Should all babies have genetic testing for mitochondrial disorder

[pnwmom]

before they have any vaccines? If this did reduce the number of autism cases by 7%, wouldn't it be worth it? And are there other diseases, such as malabsorption diseases, that also can lead to "autism like symptoms" if a baby is stressed by vaccines? Maybe there are a number of different reasons that a susceptible baby could develop these symptoms, and we should be trying to identify all of them, rather than assuming that there's one simple explanation OR that the vaccines are safe for everyone.

A 9 year old girl with a mitochondrial disorder recently received a settlement offer from the government, who conceded that the vaccinations she had at least "aggravated" her condition. This is the first time the government has acknowledged any link between autism symptoms and vaccines.

http://www.rawstory.com/news/mochila/Government_concedes_vaccine_injury__03052008.html

"According to the document, five vaccines the girl received on one day in 2000 aggravated her mitochondrial condition, predisposing her to metabolic problems that manifested as worsening brain function "with features of autism spectrum disorder." In the 1990s, the definition of autism was expanded to take in a group of milder, related conditions, which are known as autism spectrum disorders.

The document does not address whether it was the thimerosal — or something else entirely in the vaccines — that was at fault.

SNIP

The Health Resources and Services Administration, which is in charge of the fund, said: "HRSA has maintained and continues to maintain the position that vaccines do not cause autism."

A Portuguese study suggested that 7 percent of autistic children might also have the mitochondrial disorder, versus one in 5,000 people — or 0.02 percent — in the general population, said Dr. Marvin Natowicz, a Cleveland Clinic geneticist.

SNIP

[blunorsk]

1. mitochondrial

DNA is pretty fundamental to life. What is the disorder and cause?

[pnwmom]

5. From the article:

"The girl has a disorder involving her mitochondria, the energy factories of cells. The disorder — which can be present at birth from an inherited gene or acquired later in life — impairs cells' ability to use nutrients, and often causes problems in brain functioning. It can lead to delays in walking and talking."

Welcome to DU, blunorsk.

[blunorsk]

7. Mighty

Thanks for the welcome, don't know how I've missed this till now. Yahoo discussions were fun, since half the
audience were oppositional, but it's tiring dealing with idiots.

The mitochondria are the storehouse for maternal DNA, which is passed on unmodified to children. If my understanding is correct, damage to mitochondrial dna is potentially unfixable for future generations.

[KT2000]

2. Genetic testing

is in our future. What we need are protections from using the info to deny insurance, employment etc.

If there is a way to prevent autism or any kind of brain damage, I am all for it.

[Warpy]

4. Exactly why that shouldn't be done

because it can be used to deny the kid insurance if the parents change jobs.

[pnwmom]

6. Which is exactly why we should all be fighting for universal health insurance

for all people regardless of preexisting conditions.

[Posteritatis]

8. Insurance discrimination based on genetic testing was explicitly outlawed last year, I think. (nt)

[WillowTree]

3. So long as the parents want it, yes.

But it should be up to them.