Autism – Seven Critical Tips Every Parent Needs to Know

Dr Bob Sears

Autism has become one of the most widespread childhood epidemics in recorded history. According to the latest studies from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, autism now affects an astounding 1 in 100 children (1 in 58 boys). What makes it so devastating for parents is that autism can strike unexpectedly out of nowhere; a healthy and neurologically normal infant can suddenly regress into autism between age 1 and 2. Some toddlers don’t regress; they simply stop progressing through normal social and language milestones. Some infants seem to be born with autism, displaying some characteristics right from the start that eventually lead to a diagnosis.

And what continues to baffle researchers and leave parents feeling frustrated and helpless is that we still don’t know why autism has reached this alarming level. For every one of the 50,000 children who are newly diagnosed every year, a doctor can’t offer the parents an explanation of why. Thousands of researchers are spending hundreds of millions of dollars trying to unravel this mystery, but we still don’t have the answer.

Yet amid the uncertainty and confusion, there is hope. There is so much we do know about how to treat autism and how to help children recover.  Did I say recover? Yes. Autism doesn’t have to be a permanent diagnosis. As many as 30% of children (or more) recover to the point where they no longer have autism.  Go here to learn the seven most important steps every new parent can take with their child to get started down the road to recovery.

Childhood Vaccines – Making an Educated Decision for your Children

Every parent today has questions about vaccines. Are they safe? Is there still mercury in some? What are the potential side effects? Can I delay some shots? Are all the diseases still common? Do vaccines cause autism? You want to know the answers before your baby’s first checkup and shots, but you have nowhere to turn for unbiased advice. Your doctor tells you that all vaccines are perfectly safe, that the diseases could kill your child, and that you have to vaccinate or else you are putting your child, and everyone else in the country, at risk. On the other hand, the anti-vaccine books, websites, and some of your friends tell you that vaccines are dangerous, the diseases are harmless, and that you are crazy to vaccinate. All these uncertainties boil down to the one all-consuming question of the decade that every parent agonizes over – Should I vaccinate my child?

Answering this question begins with a discussion of the various diseases we are trying to prevent by vaccinating. Go here for a brief overview of each vaccine-preventable disease and its vaccine.

Dr. Bob Sears is a father of three, pediatrician, author and is part of the Sears Family of Pediatricians. Dr. Bob received his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine and did his pediatric training at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. He practices in Dana Point, California.