Depakote in pregnancy increases risk of autism-- article

[Guest guest]

This is mentioned by government attorneys in the Omnibus. What

neither the attorneys nor this study mention is that A) the impact of

VPA (= Depakote) on the brain is extremely similar in places to the

effects of ethylmercury on the brain; and that VPA may cause

autism if taken by the child long after the neonatal period

(see " Chemo Brain " file on this list: study of a child who regressed

at age 7). Rather than acting as an " alternate theory " , this might

actually prove that mercury is a major culprit. We'll see.

I'm sure these kids were vaccinated as well but it may be that VPA

represents a " cause " on its own as well as creating increased

susceptibility to other direct causes.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081201162028.htm

Epilepsy Drug Taken When Pregnant May Increase Risk Of Autism In

Children

ScienceDaily (Dec. 1, 2008) — A new study shows that women who take

the epilepsy drug valproate while pregnant may significantly increase

their child's risk of developing autism. The preliminary research is

published in the December 2, 2008, print issue of Neurology.

The ongoing study involves 632 children, nearly half of whom were

exposed to epilepsy drugs during gestation. Of the children whose

mothers took epilepsy drugs while pregnant, 64 were exposed to

valproate, 44 to lamotrigine, 76 to carbamazepine and 65 to other

epilepsy drugs. Of the 632 children in the study, nine have been

diagnosed with autism and one has shown symptoms of the disorder. The

children were tested at one, three and six years old. Two-thirds of

the children were six years old by the end of the study.

The study found seven of the children with autism had mothers who

took an epilepsy drug while pregnant, four of those children were

exposed to valproate while a fifth child's mother took a combination

of valproate and lamotrigine. The children whose mothers were given

valproate during pregnancy were seven times more likely to develop

autism compared to children whose mothers did not take an epilepsy

drug while pregnant. This risk was not seen with the other epilepsy

drugs. None of the children in the study had any known family history

of autism.

" The potential risk for autism in this study was substantial for

children whose mothers took valproate while pregnant, but more

research needs to be done since these are early findings, " says study

author Gus Baker, PhD, FBPsS, of the University of Liverpool in the

United Kingdom. " However, women who take valproate while pregnant

should be informed of the possible risks of autism and are encouraged

to discuss them with their doctor. Those who are taking valproate

should not stop their treatment without speaking to their doctor

first. "

Other studies have shown that valproate is more likely to cause birth

defects than other epilepsy drugs.

Symptoms of autism include difficulty in language development, a lack

of attention, social problems and the inability to understand other

people's feelings.

The study was conducted by the Liverpool and Manchester

Neurodevelopment Group, a multidisciplinary group consisting of

psychologists, geneticists, neurologists, midwives and support staff.