I just read this article and I couldn't believe my eyes:

http://www.slate.com/id/2149002/?GT1=8592

Does this make sense to any of you??? I'm not trying to start
an argument here, I'm just trying to understand this.

Okay...It sounds ludicrous to me. I do know, though, that mindless marathon TV viewing has been blamed for the explosion of ADD/ADHD dxs, which I can believe, but autism?? I think not.

I can rest assured that it has nothing to do with Drew's autism. He has actually watched very little TV all his life, and he was showing signs of something being seriously wrong as young as two months old, when he was screaming and arching as I tried to hold him. I am all but certain his Chiari ties into it, and I yearn for the day I see that in print (the study is being conducted!! ), but so far, there has been no definitive cause found, and just like the recent TIME article said, there appear to be many different types of autism--not just degrees--each with its own cause(s). I have believed that for 10 years, and this comment was made at the ASA conference, too.


LIZARD

The possibility of an ADD/ADHD connection makes sense to me, too, but
I couldn't understand how/why anyone could connect it to autism. Which
is why I was wondering if anyone else had heard or read anything about it.

Do you have a link about the study? I'm interested in that, too.

Vince didn't even start to watch tv till he was almost three.

I mean, I could buy investigating if the tv waves in the air as well as cell phone, radio, and all other kids of waves in the air that didn't used to be there. Stuff in outter space that beams back to earth...satellites or whatnot. Computer and microwaves, just any kind of unnatural waves all combined, like, I have wondered if it is somehow messing up our neurological 'frequencies'.

But, I really have no idea how waves in the air would or if it even could effect our neurology...just rambling thoughts back from the days when I first found out Vince had autism, and wondered if I caused it by standing too close to the microwave. Now, that surely is far fetched...but I do wonder about the stuff in our air, the 'waves' and if it can effect neurology.

But, just watching tv, nope. No way. I'm not believing that...doesn't explain Vince and loads of other kids.

What I really was annoyed with the article about, was how it seemed to say that mercury - a KNOWN neurological damager was just so totally dismissed. Not that I think that's what did it for Vince, but I respect and believe the mothers who know that was a culprit for their child.

Mili

If children are showing signs of autism shortly after birth, how could it
possibly be connected to watching TV? And, as far as dismissing other
possible causes, I noticed that, too. It was almost as if they were saying
that watching TV was the main (if not only) cause of autism in children,
which didn't make sense to me at all.JMO

Its stupid stuff like this that keep us from the real cause. Of course, the people who are causing autism are the ones with all the bucks and power... so its no surprise to see this stuff pop up.

Besides, autism existed before television was even invented! So, how
do these so-called "experts" (and I use that term loosely!) explain that??
What do they think the cause was before TV? Radio, maybe? Give
me a break!

Did it? I thought that was one of the big issues: the sudden appearance and the rising increase in frequency?

I know there have been speculations that certain historical persons may or may not have been autistic...but even if it's true that say Albert Einstein was an Aspie, that's only like 2 generations ago...I haven't heard of any speculations beyond that...course that doesn't mean there aren't any...I'm just asking...lord knows I am NOT the expert here! But I'm really interested in understanding better!

And I agree, TV viewing...DER! Mili's idea sounds like something that should be explored...like it could be possible...but TV viewing? Ahhh doubt it!

KJ

If they can explain how the blood of a 4 month old baby can change, and other brain anomalies happen so quickly.... from watching tv... ridiculous.

yes autism has been around for a long time, long before tv. Guess whatever idiot who conjured up this idea didn't bother to do any research.... just looking for ways to blame parents.

fluff and hogwash!

and if they want an anecdotal contradiction then my severely autistic son who was about 6 yrs old before showing any interest in t.v. at all should serve. His autism was clear by age two and there were signs before 6 months of age.
but there's really no need to counter such unfounded and obviously off-kilter reasoning presented in that little article.