources to help deal with a problem that most of America overlooks or misunderstands. Support groups are especially helpful because no two cases of autism are exactly alike. Every family’s situation is different, but it certainly helps to converse with others who are experiencing similar frustrations.

Support groups should be thought of as one of several ways for parents to deal with their child’s disorder. The other major part involves a dedicated search for effective treatment options. If, for example, a child was given vaccinations with a mercury-based preservative at a tender age, parents owe it to themselves to explore heavy metal detox. And as they pursue these treatment options, parents can offer each other advice in a constructive support group forum.