Autism, MMR and thimerosal controversy

[Ivar T]

So as I've briefly said before, I've followed the autistic online community in the english speaking world, and am trying to see something similar happen here in Norway.

 

What I want with this topic, is to hear from you your conceptions of autism. In Norway not many know anything about what autism is, but my impression is that it is much different in the english-speaking world.

 

However, the quality of the information and the picture that is painted of autism in the public media never seem to please all parties. As a so called "high-functioning" autistic for instance, I'm not pleased if the one documentary a year on autism gives the impression that all autistics are non-verbal. In the english speaking world I've seen alot of autistics being annoyed at the great focus on parents and children, causing nitwits like Jenny McCarthy to think that there are no autistic adults.

 

There are alot of topics related to autism that have generated alot of controversy. Including a couple of causation theories often related to vaccines.

 

Most of the autistic community, and the so-called "Neurodiversity" community that I consider myself part of, tend to direct a huge amount scepticism at most autism causation theories. The neurodiversity blogging community have had alot of friendly business with the sceptic blogging community where autism has become a hot topic.

 

I, and the majority of the neurodiversity community, do not believe that either the MMR vaccine or the thimerosal vaccine preservative can cause autism. This is also the consensus in the mainstream medical community. Many autism causation theories are however popular in alternative medicine, and a branch of alternative medicine which is very good at giving themselves a scientific look has gained alot of popularity among autism parents - In the world of autism it is just called "biomed", their leading organization would be Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!).

 

While they certainly affect the media and gain support from alot of autism parents, I, as someone who has followed the autism debates for a long time, can no longer see them as a serious group, after observing what they really do. I put them in the same folder as many here probably would place creationists.

 

... but now over to you, what have you heard about autism?

 

This would probably have started a flame war on certain autism boards, I hope that wont be the case here.

[Ashoat]

Alternative medicine is something everyone should be very careful with. While some good ideas have come out of it, in general most alternative medicine relies much less on proven scientific logic and much more on tradition (the remedy has been used "historically") and on avoidance of human-made chemicals, often without good reason. Most people in the western world have a distrust of pharmaceutical companies and government organizations overseeing them, and they see the old-fashioned remedies as something resistant to the corruption and capitalism of modern medicine. But while capitalism might not have the best effect on medicine, turning to the complete opposite side and going with untried and unproven remedies is rarely a good idea.

 

As for this particular situation, my guess is that the supports of "DAN!" are blinded by the natural human need to find a culprit as well as the distrust of corporations and government I mentioned above. I'm not completely sure about the specifics within the autism community, so I wouldn't really be comfortable commenting further.

 

In Norway not many know anything about what autism is, but my impression is that it is much different in the english-speaking world.

We know a little, but not a huge amount. In general, I think most educated people in the Anglosphere understand that there is a range of autistics with different symptoms, ranging from the nonverbal to the savants.

[Ivar T]

Nice to hear something sensible.

 

Many of those seeking alternative medicine have also bad experiences with conventional pharmaceutical medicine - this includes a fellow autistic in my area who have a very negative experience with the drug risperdal.

 

She is now considering the very controversial use of chelation treatment marketted by DAN!

 

It is mostly just parents with very young, newly diagnosed, kids that are considering such DAN! treatments - possibly motivated by emotions following the diagnosis, but as she is not patient with her abilities to read English it is not easy to get her informed - that might be why she, unlike most autistics in the english-speaking world, is considering chelation for herself.