Autism Symptoms and Mercury Poisoning

The Myth of Thimerosol and Vaccines as a Cause of Autism

Oct 14, 2009 Stacy Herlihy

Some commentators have argued that the symptoms of autism are the same as the symptoms of mercury poisoning. A careful examination of the facts reveals otherwise.

Autism is a development disorder that is usually diagnosed by the time a child reaches puberty. Symptoms of autism can range from minor problems with communication and social interactions to a full blown inability to communicate or learn beyond the level of an infant. Some individuals are mildly affected with symptoms that affect their ability to react to others. Such cases are often labeled Asperger’s syndrome. Other individuals are more severely affected and may need to be institutionalized.

The number of cases of autism being diagnosed in recent years has skyrocketed. Commentators have pointed the fingers at many culprits, including premature births and environmental toxins.

Causes of Autism

The causes of autism appear to be unknown. Promising research has indicated that autism may be environmental or genetic in origin. Researchers have also suggested that autism is merely learning disabilities and mental retardation redefined into a single diagnosis.

Still others have suggested – far more radically – that autism is not a disease at all. Instead they insist that autism is a form of mercury poisoning. Critics point to minute amounts of a form of mercury in vaccinations. Cumulative dosage of this element, they insist, has created a generation of children who do not have a development disorder. Rather, such children have been poisoned and deliberately so by scientists in the name of profit.

On the surface such allegations would appear to have merit.

Thimersol in Vaccines

Until about 2004, many vaccines did indeed contain a small amount of a mercury based preservative. This preservative is known as thimerosol. Thimerosol was used to make sure vaccinations remained potent long enough to be administered. Vaccines, particularly in third world countries where refrigeration is scarce, must often be stored under less than ideal conditions. Vaccination efforts may take months to complete.

In the meantime autism rates appeared to climb. It is not unreasonable to look for a correlation between the two, but a closer examination of the facts reveals that this is not necessarily an accurate conclusion.

The symptoms of mercury poisoning and autism do not match. Symptoms of mercury poisoning include narrowing in the field of vision, severe psychosis and heads that are smaller than normal. Children who are afflicted with autism do not have narrower fields of vision nor are they psychotic. In fact most children with autism actually have heads that are larger than normal.

In a study published in the March 3rd, 2003 edition of Pediatrics (the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics) Karin B. Nelson and Margaret L. Bauman, both doctors, ultimately pointed out that the “overall the clinical pictureof mercurism—from any known form, dose, duration, or age of exposure—does not mimic that of autism.”

Mercury in Vaccines

It would appear that critics have also not acknowledged the actual amount of mercury in vaccines. All vaccines combined during this period equaled less than 200 micrograms or less than half the amount of mercury a breastfed infant could expect to consume during the child’s first during their first few months of life.

One can also distinguish between various forms of mercury compounds. Different forms of the same chemical can lead to different results. Ethyl mercury and methyl mercury are not the same thing and do not have the same results.

Thimerosol has been removed from vaccines. Yet autism rates have remained stable or risen depending on the population in question.

An autism diagnosis can be very scary. Effective treatments remain sometimes elusive. Parents of autistic children should rest easier knowing that mercury poisoning symptoms and autism do not match.

Sources:

PEDIATRICS Thimerosol and Autism? Vol. 111 No. 3 March 2003 pp. 674 – 679

Offit, Paul. A. Autism’s False Prophets: Bad Science, Risky Medicine and the Search for A Cure

Shattuck, Paul T. The Contribution of Diagnostic Substitution to the Growing Administrative Presence of Autism in US Special Education. PEDIATRICS Vol. 117 No. 4 April 2006, pp. 1028-1037

The copyright of the article Autism Symptoms and Mercury Poisoning in Autism/Asperger's Syndrome is owned by Stacy Herlihy. Permission to republish Autism Symptoms and Mercury Poisoning in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Autism is Not a Form of Mercury Poisoning

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Oct 26, 2009 7:06 PM

Guest :

Too many vaccines at an early age is dangerous. I encourage all parents to resist their doctor's recommodations for many of them.Keep your immune system ready to fight disease by eating good food and using cleanliness precautions like washing.
Big pharmaceutical companies make big bucks from all these vaccines. Always question who funded any studies you read and use your common sense.

Oct 26, 2009 7:35 PM

Stacy Herlihy :

Actually early vaccination is essential for many illnesses. An adult can shrug off whooping cough. On the other hand one in a hundred small babies who contracts whooping cough will die from it.

All the good food and hand washing will not protect against most vaccine preventable diseases.

FYI, pharmaceutical companies make comparatively little money from vaccination. Vaccine are so unprofitable shortages are quite common.

See the following article for more information:

http://vaccinations.suite101.com/article.cfm/vaccinations_as_sources_of_e arnings

Oct 27, 2009 2:42 PM

Guest :

I have a 19 year old nonverbal son with autism, and no one can make me believe his autism was caused by shots, or mercury. I feel parents of children with autism are desparate to find a reason, solution or cure for their child. I myself had these same feelings until I came to a realization, this is how my son is and how he was intented to be. Just as my other son has blond hair and blue eyes, he is destine to be who he is and I love him more than I can say and happy he is healthy.

Nov 2, 2009 2:17 PM

Guest :

Watch and judge for yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICok05Ra0zY&feature=related
Actually, vaccinations are very profitable--especially to the people who hold the patents to them--like Dr. Offit--who you use as your "unbiased source" of information. Better find one who doesn't stand to benefit from mandating the product. Autism rates continue to rise, in parallet with the increasing vaccine burden placed on children's immature immune systems. Talk to the pediatricians that space out their patients' vaccines, and give them singly--they don't have these rates of autism. Until a good study is done to compare the rates between these two groups, you cannot exonerate vaccines from their role in triggering autism.

Nov 2, 2009 2:21 PM

Stacy Herlihy :

I am very sorry to hear of your son's autism but I am very glad that you have decided to accept him as he is. All people are special no matter what their disabilities. They deserve to be loved.

Nov 2, 2009 2:32 PM

Stacy Herlihy :

Vaccinations are not a large source of earnings:

http://vaccinations.suite101.com/article.cfm/vaccinations_as_sources_of_e arnings

They are so unprofitable that there have actually been shortages in recent years.

They also don't trigger autism. Autism is largely reclassified learning disabilities and mental retardation:

http://autism.suite101.com/article.cfm/autism_diagnosis_rates_not_on_the _rise

You want to see a burden on an immune system?

Try whooping cough. Or measles. Or mumps. Or polio.

Watch a baby's throat close up because they can't breath. Comfort a child with agonizing swollen glands from mumps.

FYI, in the future kindly refrain from posting anti-semitic nuttery from freaks who wear tinfoil hats on my articles.

Thank you.

Nov 3, 2009 4:48 PM

Guest :

I have to disagree that vaccines DO NOT cause Autism, I have 2 sons who have been diagnosed with Autism. My oldest son was perfectly fine then suddenly regressed with language and various behavioral problems a few months after his 18 month shot, he now has PDD, ODD, ADHD, Tourette's and OCD. One of my other sons has "classic" Autism which became noticeable shortly after his 6 month shots. He would drag himself around the house instead of crawling after he got it, didn't smile, no eye contact and he still can't talk. I suggest you look up Dr. David Ayoub and watch his video called "Vaccines and childhood illnesses: beyond thimerosal" Very scary statistics!

Nov 3, 2009 6:27 PM

Stacy Herlihy :

Dr. Ayoub is a fear mongering idiot.

As a highly respected blogger points out:

"Yes, David "New World Order" Ayoub. This is a guy who's so into conspiracy theories that he thinks that vaccines are part of a population control plot by the Illuminati, along with birth control, women's rights, and all sorts of other nefarious plots by the government, all complete with black helicopters and everything."

http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2009/08/dr_bob_sears_stealth_anti-vacci nationist.php

Autism is a genetic illness. It is not caused by vaccination.

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