Characteristic findings in patients with mercury poisoning versus autism

Finding	Mercury poisoning	Autism spectrum disorder
Motor	Ataxia	Repetitive behaviors
Vision	Bilateral visual field constriction	None
Speech	Dysarthria	Delayed speech, echolalia
Sensory	Peripheral neuropathy, paresthesias	Decreased responsiveness to pain
Sensory	Peripheral neuropathy, paresthesias	Hyperacusis, hypersensitivity to other sensory stimuli
Psychiatric	Toxic psychosis; in mild cases, nonspecific depression, anxiety, irritability	Socially aloof, insistence on sameness
Head size	Small	Large
Other	In chronic mercury toxicity: hypertension, skin eruption, thrombocytopenia	Seldom seen

Adapted from Nelson, KB, Bauman, ML. Thimerosal and autism? Pediatrics 2003; 111:674.

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