Talk:Controversies in autism
This page is written with a clear POV in mind and needs help from someone who knows more than I. Tuf-Kat 01:02, Oct 6, 2004 (UTC)
Whoa, I've never seen an article improve so much in such a short time. Just last night this article was a real mess; I added cleanup and NPOV tags and it literally shaped up overnight. Thanks to Leifern, Poccil and all the rest for your valuable contributions. --Szyslak 05:40, 16 Oct 2004 (UTC)
- I believe too much as been deleted under the "Autism Rights Movement". I understand the need for a neutral perspective, but I believe the descriptions of the autism rights movement could have been reworded to be more neutral without being removed completely. For example, "There is nothing like the threat of extinction to kickstart a minority into fighting for equality" from a previous version of the article could have been changed to "Some autistics feel the desire to cure autism means the extinction of their way of being." -- Q0 17:00, Oct 16, 2004
- I am honestly not familiar enough with the autism rights movement to edit the initial entry fairly. I would urge you to edit the relevant section, using NPOV discretion. --Leifern 18:26, 16 Oct 2004 (UTC)
Vaccinations
I removed sentences and two entire paragraphs that were argumentative against the alleged link between vaccination and autism. Perhaps there should be a separate entry on vaccination controversies.
But since this entry is about the controversy surrounding the theory (which shouldn't need to be put in quotes if that's what it is), it doesn't need to go into detail about the public health benefits of vaccinations.
Perhaps those who wish to eliminate vaccines entirely are "radical." I doubt that vaccinations have saved "countless" lives from death by rubella and mumps, or diphteria in developed countries. And I'd have to say that withholding information about dangers of vaccination is grounds for lawsuit if not criminal conviction.
Genetics
Removed argumentative sections entirely.
A recent study in California shows empirically that the actual incidence is increasing, and anyone who works in the field will confirm this. Even so, the current passage makes the point carefully that there may be increased reporting as well. And that doesn't take into account the clear increase of the incidence in other disorders such as ADHD, which are probably related.
The fact that autism is more common among boys than girls is neither here nor there. Nobody is claiming that genetics isn't a factor at all, only that environmental factors play a role, too. The idea is that some children have a genetic predisposition toward certain disorders that gets triggered by an environmental shock. This is hardly an outragous notion within medicine and genetics.
Severe vs. neurological
Most developmental pediatricians - even some of the leading ones - are agnostic about the causes and dynamics of autism, treating the mind and nervous system as a "black box." This is consistent with the whole DSM-IV framework.
So instead of stating a premise one way or the other upfront, I think it's safe to characterize it as "severe."
Mercury
I am sorry to have to keep doing this, but I am taking out argumentative passages on the issue of vaccination, for two reasons:
1) This entry is meant to outline and present the controversy, not go into the specific detail on each side of the issue. If we're going to allow detailed arguments on one side of the issue in, we'd have to bring in arguments on the other side.
2) Again, the male vs. female argument is neither here nor there. There are all kinds of allergies, intolerances, etc., that are more prevalent among boys than girls, but that doesn't take away the point that these problems exist.
3) On a more personal note, I find it reckless that when some people say that "mercury in some forms isn't dangerous." Mercury is one of the most volatile and poisonous substances known - to casually introduce it into the bloodstream because it might be ok, is simply scary.
Anti-vaccination advocates
It is unfair and inaccurate to characterize those who believe there's a link between autism and vaccinations as "anti-vaccination advocates." Some (probably a minority) are, but most simply think that children should be screened more carefully, and that the vaccination schedule is too aggressive.