What do YOU think causes Autism?

I think there has to be some kind of genetic marker. It just has to be genetic. I don't think it's caused by outside forces or elements (like vaccines) but, outside forces could exaggerate symptoms, definitely.

Genetics, environmental

I honestly don't believe it has anything to do with the moms diet during her pregnancy because if that were the case both my kids would have autism.

Well they seem to be leaning toward genetics... I can buy into that. Some people think there is an environmental trigger... I may be able to buy into that as well. Another theory I could buy into is that it is just a bad combination of traits passed on from parent to child. that more so for High functioning or Asperger's....

I read Jennie's book (i am forgetting her last name- she has a son who was diagnosed with autism- she also dated Jim Carrey for a while)

When she began changing things in her son's diet, he improved, I believe that much.

I also lean towards genetic because if it was a toxin it would effect boys and girls equally.... I don't think a toxin would effect mostly boys however a genetic link could easily effect one sex more so than the other.

i think it has a gentic basis
but environment triggers some autism and/or makes more severe

my daughter deleveloped normal until shots
she had four at once, she was getting over regular cold illness
i questioned giving four at once and with her immune system not 100%, doc talked me into it
and she got flu shot
vaccines are supposed made with no thermerasol
but lots of flu shots still have this in them

after the shots, area got red and sollen, she had to go on steriods
soon after she changed-lost eye contact, lost every word she had learned, started to smash her head into the floor

autism dx year or so later
i changed her diet (Feingold elimination diet)
her rash that no doc could tell me what it was, went away, she started to make eye contact, stopped smashing her head, slowly getting words back
if bad chemical eliminated for diet can better her autism-makes sense bad chemical can make he

also, i have been to my share of seminars
one doc from germany (when daughter was first dx at age 2.5=she is 4.5 now)
this doc, i asked about diet changes and how my daughter has improved from no cows milk=improved her speech in 3 days
(had not yet found Feingold info) this doc had tears in her eyes, she said some kids improve with diet changes, many have no change. her 2 daughters with severe autism-had no change with diets
i am thinking that kids can be born with autism, some develop into severe no matter what, some will develop sever if chemicals are in body-some kids (the lucky ones) can be helped with clean diet
there are too many veriables to say for some
i think both gentic and chemicals in our world

-----ps
anyone with migraines=stop having anything with LAKE dyes(red40, yellow5, blue1-the big three)
i stopped when i put daughter on diet and my migraines stopped- and i had some HUGE migraines before

although tv can be blamed for some of societies woes
tv does not cause autism, and have never read anyone thinking it can (until this anon person mentioned)

and believe me, i have read a lot on the subject of autism

tv causes autism-that is a good one-LOL