Autism is increasing at an alarming rate in the U.S. and in Europe. Mercury preservative in vaccinations (which is no longer used) has been blamed, but then why don’t all children develop this problem? Now researchers think that children who become autistic have genes that make it harder for them to process mercury, and they may be getting it from their mothers’ tooth fillings.
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Autism expert Simon Baron-Cohen says they both showed signs of Asperger syndrome, a form of autism. While it’s impossible to definitely diagnose a dead person, he says he wants to use the information to find out why some autistic people excel, while others live a stunted life. Autism is genetic and those who are born with it may be unable to form social relationships, but they have a talent for understanding complex abstractions and memorizing facts (and are often excellent musicians). “Geeks,” such as mathematicians, engineers and physicists, have a relatively high rate of autism in their families. Einstein and Newton both had the three key symptoms of Asperger syndrome: obsessive interests, difficulty in social relationships, and problems communicating.
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An epidemic of autism cases has swept through California in the last 15 years. The number of people with autism being served by the California Department of Developmental Services increased by 273% from 1987 to 1998, and is still growing by about nine cases per day. That increase cannot be explained away by better data, improved diagnosis, or immigration.
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The U.K. Medical Research Council feels that a massive and coordinated research effort to identify the causes of autism is urgently needed and believes that autism and related disorders are far more common than previously thought. So far, there is no firm evidence linking any environmental elements with the disease.
Autism and related disorders affect six in every 1,000 English children under the age of eight, the research team found. The previous figure was between one and two per 1,000. The increase is due to changed ideas about what constitutes autism, as well as increased awareness of the condition.
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