Its amazing how an Autistic child continues to grow and develop considering how their diets are so limited at times. Is this a cause of Autism or a clue to what lies ahead? The more clues the better, the earlier the better as well. this article points to being able to identify children at one month who MAY have an ASD, this would be welcome news as the best remedy for Autism right now is getting the right therapy in Early Childhood.

New research on the finicky eating habits of children with autism finds that while autistic children do tend to eat a less varied diet than other kids, their feeding preferences have little negative effect on their height, weight and growth.

Researchers at the University of Bristol began with a database of all children who were born between 1991 and 1992 and enrolled in a long-term study in Avon, England. The children’s caregivers completed detailed food questionnaires describing the kids’ eating habits at five intervals, beginning at 6 months and continuing to age four and a half. Since autism is generally not diagnosed until after age 2, when children begin speaking, the study captured feeding habits in children well before parents were even aware their children may be affected with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). That means their answers to the questionnaires were less likely to be biased by knowledge of their child’s eventual autism status.

By the end of the study, when the children were 7 years old, 79 had been diagnosed with an ASD, compared with 12,901 who had not.

Researchers found that by the time they were 1 month old, autistic children were already 35% more likely than unaffected children to be slow feeders. By 1 year, their diets were considerably less varied – they ate fewer vegetables and fruits, but they also consumed less sweets and carbonated beverages. By that age, parents also reported that children with ASD were nearly twice as likely to be choosier about their food than unaffected children.

However, the scientists found no significant differences in the total energy intake or overall carbohydrate, fat and protein consumption between the autistic children and the controls at 18 months. All the children were similar in height, weight and body mass index (or BMI, a ratio of height and weight used to measure obesity). “For parents of an autistic child, these data suggest they needn’t be too concerned about their child’s eating habits,” says Pauline Emmett, a nutritionist and one of the authors of the paper published in Pediatrics. “In general, these children are not going to end up malnourished. I think it’s a hopeful message for parents.”

Read more at Time.com

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Sometimes I wonder if it is better to home school or not. Any ideas? We would love to hear them and your thoughts on home schooling an autistic child, or any child for that matter.

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For the past year or so, I have tried to watch every movie with an Autism link in it in hopes of learning or as a source of inspiration. And for the most part, this has worked in providing insight and further understanding. Recently, I watched the Temple Grandin movie starring Claire Danes on HBO last night. All I can say is very well done and impressive. I highly suggest making time to view this movie which to me was dead on.

Here is a speech given by Temple Grandin that is sure to educate and inspire. Here are some insights from Temple on what to do as soon as you know or see an indication of Autism. “When I was a little kid, I had all the symptoms – no speech and really severe autism,” she says. “You’ve gotta work with the kids really young … My mother made sure I had my first job when I was 13, working for a seamstress. When I was in college, I had internships at a research lab and at a school for autistic kids.” Early intervention is key.

There are a wealth of great tips and insights in this video for anyone who is in contact with an autistic person- Focus on strengths, Don’t punish sensory issues, The Autistic brain is highly detailed and constantly at work, limit surprises. Thinking in pictures- a mind that works like Google search engine for images and more…

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There is no cure for ASD.  Therapies and behavioral interventions are designed to remedy specific symptoms and can bring about substantial improvement.  The ideal treatment plan coordinates therapies and interventions that meet the specific needs of individual children.  Most health care professionals agree that the earlier the intervention, the better.

Educational/behavioral interventions:  Therapists use highly structured and intensive skill-oriented training sessions to help children develop social and language skills, such as Applied Behavioral Analysis.  Family counseling for the parents and siblings of children with ASD often helps families cope with the particular challenges of living with a child with ASD.

Medications:  Doctors may prescribe medications for treatment of specific ASD-related symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, or obsessive-compulsive disorder.  Antipsychotic medications are used to treat severe behavioral problems.  Seizures can be treated with one or more anticonvulsant drugs.  Medication used to treat people with attention deficit disorder can be used effectively to help decrease impulsivity and hyperactivity.

Other therapies:  There are a number of controversial therapies or interventions available for people with ASD, but few, if any, are supported by scientific studies.  Parents should use caution before adopting any unproven treatments.  Although dietary interventions have been helpful in some children, parents should be careful that their child’s nutritional status is carefully followed.

What research is being done?

In 1997, at the request of Congress, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) formed its Autism Coordinating Committee (NIH/ACC) to enhance the quality, pace and coordination of efforts at the NIH to find a cure for autism (http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-pervasive-developmental-disorders/nih-initiatives/nih-autism-coordinating-committee.shtml). The NIH/ACC involves the participation of seven NIH Institutes and Centers: the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders,  the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the National Institute of Nursing Research, and the National Center on Complementary and Alternative Medicine.  The NIH/ACC has been instrumental in the understanding of and advances in ASD research.  The NIH/ACC also participates in the broader Federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) that is composed of representatives from various component agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the U.S. Department of Education and other government organizations.

In fiscal years 2007 and 2008, NIH began funding the 11 Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE), coordinated by the NIH/ACC.  The ACEs are investigating early brain development and functioning, social interactions in infants, rare genetic variants and mutations, associations between autism-related genes and physical traits, possible environmental risk factors and biomarkers, and a potential new medication treatment.

Where can I get more information?

For more information on neurological disorders or research programs funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, contact the Institute’s Brain Resources and Information Network (BRAIN) at:

BRAIN
P.O. Box 5801
Bethesda, MD 20824
(800) 352-9424
http://www.ninds.nih.gov

Information also is available from the following organizations:

“Autism Fact Sheet,” NINDS. Publication date September 2009.

NIH Publication No. 09-1877

Prepared by:

Office of Communications and Public Liaison
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
National Institutes of Health
Bethesda, MD 20892

NINDS health-related material is provided for information purposes only and does not necessarily represent endorsement by or an official position of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke or any other Federal agency. Advice on the treatment or care of an individual patient should be obtained through consultation with a physician who has examined that patient or is familiar with that patient’s medical history.

All NINDS-prepared information is in the public domain and may be freely copied. Credit to the NINDS or the NIH is appreciated.

Last updated October 19, 2009

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A new twist on the PECS system of communication and a great way to start off the new year. An app for Autistics that could one day morph into a bluetooth enabled device that offers voice prompts? Need more innovation and courage in developing new solutions to help those with Autism, and this is a great start.

What is most appealing to me is you can easily upload a photo of anything you want and add it to the picture library for future reference and use or for use right now! Its very close to spontaneous communication. Its a great app and sure to be a smashing success.Thanks Hammie and your developer for a new ray of hope to Unlock Autism.

Link to the original site

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Written By Lourdes Salvador of www.americanchronicle.com

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disability characterized by social withdrawal, communication deficits, and repetitive behaviors. Both genetic and environmental factors have been implicated as causes of autism, moreover a high body burden of mercury and other toxic metals from vaccinations and environmental exposures has been increasingly given more attention.
Thimerosal is mercury containing vaccine preservative added to many childhood vaccines. It is widely suspected as a cause of an increasing widespread epidemic of childhood neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.
Now, a new study shows that administration of thimerosal leads to long lasting neurological impairment in rats, specifically by altering the neural process of handling noxious stimuli.
Analysis also shows that significant amounts of mercury from thimerosal accumulates in the rat brain and remains long term. The mercury is not readily cleared, as was previously believed. Though mercury readily leaves the blood stream, it does not leave the body. It is now recognized to accumulate in brain tissue.
Additionally, this research is supported by various prior studies which show that children with autism suffer from a weak ability to excrete mercury and that the weaker the ability, the more severe the symptoms of autism.
Now, two new research studies investigating the effects of chelation therapy on the health and behavior of children with autism spectrum disorders have discovered that children receiving chelation to reduce mercury levels had significant improvements.
It appears that mercury may produce they symptom set recognized in the autism spectrum disorders as a form of autism.

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Finally a positive article about Autism and why not, the attention, focus and commitment to detail found in most Autistics would make anybody a more productive worker, and they probably wont gossip too much either.

Radical Ideas from

Thorkil Sonne: Recruit Autistics

By Drake Bennett

Most occupations require people skills. But for some, a preternatural capacity for concentration and near-total recall matter more. Those jobs, entrepreneur Thorkil Sonne says, could use a little autism.

Sonne reached this conclusion six years ago, after his youngest son was diagnosed with the mysterious developmental disorder. “At first I was in agony and despair,” he recalls. “Then came the thought of what happens when he grows up.”

In Sonne’s native Denmark, as elsewhere, autistics are typically considered unemployable. But Sonne worked in IT, a field more suited to people with autism and related conditions like Asperger’s syndrome. “As a general view, they have excellent memory and strong attention to detail. They are persistent and good at following structures and routines,” he says. In other words, they’re born software engineers.

In 2004, Sonne quit his job at a telecom firm and founded Specialisterne (Danish for “Specialists”), an IT consultancy that hires mostly people with autism-spectrum disorders. Its nearly 60 consultants ferret out software errors for companies like Microsoft and Cisco Systems. Recently, the firm has expanded into other detail-centered work-like keeping track of Denmark’s fiber-optic network, so crews laying new lines don’t accidentally cut old ones.  Read more at WIRED.com

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I found this on the Easter Seals site and suggest  visiting their site for more in depth information on Autism and Services needed for children on the spectrum.

Easter Seals — helping people with disabilities gain greater independence

Easter Seals provides exceptional services, education, outreach, and advocacy so that people living with autism and other disabilities can live, learn, work and play in our communities.
Understanding Speech and Hearing Therapy

Speech and hearing therapy (also known as speech-language pathology and audiology) are important health-related specialties concerned with normal development of human communication and treatment of its disorders. Speech therapy focuses on voice and speech-language skills, while hearing therapy deals with hearing and hearing impairment.

Speech or language disorders may be present at birth or acquired later in life by disease, illness, head injury, substance abuse or allergy.

Hearing loss may be acquired before or during birth if a pregnant woman takes certain drugs or contracts a viral disease such as rubella (German Measles). Children sometimes acquire hearing loss from infection and inflammation of the middle ear or from communicable diseases. Adult hearing may be affected by prolonged exposure to loud noise and the process of aging.

Who Needs Speech-Language Pathology and Audiological Services?

Speech-Language Pathology is used to help:

* Individuals with voice disorders to develop proper control of their vocal and respiratory systems
* Individuals who stutter to learn to cope with the disorder and increase fluency
* Individuals with aphasia (a condition in which an individual has difficulty expressing thoughts and understanding others) as a result    of a stroke or head injury. Speech-language pathology helps individuals relearn language and speech skills.
* Children and young adults with language disorders

Audiological services are used to:

* Determine existence and type of hearing impairments
* Provide rehabilitative services
* Assess amplification devices, such as hearing aids
* Teach individuals ways in which they can make the best use of their remaining hearing

Speech and hearing therapists, recognized as speech-language pathologists and audiologists, who provide treatment are professionally trained specialists holding master’s degrees or the equivalent from programs accredited by an Educational Standards Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Some speech-language pathologists and audiologists hold doctoral degrees and work as teachers, advisors, researchers and consultants. Some specialize in certain areas, such as aphasia or hearing disorders in children, or participate in prevention and early identification programs.

Speech-language pathologists who use the initials “CCC-SLP” after their name have passed a national examination administered by the Clinical Certification Board of ASHA. Audiologists who pass a different national test, administered by the board, receive a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology and qualify to use the initials “CCC-A” after their name. A person who meets requirements in both professional areas may be awarded both certificates.

Individualized Treatment Plans

A speech-language pathologist evaluates a person’s speech-language skills, determines the probable cause and extent of any existing disorder and develops appropriate treatment to correct or lessen the communication problem. Clinical methods used depend on the nature and severity of the problem, the age of the client and the client’s awareness of the problem.

An audiologist, after evaluating a person’s hearing and determining the type of hearing loss, establishes a treatment plan. This may involve therapy, prescription of special equipment such as hearing aids and electronic communication devices and referral for possible surgery or medication.

Visit the Easter Seals site for more information

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Psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen and his colleagues at Cambridge’s Autism Research Centre have created the Autism-Spectrum Quotient, or AQ, as a measure of the extent of autistic traits in adults. In the first major trial using the test, the average score in the control group was 16.4. Eighty percent of those diagnosed with autism or a related disorder scored 32 or higher. The test is not a means for making a diagnosis, however, and many who score above 32 and even meet the diagnostic criteria for mild autism or Asperger’s report no difficulty functioning in their everyday lives. You can take the test here.

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Autism Speaks, the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, and Unlock Autism today applauded Representatives Mike Doyle (D-PA), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Eliot Engel (D-NY), and Hank Johnson (D-GA) for their introduction of a House companion bill to the Senate’s Autism Treatment Acceleration Act (ATAA), which was introduced last month by Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL), Robert Casey (D-PA), and Robert Menendez (D-NJ). Like the Senate version, the House version of the ATAA (H.R. 2413) is comprehensive federal legislation that addresses several critical challenges facing the autism community, including increased funding for scientific research, treatment and services. The ATAA incorporates provisions from the Expanding the Promise of Individuals with Autism Act (EPIAA), originally proposed by Representatives Doyle, Smith, Engel, and former-Representative Chip Pickering.

A welcome sign of relief  to many who routinely spend $30-$50k on therapy’s – not even considered for reimbursement by insurance companies.

As in the Senate’s ATAA bill, a key section of the House bill requires all insurance companies to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder (ASDs), including coverage of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy – a medically-necessary, evidence-based autism treatment. While the number of states that have enacted comprehensive autism insurance reform legislation has grown to ten, most state insurers are still allowed to specifically exclude coverage for these critical services, which can cost upward of $50,000 a year – well beyond the means of most families.

The House version of the bill also addresses the unique needs of adults with ASDs, creating a demonstration project with one-year planning grants and multi-year implementation grants for the provision of service for adults with autism. In addition, it creates the Network for Autism Spectrum Disorders Research and Services aimed at accelerating the dissemination and utilization of critical, new information, moving it from “bench to bedside” as quickly as possible.

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Although in it’s too early, this Autism Fever and the Brain research is very promising and holds a lot of hope for Autism sufferers.

ScienceDaily (Apr. 2, 2009) – Scientists at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have proposed a sweeping new theory of autism that suggests that the brains of people with autism are structurally normal but dysregulated, meaning symptoms of the disorder might be reversible.

The central tenet of the theory, published in the March issue of Brain Research Reviews, is that autism is a developmental disorder caused by impaired regulation of the locus coeruleus, a bundle of neurons in the brain stem that processes sensory signals from all areas of the body.

The new theory stems from decades of anecdotal observations that some autistic children seem to improve when they have a fever, only to regress when the fever ebbs. A 2007 study in the journal Pediatrics took a more rigorous look at fever and autism, observing autistic children during and after fever episodes and comparing their behavior with autistic children who didn’t have fevers. This study documented that autistic children experience behavior changes during fever.

“On a positive note, we are talking about a brain region that is not irrevocably altered. It gives us hope that, with novel therapies, we will eventually be able to help people with autism,” says theory co-author Mark F. Mehler, M.D., chairman of neurology and director of the Institute for Brain Disorders and Neural Regeneration at Einstein.

Autism is a complex developmental disability that affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. It usually appears during the first three years of life. Autism is called a “spectrum disorder” since it affects individuals differently and to varying degrees. It is estimated that one in every 150 American children has some degree of autism.

Einstein researchers contend that scientific evidence directly points to the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic (LC-NA) system as being involved in autism. “The LC-NA system is the only brain system involved both in producing fever and controlling behavior,” says co-author Dominick P. Purpura, M.D., dean emeritus and distinguished professor of neuroscience at Einstein.

The locus coeruleus has widespread connections to brain regions that process sensory information. It secretes most of the brain’s noradrenaline, a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in arousal mechanisms, such as the “fight or flight” response. It is also involved in a variety of complex behaviors, such as attentional focusing (the ability to concentrate attention on environmental cues relevant to the task in hand, or to switch attention from one task to another). Poor attentional focusing is a defining characteristic of autism.

“What is unique about the locus coeruleus is that it activates almost all higher-order brain centers that are involved in complex cognitive tasks,” says Dr. Mehler.

Drs. Purpura and Mehler hypothesize that in autism, the LC-NA system is dysregulated by the interplay of environment, genetic, and epigenetic factors (chemical substances both within as well as outside the genome that regulate the expression of genes). They believe that stress plays a central role in dysregulation of the LC-NA system, especially in the latter stages of prenatal development when the fetal brain is particularly vulnerable.

As evidence, the researchers point to a 2008 study, published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, that found a higher incidence of autism among children whose mothers had been exposed to hurricanes and tropical storms during pregnancy. Maternal exposure to severe storms at mid-gestation resulted in the highest prevalence of autism.

Drs. Purpura and Mehler believe that, in autistic children, fever stimulates the LC-NA system, temporarily restoring its normal regulatory function. “This could not happen if autism was caused by a lesion or some structural abnormality of the brain,” says Dr. Purpura.

“This gives us hope that we will eventually be able to do something for people with autism,” he adds.

The researchers do not advocate fever therapy (fever induced by artificial means), which would be an overly broad, and perhaps even dangerous, remedy. Instead, they say, the future of autism treatment probably lies in drugs that selectively target certain types of noradrenergic brain receptors or, more likely, in epigenetic therapies targeting genes of the LC-NA system.

“If the locus coeruleus is impaired in autism, it is probably because tens or hundreds, maybe even thousands, of genes are dysregulated in subtle and complex ways,” says Dr. Mehler. “The only way you can reverse this process is with epigenetic therapies, which, we are beginning to learn, have the ability to coordinate very large integrated gene networks.”

“The message here is one of hope but also one of caution,” Dr. Mehler adds. “You can’t take a complex neuropsychiatric disease that has escaped our understanding for 50 years and in one fell swoop have a therapy that is going to reverse it – that’s folly. On the other hand, we now have clues to the neurobiology, the genetics, and the epigenetics of autism. To move forward, we need to invest more money in basic science to look at the genome and the epigenome in a more focused way.”

Science Daily is an excellent site for Autism related research, support them so they can support us..

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Can leaching plastics be involved with the rise in Autism? In m y view ABSOLUTELY! These days everything which was once housed in glass is now in plastic. Plastic water bottles embossed with company logo’s straight from the  capital of lead poisining – China, fill almost every corporate portfolio of chatzke giveaways. Its time to rid ourselves of plastics and go back to glass. Rep Charles Schumer of NY has just recently proposed a ban of BPA’s in any baby product, at least someone is aware and doing something about it!
BPA or Bisphenol A is Everywhere – Are We Safe?
BPA otherwise known as Bisphenol A is a compound widely used in the manufacture of plastics and epoxy resins. This
industrial chemical has created quite a stir since 2007 and is still a subject of intense controversy. BPA can be found
in plastics around us and is in the products that we use every day, from DVDs to eyeglasses to mobile phones.
Normally, BPA is harmless, that is, until it gets in contact with food and drinks and leaches out. According to
a report of the National Toxicology Program (NTP) of the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), “the primary
source of exposure to BPA for most people is through the diet…BPA in food and beverages accounts for the majority
of daily human exposure.”

However, not all plastics contain BPA. Plastics are categorized into 7 types according to the recycling process
and the classification codes are located at the bottom of plastic containers. According to NTP, only plastic no. 7,
designated as “other” contains BPA. Incidentally there are other organizations which report that BPA is also found in
plastic no. 3.

Some of the adverse effects that BPA may cause include the following:

BPA is an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) that mimics the neurotoxic properties of the hormone estrogen.
According to the Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Unit (PEHSU) of the Association of Occupational and
Environmental Clinics (AOEC). “BPA has been associated with increases in developmental disorders of the brain and
nervous system in animals. These developmental disorders in animals are like problems such as ADHD (attention deficit
hyper-reactivity disorder) in humans.”

PEHSU reports that “BPA may cause changes in cells in breasts, the uterus, and the prostate which can increase
risk of cancers.” The September 2008 report of NTP suggests that BPA exposure may be linked to prostate and brain
cancer.

The NTP report also says that BPA can cause behavioral problems in fetuses, infants and children. It can induce
early onset of puberty in girls and can cause reproductive disorders.

High BPA levels have been linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

It comes as no surprise that these findings have generated a strong anti-BPA movement worldwide. To understand the
controversy behind BPA, let’s look at some of the events that have occurred in the last two years.

March 2007. A class action lawsuit was filed against baby bottle manufacturers on behalf of Californian babies who
may have been adversely affected by BPA.

November 2007. Researchers from the University of Cincinnati published an article in Toxicology Letters
(online edition) reporting that BPA is leaching out of the polycarbonate bottles popularly used as drinking bottles.
This report led to Nalgene plastic bottles taken off the shelves in Canada.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested infant formulas for BPA and detected BPA in some of the most
popular brands. When questioned, 4 out of the top 5 companies admitted using BPA in their packaging.

January 2008. The National Center for Environmental Health of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
published a paper which reported that BPA was detected in the urine of 92.6% of 2,517 participants during the
2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHNES).

April 2008. Canada announced its plans to ban
BPA-containing bottles. The US FDA established an
agency-wide BPA task force to facilitate cross-agency
review of current research and new information on BPA for
all FDA regulated products.

May 2008. In a health call, “leaders of the Committee on
Energy and Commerce threatened to subpoena the Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) for records the agency used in
determining that the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) was safe
for use in making infant formula liners and other products
intended for infants and children”, according to a report
in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

July 2008. The European Food Safety Authority’s AFC Panel
declared that human exposure to BPA is too low to cause any
real harm. According to the panel’s report, the human body
rapidly metabolises and eliminates BPA out of the body.
September 3, 2008

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) issued a report on
BPA, expressing the following concerns: – “some concern”
for effects on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in
fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures
to BPA. – “minimal concern” for effects on the mammary
gland and an earlier age for puberty for females, in
fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures
to BPA. – “negligible concern” that exposure of pregnant
women to BPA will result in fetal or neonatal mortality,
birth defects, or reduced birth weight and growth in their
offspring. – “negligible concern” that exposure to BPA will
cause reproductive effects in non-occupationally exposed
adults and “minimal concern” for workers exposed to higher
levels – in occupational settings. “Some concern”
represents a midpoint in a 5-point scale of concern, with
“serious concern” as the highest and “negligible concern”
as the lowest.

September 2008. Researchers at the University of Exeter
(UK) re-examined the previously mentioned NHNES BPA urine
data. They found that high levels of BPA in the urine were
associated with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular
disorders, diabetes, and kidney problems. The BPA
Subcommittee of the Science Board to the US FDA met on
September 16, 2008 to discuss BPA assessment.

October 2008. Two studies reported research results in mice
exposed to BPA. One study reported that pregnant mice
exposed to BPA suffered from altered the cellular structure
of the breasts. A second study showed that female mice’s
exposure to low-dose BPA during fetal life or adulthood
caused alterations in maternal behaviour.

Researchers at University of Cincinnati report that BPA is
linked to chemotherapy resistance. The study demonstrated
that “BPA does not increase cancer cell proliferation like
DES [cancer-promoting compound called diethylstilbestrol]
does. It’s actually acting by protecting existing cancer
cells from dying in response to anti-cancer drugs, making
chemotherapy significantly less effective.”

The Canadian government announced the drafting of
regulations that will prohibit the import, sale and
advertising of polycarbonate baby bottles that contain BPA.

Based on a review by a subcommittee, the US Food and Drug
Administration (US FDA) stated that “consumers should know
that, based on all available evidence, the present
consensus among regulatory agencies in the United States,
Canada, Europe, and Japan is that current levels of
exposure to BPA through food packaging do not pose an
immediate health risk to the general population, including
infants and babies.” In addition, the US FDA thinks the
Canadian restrictions on BPA are “out of an abundance of
caution.”

January 2009. The US FDA and Health Canada’s Health
Products and Food Branch hosted a meeting of
representatives of U.S and Canadian manufacturers and users
of food packaging materials containing BPA. They discussed
what is to be done to help minimize the levels of BPA in
food. The meeting was also part of FDA’s efforts to assist
the manufacturing industry in its voluntary BPA reduction
efforts.

So what can we do to protect ourselves from BPA?

Recommendations from PEHSU – Avoid plastics with symbol # 3
(PVC or polyvinyl), symbol # 6 (PS or polystyrene foam) and
symbol #. Do not microwave food/beverages in plastic. Do
not microwave or heat plastic cling wraps. Do not place
plastics in the dishwasher. If using hard polycarbonate
plastics (water bottles/baby bottles/sippy cups), do not
use for warm/hot liquids. Use safe alternatives such as
glass or polyethylene plastic (symbol #1). Avoid canned
foods when possible (BPA may be used in can linings). Look
for labels on products that say “phthalate-free” or
“BPA-free”.

Recommendations from the Center for Science in the Public
Interest (CSPI): Avoid plastic containers made of
polycarbonate. Any bottle or container made of
polycarbonate has the recycling No. 7 on the bottom. When
possible, prepare or store food—especially hot foods
and liquids—in glass, porcelain, or stainless steel
dishes or containers. If you have polycarbonate plastic
food containers, don’t microwave them. The plastic is more
likely to break down and release BPA when it’s repeatedly
heated to high temperatures. Don’t wash polycarbonate
plastic containers in the dishwasher. The detergent may
break down the plastic, which could release BPA. Use infant
formula bottles that are made of glass or BPA-free plastic.
BornFree (newbornfree.com) is one of many companies that
make them. When you can, replace canned foods with foods
that are fresh, frozen, or packaged in aseptic
(shelf-stable) boxes. At least one manufacturer—Eden
Foods—lines its cans with a BPA alternative made from
plant extracts. A good alternative to polycarbonate is
polyethylene terephthalate (PETE), which has the recycling
No. 1 on the bottom. Avoid older versions of Delton dental
sealant…Most dental sealants are free of BPA. However,
older Delton sealants contain a compound that breaks down
into BPA, mostly during the first day after it comes into
contact with saliva.

—————————————————-
The article BPA or Bisphenol A is Everywhere – Are We Safe?
may be found in it’s entirety with references and links on
http://HealthWorldNet.com .

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Just saw this report, could vaccines be the great dead end towards finding a cure? It seems an awful lot of money has been spent and many pointing fingers..

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A special U.S. court ruled against three families on Thursday who claimed vaccines caused their children’s autism.

The Vaccine Court Omnibus Autism Proceeding ruled against the parents of Michelle Cedillo, Colten Snyder and William Yates Hazlehurst, who had claimed that a measles, mumps and rubella vaccines had combined with other vaccine ingredients to damage the three children.

“I conclude that the petitioners have not demonstrated that they are entitled to an award on Michelle’s behalf,” Special Master George Hastings, a former tax claims expert at the Department of Justice, wrote in the Cedillo ruling.

The families sought payment under the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, a no-fault system that has a $2.5 billion fund built up from a 75-cent-per-dose tax on vaccines.

No judges but instead three “special masters” heard the three test cases representing thousand of other petitioners.

They asked whether a combination vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, plus a mercury-containing preservative called thimerosal, caused the children’s symptoms.

Read More here

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Casein Free Gluten Free Recipes

These recipes are a great resource to help adhering to a strict diet and some variation to taste can be made to the ingredients depending on what the diet requires.
TOP- Before doing anything. Please consult with your child’s healthcare provider before making any dietary changes. This information is not to be taken as medical advice.

Banana Bread

1/4 cup rice milk
6 tablespoon safflower oil
6 tablespoon pure maple syrup
2 1/4 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 5 medium bananas)
1 1/2 cups rice flour (I used 3/4 cup brown rice flour and 3/4 cup white rice flour– Blending the 2 flours give a nice consistency)
1/2 cup tapioca flour
2 tablespoon roasted grain beverage powder ( You may use rice protein instead)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon aluminum free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup walnuts ( Raisins can be used for those with a nut allergy)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil a loaf pan or cake pan and dust with flour.
Put the rice milk, oil, maple syrup, and bananas in a blender and blend until smooth.
In a large bowl , whisk the flour, beverage powder (or rice protein) baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
Add banana mixture and combine, using few strokes as possible. Do not over mix.
Fold in walnuts or raisins).
Scrape into pan and smooth the top. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.

Macaroni & Cheese
2 tablespoons butter ( You can use ghee–clarified casein free butter)
2 tablespoons flour (You can use gluten free pantry’s all-purpose baking flour mix)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup rice milk
Dash of onion powder to taste
Butternut squash

You’ll also need gluten-free elbow macaroni noodles

Cut up butternut squash and cook by boiling in water.
While butternut squash is cooking begin basic white sauce.
Melt butter in saucepan over low heat.
Blend in flour and salt, stirring until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
Remove from heat.  Stir in the milk and onion powder; return to heat and cook, stirring constantly for about 1 minute, until thickened.
Once butternut squash is cooked. Drain it and mash it.  Then add the squash to the thick white sauce.  The more squash you add the more yellow it gets. Just keep adding until you get the color you want.
Pour the yellow sauce over cooked brown rice elbow macaroni and there you’ll have
macaroni and cheese (WITHOUT THE CHEESE!)
Pumpkin Waffles

2 eggs (Or use egg replacer or guar gum)
1 3/4 cups rice milk
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups gluten free pantry all purpose baking mix
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Heat waffle iron.  In blender jar combine rice milk, pumpkin, oil and eggs.  Blend at mix about 10 seconds.  Add  remaining ingredients.  Blend at mix about 60 seconds, scrape sides of blender jar every 20 seconds.   Be sure to spray the waffle iron well and bake in hot waffle iron until waffles are golden brown about 3 to 5 minutes.  May be served with maple syrup.

Portuguese Soup

Olive oil
Garlic
Onions
Stew beef (or short ribs)
Black pepper
Potatoes
1 big can Kidney beans
1 big can Cannelli beans
Carrots (optional)
Kale (can buy kale in pre cut bags)
Water (or for a really nice flavor use chicken stock)

There is no science to this soup.  Just layer each ingredient into
the pot beginning with the beef. Put desired amounts of ingredients into the pot and let everything cook down till the flavors gel together.  Soup tastes better the next day.
You can add a can of split pea soup to this same recipe for a really nice flavor (green or yellow split pea is fine).

Gluten Free White Bread
(You will need a Bread Machine to make this.  We use the Breadman and this comes out delicious–almost better than the real thing!)

2 1/2 cups white rice flour
1/2 cup potato starch flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch flour
1 Tbsp xanthan gum
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1 package of dry active yeast
3 large eggs (beaten)
1/4 cup sunflower oil
1 tsp cider vinegar
1/2 cup milk substitute (rice or potato milk)
3/4 cup warm water

Follow instructions of your bread machine for baking details.

Tapioca Pudding
DELICIOUS!!

3 cups Organic Coconut Milk
1/4 cup Organic Granulated Tapioca
1/8 tsp. cardamom or cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. salt (optional)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar

In a saucepan, simmer the ingredients (except for the vanilla and sugar).  Cook for 10 minutes, stir often until tapioca is completely transparent.  Remove from heat, add sugar and vanilla until completely blended.  Set aside to cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature in individual bowl.  You can top with fresh fruit such as berries or bananas.

Casein Free Ice Cream

Approx. 1 cup of Frozen Bananas
Approx. 1/2 cup coconut milk
Add any frozen or thawed fruit of choice to add more flavor
Dash of sugar (optional)
** This is a flexible recipe that is not set in stone.  You can get as creative as you like–but the key is to use frozen bananas as your ice base.

In a food processor, add bananas and blend at a low speed.  Slowly pour in coconut milk until desired texture and consistency is reached.  You can also add more frozen fruit such as strawberries.  Final result should be a thick, creamy, delicious ice cream treat!

Disclaimer: The information and postings on this site are presented for support and educational purposes only.  The information supplied on this page is believed to be reliable but its accuracy cannot be guaranteed.  UnlockAutism.com and AutismKey.com, its owner(s) and/ or webmaster(s) will not be held liable for any adverse actions or events related (directly or indirectly) to the information and/or recipes provided herein.  IN OTHER WORDS, USE THESE RECIPES AT YOUR OWN RISK AND ALWAYS CONSULT WITH YOUR CHILD’S HEALTHCARE PROVIDER!

Source – A great resource site – AutismKey.com

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The development, maintenance, and repair of myelin is the single most important factor affecting cognition and behavior, according to a UCLA neurology professor who has collected extensive data on the nerve insulator. In an article to be published in an upcoming issue of Biological Psychiatry, George Bartzokis, MD, asserts that myelin may be the universal cause or contributor to a wide range of neuropsychological brain disorders, from autism to Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Bartzokis, who directs the UCLA Memory Disorders and Alzheimer’s Disease Clinic in Los Angeles, suggests that using noninvasive imaging technology to view the miles of myelin in the brain as it grows and breaks down throughout a human life cycle may offer insights leading to the development of new treatments for brain disorders. Nicotine, which studies have suggested enhances the growth and maintenance of myelin, could be one such novel treatment.

In some of the first research to approach brain disorders from a myelin-centered point of view, Dr. Bartzokis studied the effects of cholinergic treatments, including acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) that are used to improve a neuron’s synaptic signaling in people with diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Some data suggest that such treatments may even modify or slow the progression of Alzheimer’s as well as other diseases.

Nicotine, Age, and Disease

Dr. Bartzokis hypothesizes that cholinergic stimulation at neuronal synapses affects the myelination process throughout brain development in the course of a human’s lifetime.He found in clinical trials that cholinergic treatment protects brain cells, while postmortem and imaging data have shown cholinergic receptor changes during brain development and degeneration. Trials have also revealed epidemiologic evidence that nicotine from tobacco may have a protective effect on degenerative diseases of old age and younger psychiatric populations. Cholinergic treatments have also shown efficacy in the aging process and age-related neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, as well as some neurodegenerative diseases like autism and ADHD.

According to Dr. Bartzokis, myelination development resembles an inverted “U” over the course of a lifetime, with increasing myelin development peaking in middle age and breaking down and declining in later years. Following the analogy of the Internet, Dr. Bartzokis says the “connectivity” provided by myelination increases speed by 10-fold and decreases refractory time by 34-fold. Thus, myelination increases the “bandwidth,” or processing capacity, of our brain’s Internet by 340-fold and is “indispensable for developing our uniquely elaborate higher cognitive functions.”

Different cortical regions myelinate at different ages, with later-myelinating oligodendrocytes growing increasingly more complex as we age. Irregular development during the most complex stages of the myelination process contributes to several of the neuropsychiatric disorders that tend to manifest in the early years. These disorders—eg, autism, ADHD, schizophrenia, mood disorders, addictions—are defined by overlapping cognitive and behavioral symptom clusters.

According to Dr. Bartzokis, healthy individuals with normal myelin development typically lose 45% of their myelinated fiber length when they reach the degeneration phase in adulthood. This change in the brain may cause progressive losses of memory and cognitive functions, as well as mild to severe behavioral changes.

The loss of myelin and its components such as sulfatide, myelin basic protein, and cholesterol begins early in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, well before diagnosis of dementia or mild cognitive impairment. The myelin breakdown process is further modified by risk factors such as the presence of APOE ε4 or environmental factors such as a head trauma.

Nicotine’s Effect on Myelination and Repair

Recent research has unveiled some surprising findings on the influence of nicotine on myelination and the aging process. Direct nicotinic stimulation associated with smoking has been shown to increase nicotinic receptors in the late myelinating frontal and temporal intracortical regions. Unlike most agonists, nicotine causes an up-regulation of its receptors and has been shown to accelerate brain function recovery when white matter is damaged.

Nicotine dependence is common among people with psychiatric disorders. Some researchers have suggested the high prevalence of nicotine use among the psychiatric population represents an unconscious effort to “self-medicate.” Research on proteins has suggested that nicotine may marginally increase the expression of myelin proteins; other addictive drugs (eg, cocaine, alcohol) along with developmental diseases (eg, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression) show a decrease of these proteins.

Other research has found an association between nicotinic stimulation and protective effects in schizophrenia and autism, where cortical myelination deficits have been documented. While nicotine has well-known negative effects on overall health, smoking during later years is also associated with a reduced likelihood of the development of degenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Using the myelin-centered model, the apparent beneficial aspects of smoking on brain disorders can be attributed to nicotine’s stimulation of oligodendrocyte precursors. Dr. Bartzokis believes that nicotine, delivered through a patch, not through smoking cigarettes, should be studied for its efficacy in promoting the growth and maintenance of myelin, and that AChEIs “deserve much closer scrutiny” as a therapy for the prevention of both developmental and degenerative brain disorders.

—Kathlyn Stone http://www.neuropsychiatryreviews.com/07jan/myelin.html

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Wanted to repost this article we shared afew months back. I was shocked that the baby formula I was ent home with from the hospital and provided by Similiac used PVC and was stamped with code #3. Why are we still using this stuff?

It’s worth avoiding all plastics if you can. You can identify a plastic by looking at the recycling code number that appears inside a triangle at the bottom of many containers.

Resin code #3 – Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) can leach phthalates, known male reproductive toxicants. It can be identified by code 3. One way to avoid it in the kitchen is by choosing plastic wrap made from polyethylene rather than PVC. If a box is not labeled, find a brand that is or call the manufacturer.

Resin code #6 – Polystyrene is used in Styrofoam products. It may leach styrene (a neurotoxin) when it comes into contact with hot, acidic, or fatty foods. It’s marked with recycling code 6.

Resin code #7 – Polycarbonate can leach bisphenol-A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor associated with a long list of health concerns. Baby bottles, “sippy” cups, 5-gallon water jugs, and reusable beverage bottles are typically made out of this plastic. Products may be marked with recycling code 7 (also includes any plastic that doesn’t fit into the 1 to 6 recycling code categories) and/or the letters “PC.”

The following plastics are considered safest for food storage. Glass and stainless steel are the best options as they do not have pores and bacteria catching scratches.

Resin code #1 – Polyethylene terephthalate ethylene (PETE), code 1.

Resin code #2 – High-density polyethylene (HDPE), code 2.

Resin code #4 – Low-density polyethylene (LDPE), code 4.

Resin code #5 – Polypropylene (PP), code 5.

Useful tips for when you do use plastic..

* Don’t microwave food plastic containers. HEat creates a good environment for chemicals to be re-activated and to leach out when plastic is heated. “Microwaveable plastic” doesn’t guarantee anything. Cover foods in the microwave with wax paper or a plate. If you do use plastic wrap, then make sure it doesn’t touch the food.

* Avoid putting hot foods in plastic containers. Let leftovers cool off before storing them in plastic.

* Take good care of plastics by not washing them with harsh chemicals, and dispose of scratched and worn containers. Just as your vet suggests no plastic bowls for your pets, we should follow the same advice.

Not sure about you, but i dont recall seeing plastic bottles around when I was a kid, it was glass and that was it. Now with nearly every child drinking form plastic and then followed up with nearly every adult drinking form a Poland Spring plastic water botle, its no wonder we are all poisopning ourselves! Use glass or stainless steel, avoid plastic!

For more green tips, visit Green and Ready

We use a product called BornFree made of “Glasstic” out of canada, one of the first PBA free plastic products on the market, but I would still prefer a glass baba for my kid. Here is a link to Consumer Reports story on this subject

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You may recall seeing the Eye Chart last time you visited the doctor. Today it is also common to see the entire human body chart, inner ear chart, neck, back and knee joint models and other props for the doctor to use with patients when explaining our all too common ailments.

With the explosive growth of Autism rates, can we expect to see more of this chart appearing in a pediatricians office near you?

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During the 3rd Presidential Debate, held at Hofstra University recently, both candidates spoke about autism. In response to a question from CBS News’ Bob Schieffer, “why would the country be better off if your running mate became president” the senators made the following remarks:

Sen. McCain: …She (Sarah Palin) also understands special needs families. She understands that autism is on the rise. We’ve got to find out what’s causing it and we’ve got to reach out to these families and help them and give them the help they need as they raise these very special needs children. She understands that better than almost any American that I know. I’m proud of her.

Sen. Obama: …I think it’s very commendable the work she (Sarah Palin) has done on behalf of special needs. I agree with that John. I do just want to point out that autism for example or other special needs will require some additional funding if we’re going to get serious in terms of research. That is something that every family that advocates on behalf of disabled children talks about. And if we have an across the board spending freeze we’re not going to be able to do it.

In response to the Bob Schieffer’s question “Do you think the federal government should play a larger role in the schools and I mean federal money?” the senators made the following remarks:

Sen. Obama: I do think it is important for the federal government to step up and help local school districts do the things they need to do….We did the right thing by saying every school should provide education for children with special needs but we never followed through on the promise of funding, and that left local school districts very cash strapped.

Sen. McCain: In town hall meeting after town hall meeting, parents come with kids, children, precious children who have autism. Sarah Palin knows about that better than most. And we’ll find, and we’ll spend the money on research to find the cause of autism, and we’ll care for these young children and all Americans will open their wallets and their hearts to do so.

We finally may have some real representation in the government with either candidate.  Palin knows the pain personally, Obama seems to understand  the need for federal funding of local schools. Should be interesting how this plays out, lets keep the Special Needs topic front and center.

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Dear Friends:

The Third Annual Rockland County Autism Symposium will be held on September 25, 2008 at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Suffern, NY. Once again, I am pleased to co-sponsor this symposium with Camp Venture, Inc., the Needelman Family and Mindworks, a private foundation.

We are again privileged to feature presenters from prestigious institutions, who are dedicated and distinguished experts in the field of Autism Spectrum Disorders. Our focus this year will be on new research, abnormalities in sleep, pharmacological treatment, a look at adults with Autism and more. You may view the full program and information on our speakers, above.

Last year, our Symposium set the Rockland County record for attendance at any symposium to date. We look forward to this year’s event with great anticipation, and your attendance and participation is both valued and appreciated. Through the generosity of the Needelman Family and Mindworks there is no fee for registration and a complimentary lunch will be provided. To secure a seat, please click the reservation link and do it soon! Last year, we reached maximum capacity well in advance of the event. Please feel free to pass this information onto others interested in Autism.

I look forward to seeing you at this event on September 25th.

Sincerely,

John Murphy
Rockland County Legislator
President, Camp Venture, Inc. Board of Directors

Here is a short fundraiser video on the Camp Venture Equestrian Therapy program.

2008 Autism Symposium
Holiday Inn Holidome & Conference Center
3 Executive Boulevard
Suffern, NY 10901
Thursday, September 25, 2008
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Admission:Free for pre-registrants
$25.00 for walk-in and late registrants
Contact: Betsy Saetre
(845) 638-5184

or visit http://www.rocklandautismsymposium.com/

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This is the idiot who caused millions of dollars and years of research to go to waste. All this for 55,000 British Pound Sterling. Where are is the tar and feathers?  What has Elsevier done to make it up to all of our children ? How about $100 million in Autism funding ?

The editor of the Lancet said last night that the scientific paper which sparked the row about the safety of the MMR vaccine would not have been published if senior staff had been aware that its lead author had not revealed “a serious conflict of interest”.

Richard Horton said that Andrew Wakefield, the doctor whose research suggested a link between the triple jab against measles, mumps and rubella and autism, had made “an important error of judgement” in failing to say he had received an alleged £55,000 from the Legal Aid Board, now the Legal Services Commission to investigate grounds for legal action by parents of allegedly vaccine-damaged children.

Dr Wakefield’s article, published in the medical journal six years ago, caused a drop in uptake of the MMR vaccine and protracted argument. It also made the author a pariah in the eyes of the medical establishment.

Two months ago senior doctors boycotted a televised debate on the vaccine, scheduled to run after a Channel 5 drama documentary about Dr Wakefield’s work, as they regarded it as biased and emotive.

Dr Wakefield, who worked at the Royal Free Hospital, in north London, when the paper was published, denied last night that the authors of the report had any knowledge that one child investigated for the study reported in the Lancet had a legal aid certificate at the time.

Investigations as a result of allegations made to the Lancet in the past few days suggest that as many as four of the 12 reported cases may have been on a list of 10 children on whom Dr Wakefield was commissioned by a solicitor to make studies. The exact number has still to be confirmed.

The two studies were completely separate and money from the Legal Aid Board was paid into a special research account administered by the hospital trust.

Dr Wakefield said: “Whether parents perceived an association with MMR vaccine or not, whether parents had approached lawyers with an intent to seek legal redress, or whether children were in receipt of legal funding or not, had no bearing whatsoever on their selection for clinical investigation of inclusion in the Lancet report.”

The paper in fact did not claim to prove a link between the MMR vaccination and autism, although Dr Wakefield said at its launch that he thought parents might be advised to give the jabs separately.

Mr Horton refused to reveal last night who had made six serious allegations of research misconduct. Three were not accepted.

“We regret that aspects of funding for parallel and related work and the existence of ongoing litigation that had been known during clinical evaluation of the children reported in the 1998 Lancet paper were not disclosed to editors.

“We judge that all this information would have been material to our decision-making about the paper’s suitability, credibility and validity for publication.”

The Lancet would publish an editorial commentary and statements from researchers involved in the 1998 study “as soon as possible”.

Mr Horton underlined how seriously he viewed the case. “In my view, not to disclose such a serious conflict of interest was an important error of judgement and conflicted with our guidelines on conflict of interest at the time.

“It is always very difficult with hindsight, but if we had known Dr Wakefield was not only lead investigator in the Lancet paper but also had been commissioned by the Legal Advisory Board, I am sure our view would have been this was a fatal conflict of interest and we would not have published the paper.”

Dr Wakefield’s co-authors have become increasingly critical, saying they believe in the safety of the MMR. Dr Simon Murch and colleagues have continued to research links between inflammation of the gut and autism and believe there is evidence of an association.

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You know, I had heard it was a disgruntled ex employee of a Pharmaceutical company that started this whole MMR connection, if that is true this person should be tarred an feathered and tied to a whipping post in the village square for wasting so many valuable years of research down a wrong street, years that could have been used to find a cause and cure. Instead, we have wasted big time dollars and time accusing and defending.. What a shame, Now this article appeared int he NY Times claiming that the researchers had a conflict of interest who published the findings.. all this for what, a Gov’t grant or a mention in some Journal?

“Meanwhile, the original paper’s publisher — The Lancet — complained in 2004 that the lead author had concealed a conflict of interest. Ten of his co-authors retracted the paper’s implication that the vaccine might be linked to autism. Three of the authors are now defending themselves before a fitness-to-practice panel in London on charges related to their autism research.

Sadly, even after all of this, many parents of autistic children still blame the vaccine. The big losers in this debate are the children who are not being vaccinated because of parental fears and are at risk of contracting serious — sometimes fatal — diseases.”

How about we shift towards researching things introduced into the environment that mirror the rise of Autism, Such as; Cell Phones, PC’s, Plastic Everything, Teflon, Hormone use in the food supply, even down to Hydro-Ponic Marijuana. Doesnt anyone else wonder about these things and their possible place in the cause of the Autism Epidemic? Anyone there?

Ten years ago, a clinical research paper triggered widespread and persistent fears that a combined vaccine that prevents measles, mumps and rubella — the so-called MMR vaccine — causes autism in young children. That theory has been soundly refuted by a variety of other research over the years, and now a new study that tried to replicate the original study has provided further evidence that it was a false alarm. Read More from this New York Times article

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My wife and I are blessed with 2 children and are expecting our third in October. We have been contemplating storing the umbilical cord for future use for someone in the family, should one of us become sick or if a break through occurs and we can help those with Autism Spectrum Disorder with this invaluable resource. We have decided it is worth the expense – $4,000 for a 20 year storage. Has anyone out there done this and actually used the blood to harvest stem cells? if so, please write to us.

This story hit the web recently, it helps to validate our decision for sure.

Scientists Grow Stem Cells For Parkinson’s, Down Syndrome, Other Disorders

By Stephanie Nano, Associated Press

AP – Harvard scientists say they have created stems cells for 10 genetic disorders, which will allow researchers to watch the diseases develop in a lab dish.
This early step, using a new technique, could help speed up efforts to find treatments for some of the most confounding ailments, the scientists said.
The new work was reported online Thursday in the journal Cell, and the researchers said they plan to make the cell lines readily available to other scientists.
Dr. George Daley and his colleagues at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute used ordinary skin cells and bone marrow from people with a variety of diseases, including Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Down syndrome to produce the stem cells.
The new cells will allow researchers to “watch the disease progress in a dish, that is, to watch what goes right or wrong,” Doug Melton, co-director of the institute, said during a teleconference.
“I think we’ll see in years ahead that this opens the door to a new way to treating degenerative diseases,” he said.
The new technique reprograms cells, giving them the chameleon-like qualities of embryonic stem cells, which can morph into all kinds of tissue, such as heart, nerve and brain. As with embryonic stem cells, the hope is to speed medical research.
Research teams in Wisconsin and Japan were the first to report last November that they had reprogrammed skin cells, and that the cells had behaved like stem cells in a series of lab tests. Just last week, another Harvard team of scientists said they reprogrammed skin cells from two elderly patients with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, and grew them into nerve cells.
Melton said the new disease-specific cell lines “represent a collection of degenerative diseases for which there are no good treatments and, more importantly, no good animal models for the most part in studying them.”
A new laboratory has been created to serve as a repository for the cells, and to distribute them to other scientists researching the diseases, Melton said.
“The hope is that this will accelerate research and it will create a climate of openness,” said Daley.
He expects stem cell lines to be developed for many more diseases, noting, “this is just the first wave of diseases.” Other diseases for which they created stem cells are Type 1, or juvenile, diabetes; two types of muscular dystrophy, Gaucher disease and a rare genetic disorder known as the “bubble boy disease.”
Daley stressed that the reprogrammed cells won’t eliminate the need or value of studying embryonic stem cells.
“At least for the foreseeable future, and I would argue forever, they are going to be extremely valuable tools,” he said.
The reprogramming work was funded by the National Institutes of Health and private contributions to the Harvard Stem Cell Institute.

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Came across this video series, http://www.modelmekids.com/autism-videos.html

Anyone ever use it? What were your results? Seems like a great idea and one I have often thought about given my sons love of the video tape, or dvd.

Thanks for sharing… is there anybody out there??

The Time for School video presents social skills in the context of school. It features elementary school-aged children demonstrating appropriate social skills in the classroom, library, on the playground, and in the hallway. Each scene lasts between 30 seconds and 3 minutes, depending on the chapter. At the end of each chapter is a storyboard summarizing the rules taught.

The video is hosted by a young boy, who narrates each scene.

With narration: In the first half of the video, the visual is combined with narration and graphics that help explain the particular rule.

Without narration: In the second half of the video, the same video is repeated without narration and graphics. This allows a parent, Autism teacher, or therapist to customize the lesson the individual child and/or to test what was learned in the first viewing of the video.

Each social skill is demonstrated in more than one situation and across environments. This is useful to children with Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome because it helps with generalization of the skill taught.

Graphics and music are used to make the video appealing to children with Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, and Nonverbal Learning Disorders. A high production value helps keep the child’s interest so that he or she will want to watch many times.

Check it out here

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Research: “The Myelin Project”:

The exciting work of researchers funded by The Myelin Project, whose goal is to remyelinate the human central nervous system, may someday have benefits for autistic children. Only time will tell if a specific area of damaged neurons can be found and potentially repaired with stem cells.

The first human trial, conducted by Dr. Timothy Vollmer at Yale University School of Medicine, will attempt to transplant myelin-forming Schwann cells into the brains of five patients with multiple sclerosis. The cells will be obtained from the sural nerves of the patients themselves. Although Schwann cells normally produce myelin in the peripheral nervous system, several recent experiments conducted on rodents and cats have shown these cells have the ability to remyelinate in the CNS as well.

While multiple sclerosis is a long way from autism, there is discussion of anti-myelin antibodies in autism, and there is talk of inflammatory processes involving myelin. Whether this technology can help autism if it works for multiple sclerosis is anybody’s guess, but it’s exciting to wonder about.

The Myelin Project funds a Cell Culture Unit at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where Dr. Su-chun Zhang continues to generate cultures with ever-higher percentages of human oligodendrocyte precursors (OPs). Oligodendrocytes are the cells that normally myelinate the CNS. If obtainable in sufficient quantity, they would provide an alternative to Schwann cells for transplantation. The Unit has developed a method to track transplanted OPs by MRI, labeling the cells with iron particles. In another recent experiment, Dr. Baron-Van Evercooren and colleagues were able to remyelinate as many as 55% of the nerves in monkey spinal cord lesions by transplanting the monkeys’ own Schwann cells. These initial positive results, however, have not been confirmed in subsequent attempts. She suspects that the viral labels she used to distinguish the transplanted cells caused them to die. She is trying again without viral labeling. If successful, this experiment would prove that CNS remyelination is feasible in higher animals.

Several researchers funded by The Myelin Project have injected myelin-forming cells into the ventricles of the brain of experimental animals and have shown that these cells were transported by the cerebrospinal fluid to all regions of the brain. This makes it more likely that injected cells will travel to where the myelin needs to be repopulated.

The Myelin Project has funded Dr. Oliver Br�stle of the University of Bonn, Germany, and Dr. Evan Snyder of Harvard University to work with neural stem cells (NSC). These are self-renewing, multipotent cells, capable of differentiating into the major types of neural cells, including oligodendrocytes. One of their most potentially beneficial properties is their tendency to respond to signals in the CNS environment. In CNS diseases, these signals guide the cells to damaged areas. Second, they prompt them to differentiate into the specific cell type needed for the repair — neurons in nerve diseases like Parkinson’s and oligodendrocytes in myelin disorders like the leukodystrophies and multiple sclerosis.

NSCs are typically of fetal origin, but have also been found in the adult brain. NSCs can be multiplied in culture indefinitely as an “immortal” cell line. They could eventually provide an inexhaustible source of myelin-forming cells, eliminating the need for obtaining them from fresh tissue. Several research centers are now testing human NSCs to verify their safety and in particular to rule out any risk of their becoming cancerous. If this testing concludes favorably, then prospective myelin repair strategies could take a two-fold approach. NSCs would be injected into the ventricular system where the cerebrospinal fluid would circulate them to all parts of the CNS. Local signals would then come into play, guiding the cells to the specific demyelinated areas.

The Myelin Project has also funded Dr. Robin Franklin of the University of Cambridge to study olfactory ensheathing cells, a third type of myelin-producing cell. He has perfected a technique for demyelinating the area of rat brain connecting the cerebellum with the brain stem. He subsequently remyelinated the area by transplanting rat Schwann cells, which adds to the body of evidence in favor of Schwann cell transplantation as a way of repairing CNS myelin lesions.

The Myelin Project has also funded Dr. Inderjit Singh of the Medical University of South Carolina to study the use of Lovastatin in the treatment of myelin disorders. The drug corrects the biochemical defect of adrenoleukodystrophy, lowering the levels of very long chain fatty acids in plasma. Preliminary studies with an animal model of MS have confirmed Lovastatin’s ability to block the induction of cytokines, substances responsible for the inflammation of the CNS. We know that the levels of very long chain fatty acids and of some cytokines are elevated in autism. I am wonderijng already if Lovastatin might be worth trying for children with documented elevated very long chain fatty acids and elevated cytokines.

These studies present exciting possibilities for the future for treating neurodegenerative diseases. They may eventually have relevence for such diverse conditions as autism, cerebral palsy, and CNS vaccine damage syndromes. Time will tell.

find more at http://www.healing-arts.org/children/cell.htm

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Where as I appreciate any and most attention Autism receives, I feel a bit sickened by the fact that celebrity’;s seem to be leanding their names solely for the purpose of publicity.

Jenny is cool, but her book talks about she is able to afford the therapy’s that most of us only dream of or mortgage our homes for.  the therapy’s she mentions in the book are not hers, they are those of Berdard and Tomatis. Deidre Imus was a big factor in passing the Combating Autism Act, which is a lame act of empty promises. Where is she now? Robert Kennedy, now I was shocked to see how much attention he gets for helping Autism get reserach dollars, I thought he was an enviormentalist? And what is President Bill; Clintoln doing rasing money for children in far off lands, most of which wil never even see the dollasr raised when 1 in 150 children in the US are diagnosed with Autism, shame on you Bill! I don’t know, maybe I am wrong here and maybe, just maybe getting celebrity endorsement is better than none, but what have we gained since Autism is such a celebrity cause? A few best sellers or rehashed gobblee goop?

This is not a part time thing here, this is a life long condition and for most finanacial burden. What do we have to do, go on TV and get sponsors for individual families here in the states? We need insurance reforms like we see taking place in a few states like New Jersey, we need the medical community to rally here. Autism is horrible and the numbers climb ever day, why is it not being treated as an epidemic, but rather as a celebrity attention grabber!!?? What are your thoughts. Please share them and lets take the bull by the horns ourselves and Unlock Autism.

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It’s kind of like being on a plane, the flight attendant tells everyone in the event of an emergency … if due to a sudden drop in cabin pressure and the air mask drops, to put your mask on first so that you can assist your child and others. It carries through to taking care of someone like an Autistic Child.

Lets face it, a parent of a special needs child needs to be so much more than Special, we need to be Super, at all times and at all things. Friends are a gasp to hear of what a special needs family has to endure in order to get their kid in their home school district. Even the most basic of things in life that are taken for granted can be huge challenges. We just want our children to have the opportunity to cash in on a long and productive life.

So lets keep in mind, if we as Parents don’t take care of ourselves, we won’t be able to adequately take care of the people who are most important in our lives, for very long.

So make it a point to enjoy your life- including your physical and mental health. Create and make time to rejuvenate and replenish your mind, body and spirit. Make and go to that long overdue doctors appointment for yourself , take an hour per day to read, a day per month to Spa, a night out with friends, a weekend escape- whatever it is, do it and be strong for your kids.

Being on top of your game here means more than love, caring and understanding. Its staying healthy and wise and up with things in the move.

So make that commitment to yourself and the quality of your goodness and care will shine.

Here is a site you can look for travel ideas. ExplorerPod.com.

Health, Spiritual and Wellness try MorningCoach.com

A link to Pass Time Google Maps. Check out your house for a new perspective.

Some great tunes and channels. DeadShowPodcast.com

Seriously, do something for yourself today, so you can continue to take care of your kids tomorrow.

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We could use a hand in finding material to share with others like you. If you have an experiences or know of other great resources for information, Please leave some comments or write to us at info@unlockautism.com This site is for us all. We are trying to direct you to pertinent information about Autism. Success stories and information about therapy’s and diets which helped or those which didn’t. Keep in mind, not all therapy’s will work for all. Autistic people are individuals in the truest sense of the word, with loving and caring families trying to unlock autism and let that person out.

If we can gather enough stats and information, perhaps we can help others. For us personally, Its been a whole lot of Love, Therapy’s and at times Snake Oil. Whats worked for us has been, ABA, Signing Time, Auditory Integration and Omega’s plus the usual OT, PT and Speech. But also encouraging more social engagement.

All I know is that we as parents know what works and what doesn’t, lets help those who are just discovering Autism. Let us help each other from being fooled by the latest and greatest therapy’s promising miracle and instant cures.
If you are interested in getting involved with UnlockAutism.com, let us know and share your wisdom.

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Original Article Found on TranslatingAutism.com You can find a more complete description and review of this paper based on the press coverage here. Thus, I’ll limit this to a micro summary and a few related thoughts. The researchers wanted to experimentally test the hypothesis that exposure to maternal neuronal antibodies (IgG) during the PREnatal period could be one of the causes of at least some variants of Autism. To test this hypothesis the researchers exposed 4 prenatal rhesus monkeys with IgG taken from human mothers who had multiple children with ASD. They also exposed 5 prenatal monkeys with IgG taken from human mothers who did not have any children with Autism. Once the monkeys were born, these two groups were also compared to monkeys that had not been exposed to any antibodies. The researchers found that the monkeys that had been exposed to the antibodies of human mothers of children with autism engaged in much higher levels of unique whole-body stereotypic behaviors and less social contact with familiar peers, than did the monkeys exposed to IgG of mothers of typically developing kids or monkeys not exposed to any antibodies. Furthermore, these stereotypic behaviors increased when the monkeys were exposed to novel environments or peers. As I understand how controversial this paper will be for some people, I want to say that the authors are very clear and explicit in stating that this is NOT an animal model of autism. That is, they did not intent to say that they were able to “cause” autism in these monkeys via exposure to IgG. Instead, their data presents some evidence that exposure to IgG before birth leads to unique patterns of stereotypic behaviors, similar to those observed in some children with ASD. This is a very small preliminary study, but the results are fascinating in that it will guide future research to explore exposure to IgG as a potential cause (one of many) of ASD.

Seems plausible since the IgG antibodiy can get through the placenta to protect the baby..but much more work needs to be done first. For more on IgG http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IgG

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From Age of Autism – What will happen to the Monkees ?

The first research project to examine effects of the total vaccine load received by children in the 1990s has found autism-like signs and symptoms in infant monkeys vaccinated the same way. The study’s principal investigator, Laura Hewitson from the University of Pittsburgh, reports developmental delays, behavior problems and brain changes in macaque monkeys that mimic “certain neurological abnormalities of autism.”

The findings are being reported Friday and Saturday at a major international autism conference in London.

Although couched in scientific language, Hewitson’s findings are explosive. They suggest, for the first time, that our closest animal cousins develop characteristics of autism when subjected to the same immunizations – such as the MMR shot — and vaccine formulations – such as the mercury preservative thimerosal — that American children received when autism diagnoses exploded in the 1990s.

The first publicly reported results of this research project come in both oral and poster presentations on Friday and Saturday at the International Meeting For Autism Research in London. Poster presentations must go through a form of peer review before they are presented at the conference; the papers have not yet appeared in a scientific journal.

In addition to Hewitson’s oral presentation today, on Saturday in one of two related poster presentations, the researchers also are reporting in their abstract that “vaccinated animals exhibited progressively severe chronic active inflammation [in gastrointestinal tissue] whereas unexposed animals did not. We have found many significant differences in the GI tissue gene expression profiles between vaccinated and unvaccinated animals.” Numerous scientific studies, as well as many parents, report severe GI ailments in children with regressive autism.

The results are sure to be controversial, in part because they lend credence to studies first published in 1998 by British pediatric gastroenterologist Andrew Wakefield, one of Hewitson’s co-authors on these findings. He described an unusual inflammatory bowel condition in children who had regressed into autism after they received the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination. Wakefield is currently fighting charges of medical misconduct in Britain over allegations of conflict-of-interest and improper procedures related to that paper. He denies the charges.

In the program for the conference, the 7th Annual International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR), there are three separate presentations listed that report results from the overall research program. The first, an oral presentation entitled “Pediatric Vaccines Influence Primate Behavior, and Amygdala Growth and Opioid Ligand Binding” (the “amygdala abstract”) was led by Dr. Hewitson and lists 12 co-authors, including five of her colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh and Dr. Wakefield. Other authors are chemists, pathologists and psychologists from the universities of Kentucky, California-Irvine, and Washington.

Hewitson’s introductory presentation will be followed by two poster presentations on Saturday; one of the two, “Pediatric Vaccines Influence Primate Behavior, and Brain Stem Volume and Opioid Ligand Binding”, was led by Wakefield and includes six additional co-authors.

It focuses on the developmental effect of vaccine exposures on brain growth during infancy. The second, “Microarray Analysis of GI Tissue in a Macaque Model of the Effects of Infant Vaccination,” was led by Steven Walker of Wake Forest University and performed gene array analysis on the intestinal tissues of the vaccinated and unvaccinated monkeys.

The studies address – albeit in animals, not children — one of the major criticisms by parents and scientists concerned about a possible link between the greatly stepped-up immunization schedule in the 1990s, including higher exposure to the mercury preservative, and autism. While the Food and Drug Administration approves individual vaccines as safe and effective, and an advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the childhood immunization schedule adopted by the states, the overall health outcomes from the total vaccine load, versus no vaccinations at all, have never been compared, the authors said.

A bill requiring the government to conduct a study of autism rates in unvaccinated American children is pending in the U.S. House of Representatives, co-sponsored by Reps. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.) and Tom Osborne (R.-Neb.). Just this week, former National Institutes of Health Director Bernadine Healy called for more research into a possible vaccine link to autism and said the question had not been settled, despite repeated assertions to that effect by the CDC, the Institute of Medicine and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

In the abstract for today’s oral presentation, the authors noted that macaques, the type of monkey used in the study, “are commonly used in pre-clinical vaccine safety testing, but the combined childhood vaccine regimen, rather than individual vaccines, has not been studied. Childhood vaccines are a possible causal factor in autism, and abnormal behaviors and anomalous amygdala growth are potentially inter-related features of this condition.”

The study found evidence of both behavioral and biological changes after the 13 macaque monkey infants were administered proportional doses, adjusted for age, of the vaccines recommended between 1994 and 1999. Three monkeys were not given any vaccines.

“Primate development, cognition and social behavior were assessed for both vaccinated and unvaccinated infants using standardized tests developed at the Washington National Primate Research Center.” MRI and PET scans looked for brain changes after administration of the MMR.

“Compared with unexposed animals, significant neurodevelopmental deficits were evident for exposed animals in survival reflexes, tests of color discrimination and reversal, and learning sets,” the authors reported. “Differences in behaviors were observed between exposed and unexposed animals and within the exposed group before and after MMR vaccination. Compared with unexposed animals, exposed animals showed attenuation of amygdala growth and differences in the amygdala binding of [11C]diprenorphine. Interaction models identified significant associations between specific aberrant social and non-social behaviors, isotope binding, and vaccine exposure.”

One of the Saturday abstracts makes the further point that the research “revealed significant differences between exposed and unexposed animals” in the kinds of developmental behaviors a mother might be able to observe, “with delayed acquisition of root, suck, clasp hand, and clasp foot reflexes.” They conclude by noting that “This animal model examines the neurological consequences of the childhood vaccine regimen, Functional and … brainstem anomalies were evident in vaccinated animals that may be relevant to some aspects of autism. The findings raise important safety issues while providing a potential animal model for examining aspects of causation and disease pathogenesis in acquired neurodevelopmental disorders.”
–
Dan Olmsted is Editor of Age of Autism.

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Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have recently generated a mice model for autistic savants – a phenomenon in which an autistic person has an outstanding skill alongside his poor ability in social interactions. By using genetically engineered mice in which a specific protein in the brain was inactive, the researchers discovered an enhanced learning ability of the mice, but also an impaired long term memory, which resembles autism characteristics. The scientists hope that in the future, this work will lead to the development of treatment for autism and for other brain development disorders.
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Tomorrow, April 2, 2008 is a day committed to Autism on CNN TV. All day they will feature insight into Autism Spectrum Diseases. The CNN web site is already gearing up with tons of fresh content.

It remains one of the greatest mysteries of medicine. Although autism will be diagnosed in more than 25,000 U.S. children this year, more than new cases of childhood AIDS, diabetes and cancer combined, scientists and doctors still know very little about the neurological disorder. full story

Check it out and pass the word.

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Seems a bit like covering one’s tracks here. Seizures and Autism commonly go – hand in hand and can trigger serious health issues which lie dormant in the body.

Written and owned By Michael Smith, North American Correspondent, MedPage Today Published: March 14, 2008

Reviewed by Dori F. Zaleznik, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston.

ATLANTA, March 14 — An apparent increased risk of febrile seizures has led the CDC to soften one of its recommendations on immunizing children against measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella with a combination vaccine.

The agency had said the combination tetravalent vaccine against the four diseases (ProQuad) was to be preferred over vaccination with a trivalent measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine at the same time as a separate varicella shot.

That preferential recommendation has been withdrawn. The agency’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) now says there should be no preference, the CDC said in the March 14 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The change comes after review of data from the Vaccine Safety Datalink, which monitors vaccine safety, as well as preliminary results from a post-licensing study conducted by Merck, which makes the tetravalent vaccine.

The Vaccine Safety Datalink, the CDC said, showed a signal of increased risk for seizure among children ages 12 to 23 months who were given the tetravalent vaccine, compared with those who got the trivalent vaccine.

The increased rates were seen seven to 12 days after vaccination.

Once the signal was seen, the agency said, analysts used the Vaccine Safety Datalink for a study comparing seizure rates among children who got the tetravalent vaccine and those who got a trivalent vaccine plus a varicella vaccine at the same visit.

The analysis included 43,353 children ages 12 to 23 months who received the tetravalent vaccine and 314,599 who received the trivalent vaccine and varicella vaccine at the same visit.

The researchers reviewed medical records to validate the diagnosis and used a multivariate logistic regression to adjust for age and influenza season, the CDC said.

Results of that analysis showed:

* A rate of nine febrile seizures per 10,000 vaccinations among recipients of the tetravalent vaccine.
* The rate was four per 10,000 vaccinations among those who got the trivalent vaccine along with the varicella vaccine.
* The adjusted odds ratio was 2.3, with a 95% confidence interval from 1.6 to 3.2, which was significant at P<0.0001.
* Of the 166 children who had febrile seizures after vaccination and had hospitalization information available, 26 (or 16%) were admitted to a hospital.
* There were no deaths.

The advisory committee was told that interim data from the Merck post-licensing study showed a similar relative risk for seizure, although the difference did not reach statistical significance. Only about half of the final sample size needed was available for the analysis.

Neither study looked at the risk of a febrile seizure after the second recommended dose of the vaccine, at ages four through six years.

The CDC noted that the tetravalent vaccine is currently in short supply in the U.S., because of manufacturing problems not related to safety, and is not expected to be widely available before 2009.

The agency also said that febrile seizures are not uncommon in children and generally have an excellent prognosis.

Additional source: CDC
Source reference:
CDC “Update: Recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) regarding administration of combination MMRV vaccine” MMWR 2008; 57(10): 258-60.

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Written and owned by www.mayinstitute.org

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Many individuals with autism have also been diagnosed with another disorder. This secondary condition is referred to as a “co-morbid” disorder. Many of these secondary conditions are psychiatric in nature and require attention from parents, teachers and professionals. The most common co-morbid disorders are attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and mood disorders, such as depression and bipolar disorder, and anxiety problems.

Diagnosing co-morbid disorders in children and adults with autism can be challenging because these individuals have difficulties with language, self-expression and social interactions. They may be unable to describe personal, internal feelings. Many do not speak at all, and some need specialized communication systems such as pictures, typing screens and basic sign language to communicate.

A proper diagnosis of a co-morbid disorder should be done by a qualified professional, such as a pediatrician, psychiatrist or psychologist. This specialist will be able to differentiate between the various disorders and provide a diagnosis based on direct observation of the individual’s behavior and actions, as well as reports from family members and teachers.

Below are some observable behaviors that might be associated with various co-morbid conditions. Note that many of these behaviors are characteristic of autism and do not necessarily indicate the presence of a psychiatric condition.

ADHD: Making careless mistakes; appearing not to listen; not following instructions; not finishing tasks; frequently losing items; fidgeting; squirming; difficulty in playing quietly; interrupting others; and not waiting for his or her turn.

OCD: Putting all chairs in place at the table; walking the same path at home or school; arranging items; counting items; repeating phrases; and needing to be first in line.

Depression: Sadness and excessive crying; little interest in previous favorite items; loss of appetite; and a lack of responsiveness to other people.

Anxiety: Increased breathing and heart rate, and strong avoidance of specific situations or items.

An accurate diagnosis is crucial in determining the most effective treatment, especially if medications are to be considered. Treatment for co-morbid disorders must be administered in the context of an individual’s comprehensive program plan. There are three components to this type of approach that are briefly described below.

First, any serious problem behavior – such as tantrums, hitting others, hurting oneself, or destroying property – must be addressed with a plan that includes:

Defining the behavior in observable terms;

Using rewards for good behavior;

Employing a specific consistent response to the behavior, such as ignoring, removing privileges, or directing to a task; and

Counting the number of occurrences each day.

Second, the child or adult should be taught ways to cope with situations that might result in problem behaviors. We do this by providing positive reinforcement and rewards, teaching in small steps, and offering assistance when it is needed.

Third, medications can be considered. Many children and adults with autism receive at least one medication for a psychiatric condition. The use of medication should not be seen as a failure, but as an important component of treatment along with a good plan for addressing behavior problems and a thorough program of instruction in skills. Further, the right medication – a stimulant, antidepressant, mood stabilizer, or antipsychotic – can help reduce behaviors such as impulsive or compulsive behaviors that interfere with establishing social skills and friendships.

Obtaining an accurate diagnosis of a co-morbid condition and determining an effective treatment plan based on careful observation and individual consideration will improve the quality of life for children and adults with autism. For more information, call (800) 778-7601, or visit www.mayinstitute.org

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What is SEED?

SEED stands for the Study to Explore Early Development. It is a 5-year, multi-site collaborative study that will help identify what might put children at risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and other developmental disabilities. It is being conducted by six study sites and a data coordinating center called the Centers for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Research and Epidemiology (CADDRE) Network.

What are the six CADDRE centers?

The six CADDRE centers are:

* California CADDRE: Kaiser Permanente Division of Research and the California Department of Health Services
* Colorado CADDRE: Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and the University of Colorado at Denver and Heath Sciences Center
* Georgia CADDRE: the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
* Maryland CADDRE: Johns Hopkins University and Kennedy Krieger Institute
* North Carolina CADDRE: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
* Pennsylvania CADDRE: University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and The Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania

Where exactly is SEED being conducted?

California

a two county area: Alameda and Santa Clara counties

Colorado

the seven-county Denver metropolitan area: (Arapahoe, Adams, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, and Jefferson counties).

Georgia (CDC)

the five-county metropolitan Atlanta area: Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Fulton, and Gwinnett counties.

Maryland

seven jurisdictions in northeastern Maryland: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Harford and Howard Counties and Baltimore City.

North Carolina

a ten county area: Alamance, Chatham, Davidson, Durham, Forsyth, Guilford, Johnston, Orange, Randolph, and Wake counties.

Pennsylvania

three counties: Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

*CDC also funds Michigan State University to run the study’s Data Coordinating Center and Johns Hopkins University to run the study’s central laboratory.

How were the sites selected?

The sites were originally picked through an open competitive review process in 2001 and funded for 5 years. The sites were selected based on the merit of their application. In 2006, CDC had a limited competitive review process and funded the sites for another 5 years.

How can I enroll my child into the study?

The study is a population based study – meaning that the participants will be recruited from all children and families in each study community who meet certain criteria rather then focusing on individuals at a specific clinic or school. Families of children with specific developmental conditions, as well as a random sample of all children born in the community will be invited to participate. If the invited family is interested, then we ask some questions to determine if they are eligible, and if they are eligible then the family is enrolled.

Can I sign my child up for this study?

Although families can self-refer to participate in this study, they have to fulfill certain criteria in order to be eligible. Some families who self refer may not be eligible. Our goal is to send letters of invitation to all families who may fulfill the eligibility criteria. By sending letters of invitation to as many eligible families as possible, we hope to enroll a representative sample of families in each study area.

Examples of the study eligibility criteria include – the child must be born within the study period, the child must be born and still living in the study area, they must have a legal guardian, they must know English or Spanish (although these vary by site), and they must also meet certain diagnostic criteria.

What will each study participant have to do?

Each parent or caregiver will have to answer questions about their child’s development and their family’s medical history. The study clinicians will perform a brief exam and developmental tests on the child. Each parent and child will have to give small samples of blood, cells from inside the mouth, and a sample of the child’s hair. Finally, we would access the mother’s and the child’s medical records.

Why are we only looking at children in 6 states?

The funding for the study allowed us to support 6 study sites around the country.

Why are we only looking at children between the ages of 2-5?

The study will focus on children who are 2 to 5 years old. This age range was selected to reduce the amount of time since pregnancy and early development so that parent recall of events during these time periods is better, so that medical information is easier to retrieve, so that families are less likely to have moved away from the study area, and it will also be nearer the beginning of treatment for children in developmental intervention programs.

What is being investigated, and why?

* Physical and behavioral characteristics – Autism is a complex disorder and we want to better understand the full range of characteristics that are associated with autism. In this way, we may also better understand how the different causes of autism may be associated with specific subgroups of children within the autism spectrum.
* Infection and immune function, including autoimmunity – We want to follow up on reports that infections, or an abnormal response to infection – called the body’s immune response – may increase the risk for autism.
* Reproductive and hormonal features – We want to follow up on reports that abnormal hormone function – perhaps in the mother when she is trying to get pregnant, or later during pregnancy, or even later in the child after birth – may be associated with autism.
* Gastrointestinal features – We want to follow-up on reports that children with autism have abnormal gastrointestinal function, and whether it may be related to the causes of autism.
* Genetic features – Autism is a highly genetic disorder, but in particular we want to see if the genes that may be related to risk factors we are investigating – such as the genes that control immune function – are associated with autism.
* Socio-demographic features – We want to better understand the social, demographic, and economic features of families that are associated with having a child with autism.
* Smoking and alcohol use in pregnancy – Substance use in pregnancy can potentially harm the developing fetus and so we want to see if these so-called lifestyle factors are associated with autism.
* Sleep features – We want to follow-up on reports that children with autism have abnormal sleep patterns.
* Select mercury exposures – There are several studies, including studies funded by the government, looking at environmental exposures related to autism including mercury. CADDRE didn’t want to duplicate the work of these other studies, but we chose to look at information on vaccines and other types of medical procedures that may have mercury exposure that we can get through medical records.
* Occupational exposures – There are several studies, including studies funded by the government, looking at environmental exposures related to autism including mercury. CADDRE didn’t want to duplicate the work of these other studies, but we chose to ask parents to report to us about possible exposures they may have had at their jobs.

We selected these research factors after an extensive review of the literature. We designated each of the factors as high priority based on the how strongly they seemed to be associated with ASD and what new information we needed to collect about each factor, balanced by how well we could study each factor with our particular study methods.

What “selected mercury exposures” will be studied? How will they be studied? Why were these selected?

The mercury exposures we are looking at relate to vaccines or other medical treatments that are being studied include – vaccines that the mom received during pregnancy, the child’s vaccine exposures after birth and specific other factors such as RhoGAM treatment in pregnancy if the mom has developed an immune response against the fetus that can harm it.

There are several studies, including studies funded by the government, looking at environmental exposures related to autism including mercury. SEED didn’t want to duplicate the work of these other studies, but since we are getting medical records, we choose to look at information on vaccines and other types of medical procedures that may have mercury exposure that we can get through medical records.

Will the study include vaccines as a potential cause of autism?

Yes, the study will include vaccines. The mercury exposures being studies include – vaccines that the mom received during pregnancy, the child’s vaccine exposures after birth and specific other factors such as RhoGAM treatment in pregnancy if the mom has developed an immune response against the fetus that can harm it.

There are several studies, including studies funded by the government, now looking at environmental exposures in autism such as mercury. SEED doesn’t want to duplicate the work of these other studies, but since we are getting medical records, we choose to look at information on vaccines and other types of medical procedures that may have mercury exposure that we can get through medical records.

Will CDC find out if thimerosal causes autism?

It is too soon to speculate on the results of the study. We hope the study will give us a better idea of which of the risk factors that we will be looking at seem to be the most important in causing autism.

If the study shows that thimerosal is a cause of autism, will CDC report the data? What guarantees does the public have that the findings won’t be covered up?

We will report all the findings of the study by following the normal scientific review process as soon as possible.

When the study is completed, will we know the causes of autism?

It is too soon to speculate on the results of the study. We hope the study will give us a better idea of which of the risk factors that we will be looking at seem to be the most important in causing autism. The causes may be related to genes, the environment, or a relationship between the two – such as if some groups of children with certain genes are more easily harmed by some environmental exposures.

Will this study find a prevention/cure for autism?

It is too soon to speculate on what we might find about the causes of autism. But, we are hopeful that the findings from SEED will help the development of future studies specifically designed to assess treatments among children with autism.

What are the other developmental disabilities being studied?

We will be studying a range of other developmental disabilities, including mental retardation, developmental delay, and other behavioral problems in early childhood.

Why are we looking at other developmental disabilities?

By comparing children with autism and children with other developmental disabilities we will try to see if the risk factors we observe in children with autism are unique to autism or if they are also important in children with other developmental problems.

Looking at children with other developmental disabilities will also provide a way of comparing responses of children with developmental disabilities, in general, versus typically developing children.

How will you get the names of children to invite into the study?

We are working with our partners in the community who serve children with developmental problems and through these partners we will be sending out letters to families to invite them to participate.

Why didn’t or doesn’t the 2001/2002 funding represent “the first national study”?

In the initial grant awards (2001/2002), the grantees were responsible for 3 activities: setting up monitoring programs for autism and other developmental disorders, collaboration on the multi-site epidemiologic study, and investigator-initiated special studies. Although the multi-site study was planned, funding levels were not adequate to implement the multi-site study during the 2002/2002 funding cycle. Consequently, implementation was delayed until the current funding cycle. All funds awarded to the grantees in the current grant cycle are dedicated to implementation of the multi-site study. The grantees competed for funding to continue their monitoring activities under a separate grant announcement earlier in 2006, and no funding will be available for investigator-initiated special studies.

In what way(s) will the sample populations be representative of all children?

It seems that by not including major states like New York, Illinois, Texas, etc. it’s hard to claim this is “nationally representative”? Further, how will the selection/recruitment processes ensure or foster generalizability?

The two groups of children with ASD and other developmental problems will be identified in multiple clinical and educational facilities in each community to insure that the participants are representative of all children with these types of developmental problems – and not just children who might be seen at a single clinic or intervention program. The third group of study children will be randomly selected from all children born in each community during the same time period so that they are representative of all children in the study area most of whom do not have developmental problems.

Although resources do not permit the sample to be drawn so that it is statistically representative of all children in the nation, by conducting the study in 6 different geographic areas across the country with diverse populations and by identifying children from multiple sources in each community we hope to have a study sample that more closely represents children with ASD, other developmental problems, and typical development across the country.

Will there be interim results or will the study first have results six or so years from now?

Many of the core study hypotheses will require that we have data collection completed on the full study sample before analysis can take be completed, but some interim analyses that require less than the full study sample may be possible. We don’t want to rush interim analyses, however, before we have a good representative sample of children.

What do you mean by “community diversity”?

SEED is located in select study areas within 6 states: 2 counties in the San Francisco, California area, 7 counties in the Denver, Colorado area, 5 counties in the Atlanta, Georgia area, 7 counties in the Baltimore and northeast Maryland area, 10 counties in central North Carolina, and 3 counties in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area.

These study areas include diverse communities and populations from which study participants will be drawn.

Can this really be classified as a national study since it only involves six states?

It is a multi-site study set in diverse communities in 6 locations around the country: California, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.

Although resources do not permit the sample to be drawn so that it is statistically representative of all children in the nation, by conducting the study in 6 different geographic areas across the country with diverse populations and by identifying children from multiple sources in each community we hope to have a study sample that more closely represents children with ASD, other developmental problems, and typical development across the country.

How will this give us national insight?

Compared to a study located in a single area, our study in six different areas gives us geographic and community diversity that will give us greater insights into the variability of who is at risk and what are the risk factors for autism.

What is the methodology for collecting the data? Same for each state?

Yes, all the sites are using a common study protocol – meaning they are following the same procedures for recruiting participants and collecting data so that, at the end, the data from all 6 sites can be pooled into a single large data base for analysis.

We will be asking participants to complete self-administered questionnaires; interviewing mothers about pregnancy-related issues and developmental conditions in their children; conducting a developmental exam of each study child to evaluate cognitive and

emotional development, language and adaptive skills, and motor skills, and a dysmorphology exam of the child (that will look at physical features that may indicate an underlying genetic condition); taking cheek swab and blood samples from the mother; father, and child; taking a hair sample from the child; and looking at the mother and child’s medical records.

Do all 2,700 of the children have an ASD?

No, there will be 900 children in each of 3 groups: children with ASDs, children with other developmental problems, and children drawn from the community most of whom are typically developing.

I live in one of the states with a CADDRE center. Who can I contact for more information about the study?

California CADDRE
Kaiser Permanente Division of Research
California Department of Health Services
Oakland, CA
510.620.3700

Colorado CADDRE
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
University of Colorado at Denver and Heath Sciences Center
Denver, CO
303.315.0066
303.692.2680

Georgia CADDRE
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
Atlanta, GA
404.498.3800

Maryland CADDRE
Johns Hopkins University
Kennedy Krieger Institute
Baltimore, MD
877.868.8014

North Carolina CADDRE
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC
919.966.2068

Pennsylvania CADDRE
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
The Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
215.573.2469
215.590.7474

Date: December 19, 2007
Content source: National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities

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Results of an early study suggest that dairy-free diets and unconventional food preferences could put boys with autism and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) at higher than normal risk for thinner, less dense bones when compared to a group of boys the same age who do not have autism.

The study, by researchers from the National Institutes of Health and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, was published online in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders.

The researchers believe that boys with autism and ASD are at risk for poor bone development for a number of reasons. These factors are lack of exercise, a reluctance to eat a varied diet, lack of vitamin D, digestive problems, and diets that exclude casein, a protein found in milk and milk products. Dairy products provide a significant source of calcium and vitamin D. Casein-free diets are a controversial treatment thought by some to lessen the symptoms of autism.

Funding for the study was provided by the NIH’s National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and National Center for Research Resources. The research team that conducted the study was led by Mary L. Hediger, Ph.D., a biological anthropologist in NICHD’s Division of Epidemiology, Statistics and Prevention Research.

“Our results suggest that children with autism and autism spectrum disorder may be at risk for calcium and vitamin D deficiencies,” Dr. Hediger said. “Parents of these children may wish to include a dietitian in their children’s health care team, to ensure that they receive a balanced diet.”

Dr. Hediger stressed that the current study results need to be confirmed by larger studies. Until definitive information is available, however, it would be prudent for parents of children with autism and ASD to include a dietitian in their care, particularly if the children’s diets do not include dairy products or they are not otherwise eating a balanced diet, she said.

Because girls are much less likely to have autism or ASD than are boys, the researchers were unable to enroll a sufficient number of girls within the short time frame of the study to allow them to draw firm conclusions. Dr. Hediger added that if a girl with autism or ASD is not eating diary products or eating a balanced diet, it would be prudent for a dietitian to be included in her health care team.

Autism is a complex brain disorder involving communication and social difficulties as well as repetitive behavior or narrow interests. Autism is often grouped with similar disorders, which are often referred to collectively as autism spectrum disorders. The underlying causes of autism and ASD are unclear. There is no cure for the disorders and treatments are limited.

When the boys were enrolled in the study, the researchers asked the boys’ parents if the boys were taking over-the-counter or prescription medications, were taking any vitamin or mineral supplements, or were on a restricted diet.

During the study, researchers X-rayed the hands of 75 boys between the ages of 4 and 8 years old who had been diagnosed with autism or ASD. The researchers then measured the thickness of the bone located between the knuckle of the index finger and the wrist and compared its development to a standardized reference based on a group of boys without autism.

Dr. Hediger said that the research team measured cortical bone thickness. She added that this procedure was done as a substitute for a conventional bone scan, which measures bone density. Bone density is an indication of bones’ mineral content. Less dense bones may indicate a risk of bone fracture.

The researchers used the measure of bone thickness because many of the boys were unable to remain still long enough for the conventional scan, which requires individuals to lie immobile for an extended period of time. To successfully complete the bone scan, many of the boys would have required sedation — a step the researchers were reluctant to take for an early study.

The hand X-ray, Dr. Hediger explained, offers an approximate indication of bone density. She added, however, that because the researchers were unable to use a conventional bone scan, the results of the current study should be confirmed by additional studies using conventional bone scans.

The investigators found that the bones of the boys with autism were growing longer but were not thickening at a normal rate. During normal bone development, material from inside the bone is transferred to the outside of the bone, increasing thickness, while at the same time, the bones are also growing longer.

At 5 or 6 years of age, the bones of the autistic boys were significantly thinner than the bones of boys without autism and the difference in bone thickness became even greater at ages 7 and 8.

The bone thinning was particularly notable because the boys with autism and ASD were heavier than average and would therefore be expected to have thicker bones.

The researchers do not know for certain why the boys had thinner than normal bones. A possible explanation is lack of calcium and vitamin D in their diets. Dr. Hediger explained that a deficiency of these important nutrients in the boys’ diets could result from a variety of causes. Many children with autism, she said, have aversions to certain foods. Some will insist on eating the same foods nearly every day, to the exclusion of other foods. So while they may consume enough calories to meet their needs — or even more calories than they need — they may lack certain nutrients, like calcium and vitamin D.

Other children with autism may have digestive problems which interfere with the absorption of nutrients. Moreover, many children with autism remain indoors because they require supervision during outdoor activity. Lack of exercise hinders proper bone development, she said. Similarly, if children remain indoors and are not exposed to sunlight, they may not make enough vitamin D, which is needed to process calcium into bones.

The boys in the study who were on a casein-free diet had the thinnest bones. In fact, the 9 boys who were on a casein-free diet had bones that were 20 percent thinner than normal for children their age. Boys who were not on a casein-free diet showed a 10 percent decrease in bone thickness when compared to boys with normal bone development.

The study authors wrote that bone development of children on casein-free diets should be monitored very carefully. They noted that studies of casein-free diets had not proven the diets to be effective in treating the symptoms of autism or ASD.

Only 9 boys on casein-free diets were available to participate in the study, Dr. Hediger said. When conducting a scientific study, it’s easier to obtain statistically valid results by studying a larger number of individuals than with a smaller number of individuals. However, the dramatic difference in the boys’ bone thickness when they were either on a casein-free diet or an unrestricted diet and when compared to normally developing bones strongly suggest that the bone thinning the researchers observed was statistically valid.

The researchers recommended that larger studies be conducted to confirm their results.

Until those studies can be conducted, Dr. Hediger offered the following advice: “Our study shows that it couldn’t hurt — and would probably help — if parents of children with autism or autism spectrum disorder consulted with a dietitian during their children’s routine medical care to make sure that their diets are balanced.”

General information about autism and ASD is available from the NICHD’s Web site, at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications/pubs/autism/overview/index.cfm.

The NICHD sponsors research on development, before and after birth; maternal, child, and family health; reproductive biology and population issues; and medical rehabilitation. For more information, visit the Institute’s Web site at http://www.nichd.nih.gov/.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation’s Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

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By Amy Lennard Goehner,
Time Magazine, Dec. 24, 2007
A few months ago, I took my sons to buy shoes. Nate is 14 and autistic. Joey is 8 and “typical.” And I’m the parent — most of the time. Before we got to the store, Joey said to me, “If Nate has a tantrum, I can handle him. You just focus on buying shoes. I’m better at handling tantrums than you. Sometimes you just yell and it makes things worse. No offense.”
None taken. He’s absolutely right.
The “typically developing” siblings of autistic children are, in fact, the furthest thing from typical. Often, they are wiser and more mature than their age would suggest. And they have to be, given the myriad challenges they face: parental responsibility; a feeling of isolation from the rest of their family; confusion, fear, anger and embarrassment about their autistic sibling. And on top of all of it, guilt for having these feelings.
As their parents, there’s a lot we can do to help. For starters, we can educate them early on, by explaining their sibling’s disorder — a conversation that should be ongoing. Dr. Raun Melmed, co-founder and medical director of the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center in Phoenix, suggests including non-autistic children in visits to the doctor or other autism professionals. Early intervention doesn’t have to be “thought of as being geared only to the involved child,” Melmed says. In his office, Melmed reassures siblings that “other brothers and sisters have negative and confusing thoughts about their [autistic] siblings. That is common.” He also instructs parents to reaffirm that message at home. “Parents need only acknowledge to their healthy children that they know what they are going through and that negative feelings are normal,” he says.
A great way for kids to feel “normal” is to meet other siblings of autistic children, which they can do at sibling workshops. At the Kennedy Krieger Institute for children with developmental disabilities in Baltimore, social worker Mary Snyder-Vogel runs a program called Sibshops. “The workshops give these kids the opportunity to realize they’re not alone,” Snyder-Vogel says. “[We play] a lot of games that help them interact and problem-solve with peers. Kids don’t even realize they’re getting support.”
At a recent Sibfun workshop at the Jewish Community Center on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, therapists used puppet shows to illustrate issues that are common among siblings of special-needs kids. When asked what they thought the puppets were feeling, the children in the audience needed no prompting, immediately shouting out words like sad, disappointed and jealous.
Siblings will commonly have negative feelings — some might never connect or want to connect with their autistic siblings — but the good news is that typical siblings often turn out to be more compassionate and caring than average. “These siblings have seen what it’s like to have a hard time in life,” says Sandra Harris, executive director of Rutgers University’s Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center, a program for people with autism spectrum disorders and their families, and author of Siblings of Children with Autism: A Guide for Families (Woodbine House).
There are many other, more specific challenges that affect siblings of special-needs kids — and many of them apply to sibling relationships of every kind. Here are some of the issues that most frequently confront typical siblings — and their families — with advice from professionals.

Challenge #1: “Why won’t he play with me?”

For younger siblings of autistic children, one of their first doses of reality usually comes when their older brother or sister won’t play. “The child on the [autism] spectrum may seem indifferent or have a meltdown when the sibling tries to interact,” says Rutgers’ Harris.

Seven-year-old Adam, whose autistic brother Jacob is 11, says, “I can’t really play games with Jacob like I can with my cousin Eric [also 11]. Jacob likes to play games on the computer — but by himself, not with me. He gets too angry if he loses and then doesn’t want to play.” Adam’s father, Paul, says soberly, “I’m sure Eric represents the brother Adam might have had.”

Solution: Find common ground

Parents can start by telling the typical sibling that his brother or sister “is doing the best he can, and here are some things you can do with him,” says Judy Levy, director of social work at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. “Maybe in the future he’ll be able to learn to play with you in other ways, but right now this is what he can do.”

Harris encourages parents to “find ways in which the siblings can relate [or] share an interest.” That can be something very simple, as Elliot learned at an early age. “It turns out my brothers [Benjamin and Aaron] are really ticklish,” says Elliot. “Tickling was a good way to bond with them, and for them to show affection back by laughing and wanting it again.” (And again and again — and again.)

Challenge #2: “It’s not fair!”

Every parent has heard his or her child say, “It’s not fair!” But for families with autistic and typical siblings, “not fair” is the reality, when it comes to one child being treated differently from the other. Martin Bounds has one autistic child, Charlie, 13, and one typical child, Alex, 15, about whom Bounds says, “He’d get very upset when he would bump his knee or complain of feeling sick. He thought we weren’t sufficiently concerned about him, in the spirit of ‘I could be over here dying, and all you care about is Charlie.’”

That may be overstatement, but such sentiments often stem from legitimate gripes. Bounds recalls when he and his wife attended an important fund-raiser for Charlie three years ago, on the same day Alex rode in an annual bike race. “Alex won the race for his age group and was really upset when we were not there to greet him at the finish line,” says Bounds. “As much as you try to balance schedules, as parents of an autistic child, you have to basically accept that you are going to have moments when you feel you have cheated your other children, and those moments are awful.”

Solution: Create special time

Harris urges parents to set aside alone-time with their typical kids every week. “Private time can even [include] riding in the car to pick up the laundry,” she says, “but since [the child is] with Daddy, [he or she is] the focus of his attention.”

Some kids, like Elliot, develop new hobbies as a way to spend time with a parent. “Gardening was something I could do with just my mom — it was never easy to get my mom to myself,” he says. Elliot began gardening five years ago; he’s now a junior judge at flower shows and grows about 330 varieties at home, including the 170 seedlings he has hybridized.

For single parents, however, eking out one-on-one time can be a daunting task. As a widowed mom, I know firsthand — we do the best we can with the time we have. Single dad Ron Barth says his autistic 9-year-old, Daniel, “dominates everything, so I have to make special moments with Nicole [age 15], like taking her shopping — without Daniel.” But, says Barth, “There aren’t enough of those moments.”

Challenge #3: “I’m scared!”

Some autistic children are aggressive, which can be scary and dangerous, especially for younger kids. And parents can’t possibly keep an eye on their kids every second — which is about the amount of time it took for one child I interviewed to get squirted in the eyes with Windex by her younger autistic brother. (She survived just fine.) Even my son Nate, who isn’t aggressive but is twice the size of Joey, often hugs Joey — tight. Very tight. Around the neck. When Joey yells “MOM!” I’ve learned to tell the difference between Mom, can you help me find my Gameboy? and MOM, he’s choking me!

Solution: Find a safe haven

“I tell parents to have a ’safe place,’ usually the child’s room, where the typical child can go while an adult handles the behavior problem,” says Harris. “Then, as soon as they can, the parents should comfort the typical child and help him or her understand what happened.”

Harris also suggests that parents develop an “intervention plan” to teach the child with autism alternate behaviors — such as asking to be left alone, or using words, cards or a special gesture — when he or she feels upset. “Kids with autism can learn to go their room, sit in a beanbag chair, or do something else that helps them calm themselves,” says Harris.

Challenge #4: “He’s so embarrassing!”

It’s common for siblings to feel embarrassed by their autistic brother or sister’s behavior in public, or to be reluctant to bring their friends home. Kelly Reynolds, 21, says it can be difficult introducing her autistic brother, Will, to her friends: “It’s hard to have a young child in an older kid’s body. [Will] may go up to one of my girlfriends and sit on her on the couch — which probably would have been cute when he was five years old but he’s 17 now,” Reynolds says. “That can be hard because you can tell when someone feels awkward or scared or thrown off.”

Solution: Encourage honesty — and laugh

“Interestingly, a lot of these [typical sibs] are more outspoken,” says Levy of the Kennedy Krieger Institute. “They’ll go up to people and say, ‘Yes, that’s my brother. He has special needs. Do you have any questions?’”

My son Joey is one of those kids. When he was 6, we were at a bus stop when Nate started jumping up and down and making weird noises — just being Nate. When Joey’s friend started making fun of Nate, Joey got right in her face and said, “Do NOT make fun of my brother again! Everybody learns differently.” They were my words coming from Joey’s mouth.

Several parents I interviewed said a sense of humor is key. “Your typical child can see the humor in the actions of his autistic siblings,” says Bounds, father to Charlie and Alex. “It’s okay to talk about his or her ‘weird brother’ in a way that signals that you both know this isn’t normal.”

When Nate does something bizarre in public, which is just about whenever he’s in public, Joey and I often give each other an Oh, my God! look and roll our eyes, which sort of says, “We’re in this together.”

Challenge #5: “I feel like the parent.”

Angela Bryan-Brown, 15, says she often feels like a parent to her 14-year-old brother Alasdair. “You don’t have a choice,” says Angie. “You’ve got to help out, and your parents can only do so much. They’re so stressed out.” Angie’s mom Florie Seery refers to Angie as “the third parent in the house” and “an old soul,” a phrase I’ve heard often from other parents.

Elliot says of his siblings’ disorder: “Even though I’m four years younger, it places me in the position of being the older brother. ”

Solution: Let sibs be children too

“It’s a challenge for children to feel that sense of responsibility for their sibling,” says Harris. “A wise parent works hard to temper that and to make the responsibilities fitting to the age of the siblings. An older sister can keep her brother entertained for half an hour because an older sister would typically do that to help out — but she’s not a parent.”

For young siblings, Harris suggests counseling them: “‘It’s wonderful to care about your brother, but you’re my little boy too. Because your brother has trouble learning sometimes, he might need help from you, but you’re not his mommy or daddy. We will take care of him when he needs help.’ That kind of message reaffirms one’s love and lifts that burden.”

Challenge #6: The holidays

“Attending loud, busy social gatherings with new sights, sounds, smells, intrusive relatives and strange places overwhelms the best of us, let alone those with sensitive sensory systems,” says Dr. Raun Melmed of the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center. “Of course, when the child gets overwhelmed and melts down, so do the siblings and parents.”

“In short, holidays suck, especially the ones you spend outside your own home,” says dad, Bounds. “They’re full of the most dreaded thing in an autistic life — unstructured time. People get together with relatives and friends and talk — which is sort of hard to do when your child has your sister-in-law’s cat by the throat and is about to put him in the food processor.”

Solution: Ask family members to help

Harris suggests that parents “create a rotating team of adults. Each person spends a half-hour with the child, so that parents and siblings aren’t trapped, and the child doesn’t have to be exposed to the chaos of the party. Cousins and aunts can take a turn.”

Siblings, however, should be spared. “The typically developing kid wants the holiday to come. She’s off from school, she’s getting her present and she can’t really enjoy that” if she’s expected to take care of her autistic brother or sister, says social worker Snyder-Vogel.

Challenge #7: In adulthood, the sibs will become “parents”

Someday, inevitably, the sibling of an autistic child will most likely take on the role of guardian and advocate. “You’re basically at some point going to be their parent,” says Kelly Reynolds, 21. “Anyone I want to marry has to take that into account. In some ways you kind of feel like you already have a kid. … For me, it’s kind of a deal-breaker when someone can’t really get along with my brother. He’s such a big part of my life.”

Solution: Discuss future plans with adult children

Parents should talk about financial plans and any care arrangements that have been made, once typical siblings are old enough, says Harris in a recent article for the Autism Society of America. But this isn’t a discussion to initiate with younger children — unless they bring the topic up on their own.

Many of the children I interviewed showed deep concern for their autistic brothers and sisters. And nearly all of the professionals and doctors I talked with said that a disproportionate number of their students and residents were siblings of people with autism. “I’m very interested in trying to help find a cure,” says 15-year-old Elliot, who closely follows news about the disorder. “I’d just like to get a neat little pill someday for my siblings that they can pop in with their apple juice and hopefully be normal.”

Here is a direct link to the article..

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A website which lists the best places to live for those with Autism and in need of services, tolerance, acceptance and more. Its been a challenge to find good information on this topic. If you know of a good resource for this, please let us know. Is there a Best Place at all?If you want to share tips on where you live or in general, please post comments or send an email.

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And this will seem to explain why for some its a stomach and diet issue, for others cellular and for still others more cerebral symptoms.

Again, another connection to Meditating and insight form the Dali Lama.
Story By Jamie Talan.
It used to be dogma that the brain was shut away from the actions of the immune system, shielded from the outside forces of nature. But
that’s not how it is at all. In fact, thanks to the scientific detective work of Kevin Tracey, MD, it turns out that the brain talks
directly to the immune system, sending commands that control the body’s inflammatory response to infection and autoimmune diseases.
Understanding the intimate relationship is leading to a novel way to treat diseases triggered by a dangerous inflammatory response.
Dr. Tracey, director and chief executive of The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, will be giving the 2007 Stetten
Lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. His talk – Physiology and Immunology of the Cholinergic
Anti-inflammatory Pathway – will highlight the discoveries made in his laboratory and the clinical trials underway to test the theory that
stimulation of the vagus nerve could block a rogue inflammatory response and treat a number of diseases, including life-threatening
sepsis.
With this new understanding of the vagus nerve’s role in regulating inflammation, scientists believe that they can tap into the
body’s natural healing defenses and calm the sepsis storm before it wipes out its victims.
Each year, 750,000 people in the United States develop severe sepsis, and 215,000 will die no matter how hard doctors fight to save them.
Sepsis is triggered by the body’s own overpowering immune response to a systemic infection, and hospitals are the battlegrounds for these
potentially lethal conditions.
The vagus nerve is located in the brainstem and snakes down from the brain to the heart and on through to the abdomen. Dr. Tracey and
others are now studying ways of altering the brain’s response or targeting the immune system itself as a way to control diseases.
Dr. Tracey is a neurosurgeon who came into research through the back door of the operating room. More than two decades ago, he was
treating a young girl whose body had been accidentally scorched by boiling water and she was fighting for her life to overcome sepsis. She didn’t make it.

Dr. Tracey headed into the laboratory to figure out why the body makes its own cells that can do fatal damage. Dr. Tracey discovered that the
vagus nerve speaks directly to the immune system through a neurochemical called acetylcholine. And stimulating the vagus nerve
sent commands to the immune system to stop pumping out toxic inflammatory markers. “This was so surprising to us,” said Dr. Tracey,
who immediately saw the potential to use vagus stimulation as a way to shut off abnormal immune system responses.
He calls this network “the inflammatory reflex.” Research is now underway to see whether tweaking the brain’s acetylcholine system could be a natural way to control the inflammatory response. Inflammation is key to many diseases – from autoimmune conditions like Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis to Alzheimer’s, where scientists have identified a strong inflammatory component.
Dr. Tracey has presented his work to the Dalai Lama, who has shown a great interest in the neurosciences and the mind-body
connection. He has also written a book called “Fatal Sequence,” about the double-edge sword of the immune system.

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By Charles Bankhead, Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
August 30, 2007
add your knowledge 1 Add Your Knowledge™ Post     Additional Autism Coverage

BRISTOL, England, Aug. 30 — Autistic children have an impaired ability to place unfamiliar faces in memory, possibly explaining some of the social difficulties associated with the disorder, investigators here concluded.

Keep In Mind

* This study shows that children with autism appear to have a reduced ability to adapt mentally to faces that differ substantially from familiar faces.

* This study suggests that reduced facial recognition abilities might be related to social problems associated with autism.

* Note that the findings are based on a small number of patients.

Specifically, children with autism have difficulty with face identity aftereffect, the ability to fix in memory faces that are polar opposites of familiar faces, Elizabeth Pellicano, Ph.D., of the University of Bristol, and colleagues, reported online and in the September issue of Current Biology.

The human brain seemingly has the ability to encode new faces in a “face space,” Dr. Pellicano explained. Average or typical faces are in the center of the space. More distinctive faces lie toward the periphery, making them easier to distinguish from faces that are closer to average.

In people with normal face recognition abilities, she continued, the brain automatically places a new face in the face space on the basis of deviations from the average.

“The really neat bit is that the precise characteristics of what constitutes an average face are continuously updated based on our experiences in looking at other people,” said Dr. Pellicano.

In the current study, the face identity aftereffect capabilities of 14 high-functioning boys with autism spectrum disorder were compared with those of 15 age- and ability-matched nonautistic boys (mean age about 11 years in both groups).

Scores on standardized tests showed the two groups had similar verbal and nonverbal abilities, but they differed significantly on the Social Communication Questionnaire (P<0.001).

The study participants were introduced to the faces of “Dan” and “Jim,” who were described as “team captains.” The boys then viewed computer-generated faces that resembled Dan or Jim to varying degrees. The two groups of boys demonstrated similar ability to place the new faces on Dan’s or Jim’s team.

The boys then viewed computer-generated faces that had features that were opposite those of Dan or Jim. After viewing these distinctly different faces, the normal boys substantially improved their ability to place faces that resembled Dan or Jim on the correct team. In contrast, the autistic boys showed little improvement in their aftereffect abilities (P<0.05 versus the normal group).

In the group of autistic boys, aftereffect scores had a significant correlation with Social Communication Questionnaire scores (r= -0.60, P<0.05). For the typically developing boys no significant correlation existed between aftereffect and the communication scores.

Dr. Pellicano and colleagues examined a subgroup of nine autistic boys with high social communication scores associated with more symptoms related to socialization, communication, and restrictive/repetitive interests. The boys’ aftereffect was about one-third that of the typically developing boys (P<0.01).

Because the normal and autistic groups demonstrated similar precision for recognizing Dan-like and Jim-like faces, the investigators ruled out poor identification performance or task motivation as the cause of reduced aftereffect in the boys with autism. Moreover, the boys inspected the faces with a similar degree of intensity.

“Reduced attention to the adapting faces could potentially contribute to the weaker aftereffect in autism, and we see the relationship between adaptation and attention as a promising direction for future research,” the authors stated.

Although face-reading difficulties might contribute to the social problems characteristic of autism, an early lack of interest in social phenomena could contribute to development of atypical face-coding mechanisms, they added.

The authors had no disclosures. The study was supported by the Australian Research Council and the Experimental Psychology Society of England.
Additional Autism Coverage

Primary source: Current Biology
Source reference:
Pellicano E et al. “Abnormal adaptive face-coding mechanisms in children with autism spectrum disorder.” Curr Biol 2007; 17: 1508-1512.

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By Neil Osterweil, Senior Associate Editor, MedPage Today
Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
September 06, 2007

DALLAS, Sept. 6 — Clues into how autism spectrum disorders work may emerge from mice with a mutation that makes them socially awkward but enhances cognitive abilities.

Points to Consider

* The research described here was conducted only in mice, and that it is not known whether the same findings apply to people.

* The genetic mutation the authors described is seen in only a small percentage of people with autism spectrum disorders.

Transgenic mice with a mutation in the gene encoding for neuroligin-3, a synaptic cellular adhesion molecule, showed both social impairment and enhanced spatial learning abilities, a mix typical of some patients with autism, Asperger’s syndrome, or related conditions, reported Thomas C. Südhof, M.D., of the University of Texas Southwestern here, and colleagues.

The behavioral changes the investigators observed in the mice were accompanied by increases of inhibitory synaptic transmission but not excitatory transmission, the authors reported online in Science Express, the rapid online version of Science.

“Our data strongly support the notion that a change in the inhibitory-excitatory balance contributes to the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders,” they wrote.

If it can be shown that the mouse model accurately mimics the pathology of autism, it would suggest the possibility of treating some forms of autism spectrum disorders with therapies that can attenuate inhibitory synaptic transmission, the investigators said.

To see whether autism may be caused by an imbalance in synaptic circuits, the authors bred mice with an R451C-substitution in the gene encoding for neuroligin-3. A related mutation in humans is associated with familial idiopathic autism.

The investigators also bred a line of neuroligin-3 knockout mice for comparison purposes. They found that both murine strains appeared to be physically normal and had normal life spans.

The genetic substitution resulted in about a 90% reduction in neurologin-3 in the forebrain, and the deletion of the gene results in complete absence of the cellular adhesion molecule. However, mice with the R451C-substitution had an increase in the strength of inhibitory synaptic impulses, whereas the knockout mice did not. There were no significant changes in excitatory synaptic transmission.

The investigators then looked at the behaviors of the animals with the gene substitution to see whether the changes in synaptic transmission translated into changes in social behavior.

They found that the R451C-substitution mice were no different from wild-type controls in the time they spent examining a new inanimate object in their cages. But when a new caged adult mouse was introduced, they showed a small but significant decrease in interaction times compared with wild-type mice.

Although the neuroligin-3 deficient mice had social deficits, they appeared to have enhanced spatial memory, taking fewer days to learn the location of the submerged platform in a swim test, and finding the platform location nearly twice as often as controls.

“This combination of electrophysiological and behavioral effects is quite remarkable,” Dr. Südhof said. “It was also significant that these mice did not exhibit any other impairment of nervous system function — there was no abnormal locomotor activity or motor coordination, for example. This was a selective change, with social impairment on the one hand, yet cognitive enhancement on the other.”

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I have to tell you, I’ve been skeptical of plastic for the past 5 years and 9 months. I often look at what was around when I was a kid versus today and it comes down to cell phones, computers and plastic everything. I never drank from a plastic cup as a child and today kids barely know what a glass is. And who knows how many plastic bottles of Poland Spring or Gatorade I have consumed this week alone, let alone the past 15 years or so.

Ask a vet and they will tell you, feed your pet from stainless steel or glass as plastic harbors germs and will cause a rash around the pets mouth. If you ever have had a pet with this problem, you know a switch to a stainless steel or glass bowl and shazaam, the rash disappears rather quickly. So why is it different for humans? Simple, lobbyists who fight for company’s such as DuPont and Union Carbide, who have been poisoning the people of this planet for decades to just make another buck of profit.

Although this report shows there is reason for some concern with BPA to Human Development, it downplays the connection. It should also be noted that the study is based only upon oral contact with the chemical, injections are a much better measure of how it would affect an unborn fetus. Here is a link to the study..

Plastics Chemical of ‘Some Concern’ for Fetal, Child Health
08.08.07, 12:00 AM ET

WEDNESDAY, August 8 (HealthDay News) — Bisphenol A, a chemical found in many plastics and resins, may present some risk to a developing fetus and children, a U.S. government panel concluded Wednesday.

Experts convened by the U.S. Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR), part of the National Toxicology Program, unanimously concluded that exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) presents some risk to human development and reproduction.

BPA is chemical used in the production of polycarbonate plastic and several types of resins. It is found in products used everyday such as compact discs, DVDs, baby bottles and other food and drink packaging. It is also commonly found in cars, sports safety equipment and water pipes.

“The panel’s finding means that we cannot dismiss the fact that exposure to this substance may be causing effects on reproductive health,” CERHR Director Michael D. Shelby said.

However, “It’s going to take more research to verify what those effects are,” he said.

Animal experiments have suggested that BPA may mimic the female sex hormone estradiol. The fear has been that exposure to BPA can cause birth defects and developmental problems.

In addition, exposure to BPA has been blamed for a variety of other problems, including cancer, diabetes, obesity and attention deficit disorder.

Exposure to BPA can occur through direct contact or by exposure to food or drink that has been in contact with material containing BPA.

“The conclusions of the expert panel are expressed in levels of concern,” Shelby explained. The lowest level is “negligible concern,” followed by “minimal concern,” then “some concern,” “concern” and then “serious concern,” he said.

The panel found “some concern” that exposure to BPA causes neural and behavioral effects to the fetus. The panel members expressed “minimal concern” that exposure to BPA causes effects to the fetal prostate or that exposure causes an acceleration of puberty, Shelby said.

The panel also said there was “negligible concern” that the chemical causes birth defects and malformations.

However, the panel expressed “some concern” that BPA exposure causes neural and behavioral effects in children, Shelby said. It also said it had “minimal concern” that BPA would cause children to experience accelerations in puberty.

For adults, the panel found “negligible concern” that there would be adverse reproductive effects following exposure to BPA. In addition, it had “minimal concern” for people exposed to BPA at work, Shelby said.

The panel did recommend that studies be done that would remove the uncertainties in some of its conclusions, or raise or lower the level of concern it had expressed, based on the data available, Shelby said.

The committee’s report is not without its critics.

“If I were a committee member, I wouldn’t sign off on this broken report,” said Jennifer Sass, senior scientist for the Health and Environment Program at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an advocacy group.

“Harmful effects in laboratory animals exposed to even the low levels of BPA that are commonly found in the blood and urine of Americans include an increase in prostate and breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, reproductive abnormalities, reduced semen quality, recurrent miscarriage, obesity, and neurobehavioral problems similar to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,” she said in a prepared statement.

The biggest problem with the report is the decision to limit the review to oral-dose studies, primarily the industry-sponsored studies, and not injection studies, the council said.

“This means they failed to include evidentiary science of the full range of risks to unborn fetuses, who receive BPA through the contaminated blood circulation, irrespective of the pregnant mothers route of exposure,” the group stated.

Reports from the National Toxicology Program are used by state and federal regulators to establish exposure standards, and are a resource for regulatory agencies to allocate resources toward most effective strategies to protect human health, the council noted.

A chemical industry representative took another view.

“What we saw today was a triumph of solid science,” said Steven Hentges, executive director of the Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group of the American Chemistry Council, which represents chemical manufacturers. “The panel of experts came up with what is really a very reassuring conclusion on the safety of BPA,” he said.

Hentges believes more research is needed in areas where the panel found “some concern.”

“Based on the science we do not think that additional regulation is needed,” he said. “The products in use today are safe.”

More information

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COLD SPRING HARBOR, N.Y., July 26 – Autism, a developmental disorder, may more likely be carried by mothers and dependent on parental age, according to U.S. researchers.

Researchers at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Albert Einstein College of Medicine analyzing the incidence of autism found a previously unrecognized pattern pointing to a spontaneous germ-line mutation model of disease acquisition.

The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicates parents, especially women — who acquire the mutation but do not exhibit severe symptoms of the disorder — have a 50 percent chance of passing the mutation on to their children. Sons often show the most severe symptoms.

“The fact that germ-line mutations increase with age places older parents at a higher risk of having children with autism, explaining a pattern that has been recently observed,” study co-author Michael Wigler, of CSHL, said in a statement.

The model proposes two risk classes. One is sporadic or low risk autism — the more common form — caused by spontaneous germ-line mutation. The children, mostly female, who receive such a mutation but do not display the disorder, are the source of the other risk class — high risk families. Boys in high risk families may account for a quarter of autism. according to the study.

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NEW HAVEN, Conn., June 8 (UPI) — U.S. researchers have identified a new regulatory target for the Fragile X mental retardation protein, laying the groundwork for possible new treatments.

Fragile X syndrome, or FXS, is the leading inherited form of mental retardation.

The findings, published in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also have implications for autism, which shares a common physiological pathway with FXS, according to researchers at the Yale School of Medicine.

The research team, led by Dr. Yingqun Huang, previously found that FMRP — a protein without which brain development is hampered and nerve cells cannot communicate with each other — interacts with nuclear mRNA export protein NXF2 in the mouse brain and testes.

“Our findings explain why the NXF1 protein level is much lower in the hippocampal — brain — neurons involved in learning and memory than in many other cells,” Huang said in a statement.

“This may suggest that a high level of NXF1 might hinder the function of these cells.”

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We have often thought about the link between technology and Autism’s rise. Computers and cellphones, their growth and prevalence mirrors that of Autism diagnosis. This is the first of hopefully more looks into this area.

       A new report is claiming to have found a link between the rise in autism in the USA, and the rise of the use of wireless technologies,specifically mobile phones. Tamara Mariea, founder of Internal Balance, is releasing findings from more than five years of research on clients with autism, and other membrane sensitivity disorders which claims electromagnetic radiation stress is one of the potentially major root causes of the explosion of autistic cases in the past two decades.

      People who visit the Internal Balance clinic are “detoxed” in an electromagnetic radiation clean environment.

In simple terms, Mariea explains to parents struggling to help their children that what her research is pointing to is with more cell phone towers being erected, more cell phones in use globally and more WiFi technology utilized, the risk for autism continues to rise. She says that Thimerosal – the mercury containing preservative in scheduled children’s  vaccines – has for the most part been eliminated from regularly scheduled childhood vaccines, according to public record and that the incidence of autism should be decreasing based on progress made in that area in recent years. But, it is not decreasing, she says. This is where Mariea and Dr. Carlo began to collaborate in the search to find what the larger contributor to the increase in autism is.

      They say that the epidemiologic curve of autism parallels too closely with the increase usage of wireless devices to not look at it. Mariea’s soon to be published paper will include her research which explores electromagnetic radiation as a cohort effect with heavy metals as a strong component of the etiology of autism.

      We shall have to wait and see if the report has any credible findings when it is published.

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By no means is this anything final, but here are Eleven helpful lessons for you and your children.

Recognize what can and can’t be changed in your children.

Challenge children but don’t bore or overwhelm them, keep them engaged in you and your message.

Instill a can do attitude were the only limit is the one they impose on themselves – Sky’s the Limit.

Keep in mind it is more important for children to learn what questions to ask and how to properly ask them, than knowing the answers to the questions.

Help your child discover what excites them and what they like. WARNING, this may not be in line with what YOU like to do.

Encourage children to take risks, where it makes sense.

Teach your children to be accountable for themselves in both failure and success.

Help your child learn patience by delaying gratification and being able to wait for rewards.

Teach you child to look at things from another person point of view or perspective.

Its the quality of your interactions and the nature of their experiences, not the amount of money you spend on them that matters most.

Be consistent with them and understand that every interaction is an opportunity to learn.

Some of these ideas are expressed in the Book, “The Handbook of Parenting, 2nd Edition” Lawrence Erlbaum Assoc. Publishers, 2003.

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The first part of this video looks like a bunch of nonsense to anyone who has not been around an autistic person-although it is is getting harder to not be around or have some interaction with an “A” person today (1 n 166 have “A” to some degree), but the second part shows the intelligence of this person and some of the first insight into the thought process of an “A” person. Seems they use any and all senses- touch, smell, taste, hearing and sight to full interact with their surroundings. The hardest part of this video is when one comes to the realization that there are some very smart and caring people being institutionalized because they do not conform to the norms of society. You know there was a concert series in NYC a few years back called the dysfunctional family picnic, it was always funny to me as in my view dysfunctional is the new norm in society.

scottie90210 (1 day ago)
thank you so much for makeing this video you have helped me to understand something that i was so confused about now when other people look at my cousin they will think well she is communicating in her own way and that is great this video has inspired me to help autistic people that you again for makeing this video.

LunaSlave (1 day ago)
human rights are for all – no matter their percieved cognitive ability, or their ethnic origins, or gender, or any other factor we might use to arbitrarily divide the human community at one point in history or another. you reinforce that point beautifully and with incredible articulation (in both languages you speak) i want to thank you so much for taking the time and effort making this video.

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