Rob Ring, the chief science officer at Autism Speaks, just hours ago posted a statement on the group’s website, urging parents to have their children vaccinated against measles. The statement reiterated the organization’s position that there is no definitive link between autism and vaccinations.
And while the announcement provides clarity to the position of many parents who do vaccinate their children, Autism Speaks offers a description of what has been learned about autism spectrum disorder.
Autism Speaks observes that it is known now that children can be diagnosed as having autism by age two. They also state that although the numbers of autistic children are shown to be higher now than 10 years ago, they are actually higher than formally indicated. This is true because many children are undiagnosed, according to research that was conducted on children in Korea.
Early intervention, according to Autism Speaks, can make a difference in how children with autism progress with communication and behavior. And the causes of the disorder are both hereditary and environmental. Environmental risk factors are said to include air pollution exposure during pregnancy, maternal infections and certain prenatal vitamins that include folic acid.
Parents who have children with autism spectrum disorder live with the condition of their children daily. As doctors and other professionals often say, they are in the best position to understand the course of their child’s development. The support of parents in the education of people about autism is considered vital to research and to the education of these children. And they do that by sharing their stories, as many organizations encourage them to do.
In the case of Autism Speaks today, the story the organization shares is to bring the message to parents to get their children vaccinated against measles.
