Where does autism come from?

Question

I have a 5 year old brother that has constantly showed signs of having autism. He was reading before he was 2, and speaks spanish quite well. He also does simple mathmatics. Yet he doesn't like to hang out with children his own age. He does fine with my older brother and I, and other teens, but his whole preschool class seems to not exist to him. I know that this isn't nearly enough information, yet I wanted to know if you thought that autism could come from the immunizations shots giving during infacncy? Please give me any information possible.

Joseph(my brother) shows signs of autism though. When he is asked question about school, she ignors them totally, and completly ignores you like ti was never asked. And he is deathly afraid of any loud noises. and whenever you sit in "his chair" or get on "his computer" he will throw a huge tantrom.
It's just that there are so many similarities. And his way of communicating is much different.

Answer 1

Answer is a bit long but hope it helps.

This info comes from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, this is just a bit of what they have:

Why do people think that vaccines can cause autism?

Some parents and families of children with autism believe that the Measles/Mumps/ Rubella (MMR) vaccine caused their children’s autism.These parents report that their children were “normal” until they received the MMR vaccine.Then, after getting the vaccine, their children started showing symptoms of autism.Because the symptoms of autism begin to occur around the same time as the child’s MMR vaccination, parents and families see the vaccine as the cause of the autism.However, just because the events happen around the same time does not mean that one caused the other.Although children receive many other vaccines in addition to the MMR vaccine, these other vaccines have not been identified as possible causes of autism.

These parents’ beliefs and observations were reinforced by a small study of bowel disease and autism, published by Wakefield and his colleagues in 1998 (Wakefield et al 1998).The study’s authors suggested that there was a link between the MMR vaccine and autism.This study did not include scientific testing to find out if there was a link.The authors relied on the reports of parents and families of the 12 children with autism involved in the study to make their suggestion. The study did not provide scientific proof that there was any link.

Since this study was published in 1998, a number of other studies have also been published that suggested a link between the MMR vaccine and autism (Singh et al 1998; Horvath et al 1999; O’Leary et al 2000; Wakefield et al 2000; Kawashima et al 2000), but none of these provide scientific proof of such a link.

To date there is no definite, scientific proof that any vaccine or combination of vaccines can cause autism.

Why do many doctors and scientists believe that the MMR vaccine does not cause autism?

In 2000, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) at the National Academy of Sciences, at the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the NIH, conducted a review of all the evidence related to the MMR vaccine and autism. This independent panel examined completed studies, on-going studies, published medical and scientific papers, and expert testimony to assess whether or not there was a link between autism and the MMR vaccine. The IOM concluded that the evidence reviewed did not support an association between autism and the MMR vaccine. This and other conclusions from the IOM review were released in April 2001 (Immunization Safety Review Committee 2001).

Also in 2000, The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), a professional organization for pediatricians with over 55,000 members, held a conference on the MMR vaccine and autism. Parents, scientists, and practitioners presented information on this topic to a multidisciplinary panel of experts. Based on its review, the AAP also found that the available evidence did not support the theory that the MMR vaccine caused autism or related disorders. The AAP policy statement appeared in the May issue of Pediatrics (Halsey et al 2001).

In 1999, Taylor and colleagues published a study (Taylor et al 1999) that argued against the suggested link between autism and the MMR vaccine suggested in the Wakefield study. Taylor’s study looked at all the known cases of ASD in children living in certain districts of London who were born in 1979, or later. Researchers then matched the ASD patients with an independent registry of vaccinations. The results of this study showed that:

~The number of ASD cases had increased steadily since 1979, but there was no sharp increase in the number of cases after doctors started using the MMR vaccine in 1988.

~Children showed symptoms of ASD and were diagnosed with ASD at the same ages, regardless of whether they were vaccinated before or after 18 months of age. This finding is important because if the MMR vaccine caused ASD, the children who were vaccinated earlier would show symptoms earlier.

~By age two, vaccination coverage (the number of children who received vaccines) among children with ASD was nearly the same as vaccination coverage for children the same age who did not have ASD throughout the region. If the MMR vaccine and ASD autism were linked, then a greater number of children who had been vaccinated throughout the region would have ASD.

~The first signs of autistic behavior or first diagnosis of ASD was not more likely to occur in time periods following the MMR vaccine than in other time periods.

Also in 1999, the United Kingdom’s Committee on Safety of Medicine examined hundreds of reports collected by lawyers of patients with autism and similar disorders that families said they developed after receiving the MMR or MR vaccine. After a systematic, standardized review of the case information, the Committee found that the information did not support any link between vaccines and autism. Based on the evidence, the Committee concluded that there was no cause for concern about the safety of MMR or MR vaccines (Medicines Commission Agency 1999).

A study, done in Sweden in 1998, also showed no evidence of association between the MMR vaccine and autism. The study compared the number of autism cases in children from two Swedish towns before 1982, when local doctors first started using the MMR vaccine, and after 1982. The results showed no difference in the rate of autism between the two groups of children in either town (Gillberg & Heijbel 1998).

Another study, done in England in 1997, looked at any possible link between the measles-specific vaccine (one part of the MMR vaccine) and different problems that result from damage to the nervous system, such as learning disabilities and behavior problems. These researchers found no proof that the measles vaccine was in any way linked to long-term damage to the nervous system (Miller et al 1997).

This comes from The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) who funds thimerosal research. This is only a bit of what they have.

Mercury is a naturally occurring chemical element found throughout the environment. Mercury is found in three forms: as a pure metal (as found in thermometers), as inorganic salts, and as an organic derivative. Humans and wildlife are exposed to all three forms. Most environmental mercury consists of the metallic and inorganic forms. Because mercury is everywhere, it is not possible to prevent all exposure to it. High levels of mercury, however, are toxic.

Methyl mercury, the most common organic derivative of mercury, is mainly produced by microorganisms in water and soil. Methyl mercury is of particular concern because it can accumulate in certain edible freshwater and saltwater fish, especially in larger and older fish, to levels that are much greater than levels in the surrounding water. Methyl mercury also can accumulate in humans who eat these fish. Exposure to high levels of methyl mercury is toxic and can cause mental retardation, cerebral palsy, and seizures. The fetus is especially sensitive to methyl mercury exposure and may suffer brain damage or even death if exposed to high levels.

Since the 1930s, thimerosal has been added to some vaccines and other products because it is effective in killing bacteria and in preventing bacterial contamination, particularly in multidose containers. When thimerosal is degraded or metabolized, one product is ethyl mercury, another organic derivative of mercury. Not much is known about the effects of thimerosal exposure on humans and how this compares to methyl mercury exposure. The only known side effects of receiving low doses of thimerosal in vaccines have been minor reactions such as redness and swelling at the injection site.

In July 1999, U.S. Department of Health and Human Service agencies, The American Academy of Pediatrics, and vaccine manufacturers agreed that thimerosal should be reduced or eliminated in vaccines as a precautionary measure and to reduce exposure to mercury from all sources. Today, all routinely recommended licensed pediatric vaccines currently being manufactured for the U.S. market are either thimerosal-free or contain markedly reduced amounts of thimerosal. Thimerosal, however, remains in some vaccines given to adults and adolescents, as well as some pediatric vaccines not on the Recommended Childhood and Adolescent Immunization Schedule. With the exception of some Influenza (flu) vaccines, none of the vaccines used in the U.S. to protect preschool children against 12 infectious diseases contain thimerosal as a preservative.Thimerosal is still a common preservative found in vaccines used outside the United States.

The decision to move toward reduced or eliminated thimerosal in vaccines was based on the various Federal guidelines for methyl mercury exposure and the assumption that the health risks from methyl and ethyl mercury were the same. Methyl mercury exposure is primarily through fish consumption. People who regularly eat mercury-contaminated fish can accumulate methyl mercury in their body over time. Some of this methyl mercury may be passed from the mother to the fetus before birth and to infants through breast milk. The fetus is sensitive to damage from this exposure.

Prior to the removal of thimerosal from childhood recommended vaccines, infants were exposed to ethyl mercury by intramuscular injection during vaccination, not by ingestion. Furthermore, infants received thimerosal from childhood vaccines that were administered days or months apart. In contrast, methyl mercury exposure, primarily from foods, tends to occur over a longer sustained period of time. More research is needed to determine if the guidelines for methyl mercury exposure are also appropriate guidelines for thimerosal. Additionally, guidelines for maximal levels for short-term exposure need to be established.

The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) funds thimerosal research that focuses on better understanding what happens to thimerosal once it is introduced in the body and how this compares to current knowledge of methyl mercury pathways. NIAID-sponsored researchers from the University of Rochester in New York (one of NIAID's Vaccine Treatment and Evaluation Units) performed assessments of mercury levels in infants receiving routine immunizations (they have the results at the weblink below). In addition, NIAID and the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) funded studies comparing the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of thimerosal and methyl mercury in non-human primates.

The National Network for Immunization Information has 10 different articles about research with mercury(thimerosal) in vaccines.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website provides a thorough discussion of thimerosal in vaccines as well including about mercury content in fish:
The FDA is advising pregnant women and women of childbearing age who may become pregnant women not to eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. As a matter of prudent public health advice, the FDA is also recommending that nursing mothers and young children not eat these fish as well.

Fish such as shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish contain high levels of a form of mercury called methyl mercury that may harm an unborn baby's developing nervous system. These long-lived, larger fish that feed on smaller fish accumulate the highest levels of methyl mercury and therefore pose the greatest risk to the unborn child. Mercury can occur naturally in the environment and it can be released into the air through industrial pollution and can get into both fresh and salt water.

If your brother is thought to have autism I wouldn't be worrying about what caused it but how to get him evaluated/tested and get him the help he needs. Have your parents request that he be evaulated through the school. or get a referral from his doctor for an evaulation. By what you have stated if he his autistic he is more likely high functioning like Asperger's, with Asperger's there is no speech delay unlike low functioning autism. I have also left a link that will give you in detail what autism is and how it is defined into different areas of the spectrum such as asperger's..they also talk about the theories of what causes autism from vaccines, to enviromental issues, to conditions during pregnancy, etc.

Answer 2

If you ask 20 parents with kids diagnosed with autism, you will likely get 8 or 10 different answers. The reason for this is that autism is diagnosed behaviorally, not (with the exception of Fragile X) medically.

Some kids are on the spectrum from birth, some begin developing normally and then around 15-18 months regress. This is where the thimerasol/mmr theory came in. Since 2001, thimerasol is only used as a preservative in flu shots. Since the immune system doesn't fully mature until, I think, age 5 , vaccines use live virus and are given in ever increasing numbers, there is the thought that these kids immune systems are being overloaded and causing it. Then there are environmental toxins..... So, it's kind of a mixture of genetics and environmental insult-with each situation being unique.

It would take a professional trained in the diagnosis of autism interacting and observing your brother in real time to really know if he is affected. That said, here is how some of the things you describe relate to it.

Learning to read at a VERY early age accompanied by a lack of comprehension of what was read is known as hyperlexia.

Social and communication (not language, but all the nonverbal stuff) delays are common. The brains of individuals on the spectrum process information differently. The brain tends to not be able to filter out what is unimportant or gives the greatest importance to the wrong information. This combined with poor eye contact causes that person to fail to develop social skills the way you did. It just kinda came naturally through watching and interacting with others. It's not that they don't want to socialize, they just don't know how. It's a can't see the forest for the trees thing. They may not be able to figure out how to play Marco Polo just from watching because they are focusing on one thing one person is doing.

For those with High Functioning Autism or Asperger Syndrome, their vocabulary may be much more highly developed than the average kid their age, so they relate better to teens and adults. Their speech may seem formal because they lack an understanding of slang and other subtle nuances.

To learn more try the websites of the Austim Society of America http://www.autism-society.org and for Aspergers, OASIS. http://www.aspergersyndrome.org

You are a special person to be so observant and concerned about your brother.

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Where does autism come from?
I have a 5 year old brother that has constantly showed signs of having autism. He was reading before he was 2, and speaks spanish quite well. He also does simple mathmatics. Yet he doesn't like to hang out with children his own age. He does fine with my older brother and I, and other teens, but...

Answer 4

if they were given before they removed the mercury from the shots it could. Allot of people say that it isn't because of the mercury that was contained in immunization shot but lets look at the facts, First Autism is a neurological disorder Mercury is a neurotoxin infants are very small compared to adults and what wouldn't effect an adult will affect an infant this is why they have children's Tylenol and ibuprofen etc.

Answer 5

It is not obvious when the insult to the developing central nervous system must occur if a child is to develop autistic features. The associations of autism with thalidomide embryopathy and fetal cocaine syndrome imply a first-trimester insult. The link with disorders of cortical development implicates the second trimester. There is even some evidence supporting the view that autism can result from the perinatal period, although others have suggested that it is previous abnormality in the fetus that predisposes it to obstetric complications. Postnatal insults can also lead to the autistic phenotype. There are several reports of autism developing after neonatal herpes encephalitis, and Delong describes three children between the age of five and eleven years who demonstrated autistic features in association with herpes encephalitis that resolved after recovery from the viral illness.

Answer 6

It doesnt sound like your brother has autism. It sounds like he's gifted. BIG difference! If your brother had autism he probably wouldnt speak, wouldnt make eye contact and wouldnt be able to understand emotions. Get him enrolled in gifted classes ASAP! :-) Best of luck! Oh, and it's the thimerisol in the shots that are questionable because it's 45% mercury... it's not proven yet... but it MAY have something to do with it... probably turns a genetic marker on/off that was already there to begin with JMO.
ADDED: With the added info... he MAY have Aspergers? My brothers first word was "Encyclopedia". Has he been tested by a Behavioral Specialist? It's rare for a child to get to 5 y.o. without being diagnosed. Gifted kids, depending on how gifted can have similar communication differences etc. You said he relates to older kids fine. In what way is his communication different, you said he speaks Spanish too? Tantrums are normal for that age. A fear of loud noises (fireworks etc) is typical for that age too, their hearing is very sensitive (hasnt been ruined by loud TV/music yet). What do you do when he ignores you? Is he so focused on what he's doing that he doesn't hear you (a sign of giftedness) or is he purposely ignoring you (a sign of oppositional defiant disorder) or does he seem indifferent (a possible sign of autism). I still stick with my original idea, that he does not have Pervasive Developmental Disorder or Autism Disorder. If he had these he would not be reading, doing math and speaking spanish at 5. It could possibly be Aspergers Syndrome, which is very mildly like autism.

Answer 7

It's possible that he might have something on the Autism Spectrum, but not necessarily. If he does then it would probably be rather mild since he's so high-functioning in school and is very bright. Maybe he's just really smart, shy and tunes annoying people out. Who knows?

Answer 8

I cant tell you if your brother is autistic.
It sounds to me he is quite intelligent.
Maybe a little spoiled

Regarding shots and autism.

They are finding that high levels of mercury that are present in a preservative (thimerosal) that is used in many common immunizations.......including seasonal flu shots may be the cause of many cases of autism.

It is believed that the unconcionable levels of mercury( that young children are exposed to by receiving their scheduled immunizations) is the reason so many children suffer degradation to their nervous systems to the point they become autistic.

It is believed the children afflicted by this overexposure....are the ones whos bodies are unable to rid itself of the mercury contained in the thimerosal.

I will post a link that can give you a tremendous amount of information.

Answer 9

there hasn't been any PROVEN cause but a few things ive read up on have said that it MAY be caused by older parents, children being exposed to TV at a very young age, too much mercury ingestion during pregnancy, and Im not sure if I'm correct on this one but maybe genetics?

Answer 10

Autism is typically an affliction that occurs at or before birth. It's basically an in-balance in chemicals and proteins in the brain. It generally results in the patient having greatly increased artistic/mathematic/language skills. However while one or two of these are increased they generally are lacking in others.

Answer 11

Those shots are making children suddenly bring about the symptoms of autism. I don't think they CAUSE it, just make it more...prominent or bring it on quicker. Otherwise, EVERY chid would have it, since those shots are required.