Vaccines, Auto-immunity, and Autism

[TheFaithfulStone]

So, I've always considered the "Vaccines Cause Autism" crowd to be more than a little bit crazy. But lately I've been seeing some kind of disturbing trends that make me think that even if they're barking up the wrong tree with the thimerosal thing, that they might actually be on to something.

Anyway, it turns out that my wife is likely suffering from lupus, which although a serious disorder is not (usually) life threatening. While researching lupus, we found out that Live vaccines are contraindicated for people with SLE. Whether this is because SLE sufferers are susceptible to infection from live vaccines or because the treatments for SLE leave them susceptible is an open question.

Furthermore, there's some evidence that certain types of autism are linked to autoimmune disease in family members.
Autism is an autoimmune disease
Troubling case study
Outspoken neurobiologist who things autism is autoimmune related.

And then today, on Slashdot I saw this
Immuno suppressant drug restores function in autistic mice.

I'm increasingly of the opinion that my infant son, with a family history of autoimmune disorders on both sides of the family may be at greater risk receiving live virus vaccines like MMR than not.

Measles, mumps, rubella are all bad, yes, but not really THAT frequently encountered. Autism strikes me as much, much worse.

Somebody with a medical background point me to appropriate journal articles. I posted this in another location and was frankly appalled by the response that I got - telling me that I was no better than a child abuser for even considering such a thing as skipping the MMR.

The information that I'm operating on is not from a bunch of hippies with crystals - these are all peer reviewed articles in respectable medical journals by real scientists and doctors. (Of course Halton Arp is a real scientist, and ALSO a anti-big-bang maniac.)

If I'm wrong, then I'm wrong here - but I need some hard facts, not just strident repetition of the conventional wisdom.

TFS

[GAHD]

I was opted out of most shots by my parents, and later on myself. Quite frankly I don't feel any WORSE off than other people...but that's just anecdotal.

[InfiniteNow]

I didn't spend too much time searching, but I wasn't able to find a single one suggesting a causal relationship:

Google Scholar - Search Results

[Dr. Nancy Malik]

According to FDA, All vaccines are scheduled 4 poisons.

Different vaccines have different preservatives, but two preservatives: formaldehyde, and mercury is present in most of the vaccines.
There is no published literature about the level of formaldehyde which is toxin in human body. But mercury in tiniest of amount is considered unsafe.

But still the benefits of vacination outweighs the risks associated with it.

[Michaelangelica]

Vaccines are often made with chicken eggs. Some people are allergic to eggs.

This may be of interest:

Food Intolerances and Allergies
Autistic children often suffer from numerous kinds of food intolerances and digestive problems. My son was so sensitive to dairy, he would begin banging his head hard on the floor about three hours after eating it. While this reaction occurred with other foods and stimuli, we knew that dairy was a specific trigger. To resolve it we found a product containing several proteases including one known as DPP IV, which breaks down dairy and gluten proteins.

Unlike many drug therapies, enzymes are a quick and relatively inexpensive option to try, with a high probability for success
. . .
The Bug Connection
Many children with autism related conditions also suffer from candida yeast or bacterial overgrowth in the gut. To resolve the problem try yeast-targeting products with high levels of fiber-digesting enzymes (like cellulases) to break down the outer walls of yeast cells. The product should also contain a high level of proteases to help clear out pathogenic yeast and reduce any die-off reactions. Consider combining a yeast-controlling herbal supplement such as grapefruit seed extract or oregano with the enzymes for a synergistic effect.

Underlying persistent viral infections also seem prevalent in autistic children, and when these are addressed, the children show some permanent improvements in language, socialization, behavior, and cognitive ability. Several autism specialists are turning to Valtrex, a prescription antiviral medication that provides good results. Another alternative, ViraStop, is a specialty blend of enzymes used between meals at high therapeutic doses (12 to 15 capsules per day)

Enzyme Therapy for Autism | Healthy and Green Living

[Michaelangelica]

New Study: Autism Linked to Environment
Research links soaring incidence of the mysterious neurological disorder to fetal and infant exposure to pesticides, viruses, household chemicals

By Marla Cone
More than 3,000 new cases of autism were reported in California in 2006, compared with 205 in 1990. In 1990, 6.2 of every 10,000 children born in the state were diagnosed with autism by the age of five, compared with 42.5 in 10,000 born in 2001, according to the study, published in the journal Epidemiology. The numbers have continued to rise since then.

To nail down the causes, scientists must unravel a mystery: What in the environment has changed since the early 1990s that could account for such an enormous rise in the brain disorder?
. . .

"There's genetics and there's environment. And genetics don't change in such short periods of time," Hertz-Picciotto, a researcher at UC Davis' M.I.N.D. Institute, a leading autism research facility, said in an interview Thursday.

Many researchers have theorized that a pregnant woman's exposure to chemical pollutants, particularly metals and pesticides, could be altering a developing baby's brain structure, triggering autism.

Many parent groups believe that childhood vaccines are responsible because they contained thimerosal, a mercury compound used as a preservative. But thimerosal was removed from most vaccines in 1999, and autism rates are still rising.
. . .
While exposure to some--such as PCBs--has declined in recent decades, others--including flame retardants used in furniture and electronics, and pyrethroid insecticides--have increased.

Mothers of autistic children were twice as likely to use pet flea shampoos, which contain organophosphates or pyrethroids, according to one study that has not yet been published. Another new study has found a link between autism and phthalates, which are compounds used in vinyl and cosmetics. Other household products such as antibacterial soaps also could have ingredients that harm the brain by changing immune systems, Hertz-Picciotto said.
. . .
Funding for studying genetic causes of autism is 10 to 20 times higher than funding for environmental causes, she said. "It's very off-balance," she said.

. . .
The surge in autism is similar to the rise in childhood asthma, which has reached epidemic proportions for unexplained reasons

New Study: Autism Linked to Environment: Scientific American

[belovelife]

UCTV--University of California Television

i know someone with autism
although he doesn't communicate wel on a normal level
i can communicate with him
w/o saying much more
in some types of autistics
through mri imaging it is found that the have an enlarges hippocampus
this is the fight or flight region of the brain
now in the person i knows case
they can hear me wisper from across the room
but when you talk to him at a normal level
he sways his head, his eyes roll around, and sometimes
holds his hands on his ears

[Michaelangelica]

Interesting observation.
what is he/she/ probably he like with music?

When i was nursing autistic kids at a kid's Psych unit when governments spent money on health
I was on night duty
Between night rounds we heard singing
"We all live in a Yellow Submarine"
We finally traced to the sound to a severely autistic (permanently hospitalised) kid's private room as he sang the Beatles song while decorating his walls with faeces. (Which we had to fix before the day shift came on -not impressed).Before this episode I have never heard him talk or make any sound.


The same kid we took to the beach with a number of psychologically disturbed kids on the train.
On minute he was sitting quietly ; next he was tearing to the open (moving) train door. Fortunately I had fast reflexes otherwise he would have been dead and I would have been filling out paperwork for the rest of my life

Strangely now I find Austistic kids hard to handle
Give me an obsessive compulsive or YY chromosome any day -at least there is communication

We used to have a wonderful therapist Juliet Harper who came dressed like a stunning, ravishing, beautiful gypsy all colour and bangles and jingling, glittering earrings.
The female nurses eyes all turned to daggers when she came. A grey uniform was not much of a match for Juliet; and she was Regal into the bargain.

She certainly was able to do more with the autistic kids than most at that time 1970s
She did a PhD in psychology in about the same time it took me to do an undergraduate degree. It is sad I have lost contact with her now (She is probably dead like many friends).

[belovelife]

it is a he, and he is 6 or 7 years old
it was interesting, about 2 years ago, i was chillin with him
his room he drew all chaotic with crayons
so i sat with him for a day, and we colored math problems
using the dice pattern for numbers
now, he is pretty quick at math
my theory was that in his mind, there is lots of chaos
considering i can barely wisper in my softest voice
and he responds from across the room
so i figured a direct representation of finding
order in his chaos would be to draw with him
(with good vibrations [see beach boys])
and make math ideas
basics 1+1
9+9
you know
well now he can solve them really quick

[Michaelangelica]

Many autistic kids have high functioning abilities in some cognitive areas.
Similar to the servant in "Rainman".

My guy just happened to be good as singing and painting with shit.