Autism - Santa Rosa,CA

Autism and autism spectrum disorders are far FAR more complicated than just a two year olds simple fascination with wheels - 2 year olds are supposed to be fascinated with things that seem boring and typical to us because THEY are just experiencing and understanding them for the first time. Just like it is normal for a two year old to open and close a drawer or kitchen cabinet a thousand times as he learns how and why it works, it is normal for a young child to be deeply fascinated with the most common of objects because that is how we build our knowledge about how and why the world, and things in it, work the way they do. If your child had autism, his fascination with wheels would not even register on your list of abnormal behaviors.
I have worked with children and adults with autism for 8 years, and it is generally well agreed upon between the professionals that work with them (occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists, teachers, music and art therapists) that vaccinations are not THE cause of autism. There are hundreds and thousands of other factors that have to be factored in when diagnosing and treating the disease, but parents will grab at straws in their search to find someone or someTHING to blame for their child's debilitating condition that can literally tear families, friendships, and communities apart. It is no coincedence that, in a family that already as a child with autism, PDD, or is on the autistic spectrum, the chance of those people having subsequent children with developmental disabilities is much higher than in those families with no history of autism or like disorders. There is a very clear genetic link, but many parents find comfort in denying that reality and focusing on a more "real", changeable cause like autism being caused by vaccinations.
I could go on forever about this, but I would like to give you a REAL, working list of symptoms of autism in infants and young children that are required in order for a diagnosis:

Signs of autism may appear during infancy and the disorder is usually diagnosed by the age of 3. Sometimes the child's development appears normal until about 2 years old and then regresses rapidly. Symptoms of autism occur in various combinations, from mild to severe.
Infants with the disorder often display abnormal reactions to sensory stimuli (i.e., senses may be over- or underactive). Touches may be experienced as painful, smells may be overwhelmingly unpleasant, and ordinary daily noises may be painful. Loud noises (e.g., motorcycle going by, vacuum cleaner) and bright lights may cause inconsolable crying.

Other signs of the disorder in infants include the following:

Appears indifferent to surroundings
Appears content to be alone, happier to play alone
Displays lack of interest in toys
Displays lack of response to others
Does not point out objects of interest to others (called protodeclarative pointing)
Marked reduction or increase in activity level
Resists cuddling

Young children with autism usually have impaired language development. They often have difficulty expressing needs (i.e., use gestures instead of words) and may laugh, cry, or show distress for unknown reasons. Some autistic patients develop rudimentary language skills that do not serve as an effective form of communication. They may develop abnormal patterns of speech that lack intonation and expression and may repeat words or phrases repetitively (called echolalia). Some children with autism learn to read.Autistic children do not express interest in other people and often prefer to be alone. They may resist changes in their routine, repeat actions (e.g., turn in circles, flap their arms) over and over, and engage in self-injurious behavior (e.g., bite or scratch themselves, bang their head).

Other symptoms in young children include the following:

Avoids cuddling or touching
Frequent behavioral outbursts, tantrums
Inappropriate attachments to objects
Maintains little or no eye contact
Over- or undersensitivity to pain, no fear of danger
Sustained abnormal play
Uneven motor skills
Unresponsiveness to normal teaching methods and verbal clues (may appear to be deaf despite normal hearing)

Symptoms of autism may increase in severity when the child enters adolescence and often decrease in severity during adulthood.

6 moms found this helpful

I have a six year old boy with Autism. I document everything, I keep journaling. One for school,one for Dr appointments, one of general observations of his behavior,anything I think is important.Autism is a neurological disorder, it also affects social skills, and communication. People with ASD can learn to function in the world just fine, Bill Gates the founder of Microsoft has ASD. I look on my son as my most precious gift. He has given me a whole new perspective on life. He has made our lives some much richer, and more fun. My husband,and I take more time to enjoy things, and give him the opportunities to look at the world around him. At his next appointment mention that you would like to begin getting your child evalauated for hearing, speech, and learing disabilities. Just to get progress started. It may be something, it may be nothing.

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I saw the news conference and I read an article about the lawsuit a few days ago. The lesson I learned from the poor girl's story is to space out the vaccinations. I think the news story said she received 9 vaccinations in one day! The story also mentioned another boy with autism who received 4 vaccinations in a day. I know the 4-in-1 vaccination is fairly common. But from now on to be safe I'm going to request my son only receive one vaccine at a time and I'll space them a month apart. Note that the little girl involved in the lawsuit had an underlying condition or disease that may have combined with the vaccinations to lead to autism. But I still think the safest way is to spread out the shots.

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My daughter (now 9) showed signs around 18 months. She did have a HUGE reaction to her shots- high fever and really sick 24 hours after the shots, her doctor told us it was normal. I absolutely believe the shots cause the illness- she was normal in personality and temperment before the shots. She had regular sleeping schedules, ate all healthy foods, loves to smile and play with us and was a really great baby. I am following the case on TV- the difference between this case and all the others, is that the 9-year old girl's father is a DOCTOR- now people are listenting. If a non-medical person says the shots caused the illness, no one believes them! 1 in 150 kids have autism.

She then had a history of biting kids/adults from 18 months until 4 years old- almost daily, intense rages that almost always involved broken furniture, mirrors or holes in walls, and very long temper tantrums lasting 2-3 hours, at least three times a week. She was finally diagnosed and medicated at 7 years old with Aspergers, highly intelligent autism. Her version involves inablilty to read body language of others- so when she was biting, she was unaware of the pain it caused others. When she raged and hurt feelings, she did not read the body language of the peole she hurt. She never looked people in the eyes, never cared about anyone except herself.

Her fascination (now diagnosed as OCD) included intense organization of her toys...they were always lined up in perfect arrangements, and she collected toys in groups. First it was the Little People toys, then barbie dolls, polly pockets, frogs, and video games. She became an expert on the suject she collected, able to tell you anything and everything about the single subject. Once she was medicated, the collections/obsessions stopped. She also does the hand washing of OCD, will not touch bathroom doors, fears green food, and will eat only brown color food. If we have green food on the table, she actually has panic attacks and leaves the room.

She was also HUGELY sensitive to wearing clothes- hated clothes and was in undies until about 4 years old. When she had a better vocabulary, she told us the clothes were "itchy". She also hated baths and showers, saying they made her itch. I thought I was going insane getting her to take a bath- then the doctor told me she REALLY does think the water is itchy. Loud noises set off rages- church, the mall, loud music. She would always rage after the over stimulation of these places. After her first dental appt, she sat in the car and tried to beat me up by pulling my hair, screaming and kicking the doors.

I would not be concerned about a child with an interest in certain objects, unless it appears like an obsession: living, breathing, talking and endless fascination, lasting several MONTHS. This in combination with other mood behaviors that do not seem normal. If your child's behavior seems different from kids in playgroup, you feel unwelcome because of the childs behavior, embarrassed by the behavior and have an instinct that the behavior is not normal, then have the child evaluatualted by a mental health doctor- NOT the Pediatrician. Our Pediatrician was a Stanford MD graduate and unable to diagnose the disease. She was amazed at the early motor skills (walking at 9 months old), high intelligence (counting to 100 by age 2, skip counting by 2's) and concerned about her social skills. Autism was never mentioned during these evaluations and she never recommended a mental evaluation. We read the books by Dr. Amen, decided to visit his clinic about an hour away, had three days of evaluations and brain scans, and then the diagnosis and medication. Our life is much, much better now and our daughter is doing fantastic.

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There is a forum on vaccination information at Mothering.com's discussion boards, you might find that very helpful.

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Hi S.,
I at times thought my son was autistic when he was small. He was always different. Afraid of large crowds..noise fixation on certain items. I had him tested for everything and he was diagnosed with auditory development disorder. When he was 11 he became really sick and he had a tumor in his cerebellum. He is fine now. I just wish I had listened more to my intuition and demanded an mri. My son had strong reactions to the vaccinations high fever..very sick for a few days. I think that is possible the vaccinations have has some factors in his health related issues.

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I was very excited to hear about this case. I watched it on Larry King & it seems the govt. has conceeded that there may be a link between autism & this childs autism.
I have a 3.5 y.o. son who has autism, so I am very interested in any information in the media regarding the topic.
I like you, struggled with whether my son was behaving typical or did he have autism, but my advice to you is get an assessment, and if it isn't autism great--if it is you can start early intervention.
Don't wait! Early intervention can definitely improve the situation later.
Just my 2 cents.

After reading other posts, I guess I should elaborate that I don't believe vaccinations by themselves cause autism, but I believe that a child that has a suppressed immune system or a certain genetic makeup--vaccinations or excessive antibiotic use, or environmental triggers, can result in triggering autism. I have 2 children (same genetics--one was vaccinated & showed significant symptoms 1 month after 16 mos. vaccinations, and one was not vaccinated & is advanced developmentally & typical in every other way.
I don't blame vaccinations, but I would have done a delayed vaccination schedule to be safe & easier on my child.
J.

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S.:
My son, as thousand of children in this country was severely injured by vaccines. If your child has already had all the vaccines, you may want to check the autism checklist (just to be sure) at the ari site (autism research institute).
these are good sources of info as well:
http://informedchoice.info/

www.vaclib.org

www.tacanow.org

Good luck.

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RUN to your pediatrician and have him get you started in the process of a possible diagnosis. Even if it's minor, all evidence shows that early intervention is the best way to help any child with learning disorders.
I come from a family of educators-both Special Ed and Regular- and I have a 15 yr old son that was diagnosed with Seizures/Asperger-like Syndrome(form of Autism) when he was 1 1/2. I can NOT stress enough the importance of early intervention. It's imperative. Don't be in denial!

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S., I am just mom and not a doctor, but I know that early intervention with autism-spectrum disorders is critical. If your mother's intuition is telling you something could be wrong you should aggressively pursue an evaluation by a specialist. It is better to know than worry. You might want to visit an autism website with an extensive list of symptoms and check them off so you can be more assertive when you deal with doctors.

1 mom found this helpful

I worried about my youngest.
She would not look you in the eye,
never liked to breast feed/ touch skin....
She turned out fine...No problems....
For kids like her do NOT let her cry...
Keep that attachment to mom and dad strong...

1 mom found this helpful

I talked to my pediatrician this week about this topic because my daughter was getting her 1 year shots. She said their is no proven medical evidence that the vaccinations and autism are linked and she also said recently studies have disproved the that theory. I also recently read that a particular hereditary gene may play a part in it as well.

Sheryl

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S.- if you have any questions about autism ask your doctor. You may also want to google up the DSM entry on Autism. The DSM is the Diagnostic And Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and it explains exactly what symptoms from which categories go into a diagnosis. It obviously isn't possible for any of us to go diagnosing our own children, but looking at the DSM was helpful for me. The main thing to remember is that children on the autism spectrum have serious social deficits, and without these a child should not be labeled autistic.

As for the vaccine issue, it's a sticky one, and I'm interested to say which way things go.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi S.,

If you suspect there is a problem, be it Autism or something else, it is always best to find out ASAP. You may have to fight to get him checked out by never give up. The earlier help can be attained the better off he and you will be.

You may also want to get his Glutathione levels checked. It could be they are just low. Watch the video at this website and see if this could be what he &/or you needs. www.maxgxl.com/maxmagic

Take care!
N. :o)

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I attended a conference in san francisco on
the new paradigm on the treatment of autism.
I have a son 3 and 10mos diagnosed with autism.
My advice is read about the spectrum. It is
very broad. very daunting... just to give you
a picture of what to look for. The signs and
symptoms are subtle for some. Before we went to
the doctor i was very hurt when people would think
my son has special needs. And i'd say it takes
some creulty for people to be honest and i'll
never be grateful to them.

1 mom found this helpful

If you are at all concerned about autism you should get into your pediatrician and ask about it very specifically. There are a number of screening checklists that can be done very quickly and easily that will put you in the right direction. The website autismspeaks.org has some really good video clips that show what some of the autistic symptoms look like. Just a fascination with objects isn't really enough, the language/social/behavioral components of autism are significant. Locally, Parents Helping Parents is a great resource, they have a vast library, lots of support groups and training and information regarding all kinds of issues. Be persistent with the professionals and get your questions answered. The sooner you know the better because early intervention is critical with our kids.

J.
mom of 15 year old with autism.

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Hi, S.! As the mother of a 17-year-old boy who is on the autistic spectrum I can't agree more with Kirstin L. She hit all of the right points!

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OASIS (on line) is a wonderful wealth of information on autism/asperger's sydrome. my son has aspergers ....
he spins, taught himself to read at age 2, fixates on different things at different times.. yugio( knew every character and was able to pull up from memory all their statistics)
whells are a normal boys fascination... and trucks... you would see other signs...
L.

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Hi S.. My name is R., I am a 26 year old mother of two. I am a behavior specialist with a lot of experience in Autism. If you are concerned about your son showing signs you can always have him tested. His fascination with wheels is perfectly normal for a boy his age. It is not necessarily the wheels with autistic children, it is the repetitiveness of the spinning. Autistic children have many other signs such as non-social tendencies, (they do not prefer to interact with other people). They usually do not talk very much, or use words that do not make any sense. There's a lot more, but I wouldn't necessarily worry unless you really think there is something wrong. Also, vaccinations alone, do not cause Autism. There are many components that act as risk factors, and experts still are not really sure what all of them are. Hope this helps a little!

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I too believe there is a genetic link. My friend has a son who has Autism who did receive the shots and her sister who has a son with Autism who did not receive the shots and both boys have
Autism. I am sure there are allot of things that contribute to Autism and hopefully they will find out what exactly the cause is.

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There is a specific DSM-IV criteria (the categories psychologists uses) for diagnosing children on the autistic spectrum. Autism is a "spectrum disorder" meaning there are a variety of symptoms and manifestations that children can experience. These categories are broken up, generally, into High Functioning Autism, Low Functioning Autism, PDD-NOS and Asperger's Syndrome.

Each state also has its own legal definition of autism usually described as "autistic-like" so that children wherever they are on the spectrum can obtain services under a 504 plan or under an IEP. If your state offers services to children with Autism under 3, which they are required to do, you may qualify for a free evaluation.

Early intervention is critical to treating children with autism so you should have your child assessed immediately if you suspect he has autism. You can do this with a neuropsychologist or a developmental pediatric psychologist. Your pediatrician can likely recommend you.

Some of the manifestations include loss of language suddenly under 2, perseveration or fixation, inability to socialize with same aged peers, sensitivity to sounds (auditory integration issues are often comorbid with autism in my experience). Again, symptoms vary.

Hope this helps,
M. Leigh
Leigh Law Group/EDULEGAL
Not intended as legal advice you should consult with an attorney if you feel your rights have been violated

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If you have any suspicion of autism you need to talk to your doctor. There are so many different types it is really hard to pin point. At this point you can still get early intervention.

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I have taught in public schools for five years and worked with children with autism and autistic spectrum disorders. Every parent I have talked to said it was the immunizations that triggered the disorder. Most of the parents I work with are involved with The Mind Institute and Autism United, and they all have different stories about genetics and underlying diseases. Ultimately, the opinion I hear the most is that children with autism were predisposed to the disorder genetically, and the preservative Thymerisol triggered the onset of symptoms. There is some interesting data available following vacinations in other countries. Europe and Japan have shown the same rise in Austism as they adopted the vaccine schedule the US has been using. The one vaccine I hear the most about is the MMR. Most of the parents I've talked to-that believe the immunizations caused the autism-believe it was the MMR.
The government and medical communities do not want people to associate vaccines with autism becuase they are afraid it will cause people to not get their children immunized.
It is very important for children to get vaccinated, but it is equally important for parents to know what is in the shot their kid is getting. Equally important is the knowledge that parents have the right to refuse or delay vaccines, and if the doctor bullies or insults their concerns, they have the right to get another doctor. A true medical professional will care about your concerns, and treat you and your beliefs with respect.

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Check out this website: www.thevaccinebook.com Lots of links to the right - you should get the book too.

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Dear S.,
That must be pretty scary. I have studied autism and yes they feel that the shots have something to do with autism. The rate is extremely high. I do know that EMF Electrical magnetic Fields, which is a form of radiation has come into many studies. They are aware of this in other countries. Did you know that the Cell companies are the largest contributors next to Taxes and Oil. Please please don't wait. There is help. I found it for my grandson. I have raised him since he was 3. I am trying to get the word out, because it damages many other parts of our body.
http:solutions.emf411.com ###-###-#### K.....

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Several children fall somewhere on the spectrum of Autism Spectrum Disorders, without having full-blown autism. If you're truly concerned, I'd recommend having him tested by a nueropsychologist, who can give you an accurate assessment of where he falls, if anywhere, on that scale. I'm assuming that you are seeing far more symptoms than just a simple fascination with wheels, which, as you said, is very typical of many boys his age.

As far as the vaccination/autism connection, there have been conflicting results from a variety of studies. Autism is a result of a variety of factors. Yes, some of the symptoms mimic that of mercury poisoning, which was at one time used as a preservative for several vaccines. (Some parents continue to suspect that mercury is being used as a preservative for combined immunizations, which is why those parents request that their children have immunizations done individually, rather than combining them.

However, as I said, autism is a result of a variety of factors, which include a strong genetic connection (there have already been a few genetic markers identified). Many autistic children have one or more parent with similar symptoms. The environmental factor is only one (possible) piece of the puzzle, but for some parents, it's easier to blame the vaccines rather than to look at other factors. Fortunately, there are a plethora of doctors, neurologists, neuropsychologists, psychopharmaceutical researchers, scientists, etc. all looking at the various aspects of autism, to not only find better treatments, but also to pinpoint some more specific causes.

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S.,
the best place for you to go is autismspeaks.org. That website has a link to videos that will show you "typical" behavior and "autistic" behavior, which should help you determine if what you're seeing is normal boy stuff or stuff that should be checked out. On the one hand, if you have even a shred of a concern I would look into it, because early diagnosis is the best prognosis for autism (or autism spectrum--there's a wide variation in behaviors that comprise "autism"), on the other hand, one autistic-like behavior does not mean that he's autistic; one of the things that makes diagnosing challenging. The website is *extremely* helpful. You will find a Q&A on autism and vaccines there as well.

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I missed the press conference last night, which I'm really dissapointed about. My son is 6 and has autism. As for your son, does he have verbal communication, and social skills like other children his age? These are the most common signs (along with the repetitive behaviors (wheel turning). Maybe, he's just being a boy, but it is ALWAYS better to check him out early on. Many pediatricians have said to "wait it out", or "he's a boy, boy's talk later" but early intervention for our kids is so important. If he's lacking in language, social skills, etc. go to your school district and ask for an evaluation. We checked things out for my son when he was 2.5 years old and I wish we wouldn't have waited those extra 6 months!! Oh, there are many websites that you can check out as well. One is autismspeaks.com This might help you understand more of the signs/symptoms. Good Luck!

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S.,

You can also go to the website www.autismspeaks.org for milestones that children should meet by certain ages. If you have any concerns at all you should talk to your pediatrician. Early intervention is VERY important if a child is autistic. Of course, you could very well be right that your little guy is just being a child, but it's worth checking into.

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Kirstin L. at the bottom said it all.

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I very strongly suggest getting his evaluated. Kaiser has a good program at the Santa Teresa facility. Stanford had a good one too but I don't know about it anymore. Please don't wait. If he has autism the earlier you start intervention the better. Good luck to you.

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My little boy has been fascinated with wheels and anything that spins since he was 12 months old. He also does arm-flapping which made us worried that he may be autistic. However, we took him to a developmental psychologist as well as a neurological specialist, and both indicated that he was/is not autistic.

I think the main thing to look for is his ability to make eye contact and connect with others. Is he delayed in his verbal skills? If so, then get him assessed.

By the way, both professionals said that we should not try to stop his behavior, though we could try to engage him in other interests.

Best wishes to you,
N.

Hi Sharee- The actual issue was not autism. It was a mitochrondrial genetic disorder that may have been triggered by the vaccines, or by another external force (virus, bacteria, etc). But, since the symptoms are similar to autism, the parents first thought it was autism and later found out it was this other disorder. Autism, ADD and other disorders do start to come out around the same ages as the scheduled shots (18 mos-4 yrs), so it's really not a good indicator that your child will develop any of these due to the exposure to shots.