Autism epidemic can be blamed on toxins

April is Autism Awareness Month. I have been getting a lot of phone calls from people wanting to know what is causing this epidemic in our children.

However, when I tell them they need to be careful about the toxins in their environment, they don't like that answer. Maybe they were expecting me to give a nice, safe answer such as, “Well, we really don't know” or “It's just genetic” or “I guess it is just bad luck.”

We have come too far to accept these answers. Isn't it time we put dollars into research that involves parent input? Why aren't researchers talking to parents, asking their stories? I have talked to hundreds of parents all across the country. Each of them has a unique story, but the common thread is the same every single time: Toxins. Whether it be a pesticide on food, flame retardant chemicals on clothes or vaccine ingredients. People don't like to hear it. But when a newborn baby can be tested and found positive for 300 chemicals, I think it warrants a bit of concern.

Thank God the people I surround myself with on a daily basis are not waiting for an answer. They are treating their kids for heavy metal levels, for yeast overgrowth and supplementing the deficiencies in their kid's vitamin levels. And guess what, they are getting better! If toxins aren't the cause, then why is removing the toxins making them better?

Cindy Dircks

Cedar Rapids