Autism Awareness and New Facts

April 6, 2013 By Diane Constantine Leave a Comment

For those of you who have not read much about autism, this is Autism Awareness Month. As such, I want to do my part to help make you aware of the condition and the progress being made to help children on the Autism Spectrum.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors. It appears to have its roots in very early brain development, however, the most obvious signs and symptoms tend to emerge between 2-3 years of age. ASD is associated with intellectual disability, difficulties in motor coordination and attention, sleep disruption and gastrointestinal disturbances. The incidence of autism in all its forms is approximately 1 in 88 children, affecting boys much more than girls. Currently, research has identified some rare gene changes associated with autism. But it appears to be caused by a combination of autism risk genes and environmental factors influencing early brain development.

This month I took a look at some research and want to give you some up-dated findings about Autism.
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Flu and Colds

February 5, 2012 By Diane Constantine Leave a Comment

We are in the midst of the flu season for 2012. Mike and I have fought both colds and flu this season already, so I’ve been doing some checking about what you can and should do to protect your family from the flu. Here’s what I could find out.

Flu shots
Although no one likes to get a shot, this is the only proven way to be protected against the most virulent and common flu virus for the year. Some people can use a flu nasal spray, but only your doctor can tell you if you qualify for the spray instead of the shot.

Flu vaccine is up-dated every year. So although you are immune to the virus in last year’s shot, that immunity won’t cover this year’s virus.

The flu shot does not cause you to get the flu since the virus is not live. If you were exposed around the time you took the shot though, you could still get it. There are a huge number of different flu viruses, so it is possible to get flu that wasn’t covered by the shot. You will have immunity to any flu in your flu shot or for any flu that you get.

It is not too late to get the shot. Until the last flu for the year has made its rounds in about May, you may still need the protection. [Read more…]

Vaccines and Autism

September 8, 2011 By Diane Constantine Leave a Comment

Separating Fact from Fiction

I’ve heard that a preservative in some vaccines can cause autism – what’s going on?

This controversy has been raging for some time, with government and mainstream scientists on one side, and several small but vocal advocacy groups on the other. And many parents have been left feeling confused and frightened about their children’s health.

The advocacy groups say that thimerosal, a preservative used in vaccines, is toxic to the central nervous system and responsible for an alarming rise in rates of autism among children in the United States and around the world. Most scientists say there’s no credible scientific evidence that vaccines cause autism.

Over the last 15 years, a number of major medical institutions have reviewed the evidence from the United States and abroad, and all have concluded that there’s no link between autism and exposure to thimerosal. What’s more, the preservative has been removed from most childhood vaccines in the United States.

But some health activists continue to challenge the validity of the existing science and assert that the U.S. government has conspired with vaccine manufacturers to cover up the truth about thimerosal and autism.

Read the rest of the article from BabyCenter.com

MMR Study Fraud

January 19, 2011 By Diane Constantine Leave a Comment

Just this month a report has been publicized that the original research that linked the MMR immunization to the development of autism was fraudulent. The conclusions of the 1998 paper by Andrew Wakefield and colleagues was renounced by 10 of its 13 authors and later retracted by the medical journal Lancet, where it was published. Andrew Wakefield has had his medical license revoked.

This is all very disturbing. Why would reputable doctors condone a study based on fraudulent data? They take an oath to “do no harm,” yet have caused much damage to many children.

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Different Immunization Schedules

September 30, 2009 By Diane Constantine Leave a Comment

By Elizabeth Cohen
CNN Medical Correspondent

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) — Five years ago, Kathye Petters-Armitage’s first child received the exact vaccinations on the exact schedule recommended by her pediatrician.

Hannah Polling’s autism was found to be “significantly aggravated” by her childhood vaccines.

But when she gave birth to her second child, Petters-Armitage had a change of heart.

In the intervening two years, she’d read a lot about concerns that vaccines cause autism and decided to ask her pediatrician to give her new baby fewer shots spread out over a longer period of time.

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