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Autism is one of five disorders falling under the umbrella of Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD). The disorders are considered neurological and are characterized by severe and pervasive impairment of the many areas of development.
The disorders are known as Autistic Disorder, Asperger's Syndrome, Rhett Syndrome, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD) and Pervasive Development Disorder of Childhood. Parents are usually the first to recognize symptoms that include but are not limited to:
- silence
- being withdrawn
- self-abuse
- indifference to social overtures
According to the Autism Society of America, autism occurs in one out of every 250 births. The society also calls autism the fastest-growing developmental disability. However, these statistics are in dispute.
There is a debate heating up as to what causes autism in children. St. Joseph's Children's Hospital's Dr. Eric Tridas said, "The medical reason for autism is that the brain does not work the way that it should."
Pediatrician Dr. David Berger has a different viewpoint. He said, " I am of the belief until proven otherwise that children with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism are toxic with mercury and heavy metals."
Berger said he believes that in some children the mercury toxicity comes from childhood vaccines that contain Thimerosal.
Thimerosal is a preservative containing approximately 50 percent mercury. Sydney Swenson, 10, is one of his patients he believes developed autism as a result of childhood vaccines.
To treat her condition, Berger uses Chelation Therapy. The therapy uses chelating agents, a series of different medicines, to excrete metals from the body through urine. Approved uses of chelation therapy include to treat Sickle Cell Anemia and lead poisoning.
Berger said he's seen dramatic improvements in autistic children who take advantage of chelation therapy. In Sydney's case, Berger says he saw the largest excretion ever of mercury and lead.
The Swensons say the chelation treatment has produced amazing results.
"I can see things like her being able to relate to a video, instead of doing a four-step process, she's doing an eight-step process," said Sydney's mother, Kathy Swenson. "She's clapping her hands, stomping her feet, saying hooray. She never did that before."
Another family, the Abelas, take a different approach. They say their autistic daughter Emma was born with the disease. Emma's pediatrician agrees.
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Emma's parents don't believe vaccines caused her autism. |
"We do not have any scientific evidence to date suggesting there is a connection between the vaccines and the development of autism," said Tridas.
The Abelas have elected not to try chelation therapy. Instead, they use physical, emotional, and educational therapy to treat Emma.
Click here to visit the Autism Society of America web site.
Click here to learn what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has to say about mercury.
Click here to learn about the preservative Thimerosal.
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