Autism

I'm torn about what to think about the increasing number of kids diagnosed with autism. As an avid Oprah watcher (I know she makes some of you sick) I've seen two shows dedicated to the topic in the last two years. Most recently she had a show with Jenny McCarthy and Holly Robinson Pete both of whom have boys with autism. I feel for them. It's sad when something goes wrong, especially to kids. I had an irrational fear that baby Doodle would be autistic because he didn't point when he was 12 months old (he points now, and does a lot of other stuff that signifies that he doesn't have it).

I'm sorry that Jenny McCarthy was too naive to get her son tested when her mother-in-law and nanny both suggested that something might be wrong with him. She didn't find out her son had autism until he was having seizures and foaming at the mouth (I think he was two and a half at that point). During the show it was pointed out that the rate of autism has increased dramatically since the 1980s. I believe the numbers were 1 in 10,000 used to be diagnosed and now it's 1 in 150 and 1 in 93 boys. I'm not positive on the numbers so don't hold me to them. Those statistics are alarming and do make me think that something is going on.

Parents of kids with autism believe that it is the vaccines that made their children sick. When I worked in the Senate I learned that that wasn't true. That those parents don't have any scientific reason for speculating it. I still believe that, but I do wonder what is causing the outbreak if it's not vaccines. Maybe food preservatives? They're so much more prevelant in our foods now than they used to be. Maybe the chemicals in most cleaning products? In any event I believe the kids that have autism are somehow predisposed to develop it. And then maybe there's an environmental factor that aggravates it and they end up developing it.

Baby Doodle has been vaccinated for everything he is supposed to and last year he got the flu shot. His 18-month appointment is next week. I'm going to ask more questions about the vaccinations than I have in the past, but I'm sure I'll get him vaccinated for whatever is on the schedule for this appointment.

The New York Times article, "Vaccine Compound Is Harmless, Study Says, as Autism Debate Rages" is the most recent thing published about it.