I am the mother of a 20 year old autistic child and the aunt of 2 autistic nephews ages 23 and 16 now. When my youngest nephew was born (hes 7 now) his mother [my sister] requested his vacines be "spread apart", and he is "normal". Instead of mercury, thermisol, etc., can the vacines JUST be given "ungrouped" and tested?

I think the the findings of the CDC in this case will open a flood of lawsuits, and possibly settlements. I do not however believe that vaccines "cause" autism. My son's first speech therapist believed there was something MUCH deeper and most likely genetic or mutagenic causing the escalation of diagnosis' in the past decade. She pointed to the high concentration of kids diagnosed in Silicon Valley as evidence of a selective genetic role.
I asked both of my son's pediatricians about the preservative used in the vaccines adminstered, and both assured me they did not use thimerosal vaccines. Our youngest son's doctor said he didn't believe that the Thimerosal was harmful, but since the vaccines were available without it, why chance it?

I think it's important to remember that this case is unique. Vaccines didn't CAUSE the girls autism, she was already predisposed to it from a rare genetic condition. If not vaccines, any other number of factors could have activated the disease.

This is such and emotive issue. No one wants to do anything that will damage their child. We have two members of my family with the condition, if the vaccine was a problem; it is very difficult to get proof of this. More investigations are required to see what the problem may be. As the condition affects people in different ways, it is not an easy task to get to the bottom of this.