Autism - Signs, Symptoms, Treatments, Resources, Support for Autism

What is the most common sign of autism? Autism is the fastest growing developmental disorder in the United States, now being diagnosed in as many as 1 in 150 individuals.  In reality, there is not just one tell-tale sign but there are some "absolute indicators" otherwise known as "red flags", that should be brought to the attention of your pediatrician. Here they are: 1) If your child hasn't really smiled or shown any type of eye contact or happy expression by 6 months or afterwards, this might be an early warning characteristic of autism. 2) If your child is 9 months old or older, he/she should be sharing sounds, smiles or other facial expressions. If this isn't the case, let your pediatrician know. 3) Once he/she has hit 12 months of age, your child should be pointing, showing, reaching or waving. 4) By 16 months of age, your child should be saying at least a couple of words. 5) By 2 years, your child should be expressing 2-word phrases by him/he...

In March, a federal court ruled that the evidence supporting an alleged link between autism and a mercury-containing preservative in vaccines was not persuasive, and that the families of children who have  autism were not entitled to compensation. Vaccine court finds no link to autism In February, a notorious study that linked the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine to autism and digestive disorders, was retracted 12 years after it was published.  Its lead author Dr. Andrew Wakefield was found to have acted unethically in conducting the research by the British entity that oversees doctors.   Medical journal retracts study linking autism to vaccine As research  indicates that the rates of autism are increasing and that about 1 percent of the children in the United States have the disorder,  there is an increasing body of science looking into causes and contributing factors to the mysterious condition. Here are some major findings according...

Nearly all of the leading health organizations including the CDC and the NIH say that there is no relationship between vaccines and autism. Yet many parents are convinced there is more to the story, and doubts about the safety of vaccines linger in their minds. How did this controversy get started -- and why is it still such a concern? Before launching into the issues surrounding vaccines and autism, it's important to note that, with very rare exceptions, no one on either side of the vaccine issues is "anti-vaccine." Every doctor and researcher with any real credentials acknowledges that vaccinations have saved thousands and possibly millions of lives -- and even those doctors who are most vocal in their concerns about vaccines offer recommendations for what they consider to be "safe" vaccines.