STUDY FINDS EVIDENCE OF GENDER BIAS TOWARD DIAGNOSING BOYS WITH AUTISM

Social factors can play a key role in whether or not a child is diagnosed as autistic, a new study has found.

Boys were more likely to receive a diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) than girls, even when symptoms were equally severe, according to researchers at the universities of Exeter and Bristol.

"We wanted to find out what distinguishes those children without diagnosis but with autistic traits from those who have received a formal ASD diagnosis in the clinic," explained lead researcher Ginny Russell, from Egenis at the University of Exeter. "We thought that there may be social and demographic factors that explain why some children are diagnosed and others are not. Understanding social factors that act as access barriers may provide useful insights for clinicians in practice."

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THE LINK BETWEEN VACCINES AND AUTISM: TRUE OR FALSE?

Does vaccination increase the likelihood of autism?

One hypothesis is that vaccination in general, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) virus live vaccine, and vaccines that contain mercury cause autism. Actress Jenny McCarthy is one of the most outspoken proponents of the autism-vaccine hypothesis. She has appeared on numerous TV shows, radio shows and other media outlets where she has claimed that there is definitely a link between vaccines and autism.

Former presidential candidate John McCain stated, “It’s indisputable that autism is on the rise amongst children, the question is what’s causing it. There’s strong evidence that indicates that it’s got to do with a preservative in vaccines.”

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