Comments on: Enlarged Amygdala: The Cause of Autism?

By: K.A.

K.A. — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:41:01 +0000

What is it with people loving to blame women for autism? Hey Jonsmom? Studies show overwhelmingly that older MEN who have children are much more likely to contribute the bum genes that contribute to or cause autism. The media will never mention “advanced paternal age,” though it’s the cause of most genetic disorders, but will mention advanced maternal age whenever they get the chance. Advanced parental age in general can lead to genetic mutations, but by far and away the biggest contributor to genetic mutations is advanced PATERNAL age.

By: norbydafuoa

norbydafuoa — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 05:39:43 +0000

Autistic kids need help, but this media sponsered increase in autism? Autism skyrocketing? Higher rates? See the YOU TUBE video: autism spectrum seems out of control and “autism epidemic rooted in abuse and misuse of word ‘autistic’ to get a better understanding of what’s going on pretty shocking

By: Him

Him — Sun, 10 May 2009 16:59:37 +0000

Don’t see what there is much to be happy about. To make bread I have to spend hundreds of dollars for the substitutes, I went through years of physical and speech therapy, but I still can’t understand certain metaphors or sarcasm very well. I can at least tell whether someone is happy, sad or the like though.

By: jonsmom

jonsmom — Sun, 10 May 2009 12:34:18 +0000

Him: Very happy for you!

By: Him

Him — Sat, 09 May 2009 17:05:19 +0000

Emperor Tomato Catsup: Or better yet, find out what caused it, who made what caused it, and then filed a lawsuit against them?

By: Him

Him — Sat, 09 May 2009 16:59:20 +0000

Emporer Tomato Catsup: So, if you were to go to the doctor and find out you had a tumor the size of a grapefruit in your head, you wouldn’t ask how you got it or anything like that eh?

By: Him

Him — Sat, 09 May 2009 14:41:19 +0000

jonsmom: Haha, it didn’t work for my kid, but for myself.

By: jonsmom

jonsmom — Fri, 08 May 2009 12:50:53 +0000

Him: I am truly happy if the diet worked for you. It doesn’t work for everyone, us included. But I do understand that it works for some, and I am truly happy if your child did benefit from the diet.

By: Him

Him — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:48:27 +0000

jonsmom: So would I, but you just know that they’ll never release those numbers.

kb: Is it really terrible if they don’t know any alternative?

The closest that has ever been gotten to a cure is therapy, (I’m talking how to react to pressure, speech therapy, and being taught how to act in groups, not that shrink crap and drugs that most people resort to.)and a special “Diet” that consists of no gluten, casein, egg, soy, yeast, or refined sugar. A couple of good books on autism are “Look Me In the Eye” by John Elder Robinson, and “Freaks, Geeks, and Aspergers Syndrome” by Luke Jackson. Cookbooks I can recommend are “The Incredible Edible Gluten-Free Food for Kids” by Sheri L. Sanderson, “Gluten Free Gourmet” by Bette Hagman, “Special Diet Celebrations” by Carol Fenster, and “Special Diet Solutions”, also by Carol Fenster.

By: James Tracy

James Tracy — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:35:43 +0000

Study’s not crap, hardly even worth mentioning.

Correlation != Causation.

QED, bitches.

By: jonsmom

jonsmom — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:24:33 +0000

To Emporer Tomato Catsup: As long as there are Jenny McCarthys in the world, I’m afraid that there will always be psuedo-science conspiracy theories.

And to Him: I’d be interested in some stats about how many vaccines are STILL contain mercury (save the flu, which is optional). The law was passed in 1999 (I believe). There can’t be many lots left. And yet, autism rates have risen from 1 in 166 to 1 in 150.

By: jonsmom

jonsmom — Thu, 07 May 2009 14:19:48 +0000

Who is saying that persons with autism shouldn’t be accepted for who they are? No one that I’ve seen. But how can one possibly, given all the prejudice in the world, imagine that this will ever be a universal attitude? I have seen my son in both situations, and while tolerance is amazing, intolerance will never be eradicated, as hard as I try to educate. Is there anything wrong with having hope that future generations should not be subjected to the prejudice?

By: Hubertus

Hubertus — Thu, 07 May 2009 10:01:38 +0000

London Taxi Drivers have been found to have above average amygdala and Hippocampi too.

By: kb

kb — Thu, 07 May 2009 05:53:29 +0000

How is this news? When my son was found to have autism, this information was routinely mentioned to us. I even saw a slide presentation that mentioned it (seven years ago). They said the size on the amygdala in a child of two (with autism) is already the size of an adult’s amygdala.

I believe people with autism should be accepted for who they are, but think a cure should be pursued! Autism can be a terrible experience for those who have it…

By: Vonskippy

Vonskippy — Thu, 07 May 2009 05:29:13 +0000

“The more neurodiversity in society the better” – well that’s what public education is for – no moron left behind. Personally I’d rather shoot for something higher then the lowest common diversity.

By: Vbnx

Vbnx — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:38:14 +0000

It seems the wikipedia “Autism rights movement” page would be an eye-opener to people commenting here. Or maybe type “autism rights” into your search engine to enlighten yourselves.

I have friends in the Autism anti-cure movement, I fully support them in their fight for acceptance for who they are. The more neurodiversity in society the better.

By: Emperor Tomato Catsup

Emperor Tomato Catsup — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:05:00 +0000

Is there any chance that this will put an end to all of the pseudoscientific conspiracy theory stuff about vaccines causing autism? Of course, it probably won’t put an end to all of it, but I think the people that are pushing the idea of vaccines causing autism will be pushed a little farther to the margins of the discussion about the causes of autism. I’m a little alarmed by the number of people who seem to take those ideas seriously.

By: Him

Him — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:02:37 +0000

Although this is old news, its good to see that it has finally made it out into the world. And although it IS true that there is a risk of having a child with autism if you are over 34, the main risks are the mercury they put into vaccines and heavy metal toxicity. Even when the law for no mercury in them was passed, there was no law saying they couldn’t use what they had on hand. And I doubt that there will ever be a cure for Autism, but I’m confident that it can be helped with the right treatment.

By: jonsmom

jonsmom — Thu, 07 May 2009 01:49:22 +0000

I’m with you, zeytoun, and I’m excited about this research. More statistics about this study can be found at JonsRoom.com. However, I am concerned about the research that only studies a small portion of the population and then announces to the world (for example): “Women over the age of 34 are 1.7 times more likely to have a child who develops autism”, when this study included 132 children with autism in Utah. It will be great if this LEADS to something, but let’s not scare every mother over the age of 34!

What would you have done, Vbnx, no studies at all as to causes of autism? With 1 in 150 children in the US affected by autism, you’d just give up trying to find out why? Seriously?

By: zeytoun

zeytoun — Wed, 06 May 2009 23:04:18 +0000

yes, scientists have been profiting off the rest of society for so long, and have given so little in return…

science is a process of constantly finding links and making predictions (hypotheses) which are proved right or wrong.

Very different from random people “guessing” at causes (vaccines, tv, martians).

By: Vbnx

Vbnx — Wed, 06 May 2009 22:53:45 +0000

There is a constant flow of hypothesized causes of Autism, that given time, end up in the dustbin of fail with all the other guess’s. What a gravy train research is for the researchers.

By: Johnny Cat

Johnny Cat — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:09:53 +0000

This is excellent news. Next stop: Cure!