comment: >
  
  I agree the anti-vax nonsense is nonsense, but Thimerosal contains Mercury, which is a heavy metal.
  The molecule has entirely different properties to mercury in its poisonous bioavailable forms, but it’s also inaccurate to say ‘there isn’t really heavy metal in vaccines’ if mercury is a component in the preservative.
  I’m all for accurate and nuanced understanding of how medicines work, but that includes ‘accurate’.
context: So according to the article, the test measures exposures to metals that are associated with the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and is 81% accurate. It can help children receive early therapy, medication, and intervention.
  There are some potential problems with this.
  
  ASD has significant environmental components - the mother’s exposure to certain air pollution while pregnant seems to be a significant factor - but also genetic components, and we’re still not completely sure how each component contributes.
  81% accuracy as opposed to a high 90s accuracy rate may provide enough wiggle room that insurance companies may not be willing to cover interventions without a more accurate test that can be performed later in life.
  ASD is a spectrum and a very wide one at that. You don’t know how symptoms will manifest in a particular individual, how they will impact that individual’s life, or what therapies will be appropriate until symptoms appear, and whatever you do before symptoms show up may not be appropriate to what is actually going to happen and may harm both you and your child. >
  
  I agree so much with point 3. The best way to treat autism is to help develop healthy mechanisms to deal with it. ie if you stim in a way that's physically harmful to yourself, help develop a new way of dealing with overstimulation.
  Sticking kids into some sort of standardized "treatment" program for autism where you're basically just teaching kids to mask or else they will be punished is harmful, we already know that. I'm worried treating kids for autism before they have any autistic traits will push more parents down that path to think if they start early their kid can be "cured". 
  We need to fix how autism is treated in this country (and many others) regardless of this testing. But I know we won't so I fear the worst for these kids. >
  
  The way they're testing has me worried. Trying to diagnose autism via heavy metal exposure might contribute to anti-vaxx conspiracies about vaccines and heavy metals. 
  I think it might also cause autistic children that don't have these markers to be missed and have any future diagnosis prospects made more difficult.
  I know the makers say that the test itself shouldn't be relied upon completely, but having been through the system shitty doctors and exhausted parents are probably gonna rely upon this if it gets approved by the feds. 
  It's a simple, easy, and most of all "physically provable" marker for autism. It's way easier than waiting for your baby to miss a milestone and then having to go to multiple psychologists/psychiatrists to get an official diagnosis.
  Idk, it just really doesn't sit well with me.
  Edit: I, not It >
  
  There isn't really any heavy metals in vaccines. This comes from a misunderstanding of what Thimerosal is because people who are anti-vax aren't smart and actually don't know what's in vaccines. Thimerosal is not a heavy metal it's a preservative.
  There's no way to stop people who are dumb from just making things up and pretending they're true.