Hot on HuffPost Parents:
Charlotte Robinson: LISTEN: How Gay And Lesbian Couples Become…
New Turnaround Teacher 'Trying To Get It Right' In Tough School
Study Links Autism to Educated, Affluent Parents
Filed under: In The News, Research Reveals: Babies
Credit: UC Regents
Forget what former Playboy bunny turned autism activist Jenny McCarthy says. The skyrocketing rate of autism diagnoses may not be linked to childhood vaccines.
One of the biggest is that many of the kids come from homes with highly educated and often affluent parents. Most of these parents were white.
Autism specialists have often suspected as much. That may not be because of the children themselves. It could be that educated and affluent parents are more likely to have their children diagnosed and treated at an early age.
The Times reports Hertz-Picciotto and her fellow researchers obtained birth records for 2,453,717 children born in California between 1996 and 2000. They picked those years because if children were going to be diagnosed with autism, it would have happened by now.
State records showed that about 9,900 autism cases were recorded with the Department of Developmental Services. Researchers identified 10 clusters of autism among the 21 regional offices of the department as well two other potential clusters.
"Looking at clustering is often a way to uncover leads about problems in the environment," Hertz-Picciotto tells the Times. "Mapping has a long history of being a way to get clues."
More children in the clusters probably were diagnosed with autism because of their parents' responses rather than anything in the air or drinking water, research team member Karla C. Van Meter tells the Times.
"In the U.S., the children of older, white and highly educated parents are more likely to receive a diagnosis of autism or autism spectrum disorder," she tells the Times.
"For this reason, the clusters we found are probably not a result of a common environmental exposure," she adds. "Instead, the differences in education, age and ethnicity of parents comparing births in the cluster versus those outside the cluster were striking enough to explain the clusters."
Team members are now looking for medical causes for the increased number of autism diagnoses.
The Times reports previous studies suggest exposure to pesticides may play a role. A study in Texas showed that exposure to mercury in the environment -- but, sorry Jenny, not in vaccines -- might be a factor.
"We are casting a wide net, looking at everything we can -- pesticides, medical conditions in the mother, medications, flame retardants, etc.," Hertz-Picciotto tells the Times.
Related: Latest Study Refutes the Link Between Thimerosal and Autism, Autism: Real Epidemic or Trendy Diagnosis
Your<span>Voice</span>
Ask Us Anything About Parenting
TheTalkies:RelatedVideos
-
Addressing Late Talker and Autism Concerns
Join a discussion about growth and development by Dr. Hands, who presents all that any parent would like to know about any health concern during the first few years of child's life. This video explains the late talker and autism concerns.
-
How to Get Your Child with Autism to Talk
Stephen Warts from the growing minds autism program gives you some steps on how to encourage your child with autism to speak.
-
Dealing With Diagnosis Of Autism As A Parent
Peggy Halliday discusses a variety of topics related to autism spectrum disorders, such as if a child receives a diagnosis of autism, what should parents do
-
When Should Parents Worry About Autism Symptoms
Peggy Halliday discusses a variety of topics related to autism spectrum disorders, such as when do parents begin to worry something might be wrong
SitesWeLove
- Site Map
- |
- Staff
- |
- Terms of Service
- |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Trademarks
- |
- Advertise With Us
- |
- About Our Ads
- |
- AOL Downloads
- |
- Contact Us
- |
© Copyright 2012 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Aol Family
ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
1-07-2010 @ 10:31AM
Mihir said...what?? you mean jenny mccarthy was wrong?? i'm shocked! SHOCKED i tells ya!
Reply
1-07-2010 @ 11:14AM
lisa said...actually, the studies said nothing about vaccines one way or another. nor is Jenny mentioned in any of the material shared by the researchers.
Lisa Rudy
www.autism.about.com
1-07-2010 @ 12:17PM
Ruth Sheahan said...Could it be that highly educated parents between 1996- 2000 were more likely to adhere to the CDC vaccine schedule?
Reply
1-08-2010 @ 7:45AM
Don said...Could it be that better educated or affluent parents were more likely to recognize the symptoms or more likely to take their child to the doctors more often.
You have to remember correlation does not equal causation.
This study may help researchers narrow down on a possible environmental exposure.
P.S. To the author, keep up the Jenny McCarthy was so wrong lines, I love it.
1-07-2010 @ 1:20PM
Tony Bateson said...Perhaps it is also something to do with a propensity to get vaccinated. But in case anyone thinks this is significant I can tell you about a very large group of people who are not autistic - they are the unvaccinated people of Britain born since 1966. I am confident on the basis of thousands of hours of trawling this group to say there are no autistic people there!
Where does this leave the suggestion that autism only strikes affluent families - a notion current in 1969 when I first became involved with an autism community action group - I have to tell you that it was rapidly demolished as we met many industrial workers and single parent families etc., who had autistic kids.
Tony Bateson, Oxford UK
Reply
1-12-2010 @ 3:17AM
Ray said...Im not taking a chance. Our baby's pediatrician doesnt do the MMR until 15months not 12 and I like that.
Reply
1-12-2010 @ 6:56PM
wysper said...Im sure ill get mauled for this however as a child of a special education teacher my mom has told me about studies and meeting and conferences that teachers have been going to about the alarming rise in autistic children from well to do white families. they are finding an alarming amount of diet sodas containing a cancer causing agent known as sachrine are consumed by the mothers and they are wondering if a link is able to be made from this. jenny mcarthy is a moron and watching her and her "mission" on autism has made me cringe and get mad
Reply
1-13-2010 @ 4:15PM
CJ said...As someone who has an autistic son and appreciates the attention that Jenny McCarthy has brought to the topic I read the first line of your article calling her out as a "former Playboy bunny" as a way of undermining her overall message with a pointed jab. What's with the attitude? She is far from the only parent who is concerned with the affects of vaccines on certain children. We all need to be a bit more open minded and put ourselves in other parents shoes for a moment. Imagine this: you take your child to the doctor for their scheduled vaccinations, you come home, they develop a fever and overnight that child's behavior is completely different. They no longer give you eye contact. They don't respond to their name. The stare off in to space and only seem to enjoy or "obsess" on repetitive activities. How much would that suck? Didn't happen to you? Lucky you! But if it did happen to you, or a friend or family member, perhaps you would be more open minded about this entire argument. On the subject of getting an actual diagnosis, I will tell you that my husband and I own our own companies and therefore have the ability to take the time we need to get our son to various specialists. The first red flag of autism was at his 18 month scheduled pediatrician's visit. We did not get an actual diagnosis until he was 4, and it wasn't for a lack of trying and expensive doctors appointments all of Los Angeles. I am not surprised by the stats in the article at all. Nothing about autism is easy, including getting the actual diagnosis.
Reply