'Cause' of autism?

Question

For those of you with a child in the spectrum, do you have a theory on the cause? I've heard so many parents say that the MMR shot caused their child to have autism. Yet other people say they believe it's caused by anything from food allergies to environmental sensitivities. I'm just curious about your own opionion(s).

Answer 1

Hi Cassandra,   Great Question!  My son is Autistic and he is 10.  We were diagnosed at the age of 3.  I personally believe that parents with Autistic children are of a genius decent and if you notice, most parents with Autistic children are at a older age when they conceive(I was 40)... just speculation though.  I do not believe the immunizations have anything to do with the cause however, I agree that children with the disability is sensitive to dairy and wheat products.  They act so different when they are omitted.  My son has diarrhea for days when he drinks milk (by accident).  Any yes, there are sensory issues.. I was not able to buy my son just any sneakers.  We went through dozens of sneakers until I tried "Sockets or something like that at Mervyns...their own brand...he loved them with the Velcro.  Anyway, thanks for the question, I bet you'll get a number of different ideas and speculations.

Answer 2

Scientist, ect. are not very sure yet. It can be may things. Like some can be from DNA. Their genes could have not matched correctly which caused a malfunction.  Some people believe its linked to the mercury from their shots. All and all. Its unknown exactly what causes it

Answer 3

There is no known cause of Asperger’s Syndrome at this stage, but there usually a strong family link, where other family members maybe affected, with Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome.

Research is being done, to investigate the possibility that under certain conditions, as cluster of unstable genes may interfere with brain development resulting in Autism. While other researchers investigate problems during pregnancy or delivery as well as environmental factors such as viral infections, metabolic imbalances, and exposure to environmental chemicals.

There has been some talk about the MMR vaccine causing Autism, I certainly think it needs to be looked at as our daughter reacted to the vaccines, feel it may have been the cause for her ADHD and ODD. I also have a client who swears that the 12-18 month old MMR vaccine was the cause of her daughters Autism, and have spoken to other parents who feel the same.

Prior to Autism being better understood (still has long way to go) many people were thought to be suffering a psychiatric disorder, or labeled as having Obsessive Compulsive Disorder OCD, or thought to be a rather “odd” person or eccentric because of their strange behaviours etc. This is especially true of those suffering from Asperger's syndrome.

“Exceptional human beings must be given exceptional educational treatment, treatment which takes into account their special difficulties. Further, we can show that despite abnormality, human beings can fulfill their social role within the community, especially if they find understanding, love and guidance.”

“It seems that for success in science and art, a dash of autism is essential.”

Hans Asperger

Answer 4

Genetics is the biggest predictor of autism. Families with serious learning disabilities, mental retardation or autism in the past tend to be more likely to have children with autism.

There is no single cause of autism for the reason that the disorder itself is so poorly defined. Every child is different, has different levels of abilities and even have different labels at times. Mix that in with children with mental retardation being labeled autistic and you really have a mess. Many children with MR have some autistic features. It is hard to separate them out.

There are no valid studies that show that shots or diet have an impact on autism.

Answer 5

mothers lack of iodine during pregnancy....

Answer 6

I have a child that was diagnosed with Autism before the MMR shot. He has had the shot since and it did not make him any worse, it did not make the characteristics of his autism any worse. I also have 2 older sons who have had the vaccine and do not have autism or any other type of disability. What about all the other childern out there that have had the shot but don't have autism? The risks are much greater to not receive the shot than to receive it.

Individuals with ASD may exhibit low tolerance or allergies to certain foods or chemicals. While not a specific cause of autism, these food intolerances or allergies may contribute to behavioral issues. It been has found that elevated levels of certain peptides in the urine of children with ASD, suggesting the incomplete breakdown of peptides from foods that contain gluten and casein.  The incomplete breakdown and the excessive absorption of peptides may cause disruption in biochemical and neuroregulatory processes in the brain, affecting brain functions.

Another thing to consider is Autism tends to occur more frequently than expected among individuals who have certain medical conditions, including Fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, congenital rubella syndrome, and untreated phenylketonuria (PKU).

Even though there is many theories to what causes autism, the one thing that is clear is that they are either born with it or born with the potential to develope it.

Autism is a life long disability no matter what charteristic(s) improve or disappear because of a diet/therapy/treatment. Unless they can pinpoint the cause(s) of autism, I don't see finding a total cure for it  I think there are many causes of Autism and that's why they can't say specifically say what causes it. One thing parents of autistic childern do realize is that no matter what treatment/therapy/diet you use..what may work for one child may not work for another no matter how similiar their characteristics may be.

Answer 7

I believe autism is "caused" by various different factors (immunizations overloading the immune system, mercury, predisposition, genetics, sensitivity to allergens like gluten, etc) that when put together cause social, behavioral and communication difficulties.

Besides I more believe whats more important than finding a cause is finding a cure.

Answer 8

Autism has no known cause at this point.  There does seem to be a genetic component...yes, it can run in families, yes it strikes mostly males.  My pregnancy was normal and I was in my late 20's when my son was born.  He did spend time in an oxygen tent after birth..there are studies checking into the possibility of autism being a birth related disorder or caused by an illness/treatment the mother  recieved during pregnancy, but again I do not feel either of these apply to my son.  He was clearly different from a young age...before vaccinations...and was never bothered by them in any way.  We do not use any special diets, but they can be helpful with children on the spectrum with food allergies or with digestive issues (a common issue in children with fragile X, which produces similiar symptomology to autism and often goes undetected unless genetic screening is done).  We are a normal family with an autistic son.  I have no idea what causes it, but tend to support the idea it is caused by either a gene cluster or from the lack of/over production of a certain enzyme at certain developmental points.