Autism

[Bootytang]

For some reason, this topics been going through my head the past few days, and i was just wondering whats your guys' opinion on this. I was reading a few articles about it, and autism affects 1 in 88 children, and 1 in 54 boys.

 

http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/facts-about-autism

[JessicaJoy]

Children with Autism are very intelligent. They just have a social capabilities of a bunny.

 

In my highschool, we had a class, where you go out and about with your classmates who have a mental handicap. I did not participate in this class, but I always helped them in the Art classes I was in with them. It is always rewarding. Went to one of the BEST 18th birthday parties for a gal who has down syndrome. We watched High School Musical and ate cake.

[Bootytang]

Children with Autism are very intelligent. They just have a social capabilities of a bunny.

 

In my highschool, we had a class, where you go out and about with your classmates who have a mental handicap. I did not participate in this class, but I always helped them in the Art classes I was in with them. It is always rewarding. Went to one of the BEST 18th birthday parties for a gal who has down syndrome. We watched High School Musical and ate cake.

 

My school has a whole program dedicated to the mentally handicapped, its actually amazing theres 20 year olds in my school who act like nothings wrong they mingle with everyone.

[LazaHorse]

Despite it being one of the more overly used insults on the internet as far as mental capacity is concerned (almost to the extent that down's syndrome is treated), autism is itself a very fascinating syndrome. My cousin has autism and it's severe enough that he is 6 years behind education wise. However, he has the multiplication table memorized up to 20x20, a feat that most adults cannot do past 12x12. His condition is one that he has linked to game shows, of which he can recite and re-enact specific scenes. He has literally memorized multiple hours of game shows, but cannot communicate with others at the level of someone 7 or 8 years his junior.

 

It's fascinating really. I've had a large part in raising him since he was 3 or 4 years old, and while it's been a stressful journey, it has also been very fulfilling. The most important (IMHO) aspect to remember when dealing with autistic children/adolescents/adults is that they are not mentally "handicapped." Rather, their brains work at such a speed and efficiency, that they simply cannot communicate the ideas coherently. There are cases of less severe autism that leads to genius for those who can successfully communicate the wealth of ideas that come to mind. It's amazing really how bi-polar the "success" of autistic people can be measured. I pray every so often that my cousin finds success beyond the barrier, and have always supported him. In the end... they aren't lacking in any way. God (or whatever overarching being/force you subscribe to) has just given them more than they can handle, and if we as a society help embrace that, they can be some of the most influential/impactful people the world has to offer.

[Goat]

At the highschool I went to, some disabled kids were integrated into regular classes. I took PE just as a bullshit class and I'm pretty sure there were 5 or 6 disabled kids total. It was cool as hell playing games with them and teaching them how to play. I always treated them like I treated everyone else and I had the utmost respect for them.

[Princess Celestia]

As someone who struggles with an autism spectrum disorder, what Lazarus has said is quite frankly true. I have so many thoughts and ideas that run through my head and I can't really communicate them well in print or in words. My mouth and head run at such a speed that would be comparable to Blur from the old Transformers show in the 70's and 80's.

[BranHorse]

My aunt has a very severe case of autism. As a child she was very self abusive. She would constantly hurt herself and would actually break bones. All day long she would cry and make scenes, it drove my dads parents crazy. She is unable to read or speak in complete sentences. If you can get her to talk she will say one word and she only knows about 4 (my dads name, chip, dog, and dad). Now she is 36 years old and is still the same. She has to be watched constantly or else should could hurt herself. She cant bathe or go to the bathroom without help. Her condition actually stunted her growth and is only about 4 ft 5. When she was 15 they put her in a home for special needs adults because they could not handle her anymore.

I see her about once a month when my dad brings her to my grandmas. She is very obsessive of things like animals and magazines (two things that calm her down) and she also loves to swim. I find it odd that someone who can barley say the word chip has no difficulty doing backstrokes in the water. This issue is not a good one from my point of view. I do have a cousin with a very mild case and he is actually incredibly smart and is a grade ahead. He is just a little socially awkward. The kid will be the next Einstein.

[mccaincracker]

Currently the Mackinaw Bridge has changed all of the lights on it to blue for autism awareness for the month of April

[Bootytang]

Currently the Mackinaw Bridge has changed all of the lights on it to blue for autism awareness for the month of April

 

Wheres that bridge at?

[Rick]

Wheres that bridge at?

 

the mackinac bridge is located in michigan. it connects the two peninsulas

[Watermelon Jackson]

First off, I want to communicate how much I disdain the term Autism or even "Mentally-Challenged". I would use the term poisoned to better fit the conditions befalling our generation and the ones that come consequentially. Autism doesn't have a direct cause, but in my research and study I've found it to be linked to nutritional and environmental causation as a result of what we put in our bodies and in our lives. When I was growing up, I was a fucked up kid. When I say fucked up, I mean in the sense of anger, behavioral aggressiveness, incoherent temperament; in a sense, I was an angry kid. I did alot of brash and dumb things, but I always did them as a troublemaker somewhat, not usually a behaviorally challenged kid. I got along with the people I liked fairly well, but I was definitely over-competitive and had a quick temper. I was too smart for my own fucking good so to speak, even to the point I read the dictionary and was reading Shakespeare at 9, and could write, read, and speak as well as a college freshman at 12. So the ratio of my behavioral to mental abilities was fuckface:prodigy. I'd piss alot of schools off by running away and shit, and occasionally putting hands on teachers ("BITCH I DON'T WANNA DO MY FUCKING MACARONI ART") So all my dicking around got me sent here:

 

http://tobinworld.org/

 

Tobinworld is a school in Glendale CA (and another location but fuck it I don't care for that one) that treats kids of all behavioral problems, from anger, to autism, to rehabilitation for abused kids, to even just plain fucked up kids who do ghetto shit. It was a place where in one day you interacted with everyone from a five year old with actual downs syndrome, to 24 year olds who just aren't smart enough to get through education, but in the streets are fucking geniuses. You'd be shocked and surprised what it all actually can amount to. But one thing I always found certain is that every kid/adult had something special that ONLY they could do. I knew this one guy who could do practically nothing short of using the bathroom alone (still had his ass wiped/probably still does and he's about 30 or so now) but he could snap any chair, and I do mean any: metal, wood, stone, you name it- by simply rocking back and forth into it. It was crazy to say the least. Another child didn't have any social abilities at all, to the extent that he could communicate, he could talk very well, but he didn't have anything going for him because of so much fucked up shit in his head. He would draw all day, make murals for the classroom practically, he could ace tests as well as me even at times, but he couldn't even keep a friend in class, we would call him pigeon boy and he'd fucking snap at us but it was funny cuz he was small and didn't know how to fight. We'd never hit him back but we would run from him when he hit us aha. We were dicks, fuck your opinion.

 

Point being, that school and the experiences I had and shared as a child, teaching 18 year old kids how to do division, watching over some classrooms with kids who had ticks and syndromes galore, but all had one specialty that they only could do, and sitting and talking to the kids from the streets that had emotions and intelligence much greater than anyone you could really pick off the street, but couldn't even read? These people taught me to appreciate everyone and anyone, and to cherish people for how they were born.

 

But know, that all of this can be prevented. In your own lives even, stray away from artificial, don't get the cheap foods, try not to use disinfectants or chemicals that you haven't researched; all these things can amount to a difference in not only your quality of health and life, but in the generations that follow. Oh and also this:

 

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/AutismNews/mother-son-marijuana-treat-autism/story?id=9153881#.T4hfPlHwu8A

 

Turns out marijuana can help autism symptoms. Moral of the story?

 

Smoke weed everyday.

Edited April 13, 2012 by Watermelon Jackson
No, fuck YOUR special interest agenda.

[HelloImKevin]

everyone is special in their own ways. we just got to recognize it and move foward.

[Watermelon Jackson]

Autism is fucked up, but then again look at what we do with ourselves and then ask where we went wrong.

[Princess Celestia]

Amen, Watermelon. I guess I might as well say that in the mental department, God has graced me with ADHD and an autism spectrum disorder that has me in a highly functional state but with the social grace and aptitude of a dead horse. The interplay between the 2 makes things difficult for me to network with other people and networking is important if you want the job.

[FEBRUARY]

I have a step-sister who has autism. Shes hella smart but isn't very social and has the mindset of a 10 year old. (watches pokemon, plays with the cards/trades them etc)

 

She also still believes Santa is real (If I just crushed your dreams sorry, if you're old enough to game you should be old enough to know hes fake)

[Chick Magnet]

My opinion is it's from the vaccines and the over medicating of America.

 

Epidemiologist Tom Verstraeten and Dr. Richard Johnston, an immunologist and pediatrician from the University of Colorado, both concluded that thimerosal was responsible for the dramatic rise in cases of autism but their findings were dismissed by the CDC.

 

Cases of autism in the U.S. have now increased by over 2700 per cent since 1991, which is when vaccines for children doubled, and the number of immunizations is only increasing. Just one in 2,500 children were diagnosed with autism before 1991, whereas one in 91 children now have the disease, up from one in 150 just six years ago. Well, thimerosal contains mercury which is one of the most toxic substances known to mankind. Mercury has been proven to severely impair neurological development.

 

Read some of the information directly from the EPA website.... http://www.epa.gov/hg/effects.htm

 

The following comes from an article by Dawn Prate.... http://www.naturalnews.com/011764.html

 

"In 1977, a Russian study found that adults exposed to ethylmercury, the form of mercury in thimerosal, suffered brain damage years later. Studies on thimerosal poisoning also describe tubular necrosis and nervous system injury, including obtundation, coma and death. As a result of these findings, Russia banned thimerosal from children’s vaccines in 1980. Denmark, Austria, Japan, Great Britain and all the Scandinavian countries have also banned the preservative"

 

It's literally insane to pump massive amounts of mercury into our young children when their brains are just starting to develop.

[LazaHorse]

There are also studies showing that the most likely source of the terrorist plots of 9/11 are within the U.S. Government. Statistics prove correlation, but cannot prove causality. A rise in medication can simply be caused by a... rise of available medications. The rise of NOTED autism rates can be attributed to a number of similar factors like it not being properly diagnosed as autism earlier, a lack of people reporting their children as "autistic" earlier, or even just a sudden increase of at birth mutations which can be caused by another MULTITUDE of things (smoking, weed, environment, etc etc etc). Point is, because TWO studies which as you said were dismissed by a credible organization come to a conclusion does not mean the conclusion is valid. People have been consuming all sorts of unknown nutrients for centuries, but they haven't shown up as a "problem" because frankly, we didn't know enough about them. Most people didn't know that multiple tens of different minerals are in everyday drinking water and have been for years. But as soon as people found out, it became a sudden problem.

 

tl;dr: Those studies were found inconclusive for a reason. Correlation and causality are two different things that have to be evaluated properly, and chances are those studies proved causality but not correlation.

[Chick Magnet]

There are also studies showing that the most likely source of the terrorist plots of 9/11 are within the U.S. Government. Statistics prove correlation, but cannot prove causality. A rise in medication can simply be caused by a... rise of available medications. The rise of NOTED autism rates can be attributed to a number of similar factors like it not being properly diagnosed as autism earlier, a lack of people reporting their children as "autistic" earlier, or even just a sudden increase of at birth mutations which can be caused by another MULTITUDE of things (smoking, weed, environment, etc etc etc). Point is, because TWO studies which as you said were dismissed by a credible organization come to a conclusion does not mean the conclusion is valid. People have been consuming all sorts of unknown nutrients for centuries, but they haven't shown up as a "problem" because frankly, we didn't know enough about them. Most people didn't know that multiple tens of different minerals are in everyday drinking water and have been for years. But as soon as people found out, it became a sudden problem.

 

tl;dr: Those studies were found inconclusive for a reason. Correlation and causality are two different things that have to be evaluated properly, and chances are those studies proved causality but not correlation.

 

How were they inconclusive? Women who are pregnant for years were and still are told not to even eat fish that may contain mercury. Methylmercury exposure in the womb, which can result from a mother's consumption of fish and shellfish that contain methylmercury, can adversely affect a baby's growing brain and nervous system. Impacts on cognitive thinking, memory, attention, language, and fine motor and visual spatial skills have been seen in children exposed to methylmercury in the womb. So why would injecting it into their bloodstreams before the age of 3 be 'inconclusive'?

[LazaHorse]

How were they inconclusive? Women who are pregnant for years were and still are told not to even eat fish that may contain mercury. Methylmercury exposure in the womb, which can result from a mother's consumption of fish and shellfish that contain methylmercury, can adversely affect a baby's growing brain and nervous system. Impacts on cognitive thinking, memory, attention, language, and fine motor and visual spatial skills have been seen in children exposed to methylmercury in the womb. So why would injecting it into their bloodstreams before the age of 3 be 'inconclusive'?

 

You should probably learn to read posts before arguing statistic research with a Physics and Political Science student. There's a difference between two things occurring simultaneously (correlation) and one DIRECTLY leading to the other (causality). Women are told not to intake mercury during pregnancy. They're also told not to smoke, drink, eat too many red meats, do dangerous physical activities, and have sex among a myriad of other things. The fact that mercury has been discovered more frequently in our bloodstreams/nutrient intake is no more an artifact of how well we can FIND mercury, than it is a result of us eating more of it. But I guess since you read two studies saying the same thing, you're an expert on it now.

[TheharibokidXD]

one of my friends brother's autistic he struggles to read and to write and cant really express emotions very well, but he is the most amazing piano player i have ever witnessed with my own eye's. he can learn a song just by listening to it and he's never had a lesson, whats more remarkable about it, is he use's the music to express himself plays a slow sad song when somethings bothering him, fast upbeat when he's in a great mood. in his case i wouldn't call him autistic id rather call him incredibly gifted no mater what your mood he will put a smile on your face, i hounistly wish i could afford to put him threw the lessons myself.

[Chick Magnet]

You should probably learn to read posts before arguing statistic research with a Physics and Political Science student. There's a difference between two things occurring simultaneously (correlation) and one DIRECTLY leading to the other (causality). Women are told not to intake mercury during pregnancy. They're also told not to smoke, drink, eat too many red meats, do dangerous physical activities, and have sex among a myriad of other things. The fact that mercury has been discovered more frequently in our bloodstreams/nutrient intake is no more an artifact of how well we can FIND mercury, than it is a result of us eating more of it. But I guess since you read two studies saying the same thing, you're an expert on it now.

 

Maybe before you go flaming me and throwing your weight around and looking down your nose at people you should consider that they might know twice as much as you do on certain issues because they've actually put the time and research into them and don't consider "just because someone says it doesn't make it true." as a serious argument. Get back to me when you actually have some research saying that mercury isn't bad for you and doesn't destroy your child's brain. That is my challenge to you. But I already know you won't be able to find a single thing that says methylmercury does not cause these problems.

 

And you say that it all comes down to, we can find more mercury than we used to be able to? Prove it. How about you cite studies rather than just what you have little theories on. But then again maybe I shouldn't challenge your theories because you're a political science student. (whoa! ) You must be able to figure everything out without doing a minute's worth of research.

 

There are thousands upon thousands of parents that are willing to testify that they would never have allowed their children to be vaccinated if they could go back and do it again. http://organichealthadviser.com/archives/wake-up-america-the-skyrocketing-cases-of-autism-are-being-caused-by-the-mercury-in-the-vaccines

 

But it isn't just young children that are being harmed by vaccines. Thousands upon thousands of pregnant women have lost their babies very shortly after taking vaccines. Thousands upon thousands of adults have become permanently disabled very shortly after taking vaccines. If you want to read more, you can find dozens of vaccine horror stories here http://organichealthadviser.com/archives/shocking-h1n1-swine-flu-vaccine-miscarriage-stores-from-pregnant-women-tell-your-doctors-that-vaccines-and-pregnancy-do-not-mix and here http://thebirdflupandemic.com/archives/h1n1-vaccine-dangers.

 

Once you understand that vaccines can cause autism, it becomes much easier to treat it. Here's an article from Dr. Russell Blaylock. http://www.naturalnews.com/011764.html

 

Sadly, authorities all over the nation are responding to the anti-vaccine movement by becoming harsher with parents than ever. For example, all over America children that have not received all of the "required vaccines" are being banned from school. In some instances, children are actually being taken away from their parents for not giving them the "proper" vaccines. In one recent case in Pennsylvania, a social worker took custody of a baby just after it had been born just because the mother would not consent to have the child vaccinated. This is complete and utter madness. Shouldn't parents have the right to determine whether or not their young children will be pumped full of mercury and other toxic substances? Shouldn't parents have the right to question whether it is a good idea to inject kids with dozens of vaccines before the age of 3? But that is not the way that our system works. The big pharmaceutical companies fund the campaigns of our politicians, and then they get our politicians to bully us into taking their vaccines.

 

The key is to do your own research. Don't blindly listen to the pharmaceutical companies or to anyone else.

 

How bad will autism have to get in America before we all finally admit the truth?

Edited April 19, 2012 by Chick Magnet

[LazaHorse]

You must think G W was behind 9-11 too don't you.

[Wingless]

Maybe before you go flaming me and throwing your weight around and looking down your nose at people you should consider that they might know twice as much as you do on certain issues because they've actually put the time and research into them and don't consider "just because someone says it doesn't make it true." as a serious argument. Get back to me when you actually have some research saying that mercury isn't bad for you and doesn't destroy your child's brain. That is my challenge to you. But I already know you won't be able to find a single thing that says methylmercury does not cause these problems.

 

And you say that it all comes down to, we can find more mercury than we used to be able to? Prove it. How about you cite studies rather than just what you have little theories on. But then again maybe I shouldn't challenge your theories because you're a political science student. (whoa! ) You must be able to figure everything out without doing a minute's worth of research.

 

There are thousands upon thousands of parents that are willing to testify that they would never have allowed their children to be vaccinated if they could go back and do it again. http://organichealthadviser.com/archives/wake-up-america-the-skyrocketing-cases-of-autism-are-being-caused-by-the-mercury-in-the-vaccines

 

But it isn't just young children that are being harmed by vaccines. Thousands upon thousands of pregnant women have lost their babies very shortly after taking vaccines. Thousands upon thousands of adults have become permanently disabled very shortly after taking vaccines. If you want to read more, you can find dozens of vaccine horror stories here http://organichealthadviser.com/archives/shocking-h1n1-swine-flu-vaccine-miscarriage-stores-from-pregnant-women-tell-your-doctors-that-vaccines-and-pregnancy-do-not-mix and here http://thebirdflupandemic.com/archives/h1n1-vaccine-dangers.

 

Once you understand that vaccines can cause autism, it becomes much easier to treat it. Here's an article from Dr. Russell Blaylock. http://www.naturalnews.com/011764.html

 

Sadly, authorities all over the nation are responding to the anti-vaccine movement by becoming harsher with parents than ever. For example, all over America children that have not received all of the "required vaccines" are being banned from school. In some instances, children are actually being taken away from their parents for not giving them the "proper" vaccines. In one recent case in Pennsylvania, a social worker took custody of a baby just after it had been born just because the mother would not consent to have the child vaccinated. This is complete and utter madness. Shouldn't parents have the right to determine whether or not their young children will be pumped full of mercury and other toxic substances? Shouldn't parents have the right to question whether it is a good idea to inject kids with dozens of vaccines before the age of 3? But that is not the way that our system works. The big pharmaceutical companies fund the campaigns of our politicians, and then they get our politicians to bully us into taking their vaccines.

 

The key is to do your own research. Don't blindly listen to the pharmaceutical companies or to anyone else.

 

How bad will autism have to get in America before we all finally admit the truth?

 

Wikipedia linked for the sake of keeping it concise. Of course, citations listed as footnotes. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thiomersal_controversy

 

Other civilized countries think that we're bloody insane to think about NOT getting vaccines. Y'know, not substantially reducing our mortality rate at the slight risk of ill effects. And I'm not even talking about the MMR vac, even that's what we were talking about up until a few posts ago. I'm mandated vaccinations for about every damned thing, and I'm not dead yet.

[Cookie]

You should probably learn to read posts before arguing statistic research with a Physics and Political Science student.

How exactly does that make you an expert on statistical research?

[Wingless]

How exactly does that make you an expert on statistical research?

 

It doesn't, but it also doesn't invalidate his point about the difference between causality and correlation.

 

-Jack of many trades