"Dear parents, you are being lied to"

[Veilex]

Because it's still and issue:

#t=274

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/dear-parents-you-are-being-lied-0

[Quixote1818]

1. Anyone who lived in the 1800's would be setting these clueless anti vaxxers straight

They would remember people's average life spans lasting to about 50 years old and precious loved ones dropping like flies all around them. We are living in a society filled with spoiled, ignorant, anti-science idiots who think everything that is saving them is killing them because of a few ass holes like Dr. Mercola. They have no idea how dangerous they are. Really more dangerous than terrorists because they are killing more people and threatening millions.

[3catwoman3]

2. A relative is a major player in the...

...anti-vaccine movement. I am a pediatric nurse practitioner. Obviously, we are on totally opposite sides of this health issue. It would be interesting to see her debate this speaker. I stand about as much chance of changing her mind as she does of changing mine - about as much chance as getting RWNJs to like President Obama.

Babies are exposed to thousands of antigens the moment they are born. The total number of antigens in the first 6 months of immunizations is fewer than used to be in a single smallpox vaccination.

[ReRe]

3. I've done much genealogical...

... research over the years, and back before immunizations were available, many people died an early death. Death was more or less a way of life. Some women had many children, yet none lived to adulthood. During the Civil War, many deaths of soldiers were attributed to communicable diseases, which if there had been vaccinations, they would have survived.

The problem is something else beside vaccinations for the spike in autism, but I never hear much about theories into the reason for it. Why has there been a spike in autism?

[SkyDaddy7]

4. To be honest...

Far too much energy & resources is wasted right now trying to bring many parents back into the REAL WORLD of evidence based medicine & get their children vaccinated!

As far as I can tell saying someone has "autism" is like saying someone has cancer...Not all cases of autism are the same or were caused by the same thing. I know they have isolated some genes that may be associated with higher rates of autism (I think) but nothing saying "this gene causes autism"!

It will probably turn out to be a combo of genetics & the enormous amount of pollutants we live in & consume.

I think the study of "Epigenetics" & the more we learn & understand how that process works will help...Very interesting stuff & kinda scary too.

Epigenetics is the study of these chemical reactions and the factors that influence them. Meet the epigenome and learn how it influences DNA. Change the level of gene expression in a cell with the turn of a dial!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigenetics

[Veilex]

6. "Not all cases of autism are the same" - Indeed.

Autism is a spectrum of disorders rather than a single disorder.

[3catwoman3]

5. The definition of autism has broadened considerably.

I remember a LIFE magazine article, probably in the early 60s, about autism. I would have been about 12, but remembered being fascinated by the article. At that time that label was applied to children with extremely limited to no communication skills who would spend all day twirling objects, playing with water, being combative or screaming.

Now, it seems to be applied to almost any kid who is a little "different," and, as most readers here probably know, is called the Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Much like cancer, I expect there there will not be a single etiology. A study done at Yale found abnormalities in the placentas of babies born to families identified as high risk for autism - ie, a sibling already diagnosed. Just Google "placental markers autism" if you are curious.