Autism

[ike]

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How much longer until we all communicate solely through machines? Is "Autism" a disease or an evolutionary trait? With the remarkable innate abilities that many, if not all(note their inhibited communication)autistics possess, when will punctuated equlibrium, the Mayan Calendar, and "Autism" be recognized for what it is. The future of humanity is now.

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I still don't believe it, but after reading this like 4 times its coherent enough that I would love to hear you elaborate...

[Phaedrus]

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conspiracies involving dozens of people do not stay quiet or secret and do not exist.

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I did a lot of research on this topic when my son was born and it was quite an eye opener for me.

There may not be a conspiracy but there is certainly a huge amount of bias built into the official "science".

For example, I read the full transcript of the Simpsonwood Conference.

The way that the bias manifests itself is that the burden of proof is on those who try to establish the link between vaccination and autism.

You would think that the burden would be on those who want to inject mercury into babies to show that it's safe but that's not how it works.

So, imagine a study that shows a correlation between autism and vaccination. But the sample is fairly small so there is only a 90% confidence factor. In other words there is 90% chance that the correlation is valid but a 10% chance that it is just coincidence.

This "fails to reject the null hypothesis" because a 95% confidence factor is required. So, this study would be summarized by the CDC as saying that the study "failed to show any correlation between vaccination and autism".

If a study meets the 95% confidence the protocols are nitpicked..."were the results adjusted for income level, race, geographic location, parents' education level etc.?" You need to read the transcript to get a real flavor of this, it's like listening to OJ's defense lawyers. This study would then be summarized by the CDC as "having faulty protocol" and be rejected.

Here's how I think the story goes:

Vaccines containing thimerisol triggered a lot of autism in susceptible individuals over the years. (Low birth weight, multiple simultaneous vaccinations, and likely some genetic predisposition comes into play)

The thimerisol has been removed so the vaccines are no longer causing this problem, so what benefit is there in rehashing the past? The CDC doesn't want it because parents lose confidence in vaccines, the industry obviously doesn't want to, politicians are happy to let sleeping dogs lie.

Is this a conspiracy? No.

[The Bride]

Just a couple of comments to add (I'm involved in biomedical research and know some of the individuals involved in autism research).

First, I've heard it very cynically expressed that the prevalence of autism will level off once it reaches 1%. A similar increase in "prevalence" occured for schizophrenia as that became better diagnosed in the fifties and sixties. Schizophrenia prevalence eventually levelled off at ~1%. It strikes many as a somewhat convenient number and the cynical view is that clinical researchers have a vested interest in inflating the prevalence number (more funding). When you tell people a disorder effects 0.1% or 1 in a 1000 people, it tends not to have the same effect as 1%. There seems to be a psychological leap from a fraction of a percent to a whole percent. I guess time will tell whether this view will be correct for autism prevlaence rates.

Second, with regard to the vaccination debate, many people don't realise how serious NOT vaccinating your child actually is. For example, measles has a fatlity rate of about 0.1%, and rubella can lead to some pretty horrible birth defects if a pregnant woman is exposed to it. So it isn't as simple as saying the onus is on the vaccine manafacturers to "prove" their vaccines don't cause autism.

[keikiwai]

interesting

another youtube video, first person explanation of aspereger's

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbgUjmeC-4o

also related:

guy draws out 5 yards of paper after a 45 minute helicopter ride

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TibQ_1zH3U

[TheWorstPlayer]

I dont have time to read this thread right now, just saw the title. Have people heard about the economist linking autism with watching television? Sparked incredibly heated debate (LDO). If it hasn't been commented on yet in this thread, I think it would be really interesting to hear what people have to say about it. Particularly Dean if he reads this forum...

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something like 50% of internet addicted nerds have at least mild aspergers. I have it, you have it, everyone has it. it's not that big a deal, especially since it's linked to increased intelligence. given that enough social conditioning and working on yourself can take care of most of the bad stuff in mild to moderate cases, I'll take that tradeoff.

(mild) aspergers != 'real' autism (and thank god for that.)

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I think you have no [censored] clue what you are talking about.

People treat the subject as if it would be something cool to have asperger/autism.

[gjv76]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTsVzOKqK-k

Don't forget about J-Mac!

[HP]

[ QUOTE ]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbgUjmeC-4o

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wow hearing this guy talk reminds me of a friend of mine. An example phone convo between me and my friend:

I pick up the phone: "hello?"

5 second pause

him: "oh. hey Jim!"

5 second pause

me: "so ah.... what'd you call me about?"

5 second pause

him: "oh right! well...."


He's socially akward, and mid sentence often pauses for a few seconds considering his next word. I would have thought he was slightly mentally retarded, but he is currently getting a PHD in theoretical physics.

After reading this thread, I suspect my friend is slightly autistic (assuming it's possible to be just 'slightly' autistic)

[MH11]

Anyone know any retailers for computer software etc. made for "special education" purposes? And by special education, I mean software developed to help parents, people working with autistic kids and/or the kids themselves.

[jjlied]

Although I have often misdiagnosed myself as autistic (as well as a host of other maladies; being an ENTP with a 149 IQ will do that), I am only currently diagnosed as Bipolar II. In reponse to the query registered by ike, I can only say that when one looks at the pyramids, one must not look only at their shape, but what that shape means in terms of space and time. I hope that I am not the 20 something on this forum to feel that the last 3 years have occurred fasted than any previous three years. Time is relative, and is increasing. This is why there are pyramids on multiple, completely separate continents. This is why I am able to tell all of this community, which will in turn spread the word. Just as Jesus told his disciples (I am not comparing myself to our Lord. I am far from divinity, trust me) The word is being transmitted to the smartest, as has been done for millenia. Assumming the form a poker nerd is the best way to inform the smartest of what is. I will be in Las Vegas for the WSOP. I will elaborate there. I respect you all.