Comments on: Autism: Why The Debate Rages

[T-F]

For a reference to what vaccines still have mercury see - http://www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/thimerosal.htm#t1 (last updated June 13th, 2007)

Thanks for this report. NBC's Today Show just had a doctor on this week that completely said all of this hogwash (surprise - the doctor has ties to the drug companies). It is rare to see anything close to objective journalism these days...

[carolh26]

Please, autism is not just shyness which was not diagnosed before - it is a disease with a genetic basis.

Just because someone may be ashamed of having autism or having a child with the disease does not mean they need to deny it exists to feel better about themselves. Autism is not being quirky or eccentric. There is a stigma with ANY disease centered in the brain and telling ourselves it is not a disease so we don't feel "damaged" or otherwise inferior does not help. Understanding the causes and treatment does. Those of us with mental illness like depression must face the fact that we are dealing with a disease here and accept treatment accordingly. Self esteem has to take a breather here. That means looking it square in the eye and calling it for what it is. I am sorry some here feel a stigma about it, but it is time to realize autism is not an imaginary disorder. These kids are in pain - pain from sights, smells, sounds, their nervous systems are on super high alert all the time it is like being in a "fight or flight" kind of hell for some children. They feel things more than those without autism - things like fear. They ARE different. The more we can understand about the way they experience and feel the world and what environmental triggers affect them, the easier we can make everything for them. And, maybe the less children will be diagnosed in the future. We HAVE to try.

[akvirs42]

I find it rather peculiar that a journalist discussing the supposed "epidemics" of ADD and autism seems to have no knowledge of how the definitions of these "disorders" (note the quotes) and the cultural awareness surrounding them have shifted dramatically over years. Though I am now an adult, I was diagnosed with both ADD and an autistic spectrum disorder as a minor. Note that autism is now viewed as a spectrum. If you were to meet me, it's highly unlikely that you would recognize my neurological differences unless you are extremely knowledgable about the full spectrum. It's even possible that some professionals might think I'm too "high-functioning" to qualify--after all, diagnosis based on behavioral traits is subjective. Yet I am statistically part of the autism epidemic. So are many others who just ten or fifteen years ago would have been considered merely shy, unusual, and quirky. Conversely, many people who were written off as "retarded" are now considered autistic. I have family members who would have been considered autistic were they children in today's society, but they were not. Autism and ADD are natural variations in the neurological diversity of our species. A little less panic and a little more actual analysis, please.

[celsass]

Parents should be able to make fully informed choices,but the information is not readily available- and I would give anything to have known "then" what I know now. After YEARS of research, time, and money, my little one is a world better. But it has been a tough row to hoe, & we shouldn't have had to go through it at all. Some research indicates that mothers of autistic kids have a far higher prevalence of autoimmune disorders(and my family history is riddled with autoimmune disease, including myself). Why are basic screening tools such as this (which costs NOTHING to ask about) not being better utilized?
Carrie Elsass

[celsass]

Thank you so much for your brave reporting! What a great piece- I am forwarding the link far & wide:) One other factor not mentioned in the piece is the role doctors' groups are playing in the continued coverup. We had a bill here in Arkansas that would simply have required health care practitioners to tell patients that there is still a substantial amount of mercury in flu vaccines. The people who lobbied most heavily against having to tell were the doctors themselves. When they seek to hide information from us, confidence in their precious vaccine program erodes further. Most parents beleive that all the vaccines they give their children now are "mercury-free", and while routine immunizations do contain substantially less than before, they still contain some- and pharmaceutical companies are just replacing it with aluminum anyway! But the flu shots have caused many a child to descend rapidly into the world of autism.
Carrie Elsass

[karenburns3]

Who is the scientist that said its too costly to test for a hole in the child's immune makeup. To expensive for who.......

[karenburns3]

In this article I wondered where the FDA was has anyone remembered them this week in court. It seems like the scientist's they find can always say no its not the vaccienes causing the autism, I always think something is causing it does anyone look in other areas? Its the same thing with the amalgam issue the FDA was bought to court last Sept (K.Couric)reported on it,Then in May I got to see the FDA's lawyer admit in Federal court 5 times that they werent sure that amalgam fillings were safe. I was a Dental Assistant I know amalgam/silver fillings are half mercury. Maybe if the FDA did some research they could see mothers with lots of fillings could have a high mercury levels and if they nurse their babies its in the milk so the baby is exposed twice (Maybe we could start testing everyone for heavy metals like we do for lead) And then from birth we start giving them vaccienes its not working.Katie I dont care what they say about your ratings you should know that you are making a differce in this world. Thankyou for reporting what others are afaid to. Karenburns

[carolh26]

The thing is this, if we stop looking in the area that appears most promising - the vaccine link, that is like closing your eyes and plugging up your ears and humming because you do not want to hear or see the evidence before you.

It is disturbing that since the early 1990's when the patent on aspartame expired autism rates went up. Aspartame began to appear in more and more childrens meds and chewable vitamins and even gums that are NOT sugar-free. Aspartame is split into phenylalanine and aspartate which is turned into glutamate in the body.

If we examine the amino acid neurotransmitter angle - which is BACKED UP by scientific studies just released, then vaccines certainly would affect children with those genetic traits. Because, like I said before, free glutamate is in vaccines. Just because the vaccine manufacturers and food producers who put aspartame and free glutamate into just about everything our children eat or are medicated with tell you there is "no evidence" I am telling you there is - and I am giving it to you. It is up to you whether you wish to close your eyes and not see it.

All the SCIENTIFIC evidence you can claim does not exist, I have laid out for you on my website, but still you choose to avoid hope. Why? Simply because your child is capable of laughter?

[qchan63]

CarolH,

I sympathize with you, in that i understand what it's like to be continually amazed. I get that way over seeing people endlessly mispresenting other people's opinions.

I never said a word about not wanting to find out the causes of autism. I simply believe that continuing to pursue the vaccine hypothesis, in the face of such a lack of actual scientific evidence, is not the way we're going to get there. And i'm not remotely trying to "stop other parents from finding answers"; i'm simply stating my opinion that looking for those answers in vaccines has the consequence of diverting much-needed resources from other areas of research.

A couple of things you might want to ponder: Thimerosal has been out of virtually all routine childhood vaccinations since 2002. Yet the rate of new autism diagnoses has not started to plunge, as you might expect if thimerosal were the main culprit. If anything, it continues to rise. Also: My own daughter got all her vaccinations before thimerosal was phased out; her brother got them after the phaseout. Guess which one has autism?

I believe you're sincere that you want to help kids with autism, and i also believe that autism is a very different thing in every person it affects. But trust me when i tell you that you don't know a thing about MY child or how much he's "suffering." He would probably laugh at that. He laughs a lot. And it doesn't look much like suffering at all.

[timkasemodel]

Sharyl is now my newest hero. Thank you for having the courage to stand up and say what needs to be said. Sadly, most journalists are too busy to do the resaerch you obviously did to produce such a knowledgable article.

One group you did not mention that works hard to promote vaccines is the Immunizaton Action Coalition in St. Paul Minnesota. This group actively lobbies against mercury free vaccines legislation in nearly every state pursing it. They recieved around $750,000 from the CDC and $750,000 from pharmacuetical companies to do so, and one 30 year veteran pediatrician I spoke with, in front of a Representative of IAC, did not know that infant vaccines still contained thimerosal and why until she FINALLY admnitted to him that there was mercury in the vaccines he was giving to babies.

I also want you to notice how many people praising you include their own names, and how many of those who say you did a diservice to the immunization program do not.

I say if you are proud enough to speak your mind, sign your name with pride!

Tim Kasemodel
Wayzata, MN