Supposedly mercury is dangerous.
No one is disputing that fact. Mercury is very dangerous. The question is: What are the exposure levels? Not: Is mercury dangerous?
What the EPA considers to be generally safe may or may not be so for infants. They can't account for all genetic makeups. Also remember that the autistic children may be genetically susceptible.
This is irrelevant. There is no mercury in vaccines (anymore). Yet the rates of autism are steady (or slightly increasing).
In 2003, a small study by paediatrician Amy Holmes found much lower levels of mercury than normal in the hair of children with autism (New Scientist, 21 June 2003, page 4). Her hotly contested theory is that they have an impaired ability to excrete mercury.
And, as I pointed out in my last post, autistic children actually excrete mercury better than normal children.
From my last post:
A decreased ability to excrete mercury should result in a higher body burden, and that was demonstrated in a study by Bradstreet et al. (2003). They investigated the effect of giving meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) to 221 children with autism compared to 18 controls, and found that the children with autism excreted 3.1 times more mercury into their urine (which is where DMSA is excreted), but lead and cadmium levels were not significantly different.
From the abstract the autistic children did have about 1/8 the level of the control group.
From the Holmes study:
After studying the mercury levels in the baby hair of children who were later diagnosed with autism, researchers have found out that the babies had far lower levels of mercury in their hair than other infants.
Hair mercury levels in the autistic group were 0.47 ppm versus 3.63 ppm in controls, a significant difference.
Yes. As I said earlier, the autistic children have LOWER levels of mercury.
How does this support the contention that mercury has a causal link to autism?
Within the autistic group, hair mercury levels varied significantly across mildly, moderately, and severely autistic children, with mean group levels of 0.79, 0.46, and 0.21 ppm, respectively.
Yes, it is interesting.
The more severe the autism, the LESS mercury.
Again, how does this support a causal link?
Furthermore, how does this support the contention that autistic children have trouble excreting mercury?
If the body of an autistic child has difficulty excreting mercury, the mercury levels should be higher, not lower.
If a mildly autistic child has higher levels than a severely autistic child, wouldn't that suggest that mercury protects a child?
You are having trouble with the data, PD.
Try to read the abstracts carefully.
The mothers in the autistic group had significantly higher levels of mercury exposure through Rho D immunoglobulin injections and amalgam fillings than control mothers.
From the paper:
None of these control children or parents were interviewed in person, but each of the mothers was interviewed over the telephone.
This is
pathetic.
ASH interviewed the mothers of autistic and normal children to obtain information on mercury exposure during and after gestation. Exposure measures were developed from survey questions in four categories: (a) maternal amalgams during pregnancy were estimated by direct observation by the mother (either using a mirror, or counted by her husband) of amalgam surfaces at time of interview less new fillings since the gestation period; (b) exposures through Rho D immunoglobulin injections during pregnancy were self-reported by the mother; (c) childhood vaccinations, including the timing of exposures to hepatitis B, DPT, and Hib vaccines, were obtained based on a joint review of the child's pediatrician's records; and (d) fish consumption during pregnancy in four categories was estimated using a four-level scale. The four levels estimated were based on the relative frequency of meals in which fish was consumed: "heavy" was once a week or more, "moderate" was less than weekly and more than monthly, "little" was less than once a month, with the final category being "none."
Listen, I'm willing to call game right now.
They interviewed the mothers
on the phone about fish consumption and injections that happened 6 years before! (Remember, these children are 5 y.o. and the mothers are being asked about their pregnancies.)
Hair mercury levels among controls were significantly correlated with the number of the mothers' amalgam fillings and their fish consumption as well as exposure to mercury through childhood vaccines, correlations that were absent in the autistic group.
In light of the biological plausibility of mercury's role in neurodevelopmental disorders, the present study provides further insight into one possible mechanism by which early mercury exposures could increase the risk of autism.
Could you please source these 2 quotes?
They're not in the abstract.
Int J Toxicol. 2003 Jul-Aug;22(4):277-85.Links
Reduced levels of mercury in first baby haircuts of autistic children.
Holmes AS, Blaxill MF, Haley BE.
SafeMinds, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.
Reported rates of autism have increased sharply in the United States and the United Kingdom. One possible factor underlying these increases is increased exposure to mercury through thimerosal-containing vaccines, but vaccine exposures need to be evaluated in the context of cumulative exposures during gestation and early infancy. Differential rates of postnatal mercury elimination may explain why similar gestational and infant exposures produce variable neurological effects. First baby haircut samples were obtained from 94 children diagnosed with autism using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM IV) criteria and 45 age- and gender-matched controls. Information on diet, dental amalgam fillings, vaccine history, Rho D immunoglobulin administration, and autism symptom severity was collected through a maternal survey questionnaire and clinical observation. Hair mercury levels in the autistic group were 0.47 ppm versus 3.63 ppm in controls, a significant difference. The mothers in the autistic group had significantly higher levels of mercury exposure through Rho D immunoglobulin injections and amalgam fillings than control mothers. Within the autistic group, hair mercury levels varied significantly across mildly, moderately, and severely autistic children, with mean group levels of 0.79, 0.46, and 0.21 ppm, respectively. Hair mercury levels among controls were significantly correlated with the number of the mothers' amalgam fillings and their fish consumption as well as exposure to mercury through childhood vaccines, correlations that were absent in the autistic group. Hair excretion patterns among autistic infants were significantly reduced relative to control. These data cast doubt on the efficacy of traditional hair analysis as a measure of total mercury exposure in a subset of the population. In light of the biological plausibility of mercury's role in neurodevelopmental disorders, the present study provides further insight into one possible mechanism by which early mercury exposures could increase the risk of autism.
Look, PD.
I will say it one more time.
How do LOWER levels of mercury in autistic children suggest that mercury CAUSES autism?
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