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Wednesday, March 12, 2008

ASD and Smoking?

Okay, I guess the whole mercury in vaccines and Autism link is thoroughly
and repeatedly debunked. I'm fine with that, they looked, they didn't
find any evidence, so that ain't it.

I was just listening to "The Naked Scientists" podcast, talking about the
effects of smoking and exposure to smokers pre- and post-natally. Fairly
well proven to increase birth defects and learning disabilities. And, of
course, those of us in the "Autism Epidemic" part of the Baby Boom were
frequently exposed to second-hand smoke as babies, and third-hand smoke as
fetuses. Certainly I was; my Dad, a WWII veteran, was also a very heavy
smoker, a much heavier smoker even than me.

Have there been any significant studies as to causality between tobacco
smoke exposure and Autism Spectrum Disorders? It seems like a likely
suspect, and I'd be surprised if there -aren't- any such studies.

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