22:21 - Exactly. It is a shame some people are not more educated. Some people want to believe what is convenient to them. No one is blaming the parent.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Every doctor in the world will agree that you cannot have a genetic childhood epidemic...it simply cannot exist. There are environmental triggers involved.

There is no epidemic. Studies have shown that current rates of autism are the same as in adults and the older populations - they just weren't diagnosed. So the actual number of cases hasn't increased but the number of kids being diagnosed has.

I agree with this. I have been teaching for 35 years. Yes, more children have ASD than 35 years ago, but the behaviors haven't changed, just the ability to accurately diagnose what these behaviors indicate.

Anonymous wrote:Every doctor in the world will agree that you cannot have a genetic childhood epidemic...it simply cannot exist. There are environmental triggers involved.

There is no epidemic. Studies have shown that current rates of autism are the same as in adults and the older populations - they just weren't diagnosed. So the actual number of cases hasn't increased but the number of kids being diagnosed has.

OP that is the question I think every mom with a child with ASD asks. While the fact your 1st has ASD increases the chances your second will it doesn't mean it's going to happen. I suspect as others have said it's an interplay of genes and environment. There are some things you can do that may help some. These are the things I would do: eat organic, avoid plastics and GMOs as much as possible, use only environmentally friendly chemicals in your home for cleaning, etc. Do these things cause autism by themselves-I doubt it. Do I think they might help pull the trigger-possibly?

And now for the contraversial part...I would spread out vaccines. Before a bunch of people pounce on me and flip out...I did NOT say don't vaccinate.. Also, I don't think vaccines caused my child's autism. That said, I question the current vaccine schedule for many reasons. I also think vaccines could have contributed to my child's gut issues. I am not convinced Wakefield was the villain the pharm companies want you to think he was. I am not going to completely open that can of worms, but let's just say I think Big Pharm had something to do with the intimidation of those involved in the study-both the patients and the people who retracted and the guy who supposedly exposed Wakefield had ties to big pharma and supposedly/alledgedly harrassed and intimidated some people involved. I really wish someone like Michael Moore would do a movie exploring the power of Big Pharm and the whole vaccine issue, but that's another post.

Every doctor in the world will agree that you cannot have a genetic childhood epidemic...it simply cannot exist. There are environmental triggers involved.

I have three children. My first is NT, second has AS, 3rd is NT. All were vaccinated on the same schedule.

I really don't understand the genetic connection. I have done some research but want to understand more.

My nephew has autism. Does this mean his uncle (my husband) is more likely to have a child with autism?

1st is an Aspie like his father. 2nd is NT tho with developmental delays. Not having another -- partially bc I'm worried about having another w autism.

OP,

my first child has ASD and my second is as NT as they come. To be frank, had I known about the first's ASD before I got pregnant with the second, I would not have had a second child. Given what we've been through and what the little one has had to put up with, I think that would have been the right choice for us. But I didn'tknow yet. And I'm not suggesting that's the right course of action for you either.
A PP already posted the stats.

Anonymous wrote:PP, you are an idiot. Study after study has shown that vaccinations don't cause autism. It's probably caused by the interplay of genes and environment. We're don't know what the environmental factors are, but the science is pretty clear that it's not the use of vaccines.

OP, your risk for having a second child with autism is 5%. It's higher than the general population. Lots of families have second kids without an ASD. Some families have multiple kids with ASD. My first has ASD; my second is NT.

Just ignore the troll. Everyone knows vaccines aren't related to autism they just say it to stir the pot and get people going. And if by some chance they are that ignorant well you can't fix stupid.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/autism/detail_autism.htm#179523082

Look under the section on inheritance.

PP, you are an idiot. Study after study has shown that vaccinations don't cause autism. It's probably caused by the interplay of genes and environment. We're don't know what the environmental factors are, but the science is pretty clear that it's not the use of vaccines.

OP, your risk for having a second child with autism is 5%. It's higher than the general population. Lots of families have second kids without an ASD. Some families have multiple kids with ASD. My first has ASD; my second is NT.

Most people on this board love to tout that autism is genetic. So, by their standards, yes, you should be worried. If you are smarter than that, you'll research your butt off to figure out what the hell happened so that it doesn't happen again. For me it was easy, we stopped vaccinating.

Not necessarily. Many of my friends had NT second children.

I am worried my next child will have it too, should I be worried?