I do feel like a hypocrite because I have adamantly stated I am sick of everyone trying to tell me the cause of my son's ASD. I am not waisting my time searching for a cause when there are experts with a whole lot more resourses than I could ever have. Yes I do wish there were more funding for research and yes I want a reason found. I just know no matter what I can not go back and change Michael having ASD. But I am subscribed to an Autistic Research Blog. I rarely fully read it though. I am not an idiot. I have a high reading comprehension level, but sometimes it is rather difficult to process everything in techinical and medical terms. But today they posted something that I actually fully read though... Which of course I thought I would share.
A review of: Schultz, S.T., Klonoff-Cohen, H.S., Wingard, D.L., Akshoomoff, N.A., Macera, C.A., Ming Ji, . (2008). Acetaminophen (paracetamol) use, measles-mumps-rubella vaccination, and autistic disorder: The results of a parent survey. Autism, 12(3), 293-307. DOI: 10.1177/1362361307089518
A study in the latest issue of the journal Autism examined the possible role of acetaminophen use after MMR vaccine and autism. The authors provided an excellent review of the MMR vaccine-autism research, which indicates that although some clinical studies have found a link, most epidemiological studies have failed to find an association between MMR and autism. The authors noted that acetaminophen is commonly used to treat the adverse reaction of MMR vaccinations such a fever and rash. In addition, one study (Alberti et al, 1999) showed that some low functioning children with autism process acetaminophen differently. Thus, the authors proposed a innovative hypothesis: Does acetaminophen use after MMR vaccination increase the risk for Autism?
The authors recruited parents of typically developing children and children with autism via internet advertisement. The total sample included 83 parents completing the survey for children with autism and 80 parents completing the control survey. The surveys included a variety of questions about the child such as age, gender, what medications were used to prevent or treat reactions to the MMR vaccine, including aspirin, acetaminophen, or ibuprofen. The survey of parents of children with autism included additional questions about their children diagnosis such as whether a regression in development was observed.
The authors found that parents of children with autism reported:
- more adverse effects of MMR vaccine, including fever, diarrhea, irritability
- increased presence of concurrent illnesses with MMR vaccine
- more acetaminophen use after the MMR vaccine among children who had a reaction to the vaccine, children who had a regression in development, and those under 5.
- more acetaminophen use between 12 and 18 months of age
No association was found between ibuprofen use and autism.
For the record, Michael never was given tylenol after shots. He never had any reactions other than some crankiness, which hey I am a turd after shots too.... Maybe it was only to spite me because I took an unnusueal glee in his finally getting a shot because of all the preterm labor stopping arm punching stinging shots I had with him. I was not sadistic, I just felt no pity for him until after they stabbed him... But Michael refused tylenol as a baby. I had to give him ibuprofen. Now he is a tylenol nut. If he hurts he wants the magical pain relieving pink pill...
So maybe no matter what Michael was meant to have ASD. Perhaps he is one of those that they could do the gentic testing on and see he has the messed up (15th?) chromosome. Maybe I have the messed up one. I read somewhere that in the next year they can start testing mothers perhaps to see if they have a higher risk of having another ASD child. Maybe no matter what I do next time I would have another Michael.
When Wyatt was
When Wyatt was younger--maybe around 1 yr to 18 months--I tried giving him liquid Children's Tylenol (cherry flavor) and he would barf it up almost the instant I squirted it into his mouth. Still, I'm sure some got in there. I've often wondered if it was just a gag reflex or if there was something sinister about Tylenol. I read somewhere that aspirin can cause something called Reyes disease in children. That's why they say not to give kids aspirin but give them Tylenol instead. So, maybe Tylenol has a similar effect in kids.
Wyatt never had the MMR shot, though. I do think genetics played a role in Wyatt's autism, but I don't think he would have contracted autism before this big epidemic began. There is some chemical out there poisoning our children.
Reye Syndrome I guess can be
Reye Syndrome I guess can be pretty bad for a kid. My mother had to care for a child with it once and was always insistant never give Michael Motrin when he had a fever. Yet the dr says alternate Tylenol and Motrin every 2 hours to relieve a fever. And I know asprin is bad for fevers. It is also the worst on the stomch. Especially if you have ulcers. I have a bleeding stomach but it has decreased since I went off the Motrin. I was getting an immunity to it so now I take low-dosage chewable asprin. So I wonder if all this over-medicating out children will cause more problems for when they are older. Makes me want to put up the bottle and let Michael suffer some small things out.
Here is the link to The
Here is the link to The Medicated Child:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/medicatedchild/
I think I will post this in the forum as well. It isn't exactly autism specific, but I know that drugs can become a big part of treatment, and what do we really know about these drugs?