Comments on: Producer's Notes: Autism: Searching for Causes

By: CS

CS — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:50:40 +0000

Autism is not an illness. I don't have an illness. Please could you at least have interviewed some folks with credibility? The Mind Institute is funded by a mercury mom. If the man in interview wondering where all the autistic adults are, I'm one. Tell him to go to an autism support group, check the group homes in his community or simply go to Autscape. This report seems to have been generated by someone with a very clear agenda. Why were no autistic adults interviewed? There are plenty out there, if the producer would like to find some, I'd be happy to direct them in the proper direction.

By: Tatiana

Tatiana — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 06:41:49 +0000

Hi!
Since I am debating on vaccinations for my baby, I found your programm quite informative. Thank you.
I was wondering if it is possible to share the schedule of vaccinations that the mother in the piece and her son's pediatrician created. There was something mentioned about getting all the vaccinations completed by the time her son is 4 year old vs standard 2 years.

By: admin

admin — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 21:53:19 +0000

Hi Everyone: We've just updated the post with a link to the M.I.N.D. Institute study outlining new findings that the immune systems of autistic children are different than those of typically developing children.

By: Bonnie Sayers

Bonnie Sayers — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:35:32 +0000

Good job on this story. I am down in Los Angeles with two kids on the spectrum 12, 13. We have been in studies.

By: Minnesota Has the Highest Autism Rate?: Depends on How You Count It

Minnesota Has the Highest Autism Rate?: Depends on How You Count It — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 07:31:00 +0000

[...] There's more and more research going on about the causes of autism: The August 19th KQED has a report on northern California researchers who are studying the causes, especially [...]

By: Karianna

Karianna — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:13:21 +0000

Thank you for a great piece. I was surprised that Kaiser is cooperative in this venture given that I've had a very negative experience with them as regards my son; however, I hope their involvement will result in better treatment of those on the spectrum.

For awhile I've tried to explain to others how I am not at either "extreme" of issues such as the vaccination one: I believe vaccines are miraculous and “herd immunity” is vital, but I also believe that those who are (genetically predisposed to be) sensitive to environmental triggers are best treated with caution.

I am glad that your program raised this as a possibility. Rather than assuming everyone is a cookie-cutter, it makes sense that some of us might be more sensitive to particular stimuli than others. This goes for pesticides, food additives, and other factors that shouldn’t universally be considered “bad” but may just be an unfortunate trigger for a sensitive kid.

The more the media can show that it is perfectly acceptable to have “many causes, many cures,” the better: less proclamations that parents of those on the spectrum are “bad” or that we are “crazy” for trying to “blame” our kids’ sensitivities on exterior factors. Again, thank you!

By: Gabriela Quiros

Gabriela Quiros — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:51:39 +0000

Hi Matt,

Thank you for your post. When I say in my post that there is new research showing that the immune system of children with autism is different than the immune system of typically developing children I am referencing a 2008 paper titled "Gene expression changes in children with autism," by Jeffrey P. Gregg and others.

The authors of this study, who are affiliated with UC Davis' M.I.N.D. Institute and Kaiser Permanente's Division of Research, identified eleven genes that act differently in autistic children. These genes are found in the children’s natural killer cells, which are part of their immune system.

Gabriela Quiros
QUEST Segment Producer

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:19:37 +0000

Your statement
"Based on new findings by their researchers showing that the immune systems of autistic children are different than those of typically developing children, the Institute suggests that a small number of children may respond to vaccines in an atypical way."

includes a link to a MIND institute page. As part of the evidence for the idea that some people may respond differently to vaccines, they include the study on mice by Dr. Hornig. Included in the webpage is the statement, "These findings will, of course, need to be independently replicated."

MIND Institute researchers tried to replicate those results, even using 10 times the thimerosal exposure as did Dr. Hornig. That attempt at replication failed–there were no behavioral or physical changes noted in the study by Berman et al.

The MIND Institute should update that page, and make statements based on the current understanding rather than this older data.