Comments on: Did you have the flu during your pregnancy?

By: The Puzzling Spectrum of Autism Causes

The Puzzling Spectrum of Autism Causes — Mon, 05 May 2008 18:28:00 +0000

[...] do TV, ultrasounds, insufficient vitamin D, air pollution, a mother having the flu while pregnant, mercury, have to do with each [...]

By: katrina Jackson

katrina Jackson — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 06:29:14 +0000

Hi Kristina, he is five and has just started at a special needs school, things are going well, he is a happy boy and everyone loves him, (teaching staff included), I have battled with the ‘why did this happen’ his whole five years, I have exhausted every internet site pertaining to flu/fever in pregnancy, I have sought the opinion of public and private paediatricians and they all agree it is a possibility, Stacey has facial dysmorphology, hypotonia, severe intellectual impairment, severe autism, he is also severely deaf (mondini malformation – deformed cochlear) this is forming at the same time I had the flu and I have information to suggest these problems are brought about if a fever occurs during the 4 – 7 week gestational period, I had the proper flu, I couldn’t move, sit up in bed, or even go to the loo by myself, hot, cold, body sore to touch, etc, sorry Kristina I have gone into great detail, but I would like another baby and am a little scared, I love my son and have learn’t that you don’t stop grieving you just learn to live with it

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 05:55:05 +0000

Thanks for sharing about your son, Katrina. So much has happened in the past 10 years of life with my son that I had completely forgotten that I had a bad cold while expecting him and only discovered this when I looked in my pregnancy journal, as I noted. If I may ask, how old is your son? Hope things are well—-

By: katrina Jackson

katrina Jackson — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 04:33:45 +0000

I believe my sons intellectual and hearing impairment are a result of a severe flu / fever I had when I was six weeks pregnant (he is autistic as well), I lost 3 kg in a week and have never been sicker, he has a inner ear defect which can be bought about by environmental teratogens, I have had a genetic opinion and she thinks it seems like the most likely explanation (more so the fever than the flu itselt), this makes for very interesting reading

By: Irene R. Campbell

Irene R. Campbell — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 20:12:45 +0000

Yep, I had the flu with John. Had to go in to the ER for fluids due to dehydtration and I remember getting the shot that helps stop vomitting….what is it?…..pherngan (sp?)

By: Rochelle

Rochelle — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 15:42:06 +0000

We’ve never had flu shots and never get the flu. I’ve had it once in my life, in 2002, and my oldest (NT) son had it for the first time last spring at nine years old.

Now, a family history of mental illness…that’s a different story. And, my mother’s epileptic.

Flu theory just doesn’t apply here…

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 14:56:40 +0000

Depression, anxiety disorders, substance abuse—–those are present in Charlie’s family line too—-if I may ask, when was Jack’s epilepsy identified? Thank you for sharing about him and your family.

I was teaching in a middle school and an upper school at the time; some student or other was often ill. I had completely forgotten about having the flu until I read the article I referenced in my post and looked in my pregnancy journal. I have to go back and read the rest in light of everyone’s comments!

By: Jane

Jane — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 03:48:01 +0000

It is interesting that you brought up the flu in pregnancy. I had a terrible case of the flu that lastest a couple of week when I was pregnant with my son. Jack, age 11, has Autism, epilepsy and a Chairi malformation. I was told his Chairi was linked to a nuero-tube defect (my maternal blood test was negative). We did have a relative with schizophrenia (depression, anxiety disorders and substance abuse also is noted in our family which can be other familiar links). I do believe his MMR was a catalyst since his development degressed after the immunization. I believe with the theory of a genetic component being activated by a physical and or emotional stressor for my son’s condition. I cannot explain the epilepsy since no other relative has a seizure disorder, but the physicians at children’s in Boston told me 25% of children with autism spectrum become epileptic by adulthood. I am glad I found your website. thank you for having a responsible parent site.

By: Julia

Julia — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:41:16 +0000

Sam: bladder infection (it took me almost 2 weeks to recover from the antibiotics), bad cold, maybe a second bad cold. Morning sickness to about 12 weeks. Gained 30 lbs. Lost it all within 18 months. Sam autistic, nonverbal.

C & T: possible strep (got an antibiotic prescription within 2 hours of Sam coming up positive), maybe a cold. Morning sickness to around 15 weeks. Gained 50 lbs. Lost all but 5 in 2 years. C & T both diagnosed with “mild to moderate autism”, whatever was meant by that.

No flu. No flu shot.

In our case, I’m sure it’s mostly genetic. The more I learn about autism, the more I see traits in members of the extended family.

By: ange

ange — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 22:59:17 +0000

“I’m wondering how this latest finding might be use: … Have them not work?”

Nah, it’ll probabally be used to scare all mothers into getting flu shots (or the government will make them mandatory) and then the flu shots will be blamed when the children still have autism.

[BTW, I apologize, my sense of humor never translates online!]