Update On Autism In The News
The first ever national survey on attitudes toward autism, was recently conducted for the Florida Institute of Technology. Of the 1,000 randomly selected adults, results revealed that nearly 24% , or one in four, believe the disease is caused by childhood vaccines. This group feels that because vaccines may cause autism, it is safer to not have children vaccinated at all. Still, another 19% were unsure how they feel about the ongoing controversy.
The Centers for Disease Control, currently reports that the odds of autism affects one in every 150 children born in the United States. The public concern about vaccines arose from a controversial British study conducted in 1998, that linked autism to the MMR vaccine, which then contained the preservative known as thimerosal. The authors of that study, later retracted their findings, and thimerosal was removed from all vaccines in 2001. However, the results of this just completed survey in Florida, suggests that in general, the public is still confused.
The survey commissioned by the Florida Institute of Technology, specifically asked its participants about the preservative and autism. The results were as follows: 19% agreed with the statement “Autism is caused by a preservative once found in vaccines.” Another 43% were not sure of this statement, meaning that fewer than half (38%), felt that no link exists between the vaccine and autism.
Part of the confusion may stem from the fact, that there still is no known cause for autism, and people are searching for answers. Scientist still say that there is no evidence that links vaccines and autism. Still, there is a lingering fear and unsureness that is leading to fewer parents having their children vaccinated. The result , according to an August article in The New York Times , states that in the first seven months of 2008, measles cases grew at the fastest rate in a decade. Cases in Britain, Israel, Italy, and Switzerland are said to be soaring as well. Fear and anxiety over the ever increasing incidence of the disease, may be leading people to make their own decisions whether to vaccinate or not.
In Other News
The only scientifically proven treatment for autism in young children (ages 3-5), is ABA (Advanced Behavioral Analysis) or 1:1 treatment. It teaches how to learn. The use of repetitive skill building techniques, helps children with autism, create a foundation of neural pathways, needed for learning in the general education system.
Some preschools may have fallen behind the curve in offering ABA. Preschools that have this program in place, save the Department of Education, money in the long run for these children in the 3-5 age group.
The American Academy of Pediatrics, recommends 25-30 hours per week of intense ABA therapy for young autistic children in this age group. The Department of Education, wastes large amounts of money fighting parents, who insist on proper education for their autistic children. The DOE, could instead put those funds to better use by implementing ABA in all preschools.
It is afterall, a parents right that effective education for autistic children be readily available to all- not just those who have a fat wallet, or can afford a high priced lawyer.
Tags: adults, anxiety, Autism, create, fear, high, money, odds, odds of autism, prices, program, save, savings, time, uses, wallet, wallets
Hey Barbara!
Thanks for the good update.
Yes, it sounds like the money could be better spent alright.
Keep up the good work!
Brads last blog post..Let’s Just Go, Honey.
Hey Brad,
Thanks for the comment. Glad you could stop by!
Some people rather believe something non-excistent (The writers of the original article retrecated it because they made it up.) than still don’t know what caused autism.
Here, in The Netherlands, research is done over and over again to proof vaccines are not the cause. We vaccinate here far less than in the USA anyway.
Interesting is that the same people accept the complications of for example the measles, which are as bad as autism, like hearingproblems.
I have 4 autistic kids. Always lived healthy, including during pregnancy and before that.
2 of those children clearly showed signs of autism before I started to vaccinate them.
I still believe autism is caused by some chemical instability in the body we don’t yet know.
laanes last blog post..the last month before the elections
Hi Barb, thanks for highlighting this ongoing issue. For me, the biggest problem is the lack of leadership from the Government on this issue. The “politician” talk is to skirt the issue without categorically denying any link between vaccine and autism. Without outright confirmation there is no link are we expected to accept there is none? I don’t think so. They have a vested interest in perpetuating the belief there is no link because they prefer 1 in 150 kids to be affected with autism that a total re-emergence of Measels as a consequence of no vaccinations.
I don’t know if there is a true link or not BUT I don’t have the research capabilities to find out - like hundreds of other parents I do have to deal with the consequences of issues on the autism spectrum - perhaps unecessarily.
I think part of the reason that there is still so much confusion is that you’ve got celebrities perpetuating the idea that vaccines have caused autism despite the scientific evidence to the contrary. My personal feeling is that the condition (not disease) is mostly genetic with possibly some environmental triggers, which don’t include vaccines. I actually wish the conversation would focus as much on improving services for autistic individuals as on the causes. Thanks for posting this!
Hi Laane,
Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving a comment. You have my utmost respect being the mother of six children, (4 of them ) boys with autism. How do you do it?
I think vaccines are the place many people put the blame, even though it has been proven otherwise. People are hungry for answers to a condition that has no known cause or cure.
Yes, I agree with you that it could be a chemical imbalance, or something lacking in the diet. There are also some indications that genetics and the environment could be factors.
I’ve often wondered why it is 4 times more likely to affect boys, and yet when girls are affected, it is often more profound.
Hi Mark,
Thanks for stopping by. I agree with you totally. But, what government would actually admit tht here is a link? It’s like so many other things where money is poured into research and we never find out the real truth.
I do fee the government may prefer us to take their word for it, because they won’t accept any blame for the re-emergence of measles, or for choosing not to vaccinate.
I don’t know for positive either that there is a link. I do have reason to think, that there are some parents who believed they had normal children, before they had the MMR vaccine. I wonder if we will ever get to the truth on this topic.
Hi Autism Insights,
I totally agree with you here. The celebrities you refer to, also have books on the topic. So, yes we will hear their stories of success and cures. Every case is different so, for some, positive results can happen if dealt with at an early age, and as soon as signs and symptoms appear.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that services and special programs for autistic individuals are always first to be cut, in schools and in budgeting for such programs.
Boy, now I am really confused. I understand why parents will not vaccinate their kids for fear of autism. However, some of the vaccines are needed to prevent diseases like measles (or give a lighter version). Today, we are seeing diseases that were wiped out in the U.S. coming back due to not vaccinating.
Seems as if it is still confusing to us all.
Lindas last blog post..Make your search Lijit!
I’m always pleased to see blogs like yours because they share my point of view. If you’d like, you can check out
http://www.alternative-energy-secrets.com. I often go there for I have the same sentiments when it comes to cO2 emissions and how to save up money using alternative methods.
I’ll leave you now, gotta check the archives….ciao!
Kenneths last blog post..Swamp Cooler or Air Conditioner?
Hi Barbara! Excellent post and while I wasn’t the first to “discover it” I stumbled for you
In regard to vaccines, and although my sister is not a doctor, she is a wealth of information. I would have thought for sure she’d be against them, but vaccines are “necessary evils” especially in the close quarters we now live in in this world. I think - since I’m just guessing like everyone else - that I agree with Autism Insights, ” My personal feeling is that the condition (not disease) is mostly genetic with possibly some environmental triggers, which don’t include vaccines.”
Diane Scotts last blog post..How To Handle A Disasterous Situation
Hi Linda,
I tend to agree with My Autism Insights. I don’t think vaccines are the cause, and feel that genetics and the environment are probable factors. You are right that we are now seeing a re-emergence of diseases due to not vaccinating. I feel it is very important to vaccinate, because often to effect of the diseases are worse.
However, on the flip side, we don’t know what if anything, may be hidden knowledge that we are not aware of.
Hi Kenneth,
Thanks for the very nice comment…Yes, it looks like we do share similar viewpoints!
Hi Diane,
Yes, as I stated above, we share the same view on this topic! But, as I said to Linda, there is no way to know what may be hidden knowledge that is being kept from the general public. There are some parents who deal with this condition, that will always wonder and question what role vaccines play. Some are convinced that vaccines are or could be the culprit.
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