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Shame on Thomas Sowell. Until the cause(s) for the dramatic rise in autism is established, it should be "unsubstantiated claims" instead of "false claims". They can't be false claims until it's know what's true?

How about some emphasis on the claims that invaders in the US brought measles and other diseases with them?

His article spoke directly to the “dramatic rise in autism”, and to the “cause(s)”.

His use of the term “false claim” is backed up by his article.

I agree with you on the diseased illegal immigrant point. I would have liked to see at least a nod from Dr. Sowell to this issue.

Until the cause(s) for the dramatic rise in autism is established, it should be "unsubstantiated claims" instead of "false claims".

What we once called autism is now called Autism Spectrum Disorder. Many different syndromes have been lumped into this disorder and because of that we have an increase in autism.

http://healthland.time.com/2012/03/29/autism-rises-more-u-s-children-than-ever-have-autism-is-the-increase-real/

Shame on Thomas Sowell. Until the cause(s) for the dramatic rise in autism is established, it should be "unsubstantiated claims" instead of "false claims". They can't be false claims until it's know what's true?

Did you read the article? The reason for the increase in autism cases is that the definition of what constitutes autism has been expanded. Cases which were previously not considered autism are now counted. There is no evidence at all that it has anything to do with vaccination.

He gives the evidence of why it is a false claim. Read the article, it isn’t that long.

Until the cause(s) for the dramatic rise in autism is established, it should be "unsubstantiated claims" instead of "false claims". They can't be false claims until it's know what's true?

Dr. Sowell points out, if you read the article, that the definition of autism has been expanded to include other forms of mental retardation and that this accounts for the increase in the number of children with "autism".

The article also points out that the link between vaccination and autism was established by one (1) study - of twelve (12) children. Since then numerous studies of tens and hundreds of thousands of children have shown no correlation between vaccines and autism. The study of twelve children showing an increased incidence may have been worthy of prompting more studies but now we know the results of the broader studies. Unfortunately the broader studies made the scientific literature but not the all important tabloid press and conspiracy blogs.

Maybe parents who are concerned about vaccines giving their children autism should move on to a greater threat - like power lines giving their children leukemia. (/sarc)

Well, no. Studies showed no relationship...therefore a claim of a relationship is false.

The idea there are no known causes of Autism are actually false. Rubella, the R in MMR, has been known since atleast the 1970's to cause autism

Chess, S. Autism in children with congenital rubella. J Autism Child Schizophr. 1, 33-47 (1971).
Chess S. Follow-up report on autism in congenital rubella. J Autism Child Schizophr. 1977;7:69 –81
Ziring PR. Congenital rubella: the teenage years. Pediatr Ann. 1997;6: 762–770
… rubella (congenital rubella syndrome) is one of the few proven causes of autism.” Walter A. Orenstein, M.D. US as Assistant Surgeon General, Director National Immunization Program in a letter to the UK’s Chief Medical Officer 15 February 2002.

Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) is associated with several negative outcomes, including autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3123590/t

I am usually a big Sowell fan, but while he is technically correct Autism has been expanded since 1943, Hans Asperger, of Asperger's Syndrome fame, published his study in 1944. So, the autistic spectrum from severely autistic to Asperger's syndrome, one of the least severe diagnosis's, has been in place since 1944.