Federal court puts further burden on special-ed families

Wednesday, January 25, 2006
By John Mooney
Star-Ledger Staff

In the ongoing tug-of-war between parents and schools over how children with disabilities are educated, New Jersey districts won an important legal round this week.

The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday in favor of the Ramsey district in a dispute over the schooling of a 7-year-old boy with autism, saying his family failed to prove the district's plan was inappropriate.

For hundreds of special education disputes that reach court each year in New Jersey, the decision to place the burden of proof on the family was critical.

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http://www.nj.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news-2/113816963060910.xml?starledger?nnj&coll=1

For information, resources and practical strategies visit: www.AutismConcepts.com.

Autism Up; Schools Stressed

Schools scrambling to fill special needs
By Sue Doyle, Daily News

As the number of children diagnosed with autism continues to climb nationwide, public school districts are finding it hard to keep keep pace with some of their classroom needs, in particular with providing enough speech pathologists to serve them.

Today autistic children make up more than one-third of the special education population, according to the California Department of Education. California guarantees special education services for autistic children, who traditionally have communication troubles that can range from being completely nonverbal to other limited language usage.

But even as school officials search from New York to New Mexico for hires, they're finding it extremely challenging to meet classroom demands. Many are wondering why.

Full article available at: http://www.dailynews.com/santaclarita/ci_3383639


For information, resources and practical strategies on autism,
visit: www.AutismConcepts.com.

Study: Children with ASD and Hyperactivity may benefit from drugs commonly used to treat ADHD

According to a study published in the November 2005 Archives of General Psychiatry, children with autism who show hyperactivity symptoms may benefit from drugs commonly used to treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADHD. A study of 72 children between the ages of five and 14 diagnosed with persuasive developmental disorders together with hyperactivity, was performed by group of American researchers. Nearly half of the hyperactive children with autism in the study responded to treatment with methylphenidate, a commonly prescribed ADHD drug i.e. Ritalin. However, the authors observed that 13 of 72 children in the study group stopped using the medication due to side effects. The research group also stated "the magnitude of response was less than that seen in typically developing children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder."

Abstract
Randomized, Controlled, Crossover Trial of Methylphenidate in PervasiveDevelopmental Disorders With Hyperactivity Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology (RUPP) Autism Network ArchGen Psychiatry. 2005;62:1266-1274.

Context Hyperactivity and inattention are common symptoms in childrenwith autistic disorder and related pervasive developmental disorders, butstudies of stimulants in these conditions have been inconclusive.

Objectives To determine the efficacy and safety of methylphenidate hydrochloride in children with pervasive developmental disorders and hyperactivity.

Design Double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial followed by open-label continuation.

Setting Five academic outpatient clinics.

Participants Seventy-two drug-free children, aged 5 to 14 years, with pervasive developmental disorders accompanied by moderate to severe hyperactivity.

Interventions Prior to randomization, subjects entered a 1-week test-dose phase in which each subject received placebo for 1 day followed by increasing doses of methylphenidate (low, medium, and high doses) that were each given for 2 days. The low, medium, and high doses of methylphenidate hydrochloride were based on weight, and they ranged from 7.5 mg/d to 50.0mg/d in divided doses. Subjects who tolerated the test dose (n = 66) were assigned to receive placebo for 1 week and then 3 methylphenidate doses in random order during a double-blind, crossover phase. Children responding to methylphenidate then entered 8 weeks of open-label treatment at thei ndividually determined best dose.

Main Outcome Measures The primary outcome measure was the teacher-rated hyperactivity subscale of the Aberrant Behavior Checklist. Response was defined as "much improved" or "very much improved" on the Clinical Global Impressions Improvement item coupled with considerable reductions in the parent-rated and/or teacher-rated Aberrant Behavior Checklist hyperactivity subscale score.

Results Methylphenidate was superior to placebo on the primary outcome measure, with effect sizes ranging from 0.20 to 0.54 depending on dose and rater. Thirty-five (49%) of 72 enrolled subjects were classified as methylphenidate responders. Adverse effects led to the discontinuation of study medication in 13 (18%) of 72 subjects.

Conclusions Methylphenidate was often efficacious in treating hyperactivity associated with pervasive developmental disorders, but the magnitude of response was less than that seen in typically developing children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Adverse effects weremore frequent.

Research Units on Pediatric Psychopharmacology (RUPP) Autism NetworkParticipants: Michael G. Aman, PhD, (principal investigator)

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit: www.AutismConcepts.com.

Study: University of Texas Study Ties Mercury to Autism

1: Health Place. 2006 Jun;12(2):203-9.

Environmental mercury release, special education rates, and autism disorder: an ecological study of Texas.

Palmer RF, Blanchard S, Stein Z, Mandell D, Miller C.

University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio Department of Family and Community Medicine, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900, USA.

The association between environmentally released mercury, special education and autism rates in Texas was investigated using data from the Texas Education Department and the United States Environmental Protection Agency. A Poisson regression analysis adjusted for school district population size, economic and demographic factors was used. There was a significant increase in the rates of special education students and autism rates associated with increases in environmentally released mercury. On average, for each 1000lb of environmentally released mercury, there was a 43% increase in the rate of special education services and a 61% increase in the rate of autism. The association between environmentally released mercury and special education rates were fully mediated by increased autism rates. This ecological study suggests the need for further research regarding the association between environmentally released mercury and developmental disorders such as autism. These results have implications for policy planning and cost analysis.

PMID: 16338635 [PubMed - in process]

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism please visit: www.AutismConcepts.com.