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2. Article A: Time Magazine Excellent cover story on AUTISM

Inside the Autistic Mind

A wealth of new brain research--and poignant testimony from people who have autism--is lifting the veil on this mysterious condition

By CLAUDIA WALLIS
Posted Sunday, May. 07, 2006

The road to Hannah's mind opened a few days before her 13th birthday.

Her parents, therapists, nutritionists and teachers had spent years preparing the way. They had moved mountains to improve her sense of balance, her sensory perception and her overall health. They sent in truckloads of occupational and physical therapy and emotional support. But it wasn't until the fall of 2005 that traffic finally began to flow in the other direction. Hannah, whose speech was limited to snatches of songs, echoed dialogue and unintelligible utterances, is profoundly autistic, and doctors thought she was most likely retarded. But on that October day, after she was introduced to the use of a specialized computer keyboard, Hannah proved them wrong. "Is there anything you'd like to say, Hannah?" asked Marilyn Chadwick, director of training at the Facilitated Communication Institute at Syracuse University.

With Chadwick helping to stabilize her right wrist and her mother watching, a girl thought to be incapable of learning to read or write slowly typed, "I love Mom."

A year and a half later, Hannah sits with her tutor at a small computer desk in her suburban home outside New York City. Facilitated communication is controversial (critics complain that it's often the facilitator who is really communicating), but it has clearly turned Hannah's life around. Since her breakthrough, she no longer spends much of her day watching Sesame Street and Blue's Clues. Instead, she is working her way through high school biology, algebra and ancient history. "It became obvious fairly quickly that she already knew a lot besides how to read," says her tutor, Tonette Jacob.

During the silent years, it seems, Hannah was soaking up vast storehouses of information. The girl without language had an extensive vocabulary, a sense of humor and some unusual gifts. One day, when Jacob presented her with a page of 30 or so math problems, Hannah took one look, then typed all 30 answers. Stunned, Jacob asked, "Do you have a photographic memory?" Hannah typed "Yes."

Like many people with autism, Hannah is so acutely sensitive to sound that she'll catch every word of a conversation occurring elsewhere in the house, which may account for much of her knowledge. She is also hypersensitive to visual input. Gazing directly at things is difficult, so she often relies on her almost preternatural peripheral vision. Hannah's newfound ability to communicate has enabled her intellect to flower, but it also has a dark side: she has become painfully aware of her own autism. Of this, she writes, "Reality hurts."

MORE THAN 60 YEARS AFTER AUTISM WAS first described by American psychiatrist Leo Kanner, there are still more questions than answers about this complex disorder. Its causes are still uncertain, as are the reasons for the rapidly rising incidence of autism in the U.S., Japan, England, Denmark and France. But slowly, steadily, many myths about autism are falling away, as scientists get a better picture of what's going on in the bodies and brains of people with autism and as more of those who are profoundly affected, like Hannah, are able to give voice to their experience. Among the surprises:

Autism is almost certainly, like cancer, many diseases with many distinct causes. It's well known that there's a wide range in the severity of symptoms--from profound disability to milder forms like Asperger syndrome, in which intellectual ability is generally high but social awareness is low. Indeed, doctors now prefer the term Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). But scientists suspect there are also distinct subtypes, including an early-onset type and a regressive type that can strike as late as age 2.

• Once thought to be mainly a disease of the cerebellum--a region in the back of the brain that integrates sensory and motor activity, autism is increasingly seen as a pervasive problem with the way the brain is wired. The distribution of white matter, the nerve fibers that link diverse parts of the brain, is abnormal, but it's not clear how much is the cause and how much the result of autism.

• The immune system may play a critical role in the development of at least some types of autism. This suggests some new avenues of prevention and treatment.

• Many classic symptoms of autism--spinning, head banging, endlessly repeating phrases--appear to be coping mechanisms rather than hard-wired behaviors. Other classic symptoms--a lack of emotion, an inability to love--can now be largely dismissed as artifacts of impaired communication. The same may be true of the supposedly high incidence of mental retardation.

• The world of autism therapy continues to be bombarded by cure-of-the-day fads. But therapists are beginning to sort out the best ways to intervene. And while autism is generally a lifelong struggle, there are some reported cases in which kids who were identified as autistic and treated at an early age no longer exhibit symptoms.

THE CURIOUS INCIDENCE

DR. THOMAS INSEL, DIRECTOR OF THE National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), which funds much of the nation's autism research, remembers a time when the disorder was rarely diagnosed. "When my brother trained at Children's Hospital at Harvard in the 1970s, they admitted a child with autism, and the head of the hospital brought all of the residents through to see," says Insel. "He said, 'You've got to see this case; you'll never see it again.'"

Alas, he was mistaken. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 166 American children born today will fall somewhere on the autistic spectrum. That's double the rate of 10 years ago and 10 times the estimated incidence a generation ago. While some have doubted the new figures, two surveys released last week by the CDC were in keeping with this shocking incidence.

No one can say why the numbers have soared. Greater awareness and public health campaigns to encourage earlier diagnosis have surely played a part, since in the past, many such children were probably labeled retarded or insane and hidden in institutions. But environmental factors may also be contributing to the spike. To get to the bottom of that mystery and others, federal funding for autism research has more than tripled in the past decade, to $100 million, although it pales in comparison with the estimated $500 million spent on childhood cancers, which affect fewer youngsters.

At the Center for Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention at the University of California at Davis, toxicologist Isaac Pessah is studying hair, blood, urine and tissue samples from 700 families with autism. He's testing for 17 metals, traces of pesticides, opioids and other toxicants. In March Pessah caused a stir by releasing a study that showed that even the low level of mercury used in vaccines preserved with thimerosal, long a suspect in autism, can trigger irregularities in the immune-system cells--at least in the test tube. But he does not regard thimerosal (which has been removed from routine childhood vaccines) as anything like a smoking gun. "There's probably no one trigger that's causing autism from the environmental side," says Pessah, "and there's no one gene that's causing it."

Indeed, most researchers believe autism arises from a combination of genetic vulnerabilities and environmental triggers. An identical twin of a child with autism has a 60% to 90% chance of also being affected. And there's little doubt that a vulnerability to ASD runs in some families: the sibling of a child with autism has about a 10% chance of having ASD. Gene scientists working on autism have found suspicious spots on chromosomes 2, 5, 7, 11 and 17, but there are probably dozens of genes at work. "We think there are a number of different autisms, each of which could have a different cause and different genes involved," says David Amaral, research director of the MIND (Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders) Institute, also at U.C. Davis.

Amaral is heading MIND's efforts to assemble a database of clinical, behavioral and genetic information on 1,800 autistic kids. One goal is to clearly define autism subtypes. "It's hard to do the genetics if you're talking about four or five different syndromes," says NIMH chief Insel. "Does the presence of seizures define a separate illness? What about the kids who seem to develop normally for the first year and a half and then regress--is that a separate thing?" And what about the large number of autistic kids who have serious gastrointestinal problems and the many with immune dysfunctions--are they distinct subtypes?

Amaral and colleague Judy Van de Water believe they are onto a major discovery about the origins of at least one type of autism--a strongly familial variety. They have detected aberrant antibodies in the blood of kids from families with a pattern of ASD and, significantly, in mothers with more than one autistic child. "These antibodies are actually raised against proteins in the fetal brain," says Amaral, who recently submitted a paper on the discovery. The working hypothesis is that these antibodies may alter brain development in ways that lead to autism. If correct, the finding could lead to a maternal blood test and the use of a therapy called plasmapheresis to clear antibodies from the mother's blood. "You get a sense of the excitement," says Amaral, "if you could prevent, say, 20% of kids from getting autism. But we don't want to raise false hopes."

THE AUTISTIC BRAIN

WHETHER THE CAUSE IS MATERNAL antibodies, heavy metals or something else, there is no question that the brains of young children with autism have unusual features. To begin with, they tend to be too big. In studies based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and basic tape-measure readings, neuroscientist Eric Courchesne at Children's Hospital of San Diego showed that while children with autism are born with ordinary-size brains, they experience a rapid expansion by age 2--particularly in the frontal lobes. By age 4, says Courchesne, autistic children tend to have brains the size of a normal 13-year-old. This aberrant growth is even more pronounced in girls, he says, although for reasons that remain mysterious, only 1 out of 5 children with autism is female. More recent studies by Amaral and others have found that the amygdala, an area associated with social behavior, is also oversize, a finding Amaral believes is related to the high levels of anxiety seen in as many as 80% of people with autism.

Harvard pediatric neurologist Dr. Martha Herbert reported last year that the excess white matter in autistic brains has a specific distribution: local areas tend to be overconnected, while links between more distant regions of the brain are weak. The brain's right and left hemispheres are also poorly connected. It's as if there are too many competing local services but no long distance.

This observation jibes neatly with imaging studies that look at live brain activity in autistic people. Studies using functional MRI show a lack of coordination among brain regions, says Marcel Just, director of Carnegie Mellon's Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging in Pittsburgh, Pa. Just has scanned dozens of 15- to 35-year-old autistic people with IQs in the normal range, giving them thinking tasks as he monitors their brain activity. "One thing you see," says Just, "is that [activity in] different areas is not going up and down at the same time. There's a lack of synchronization, sort of like a difference between a jam session and a string quartet. In autism, each area does its own thing."

What remains unclear is whether the interconnectivity problem is the result of autism or its cause. Perhaps all that excess wiring is like the extra blood vessels around the heart of a person who has suffered a heart attack--the body's attempt to route around a problem. Or perhaps the abnormal growth of the brain has to do with the immune system; researchers at Johns Hopkins have found signs that autistic brains have chronic inflammation. "It's impossible to tell the chicken from the egg at this point," Just says.

Autistic people have been shown to use their brains in unusual ways: they memorize alphabet characters in a part of the brain that ordinarily processes shapes. They tend to use the visual centers in the back of the brain for tasks usually handled by the prefrontal cortex. They often look at the mouth instead of the eyes of someone who is speaking. Their focus, says psychologist Ami Klin of Yale's Child Study Center, is "not on the social allegiances--for example, the longing gaze of a mother--but physical allegiances--a mouth that moves."

Do these differences reflect fundamental pathology, or are they downstream effects of some more basic problem? No one knows. But the fact that early intervention brings better results for children with ASD could be a clue that some of the odd brain anatomy and activity are secondary--and perhaps even preventable. Studies that look at whether early therapy might help normalize the brain are beginning at York University in Toronto, but results are probably years away.

AUTISM FROM THE INSIDE

IN THE MEANTIME, 300,000 SCHOOL-AGE American children and many adults are attempting to get through daily life with autism. The world has tended to hear from those who are highest functioning, like Temple Grandin, the author and Colorado State University professor of livestock behavior known for designing humane slaughterhouses. But the voices of those more severely affected are beginning to be heard as well. Such was the case with Sue Rubin, 27, a college student from Whittier, Calif., who has no functional speech and matches most people's stereotyped image of a retarded person; yet she was able to write the narration for the Oscar-nominated documentary about her life, Autism Is a World.

What such individuals have to say about their experience is offering new clues to their condition. It also conforms remarkably to what scientists see inside their brains. By and large, people with ASD have difficulty bringing different cognitive functions together in an integrated way. There is a tendency to hyper focus on detail and miss the big picture. Coordinating volition with movement and sensation can be difficult for some. Chandima Rajapatirana, an autistic writer from Potomac, Md., offers this account: "Helplessly I sit while Mom calls me to come. I know what I must do, but often I can't get up until she says, 'Stand up,'" he writes. "[The] knack of knowing where my body is does not come easy for me. Interestingly I do not know if I am sitting or standing. I am not aware of my body unless it is touching something ... Your hand on mine lets me know where my hand is. Jarring my legs by walking tells me I am alive."

Such descriptions shed light on seemingly self-destructive behavior like biting, scratching, spinning and head banging. For people like Rajapatirana, banging against a wall can be a useful way to tell, quite literally, where their head is at. "Before we extinguish [such behaviors], we need to understand what they are telling us," writes Judith Bluestone, a Seattle-based therapist who is autistic, in The Fabric of Autism.

In his new book Send in the Idiots, British journalist Kamran Nazeer, who is also autistic, describes the need for repetitive motions or words as a search for "local coherence" in a world full of jarring randomness. He also conveys the social difficulties: "Striking up conversations with strangers," he writes, "is an autistic person's version of extreme sports." Indeed, at a recent retreat for people with ASD, attendees wore colored tags indicating their comfort level with spontaneous conversation: red meant don't approach, yellow meant talk if we've already met, green indicated, "I'd love to talk, but I'm not good at initiating."

Perhaps the worst fate for a person with ASD is to have a lively intelligence trapped in a body that makes it difficult for others to see that the lights are on. Neuroscientist Michael Merzenich at the University of California, San Francisco, studied an autistic boy who is unable to speak or even sustain his attention to a task for more than a few moments, and yet is aware of his condition and writes remarkable poetry. How many other autistic kids, Merzenich wonders, "are living in a well where no one can hear them"?

Luckily for Hannah, her voice and thoughts are being heard. Since learning to type, she has begun to speak a few words reliably--"yes," "no" and the key word "I"--to express her desires. All this seems miraculous to her parents. "I was told to give up and get on with my life," says her mother. Now she and her husband are thinking about saving for college.

With reporting by With reporting by Dan Cray/ Los Angeles

A Tale of Two Schools
Early intervention in a well-run program is the key to helping autistic children reach their potential. A close-up look at two approaches

By CLAUDIA WALLIS
Posted Sunday, May. 07, 2006

From the moment parents absorb the shock that their child may be autistic, they enter a dizzying world of specialists, therapists and, alas, purveyors of snake oil. Getting the right help quickly is paramount, but it is hard to make good decisions when you are in a panic or fighting despair.

For the past 20 years, the dominant way to work with autistic children has been based on Applied Behavior Analysis. ABA derives from the classic work of psychologist B.F. Skinner, who showed--mostly in animals--that behavior can be altered with carefully repeated drills and rewards. In 1987, Ivar Lovaas at UCLA published a small study with huge repercussions. He reported that 9 out of 19 autistic children taught for 40 hours a week with behaviorist methods had big jumps in IQ and were able to pass first grade; only 1 out of 40 in control groups did so. It was the first bright ray of hope in autism.

Recent years have brought questions about the ABA model. When Lovaas protégé Tristram Smith tried to replicate the 1987 findings in a 2000 study, he got a more modest success rate on academic measures and virtually no gains in social behavior. Others, meanwhile, have devised new ways of working with autistic kids. One of the best known was developed by child psychiatrist Stanley Greenspan, who spent 15 years studying infant development at the National Institute of Mental Health. His method, called DIR (developmental, individual-difference, relationship based), has as its premise the idea that an exchange of emotional signals, initially between mother and infant, form the basis for learning in childhood. Greenspan trains parents and teachers to engage the emotions of even the most withdrawn toddlers by getting down on the floor and entering the child's world, helping turn repetitive acts like lining up blocks into playful interactions. He describes the method, also called Floortime, in a new book, Engaging Autism.

While the majority of U.S. programs for autistic children are based on ABA techniques, DIR has made inroads, and many programs now mix elements of both. How do the techniques differ in practice? To find out, TIME visited two schools, each a model for one school of thought.

ALPINE LEARNING GROUP

IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY A PARENT would fight to get a child placed here. Who wouldn't want this calm, orderly world for an anxious child with all the sensitivities of autism? Alpine, in Paramus, N.J., has 28 students, ages 3 to 21, in six gleaming, light-filled classrooms. The staff-to-child ratio is 1 to 1. The $72,223 tuition is covered by the state--federal law requires a free education for children with disabilities in an "appropriate" setting.

At Alpine, every goal, every lesson, every response is carefully documented in binders that track each child's progress. That is the rigorous heart of ABA, explains executive director Bridget Taylor, who co-founded the school in 1988. "I'm a scientist-practitioner; I need data," says Taylor, a certified ABA therapist with a Ph.D. in psychology. The binder for Jodi DiPiazza, 4, is easily seven inches thick, though Jodi has been at Alpine less than a year. Like most other children at the school, she started ABA therapy at home as a toddler.

In her classroom, Jodi sits quietly at a small table with a teacher. They take turns looking at photos and using a complete sentence to describe the scene ("The girl is riding a bike"). Each correct answer earns Jodi a sticker on a chart; with enough stickers she can choose a reward. ABA was once famous for its M&M rewards, but better programs now tailor positive reinforcement to the child's preferences--a favorite activity, a hug or, in the case of one Alpine student, a packet of ketchup. Though Jodi didn't talk at all until age 3, she speaks well and is mastering skills quickly with the help of two hours of tutoring in the evening. "From the moment she wakes up till she goes to sleep, everything is structured," says her mother Michelle, who is thrilled with Jodi's progress.

Taylor says 29% of her students, most from ages 5 to 8, get mainstreamed into regular schools, generally with an aide. Many who remain at Alpine have limited language skills; some of the older students use electronic devices to express basic desires. The ritualistic behavior that is characteristic of autism is strongly suppressed. "Hands down," says a teacher to a child who begins to flap. "We're not a culture that accepts that," says Taylor. "Fifty percent of the battle is addressing behavior to look good."

In a classroom with four teenage boys, the focus is on life skills. Johnathan learns to type a grocery list, which he and an instructor will later take shopping. Another boy, learning to use a camera, asks visitors whether he may take their picture. He uses the same words and intonation each time he asks.

Robotic behavior, lack of emotion and inability to use trained skills outside school are some of the shortcomings critics attribute to ABA. A boy who has learned to play Nintendo games at Alpine, for instance, reverts to simply switching the game on and off when at home. Proponents concede certain weak points, but they also note a long record of results. Says Tristram Smith of the University of Rochester: "Anything outside ABA is basically experimental at this point."

CELEBRATE THE CHILDREN

THIS IS NOT A QUIET SCHOOL. The hallways are filled with the sounds of kids talking and playing. The walls are festooned with banners, photographs and artwork. Parents always ask whether it's too much stimulation, says director Monica Osgood, but the school wants its students to adapt to the "real world." Celebrate the Children (CTC), which costs $47,856 a year--paid by the state--is one of a growing number of DIR schools. It opened its doors in Stanhope, N.J., in January 2004 with just three students. It now has 41, from toddlers to teens, and is still expanding fast.

CTC emphasizes the expression of emotion and spontaneous thinking. Rather than work on a highly specific skill, DIR activities tend to include complex social interactions that build many skills at once. In a classroom for 5-to-9-year-olds, eight kids sit in a circle playing a game in which they pick an activity card and a card showing a classmate's face. Children earn cheers as they perform the designated activity with that classmate (giving Olivia a high five, hugging Alex). Instead of tangible rewards, shouts of encouragement, a sense of accomplishment and what Greenspan calls the "warm, pleasurable feelings" that come from human interaction serve as a reinforcement for learning. In a classroom of 11-to-14-year-olds, kids are asked to stand in a narrow row between two strips of blue crepe paper representing water. The challenge: to arrange themselves in height order without stepping over the lines and falling "off the boat." The task combines communication skills, problem solving and visual, spatial skills. Teachers at CTC are trained to work on sensory issues and use the principles of occupational therapy throughout the day, Osgood explains, rather than in a separate program.

At the core of CTC is Floortime, one-on-one, child-directed play periods. In one such session, David, 6, goes down a slide again and again. Each time he reaches the top of the ladder, a teacher playfully blocks his way, leading this very passive child to make eye contact and make his wishes known. "She wants him to move her hand or say 'Move' and be intentional," explains Lauren Blaszak, CTC's assistant director. "She's got an agenda; he doesn't know it. He keeps going back for more because it's fun." Building social interactions this way, she says, will make it easier for David to join circle games at school and sit at the dinner table at home.

Osgood worked in an ABA program for six years. "It does a great job with skills," she says, "but the kids lacked the ability to think on their feet, to problem solve and to engage socially." She also feels that the ABA emphasis on "looking normal" doesn't address the reasons for behaviors like flapping and rocking: "Those are organizing strategies to cope with anxiety. Our philosophy is not to say 'Don't do that.' In DIR, we respect them for who they are but give them the tools they need for successful lives." Sometimes literally: Osgood tosses a boy a Koosh ball when he asks for something to fiddle with in his hand. Knowing to ask, she says, is part of learning to regulate oneself.

While Greenspan has published impressive long-term results, his critics say there's an absence of controlled, randomized studies. He is responding with a series of studies just getting under way at York University in Toronto. Among them is work that should help illuminate choices for struggling parents: imaging studies that will compare the brains of DIR kids with those treated with ABA.

With reporting by With reporting by Amy Lennard Goehner

The Most Difficult Decision of My Life
By AMY LENNARD GOEHNER

Posted Sunday, May. 07, 2006

When my 47-year-old husband Fred lay dying in a hospital from a heart attack, I sobbed to my brother, "He can't die. Who will give Nate his shots?" Nate was our autistic son, then 5, and the injections were one of the myriad can't-miss cures we had tried in order to help him.

My husband died that night seven years ago, and I felt it was the end of the world for me, for our newly adopted 10-week-old son Joey and, most of all, for Nate, whose strongest connection was to Fred.

I learned to inject Nate. And when I decided a few months later that the shots weren't helping him, the decision to stop seeing that doctor (a doctor who had told Fred and me that Nate wasn't autistic and that he could cure him) was the most difficult one I had ever made without Fred.

The most difficult, that is, until I decided two years ago to send Nate to a residential school.

I enrolled Nate in the Boston Higashi School in Randolph, Mass., because I knew he was now capable of more (though I had no idea what "more" was). After years of day school followed by speech, occupational and behavior therapy, Nate had no master plan connecting everything. And I constantly worried that his ritualistic behaviors--like his insistence on sitting in the same seat in the last row of the city bus and crawling over anyone to get there--were never going to decrease.

During Nate's first week at Higashi, I got a call from his teacher asking me to send a pair of sneakers with laces. Why does he need laces when there's Velcro?, I wondered. "Because learning to tie shoes is a life skill," his teacher told me. It was an "aha!" moment for me--the first of many. Higashi is committed to preparing students for lifelong inclusion in the community, so it sends the kids home, with detailed vacation goals, for eight weeks of the year. That way, they can generalize the lessons they learn in school.

Higashi was founded by Dr. Kiyo Kitahara, a teacher who believed in searching out the "bud of self-identity" in every autistic child and fostering it with loving care. Her program, Daily Life Therapy, is more like Floortime than like ABA (see "A Tale of Two Schools") but takes its own unique approach. The first step is to get the child to develop a 24-hour rhythm through intense physical exercise. For example, a lot of autistic kids will eat only a few select foods, and many have difficulty sleeping through the night. At Higashi the kids jog twice a day on the theory that come mealtime, they'll be hungry enough to try new foods. And the endorphins released during exercise reduce anxiety--which is good because Higashi does not permit the use of psychotropic medications.

All that exercise also means the kids are exhausted at the end of the day and tend to sleep through the night. Nate was always fine after he fell asleep, but oh, those endless routines leading up to bedtime! For eight years, he insisted on sleeping in the same red T shirt with a yellow taxi on it, his large toy keyboard piano laid across his chest, his stuffed animal placed on a chair facing him and the radio playing a 24-hour news station.

Believing that many autistic kids can be reached by tapping into their creative abilities, the teachers have nourished Nate's love of sports and music. And he has never seemed happier. I can see his rigidity loosening every time he comes home or I visit him at school. Even Joey has noticed the changes. Nate has always confused the pronouns I and you. One day during Nate's most recent vacation, Joey said to me excitedly, "Did you hear that, Mom? Nate said, 'I want to play' instead of, 'You want to play.' He's becoming unautistic!"

Nate's teacher called me last week. She told me that on the basis of Nate's athletic ability and leadership skills, he had been chosen to represent Higashi at the Special Olympics this summer at Harvard.

I sent Nate to Higashi because I knew he was capable of more. I know exactly what my husband would have quipped: "I can't believe Nate's going to Harvard!"

Letter to the editors at TIME MAGAZINE

Dear Time Magazine:

Thank you for the cover issue of “New Insights into the Hidden World of Autism” May 15, 2006 issue.

Words cannot express the thanks I have for your efforts in portraying autism in a new and more accurate light. As a parent of a 9 year old child that has autism, your issue brought tears to my eyes by removing the myths and legends surrounding autism. You revealed a more updated and accurate view of these amazing children who need our help, love, and understanding. For that I am thankful.

The only thing not quite right was they said that “all routine vaccines given to children no longer contain mercury.” That is not exactly true.

Here is the list of vaccines from the FDA web site that contain mercury:

http://www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/thimerosal.htm#t3

Recently the American Academy of Pediatrics added to the routine schedule the FLU vaccine starting at 6 months with an initial shot and 3 boosters until age 5 years. 75% of the flu vaccines on the market today contain 25 micrograms of thimerosal (mercury). So mercury is not completely out of the picture yet. It would be very nice indeed if the 2 nd most neurotoxic chemical on the planet was.

Thank you,
Lisa Ackerman
Proud mom of Jeff
Newport Beach CA

2. Article B:

Pediatricians Fail to Screen for Autism, Johns Hopkins Study Finds; Most Know Too Little About the Screening Tools

BALTIMORE, May 9 (AScribe Newswire) -- Few Maryland and Delaware primary care pediatricians screen patients regularly for autism and autism-spectrum disorders (ASD) as part of their overall look at possible developmental delays, according to results of a joint study from Johns Hopkins Children's Center and the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

Of the 255 pediatricians who participated in the study, 209 (82 percent) said they regularly screen their patients for general developmental delays, but only 20 of the 255 (8 percent) said they do so for ASD. Of those who do not screen routinely for ASD, almost two-thirds (62 percent) said they failed to do so because they weren't familiar with the screening tools.

"Lack of familiarity with ASD screening tools appears to be the single greatest barrier to routine screening," said Susan dosReis, Ph.D., of the Children's Center Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and lead author of the paper, which appears in a May 11 supplement of the April issue of the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.

The findings suggest that screening for ASD remains largely opportunistic rather than systematic, researchers say.

Screening is essential, as delay in diagnosis and treatment generally leads to poorer outcomes in children with developmental disorders.

"This study suggests that current national efforts may not be sufficient to actively promote the use of ASD screening tools in the general pediatric practice," dosReis added. "So it is important to learn what some obstacles might be and what needs to be done to overcome those barriers."

Previous research suggests that another factor might be that many pediatricians do not feel well-trained in general developmental and behavioral issues, researchers say.

Enhancement of residency training, complemented by introduction and training in ASD screening tools, might boost ASD screening in the general pediatric practice, dosReis added.

Almost half (47 percent) of the physicians who did not screen routinely said they preferred to send the child to a clinical specialist, whereas nearly one-third (32 percent) cited lack of time as a major reason for not screening. Of those who reported screening regularly for ASD, 90 percent said they were usually prompted to do so by parental concern and/or suspicion of ASD during routine examination.

Of the 18 percent who reported not screening routinely for any developmental delays, 73 percent cited lack of time as their top reason.

The prevalence of autism, estimated to be between 12 and 40 cases per 10,000 children, has grown over the last decade. The reasons behind the higher prevalence have flamed an ongoing debate. Some researchers attribute the increase to an actual jump in the incidence of the disorder, while others claim it is because of more aggressive screening and new diagnostic criteria, which leads to a higher number of new diagnoses.

In the Hopkins study, 99 percent of the pediatricians who believed there is an increase in ASD prevalence attributed it, at least in part, to new diagnostic criteria. At the same time, 38 percent said that underlying risk factors, other than new diagnostic guidelines, have played a role. Of these, one-third believed that environmental factors played a role, while only 7 percent attributed the increase to genetic factors, and 1 percent attributed it to vaccinations.

Researchers caution that the findings cannot be generalized beyond Maryland and Delaware because screening practices might vary by geographic area.

Co-investigators included Craig Newschaffer, Ph.D., and Lakeisha Johnson of the Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; and Courtney Weiner, B.S., of the Children Center's Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

The study was funded in part by the National Centers on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

ABOUT JOHNS HOPKINS CHILDREN'S CENTER

Founded in 1912 as the children's hospital of the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Johns Hopkins Children's Center offers one of the most comprehensive pediatric medical programs in the country, from performing emergency trauma surgery, to finding causes and treatments for childhood cancers, to delivering a child's good bill of health. The Johns Hopkins Children's Center's pediatric trauma service is Maryland's only state-designated trauma center for children. (Did this previous line get added to our boilerplate statement somewhere along the way?) With recognized Centers of Excellence in 20 pediatric subspecialties including cardiology, transplant, psychiatric illnesses and genetic disorders, Children's Center physicians, nurses and staff provide compassionate care to more than 90,000 children each year. For more information, please visit: www.hopkinschildrens.org

2. Article C:

Siblings Coping with Autism

May 31, 2006 — One aspect of autism that rarely gets talked about is the brothers and sisters of autistic children whose lives are also profoundly affected by the disorder.

"There is no one I know who is more vulnerable to me than my brother," said writer Judy Karasik.

She's lived with autism since her childhood, as her 57-year-old brother has the disorder. They've written an illustrated book, "The Ride Together: A Brother and Sister's Memoir of Autism in the Family," about their childhood, and the story is not always sweet.

"He had bigger needs than the rest of us," said Karasik. "And you can say it made me a better person, but you don't always want to be a better person, and that's the truth."

It's also the truth that your childhood is turned on end when your sibling is autistic, as parents become absorbed in the life of that child whose needs can put severe limits on family activities.

"In my work, I find myself in this frequently ludicrous position of having to remind people who claim to be really interested in families, having to remind them that brothers and sisters are part of the family," said Don Meyer, who is based in Seattle but runs sibling workshops all over the country.

His "Sib Shops" give the brothers and sisters of the autistic the chance to share their experiences and learn they are not alone.

At one such workshop in Wisconsin, kids spoke of the embarrassment they occasionally experience in public when other people notice their autistic siblings.

They also live with the fear that their brother or sister will get hurt, or end up lost if they fail to keep watch, which is a lot for a child to bear.

2. Article D:

The Cost of Autism

By Andrea Sovern

A recent article printed by the United Press International, quoted Michael Ganz, assistant professor of society, human development and health at Harvard School of Public Health, as the lifetime cost of caring for all persons with Autism as $35 billion. Professor Ganz also states this may be an underestimate of the actual societal costs for caring for the individuals affected with Autism. Although, the actual figure of $35 billion is rather disquieting, it is the second statement which should be seriously addressed.

According to Lifespire, a direct service provider for the developmentally disabled in New York City, current long-term care costs for adults needing intermediate care facility level of care is $10.125 million per person during their life time. This is based on average services provided, which includes group home placement and supports, day program support, and recreational activities. After the age of 18, those costs are translated to the tax payer in the form of Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare services. This being a higher cost area, this may not reflect the costs for the rest of the country. So looking at a state that has a comparable cost of living and an accurate tracking of individuals who are accessing long-term care services is imperative.

California , tracks the access of the long-term care supports and services provided through the Department of Developmental Services for individuals with developmental disabilities, which includes Autism. Eligibility for services is a based on two set of criteria. The first is diagnosis, which must be Autism, not Autism Spectrum Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome or Pervasive Developmental Disorder. The second is based on having a substantial disability in three functional daily living skills, such as self-care, receptive and expressive language, self-direction, capacity for independent living, economic self-sufficiency, learning or mobility.

The CDDS releases a quarterly report regarding the number of individuals over the age of 3 who have been determined eligible for services. The April 2006 report had current number of adults ages 18 and older enrolled in services as 5,364 individuals with Autism. Compare that to the number of children 17 years and younger as 23, 507 enrolled in long-term care services. As disturbing as the disparity in the number of children affected by the disorder as compared to the adults, even more shocking is the actual costs for long-term care for these children.

When you take the number of children affected times the long term costs reported by Lifespire, the costs for the state of California alone for these supports for the children affected by Autism is $238 Billion. As alarming as this number is, that is calculated for one state only and in today’s economic terms. Nor does this estimate take into account the loss of productivity and the inability of those affected to sustain gainful employment.

It seems Professor Ganz was correct, the $35 Billion cost for supports for all people with Autism is an underestimate. Also underestimated is the impact on the solvency of programs such as Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare, which will also be providing supports for the Baby-boom Generation in conjunction with the aging population of children affected with Autism. The question arises, without denying the societal responsibility to our most vulnerable populations, is this crisis avoidable for our country?

2. Article E:

Special diets surpass drugs in autism treatment success

Go Dairy Free
5/7/2006

Public awareness of autism increased exponentially last week, when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) released a report announcing the prevalence of autism in our country. In 2003 and 2004, two national health organizations interviewed the parents of approximately 98,000 school-aged children, combined. The results estimated that nearly 1 in every 175 children is living with autism. This equates to approximately 300,000 autistic school-aged children in the U.S. alone. Some researchers believe this number may still prove to be conservative.

To most Americans, this news comes as quite a shock. However, for the hundreds of thousands of parents with autistic children it is a mere affirmation that this condition deserves far more attention than it has been receiving.

Autism is a brain disorder that typically makes its presence known in early childhood. It affects several crucial areas of development including social interaction, communication, behavior, creativity, and imagination. Autism was formally identified around the mid-1900s, but it has persisted as a misunderstood and often mislabeled condition.

For decades the parents of autistic children have been experimenting with various medical and alternative treatments. Although a cure has yet to surface, their network of trial and error has yielded some surprising and positive results.

In 2005, The Autism Research Institute published their findings from an ongoing study, focused on the usefulness of different treatment interventions. Overall, they questioned nearly 23,700 parents of autistic children. The parents were asked to rate the therapies they had trialed according to effectiveness. The treatment options fell under three major categories: drugs; biomedical non-drug therapies, such as vitamin supplements; and special diets. Much to the dismay of major drug companies, the results swung largely in favor of alternative therapies and diet.

Approximately 50 different drugs were reported as tested. On average, 30% of the cases showed an improvement of symptoms, however, 31% actually got worse while on the drug. Biomedical non-drug therapies faired far better. 45% of the cases reported a decline in symptoms with only 5% exhibiting an increase. Amazingly, special diets rated as the most successful treatment category overall. Among the autistic children who were put on a special diet, 50% of the specific cases showed signs of improvement, while only 2% experienced a rise in symptoms.

The simple removal of dairy products was the special diet option trialed the most, with over 5,500 parental reports. On par with the category results, 49% of those who chose a dairy free treatment option found it to improve their child’s symptoms, while only 2% found it to worsen symptoms. Of those who were willing to take it a step further to a gluten free / casein free diet, a resounding 65% saw an improvement in symptoms. Gluten is a protein found in wheat and other flours, while casein is a highly allergenic milk protein.

Gradually, the gluten free / casein free diet is becoming a mainstream recommendation for the treatment autism. Primarily due to its high success rate, and relatively low risk of side effects. Other alternative treatments are beginning to receive similar recognition, particularly in the areas of reducing chemical exposure (in food, water, and the environment) and detoxification. Although numerous research studies do support the hypothesis that alternative therapies and special diets can dramatically aide in the severity of autism, the reason behind their success is still somewhat elusive. For this reason, experts recommend that parents consult a gastroenterologist before their autistic child undergoes a dietary modification.

Alisa Fleming is the Senior Editor of www.godairyfree.org your complete resource for living a healthy dairy free life. Parties interested in interviews and appearances with Alisa Fleming should contact Go Dairy Free public relations at 702 505-4426.

2. Article F:

Adults with autism find services lacking

http://www.delmarvanow.com/deweybeach/stories/20060607/2292831.html

By Hilary Corrigan
Staff Writer

Inadequate housing, public transportation and solid employment options have grown into common complaints through the southern Delaware region.

For those with autism, though, the options narrow much further.

Millsboro resident Theodis Bowe searched for a group home for his two autistic adult sons, he told other parents at a May 23 meeting in Georgetown. He found crowded places with little privacy, members suffering from drug and alcohol addictions, time limits on kitchen and bathroom use.

"I don't think they should be forced to live in a place that you wouldn't want to live in yourself," Bowe said.

So he rented an apartment for them. Tony and Michael can walk to their jobs and the grocery store. Bowe visits and checks in by cell phone.

"They had to live independently," he said, encouraging other parents to prepare for their autistic sons' and daughters' futures.

The Lower Delaware Autism Foundation hosted the gathering, part of an effort by the Lewes nonprofit to target the needs of area adults with autism, a neurological disorder that impedes development of social and communication skills.

While the Sussex Consortium educates autistic students until they turn 21, the area lacks continuing programs, such as activities, as well as needed services, including housing, parents complained.

Some autistic adults, such as 24-year-old Antuan James, live at home with family. The arrangement works now, said his mother.

"I'm not going to live always," Pam James-White added.

The Bridgeville resident showed up at the meeting to hear options. She would like to see Antuan live in a home with a small group of residents, supervised by trained staff.

Rehoboth Beach resident Terry Barnheimer wants the same for her 22-year-old son, David. She figures that transitioning him into such a setting would also help him avoid a sudden switch when she dies. A comfortable home, Barnheimer pictures, run by caring workers.

"Where you know that they're safe," she said. "That would be like glory."

The population of adults with disabilities across Delaware has been growing, as those living here age and as retirees relocate to the region from other states and bring disabled children with them, according to Roy Lafontaine, deputy director of the Division of Developmental Disabilities Services, part of Delaware Department of Health and Social Services.

The division partners with various private and nonprofit agencies to provide services -- including housing, employment and caregivers -- for those with disabilities.

Warren Ellis, director of the division's adult special populations program that serves 114 people with behavior problems, mostly autistic people, expects the need for services to rise as a larger population of autistic students grows up. But for now, more group homes for autistic people aren't warranted.

"Not that many people over the years have been requesting residential services," Ellis said.

That may change.

"There are clearly more people with autism who are needing services," Ellis said, noting a statewide increase. "Most of those people are still in school."

Starting more group homes and home care services requires enough applicants who meet state eligibility requirements and enough money for the state to meet costs, Ellis said.

Division officials have worked with the Delaware Department of Education to project the number of graduates in coming years. Along with advocates, they have presented findings to lawmakers in an attempt to prepare for the future.

"We're well aware of it," Ellis said of expected rises in the state's autistic adults. "We've been tracking this."

Other concerns

Housing is not the only need.

Parents complained of a lack of transportation options and a small pool of available caregivers to hire when they need to work or travel.

Laurel resident Dorothy Thompson has been looking for a job for her 42-year-old autistic son, Kenneth, since 2002.

In caring for a friend's autistic daughter, Lewes resident Bonnie Zistl has trouble finding aides to watch 21-year-old Ashley Dinn.

"My biggest dilemma is, I work a full-time job," Zistl said. "You exhaust your friends getting them to babysit. They become not your friends real quick."

A community center or gym would help on weekends and evenings, since Dinn works weekdays. "Things that she would enjoy doing," Zistl said. "I'd be willing to pay for services."

Getting around the rural region presents another hurdle.

While Delaware Transit Corp. provides door-to-door service for $2 per trip, Barnheimer refuses to rely on the state agency.

"Half the time, they don't show up, they're always late," she said.

The federal Americans with Disabilities Act requires public transportation agencies to provide the same transportation services for disabled people as it does for others.

DART's 52 buses for paratransit services completed 900,000 trips through the state last year, according to Darrel Cole, of Delaware Department of Transportation.

"It's a great service," Cole said, noting that the buses arrive within a 30-minute reservation window. "Transportation is there, is available, for anyone with any sort of disability."

Zistl also refuses to rely on the agency, after a driver returned Dinn to her workplace when she acted out with behavior that autistic people have trouble controlling.

While drivers train to help those with disabilities on bus rides, they do not qualify as medical aides, Cole said.

"Our role is to transport folks in a safe manner," he said. "We're not capable of providing special needs."

Continuing care

Ellis' division aims to attract more agencies to Delaware to partner in providing services to autistic adults.

With limited resources, the division must prioritize, focusing first on disabled people who most need homes, who are poor, who lack caregivers or have been orphaned. While federal laws mandate education for disabled children, no such provisions ensure specific care for disabled adults.

"Many parents feel that it should be an entitlement," Ellis said of housing and services for autistic men and women. "Unfortunately, it's not."

That became clear to Lower Delaware Autism Foundation organizers at last month's meeting. "It's more bleak than I expected," Dr. Vivian Bush, a foundation board member and psychologist at the Sussex Consortium, said after hearing parents' comments.

For now, foundation leaders will consider expanding the programs and activities that they provide for autistic children to accommodate autistic adults.

But Charlotte Herbert, executive director of the group that formed in 2001, employs two workers, is run by an 18-member board and maintains a more than $400,000 annual budget, plans further steps. She will seek state and federal money, along with grants and private donations, to boost housing projects. "There's things that just need to change," she said.

3	Vaccine News

3. Article A:

Dateline Feature The unorthodox practice of chelation

No one knows for certain what causes autism, but one theory has ignited an intense debate

By John Larson
June 4, 2006

Autism is a mysterious and devastating disorder that is believed to affect as many as 500,000 children in this country. No one knows for certain what causes autism, but one theory ‹ chelation‹ has sparked controversy. Now, Jim Adams wants to put that theory to the test. In a desperate quest for answers, he is using his scientific know-how to test a controversial therapy called "chelation." And he has a special reason for taking on this mission his daughter Kim.

Kim Adams knows every word, every move, every pause by heart because she has watched this same video thousands of times.

Like many diagnosed with autism, she is trapped in a world of repetition and ritual.

For example, her father Jim knows his daughter will want two braids because it is Wednesday. Kim insists on wearing two braids and a dress to school every Wednesday.

Her need for order is extreme. Even a minute change in routine, like a spot appearing on her father's shirt, can make her world feel frighteningly out of whack.

Kim Adams: Daddy¹s shirt. Jim Adams, Kim's father: Oh, daddy¹s shirt is dirty. Kim Adams: Mommy, daddy¹s shirt is dirty. Marie Adams, Kim’s mother: That¹s okay.

At 13 years of age, Kim is still a child who needs help with life's most basic skills. She can't brush her teeth without a list of directions, or make her bed without a series of pictures.

Jim Adams: My little girl was diagnosed with autism at age two-and-a-half. We were told it was a lifelong, incurable disorder. There was nothing we could do for her, that it was just a matter of time until we¹d probably have to institutionalize her. It was absolutely crushing.

Jim and his wife, Marie immediately ruled out institutionalizing Kim. And although already raising two other children, they began doing everything they could for Kim ‹ special diets, special teachers, special classes. While she appeared normal, Kim couldn't speak, couldn't follow simple instructions, and made little eye contact.

Marie Adams: Then as she got older, you know her anger, her tantrums, her aggression ‹ she used to hit, kick, bite. When she was older, she knocked holes in the walls.

A professor of chemistry at Arizona State University by day, Jim Adams studied autism at night, learning about brain development and damage, how the brain interacts with vitamins, minerals and metals.

He sought out others concerned with the rising number of children being labeled autistic ‹ parents and scientists who also wondered how a condition that was diagnosed in only one in 100,000 children in the 1980s was two decades later diagnosed in as many as one in every 175 American children.

He started hearing stories about damage done to people exposed to methyl mercury, the kind found in thermometers and in polluted environments. There was the mercury spill in Japan that led to mercury laden fish and Minimata disease, affecting many who ate the fish.

He heard about Pink Disease, also called Acrodynia, a mysterious condition that afflicted children in this country roughly a hundred years ago. The symptoms included social withdrawal and lack of language. The condition disappeared almost overnight when a certain type of teething powder which contained mercury was removed from the market.

Jim Adams: There is no doubt that the mercury in the teething powders was what caused Acrodynia, and that symptoms of Acrodynia were pretty similar to symptoms of autism. John Larson, Dateline correspondent: What¹s your basic idea here? That mercury causes autism or that somehow makes it worse? Jim Adams: We think that it¹s a combination of a genetic susceptibility leading to a decreased ability to excrete mercury. So that these kids are not necessarily dosed to high levels of mercury, but that simply, they are a small subset of the population that they have unusual genes, that they just can¹t excrete mercury very well. Larson: Jim¹s suspicion that mercury might somehow be connected to the rise in the number of children diagnosed with autism places him near the center of one of the most hotly contested and politically charged medical debates of our time ‹ one that has pitted activist parents against federal health officials and vaccine manufacturers, because mercury in children often comes from vaccines.

Vaccines -- those life-saving miracle drugs that have successfully fought back everything from polio, small pox, and diphtheria, to measles, mumps and rubella. It began to be phased out a few years ago, but until then, most infant vaccines included something called ethyl mercury in a preservative called thimerosal.

Although different from methyl mercury, the kind found in pollution, ethyl mercury in high enough doses, can also damage the nervous system.

Jim Adams: Thimerosal was introduced into vaccines before the FDA even existed. It was just grandfathered in. And then as children began receiving more vaccines in the vaccination schedule, the amount they received kept growing and growing until 1999 when Congress asked the FDA to evaluate the amount of mercury in all the pharmaceutical products.

What the Food and Drug Administration discovered was that along with getting more shots, by 1992, children were also getting more mercury. The vaccines undoubtedly were protecting the children from a variety of deadly diseases, but were they also causing autism in some children?

In order to answer that question, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention commissioned two reports into the issue, both of which dismissed thimerosal as the problem. Dr. Tanya Popovic is the CDC's Associate Director for Science Research.

Tanya Popovik, CDC Associate Director for Science Research: Top-notch scientists have reviewed everything and anything that is available and have really in their latest report said that they reject causal association of thimerosal in vaccines and autism.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and many other scientists also reject the link between vaccines and autism and are concerned the debate over mercury will discourage parents from vaccinating their children.

But despite the stance of mainstream science, thousands of parents, and even some scientists, claim there is a growing body of evidence to suggest there might be a connection between mercury and autism.

And they point to the benefits of a radical new treatment to help make their case.

Julia Berle, mother of autistic child: It saved my child.

This mother and thousands of other parents have turned to a process called chelation.

Chelation involves ridding the body of metals, including mercury. In its most aggressive form, it is done intravenously, but most parents give their autistic children a milder oral medication, or as in this case, a cream that is absorbed through the skin. The chelation agent binds to the mercury, which is then passed through the system.

Originally approved for treating lead poisoning, there are parents who claim chelation has helped cure their children's autism.

The parents share stories and home videos of what they describe as their children's recoveries.

Some report their children going from agitated repetitive behaviors to simply being calmer and able to focus. >From being unable to use language, to being able to express themselves‹ from almost complete withdrawal, to interacting with their families again. But most doctors aren't buying those stories of near-miraculous recovery.

Dr. Jay Berkelhamer, president of American Academy of Pediatrics: The usefulness of chelation therapy in treating autism is nil.

Dr. Jay Berkelhamer is the President of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Like most doctors Dateline spoke with, he pointed out the process can be dangerous. Performed intravenously, it even led to one death.

Dr. Berkelhamer: Chelation therapy is potentially toxic. The chelation material that are used to remove these metals from the bloodstream can affect the liver and the kidney.

The reason most doctors agree with the American Academy of Pediatrics is because they don't believe mercury from vaccines is the problem in the first place. They say some autistic children may just outgrow the problem, or improve from behavioral and other therapies, but that autism isn't cured by removing metals from a child's system.

But despite the position of mainstream science on chelation, for Jim Adams and some other scientists, the verdict is still out.

Jim Adams: It¹s a very controversial topic. There have been a number of epidemiology studies looking at it, Some showing absolutely no link, some showing a very strong link. It depends, I think, very much on who does the research. I think the most critical issue is looking into thimerosal.

So Jim Adams has decided to do just that. Along with Dr. Matt Boral of the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine ‹ an accredited school of alternative and integrated medicine ‹ he has designed the first double-blinded, placebo-controlled study of chelation. The mission: to answer the question of whether chelation really works, or whether it's just the wishful thinking of desperate parents.

John Larson, Dateline correspondent: You¹ve got strong feelings about the connection between mercury and autism. Are you the guy who should be doing this study? Will critics come out and say, ³Well, here, he just proved what his suspicions were?²Jim Adams: I think that if someone else were to do the research, I¹d be thrilled. But the fact is no one else has done it and thousands of families are out there using it. And so, because it¹s pretty much the most highly ranked treatment according to a survey of 23,000 families, I think there¹s a lot of good reason to do it.

But he already knows chelation does not work for everyone.

Chelation did not help his daughter, Kim, perhaps Jim says because it was done too late. But regardless of why it didn't work, he wants to know if chelation can help any autistic children. After all, he is not just a chemist in search of knowledge, but a father who knows the desire for a cure.

John Larson: What happens in the end, after all this hard work? If you find that there really is no relation between mercury and autistic behavior. Will you be disappointed? Jim Adams: Disappointed, yes. But whatever way it turns out, we¹ll report it. If it doesn¹t help, we¹ll report it. And if it does, we¹re gonna report that, too.

Public health officials stress the need to vaccinate children against known diseases. Today most American children under the age of two years are automatically vaccinated with mercury-free vaccines, and parents can ask their pediatricians about getting thimerosal free vaccines for their older children. Some experts also suggest requesting mercury-free flu shots for pregnant women, infants and children.

Jim Adams predicts he'll have the final results of his study by the end of the year, and we'll have them first, here on Dateline. You should know that most children under the age of two are now automatically given mercury-free vaccines, and parents can request those shots for their older children as well.

Watch the DATELINE June 3rd story here http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13102473/

3. Article B:

Study Finds MMR Is Linked With Autism

By Lucy Johnston for the Sunday Express http://www.express.co.uk

Scientists have confirmed the controversial link between MMR and autism.

The findings corroborate research by Dr Andrew Wakefield, discredited by the Department of Health for suggesting the combined measles, mumps and rubella jab may have contributed to rises in the disorder.

The new study, led by Dr Arthur Krigsman, a child gastroenterologist from New York University School of Medicine, has led to calls for an immediate overhaul of Britain's child vaccination programme.

The research, to be presented at the International Conference for Autism Research in Montreal next week, is still going on but, unusually early findings have been released because of the significance.

The study, which covers 275 children and is being carried out at different medical centres in America, found serious intestinal inflammation in autistic children identical to that described by Dr Wakefield and his colleagues eight years ago.

Gut biopsy tissue from 82 of these children reveals that 85 per cent have evidence of the measles virus in their inflamed intestines. Fourteen have so far been confirmed by more stringent DNA tests.

The news will be a huge embarrassment for the Department of Health which rubbished Dr Wakefield's research on the grounds it was uncorroborated "bad science". Steve Walker, assistant professor at Wake Forest University Medical Centre, North Carolina, who analysed the gut samples, said the work mirrored Dr Wakefield's study.

"We're very excited by our findings," he said. " Wakefield's study was criticised because it lacked replication. Our goal is to see if the finding was real. Preliminary results show that it was."

Just as Dr Wakefield discovered in his work on the children with a previously unidentified bowel condition, Dr Krigsman's patients had all inexplicably deteriorated, losing language and other skills at around 12 to

18 months of age.

All of the children under both doctors were diagnosed with autism and had come to them seeking help for symptoms of serious digestive problems for which no explanation could be found.

Dr Wakefield, who was forced to resign his job as a gastroenterologist at the Royal Free Hospital in north London after he publicised his theory, welcomed the research. He said: "The Department of Health was able to discredit our research by saying no one else had found similar results to ours but no one else had looked.

"In the light of these results - which are strikingly similar to ours

- the Government and its regulators are obliged to act. At this stage it would be prudent and in the best interests of vaccine uptake to make single vaccines available."

Dr Richard Halvorsen, a GP from the Holborn Medical Centre in central London, who is writing a book on the child vaccination programme, said:

"This is incredibly powerful evidence confirming the link between autism, MMR and bowel disease.

"The Government should withdraw MMR until its safety can be proven, particularly as we have safer and effective alternatives."

Jackie Fletcher, founder of Jabs, a support group for parents who believe their children have been damaged by vaccines, said: "This study confirms that the measles virus is present in the guts of these children when it shouldn't be.

"This also shows that the studies, which the Government use as proof of the safety of MMR vaccine, are inadequate. The MMR should be suspended and single jabs reinstated immediately. We cannot take risks with our children."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said it could not comment on the research until it had been presented but she defended the triple jab.

"There is no link between autism and the MMR vaccine," she said. "MMR remains the best form of protection against measles, mumps and rubella."

3. Article C:

Dan Olmsted – New Entries

http://tinyurl.com/lv2y7

The Age of Autism: But is Wakefield right?

By Dan Olmsted
UPI Senior Editor

WASHINGTON , June 12 (UPI) -- Dr. Andrew Wakefield, the British gastroenterologist who first raised the prospect of a link between the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and autism, is being pursued by British medical authorities.

According to the BBC: "The Independent newspaper reports that the General Medical Council will accuse Mr. Andrew Wakefield of carrying out 'inadequately founded' research. Vaccination rates fell sharply after Dr Wakefield questioned the safety of MMR, raising fears of a measles epidemic. His initial Lancet paper has since been disowned by the journal."

Let's put aside the issues surrounding the Lancet paper and concerns about a measles epidemic and go straight to the heart of the matter: Does the MMR cause autism? In other words, is Wakefield right?

After looking into the topic for more than a year, I'm very concerned that he may be -- that, especially in children whose immune systems have been rendered susceptible by any number of possible exposures, the combined live-virus vaccine has its fingerprints all over numerous cases of regressive autism.

Until researching the seven-part Age of Autism series in Olympia, Wash., that concluded last month, I would not have said that. But when you encounter case after case of perfectly children regressing after live-virus vaccinations -- in this case, the MMR in close proximity to the chickenpox shot -- you have to keep your options open.

The families in Olympia noticed a common thread: They had unusual histories of chickenpox and other herpes viruses in their families; their child got the chickenpox and MMR shots in close temporal proximity, often at the same 12-month office visit when both are first recommended; and the child subsequently was diagnosed with regressive autism.

Despite the sweeping assurances that there's no link between the MMR and autism, no one seems to have looked at whether such a family history of susceptibility to viruses used in vaccines might raise a risk factor. Call me hyper vigilant, but I would have expected that to be rigorously reviewed a long time ago.

Two of the Olympia children, in fact, were in small trials at age 12 months of chickenpox and MMR vaccines. One of the vaccines, called ProQuad, combines the MMR and chickenpox, kicking in 10 times the standard amount of chickenpox vaccine to overcome the "immune interference" that can occur when live viruses interact.

Such interference is at the heart of Wakefield's concern about the combined MMR vaccine -- that the viruses suppress the immune system in such a way that weakened-but-live measles viruses can set up house and trigger a delayed neurological infection: autism.

And measles is not benign -- that's why there's such a push to vaccinate against it. In a small percentage of cases, the wild, or naturally occurring, infection can lead to delayed brain damage and death.

It's a neurotoxic virus, in short. Wakefield's question and concern is whether in some cases the live-virus vaccine is neurotoxic, too.

Not such a wild idea, really, and listening to him talk makes you hope to God the vaccine manufacturers and regulators are a lot smarter than he makes them sound:

"What alarms me about the cavalier approach of the industry and everybody else, the regulators, to these viruses is they presume the wild infection to be nasty and the vaccines to be innocuous -- that they can manipulate something that is biologically highly intelligent and exploit it to their advantage.

"And they can't. The viruses don't behave like that and they never will. They merely come back to haunt you as something different."

Multiple epidemiological studies have allegedly ruled out this chilling scenario as a factor in autism -- the Institute of Medicine calls it "theoretical only." But epidemiology is only as good as its data and its practitioners, and well-known for its potential pitfalls and flaws. What concerns me is, if the epidemiology is wrong, preventable cases of autism are going to keep happening till the cows come home.

Recall, also, that Wakefield never suggested banning the measles, mumps or rubella immunizations. He suggested separating them and giving them a year apart.

Especially concerning are the stories that parent after parent tells about physical illness after the shots, followed by autistic regression. It's kind of freaky, really, the way they keep popping up.

After finishing the Pox series, I attended the Autism One convention in Chicago and happened to be interviewed by a Web-based documentary filmmaker. During a break, I asked how he got involved. He told me his daughter got the MMR, came down immediately with a 103-degree fever and regressed forthwith into autism.

"It's like someone took out her good brain and replaced it with a bad brain," he said. It was that immediate.

I had another conversation with the mother of fraternal twins who told me this story: Both sons were scheduled to get two shots -- the MMR and another vaccination -- on the same day at the same office visit.

But -- oops -- the healthcare worker gave the first child two MMR shots, not the MMR and the second vaccine. That child soon developed autism; the second one didn't.

And I spoke recently with a Texas man whose son got the MMR in 1993; the injection site swelled up to the size of his father's fist; he had seizures at the dinner table that night, and within days was spinning, flapping, chewing wood and not talking ever again.

You get the picture. "Anecdotal evidence." But you have to wonder how many of these stories -- one is tempted to say, bodies -- must pile up before the medical authorities go back and take a fresh look at the issue.

This blithe disregard for case histories -- for what parents, the supposed bedrock of our "family-friendly" society, say -- is one of the most appalling features of the current climate surrounding autism research. In fact, Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-N.Y., has talked publicly of forcing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which sets the childhood immunization schedule and stoutly rejects a link with autism, to actually go out and interview some of these parents.

One person who is making things awkward for the authorities is Dr. Peter Fletcher, another British ne'er-do-well -- or, to use his official title, the former chief scientific officer at Britain's Department of Health.

As I noted in a column earlier this year, the Daily Mail reported: "A former British government medical officer responsible for deciding whether medicines are safe has accused the government of 'utterly inexplicable complacency' over the MMR triple vaccine for children."

The official, Dr. Peter Fletcher, became an expert witness for parents' lawyers, which of course creates a competing interest that needs to be factored in. But Fletcher said his new role gave him access to documents that deeply concerned him.

"There are very powerful people in positions of great authority in Britain and elsewhere who have staked their reputations and careers on the safety of MMR and they are willing to do almost anything to protect themselves," he said.

Gosh, this is starting to get interesting, and not just for Andrew Wakefield.

---- But wait, there is more from Dan:

Consumer Health
The Age of Autism: Gardasil vs. Hep B
By Dan Olmsted
Jun 9, 2006

WASHINGTON, DC, United States (UPI) -- This week the Food and Drug Administration approved a vaccine to prevent cervical cancer in women. In an odd way, the announcement highlights what may be wrong with government policy on another vaccination, the very first one children receive.
The FDA`s approval of Gardasil is intended to block human papilloma virus, or HPV, the most common sexually transmitted disease and one that causes almost all cases of cervical cancer. The agency approved the vaccine for girls beginning at age 9 to protect them before they become sexually active.
Some cultural conservatives oppose making the shots mandatory for public-school attendance because of what they fear is an implicit endorsement of pre-marital sex. That’s an issue an advisory committee of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- and ultimately, each of the 50 states -- will have to grapple with.
Regardless, the decision to wait till the cusp of adolescence to give the shot seems sensible -- and drives home the contrary approach that the CDC has taken with the hepatitis B vaccination mandated for every newborn child.
To listen to some public-health officials, you’d think the nation was in the grip of an incipient Hep B epidemic lurking in the nation’s hygienically challenged daycare centers -- an epidemic contained solely by vaccination on the day of birth.
In fact, hepatitis B is overwhelmingly a disease of sexual contact and intravenous, illegal drug use. Except in cases where the mother tests positive for Hep B, the risk to children vs. the risk of such an early vaccination seems questionable in the eyes of many critics of CDC immunization policy.
Over the course of the past year, as I’ve reported on concerns that vaccines may be linked to a huge increase in autism diagnoses beginning in the 1990s, the hepatitis B vaccination at birth stood out; the vaccination was first recommended in 1991.
At least two doctors tell me their faith in the government’s entire childhood immunization schedule was shattered by the CDC's insistence that every newborn needs a Hep B shot as an urgent matter of public health.
\'It is universally accepted that such mandate was forced upon our children only because they were `available,` while efforts to vaccinate high-risk adults had repeatedly failed,\' Dr. F. Edward Yazbak testified in 2001 before the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
\'The continued mandate of this vaccine with all its problems may result in parents losing faith in vaccine programs in general, and opposing all vaccinations, many of which we know are necessary and effective,\' he said.
The National Vaccine Information Center, which supports parental choice and awareness of immunization hazards, raises similar issues. \'Unlike other infectious diseases for which vaccines have been developed and mandated in the U.S., hepatitis B is not common in childhood and is not highly contagious,\' the NVIC says.
\'Hepatitis B is primarily an adult disease transmitted through infected body fluids, most frequently infected blood, and is prevalent in high risk populations such as needle using drug addicts; sexually promiscuous heterosexual and homosexual adults; residents and staff of custodial institutions such as prisons; health care workers exposed to blood; persons who require repeated blood transfusions and babies born to infected mothers.\'
Dr. Mayer Eisenstein, medical director of the family-practice Homefirst Medical Services in Chicago, told the Illinois Legislature in 1997 that mandating Hep B for newborns was absurd.
\'The idea of giving this vaccine to a one-day old baby, a newborn, is preposterous. There is no scientific evidence for this. In fact, I called up the manufacturer and I had (a representative) come to St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital, where I am Chairman of the Department of Medicine, and I asked him: `Show me your evidence on one-day old infants as to side effects (from the hepatitis B vaccine)` -- we have none. Our studies were done on 5 and 10 year olds.
\'As a father, grandfather, a physician, as a lawyer, I want the option of not giving it to my children unless I believe the scientific evidence is there.\'
Yet waiting until genuine risk looms -- via sexual activity, intravenous drug use or a healthcare job -- has been rejected out of hand. That view was confirmed earlier this year by both the CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics, whose members administer the vaccines.
\'The Academy has endorsed CDC recommendation for hepatitis B vaccine, `A Comprehensive Immunization Strategy to Eliminate Transmission of Hepatitis B Virus Infection in the United States,`\' the AAP said in a news release.
\'The CDC recommends that all newborns receive a birth dose of hepatitis B vaccine before leaving the hospital unless a physician provides a written order to defer the birth dose.\'
Compare that to waiting till age 9 for the new Gardasil vaccine. While the reasonable concerns of some parents are yet to be resolved, this already stands in stark contrast to the public health establishment’s hepatitis B hammerlock on the nation’s newborns.
True, the mercury-based preservative thimerosal that some believe is behind the rise in autism has been removed from Hep B and other routine childhood vaccines. But the issue of whether children are getting an unnecessarily early and heavy load of vaccines -- and whether that could explain the rise in autism or chronic illnesses like asthma -- remains squarely on the table, at least to this observer.
In years to come, I suspect, the Hep B shot at birth may be regarded as a case study in doctors gone wild.
--
Dan Olmsted released THE AUTISM OF AUTISM: POX Part 4, 5, 6 & 7 is also available. All of Dan’s Age of Autism work can be found at this link http://www.theageofautism.com

3. Article D:

New Research on Autism Points to a Novel 'Gut' Disease in Some Kids

http://www.ediets.com/news/article.cfm/cmi_718068

By Mary Ann Roser
Updated: June 6, 2006

AUSTIN , Texas -- A maverick British scientist who now works in Austin has completed a new study on autism that links the disease to a novel intestinal illness.

The research, which will be published in this month's issue of the Journal of Clinical Immunology that is expected to come out today, opens the door to testing treatments for some autistic children, including a diet that forbids dairy products and certain grains.

Dr. Andy Wakefield, whose earlier work caused a furor by suggesting an association between a common childhood vaccine and autism, said he considers the latest research groundbreaking.

The study by Wakefield and three collaborators builds on previous research connecting autism and the gut.

But it goes several steps further: It identifies a new inflammatory intestinal disease in some children who appear normal but regress into autism; it suggests the intestinal disease is viral, thus giving clues about the nature of this type of autism; and it provides new targets for treating autism in some children.

"This now gives us the basis of what is driving that disease and what we can do to treat many children" who regress into autism, said Wakefield, who is setting up a research, education and treatment center for autistic children in Austin called the Thoughtful House.

"We hope this will form the basis for a new clinical trial." Nationally known autism expert Dr. Timothy Buie, a pediatrician specializing in gastrointestinal disorders at Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, called the research a welcome extension of Wakefield's earlier work into the relationship between autism and gastrointestinal symptoms, such as constipation and diarrhea. Buie is among the researchers studying bowel disease and autism, but he said it's too early to gauge the significance of Wakefield's findings.

Autism is a complex disorder that usually emerges during the first three years of life and affects the ability to communicate, reason and interact with others. Some type of autism is diagnosed in one in 166 individuals, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the Autism Society of America, rates are soaring and could rise from 1.5 million Americans to 4 million in the next decade.

Autism is classified as a neurological disorder, but scientists don't know what causes it or how to cure it.

Though the new research expands the understanding of autism in a select group of children, "the jury is still out" on whether it extends to a larger group, said Buie, who also is on the Harvard Medical School faculty. "We're a long way from saying that these changes at the gut level are what is causing the autism." Dr. David Baskin, a professor of neurosurgery and anesthesiology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, said the study "adds to a growing body of knowledge concerning children with autism and poses a number of important questions to be answered with additional research." Wakefield and his colleagues studied 86 children in England, including 21 with autism. They found that the autistic children had significantly more cells of a certain type in their digestive tracts associated with an intestinal inflammation causing them chronic problems.

Eleven of those children were on some dietary restrictions involving dairy products, gluten (grains, such as wheat and rye), or both. Their parents said the children functioned better, physically and mentally, according to the study. Those children also had fewer inflammatory chemicals in their intestines than those not on restricted diets, the study says.

The study recommends more research on the restricted diet. Autistic children across the country have been known to try it.

"It's really rather remarkable the differences I have seen in some children," said Peter Bell, executive director and chief executive officer of Cure Autism Now, an advocacy organization in Los Angeles that supports autism research.

But Bell said the diet had no effect on his autistic son, now 11.

Wakefield said the study also suggests that some drugs might help, but the paper does not recommend any. In an interview, Wakefield said Remicade, used to treat Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis, merits further study.

The Food and Drug Administration issued warnings about Remicade after it was linked to lymphoma, malignancies and heart failure. Wakefield said he didn't want to mention the drug because he didn't want patients clamoring for it until it's been thoroughly tested for autism.

The gut's connection to the disorder has gained credence in the last five to 10 years, Bell said, although people outside the autism community might not know that.

Wakefield said the study found that the type of gastrointestinal illness the autistic children exhibited, though different than other inflammatory bowel diseases, is "similar to what we would see in HIV patients." "That's important," he said, "because it's a rationale for looking for a viral cause for autism." Wakefield received international notoriety following a 1998 article he published in the Lancet, a prestigious British medical journal, in which parents reported that they thought the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, known as MMR, could be linked to autism and a bowel disease in some children.

Though Wakefield said it was important to report what parents were saying, he insists he is a big vaccine supporter. However, he does favor separating the MMR into individual shots because the combination might harm some children.

Earlier this year, 10 of the 13 authors of the Lancet report disavowed the interpretation that MMR might cause autism. Wakefield was not one of them and was singled out in a "60 Minutes" report on the subject Oct. 24 for fueling anti-vaccine hysteria. (The new study does not discuss vaccines.) The Lancet said it would not have published the 1998 study had it known that Wakefield was helping parents of autistic children gather scientific information for a lawsuit over the MMR vaccine. The Legal Aid Board in England had paid the hospital where Wakefield worked $90,000 for his help.

Wakefield said last week that he didn't get any money and didn't do anything unethical. Although some of the same parents in the lawsuit also were involved in the Lancet study, Wakefield said, the Lancet paper was not done to "propagate a lawsuit." As the MMR vaccine controversy raged, Wakefield resigned under pressure from his job as an assistant professor of experimental gastroenterology at the Royal Free Hospital Medical School in London in 2001. He has been in the process of relocating to Austin for the past 18 months, he said, and plans to open the Thoughtful House in January.

The center will start with clinical services for autistic children and will gradually expand to a school. It also will do research studies.

Gastrointestinal comorbidity, autistic regression and Measles-containing vaccines: positive re-challenge and biological gradient

Medical Veritas 3 (2006) 796–802

Andrew J. Wakefield, FRCS FRCPath; Carol Stott, PhD; and Kirsten Limb, BS

Abstract
Background : A temporal association between exposure to measles-containing vaccine (MCV) and autistic-like developmental regression in a sub-set of children with enterocolitis has been reported. Measles virus (MV) was detected in ileal biopsies from these children at higher prevalence than in developmentally normal pediatric controls.
This study tested the hypothesis of a dose-response effect of MCV exposure on intestinal pathology, as evidence of a causal association.
Methodology/Principle Findings: Children with normal early development and autistic-like developmental regression were divided into two groups: re-exposed children (n=23), who had received more than one dose of a measles-containing vaccine (MCV), and once-exposed children (n=23), who had received only one dose of MCV. The groups were matched for sex, age, and time-elapsed from first exposure to endoscopy. Comparisons included: secondary (2o) gastrointestinal (GI) and related physical symptoms and observer-blinded scores of endoscopic and histological disease. Re-exposed children scored significantly higher than once-exposed for 2o physical symptoms including incontinence, presence of severe ileal lymphoid hyperplasia, number of biopsies with epithelial damage and number of children with acute inflammation. Markers of acute inflammation included number of children affected and proportion of biopsies affected
Conclusion/Significance: The data identify a re-challenge effect on symptoms and a biological gradient effect on intestinal pathology, which links MCV exposure to autistic-like developmental regression and enterocolitis.
For the rest of the story go to:

Medical Veritas 3 (2006) 796–802

Other links from Thoughtful House

-Autism: The Evolution of a Disease
(http://thoughtfulhouse.org/exploring-the-biomedical-issues-of-autism.pdf)

-Treatment at THCFC
(http://thoughtfulhouse.org/thcfc_treatment.htm)

-Study identifies association between pattern of MMR exposure & regressive measles
(http://thoughtfulhouse.org/comm/051606.htm

-Immune Activation of Peripheral Blood and Mucosal CD3+ lymphocyte cytokine profiles...
(http://thoughtfulhouse.org/pub_21.htm)

-Gastrointestinal comorbidity, autistic regression and measles-containing vaccines:
positive re-challenge and biological gradient
(http://thoughtfulhouse.org/pub_22.htm)

-New study confirms measles virus in bowels of autistic children
(http://thoughtfulhouse.org/pr/053106.htm)

-the May newsletter
(http://www.thoughtfulhouse.org/newsletters/05-2006.pdf)

3. Article E:

Vaccinations: friend or foe?

http://www.themercury.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=284&fArticleId=3250813

Concern is rising that tiny drops of mercury injected into millions of infants may be causing autism, attention deficit disorder and brain damage

May 18, 2006

By Tony Carnie

Vaccinations have saved millions of people around the world from death, illness or crippling diseases. But have they also maimed the brains of countless children?

Is the steady rise in autism, attention deficit disorder (ADD) and other brain disorders linked to the tiny drops of toxic mercury which have been injected into the bloodstreams of millions of infants during government vaccination campaigns?

Since the 1930s ethyl mercury has been added to a variety of vaccines as a preservative, in the form of Thimerosal.

Although mercury is a powerful brain poison, the use of Thimerosal was justified on the basis that it preserved vaccines from bacterial contamination and because only tiny, harmless traces of this poison would enter human blood and brains.

Nevertheless, concern has been mounting in the United States and other nations that Thimerosal is largely, or at least partly, responsible for the steady increase in a wide range of neurodevelopmental (brain-related) sicknesses - including autism, stammering, tics, sleeping and eating disorders, attention deficit disorder, speech and language disorders, seizures and co-ordination problems.

Barbara Fisher, co-founder of the National Vaccine Information Centre, a United States public education group set up by the parents of vaccine-injured children, has warned of a widespread erosion of public trust in the American health profession and mass vaccination programmes.

"More and more parents are reporting that their healthy children are regressing into autism after vaccination, and there are nearly 5 000 autism vaccine injury cases pending in the US Court of Claims," Fisher told a National Academy of Sciences hearing in 2004.

Coincidentally, she said, a government health agency had quickly assembled a committee to hide and restrict access to official vaccine injury databases.

"Many parents of vaccine-injured children don't think it's a coincidence, just like they don't think it's a coincidence when a healthy child goes in for vaccinations and then regresses physically, mentally and emotionally and becomes a totally different child."

Seizures

Despite mounting evidence of serious harm, the official message that was sent to the media and the public was to "keep on vaccinating", even if their children had experienced seizures during earlier vaccinations.

"(But) if you keep on vaccinating in the face of seizures you have a very good chance of ending up with a severely brain-damaged child who drools and twitches, and can't learn to read and write or go to the bathroom without help or grow up to drive a car and go to college and get a job and be a productive member of society," declared Fisher, whose son is described as vaccine-injured.

Some of the first red flags were raised in the early 1980s, when the US Food and Drug Administration was asked to phase out Thimerosal from all over-the-counter medical products.

But the main controversy erupted in 1999 when the US Public Health Service and the American Academy of Paediatrics issued a joint statement calling for the removal of all Thimerosal vaccines "as soon as possible" after studies which showed that some children were receiving as much as 200 microgrammes of mercury during the first six months of their lives - a level which exceeded safety guidelines set by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Since then, battle lines have been drawn between experts who defend the use of this preservative, and those who fear that government medical agencies and the pharmaceutical industry have conspired to conceal the real dangers of Thimerosal out of fear that they will be sued by the parents of brain- damaged children around the world.

The World Health Organisation issued a statement in 1999 supporting the development of new Thimerosal-free vaccines, but continues to argue that its risks are "small" and theoretical.

Major vaccine-making companies began to remove Thimerosal from childhood vaccines soon afterwards, yet it is still used in many parts of the world in vaccines for flu and other sickness.

The watershed year of 1999 also marked the birth of the so-called "Brighton Collaboration", a body of public and private medical experts which assumed the role of spreading "high quality information about the safety of human vaccines".

Remarkably, one of the co-founders of this quasi-government, quasi-private body was Elisabeth Loupi from the French vaccine and pharmaceutical company Aventis Pasteur.

The collaboration also declared its willingness to accept funding from pharmaceutical industries and to allow industry scientists to sit on its expert working groups and committees.

This enraged several groups, including Congressman Dave Weldon, who argued that the collaboration merged the regulators and regulated into an indistinguishable group.

Weldon said it was unacceptable that vaccine manufacturers would chair or sit on the panels which adjudicated vaccine safety issues.

He was also scathing about the role of Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which oversees the US government's vaccination and immunisation programmes.

"I want to make it clear that I support vaccinations. My 5-year-old son has had all of his vaccinations. However, I also believe it is appropriate to acknowledge that, like with any medical intervention, different individuals respond differently. We are all unique, we all have a different genetic makeup, and what may cause no harm in one individual just might be harmful in another."

Testifying

Lynn Redwood, the mother of an autistic child and President of the Coalition of Safeminds organisation, has also spoken out strongly against the response of American government agencies on the Thimerosal issue.

Testifying before a US House of Representatives committee in 2004, Redwood recalled that it had been several years since the first official calls had been made for Thimerosal to be removed from vaccines.

"We could not have imagined that in 2004 Thimerosal would still be in vaccines and that the government agencies tasked with protecting the public would have failed to take aggressive action to get the mercury out and to protect our nation's children," she said.

"We could not have imagined that they would, instead, have focused their energies on avoiding or hiding the truth that is before them, and in so doing undercut the public's trust while continuing to put babies at risk."

She said the Food and Drug Administration had repeatedly failed to ask tough questions about Thimerosal or to require proof of safety while allowing its increased use in vaccines.

The agency had been "asleep at the switch" and seemed to have abdicated its responsibility to the public.

"I and many of my medical colleagues remain astonished that we even have to ask the FDA to stop allowing mercury to be injected into our babies," she said. "We have trusted that the FDA was doing its job . . . (but) that trust has been proven undeserved in this case."

The CDC had been even more egregious, she claimed.

"At every turn, when the CDC could have alerted the public and taken a strong stand against the use of Thimerosal, they have chosen instead to promote flawed epidemiology studies as proof that no evidence of harm existed."

If the uninformed public accepted at face value the statements of the CDC website, they would conclude that Thimerosal had been rigorously tested and that it posed few risks.

"Nothing could be further from the truth," Redwood argued.

More recently, a study by father and son medical researchers David and Mark Geier has suggested a clear correlation between a drop in autism rates in the United States and the gradual phasing out of Thimerosal from childhood vaccines, which began in 1999.

· A spokesman for the national Health Department said yesterday he was not in a position to respond immediately to a list of questions about the use and regulation of Thimerosal in South Africa.

The department said it hoped to compile responses to the questions by Friday.

UPCOMING TACA ACTIVITIES!

April 1 Kickoff

TACA’s 2nd Annual Friends and Family Campaign kicks off on April 1

F&F Logo Last year TACA families raised $35,000! TACA has grown to serve over 2,000 families and provides 95% of our services at no cost —
WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Fundraising Kicks Off in April
Since TACA was started, dozens of TACA families have asked me “How can I help?” Last year we launched the Friends and Family campaign. We asked you to help by reaching out to your extended community to raise awareness about autism and funds to help TACA continue to fulfill its mission of educating and supporting families and building community. You came when we called and raised an amazing $35,000!!

This year we’re asking you to do it again. And to stretch yourself a little farther outside your comfort zone, into your more extended circle of family and friends. If you do that, together, I know we can raise $50,000 this year!

Request Your Picture of Hope Fundraising Kit

Picture of Hope Fundraising kits include: Complete instructions and suggestions on approaching family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and the company where you work, five magnets, and five sets of TACA brochures and information. You only need to supply the picture of your child!

For more information please contact us to order your kit or pick up your kit at a monthly TACA meeting. to order your kit or pick up your kit at a monthly TACA meeting.

TACA Friends & Family Efforts - SUPER STARS!

Nigro family	$ 10,000.00
Taylor family	$ 1,500.00
Monahan family & Skosh Monahan’s	$ 1,500.00
Busse Family	$ 1,240.00
Yencso family	$ 1,000.00
Chin family	$ 936.00
Brodie family	$ 540.00
Tang Family	$ 500.00
Marroquin Family	$ 425.00
Wu/Chiang Family	$ 370.00
Yang Family	$ 300.00
Lions Club Costa Mesa	$ 300.00
Ackerman Family	$ 300.00
Estepp Family	$ 250.00
Ancich Family	$ 200.00
Romero family	$ 175.00
Barboza family	$ 100.00
Lowey family	$ 100.00
Smith family	$ 50.00

TOTAL IN:	$ 19,786.00
GOAL TO GO:	$ 30,214.00
Help TACA get there by June 30, 2006!

Sept. 17, 2006:

3rd Annual Picnic is NOW scheduled for September 17, 2006

At Camp James/Hidden Valley in Irvine, CA
Registration IS NOW OPEN! SHOP TACA!
Exhibit & Sponsorship opportunities available!

Oct.-Nov. 2006:

Join TACA & Cure Autism Now for these two walks

50% of the proceeds (if you select TACA in your referral box at sign up
or the links below) will go to TACA & 50% will go to CAN!

Orange County Walk:
Camp James/Hidden Valley – October 14, 2006
Click Here: http://www.walknow.org/faf/home/default.asp?
ievent=144278&msource=06TACAOC

San Diego walk :
(to be scheduled September 2006)
Click Here: http://www.walknow.org/faf/home/default.asp?
ievent=144271&msource=06TACASD

Exhibit & Sponsorship opportunities available!

Monthly Fun:

Just for FUN – once a month

Come Join your TACA friends at PUMP IT UP in Huntington Beach for some good ol’ family fun!
Click here for the schedule

A Fallen Angel

It is with great sadness to tell you about the loss of
Geneva “Trammy” Dang.

Trammy was an absolute angel.

Please keep her family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.

She will be missed.

Vendor Announcements

New Private Autism School in South Orange County:

NEW PRIVATE AUTISM SCHOOL IN SOUTH ORANGE COUNTY
A private, non-profit Autism school is in process of formation and will likely be located in South Orange County; co-located on a typical private school campus for inclusion opportunities and facilities. Looking for interested students . For more details, please call Brad @ 949.933.6449.

HELP Autism Research Institute with a CHELATION PARENT SURVEY:

Dear Parent,

According to our records at the Autism Research Institute, you had rated your son’s/daughter’s response to chelation therapy on one of our websites or on our hardcopy survey form.

Although chelation is one of the most effective and safest treatments for autistic children, there is a great deal of controversy regarding the most effective chelating agents and the most efficient ways of administering them. We recently uploaded a chelation survey to the Internet. We would appreciate your completing our survey. Our findings will be shared with other parents and physicians. The survey is located at: www.ChelationSurvey.com

Regards,
Bernard Rimland, Ph.D.
Director
Autism Research Institute

From Professor Jim Adams – re: Metals in Baby Teeth study:

There is a new national research study by Professor Jim Adams (recently on Dateline) to measure the level of toxic metals in baby teeth of children with autism spectrum disorders and typically-developing children (unrelated to those with autism). Baby teeth form during pregnancy and the first few years of life, so they measure the total exposure to toxic metals during that time. His pilot study (submitted for publication) found that children with autism had 2-3x as much mercury in their baby teeth as typical children. If you would like to participate, please go to www.eas.asu.edu/~autism for more information and an application form. There is a cost of $200 to participate in the study for non-Arizona residents, but a limited number of scholarships are available thanks to the Autism Research Institute.

James B. Adams
Professor
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering
Arizona State University
PO Box 876006
Tempe , AZ 85287-6006
(480) 965-3316

WILD OATS/HENRY’S Provides Free Gluten-Free Tours

Henry's Farmers Market would like to invite you to join us for a gluten-free lecture and tour. Our Nutritionist, Janet Little, is hosting the events next week at stores in your area. Please pass along this information to your group, and/or to anyone else you feel might be interested. Anyone that would like to attend can simply email or call me to RSVP, and I can add them to the sign up list.

The lecture will detail the benefits of a gluten free diet and the tour will showcase the great selection of gluten-free items available at Henry's. It is a great opportunity for people to learn more about celiac disease and how to handle their diet.

Please confirm you received this email and let me know how I can help in passing along the information. Here are the details:

Gluten Free Lecture/Tour
Henry's Farmers Market - Corona
Wednesday, June 14, 2006 10AM
120 West Ontario Avenue
Corona, CA 92882
RSVP: 714.809.2581 or adellabitta@wildoats.com

Gluten Free Lecture/Tour
Henry's Farmers Market - Chino Hills
Wednesday, June 14, 2006 2PM
3630 Grand Avenue
Chino Hills , CA 91709
RSVP: 714.809.2581 or adellabitta@wildoats.com

Gluten Free Lecture/Tour
Henry's Farmers Market - Rancho Cucamonga
Thursday, June 15th 2006 10AM
7355 Day Creek Blvd. , (at Baseline Road)
Rancho Cucamonga , CA
RSVP: 714.809.2581 or adellabitta@wildoats.com

Please don't hesitate to email them directly if you have any questions!

THOUGHTFUL HOUSE/DR. JERRY KARTZINEL STATUS:

At the April 29th TACA Medical Seminar, Dr. Jerry Kartzinel mentioned he was accepting 20 new patients.

The 20 patients slots were FILLED by May 2nd. He may open his practice up again later this year. He may not.

Parents can get in to see his associate, Dr Bryan Jepson. (His medical license is only in Colorado and in Texas, so you would have to go to Austin to see him.)

It is important to note that the Thoughtful House team brainstorms and meets on children's needs together, so you have an amazing team there.

Since I get about 40 emails a week on this topic I thought I would broadcast here to head some off at the pass.

Here are the Thoughtful House details on signing up as a patient:

Thoughtful House – Dr Jerry Kartzinel
NEW PATIENT REQUEST INFORMATION

Dr Jerry Kartzinel has been treating patients affected by autism for almost 7 years. Occasionally, Dr Kartzinel accepts new patients through the Thoughtful House Medical Center.

Dr Jerry Biography:

Dr. Jerrold J. Kartzinel is Board certified in Pediatrics and is a Fellow in the American Academy of Pediatrics. He attended medical school at St. Louis University School of Medicine. In 2000, he decided to change his focus from general pediatrics to developmental disorders, and he joined the International Child Development Resource Center in Melbourne, Florida.

Now at Thoughtful House in Austin, Texas Dr. Jerry’s practice is solely devoted to the research and treatment of Autism and other neurodegenerative disorders. His approach includes a comprehensive history and physical exam, and laboratory investigations that seek to find what is biologically different in a child. Once found, he implements therapeutic interventions and monitors closely how they affect restoration of health and behaviors. His current research interests include quelling chronic inflammation and the augmentation of the methylation pathway.

At Thoughtful House, Dr. Jerry works with his partner, Dr. Bryan Jepson, as well as other specialists dedicated to fighting for the recovery of children with developmental disorders. Appointments can also be made with Kelly Barnhill, CN (Clinical Nutritionist) or Dr. Arthur Krigsman, pediatric gastroenterologist.

Appointments: Appointments may be available in the Austin, Texas Thoughtful House Medical Center or via Southern California outreaches.
Appointment availability can typically be arranged faster at the Austin, Texas location. However, Dr Jerry does travel to Southern California 3-4 times a year. Wait lists and appointment availability is dependent upon current client responsibilities and caseload. Please call the Thoughtful House office for details.

Rates: $390.00 per hour for phone or in-person consultations

How to Check Appointment Availability:

Call the Thoughtful House
Ask for a NEW PATIENT INTAKE PACKAGE
Fill out the package and include complete records of the potential new patient including:
- a. Copies of all recent medical tests
- b. Copies of the most recent I.E.P.’s (Individualized Education Plan, assessments or Regional Center assessments or plans.)
- c. Send complete package to the THOUGHTFUL HOUSE
Once your intake forms are received, you will be contacted to schedule an appointment for the next available date

Contact Information:
Thoughtful House Center for Children
3001 Bee Caves Road Austin , TX 78746
Telephone : 512-732-8400 Fax: 512-732-8353

Also - if you cannot get to Austin - a great doctor locally is Dr Kurt Woeller in Temecula. While Temecula may not be close for families - it is a lot closer than Austin Texas, where my doctor is. My understanding is Dr Kurt Woeller takes Saturday appointments and since you see a DAN! type doc 1-3 times a year, that should make things a little easier.

Brain Therapeutics & Dr. Steenblock:

Dr. Steenblock is the Medical Director of Brain Therapeutics and the President of Steenblock Research Institute. He pioneered Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment for Stroke patients in 1978. Dr. Steenblock is dedicated to the treatment of Autism. For a limited time, Dr. Steenblock will be offering $75 hard chamber HBOT treatments for TACA members. The discount is offered when 10 or more treatments are purchased. You will need to mention you were referred by TACA in order to receive the discount.

In order to receive treatments, you will need a prescription from a treating physician, or you need to be seen for a full physical by Dr. Steenblock. The prescription needs to include:

Child’s name
Atmospheric pressure ranges (i.e. 1.3-1.5)
Number of total treatments per prescription
Number of treatments the patient can receive weekly
If the patient has a seizure disorder, the prescription needs to indicate.

Dr. Steenblock’s chambers are child-friendly and a parent or caregiver is able to sit in the chamber with the child.

Dr. Steenblock’s HBOT technicians have combined 20 years experience, and specialize in helping children. They are certified and degreed in deep sea diving as well as HBOT.

Dr. Steenblock’s chambers are:

Constructed according to BS5500 United Kingdom’s Lloyds specifications
FDA approved
Certified by the Fire Department and complies with National Fire Protection Association
We use the state of the art oil-less compressors, and air dryers to control the temperature in the chamber, which allows patients to remain cool while inside the chamber.

The system complies with:

ASMO-American Society of Mechanical Engineers
PVHO-Pressure Vessels for Human Occupancy
NFPA-National Fire Protection Association
FDA-Federal Drug Administration

For more information please contact

Brain Therapeutics Med Clinic
Address: 26381 Crown Valley Pkwy # 130 , Mission Viejo, CA 92691
Phone: (949) 367-8870

Autism Behavior Consultants (ABC) is currently accepting new clients
in North & South Orange County

For more information, please contact: Christy Crider
Director of Administration & Client Services
Autism Behavior Consultants (ABC)
Toll Free: 877-927-6300 Email: Christy.Crider@autismprograms.com

Friday Backyard Art Group – Huntington Beach

This six-week experience will provide an opportunity for school-aged ASD children to practice social skills through group art projects that are cooperative in nature. The focus of the time will be team work and group effort. Children will work together to come up with creative project ideas, practicing communication, negotiation, and cooperation. Most of all, this will be a great time to build friendships and have fun. The group will meet once a week for six weeks beginning Friday, June 23rd from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The cost is $25 per week. Contact Jodi Horist at 714-330-9022.

The group will be facilitated by:

Jodi Horist, MFT, a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with two children of her own on the autistic spectrum.

Nicole Bogdan, M.A., who has worked for five years as a Therapeutic Aide and also holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology.

Let me know.
Thanks,
Jodi Horist

Schafer Autism Report Kicks Off Paid Subscription Drive

The Schafer Autism Report today launched its subscription drive requesting current readers who have been receiving it without charge, and new subscribers to pay for a year's subscription.

The editor and publisher of the SAR, Lenny Schafer announced in March that the daily autism newsletter would cease publication in one year's time due to the inability to continue without financial support from its readers.

Currently the newsletter is distributed to readers without cost. SAR expenses are paid for by funds provided as adoption assistance for his autistic son, Izak, who turns 18 this July. Schafer explained that this funding does not continue into his son's legal adulthood and when it ends, so will the publication of SAR unless other funding can be found.

"For the last ten years, the SAR has been paid for by my son,"

explains Schafer, "Because of his contributions, hundreds of children and adults with autism have had their lives, and their families lives improved through the information it has provided.

"The SAR's coverage of the potential of mercury poisoning and genetic susceptibility being at the root of the autism epidemic has no doubt prevented many more children now, and in the future from being so afflicted by alerting parents to the potential dangers.

"If only I had known then what I know now, maybe my son would not be suffering so right now. If only someone would have told me. . .how different our lives would have been," is a lament often heard from parents of autistic children.

The SAR has been -- and is now that publication "someone."

This news and information digest is still the only national daily publication that provides a wide enough range of information on autism, controversial or not, so that parents can make informed choices for the care, treatment and preventative health of their children. This single, lone daily voice that so advocates for all people, children and adults on the spectrum, will soon fall silent without support returned from the community is has so supported.

Recent calculations have estimated that it will cost over $3 million to care for each disabled person with autism over their lifetime. By contrast, the initial subscription price for the SAR comes to 20 cents a day. How can the community afford not to support this publication, and at such a small cost? How can any reader with family autism effectively advocate for the health and care of their children as easily without the information this publication provides?

STILL NO COST OPTION

Often times the new reader does not immediately appreciate the value of this publication. It takes a little time to get to know it as much time as it takes to know autism. For those readers, and for other readers who cannot afford a paid subscription, the SAR will continue to provide the publication without cost as "scholarship" subscriptions. Nothing is truly free, and the cost of providing the SAR to those readers will be borne by those readers who do pay. The SAR does not consider a no-cost subscription to be a free-ride, it is instead a scholarship paid for by others. To readers who can afford it, the SAR encourages them to purchase such sustainer scholarships for those families, in addition to their own.

We can stop the autism epidemic and we can find the healing answers for those already afflicted. We can start here by supporting and reading the Schafer Autism Report.

To make a payment for a subscription and for sustaining scholarships for others - or to continue to receive the SAR without cost, visit the SAR subscription website:

To subscribe please email schafer@sprynet.com

Book Announcements

EVIDENCE OF HARM
by David Kirby
NOW IN PAPERBACK!

More Recognition for this amazing book: www.ire.org/history/pr/2005IREawards.html

Evidence of Harm receives investigative reporters and editors award.

Ready for a break from Autism?
How about Jenny McCarthy’s
latest in the Adult fun and funny?

Life Laughs: The Naked Truth about Motherhood, Marriage, and Moving On (Hardcover) by Jenny McCarthy

The author will donate a portion of her proceeds from this book to Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) a non profit organization that is focused on building the autism community by connecting people, families, friends and professionals and sharing information that can help children with autism be the best they can be. To donate or learn more visit www.tacanow.com

Special thanks to Jenny for being a friend to families affected by autism! We need and appreciate her!

Web Links:

Two insightful and amazing videos were released since the last TACA enews. Both provide an amazing glimpse into the world of autism.

Featuring Recovery stories & Dr. Anju Usman:
http://www.chicagolandlegalphoto.com/autism.html

From Autism Speaks – “Autism Everyday” which shows the harsh realities of autism and its effects on the entire family:
http://www.autismspeaks.org/sponsoredevents/autism_every_day.php

AND DATELINE: on June 3, Dateline did a fantastic story about CHELATION as a treatment for Autism:
Watch it here http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13102473/

FUN ACTIVITIES:

Pump it up is back for 2006:
Back by popular demand Monthly Pump It Up nights

	Schedule for Huntington Beach	Schedule for Rancho Cucamonga
	• June 28, 2006 - 6:00-8:00 pm • July 26 , 2006 - 6:00-8:00 pm • August 23, 2006 - 6:00-8:00 pm	• June 22, 2006 – 6:15 – 8:15 pm • July 27, 2006 – 6:15 – 8:15 pm • August 24, 2006 - 6:15 – 8:15 pm
	Schedule for Sorrento Valley
	• June 28, 2006 - 6:30 – 8:00pm • July 26, 2006 - 6:30 – 8:00pm • August 23, 2006 - 6:30 – 8:00pm
How Much: The cost is $6.00 per child. No charge for adults.
Where:	Where? HUNTINGTON BEACH Pump it Up of Huntington Beach www.pumpitupparty.com/huntingtonbeach 16531 Gothard Suite C, Huntington Beach 92647 - The NW corner of Gothard and Heil Look for small signs in front of the “HB Business Center” office park. Drive around back to #C. Where? RANCHO CUCAMONGA We are located in “ Stadium Plaza North” on the corner of Rochester Ave. and Jack Benny Dr. Directly across from the Quakes Stadium. Phone: 909-466-0806 Where? SORRENTO VALLEY Pump it up Sorrento Valley is on 9370 Waples Street, Suite 102 in San Diego . Telephone is 858-685-9968 Sorrento Valley 1.5 miles off of I-805 and Mira Mesa Blvd just minutes away from UTC Shopping Mall.
RSVP & More Info:	IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU RSVP FOR THESE EVENTS. WE CANNOT GUARANTEE YOUR SPOT IF YOU DO NOT RSVP AS REQUIRED BELOW. FAMILIES WITH A RESERVATION WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND. THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES FOR ATTENDANCE WITHOUT RSVP’ING. PLEASE HELP US PLAN AND MAKE THIS A FUN TIME FOR ALL WHO WISH TO ATTEND! FOR HUNTINGTON BEACH: Please RSVP by the Monday before each party to Barbara Cornish at barbara.cornish@Intel.com or (714) 897-3460 or Susan Tombrello at suso903tomb@verizon.net or (714) 841-3076. FOR RANCHO CUCAMONGA: You must RSVP with the number of children that will be attending at least 48 hours prior to the event. Please RSVP promptly to assure your child’s spot! MINIMUM is 10 children. MAXIMUM is 40 children. Please email aaron2kristie@yahoo.com or phone Kristie at 909 758 0300 . FOR SORRENTO VALLEY: Please RSVP by the Monday before each party to Kristy Nardini at krnardini@cox.net IF YOU WOULD LIKE AN EVENT LIKE THIS IN YOUR AREA – PLEASE VOLUNTEER!! Contact us for details! THANK YOU TO THE AMAZING BARBARA, SUSAN, KRISTIE & KRISTY FOR MAKING FUN SOCIAL EVENTS HAPPEN FOR TACA FAMILIES!

Conferences

An Introduction to Biomedical Treatments for Autism

A growing number of parents and practitioners are finding that treatments for digestive, immune system, nutritional, metabolic, viral, and detoxification issues may help ameliorate autistic symptoms and behaviors.

Speakers:

Kurt N. Woeller , D.O. and
Julia Berle , mother

Dr. Woeller is theMedical Director for Stillpoint Center of Integrative Health in Temecula, California. He is an osteopathic physician specializing in natural and complementary medicine in treating children with autistic-spectrum disorders with a biomedical approach Since 1997, Dr. Woeller has been a referral doctor for DAN! (Defeat Autism Now), which is an organization of physicians dedicated to treating biological causes of autistic-spectrum disorders.

Dr. Woeller lectures locally and nationally to parent and physician groups seeking information about biomedical treatment options for autistic-spectrum disorders. He has been interviewed on radio (San Diego), and has appeared on a number of television programs (PBS' “Full Focus,” “Responsible Health”) and news segments (Fox 6 news – San Diego) to discuss the variety of health issues related to autism. He can be contacted at 951-693-2267 or www.mystillpoint.com and www.stillpointhealth.com.

Julia Berle's son Baxter (age 6) has undergone a variety of biomedical treatments including chelation and dietary intervention. She reports that the same professionals who diagnosed him as autistic at the age of 3 now say that he no longer qualifies for that diagnosis. Julia has appeared on Good Morning America and on local NBC and KCAL news stations, as well as in a number of printed publications. She and Baxter spoke jointly at the National Autism Alliance Conference in Lake Grove, NY in April 2006. Julia is a mother of three, a certified interpreter for the Deaf, and a Founding Parent of Generation Rescue ( www.generationrescue.org).

When: Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Networking from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m.
Speakers from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Where: Pasadena Child Development Associates
620 North Lake Avenue , 2 nd floor }
Pasadena , CA 91101
(Just north of the 210 Freeway)

Family Resource Meetings are Free and Open to the Public!
For more information on the FAA, visit www.foothillautism.org or call (818) 66-AUTISM.

Prescription for School Success With Dr. Geeta Grover

In this presentation, Dr. Grover will engage audience participation to discuss the ways in which mental health professionals can interface with school districts to help students with behavior, attention, and learning problems succeed in school, both academically and socially. This event will function as an open question and answer session.

Dr. Geeta Grover is a Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrician. Her practice specializes in the evaluation and management of children and adolescents with ADHD, Learning Disabilities and other school related concerns. Dr. Grover has a private practice in Laguna Niguel as well as being the Medical Director of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at CHOC. She is the co-director of CHOCO's Reading Club (a pediatric early literacy program based in the general pediatric outpatient clinics at CHOC) and coordinator of the rotation in Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics for the CHOC Pediatric Residency Program. Dr. Grover attended medical school at the University of California, Irvine College of Medicine. She completed her internship, residency and fellowship in Ambulatory Pediatrics at Harbor/UCLA Medical Center in Torrance. She is board certified in Pediatrics and Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics.

Wednesday, June 14 th, 2006
7:00pm – 9:00pm

UCI Child Development Center School Trailer
19262 Jamboree Road , Irvine 92612
(between Birch and Fairchild, across the street from Starbucks)
(949) 824 – ADHD (2343)

CHADD is a parent support group that provides a forum for continuing education for parents and professionals interested in learning more about ADD and ADHD in children and adults, CHADD also helps assure that children are provided with the best educational experiences and resources available for their needs. For more information on CHADD, please call Barbara Henry at (714) 630-5214 or visit our website at www.chadd.org

California State University, Fullerton in collaboration with Orange County Office of Education, Learning Disabilities Association of California, Council for Learning Disabilities, Student CEC, Student TASH

Presents 1st Annual Special/General Education Collaborative
Monday, June 19, 2006, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm
Tuesday, June 20, 2006, 8:00 am to 3:00 pm

Dr. Lou Brown, Keynote Speaker Topics
6/19/06 “Inclusive Schooling and Post-School Outcomes”

6/20/06 “The Quest For Ordinary Life:
Preparing Individuals With Disabilities To Function Productively In The Real World”

Afternoon Break-out Session Topics Include:

No Child Left Behind
Best Practices in Orange County
LRE
Inclusion
Transition
Parent/District Collaboration
Post School Outcomes in Orange County

Location: Four Points Sheraton 1500 South Raymond Avenue,
Fullerton, California 92831,
Phone: (714) 635-9000
REGISTRATION INFORMATION- Fees include:
Continental breakfasts and lunches.

Early Bird (postmarked 5/1/06) Students & families: $25/day, $50/2 days Teachers, service providers: $50/day, $80/2 days Administrators,
IHE faculty: $65/day, $100/2 days

Regular advanced (postmarked after 5/31/06) Students & families: $30/day, $55/2 days Teachers, service providers: $60/day, $90/2 days Administrators, IHE faculty: $75/day, $115/2 days

Day of conference:
Students & families: $50/day Teachers, service providers: $80/day Administrators, IHS faculty: $100/day

Questions: E-mail jweiner@fullerton.edu Fax (714) 278-3110

Anaheim Hills Speech and Language Center is again hosting a free IEP “Tips and Strategies” seminar that is put on by law firm of Woodsmall & Petrovich.

The presenters provide a free binder with tip sheets, sample letters, etc. Here is information for questions and to RSVP:

Date: Saturday, June 24th from 10 am to 12 pm.

Please RSVP before June 24th
Anaheim Hills Speech and Language Center
160 S.. Old Springs Rd., Ste 100
Anaheim Hills, CA 92808
(714) 282-8852

FOOTHILL AUTISM PRESENTS:

July Event: Recreational Opportunities for Children with Special Needs
Topic/Speakers: Join us for the movie "Summer Vacation" and a panel of parents, coaches, and the film's producer, providing information on opportunities for fun with your special needs child -- sports, surfing, and more!
Date: July 12
Time & Cost: 7:00 - 9:30 -- free!
Location: PCDA, 620 North Lake Ave. 2nd floor (just north of the 210 fwy.), Pasadena, CA 91101
Contact: Yudi Bennet
Web page: www.foothillautism.org
Email: foothillautism@email.com
Phone: 818-662-8847

Join us for an experi mental, educational opportunity, concentrating on
Asperger's Disorders and provided by leaders in the field...

THE HELP GROUP-UCLA SEMEL INSTITUTE
ON ASPERGER'S DISORDER: Summer 2006
Best Practices in Education

Thursday, July 20th–Sunday, July23rd
The Help Group Sherman Oaks Campus & Semel Institute at UCLA

This intensive four-day, interactive workshop for educators and clinicians on
best practices in educating children and adolescents
with Asperger's Disorder is designed for...

Regular Education Teachers
Special Education Teachers
Occupational Therapists
School Administrators
Counselors
Psychologists
Educational Therapists
Speech & Language Pathologists
Inclusion Specialists

VISIT www.thehelpgroup.org
for details & registration
http://www.thehelpgroup.org/lecture_reg.cfm?reg=fe10f3840cjkuf

Sandra Villafan
Special Events & Community Relations Coordinator
The Help Group
818 779-5325
svillafan@thehelpgroup.org

Future Horizons Autism and Asperger's Syndrome Conference -
San Diego

Who: Dr. Tony Attwood, Ph.D., Sean Barron, Lori Ernsperger, Ph.D., Jerry Newport
What: (Topics and detail about the speakers is below)
When: July 27th & 28th
Where: The Bahia Resort Hotel, 998 West Mission Bay Dr., San Diego, CA 92109
Information Provided by Sponsor of Event: Tony Attwood, Ph.D. - Encouraging Social Understanding and Emotion Management

A clinical psychologist from Brisbane, Australia, Dr. Attwood brings over 30 years experience with individuals with Autism/Asperger's/PDD. He will be discussing innovative techniques for improving social skills, learning friendships, beginning social skills groups for adolescents, and understanding and expressing emotions. This is a rare opportunity in the U.S. to hear from one of the top minds on Asperger's Syndrome.

Dr. Attwood has seen several thousand individuals, from infants to octogenarians, along the full range of the autism spectrum, from profoundly disabled to university professors. His postgraduate research was conducted with Dr. Uta Frith and he has subsequently published several papers, chapters and a book in the area of diagnosis and challenging behaviors. His books and videos on Asperger's Syndrome and High Functioning Autism for Parents and Professionals are recognized as the best offerings ever in the field.

Sean Barron - Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships

Sean Barron is one of the most interesting young men who has faced the challenge of autism you will ever meet. He and his mother wrote an insightful book on their lives together. There's a Boy in Here has won many accolades as it offers unique perspectives of two people looking at the same world but seeing and feeling entirely different images and emotions. Mr. Barron has progressed to the point that it is difficult to even see that he once was truly impacted by Autism/Asperger's Syndrome. He is now a freelance writer, lives independently and has just released his latest book: Unwritten Rules of Social Relationships, co-authored by Dr. Temple Grandin.

Lori Ernsperger, Ph.D. - Strategies for Managing Problem Behaviors

This specially designed workshop will provide practical strategies for managing problem behaviors in a variety of settings, including home and school. Dr. Ernsperger will present techniques to effectively deal with maladaptive and challenging behaviors that interfere with learning. She will also identify proactive strategies for teaching replacement and alternative skills. Participants will also review a variety of data collection methods and data analysis.

Dr. Ernsperger, author of Keys to Success for Teaching Students with Autism and co-author of Just Take a Bite! has a Doctorate in Special Education. Her extensive career includes teaching college courses in dealing with exceptional children, including those with autism.

Jerry Newport - Your Life is Not a Label

As an individual with Asperger's, his life experiences have been featured on “60 Minutes.” Jerry and his wife, Mary Meinel, have coauthored Autism/Asperger's and Sexuality, and he has authored Your Life is Not a Label.

Jerry's fascinating, touching, and often humorous view of the unique journey that is living with Autism/Asperger's Syndrome is a presentation that is not to be missed!

Information Provided By: Orange County Parents and Their Autistic Spectrum Kids Support Group

2-Day Picture Exchange Communication System
(PECS) Training Workshop

Presented by Donna Banzhof, M.Ed. - Aug 7 & 8 San Diego 8 am - 4 pm/ $395 professional/ $255 parent Hilton San Diego-Gaslamp Quarter - Pyramid Educational Consultants, Inc. www.pecs.com

The Links Which Bind Us
ADHD + AUTISM + LD + Special Education Laws and Advocacy

For Parents and Professionals Who Live or Work with Children Who Learn and Behave Differently - August 18-19, 2006 Ontario Airport Marriott

3rd Annual Summer Symposium Series August 18-19, 2006
POMONA VALLEY LDA
PO Box 1114 Claremont, CA 91711
FOR MORE INFORMATION (909)621-1494 or email PVLDA@aol.com

Back to School Autism/Asperger’s Conference

Pasadena
Back to School Information
Temple Grandin/Carol Gray/Barbara Doyle & Doreen Granpeesheh

CEU'S for parents/ teachers & professionals
Aug 19-20 Pasadena
$90 a/day or $150 for both. Please check web site for more information

Pasadena City College/ Sexton Auditorium in Building C
1570 E. Colorado Bl 91106
Autism Conferences 562-448-9275

www.Autism-Conferences.com autismconferences@gmail.com
Organized by Autism Conferences and Arizona State University
Co-sponsored by LAUSD, ASA Los Angeles & ASA Long Beach

A Two-Day Workshop On Facilitated Communication
September 15-16, 2006 - Santa Fe Springs, CA

Introduction to Facilitated Communication… In this introductory presentation, participants will be introduced to the theory of Facilitated Communication. We will discuss the impact of movement on communication and thinking. This presentation will also outline the process of using FC as a support strategy to communication as it is described through the Best Practice Guidelines.

Getting Started… On the second day, the steps suggested to get started using the strategy, assessment for benefit, and goal writing will be presented. Participants will learn through hands-on simulations how to appropriately support a person so that they can move to communicate their own thoughts.

These sessions are meant for people wanting to learn about the strategy and then learn how to be a facilitator. Participants will be teachers, Speech and Language Pathologists, paraprofessionals, parents, Occupational Therapists, recreational therapist, and any one else interested… Be sure and contact me if you are interested in these sessions.

For more information please email: Dghanson62@charter.net

Grandparents Autism Network
Contact: Bonnie Gillman (714) 573-1500
New e-mail: gangrandma@cox.net

March 28, 2006

Dear Grandparents:

Please note that our name has changed from the “Grandparent Connection” to the Grandparent Autism Network.

While our name has changed, our goals have not. We are grandparents of children with autism who are passionate about improving the quality of life for our loved ones. Together, we can learn how to be more helpful to our children and grandchildren, raise awareness and support for autism and make a difference!

The Grandparent Autism Network provides a forum to exchange ideas, share resources and enjoy the camaraderie of other grandparents. Programs are presented in collaboration with recognized professionals who provide medical, educational, therapeutic and social autism support services. Membership is free, meetings are exclusive to grandparents and provide opportunities for questions and answers.Programs focus on:

Education: Learn about autism therapies, research, innovative technologies,available services and community resources.

Advocacy: Increase awareness and support for autism through community outreach, speaking, letter writing and/orlobbying on a local and national basis.

Social Events: Meet with other grandparents for dinners, theatre and othersocial opportunities.

Grandchildren Activities: Participate in group entertainment and planned excursions.

The following topics will be presented by Nancy McGovern, PhD, Clinical Psychologist, County of Orange Health Care Agency, Parent Support Consultant to Regional Center of Orange County and Hedy Hansen, Parent Support & Education Program Manager at For OC Kids, CHOC/UCI Neurodevelopmental Center

For more information contact Bonnie Gillman at (714) 573-1500 or e-mail: gangrandma@cox.net

10.

Personal Note:

Recently a dear friend had their 11-year-old scoped by the amazing Dr. Arthur Krigsman out of Thoughtful House in Austin, Texas. Before I explain the results, I have to tell you that this family makes me look like a big time underachiever when it comes to medical treatments. Based on medical tests unique to their child, they did dozens of interventions and exhausted many therapies, including applied behavioral analysis ( ABA), speech, and a myriad of other therapies. They truly had done “it” all or close to it. What were the results of the gastrointestinal scope you ask? Persistent measles virus (vaccine strain, not the wild type, according to the biopsy) and catastrophic gut damage. The treatments to help this child are emerging and still very much under research. This little boy and the thousands of kids like him deserve much more than what is being offered today. Does this family want to give up? No – they are forging the answers for many families and will help their boy be the best he can be. I am so thankful this guy has his parents, who are true heroes.

This reminds me of a separate conversation that I have had a number of times with different parents since TACA was started. Each of these parents told me their kid would have been better off having cancer. They felt that there were more treatments for a good outcome and that people would be more sympathetic to cancer over the misunderstood aspects of autism.

This makes me so sad. How could any parent wish their kid had cancer over autism?? I can understand their feelings and surely understand the frustration of looking for help to help our kids. But our kids deserve more in the way of being understood and treatments unique to their medical and individual needs. I repeated this story at the Autism One conference and found myself and others in tears. How can a group of parents with special needs children feel this way? Following that discussion, other people vocalized that they felt and had the same wish at some point in the journey – the wish for more help and others to better understand.

Which brings me to my man, Jeff. He, too, has had thousands of hours of traditional therapies ( ABA, speech, OT,) and numerous biomedical interventions based on his unique needs and medical test results. The past four weeks, we were addressing some constipation issues – something I am familiar with as he experiences these issues 1 or 2 times each year. It is also important to note that early on in the journey, Jeff had a long bout of diarrhea at ages 3-4 – sometimes several painful gooey stools a day.

Since then much of the gut healing protocol, including dietary changes, allergy elimination, probiotics, Secretin, glutathione (in many forms), supplementation, oils and surely something I am forgetting, went into Jeff. Results came out both in poops and in acquisition of necessary skills, especially speech. (Jeff was non-verbal from 15 months to almost 5 years of age.) But testing Jeff today he still has numerous delays and issues to address, and this poop issue that pops up 1-2 times a year. We thought these were not serious and manageable.

This past month, his sleep patterns changed, which is a big sign that he needed help. He became very fidgety at night and took 1-2 hours to go to sleep. But he was fine during the day. He had a problem moving his bowels, sitting on the toilet for 30 minutes or more asking me, “Mommy, where is the poops?” We tried about 7-8 different natural remedies that in the past always did the trick with little in results and now pain entered his nightly ritual. This concerned us. Was it a gut bug? Stool issues? A blockage? Why was he in pain?

After trying several stronger remedies and to rule things out as suggested by our doctor, we went to a radiologist for a quick X-ray of the gut. We wanted to see if there was an obstruction or large collection of stool in Jeff’s belly. The X-rays revealed a load of stool and back up that would be painful and cause the issues at hand. And Jeff was letting us know what the trouble was.

After years of helping this child with his bowels have we done enough? Apparently not. What makes me cower to a puddle on the floor is my poor Jeff – how long has this bothered him? What about when he was nonverbal and did not sleep more than 2 hours at a time for almost 3 years? Did he have this problem then and could not tell me?

As parents we have to keep looking for answers. Something ruled out years ago could be a problem tomorrow. Autism is akin to that carnival game “Whack the mole.” Just when you hit a mole and think he is down for good, that mole pops up again for a visit. Unfortunately, the visit is not a gracious one. This circus of activity, continued required vigilance, and reoccurring issues wreaks havoc on our beloved kids.

I hope all of you reading this remember to leave no stone unturned – especially that “poop” stone. New or reoccurring issues almost always lead us to the poops. And now that Jeff has given birth to the largest poop storm over the past week, he has revealed such a lovely child that is obviously feeling much better. But my job is not even close to being done here. More on that as I go turn over some more stones.

Never leave that stone unturned folks – persistence pays off.

Hugs, thanks, and BE SAFE
Lisa A Jeff's mom

P.S. on a side note – IDEAS FOR THE SUMMERTIME FOR OUR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER CHILDREN CAN BE FOUND HERE: http://www.tacanow.com/summer_months.htm
And a great article on preparing your child for summer camp can be found here:
http://researchautism.org/resources/newsletters/2006_may.asp#Feature

And Editor: Kim Palmer (thanks Kim!)

Web Page for TACA Group: www.tacanow.com
check it out and let us know your thoughts

Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) provides general information of interest to the autism community. The information comes from a variety of sources and TACA does not independently verify any of it. The views expressed herein are not necessarily TACA’s. TACA does not engage in lobbying or other political activities.IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO RECEIVE THESE EMAILS, just respond and I will be happy to remove you from the list.

P.S. TACA e-news is now sent to 2,484 people!
(This number STILL represents 90% families affected by autism and 10% professionals.)

UCI Child Development Center School Trailer 19262 Jamboree Road , Irvine 92612 (between Birch and Fairchild, across the street from Starbucks) (949) 824 – ADHD (2343)

UCI Child Development Center School Trailer
19262 Jamboree Road , Irvine 92612
(between Birch and Fairchild, across the street from Starbucks)
(949) 824 – ADHD (2343)