Mercury
Poisoning and Autism
Autism
is a group of developmental disorders
known as Autistic Spectrum Disorders
(ASD) characterized by social impairment,
language difficulties, abnormal movement,
and repetitive behavior. This disorder
manifests prior to 36 months of age
- most children experience a year
or more of normal development before
regression or a failure to progress
sets in.
The
similarities between the symptoms
of mercury
poisoning and autism have led
some experts to hypothesize that mercury
poisoning is a direct cause of autism.
Characteristics of both these conditions
include:
- Social
withdrawal
- Repetitive
behavior
- Depression
-
Anxiety
- Temper
tantrums
- Visual
difficulties
- Loss
of speech
- Comprehension
difficulties
- Sound
sensitivity
- Light
sensitivity
-
Aversion to touch
- Abnormal
posture
- Abnormal
gait
- Rocking
- Mental
retardation
- Attention
deficit
The
increased incidence of autism has
risen proportionally with an increase
in vaccinations, leading some experts
to believe that thimerosal
(a preservative containing ethylmercury
that is used in multi-dose vaccines)
may be at the root of the increase
in autistic children. However, no
conclusive evidence has been presented
to support this claim, leading to
a controversy that has pitted the
parents of autistic children against
government health agencies and vaccine
manufacturers.
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