Vaccines and Diets

Ok, I think ...no, I KNOW...I've had enough of these debates. For the most part, vaccines do not cause autism. They might, however, be harmful to some children with immunity problems or those who are genetically predisposed, but we don't really know how to screen for those yet. Yes, I do know parents who believe their child was 'normal', even gregarious, before the MMR vaccine, but I have yet to see convincing video proof of that. Don't most parents have videos of their child from infancy? Why aren't these being studied? We do know that siblings of children with autism often show atypical development before 12 months, and that these signs are subtle.

OK, then diets....I have yet to meet a child who has recovered from the diet (DAN! diet, casein and gluten free). Does the diet sometimes improve behavior? Yes. I know a child who is barely verbal who pinches and attempts to bite; when restrained, he would resist for about ten minutes, then he often says, "Boo-boo all gone", is released and relaxed. This sounds to me as if he has some pain somewhere, doesn't know what to do, becomes aggressive, and when the pain is gone, he is calm again. Would a diet help him? Perhaps. We don't know the source of his pain.

Parents who live at or near the poverty line: They cannot afford these diets. They often do not have transportation to natural food stores, can't afford the food, and should not be made to feel guilty. The science so far does not support the use of the diet as a tool for recovery from autism. Maybe for some kids it improves some aspects of behavior, and for some families they decide it is worth it, but....for me, the jury is still out.