What Causes Autism?

Many scientists and MD’s relate autism to genetics. Genetics do play a role, of course, but all alternative practitioners along with a growing number of mainstream practitioners also relate autism to environmental factors. The mainstream medical community says that there is no relation between autism and vaccination, yet many parents have observed that the onset of their child’s autism coincided exactly with their child’s vaccine jab.

In December 2009, the CDC released its autism figures for the 2006 surveillance year. These figures showed that autism increased by a shocking 60% between the years 2002 and 2006 with almost 1% of all US kids affected. The rate of autism in the United States is now somewhere between 1 and 91 to 1 and 110 children, with the majority being boys.

Genetics alone cannot explain these numbers. Environmental toxicity must play a large role. Consider that autism was a very rare disease in the 1980’s. Also consider there has been a 260% increase in vaccines administered between 1983 and 2007. It is commonly believed by many alternative health practitioners that the culprit is thimerosal (mercury), an ingredient in many childhood vaccines. A study done in 2006 (Walker et al) suggests that thimerosal exposure may be a triggering mechanism for autism in susceptible children. I don’t think that mercury is the only culprit, although I’m sure it does play some role, since it can cause brain damage. There are many toxic ingredients in childhood vaccines, including but not limited to aluminum salts, ammonium sulfate, formaldehyde, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, neomycin, MSG, 2-phenoxyethanol, phosphate buffers, polysorbate 80, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide, and sorbitol. For a more detailed analysis of toxic ingredients in vaccines, including thimerosal, see my blog articles: Swine Flu Vaccine Without Adjuvant is Unsafe and Swine flu vaccine ingredients are not safe for pregnant women and children.

Any one of the toxic ingredients in childhood vaccines could be the cause of autism. Most likely, what happens is that the baby’s body is not able to handle the sheer volume of vaccines injected into him/her, resulting in various types of chronic health problems and sometimes resulting in autism if the baby is genetically susceptible. Other likely causes of autism include pollution, toxins in our food/water supply and pharmaceutical drugs. Any type of toxin in the environment could contribute to autism.

An excellently well-referenced article in The American Chronicle discusses the potential causes of autism. Phthalates, PCB’s and other chemicals (Booker, 2001), have increased at the same rate as autism has. Metal concentrations in the air may also be linked to autism (Windham, 2006).