What Doesn't Cause Autism?
Published July 29, 2009 @ 02:27PM PT
Now that breast milk is being pointed to as a cause of autism based on research on rats by University of California neuroscience professor Michael Merzenich (a 2007 study found developmental abnormalities in rat pups who were nursed by mothers who had been exposed to certain PCBs during pregnancy and in the early weeks after giving birth; more discussion at About.com)----and me having noted a very wide assortment of purported causes of autism (TV, ultrasounds) in my past four years of daily blogging---one wants to throw down the proverbial gauntlet (if not throw up one's hands) and say what hasn't been suggested as a cause for autism?
You are welcome to note potential future candidates for the title of "autism cause of the moment" in the comments.
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Comments (10)
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Kristina is a Classics professor in Jersey City, New Jersey, a blogger (formerly at AutismVox), a translator (of Virgil), and an advocate every day for her son, Charlie.
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BREAST MILK? Geez. At this point EVERYTHING causes autism, including these birds chirping on my deck.
They are so annoying.
But so cute...
I can't really take these studies totally seriously. Especially when folks are like, now we know EVERYTHING...
But usually it's one study, and people are kind of complex.
Scramble a brain?
Posted by Shondolyn (Synesthesia) Gibson on 07/29/2009 @ 03:31PM PT
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Here's one - blame it on parents who paid too much for a college education. Seems kind of odd that the rising autism Dx happens at the same time as rising college tuition. Or maybe too many people going to college and thinking too hard?
I am of course being sarcastic, so please don't tell me how autism cuts across socioeconomic and educational levels. I'm joking, OK?
Posted by Cornelia Rivers on 07/29/2009 @ 04:08PM PT
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Breast milk is a long shot for a cause of autism. One red flag is the implausible research done with rats. It still seems that the rise in autism coincides with the rate of escalation of toxic materials and environmental deregulation. Rev. Bookburn - Radio Volta
Posted by Rev Bookburn on 07/29/2009 @ 04:43PM PT
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Remember that song in the '70s? I think it was Randy Newman. Everything Causes Cancer. Now it's everything causes autism.
There's a great analysis of how ultimate frisbee team rankings are a better predictor of graduation rates than the SAT. http://www.prweb.com/releases/ultimate/ranking/prweb431459.htm Move over US News!
Correlation does not equal causation. http://xkcd.com/552/ Every undergraduate should learn this in a research methods or stats class (before they go on to edit research journals (!) or cover health issues for a newspaper). Or maybe that only happens at schools where they play a lot of frisbee...
Posted by Cate R on 07/29/2009 @ 04:45PM PT
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Haa.
The possibilities are, it seems, limitless!
Posted by Kristina Chew on 07/29/2009 @ 11:00PM PT
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I would say water, but, um, I've actually heard that proposed as a "cause".
What I love is when the cure is also a cause...
Posted by Erin Monk on 07/29/2009 @ 11:24PM PT
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So what if there are multiple possible causes of autism?
Should research into possible causes stop because confirmation of environmental causes distrubs the non evidence based belief of some that autism is 100% genetic, a belief perpetuated on this site?
Should those who wish to see more research on possible environmental causes of autism disorders get annoyed each time a particular gene or genetic region is associated with autism?
There will likely be more possible causes of autism offered and some will be disproven. That is what this humble layperson understands science to involve.
Teresa Binstock identified the "it's gotta be genetic" paradigm of autism research funding in 1999. In recent years that has begun to shift toward a paradigm which views autism as arising from the interaction of genes and environment. More research will be done on the environmental side which is still woefully underfunded compared to the genetic side.
http://autisminnb.blogspot.com/2009/02/vaccine-autism-war-teresa-binstocks.html
http://autisminnb.blogspot.com/2007/07/autism-research-paradigm-shift.html
Hopefully someday, the 100% genetic myth, like the refrigerator moms myth, will be set aside for good, all causes of autism disorders, genetic and environmental, confirmed and cures developed.
Respectfully,
Harold Doherty
Posted by Harold L Doherty on 07/30/2009 @ 05:09AM PT
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all causes of autism disorders, genetic and environmental, confirmed and cures developed
I'm interested in etiology as well, and what appears to be scattershot of research is not unexpected since relatively little is known, either genetically or environmentally (and I include more than the chemical "environment"). The reasonable possibilities seems to taking some steps towards a narrower range.
The thing I don't have a handle on is exactly when these possible future findings might lead to something applicable, and my feeling is that to expect a "cure" in all cases may turn out to be ultimately unattainable, just as most disorders do not have a "cure" as in curing a disease, but may be ameliorated, treated or accommodated. However, I'm no psychic so that's just an opinion, not an absolute prediction.
In the meanwhile, since time and tide wait for no man, it seems to make as much sense to also emphasize research to firm up the evidence base on current recommendation and practice so "what works" and, if so - how and for whom, and thence how to increase quality implementation is better understood and disseminated.
I can't possibly predict what might be floated next as a potential for explaining autism; I'll hazard that dill pickles will not be a potential cause.
Posted by Regina Claypool-Frey on 07/30/2009 @ 12:05PM PT
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Studies show that the vast number of children later diagnosed with autism have a history of having been born. Therefore, birth is the #1 leading cause of autism.
Other causes of autism may include having a pulse, and breathing oxygen. (OMG It's AIRBORNE!!!!!)
Posted by Katie miller on 08/06/2009 @ 02:24PM PT
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i once heard that the leading cause of death is....birth!!
Posted by leo ciccotosto on 09/23/2009 @ 09:36PM PT
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