| Science has not yet been able to steer us towards | | | | More troubling is the fact that during a somewhat |
| the cause of autism, a serious developmental disorder | | | | secret meeting in June of 2000, attended by fifty |
| which affects children from birth. Normal patterns of | | | | individuals from the CDC, the World Health |
| development are absent in the autistic child and the | | | | Organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics |
| Center for Disease Control and Prevention defines the | | | | and various pharmaceutical companies, looked into |
| disorder as "a group of developmental disabilities | | | | findings from a CDC study. This appeared to show |
| defined by significant impairments in social interaction | | | | that an increase in mercury exposure during the |
| and communication in the presence of unusual | | | | intensive vaccine schedule of the 1990s caused an |
| behaviors and interests." This somewhat dry definition | | | | enormous increase in neurobehavioral disorders, |
| does not adequately describe the nightmare that the | | | | perhaps 11 fold, leading (many believe) to a huge rise in |
| parents and the victims themselves live through. | | | | autism cases. An official statement from the CDC |
| Sometimes the child is violent, can be self abusive, will | | | | simply states that the "weight of the evidence |
| not speak and they can become physically ill. | | | | indicates that vaccines are not associated with autism". |
| Significant medical symptoms can include inflammation, | | | | What seems to have happened is that many of the |
| infections, and severe food allergies. | | | | vaccines containing the preservative Thimerosal, |
| It is often difficult to identify autistic signs, but they can | | | | (which contains 50% mercury) were given out in the |
| include anger, outbursts, inability to learn, screaming, | | | | '90s. A separate study has shown that an autistic child, |
| throwing things, breaking things, no pain sensations and | | | | who had exhibited the presence of a considerable |
| tantrums. It is very hard to communicate with sufferers | | | | amount of mercury and was subsequently given other |
| and both parents and children suffer significantly. If the | | | | chemicals to remove the toxicity, began speaking and |
| illness itself were not cause enough for concern, many | | | | acting normally once again, without any signs of autism. |
| point to a secret truth behind the affliction - a link | | | | It appears from many studies that the reported cases |
| between autism and vaccinations. | | | | of autism are on the increase, whilst mercury in the |
| It appears that autism can affect four times as many | | | | form of Thimerosal, is still being administered within |
| boys as girls in the United States and the CDC is | | | | vaccines. The Autism Society of America reckons |
| unable to tell us why. They simply state that "there | | | | that autism is indeed growing by 10 to 17% per year, |
| may be many causes that lead to autism spectrum | | | | costing us $90 billion a year and is projected to |
| disorders." Disturbingly, it would appear that the rate of | | | | increase to $400 billion within 10 years. Lifetime support |
| affection has increased considerably, up from an | | | | is estimated at $3.2 million per affected individual, per a |
| estimated one in 10,000 children in the 1970s to today's | | | | Harvard study. |
| breathtaking assumption that one in 150 kids is autistic. | | | | The impact of autism on our schools and societies is |
| Of course, we must look at the figures from the 70s in | | | | indeed distressing, and the role of mercury along with |
| the light of the fact that our understanding of the | | | | the lack of intent by our government bodies to fully |
| issues has increased significantly over these decades | | | | assess and address the situation, perhaps even more |
| and with this the ability to more accurately diagnose. | | | | so. |