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2nd Trimester
sunflwr2
member
Ridiculous article in pregnancy magazine!!!
sunflwr2
member
So I was reading fit pregnancy last night, and one of the articles was about autism and how chemicals may be linked to causing autism and how pregnant women should avoid them. Things to avoid or things to try and do included:
1. eat organic when possible (okay I get this one)
2. avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, and disinfectant sprays (okay fine, I get it)
3. Avoid living near a highway (really??? are they serious???)
4. Avoid handling receipts from ATM's, gas stations, etc, because there is some sort of chemical in them that may be linked to autism.
I honestly can't take all the things we are not supposed to do. I mean it's just so ridiculous! Am I the only one who feels like living in a bubble is just not possible? Or neccessary?
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Re: Ridiculous article in pregnancy magazine!!!
The last 2 are just ridiculous!
I live near a highway...sooo ok...
And Im sry but I need gas and atm machines from time to time...should I just walk everywhere and make sure the bank gives me cash instead?
I think not.
My grandma had 7 healthy babies being healthy but without living in a "bubble." My mom had 2 healthy babies...same thing. Some articles are just too much.
We buy 100% organic fruits, breads, produce and meats/fish and dairy... I made all DS food and only give him organic. I'm a huge believer in it. We have a deliver service and buy local, organic.... I love it! And I'm totally not saying I never indulge in doritos or ores from time to time because i definitely do : ). I thought it was a great article... Never knew about the ATM receipts either..interesting.
yeah...some of these things are unavoidable. There was an article recently that did link rates of autism with living close to major roads though - possibly from breathing all of the fumes. I have heard that there is bpa in many receipts, so maybe that makes sense?
It's a little extreme for most of us to avoid that stuff for the very low risk it might pose. I'm honestly not avoiding any of those things despite that I know some research has shown some link.
I wouldn't necessarily say the last two are unreasonable - perhaps, for some, it's worth knowing about the risks of living near high-traffic areas with fumes and chemicals galore in saturated amounts in the air. Or that BPA can be found in receipts.
I mean, I live pretty far away from the highway, and don't usually handle receipts for more than two seconds, myself, so I don't feel particularly threatened by them. But the research is interesting, and may provide some compelling clues as to why some birth defects happen. I think it's worth letting expectant parents know.
// I love you too. //
yeah, I don't understand why people get angry at research like this. Sometimes the research can only say that there is a slight relationship, but they're not to the point where they understand it well enough to make a definite causal statement. But, some people do want that information so that they can attempt to avoid those things that MIGHT play a role. No biggie. I'd rather have all information than be left in the dark until the science is completely figured out, which may never happen.
I agree. I rather know about research like this, even if it is a slight risk. Am I suddenly going to refuse to handle receipts? No. But I might be careful to wash my hands afterwards. There are so many chemicals and crap in our food, environment, personal care products, etc., and I can't believe that it doesn't affect growing babies and children in some way. So I rather know and then make my own decisions about what I'll worry about.
I even agree that a couple of the autism avoidance recs in the OP seem a bit over the top, but I HATE the argument "my mom and grandma [or sister, or college roommate, etc.] did X and are fine so there must not really be a danger to X". My mom and pretty much all of my friends' moms smoked regularly while pregnant (it was the 70's). My friends and I are all "fine". Does that mean that a study saying not to smoke while pregnant is silly? No. A sample size of 2 - or even 10, or even 100, can't compete with controlled medical studies of thousands.
ITA, especially w/ the bolded part.
As the source of the bolded language, I note that I specifically clarified that I wasn't defending studies that link autism with certain environmental/external factors (nor criticizing such studies, I just don't have enough personal knowledge and haven't read enough to judge one way or the other). My comment was addressed more to the basic logical flaw that seems to be prevalent on the Bump wherein one argues that any number of potential dangers aren't truly dangerous because they know a small number of people exposed to the dangers without harm. Here, it was said about autism (and as I've said, I'm unsure what I believe there) but people say the same about BPA, various foods, and almost any study anyone posts that implies there is a risk. Yes, many studies may be less than random or otherwise imperfect, but they're no less illustrative of potential risks than one Bump poster's sample size of her mom and grandma.
This exactly. I HATE how parents choose not to immunize, and say "aren't you afraid of your child getting autism too?"
All those recommendations are good advice, but may not have nothing to do with ASD. But all the chemicals still disrupt hormones (early puberty, etc.), and can cause or contribute to many other diseases, sicknesses, allergies, etc. So it's helpful advice for everyone, not necessarily wrt autism.
There is so much crap in everything we buy/eat/wear/drink, that I think it's important more people are informed about what they can do to reduce their exposure. BC the majority of people put their heads in the sand and trust that someone else will protect them if there were truly risks. which is not true at all.
I completely agree with you. I was more or less trying to target the last part of what the poster quoted from your post. I am in complete agreement that you cannot take a unbiased sample from some people you know and assume that everything is going to be fine. However, you cannot trust medical studies that tend to not offer hard statistical data, but give vague "It may cause Autism" determinations. I have done a lot of research on Autism because I used to tutor/instruct students with Autism and various other learning disabilities.
As a mathematician, I look at a lot of these statistical studies and I have seen several where there is actually no valid correllation between the numbers or the sample is too narrow, etc. It is less actual statistics that could help people and more fear mongering. I have taken several Special Education classes and been to seminars regarding the topic of Autism. There is a lot these studies and "guidelines" don't tell you about what to look for during the developmental stages that could suggest Autism in a child. There are tons of educators and parents out there that can tell you signs that they know to look for or understand now that they have a diagnosis.
I am almost certain from what my ILs have told me about DH and what I know personally that he has Asperger's. However, he doesn't want to be tested for it because he has learned to adapt as an adult and he doesn't want the stigma that is attached to it.
It all comes down to that it is important to be educated on what signs to look for and not who or what is to blame. People seem to be searching blindly for some kind of scapegoat for the cause of Autism when the real concern should be how to improve treatment and quality of life with the disorder.
::gigglesnort:: ITA.
LOL funny. Actually they are absorbed through the skin, much like parabens are, which are cancer causing agents that have been banned in several European countries. Parabens are in lotions, makeups, even Baby Lotion.