What really causes autism?

There are some theories that autism is due to environmental issues. Some believe that the cause has something to do with vaccinations. There are others who dispute the latter theory. It seems that persons diagnosed with autism has greatly increased in the past decade. There is a site called Autism Now that I can recommend. I actually have not gone to this site in a while but it is a good site. If my memory serves me well, Autism Now supports the theory that the disease is caused by something in vaccinations. Myself, I just listen to all the arguments and have made no decision about the cause.

I'm not sure what could cause autism but we didn't hear much about symptoms like that before the last 50 years, did we? In the last 50 years we have genetically altered our crops, especially wheat, added hormones and God knows what to our meat, and added fluoride to our drinking water. That's not to mention the pollutants, the fallout from bomb tests and all the other crap in the air. I'm not giving immunizations a free pass but you would think there would be more cases of autism if they were responsible.

I really do not know what causes it but I do recognize the possible link between autism and immunizations. I saw an autistic girl on tv the other day who learned to communicate using an iPad. It was amazing what was in her brain trying to get out! I also agree that it is over-diagnosed in many cases - just like ADHD - just a way to make more money for the pharmaceuticals... I'm in the wrong line of work! lol..

It is hard to stop such disorder when we do not know what could be causing it. We should be able to identify what specifically causes autism then we can begin to work on a solution on how to prevent it. As to date, the cause is still unknown.

I agree with Chrystalia, these conditions already exist even before 1950s although, they were not termed and diagnosed as autism, retardation. Most misconception during those times were... "the person is crazy, looney, lunatic, psychiatric case" Little they know of that these were symptoms of autism or other disabilities. Some known people born before 1950s with autism were, Hans Christian Andersen, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Adolf Hitler and many more. www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/famous-people-with... Autism may be caused of Genetic and Environmental factors. Some parents are already carrying the "autism risk genes". In addition of several environmental factors. These two factors may trigger to the development of fetus' brain. Environmental factors: 1. Stress before and during birth 2. Parental age at the time of conception 3. Maternal illness during pregnancies 4. Difficulties and birthing problems. An example of birthing problem that is commonly occurring is umbilical cord wrapped around the neck of the baby which lead to deprivation of oxygen to the baby's brain. http://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism On the other hand, suggestions to pregnant women were presented to reduce the risk of a child having autism. 1. Regular prenatal check up 2. Eat food rich with folic acid 3. Take vitamins for pregnant women specially with folic acid. 4. Avoid stress On a personal note and appeal to everyone about special children, if we see a child with disabilities or belonging to special group, avoid labeling them. For example, autistic child, retarded and so on... We need to upgrade ourselves somehow although in reality they are called such autistic because they have autism, retarded because they IQ is below the level. Let us give them dignity... remember that these are not their fault (actually no one's). If we can call them a child with autism or mentally challenged. I know you will object this matter and for you will say, they are are these why sugar coat and make the terms difficult. This is just personal, I don't mean to fight over matters but there is nothing wrong also if we don't brand them as such. Thanks

My elder son is diagonised with autism at the age of 3. As like most of the parents ,we initially ignored even some of the most obvious symptoms .All his milestones were delayed prompting us to go for a thorough check-up. At that point of time we didn't have an idea about how autism impacts a person and to deal with it . We moved to a bigger city for further treatment and thearapy.But after so much of effort and treatment he is still not in a position to carry out his day to day activity without guidance. In this forum , can any body let me know if there are any medicine or any thearapy that they have applied for an autistic child which has given them a positive result to reduce the impact of autism.

While I don't rule out the possibility that immunizations have something to do with autism--I believe the "culprit" is the information explosion. Why? Consider--before the 50's and 60's, autism was relatively undiagnosed-- that doesn't mean it wasn't THERE, it just wasn't diagnosed. Just as in the past, diabetes wasn't recognized until the outward symptoms and effects were already unmistakeable--we couldn't test blood sugar though even the Romans knew sugar had something to do with it. Now, thanks to extremely refined tests, we can identify it before it even starts-- we are seeing something that was always there, but was unable to be seen before. What does that have to do with Autism? A Lot. To some degree, autism was always there--lack of medical knowledge and sophisticated testing meant it wasn't diagnosed. However-- Consider the nature of autism. Autism is a condition wherein a person is incapable of processing the external stimuli of the world--much like I am agoraphobic, and can't deal with people, or all the "new" things around me. As an adult, my diagnosis is severe intractable agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, generalized panic disorder. Yet I a few years ago used to spend a lot of time rocking, refusing to acknowledge people or things, withdrawn, engaging in repetitive behaviors for comfort--had I been a child, I would have been labelled "autistic". Back prior to the technology explosion-- prior to computers, TV, cable, internet, video games-- there was a lot less stimulus, and the stimulus was not as focused. Radio shows were stimulus, but they didn't cause the more global effect that combining pictures and sound does, in TV. And now there is 3D and HDTV as well--which causes higher global stimulus levels in the brain than before. 50 Years ago, a newborn was brought into a much quieter world, with a low less direct global stimulus--so that newborn had less to adapt to and absorb. Nurseries weren't full of bright, noisy toys that flashed pictures, there was either no TV or only one, young children weren't assaulted by 3D movies, or a constant barrage of other stimulus. They came from a very dark, quiet enclosed space-- the womb--into an active, bright complex place-- the world. But that world, while frightening, was at an adaptable level--one they could learn to interact with, over time. Now, that is NOT the case. I lost over 30 years of "life" to my amnesia--and the world I had to adapt to, and am still trying to adapt to, is a horribly alien and frightening place--and I remember my first eleven or so years--so I had an advantage. What advantage does a baby have, what tools does a baby or child have to deal with this monstrous reality? NONE.I used the tools of this new world to actively withdraw from it, for self-preservation, so I can learn to deal with it a piece at a time--and I believe "autistic" children do the same, an instinctual self-preservation response, if you will. One that wasn't seen often, years ago-- because it wasn't needed-- but it is needed now. Autism causes both an exaggerated response to external stimuli, as well as a lack of response to same, depending on the affected child--so controlling and managing the stimuli is of primary importance. The therapies that are proving to be effective to treat autism support this premise--keeping the external level of stimulus as balanced as possible, and teaching the child to deal with stimulus, one piece at a time, as I do. Whether the sensitivity to the stimulus is caused by immunizations or not is unknown--but what IS known, is that the stimulus, or sensory overload, is the problem. Autism, when you look at the statistics, is most prevalent in high stimulus, advanced cultures--what is more important to look at is what groups within those cultures have low autism rates, and what is different about them. Look up the Amish, for instance-- they vaccinate, but their overall autism levels are lower than they "should" be, despite vaccination--and they have a low stimulus level in comparison to ours. As I said, I don't rule out vaccination MAY impact a child's ability to process external stimuli properly--but there are lies, danged lies, and statistics . Before inoculation, a whole lot of people didn't survive childhood, or childhood diseases, intact, so to speak. Smallpox and measles wiped out millions of children and adults in the New World (look what happened to the Hawaiians and the South American and North American Indians), polio rendered millions crippled, or killed them. I don't believe in wholesale inoculation. I have never gotten a flu shot, and I won't. I had measles, and German measles. My younger son had scarlet fever--twice. But, both my kids had all their shots, and I had some of mine. Now that medical knowledge has advanced to the point where advanced diagnosis of a wide spectrum of conditions is possible, it stands to reason that we will continue to see "explosions" and "epidemics"--that were probably, to some extent, always there to begin with--so we need to great greater care than ever not to attribute a single "causal effect" to a few data points, and lose sight of the bigger picture thereby. Now, more than ever, we can't afford to concentrate on the "trees"--we need to make sure we are viewing the "forest" as a whole-- so we don't end up cutting down the wrong trees, while the forest continues to die.

I thought I had heard one they proved immunizations are not the cause of autism? I am pretty sure they did. I have a friend who has an 8 year old son who has autism. He wishes he knew what causes it. Dealing and raising with a child with autism is not easy. I think autism has been around forever. I think it has been diagnosed wrong over the years. Now we know more about autism,detect it earlier and how to treat it. Hopefully with more research we will find what causes autism.

At the beginning we had just one kind of autismn. It's genetic and it mostly runs in the male line of the family. I doubt if it has to do with what you describe. If so this would mean every premature or dismature child would be an autist and this is surely not the case. Now we have a hundred different kinds of autism and nearly everybody who is less social (or not that interested to interfere and cooperate with others as society wants or schools..) is called an autist. Personally I do not agree with that (but who am I). I also don't see the need why everybody should be exactly the same, feel the need to be with others whole time, feel the need to stick together. Why people are not allowed to be alone, to work alone. Especially for creative people this is a must. They need to "hear" themselves thinking. And what is wrong with being with you? Liking your own company? Since most of us will be the biggest part of their life alone (if you are not able to do so you will feel miserable the biggest part of your life). Some parents don't seem to care if their child is labelled with autism since this is the only way to get a certain kind of different education as usually. Or to get some extra money. The neighbour boy is an autist. Less interaction with him, not able to communicate (they try to teach him by pictures to show what he wants to say), he is humming day and night and jumping day and night. That's it. BTW autism doesn't mean you are stupid, have less intelligence. There are many high intelligent people who are (kind of?) autists. All kind of creative people, inventors etc. And as we all know we do need these people. What might look weird into our eyes or not accepted is of use for the society/our world. Without these people (who are able to focus on just 1 thing and ignore the rest of the world/shuts it out) we would not drive a car, have a computer, been on the moon, Nash, Leonardo da Vinci, etc they all were idiots at their time and still according to many. Chaotic, not able to finish anything.. but what we call chaotic or nuts was completely normal to them. So it's just how you look upon things. Might we we were the slow idiots, the simple minds if they would have meassured us!

Hi friend, lot of factors are considered as a reason for autism. We must treat the autistic child with our full love and care, we have the ability to come out from it with our real care. If the parents give the care and affection to their autistic child, surely it will achieve a lot in its life with parents support.