139-565: Autism Speaks Inc. is a controversial American non-profit autism awareness organization and the largest autism research organization in the United States. It sponsors autism research and conducts awareness and outreach activities aimed at families, governments, and the public. It was founded in February 2005 by Bob Wright and his wife Suzanne, a year after their grandson Christian was diagnosed with autism. The same year as its founding,
278-452: A neurodevelopmental disorder , but the autism rights movement (and some researchers) see autistic people as part of humanity's natural neurodiversity . From this point of view, autistic people may also be diagnosed with a disability of some sort, but that disability may be rooted in the systemic structures of a society rather than in the person; thus, proponents argue that autistic people should be accommodated rather than cured. On
417-606: A "level" system, which ranks how in need of support the patient is, level 1 being the mildest and level 3 the severest, while the ICD-11 system has two axes, intellectual impairment and language impairment, as these are seen as the most crucial factors. Autism is currently defined as a highly variable neurodevelopmental disorder that is generally thought to cover a broad and deep spectrum , manifesting very differently from one person to another. Some have high support needs, may be nonspeaking , and experience developmental delays; this
556-459: A 10–11-year study of 657,461 children found that the MMR vaccine does not cause autism and actually reduced the risk of autism by seven percent. Beside the active vaccine itself, the following excipients and residual manufacturing compounds are present or may be present in vaccine preparations: Various fairly standardized abbreviations for vaccine names have developed, although the standardization
695-435: A broad immune response. Although most attenuated vaccines are viral, some are bacterial in nature. Examples include the viral diseases yellow fever , measles , mumps , and rubella , and the bacterial disease typhoid . The live Mycobacterium tuberculosis vaccine developed by Calmette and Guérin is not made of a contagious strain but contains a virulently modified strain called " BCG " used to elicit an immune response to
834-438: A broader medical condition or syndrome , representing about 25% of ASD cases. The causes of syndromic autism are often known, and monogenic disorders account for approximately 5% of these cases. Non-syndromic autism, also known as classic or idiopathic autism, represents the majority of cases, and its cause is typically polygenic and unknown. Autism has a strong genetic basis, although the genetics of autism are complex and it
973-405: A child or relative with autism. We urge them to find a health practitioner who will consider their concerns and help them ensure the well-being of their child." In 2017, they took the position that, "Each family has a unique experience with an autism diagnosis, and for some it corresponds with the timing of their child's vaccinations. At the same time, scientists have conducted extensive research over
1112-566: A complete clinical cycle of development and trials proves the vaccine is safe and has long-term effectiveness, following scientific review by a multinational or national regulatory organization, such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Upon developing countries adopting WHO guidelines for vaccine development and licensure, each country has its own responsibility to issue
1251-416: A disease-causing microorganism and is often made from weakened or killed forms of the microbe, its toxins, or one of its surface proteins. The agent stimulates the body's immune system to recognize the agent as a threat, destroy it, and recognize further and destroy any of the microorganisms associated with that agent that it may encounter in the future. Vaccines can be prophylactic (to prevent or alleviate
1390-424: A genetic reason why males are diagnosed more often, such as the imprinted brain hypothesis and the extreme male brain theory . Vaccine A vaccine is a biological preparation that provides active acquired immunity to a particular infectious or malignant disease. The safety and effectiveness of vaccines has been widely studied and verified. A vaccine typically contains an agent that resembles
1529-415: A given immune reaction. In some cases vaccines may result in partial immune protection (in which immunity is less than 100% effective but still reduces risk of infection) or in temporary immune protection (in which immunity wanes over time) rather than full or permanent immunity. They can still raise the reinfection threshold for the population as a whole and make a substantial impact. They can also mitigate
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#17327903695091668-607: A high priority to research into the now-discredited claim that immunization is associated with an increased risk of autism . This raised concerns among parents and scientific researchers, because "funding such research, in addition to being wasteful, unduly heightens parents' concerns about the safety of immunization." Alison Singer , a senior executive of Autism Speaks, resigned in January 2009 rather than vote to commit money to new studies of vaccination and autism. The U.S. Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee , of which Singer
1807-446: A lawyer and a chemistry professor. In 2007, Autism Speaks completed its merger with Cure Autism Now (CAN). CAN was founded in 1995 by Jonathan Shestack and Portia Iversen. In January 2008, child clinical psychologist Geraldine Dawson became Autism Speaks' chief science officer. In April 2010, the organization named Yoko Ono its first "Global Autism Ambassador." Autism Speaks has used the "Wubbzy" character from Wow! Wow! Wubbzy! as
1946-648: A low demand for coordination that ameliorated many challenges associated with disruptive turns." Autistic interests, and thus conversational topics, seem to be largely driven by an intense interest in specific topics ( monotropism ). Historically, autistic children were said to be delayed in developing a theory of mind , and the empathizing–systemizing theory has argued that while autistic people have compassion ( affective empathy ) for others with similar presentation of symptoms, they have limited, though not necessarily absent, cognitive empathy . This may present as social naïvety, lower than average intuitive perception of
2085-583: A mascot. In 2019, Autism Speaks featured Julia from Sesame Street in PSAs promoting early autism screening. In May 2015, Bob Wright resigned as chairman of the organization and was succeeded by Brian Kelly. Co-founder Suzanne Wright took a leave of absence in November 2015, following a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer . She died in July 2016. Mark Roithmayr led Autism Speaks from 2005 to 2012. In June 2012, he
2224-575: A model of social patterns, and develop coping mechanisms, referred to as " masking ", which have recently been found to come with psychological costs and a higher increased risk of suicidality. ASD includes a wide variety of characteristics. Some of these include behavioral characteristics which widely range from slow development of social and learning skills to difficulties creating connections with other people. Autistic people may experience these challenges with forming connections due to anxiety or depression, which they are more likely to experience, and as
2363-507: A national licensure, and to manage, deploy, and monitor the vaccine throughout its use in each nation. Building trust and acceptance of a licensed vaccine among the public is a task of communication by governments and healthcare personnel to ensure a vaccination campaign proceeds smoothly, saves lives, and enables economic recovery. When a vaccine is licensed, it will initially be in limited supply due to variable manufacturing, distribution, and logistical factors, requiring an allocation plan for
2502-923: A neurotypical bias in autism research, which has come to be scrutinized for "dehumanization, objectification, and stigmatization". Recent research has proposed that autistics' lack of readability and a neurotypical lack of effort to interpret atypical signals may cause a negative interaction loop, increasingly driving both groups apart into two distinct groups with different social interaction styles. Differences in verbal communication begin to be noticeable in childhood, as many autistic children develop language skills at an uneven pace. Verbal communication may be delayed or never develop ( nonverbal autism ), while reading ability may be present before school age ( hyperlexia ). Reduced joint attention seem to distinguish autistic from non-autistic infants. Infants may show delayed onset of babbling , unusual gestures, diminished responsiveness, and vocal patterns that are not synchronized with
2641-573: A person can depend on context, and may vary over time. While the DSM and ICD greatly influence each other, there are also differences. For example, Rett syndrome was included in ASD in the DSM-5, but in the ICD-11 it was excluded and placed in the chapter on Developmental Anomalies. The ICD and the DSM change over time, and there has been collaborative work toward a convergence of the two since 1980 (when DSM-III
2780-505: A person's ASD diagnosis did not influence their interest level. Thus, there has been a recent shift to acknowledge that autistic people may simply respond and behave differently than people without ASD. So far, research has identified two unconventional features by which autistic people create shared understanding ( intersubjectivity ): "a generous assumption of common ground that, when understood, led to rapid rapport, and, when not understood, resulted in potentially disruptive utterances; and
2919-645: A person's ability to understand and connect with others, as well as their adaptability to everyday situations, with its severity and support needs varying widely across the underlying spectrum . For example, some are nonverbal , while others have proficient spoken language. A formal diagnosis of ASD according to either the DSM-5 or the ICD-11 criteria requires not merely the presence of ASD symptoms, but symptoms that cause significant impairment in multiple domains of functioning, in addition to being atypical or excessive for
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#17327903695093058-547: A pervasive feature of the individual's functioning observable in all settings, although they may vary according to social, educational, or other context. Individuals along the spectrum exhibit a full range of intellectual functioning and language abilities. ICD-11 was produced by professionals from 55 countries out of the 90 involved and is the most widely used reference worldwide. The American Psychiatric Association 's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision ( DSM-5-TR ), released in 2022,
3197-544: A preservative that used to be added to vaccines, does not increase a child's risk of developing autism. Responding to the study, Autism Speaks' chief science officer said that the "study adds to a large body of evidence indicating that early thimerosal exposure through vaccination does not cause autism." In August 2014, the organization said "We strongly encourage parents to have their children vaccinated for protection against serious disease. We recognize that some parents still have concerns about vaccines, particularly if they have
3336-628: A result isolate themselves. Other behavioral characteristics include abnormal responses to sensations (such as sights, sounds, touch, taste and smell) and problems keeping a consistent speech rhythm. The latter problem influences social skills, leading to potential problems in understanding for interlocutors. Autistic people's behavioral characteristics typically influence development, language, and social competence. Their behavioral characteristics can be observed as perceptual disturbances, disturbances of development rate, relating, speech and language, and motility. The second core symptom of autism spectrum
3475-563: A salary of $ 436,314 in 2012, and Chief Science Officer Geraldine Dawson earned $ 465,671. Compared to other autism-focused nonprofit organizations, Autism Speaks spends a smaller percentage of its revenue on furthering its mission. According to a 2014 report by The Daily Beast , 70.9% of Autism Speaks' revenue is devoted to directly furthering its mission, compared to 79.8% of Autistic Self Advocacy Network 's revenue and 91.5% of Autism Science Foundation 's revenue. In 2018, Autism Speaks spent $ 19.6 million on employee benefits. Angela Geiger,
3614-423: A set of closely related and overlapping diagnoses such as Asperger syndrome and the syndrome formerly known as Kanner syndrome . This created unclear boundaries between the terms, so for the DSM-5 and ICD-11, a spectrum approach was taken. The new system is also more restrictive, meaning fewer people qualify for diagnosis. The DSM-5 and ICD-11 use different categorization tools to define this spectrum. DSM-5 uses
3753-491: A small effect, and some of which are rare and have a large effect. The most common gene disrupted with large effect rare variants appeared to be CHD8 , but less than 0.5% of autistic people have such a mutation. The gene CHD8 encodes the protein chromodomain helicase DNA binding protein 8, which is a chromatin regulator enzyme that is essential during fetal development. CHD8 is an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)–dependent enzyme. The protein contains an Snf2 helicase domain that
3892-457: A source of funding for research into the causes and treatment of autism spectrum disorders ; it also conducts awareness and outreach activities aimed at families, governments and the public. Autism Speaks and its predecessor organizations have raised public awareness for autism research, raised funds directly for research, and lobbied Congress to leverage the privately raised money with much greater public funds. From 1997 to 2006, their advocacy in
4031-399: A steady course without remission (different developmental timelines are described in more detail below). Autistic people may be severely impaired in some respects but average, or even superior, in others. Clinicians consider assessment for ASD when a patient shows: These features are typically assessed with the following, when appropriate: There are many signs associated with autism;
4170-400: A strong immune response. When two or more vaccines are mixed in the same formulation, the two vaccines can interfere. This most frequently occurs with live attenuated vaccines, where one of the vaccine components is more robust than the others and suppresses the growth and immune response to the other components. This phenomenon was first noted in the trivalent Sabin polio vaccine , where
4309-448: A substantial fraction of autism cases may be traceable to genetic causes that are highly heritable but not inherited: that is, the mutation that causes the autism is not present in the parental genome. As of 2018 , understanding of genetic risk factors had shifted from a focus on a few alleles to an understanding that genetic involvement in ASD is probably diffuse, depending on a large number of variants, some of which are common and have
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4448-421: A tendency to be associated with sedation and weight gain . Melatonin supplementation has been shown to improve insomnia related to autism. Stimulant therapy may improve mental processing speed when there is comorbid ADHD. Before the DSM-5 (2013) and ICD-11 (2022) diagnostic manuals were adopted, ASD was found under the diagnostic category pervasive developmental disorder . The previous system relied on
4587-537: A trend of increasing prevalence over time. This increasing prevalence has reinforced the myth perpetuated by anti-vaccine activists that autism is caused by vaccines . Boys are also significantly far more frequently diagnosed than girls . There is no cure for autism. Some advocates of autistic people argue that efforts to find a cure are misguided and even harmful. Early intervention services based on applied behavior analysis (ABA) aim to teach children self-care, social and communicative skills. Guidelines from
4726-746: Is a campaign to raise awareness of autism in support of both World Autism Awareness Day, observed on April 2, and the beginning of Autism Awareness Month in the United States. As part of the campaign, statues and buildings – including the Empire State Building in New York City and Willis Tower in Chicago along with the CN Tower in Toronto – are among more than 100 structures in at least 16 U.S. cities and nine countries around
4865-549: Is a novel type of vaccine which is composed of the nucleic acid RNA, packaged within a vector such as lipid nanoparticles . Among the COVID-19 vaccines are a number of RNA vaccines to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and some have been approved or have received emergency use authorization in some countries. For example, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and Moderna mRNA vaccine are approved for use in adults and children in
5004-726: Is a pattern of restricted and repetitive behaviors, activities, and interests. In order to be diagnosed with ASD under the DSM-5-TR, a person must have at least two of the following behaviors: Autistic people can display many forms of repetitive or restricted behavior, which the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R) categorizes as follows. Self-injurious behaviors are relatively common in autistic people, and can include head-banging, self-cutting, self-biting, and hair-pulling. Some of these can result in serious injury or death. Following are theories about
5143-734: Is acquired during childhood. Autistic people display atypical nonverbal behaviors or show differences in nonverbal communication . They may make infrequent eye contact , even when called by name, or avoid it altogether. This may be due to the high amount of sensory input received when making eye contact. Autistic people often recognize fewer emotions and their meaning from others' facial expressions, and may not respond with facial expressions expected by their non-autistic peers. Temple Grandin , an autistic woman involved in autism activism, described her inability to understand neurotypicals ' social communication as leaving her feeling "like an anthropologist on Mars". Autistic people struggle to understand
5282-528: Is an open source research platform for autism that aims to collect and study the DNA of 10,000 families that have been affected by autism. The goal is to create the world's largest database of sequenced genomic information of autism run on Google's cloud-based genome database, Google Genomics. In December 2014, the pair announced a launch that will allow worldwide access to the research for further collaboration and genome analysis. Autism Speaks sponsored and distributes
5421-523: Is at the CDC's page called "Vaccine Acronyms and Abbreviations", with abbreviations used on U.S. immunization records. The United States Adopted Name system has some conventions for the word order of vaccine names, placing head nouns first and adjectives postpositively . This is why the USAN for " OPV " is "poliovirus vaccine live oral" rather than "oral poliovirus vaccine". A vaccine licensure occurs after
5560-636: Is available to autism researchers worldwide. The AGRE was established in the 1990s by a predecessor organization, Cure Autism Now. Autism Speaks funds the Autism Tissue Program, a network of researchers that manages and distributes brain tissues donated for autism research. These donations are rare and are a vital component of research into the causes of autism. Autism Speaks supports the Clinical Trials Network, which focuses on new pharmacological treatments. It also supports
5699-661: Is bidirectional, research on communication difficulties has since also begun to study non-autistic behavior, with researcher Catherine Crompton writing in 2020 that non-autistic people "struggle to identify autistic mental states, identify autistic facial expressions, overestimate autistic egocentricity, and are less willing to socially interact with autistic people. Thus, although non-autistic people are generally characterised as socially skilled, these skills may not be functional, or effectively applied, when interacting with autistic people." Any previously observed communication deficits of autistic people may thus have been constructed through
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5838-438: Is by no means centralized or global. For example, the vaccine names used in the United States have well-established abbreviations that are also widely known and used elsewhere. An extensive list of them provided in a sortable table and freely accessible is available at a US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention web page. The page explains that "The abbreviations [in] this table (Column 3) were standardized jointly by staff of
5977-440: Is called herd immunity . Polio, which is transmitted only among humans, is targeted by an extensive eradication campaign that has seen endemic polio restricted to only parts of three countries (Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan). However, the difficulty of reaching all children, cultural misunderstandings, and disinformation have caused the anticipated eradication date to be missed several times. Vaccines also help prevent
6116-454: Is designed to immunize against a single antigen or single microorganism. A multivalent or polyvalent vaccine is designed to immunize against two or more strains of the same microorganism, or against two or more microorganisms. The valency of a multivalent vaccine may be denoted with a Greek or Latin prefix (e.g., bivalent , trivalent , or tetravalent/quadrivalent ). In certain cases, a monovalent vaccine may be preferable for rapidly developing
6255-590: Is heritable. After an older child is diagnosed with ASD, 7% to 20% of subsequent children are likely to be as well. If parents have one autistic child, they have a 2% to 8% chance of having a second child who is autistic. If the autistic child is an identical twin, the other will be affected 36% to 95% of the time. A fraternal twin is affected up to 31% of the time. The large number of autistic people with unaffected family members may result from spontaneous structural variation , such as deletions , duplications or inversions in genetic material during meiosis . Hence,
6394-470: Is largely responsible for the worldwide eradication of smallpox and the restriction of diseases such as polio , measles , and tetanus from much of the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that licensed vaccines are currently available for twenty-five different preventable infections . The first recorded use of inoculation to prevent smallpox occurred in the 16th century in China, with
6533-420: Is lowered activity in the fusiform face area of the brain, which is associated with impaired perception of people versus objects. It has been proposed to classify autism using genetics as well as behavior. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be classified into two categories: "syndromic autism" and "non-syndromic autism". Syndromic autism refers to cases where ASD is one of the characteristics associated with
6672-531: Is more effective against bacteria, has a better shelf-life, and improves vaccine stability, potency, and safety; but, in the U.S., the European Union , and a few other affluent countries, it is no longer used as a preservative in childhood vaccines, as a precautionary measure due to its mercury content. Although controversial claims have been made that thiomersal contributes to autism , no convincing scientific evidence supports these claims. Furthermore,
6811-522: Is more likely with other co-existing diagnoses. Others have relatively low support needs; they may have more typical speech-language and intellectual skills but atypical social/conversation skills, narrowly focused interests , and wordy, pedantic communication. They may still require significant support in some areas of their lives. The spectrum model should not be understood as a continuum running from mild to severe, but instead means that autism can present very differently in each person. How it presents in
6950-615: Is possible that autism is caused by vaccines, though this claim is scientifically inaccurate and has been rejected by all reputable medical organizations. Eric London, a founding member of the Autism Science Foundation's Scientific Advisory Board, resigned from Autism Speaks' Scientific Affairs Committee in June 2009, saying that arguments that "there might be rare cases of 'biologically-plausible' vaccine involvement ... are misleading and disingenuous," and that Autism Speaks
7089-711: Is possible to identify general factors, but much more difficult to pinpoint specific ones. Given the current state of knowledge, prediction can only be of a global nature and so requires the use of general markers. Research into causes has been hampered by the inability to identify biologically meaningful subgroups within the autistic population and by the traditional boundaries between the disciplines of psychiatry , psychology , neurology and pediatrics . Newer technologies such as fMRI and diffusion tensor imaging can help identify biologically relevant phenotypes (observable traits) that can be viewed on brain scans , to help further neurogenetic studies of autism; one example
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#17327903695097228-561: Is rarely associated with complications in immunodeficient individuals, and rotavirus vaccines are moderately associated with intussusception . At least 19 countries have no-fault compensation programs to provide compensation for those with severe adverse effects of vaccination. The United States' program is known as the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act , and the United Kingdom employs
7367-422: Is responsible for the hydrolysis of ATP to adenosine diphosphate (ADP). CHD8 encodes a DNA helicase that functions as a repressor of transcription, remodeling chromatin structure by altering the position of nucleosomes. CHD8 negatively regulates Wnt signaling . Wnt signaling is important in the vertebrate early development and morphogenesis. It is believed that CHD8 also recruits the linker histone H1 and causes
7506-424: Is termed vaccinology . There is overwhelming scientific consensus that vaccines are a very safe and effective way to fight and eradicate infectious diseases. The immune system recognizes vaccine agents as foreign, destroys them, and "remembers" them. When the virulent version of an agent is encountered, the body recognizes the protein coat on the agent, and thus is prepared to respond, by first neutralizing
7645-663: Is the current version of the DSM. It is the predominant mental health diagnostic system used in the United States and Canada, and is often used in Anglophone countries. Its fifth edition, DSM-5 , released in May 2013, was the first to define ASD as a single diagnosis, which is still the case in the DSM-5-TR. ASD encompasses previous diagnoses, including the four traditional diagnoses of autism— classic autism , Asperger syndrome , childhood disintegrative disorder , and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS)—and
7784-467: Is the subunit vaccine against hepatitis B , which is composed of only the surface proteins of the virus (previously extracted from the blood serum of chronically infected patients but now produced by recombination of the viral genes into yeast ). Other examples include the Gardasil virus-like particle human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase subunits of
7923-399: Is unclear whether ASD is explained more by rare mutations with major effects, or by rare multi-gene interactions of common genetic variants. Complexity arises due to interactions among multiple genes, the environment, and epigenetic factors which do not change DNA sequencing but are heritable and influence gene expression . Many genes have been associated with autism through sequencing
8062-511: The Los Angeles Times criticizing Autism Speaks, then-president Liz Feld stated that one-third of autistic people also have a seizure disorder , half have serious digestive complications, 50 percent wander, and more than 30 percent are nonverbal . Feld also discussed Autism Speaks' legal achievements in providing families of those who are autistic more financial assistance and funding, and the various services and awareness initiatives
8201-794: The Centres for Disease Control (CDC), NICE and European Society for Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (ESCAP) endorse the use of ABA as it reduces symptoms that impair daily functioning and quality of life , although NICE acknowledges that ABA does not meet the highest level of evidence-quality. Additionally, some in the autism rights movement oppose its application due to a perception that it emphasises normalisation. Speech and occupational therapy , as well as augmentative and alternative modes of communication , are effective adjunctive therapies . At present, no medication has been shown to reduce "core symptoms" of ASD. However, some atypical antipsychotics can alleviate comorbid irritability, though with
8340-493: The Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders published a systematic review of 21 studies investigating associations between ASD, problematic internet use, and gaming disorder where the majority of the studies found positive associations between the disorders. Exactly what causes autism remains unknown. It was long mostly presumed that there is a common cause at the genetic, cognitive, and neural levels for
8479-651: The Vaccine Damage Payment . Vaccines typically contain attenuated, inactivated or dead organisms or purified products derived from them. There are several types of vaccines in use. These represent different strategies used to try to reduce the risk of illness while retaining the ability to induce a beneficial immune response. Some vaccines contain live, attenuated microorganisms. Many of these are active viruses that have been cultivated under conditions that disable their virulent properties, or that use closely related but less dangerous organisms to produce
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#17327903695098618-851: The influenza virus, and edible algae vaccines . A subunit vaccine is being used for plague immunization. Certain bacteria have a polysaccharide outer coat that is poorly immunogenic . By linking these outer coats to proteins (e.g., toxins), the immune system can be led to recognize the polysaccharide as if it were a protein antigen. This approach is used in the Haemophilus influenzae type B vaccine . Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are naturally immunogenic and can be manipulated to produce potent vaccines. The best known OMV vaccines are those developed for serotype B meningococcal disease . Heterologous vaccines also known as "Jennerian vaccines", are vaccines that are pathogens of other animals that either do not cause disease or cause mild disease in
8757-503: The 2006 short film Autism Every Day , produced by Lauren Thierry and Eric Solomon. Autism Speaks staff member Alison Singer was reportedly criticized for a scene in which she said, in the presence of her autistic daughter, that when faced with having to place the girl in a school that she deemed to be terrible, she contemplated driving her car off a bridge with her child in the car. Thierry said that these feelings were not unusual among non-autistic mothers of autistic children. According to
8896-543: The Autism Coalition for Research and Education. In early 2006, a year after its founding, Autism Speaks merged with the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR). NAAR, founded in 1994, was the first U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting research into causes, treatment, and cures for autism spectrum disorders. The founders comprised a small group of parents, including two psychiatrists,
9035-522: The CDC further explains that "Upper-case letters in these abbreviations denote full-strength doses of diphtheria (D) and tetanus (T) toxoids and pertussis (P) vaccine. Lower-case "d" and "p" denote reduced doses of diphtheria and pertussis used in the adolescent/adult-formulations. The 'a' in DTaP and Tdap stands for 'acellular', meaning that the pertussis component contains only a part of the pertussis organism." Another list of established vaccine abbreviations
9174-720: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, ACIP Work Groups, the editor of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the editor of Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (the Pink Book), ACIP members, and liaison organizations to the ACIP." Some examples are " DTaP " for diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine, "DT" for diphtheria and tetanus toxoids, and "Td" for tetanus and diphtheria toxoids. At its page on tetanus vaccination,
9313-452: The DSM-5, the DSM separated social deficits and communication deficits into two domains. Further, the DSM-5 changed to an onset age in the early developmental period, with a note that symptoms may manifest later when social demands exceed capabilities, rather than the previous, more restricted three years of age. These changes remain in the DSM-5-TR. For many autistic people, characteristics first appear during infancy or childhood and follow
9452-586: The Toddler Treatment Network, which develops new interventions for infants and toddlers. Autism Speaks believes that vaccines have been shown to be safe for most children, and are important for preventing serious diseases such as measles and mumps . It recognizes that some individuals may have adverse reactions , or respond poorly, to vaccines, and advocates research into identifying any subgroups of such individuals and mechanisms behind any such reactions. This has strained relations between
9591-489: The US. A DNA vaccine uses a DNA plasmid (pDNA)) that encodes for an antigenic protein originating from the pathogen upon which the vaccine will be targeted. pDNA is inexpensive, stable, and relatively safe, making it an excellent option for vaccine delivery. This approach offers a number of potential advantages over traditional approaches, including the stimulation of both B- and T-cell responses, improved vaccine stability,
9730-463: The White House in blue. In November 2013, Autism Speaks published an op-ed by co-founder Suzanne Wright. Autistic people and their families criticized the piece for using inaccurate statistics and giving an unrepresentative and exaggerated depiction of the lives of autistic people and their families. John Elder Robison , a self-advocate who serves on the science and treatment advisory boards of
9869-519: The Wrights and their daughter Katie, the mother of an autistic boy. Katie believes her son's autism was caused by thiomersal , a preservative that was formerly common in children's vaccines in the United States; no major scientific studies have confirmed this hypothesis. Since June 2014, Autism Speaks has partnered with Google on a project called Mssng (pronounced "missing"). Previously known as The Autism Speaks Ten Thousand Genomes Program (AUT10K), it
10008-469: The absence of any infectious agent and the relative ease of large-scale manufacture. Many innovative vaccines are also in development and use. While most vaccines are created using inactivated or attenuated compounds from microorganisms, synthetic vaccines are composed mainly or wholly of synthetic peptides, carbohydrates, or antigens. Vaccines may be monovalent (also called univalent ) or multivalent (also called polyvalent ). A monovalent vaccine
10147-479: The amount of serotype 2 virus in the vaccine had to be reduced to stop it from interfering with the "take" of the serotype 1 and 3 viruses in the vaccine. It was also noted in a 2001 study to be a problem with dengue vaccines, where the DEN-3 serotype was found to predominate and suppress the response to DEN-1, -2 and -4 serotypes. Vaccines typically contain one or more adjuvants , used to boost
10286-565: The areas of treatment and environmental factors shifted research priorities in the U.S. from basic research to translational and clinical research, with less emphasis on the underlying biology and greater emphasis on putting what was known to practical use. As of 2008, Autism Speaks supported research in four main areas: Autism Speaks funds the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE), a DNA repository and family registry of genotypic and phenotypic information that
10425-465: The autism rights group Aspies For Freedom . In September 2009, Autism Speaks screened the short video I Am Autism at its annual World Focus on Autism event. The video created by Alfonso Cuarón and by Autism Speaks board member Billy Mann was criticized by autism advocates and researchers for its negative portrayal of autism. In response, the organization removed a link to the film from its website. In response to an editorial by Steve Silberman in
10564-494: The book Battleground: The Media, Thierry instructed the families she interviewed not to do their hair, vacuum or have therapists present, and appeared with her film crew at homes without preliminary preparations, in order to authentically capture the difficulties of life with autistic children, such as autistic children throwing tantrums or physically struggling with parents. In December 2007, Autism Speaks' founder Suzanne Wright met with Sheikha Moza bint Nasser of Qatar to urge
10703-516: The caregiver. In the second and third years, autistic children may have less frequent and less diverse babbling, consonants, words, and word combinations; their gestures are less often integrated with words. Autistic children are less likely to make requests or share experiences and more likely to simply repeat others' words ( echolalia ). The CDC estimated in 2015 that around 40% of autistic children do not speak at all. Autistic adults' verbal communication skills largely depend on when and how well speech
10842-417: The cause of self-injurious behavior in children with developmental delay, including autistic children: The suicide rate for verbal autistics is nine times that of the general population. Studies have supported the common belief that autistic people become exhausted or burnt out in some situations. Autistic people may have symptoms that do not contribute to the official diagnosis, but that can affect
10981-569: The concept of vaccines and created the first vaccine) to denote cowpox . He used the phrase in 1798 for the long title of his Inquiry into the Variolae vaccinae Known as the Cow Pox , in which he described the protective effect of cowpox against smallpox. In 1881, to honor Jenner, Louis Pasteur proposed that the terms should be extended to cover the new protective inoculations then being developed. The science of vaccine development and production
11120-462: The contrary, other scientists argue that ASD impairs functioning in many ways that are inherent to the disorder itself and unrelated to society. The neurodiversity perspective has led to significant controversy among those who are autistic and advocates, practitioners, and charities. The precises causes of autism are unknown in most individual cases. Research shows that the disorder is highly heritable and polygenic, and neurobiological risks from
11259-598: The country to sponsor a United Nations resolution recognizing World Autism Awareness Day . Qatar introduced the resolution, and the resolution was passed and adopted without a vote by the United Nations General Assembly , primarily as a supplement to previous United Nations initiatives to improve human rights . Wright helped launch the Autism Speaks' Light It Up Blue campaign and the annual World Focus on Autism event. Light It Up Blue
11398-513: The current disorder-focused spectrum model deconstruct autism into at least two separate phenomena: (1) a non-pathological spectrum of behavioral traits in the population, and (2) the neuropathological burden of rare genetic mutations and environmental risk factors potentially leading to neurodevelopmental and psychological disorders, (3) governed by an individual's cognitive ability to compensate. The World Health Organization 's International Classification of Diseases (11th Revision), ICD-11 ,
11537-503: The development of antibiotic resistance. For example, by greatly reducing the incidence of pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae , vaccine programs have greatly reduced the prevalence of infections resistant to penicillin or other first-line antibiotics. The measles vaccine is estimated to prevent a million deaths every year. Vaccinations given to children, adolescents, or adults are generally safe. Adverse effects, if any, are generally mild. The rate of side effects depends on
11676-400: The development of the autism spectrum, but it cannot be guaranteed that they are determinants for the development. ASD may be under-diagnosed in women and girls due to an assumption that it is primarily a male condition, but genetic phenomena such as imprinting and X linkage have the ability to raise the frequency and severity of conditions in males, and theories have been put forward for
11815-428: The earliest hints of the practice in China coming during the 10th century. It was also the first disease for which a vaccine was produced. The folk practice of inoculation against smallpox was brought from Turkey to Britain in 1721 by Lady Mary Wortley Montagu . The terms vaccine and vaccination are derived from Variolae vaccinae (smallpox of the cow), the term devised by Edward Jenner (who both developed
11954-415: The effects of a future infection by a natural or "wild" pathogen ), or therapeutic (to fight a disease that has already occurred, such as cancer ). Some vaccines offer full sterilizing immunity , in which infection is prevented. The administration of vaccines is called vaccination . Vaccination is the most effective method of preventing infectious diseases; widespread immunity due to vaccination
12093-449: The environment are also relevant. Autism frequently co-occurs with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), epilepsy and intellectual disability , and research indicates that autistic people have significantly higher rates of LGBTQ+ identities and feelings than the general population. Disagreements persist about what should be included as part of the diagnosis, whether there are meaningful subtypes or stages of autism, and
12232-425: The eradication of smallpox , one of the most contagious and deadly diseases in humans. Other diseases such as rubella, polio , measles, mumps, chickenpox , and typhoid are nowhere near as common as they were a hundred years ago thanks to widespread vaccination programs. As long as the vast majority of people are vaccinated, it is much more difficult for an outbreak of disease to occur, let alone spread. This effect
12371-693: The exposure starts at a younger age. In April 2021, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders published a systematic review of 12 studies of video game addiction in ASD subjects that found that children, adolescents, and adults with ASD are at greater risk of video game addiction than those without ASD, and that the data from the studies suggested that internal and external factors (sex, attention and oppositional behavior problems, social aspects, access and time spent playing video games, parental rules, and game genre) were significant predictors of video game addiction in ASD subjects. In March 2022,
12510-416: The finished product, as they may in the environment and population as a whole. Many vaccines need preservatives to prevent serious adverse effects such as Staphylococcus infection, which in one 1928 incident killed 12 of 21 children inoculated with a diphtheria vaccine that lacked a preservative. Several preservatives are available, including thiomersal, phenoxyethanol , and formaldehyde . Thiomersal
12649-557: The general population, a high standard of safety is required. As part of a multinational licensing of a vaccine, the World Health Organization Expert Committee on Biological Standardization developed guidelines of international standards for manufacturing and quality control of vaccines, a process intended as a platform for national regulatory agencies to apply for their own licensing process. Vaccine manufacturers do not receive licensing until
12788-562: The genomes of affected people and their parents. But most of the mutations that increase autism risk have not been identified. Typically, autism cannot be traced to a Mendelian (single-gene) mutation or to a single chromosome abnormality , and none of the genetic syndromes associated with ASD have been shown to selectively cause ASD. Numerous genes have been found, with only small effects attributable to any particular gene. Most loci individually explain less than 1% of cases of autism. As of 2018 , it appeared that between 74% and 93% of ASD risk
12927-434: The host can still become infected. Once antibodies are produced, they may promote immunity in any of several ways, depending on the class of antibodies involved. Their success in clearing or inactivating a pathogen will depend on the amount of antibodies produced and on the extent to which those antibodies are effective at countering the strain of the pathogen involved, since different strains may be differently susceptible to
13066-414: The host's immune system does not respond adequately or at all. Host-related lack of response occurs in an estimated 2-10% of individuals, due to factors including genetics, immune status, age, health and nutritional status. One type of primary immunodeficiency disorder resulting in genetic failure is X-linked agammaglobulinemia , in which the absence of an enzyme essential for B cell development prevents
13205-411: The host's immune system from generating antibodies to a pathogen . Host–pathogen interactions and responses to infection are dynamic processes involving multiple pathways in the immune system. A host does not develop antibodies instantaneously: while the body's innate immunity may be activated in as little as twelve hours, adaptive immunity can take 1–2 weeks to fully develop. During that time,
13344-417: The immune response. Tetanus toxoid, for instance, is usually adsorbed onto alum . This presents the antigen in such a way as to produce a greater action than the simple aqueous tetanus toxoid. People who have an adverse reaction to adsorbed tetanus toxoid may be given the simple vaccine when the time comes for a booster. In the preparation for the 1990 Persian Gulf campaign, the whole cell pertussis vaccine
13483-430: The immunodominant antigen of the pathogen or a surface protein that enables the formation of neutralizing antibodies. The subgroup of genetic vaccines encompass viral vector vaccines, RNA vaccines and DNA vaccines. Viral vector vaccines use a safe virus to insert pathogen genes in the body to produce specific antigens , such as surface proteins , to stimulate an immune response . An mRNA vaccine (or RNA vaccine )
13622-458: The individual's age and sociocultural context. Common signs of ASD include difficulty with social interaction and verbal and nonverbal communication , along with perseverative interests , stereotypic body movements , rigid routines, and hyper- or hypo-reactivity to sensory input . The World Health Organization (WHO), UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and American Psychological Association classify autism as
13761-410: The individual's age and sociocultural context. The onset of the disorder occurs during the developmental period, typically in early childhood, but symptoms may not become fully manifest until later, when social demands exceed limited capacities. Deficits are sufficiently severe to cause impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational or other important areas of functioning and are usually
13900-815: The interpersonal relationship difficulties between autistic people and their non-autistic counterparts and how to solve them through teaching neurotypical social skills, but newer research has also evaluated what autistic people want from friendships, such as a sense of belonging and good mental health. Children with ASD are more frequently involved in bullying situations than their non-autistic peers, and predominantly experience bullying as victims rather than perpetrators or victim-perpetrators, especially after controlling for comorbid psychopathology. Prioritizing dependability and intimacy in friendships during adolescence, coupled with lowered friendship quantity and quality, often lead to increased loneliness in autistic people. As they progress through life, autistic people observe and form
14039-448: The last two decades to determine whether there is any link between childhood vaccinations and autism. The results of this research is clear: Vaccines do not cause autism." In 2009, Disability Scoop questioned Autism Speaks about its chief science officer, Geri Dawson, who received $ 669,751 in compensation in 2008, including $ 269,721 to relocate her family from Washington to North Carolina. Autism Speaks responded that Dawson's compensation
14178-613: The link first suggested more than a decade ago and that Autism Speaks needs to "move on". Later in 2009, along with NAAR's co-founder Karen London, Singer launched the Autism Science Foundation (ASF), a nonprofit organization supporting autism research premised on the principles that autism has a strong genetic component, that vaccines do not cause autism, and that evidence-based early diagnosis and intervention are critical. Autism Speaks' founder Bob Wright called Singer's resignation "disappointing and sad" and said that it
14317-448: The microorganism. Examples of toxoid-based vaccines include tetanus and diphtheria . Not all toxoids are for microorganisms; for example, Crotalus atrox toxoid is used to vaccinate dogs against rattlesnake bites. Rather than introducing an inactivated or attenuated microorganism to an immune system (which would constitute a "whole-agent" vaccine), a subunit vaccine uses a fragment of it to create an immune response. One example
14456-440: The number of cases dropped to fewer than 150 per year (median of 56). In early 2008, there were 64 suspected cases of measles. Fifty-four of those infections were associated with importation from another country, although only thirteen percent were actually acquired outside the United States; 63 of the 64 individuals either had never been vaccinated against measles or were uncertain whether they had been vaccinated. Vaccines led to
14595-494: The only childhood vaccine in the U.S. that contains thiomersal in greater than trace amounts is the influenza vaccine, which is currently recommended only for children with certain risk factors. Single-dose influenza vaccines supplied in the UK do not list thiomersal in the ingredients. Preservatives may be used at various stages of the production of vaccines, and the most sophisticated methods of measurement might detect traces of them in
14734-400: The organism being treated. The classic example is Jenner's use of cowpox to protect against smallpox. A current example is the use of BCG vaccine made from Mycobacterium bovis to protect against tuberculosis . Genetic vaccines are based on the principle of uptake of a nucleic acid into cells, whereupon a protein is produced according to the nucleic acid template. This protein is usually
14873-425: The organization merged with Autism Coalition for Research and Education. It then merged with the National Alliance for Autism Research in 2006 and Cure Autism Now in 2007. The autism rights movement and neurodiversity advocates do not see autism as a disease that needs to be cured, and have criticized Autism Speaks for seeking a cure. The word "cure" was dropped from its mission statement in 2016. Autism Speaks
15012-427: The organization provided. In October 2016, Autism Speaks removed curing autism as a goal in its mission statement. The new mission statement removed words such as "struggle," "hardship" and "crisis" to instead read in part that "Autism Speaks is dedicated to promoting solutions, across the spectrum and throughout the lifespan, for the needs of individuals with autism and their families". Autism Speaks formerly assigned
15151-600: The organization, also resigned following the op-ed. Autism Speaks's past advocacy has been based on the view of autism as a disease: "This disease has taken our children away. It's time to get them back." According to Nature , this is a view that "many but not all autism scientists would endorse." In contrast, autistic activists have promoted the idea of neurodiversity and the social model of disability , asserting that autistic people are "different but not diseased," and they challenge "how we conceptualize such medical conditions." In January 2008, an autistic blogger , upset with
15290-443: The other hand, genes controlling expression of glial and immune cells in the brain, e.g. astrocytes and microglia , respectively, are over-expressed, which correlates with increased number of glial and immune cells found in postmortem ASD brains. Some genes under investigation in ASD pathophysiology are those that affect the mTOR signaling pathway, which supports cell growth and survival. All these genetic variants contribute to
15429-577: The person or the family. In September 2018, the Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders published a systematic review of 47 studies published from 2005 to 2016 that concluded that associations between autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and screen time was inconclusive. In May 2019, the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics published a systematic review of 16 studies that found that children and adolescents with ASD are exposed to more screen time than typically developing peers and that
15568-531: The portrayal of autism at Autism Speaks' website, "Getting the Word Out", created a critical parody website titled "Getting the Truth Out". It was later taken down in response to legal demands from Autism Speaks to stop using its name and logo without permission. Autism Speaks said the spoof could confuse people looking for information about autism. New parody sites were later launched by Gwen Nelson, founder of
15707-438: The presence of other disorders or factors that likely contribute to the symptoms, other neurodevelopmental or mental disorders, intellectual disability, or language impairment). The symptom domains are (a) social communication and (b) restricted, repetitive behaviors, and there is the option of specifying a separate severity—the negative effect of the symptoms on the person—for each domain, rather than just overall severity. Before
15846-1396: The presentation varies widely: The broader autism phenotype describes people who may not have ASD but do have autistic traits , such as abnormalities in eye contact and stimming . According to the medical model, autistic people experience social communications impairments . Until 2013, deficits in social function and communication were considered two separate symptom domains. The current social communication domain criteria for autism diagnosis require people to have deficits across three social skills: social-emotional reciprocity, nonverbal communication, and developing and sustaining relationships. A deficit-based view predicts that autistic–autistic interaction would be less effective than autistic–non-autistic interactions or even non-functional. But recent research has found that autistic–autistic interactions are as effective in information transfer as interactions between non-autistics are, and that communication breaks down only between autistics and non-autistics. Also contrary to social cognitive deficit interpretations, recent (2019) research recorded similar social cognitive performances in autistic and non-autistic adults, with both of them rating autistic individuals less favorably than non-autistic individuals; however, autistic individuals showed more interest in engaging with autistic people than non-autistic people did, and learning of
15985-419: The range of diagnoses that included the word "autism". Rather than distinguishing among these diagnoses, the DSM-5 and DSM-5-TR adopt a dimensional approach with one diagnostic category for disorders that fall under the autism spectrum umbrella. Within that category, the DSM-5 and the DSM include a framework that differentiates each person by dimensions of symptom severity, as well as by associated features (i.e.,
16124-917: The regulation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and the regulation of X chromosome inactivation (XCI) initiation, via regulation of Xist long non-coding RNA, the master regulator of XCI, though competitive binding to Xist regulatory regions. Some ASD is associated with clearly genetic conditions, like fragile X syndrome , but only around 2% of autistic people have fragile X. Hypotheses from evolutionary psychiatry suggest that these genes persist because they are linked to human inventiveness, intelligence or systemising. Current research suggests that genes that increase susceptibility to ASD are ones that control protein synthesis in neuronal cells in response to cell needs, activity and adhesion of neuronal cells, synapse formation and remodeling, and excitatory to inhibitory neurotransmitter balance. Therefore, although up to 1,000 different genes are thought to increase
16263-772: The repression of β-catenin and p53 target genes. The importance of CHD8 can be observed in studies where CHD8-knockout mice died after 5.5 embryonic days because of widespread p53-induced apoptosis. Some studies have determined the role of CHD8 in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). CHD8 expression significantly increases during human mid-fetal development. The chromatin remodeling activity and its interaction with transcriptional regulators have shown to play an important role in ASD aetiology . The developing mammalian brain has conserved CHD8 target regions that are associated with ASD risk genes. The knockdown of CHD8 in human neural stem cells results in dysregulation of ASD risk genes that are targeted by CHD8. Recently CHD8 has been associated with
16402-452: The risk of ASD, all of them eventually affect normal neural development and connectivity between different functional areas of the brain in a similar manner that is characteristic of an ASD brain. Some of these genes are known to modulate production of the GABA neurotransmitter, the nervous system's main inhibitory neurotransmitter. These GABA-related genes are under-expressed in an ASD brain. On
16541-437: The severity of infection and response to a vaccine. Elderly (above age 60), allergen-hypersensitive , and obese people have susceptibility to compromised immunogenicity , which prevents or inhibits vaccine effectiveness, possibly requiring separate vaccine technologies for these specific populations or repetitive booster vaccinations to limit virus transmission . Severe side effects are extremely rare. Varicella vaccine
16680-457: The severity of infection, resulting in a lower mortality rate , lower morbidity , faster recovery from illness, and a wide range of other effects. Those who are older often display less of a response than those who are younger, a pattern known as Immunosenescence . Adjuvants commonly are used to boost immune response, particularly for older people whose immune response to a simple vaccine may have weakened. The efficacy or performance of
16819-409: The significance of autism-associated traits in the wider population. The combination of broader criteria, increased awareness, and the potential increase of actual prevalence, has led to considerably increased estimates of autism prevalence since the 1990s. The WHO estimates about 1 in 100 children had autism between 2012 and 2021, as that was the average estimate in studies during that period, with
16958-546: The social and non-social components of ASD's symptoms, described as a triad in the classic autism criteria. But it is increasingly suspected that autism is instead a complex disorder whose core aspects have distinct causes that often cooccur. It is unlikely that ASD has a single cause; many risk factors identified in the research literature may contribute to ASD. These include genetics, prenatal and perinatal factors (meaning factors during pregnancy or very early infancy), neuroanatomical abnormalities, and environmental factors. It
17097-523: The social context and subtext of neurotypical conversational or printed situations, and form different conclusions about the content. Autistic people may not control the volume of their voice in different social settings. At least half of autistic children have atypical prosody . What may look like self-involvement or indifference to non-autistic people stems from autistic differences in recognizing how other people have their own personalities, perspectives, and interests. Most published research focuses on
17236-496: The successful conclusion of the development cycle and further the clinical trials and other programs involved through Phases I–III demonstrating safety, immunoactivity, immunogenetic safety at a given specific dose, proven effectiveness in preventing infection for target populations, and enduring preventive effect (time endurance or need for revaccination must be estimated). Because preventive vaccines are predominantly evaluated in healthy population cohorts and distributed among
17375-402: The target agent before it can enter cells, and secondly by recognizing and destroying infected cells before that agent can multiply to vast numbers. Limitations to their effectiveness, nevertheless, exist. Sometimes, protection fails for vaccine-related reasons such as failures in vaccine attenuation, vaccination regimens or administration. Failure may also occur for host-related reasons if
17514-612: The then president, earned more than $ 642,000, which was more than double the earnings of any other AS executive. As of 2020, Charity Navigator gives Autism Speaks a rating of three out of four stars with a financial rating of 77 out of 100, and accountability and transparency rating of 97 out of 100. Autism Autism , or autism spectrum disorder ( ASD ), is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by repetitive, restricted, and inflexible patterns of behavior, interests, and activities, as well as difficulties in social interaction and social communication. Autism generally affects
17653-482: The utility or meaning of body language , social reciprocity, or social expectations, including the habitus , social cues , and some aspects of sarcasm, which to some degree may also be due to comorbid alexithymia . But recent research has increasingly questioned these findings, as the " double empathy problem " theory (2012) argues that there is a lack of mutual understanding and empathy between both non-autistic persons and autistic individuals. As communication
17792-574: The vaccine in question. Some common side effects include fever, pain around the injection site, and muscle aches. Additionally, some individuals may be allergic to ingredients in the vaccine. MMR vaccine is rarely associated with febrile seizures . Host-("vaccinee")-related determinants that render a person susceptible to infection, such as genetics , health status (underlying disease, nutrition, pregnancy, sensitivities or allergies ), immune competence , age, and economic impact or cultural environment can be primary or secondary factors affecting
17931-413: The vaccine is dependent on several factors: If a vaccinated individual does develop the disease vaccinated against ( breakthrough infection ), the disease is likely to be less virulent than in unvaccinated cases. Important considerations in an effective vaccination program: In 1958, there were 763,094 cases of measles in the United States; 552 deaths resulted. After the introduction of new vaccines,
18070-777: The vaccine. The live attenuated vaccine containing strain Yersinia pestis EV is used for plague immunization. Attenuated vaccines have some advantages and disadvantages. Attenuated, or live, weakened, vaccines typically provoke more durable immunological responses. But they may not be safe for use in immunocompromised individuals, and on rare occasions mutate to a virulent form and cause disease. Some vaccines contain microorganisms that have been killed or inactivated by physical or chemical means. Examples include IPV ( polio vaccine ), hepatitis A vaccine , rabies vaccine and most influenza vaccines . Toxoid vaccines are made from inactivated toxic compounds that cause illness rather than
18209-598: The world lit up in blue on the evening of April 1, 2010. Autism Speaks volunteers and supporters began the day at the New York Stock Exchange by ringing the opening bell in what has become a yearly tradition since 2008. In 2011, despite efforts by Autism Speaks, the White House said it would not light up blue to mark World Autism Awareness Day. In 2017, President Donald Trump fulfilled a promise to Suzanne Wright (co-founder of Autism Speaks) by lighting
18348-432: Was "adversely impacting" autism research. In March 2010, Autism Speaks said it would not completely abandon the idea that vaccines could cause autism and that it would support "research to determine whether subsets of individuals might be at increased risk for developing autism symptoms following vaccination". In September 2010, a study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found exposure to thimerosal ,
18487-432: Was a member, voted against committing the funds; this was contrary to the Autism Speaks policy on vaccine safety research. Singer said that "there isn't an unlimited pot of money, and every dollar spent looking where we know the answer isn't is one less dollar we have to spend where we might find new answers. The fact is that vaccines save lives; they don't cause autism." She said that numerous scientific studies have disproved
18626-633: Was founded in February 2005 by Bob Wright , vice chairman of General Electric , and his wife Suzanne, a year after their grandson Christian was diagnosed with autism. The organization was established with a $ 25 million donation from The Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus , who sat on its board of directors for some years. Since its founding, Autism Speaks has merged with three existing autism organizations. Autism Speaks has combined organizations that funded peer-reviewed research into genetic causes, promoted alternative theories and therapies, and advocated for people with autism. In 2005, Autism Speaks merged with
18765-665: Was mid-range for executives with similar positions in the nonprofit health sector, and that Dawson's move benefited Autism Speaks because she would be more accessible to its offices, science divisions, government health agencies in Washington, D.C., and her new position at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill . In 2012, Autism Speaks spent $ 2,252,334 on compensation for current officers, directors, trustees, and key employees, which The Daily Beast portrayed as controversial. Autism Speaks' former president Mark Roithmayr had
18904-574: Was published and ICD-9 was current), including more rigorous biological assessment—in place of historical experience—and a simplification of the classification system. As of 2023, empirical and theoretical research is leading to a growing consensus among researchers that the established ASD criteria are ineffective descriptors of autism as a whole, and that alternative research approaches must be encouraged, such as going back to autism prototypes, exploring new causal models of autism, or developing transdiagnostic endophenotypes . Proposed alternatives to
19043-415: Was released in June 2018 and came into full effect as of January 2022. It describes ASD as follows: Autism spectrum disorder is characterised by persistent deficits in the ability to initiate and to sustain reciprocal social interaction and social communication, and by a range of restricted, repetitive, and inflexible patterns of behaviour, interests or activities that are clearly atypical or excessive for
19182-429: Was succeeded by Liz Feld who had joined the organization the same year as executive vice president of strategic communications before she was promoted to become the president. Feld was succeeded by Angela Timashenka Geiger who served in the position beginning in February 2016. In October 2021, Autism Speaks appointed Keith Wargo as its new president and CEO. Autism Speaks, along with its predecessor organizations, has been
19321-448: Was used as an adjuvant for anthrax vaccine. This produces a more rapid immune response than giving only the anthrax vaccine, which is of some benefit if exposure might be imminent. Vaccines may also contain preservatives to prevent contamination with bacteria or fungi . Until recent years, the preservative thiomersal ( a.k.a. Thimerosal in the US and Japan) was used in many vaccines that did not contain live viruses. As of 2005,
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