Auto-immunity and autism-Jimjams?

[Tiggiwinkle]

Jimjams-I noticed you mentioned auto-immunity as a factor in autism on another thread. I am interested because both my DH and I coincidentally suffer from an auto-immune condition (Antiphospholipid, or Hughes, Syndrome). As you know, my 6 year old DS5 has been diagnosed with AS this year, but when I asked the psychiatrist if the auto-immune conditions could be a factor I was told they were not. I suspect at least two of my other sons are undiagnosed AS-my 16 year old is also dyspraxic.
So is there a link after all?

here's a random link Also this . Bear in mind that there are probably differentways to become autistic though. A lot of people I know with AS have a lot of AS in the family, whilst a lot of those with severe autism don't have autism, but have autoimmunity in the fanily. That's a bit simplistic though.

Thanks for that. In our case I guess it is probably just coincincidence then. It just seems strange that we have so many apparently unrelated things going on within the family. (Of course the dyspraxia and AS are related though). Our eldest DS has coeliac disease and I sometimes wonder if that is also tied in as well: I just dont know.

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Socci- oh they definitely do occur in the same family. BUt is the trigger for that autism the same as the trigger in the family with no autism but lots of autoimmunuty ?????? No idea!

I think Walsh in the States found that across the spectrum 99 = % of people with an autism or AS diagnosis had problems with thier metallothionein proteins. So could be the same basic problem. Wouldn't rule it out or in.

Socci, I have a sister with AS and, of course, DS is severely autistic. My cousin has a DS similar to my DS who is younger. I also have an autoimmune disease but none of these other people do so I think it can be a big red herring but it could also be a factor in some cases.....!! Isn't coeliac disease an autoimmune disease in itself?

I dont think coeliac is classed as an auto-immune disorder as such, presumably because it is a sensitivity to an "outside" factor?

I have crohn's which is auto-immune disease - I gave dd single vaccines because of this and becaue I have heard the two are linked - have never heard of any link to any other auto-immune disease though

The Hornig paper gives another one CD

genetic predispositon to autoimmunity + thimerosal = autism (in mice)

Hi there!
I am really interested in this subject too.
There are lots of auto immune diseases in DHs side, and my DD has not be growing well and is not being checked for coeliac's disease.
I just been to the hospital to sort out new Ds's vaccinations and was assured that there was no reason to have separate shots but that they would try to accomodate if I wanted....
I am not sure what to do!
JimJams didn't you thought the coadjuvants were the worst in vaccines? Is so, I think you will get less in a 5-1 than with many separate ones.... Although certainly more than with no vaccines...

Tiggiwinkle, i was reading an article on Hughes yesterday, is it you who has it?

sorry to sound a bit thick but im new to all this what is auto-immunity?

Is when your immune system think your cells are foreign, and therefore attack them somehow. There are many different types of disordes depending on the nature of the attack.
hth

thanks

Fio2- By a quirk of fate, both my DH and I have Hughes Syndrome. I discovered I had it after my platelet count dropped very low in my last pregnancy 6 years ago. DH was found to have it after developing multiple PEs a couple of years ago. He is on Warfarin for life; I do not need to take it at the moment, thank goodness!