http://www.sidroth.org/site/PageServer?pagename=tv_watchonline

I know this is a sore subject for you, but has the term Angelman’s Syndrome ever been mentioned in the evaluations of your son?

I’m not a doctor or anything like it – but I know the parents of a child with Angelman’s and their troubles with dealing with it. It’s an extremely rare problem that few people know exists – and more to the point in your case, though there is no cure – it’s characterized by a happy disposition, and an almost complete lack of language ability.

Again, I’m coming to this late and I’ve got no idea if this fits your son’s situation or not, and I apologize in advance if all I do is add to your problems.

Regards,

Kate

As for autism itself—I think it’s really a good idea to cease any and all speculation on it, for the time being: protiens, immune system, genetics, diet, allergies, drugs, vaccinations, the Snow Queen, whatever.

No one really has any actual answers, and this blizzard of pseudo-fact and speculation does absolutely nothing to help parents who are trying to find answers. It’s all too vague, and confusing. Parents are always told to do their own research (and stop bothering their poor, oppressed M.D.—hey, their kid’s problems are probably just imaginary anyway, right?) but the amount of often contradictory babble out there, and the time it takes to wade through oceans of info-c***p about diets, drugs, vaccines and it’s-all-in-your-head—not to mention the idiot groups that now want to treat autism as a special minority group with special rights, like the deaf—it’s a waste of time and precious energy. Nobody has any answers. Let’s stop pretending that they do.

If parents can’t get real help, they at least shouldn’t have to plow through reams of nonsense.

So please—until there are some real answers, I think there should be an all-encompassing sock stuffed in the speculation. It helps nothing.

One might want to spare some sympathy for parents of autistic kids—yes, refusing vaccinations could be dangerous, but, on the other hand, they’re latching onto the one thing out there they sort’ve makes sense (and, don’t forget, we’re already letting floods of unvaccinated illegal immigrants cross the border every day, a bigger threat than Yuppies nervous about vaccinating their kids.) Yes, it’s hysteria, but it’s hysteria the medical industry is tacitly encouraging by washing its hands of the matter. and turning everything over to the “helping” industries. And, as I just said, the endless, senseless speculation does no good at all. Find some real answers, then, maybe, something can be done. Until then, everybody shut up.

Ladies, if you’re pregnant, do everything you can to avoid getting a viral infection in your second trimester. I’d also avoid getting a flu shot or other vaccination at that time.

For more info, see:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071106124045.htm

http://www.ur.umich.edu/9899/Nov16_98/9.htm

http://www.boulangerlab.org/

http://www.sciam.com/ …

Given the lousy state of the local schools, I can actually believe this. Science education seems to have been given up for studies in pollution, and recycling.

I’m not really familiar with Asperger’s; from what I’ve heard, it’s victims are far more verbal, and can be more easily integrated into society than those with more classic autistic symptoms. It might be more useful (though it will never happen) to put “Asperger’s” in a separate category all its own, rather than lumping it in with autism.

As for retardation, since so many intelligence tests rely, at least to some extent, on verbal ability, language impaired kids are usually going to score low on them.

For those who are interested, you might want to check out the Autism Speaks website. They’re debating this very subject, and many others pertinent to the whole autism question.

And Neo, I honestly wouldn’t put too much trust in tests done in foreign countries, such as Japan; as somebody on the Autism Speaks website pointed out, those involved can’t be subpoened, for evidence. (Are there some American based references you can use?)