The Origins of Autism (at least with my kid...)

A comment on my 1 in 100 post asked me what my theories on the cause of autism. As many of you know, I am not a big vaccine person, meaning that I don't think Jimmy's autism was principally caused by a vaccine injury. When we first saw Dr. Conlon years ago, he said that he thought autism was the perfect storm of speech delay, learning disability, mental illness, and an environmental factor, an X factor that hasn't been determined. His symptoms really began after his first ear infection at 9 months, following antibiotics. He was on antibiotics for repeated ear infections for nine months. Those were the months when everything became undone. There is some discussion of it as having a basis as an autoimmune issues and I think there is something to that and that unknown environmental factor is the trigger.

I have followed the vaccine schedule for both my boys. In hindsight, I might have thought about restructuring it. Never not giving him the needed vaccines, but maybe not all at once. Not because it was a cause, but because he is autistic and he reacts differently to medication. His behavior on antibiotics, for example, is more stimmy and he is more anxious and apt to tantrum. The thimerosol issue, for example, with the H1N1 vaccines. The single doses supposedly does not have the preservative. The multidoses does. I will seek out a single dose for my son as it just seems prudent. What doesn't seem prudent to me for my child is to not get the vaccine. As he doesn't have the same concept of personal space or understanding of hygiene, he is more at risk in someways for the flu and such. And knowing that he reacts as strongly as he does to antibiotics, I try to limit those as well. He still gets a couple of ear infections a year, even with his fifth set of tubes, but try to keep him as healthy as I can otherwise to limit the need for medication.

So those are my theories... As every parent does, I wish I had a cause so I could have more hope for a treatment. There is an extensive nuerodiversity movement online that resents the notion of a cure. I love Jimmy for who he is, but I hope with therapy and treatment, that he can live a more normal life. Right now, I don't see a future for him that includes things we take for granted - marriage, chlidren, a career, independence. That is what I want for him and why I fight.