Autism is one of the most severe and disruptive of all childhood disorders - with a high level of disruption that of course lasts well into adulthood. With both genetic and environmental elements at work in it, autism (which affects boys at least three times more often than girls and is found in all races and throughout the world) is a communicative disorder that interferes with an individual's ability to form social relationships as well as to communicate with others. As might well be expected to be the case with any severe condition the etiology of which is understood a number of "folk" explanations for the condition have developed, including the idea that childhood vaccinations (and especially the mercury-based preservative Thimerosal that is used in the formulation of many vaccines) is responsible for triggering the condition. This paper argues against any connection between Thimerosal and autism (or rather argues that no such condition has yet been established; it would not be good science to argue that such a connection will never be established).
However, and this is an important initial caveat to make, simply because no connection has been found does not mean that all such "folk" explanations of medical or scientific phenomena should be dismissed. Scientists, and especially medical researchers, are sometimes too quick to assume that those who lack formal training in the sciences are entirely unqualified to make the kinds of observations that lead to scientific breakthroughs, but this is simply not true. Anyone who is intelligent and careful can make important, scientific observations about the world around us. This is what parents, baffled by the affects of autism on their children, have attempted to do: The fact that they have (in so far as current scientific investigation has so far consistently demonstrated) been wrong does not mean that any future claims about the world by non-scientists can be dismissed out of hand rather than through careful scientific evidence.
It seems unlikely that advocacy groups would have looked to Thimerosal as a possible cause of autism if the disease were itself better understood. However, it remains one of the most mysterious...
Autism is a disorder that starts early in the childhood and stays until adulthood. It has now been known that many conditions are considered co morbid to autism spectrum disorders. These conditions are variable but some of the most common ones include fragile X syndrome and epilepsy. Furthermore, it is noted that autism most likely affects areas such as communication, social interaction and behavior of the person. Therefore, there is
Autism has reached epidemic proportions between American children with cases increasing amongst adults and children worldwide. Treatments initially began with helping children improve their social and communication skills. With medications like risperidone and aripiprazole to treat irritability, children with autism were managed short-term. However, these medications only present a temporary fix with symptoms continuing after stopping of medication and symptoms recurring even with higher doses. For there to be a
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In order to foster equitable management of the available resources in the society, it becomes less valuable if the innate members are not responsible. A lesson can be drawn from the family of Rowan over the avenues of responding to the calls of duty. The family of Rowan is aware of the characteristic and developmental characteristic that are found in the society. Therefore, they are very ready to offer
Autism is a developmental disorder as it is marked with pervasive and severe impairment revolving around areas of development such as communication, imagination, reciprocal interaction and behavior. The diagnostic criteria for autism as incorporated by the DSM IV TR includes symptoms such as impairment in the use of nonverbal behaviors like eye contact, gestures, bodily postures during the normal routine social interaction, the inability to form good peer relationships, delay
In some students, autism is more severe than it is in others, and teachers must learn to anticipate this if they are to be successful in the classroom. The severity of the autism can make the difference between whether students with autism should be included or whether they should be taught separately (Shattuck, et al., 2009). Students cannot make that decision, of course, but the parents and teachers can work
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