I can't find any info on the Internet about my local Amish community (the Holmes County, Ohio ones), but I know the Lancaster, PA community does, in fact, vaccinate (at least some of them). From what I've found, they also have Autism, it just presents differently, and those on the higher functioning end aren't as separated out as in our culture (why should it be, when the main purpose of Amish life is simplicity and service to God?).
Of course, the differences re: Autism in the Amish community couldn't have anything to do with the fact that they eat almost exclusively local, or that they're a genetically different population from the rest of the Western world, or that their use of other technologies that could be contributing factors is far, far more limited than ours.
*facepalm*
Oh, also, the same surname doesn't necessarily mean two people are closely related. Names like Schlabah and Yoder are more or less the Amish equivalent of Smith and Johnson.
Re: The Amish
Of course, the differences re: Autism in the Amish community couldn't have anything to do with the fact that they eat almost exclusively local, or that they're a genetically different population from the rest of the Western world, or that their use of other technologies that could be contributing factors is far, far more limited than ours.
*facepalm*
Oh, also, the same surname doesn't necessarily mean two people are closely related. Names like Schlabah and Yoder are more or less the Amish equivalent of Smith and Johnson.