Autism

            This research article is on "Measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination and bowel problems or development regression in children with autism: population study" with the research having been completed by Brent Taylor, Elizabeth Miller, Raghu Lingham, Nick Sanders, Andrea Simmons, and Julia Stowe. The type of studied used was a case study. The purpose of this case study is to look into whether measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination is connected with bowel problems and developmental regression in children with autism, a possible new autism variation. A total of four hundred seventy three subjects born between 1979 and 1988 were analyzed in this study. Of the subjects, two hundred seventy eight children with core autism and one hundred ninety five with atypical autism were analyzed. This study takes place over a twenty-year period with the question of whether or not the introduction of MMR vaccine is a factor in bowel problems or developmental regression. This "new variant" form of autism has been further speculated due to the assumed association of MMR vaccine brought on by media attention. Population studies in the past have shown no connection between autism and MMR vaccine; however, assumptions that various environmental cofactors are required for the effect are widespread.
             Of the 473 children studied, only 17% were found to have associated bowel problems with the following breakdown: constipation (42 children), constipation and diarrhea (7), diarrhea (19), food allergy (7), non-specific colitis with ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia (2), and other (4). Both childhood and atypical autism subjects with bowel symptoms were similar: childhood, 49 children (18%); atypical - 32 children (16%). Regression with apparent loss of speech or change in behavior, as detailed by parents, was reported in 118 (25%) of the 469 children. The proportion of regression was similar in both groups: childhood, 43 (23%); atypical, 75 (27%).