Triggers of Autism

1. What can I do to PREVENT autism from occurring in subsequent children?

Autism is a complex disorder with many contributing factors. While we don't have all the answers yet, you can decrease the risk to younger siblings and future pregnancies by protecting your family from known dangers like environmental toxins. You may also want to speak with your doctor and dentist about amalgam safety, water filtering, fish consumption, etc.

Be sure and talk to your doctor about any vaccinations you've had in recent years and avoid vaccines containing heavy metals (mercury, aluminum, etc.) during pregnancy. You may not be informed in advance, ask to look at the manufacturer's insert for specifics about thimerosal, etc.

Autism Advocate's Environmental Health and Autism Pages on ASA Website

2. My doctor says the thimerosal in vaccines is "so little there's nothing to be worriedabout" - is he/she right?

From Boyd Haley, Professor and Chair of the University of Kentucky Department of Chemistry: "The EPA safe level for mercury exposure from the diet is 0.1 micrograms/2.2 pounds body weight and the vaccines preserved with thimerosal has 12.5 micrograms of mercury or 125 times the EPA safe level. This makes the vaccine exposure safe if your baby weighs 275 pounds." Also, the thimerosal is injected, not ingested, which makes it more toxic, and it is delivered with aluminum that enhances the neurotoxicity. So it is surprising a physician would be so dismissive and say the thimerosal is 'so small it is nothing to worry about.'"

3. What's the difference in hair test, stool test or urine challenge for heavy metal toxicity?

Some companies do and some don't – denied claims most often have to do with HMO limits, billing codes, and restrictions on your child's access to "in-network" and "out-of-network" providers.

Talk About Curing Autism's (TACA) insurance issues.

Some clinicians participate in insurance plans – to determine if your plan will cover a treatment, compare your insurance provider's list with the list of clinicians using the evidence-based medical approach.

4. What is the recommended vaccination schedule?

Recommendations vary. Many parents decide not to vaccinate at all or use an alternative vaccination schedule, see:

5. How can I convince my spouse and family to support dietary and medical interventions for ASD?

Several clinicians and parents have published brief, written accounts of their children's dramatic improvement and even recoveries and posted them for free online. Printing and sharing their stories may help your family better understand your efforts.

6. How can I research my child's vaccinations – I want to know about the content of the vaccines he/she received?

If you have the lot numbers (your child's physician should have them on file), you can call the manufacturers and find out when the vaccines were made, then check the Physician's Desk Reference for that year to determine each vaccine's contents. There is a form you can use on NVIC's site as a "litmus test" - based on when you got shots and what manufacturer - that's the "Mercury Calculator"

You can also look for vaccine reaction reports posted for a particular lot # - it's a "hotlot" search of the government's adverse reaction database.

Contact numbers for childhood vaccine manufacturers:

  • Merck & Co., Inc.
    One Merck Drive
    P.O. Box 100
    Whitehouse Station, NJ 08889-0100 USA
    Phone: 908-423-1000
    Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM ET
    web site contact info
  • Wyeth Lederle
    5 Giralda Farms
    Madison, NJ 07940
    (800) 999-9384 (99-WYETH) Option # 1
    web site contact info
  • Sanofi-Aventis
    300 Somerset Corporate Bld
    Bridgewater, NJ 08807-2854
    Tel: 800-981-2491
    web site contact info

7. What about other chemicals in our environment besides mercury and heavy metals - do these effect our kids?

There are numerous studies showing the relationship between chemicals in our environment and developmental delays, thyroid disruption, etc. One of the best sources for information on the affects of chemicals in our environment is Environmental Working Group. Another source is Toxin Free legacy: Toxic Free Legacy

8. My child has dark circles under his eyes – what causes that?

Dark circles under the eyes are almost always one of two conditions:

  • Phenol Sulfotransferase Deficiency
  • Environmental exposure to toxins or allergenic foods

For more information, see: Dana's View, Phenol Information