Autism Cases Up 13% In California In Just One Year 03-04

[hatrack]

California's mysterious explosion of autism cases worsened in 2004, disappointing researchers who had hoped the number of new diagnoses would level off as they searched for an explanation for the neurological disorder.

The number of people treated for autism at regional centers operated by the state Department of Developmental Services increased 13 percent last year from 2003, according to agency figures.

Autism now accounts for a little more than half of the new cases handled at the centers, which treat a variety of developmental problems. An average of nine new autism cases a day come to the state's attention, the vast majority in children 13 and younger.

Scientists have various theories, but there is little agreement about what is driving the growth of autism cases in California. The number of autistic people getting services at the centers has increased from 5,000 in 1993 to more than 26,000 now. "I'm really worried," said Jim Burton, head of the state-funded Regional Center for the East Bay, which provides treatment referrals and services for people with autism. "The burden is huge, and it's going to strain all our resources."

EDIT

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/02/04/MNGH2B60I41.DTL

[Warpy]

1. Gee whiz, maybe they'd better check the garbage in the

air and water instead of listening to hysterics wail about minute amounts of mercury preservatives (that aren't even used much any more) in some vaccines.

I think it pretty likely that kids are being poisoned, and I think it likely that the poison comes from pesticides and chemicals used in electrical and semiconductor manufacturing.

[bunny planet]

4. Gee let me guess Warpy, you aren't one of the 'hysterics' whose child

WAS injured by the thimerasol in a vaccine. Mine was, and I know definitively that it was the vaccine that caused his subsequent problems. Perhaps you could have used a less judgemental term to express your opinion on the topic.
It's very likely that additional environmental pollutants will eventually be uncovered as causal agents, but don't discount the amounts of damage done by mercury in vaccines. In 1993 when my son was harmed by a vaccine, there was a requirement to get 6, count them 6 vaccines at once for infants 15 months of age, add up the mercury in 6 vaccines and you've got enough to do quite a lot of damage. And btw, they are still being used in vaccines, you have to ask for a non-thimerasol containing batch of vaccine, they don't automatically give you the doses that are thimeraso free.

There's also a little known (fine-print) line item (added by none other than cat-killer Frist) in the Homeland Security bill that prevents anyone injured by thimerasol in vaccines from sueing Ely Lilly for anything more than 250K, a mere drop in the bucket when your child has an autism spectrum disorder.

[ultraist]

2. It must be environmental causes, DOUBT it's genetic

excerpts from OP link:
"Robert Byrd, a pediatric epidemiologist at UC Davis who was the lead investigator in a study of a 10-year increase in autism cases in California through 1998, said researchers have looked into several theories to explain the increase. They include the possibility that the rising autism numbers were caused by improved and earlier diagnoses, or by childhood vaccines or other environmental causes.

Most researchers believe genetics play a role, but they aren't sure what spurs the disorder. None of the other theories has been proved or ruled out.

"There is no one answer that says we can explain what we're seeing," Byrd said. "We're still looking at these numbers with lots of questions."

####
I was very leary of the vacinations my daughter was given. It's a dilemma. They are effective yet the problem is futher complicated by the fact that the schools will not allow the child to attend if they have not had all of the vaccinations.

[gorbal]

3. Well mercury poisoning is still the prime suspect...

however it is administered-

http://www.waterkeeper.org/mainarticledetails.aspx?articleid=150

It is linked to more than just autism, which probably confuses the issue.


And here the EPA is harshly critisizing...it'self?

http://www.waterkeeper.org/mainarticledetails.aspx?articleid=164

“This report confirms what we’ve been saying all along ,” stated Waterkeeper Legal Director Scott Edwards. “EPA’s proposed mercury rule is an illegal farce designed solely to benefit an energy industry that gives millions of dollars each year to the Republican Party. There’s not a court of law in the land that will allow this rule to stand as written - EPA knows it, its own Inspector General knows it and Waterkeeper is prepared to prove it.”


Edit-I just found this on-line-free "Water Keeper" magazine on adobe acrobat-

http://www.waterkeeper.org/magazines/WATERKEEPER_Fall2004.pdf