Summary of Andrew J. Wakefield's Waging War On The Autistic Child

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The past fifteen years have seen a steady increase in the prevalence of GI symptoms and inflammatory GI pathology in children with autism. While the psychiatric legacy surrounding autism tends to ignore these symptoms, pediatricians and other doctors often conflate the two, and parents are often subject to accusations of child abuse for seeking medical attention for their children’s symptoms. #2 The views of the medical community on the origin and epidemiology of ASD have changed over time. While the word autistic has remained, the disorder itself has changed both in its clinical presentation and epidemiology. #3 GI problems in individuals with ASD provide an important insight into the changing landscape of this disorder. A 2010 report titled Evaluation, Diagnosis, and Treatment of GI disorders in individuals with ASDs: A Consensus Report16 stated that the preponderance of data supported the likelihood of a high prevalence of GI symptoms in ASD. #4 The GI symptoms of ASD include diarrhea, constipation, alternating constipation and diarrhea, abdominal bloating, anorexia, failure to thrive, and vomiting. In addition, clinicians have reported the often idiosyncratic and previously misinterpreted behavioral symptoms in nonverbal children that are indicative of underlying GI disorders.