VaccinationsThe Center for Disease Control and Prevention does not support the theory that autism can be caused by vaccinations. In the past, it was believed that some ingredients in vaccines were giving children abnormal exposure to heavy metals which was causing brain abnormalities -- which then led to autism. The main vaccine ingredient that was examined was thimerosal, but thimerosal was removed from all vaccines in 2001. However, despite this ingredient and many other heavy metals being removed from childhood vaccines, the estimated number of children affected by autism continues to rise. Although the relationship between autism and vaccines is still being debated, this theory is not widely supported ("Concerns about autism," 2012).
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GeneticsOne of the main questions asked by parents of autistic children is, "Did they get it from me?" Unfortunately, there is no definite answer for this question. Various researchers have been studying genetics to determine if there is a certain variation that causes autism; however, many of them have found inconclusive results or results that are still too complex for the average person to understand. Autistic children have been found to have a variety of genetic mutations but researchers have been unable to narrow it down to a certain gene or determine what caused the mutation. Despite the unclear results, this line of research has become the most promising in recent years ("Genomics and Autism Spectrum Disorder," 2013).
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Other possible factors
- Vaccines and genetics are just two of the many possible causes of autism that are being studied. Other possible factors listed by the Autism Resource Center include:
- Problems during pregnancy (ex., mother ingesting harmful substances)
- Environmental factors (ex., viral infection, metabolic imbalances, exposure to environmental chemicals)
- Atypical brain development
- Immune deficiency
- Food allergies
- Poor nutrition
- Psychological factors
- Television watching
For more information, please visit the Autism Resource Center's website.