Autism Information Guide


Archive for December, 2007



Vaccines and Autism – The Debate is Not Yet Over

Autism is a neurological development disorder that sets in impairment in social skills and communication abilities in the affected person. The afflicted person will also show OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) and prefer to get into solitude.

Though there are many disagreements and disputes, one school of thought doing its rounds denotes to the possibility of link between vaccines and autism. One detailed study claims that only after the introduction and administration of the MMR (mumps, measles, rubella) vaccine there was an increased occurrence of autism in people.

But in case of any controversy, it is always better to look at all possible angles and get as much information as possible before making a conclusion. When it comes to the controversial debate over vaccines and autism, there are two claims namely the claim of increased cases and the proven results of possible relationship between vaccines and autism are to be taken into account.

The Claim of Increased Autism Cases

When you look into the statistical data provided by the State of California you can come to a conclusion that the relation between vaccines and autism is indeed a possibility. The report clearly points out the possibility of vaccines causing autism due to the reason that the autism cased registered an increase after the introduction and administration of MMR vaccines. However, one has to take into consideration of other factors also that happened during the time frame within which the study was conducted.

For instance, the increase in population also might have contributed to the increase in autism cases among children. In addition to it, the improved diagnostic tools would have resulted in diagnosing more cases, which would have gone undiagnosed otherwise.

Further, again the increased level of autism awareness among the general public would have led to a situation making all the parents got their children diagnosed and ending up with many cases of autism which might have gone undiagnosed earlier.

Outcome of Various Studies

Right from the year 1970, various studies were undertaken to find out the relation and the correlation between vaccines and autism and all these studies were undertaken with various variables such as various locations, various research tools, various age groups etc.

Out of many such studies undertaken, one study was conducted on to know the incidence of autism before and after MMR use. Interestingly, the study revealed that there is no correlation or increase after the usage of MMR vaccine.

A yet another study that aimed towards studying the direct effects of vaccine itself in triggering autism in children revealed that there is no evidence to put the blame on the MMR vaccine. One more study that concentrated on the age of the autistic children found that the MMR vaccine is not responsible for autism irrespective of its administration before or after the age of 18 months.

What is the Conclusion

Out of many studies conducted to know the relation between vaccines and autism, few studies in fact suggest that there is indeed a relation between vaccines and autism. One of the studies revealed that administration of MMR vaccine resulted in a viral infection of digestive system that indirectly triggered autism in children.

Unfortunately, there are no two studies that confirm one single conclusion and that makes researchers wonder at the efficacy of the tools used in the studies. So far only one study has revealed that MMR vaccine is capable of causing developmental disorder in children. However, it did not throw much light on the development of viral infection of the digestive system.

To summarise, the debate or the controversy is yet to find a logical end.

[tags]Autism, Autism Vaccines[/tags]




Using Behavioural Analysis for Brain Mapping and for Diagnosing Autism

Behavioral analysis is a complex process applied to find out a person’s personality and it is a difficult one. The difficulty parameter mentioned here doesn’t indicate that the process in impossible or futile.

When it comes to autism, diagnosing autism is not an easy task, and the behavioral science tools can be successfully applied for such diagnosis. In recent years many more successful behavioral analysis methods were employed in studying and for diagnosing of autism and people were able to get precise results.

Before any one could start a treatment schedule, it is important for the person to get the autism condition diagnosed properly. As said earlier, diagnosing autism is not an easy task due to the absence of any standard medical tests that can find out autism in a person with one sitting. Diagnosing of autism is a time consuming process and a laborious one due to the involvement of mental attitudes.

How Autism can be Diagnosed Successfully

Autism being a behavioral disorder, applying methods of any a behavioral science would be very proper for diagnosing autism and for precise results. In the process a well trained behavioral practitioner or a professional will observe the suspected autistic child over a period of time and record all the observations made about the behavior patterns and interests of the child.

The professional then makes use of the documented data to arrive at a conclusion whether or not the child is afflicted with autism. Though this process is a tedious and time consuming one, the method is regarded as a best one with a higher level of accuracy. The impaired communication abilities of the autistic child also compounds the problem in diagnosis and the diagnosing expert has to do it all alone duly by observing the reactions of the child very carefully.

Is There Any Other Procedure

There are few more methods which one can use for diagnosing autism. The future still holds promise that many more tools will be discovered for autism diagnosis and the invented tools or methods will be so easy and precise that will make today’s behavioral analysis redundant. However, till today, the behavioral science methods employed for diagnosing autism seems to be working fine.

Reasons for Relying on Behavioral Analysis

Autism being a behavioral disorder involving complex thought processes and psychological maladies, there is no standard medical test procedure that can reveal the autistic condition in a person. The entire complication resides in one’s brain and the function of the brain is very abstract involving complex thought and response processes.

To make the point little more clear, when you consider the liver as an organ, the functioning of liver can be easily assessed through x-rays or sonography or even by the hormone secreted by liver. In the case of brain, all the output will be in an abstract form and such conditions cannot be observed through a microscope or through any other instruments. Hence for diagnosing autism behavioural science methods are applied as standard test procedures.




Using Autism Awareness Bracelet for Helping a Real Cause

An autism awareness bracelet is capable of bringing in a lot of favourable responses and good things for the autistic children. It can serve as a first step in getting the needed attention and for getting the necessary help and the bracelet can also bring about awareness amongst the general public about autism.

Awareness Symbols getting the Wrath from Critics

Let us not discuss much on this subject, as critics are there in every nook and corner to turn down or to mock at various social awareness programmes. Critics will generally oppose to wearing of an autism awareness bracelet and make attempts to diminish the very purpose of the idea of bringing in awareness amongst the general public.

What ever may be the said and done, ribbons and bracelets have come a long way in exhibiting and bringing in the needed support for causes of many social interests and issues. Only a few will turn down or look down at the idea, but such awareness programmes have become very effective in the recent past.

Critics wearing such items turn to be a bunch of unwanted logs rather than providing a meaningful criticism for improving and for betterment of the whole scenario. There is no reason why some people should deplore the use of an autism awareness bracelet when any helpful gestures can see a world of healthy children without autism at all.

Advantages of Autism Awareness Bracelet

Due to the absence of awareness amongst the general public, many conditions including the autism may not get the required attention from the public. People do not know the depth and scope of the many debilitating conditions and hence they are not in a position to understand and extend a helping hand. Though one cannot look at such situation as a fault, it can only be related to the absence of awareness among the people.

Wearing an autism awareness bracelet can be resorted to for bringing in awareness amongst the public towards autism. An autism awareness bracelet is sure to bring in a public consciousness and in the process help can flow in from the understanding individuals. Creating a public awareness is not an easy task, but it is not an impossible task.

People become very curious about new and odd things, and this curiosity can be made use for propagating awareness. Through an autism awareness bracelet, people can be made to know about the presence of autism and the related sufferings and difficulties and such awareness can set in motion a helping tendency. An autism awareness bracelet by itself cannot provide a cure for autism but can inculcate awareness among the people with helping tendencies.

[tags]Autism, Autism Awareness, Bracelet[/tags]





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