Autism Has High Costs to U.S. Society
$35 Billion Per Year to Care for Those Affected
For immediate release: Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Boston, MA – It can cost about $3.2 million to take care of an autistic person over his or her lifetime. Caring for all people with autism over their lifetimes costs an estimated $35 billion per year. Those figures are part of the findings in the first study to comprehensively survey and document the costs of autism to U.S. society. Michael Ganz, Assistant Professor of Society, Human Development, and Health at Harvard School of Public Health, authored the study, which appears in a chapter titled, “The Costs of Autism,” in the newly published book, Understanding Autism: From Basic Neuroscience to Treatment (CRC Press, 2006). Ganz hopes his research will help policymakers allocate scarce resources to its treatment and prevention as well as provide a useful reference for policymakers and advocates to help them more fully understand the financial impact of autism on U.S. society.
Ganz’s analysis of the costs includes direct and indirect medical costs associated with the disorder. But he believes the $35 billion annual societal cost for caring for and treating people with autism likely underestimates the true costs because there are a number of other services that are used to support individuals with autism, such as alternative therapies and other family out-of-pocket expenses, that are difficult to measure. In addition, Ganz believes that the level of cost could be higher if there were more useful and widespread treatment options available. “Given that the federal autism research budget has been historically less than $100 million per year and given that research budgets for other conditions with similar numbers of affected individuals are sometimes orders of magnitude higher, I hope that my research can help focus more attention on directing more resources toward finding prevention and treatment options for autism,” Ganz said. (For comparison purposes, he notes estimated annual costs of other conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease ($91 billion); mental retardation ($51 billion); anxiety ($47 billion); and schizophrenia ($33 billion).)
Autism is a pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) that involves severe deficits in a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others. Children with autism often have trouble using their imagination, have a limited range of interests, and may show repetitive patterns of behavior or body movements. The disorder is often associated with some degree of mental retardation. Autism is the most prevalent PDD and the most common of all serious childhood disorders. It affects an estimated 1.5 million Americans and is increasing at a rate of 10-17 percent each year. It is four times more common in boys than in girls. The exact cause of autism is not known and there is currently no cure for the disorder.
Ganz broke down the total costs of autism into two components: direct and indirect costs. Direct costs include direct medical costs, such as physician and outpatient services, prescription medication, and behavioral therapies (estimated to cost, on average, more than $29,000 per person per year) and direct non-medical costs, such as special education, camps, and child care (estimated to annually cost more than $38,000 for those with lower levels of disability and more than $43,000 for those with higher levels).
Indirect costs equal the value of lost productivity resulting from a person having autism, for example, the difference in potential income between someone with autism and someone without. It also captures the value of lost productivity for an autistic person’s parents. Examples include loss of income due to reduced work hours or not working altogether. Ganz estimates that annual indirect costs for autistic individuals and their parents range from more than $39,000 to nearly $130,000.
Since people with autism receive services from a wide variety of sources, Ganz believes future research efforts should focus on identifying those sources and linking those costs to non-financial data about the burdens of autism. These complementary sources of data can provide a richer picture that will be useful to policymakers in the future to assist them in devoting resources to address the financial and non-financial effects of autism.
Contact:Todd Datz
tdatz@hsph.harvard.edu
(617) 432-3952
Harvard School of Public Health
677 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Harvard School of Public Health is dedicated to advancing the public's health through learning, discovery, and communication. More than 300 faculty members are engaged in teaching and training the 900-plus student body in a broad spectrum of disciplines crucial to the health and well being of individuals and populations around the world. Programs and projects range from the molecular biology of AIDS vaccines to the epidemiology of cancer; from risk analysis to violence prevention; from maternal and children's health to quality of care measurement; from health care management to international health and human rights.
For information, resources and practical strategies visit:
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
www.AutismConcepts.com
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Tutorial, Access To Care For People With Disabilities
Access To Care For People With Disabilities
http://www.kaiseredu.org/tutorials_index.asp#Disabilities
In this new tutorial, Jeff Crowley of Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute provides an overview of policy issues related to accessing health care for people with disabilities. The tutorial provides information on the types and prevalence of disabilities in the U.S., the major health care financing mechanisms, and the interaction of the Medicaid program with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
www.AutismConcepts.com
http://www.kaiseredu.org/tutorials_index.asp#Disabilities
In this new tutorial, Jeff Crowley of Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute provides an overview of policy issues related to accessing health care for people with disabilities. The tutorial provides information on the types and prevalence of disabilities in the U.S., the major health care financing mechanisms, and the interaction of the Medicaid program with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
www.AutismConcepts.com
Autism - Worst Welfare Disaster In History
by Evelyn Pringle
http://www.opednews.com
Scientist and medical experts say that unless the government forces the pharmaceutical industry to pay for the damage caused by mercury-laced vaccines, in the not too distant future, Americans will experience the worst welfare disaster in the history of this country.
No doubt with that in mind, eight members of Congress are calling for a new investigation into the link between the autism epidemic and the mercury-based preservative, thimerosal, that children received in vaccines during the 1990s, and that some children received as late as 2003.
After six years of hearings, and testimony from medical experts, scientists, special education teachers, school nurses, and parents of autistic children, several lawmakers say they are convinced that a review of the vaccine database will show a causal link between autism and thimerosal.
Throughout the 1990s, when thimerosal was most heavily used, the number of children diagnosed with autism reached epidemic proportions. During this period, the levels of mercury that children received were 120 times greater than safety standards set for oral ingestion of mercury in food, according to the lawmakers.
In 1999, public health officials began asking vaccine-makers to eliminate the preservative from childhood vaccines. But seven years later, word got out that the preservative is still in the flu vaccine recently added to the childhood immunization schedule, and parents, medical experts, and scientists are outraged.
In seeking an independent review, the lawmakers basically told the Centers for Disease Control to butt out. They maintain that previous research conducted by the agency is flawed because it "was based on data collected prior to the removal of thimerosal and failed to explicitly compare the outcome of children who received thimerosal-containing vaccines with those who did not," they said.
The group has also criticized the Institute of Medicine for its 2004 public announcement that there is no link between vaccines and autism, because the conclusion for the most part, was based on European studies, when American children had been injected with 75% higher levels of mercury than the European children in the studies were exposed to.
In March 2006, the lawmakers sent a letter to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, asking their agency to conduct a study of the CDC's Vaccine Safety Datalink, which contains records on 7 million children vaccinated since 1990."If the federal government is going to have a study whose results will be broadly accepted, such a study cannot be led by the CDC," the lawmakers wrote in the letter.
Although the debate over the cause of autism may rage on indefinitely, the rising costs to society of caring for and educating the children afflicted with the disorder can not be ignored.
On January 4, 2005, the Government Accountability Office advised the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness Committee on Government Reform, that the average per pupil cost for educating a child with autism was estimated to be over $18,000 during the 1999-2000 school year, the most recent year in which data were available at the time of the report.
That means that six years ago, the GAO's estimate for educating autistic children was nearly 3 times the cost of educating a normal student. The amount of money needed to educate autistic children is the highest per pupil cost for children receiving special ed services.
The epidemic does not discriminate, its happening in every state in the nation, due to the fact that under the mandatory vaccine schedule, children in every state received the same mercury-laced vaccines.
From December 1998 to December 2002, the autism population in California'sDevelopmental Services System nearly doubled and the 97% increase in 4 years did not include children less than 3, persons classified with less common forms of autism, or persons who are suspected of having autism but are not yet diagnosed.
The total number of autistic students served statewide increased from 10,360 in December 1998 to 20,377 in December 2002.
Over the last 6 years, the state of Ohio experienced more than a 1,000%increase in students with autism, with 5,406 reported cases for the 2003-2004 school year, according to the Ohio Legislative Office Of Education Oversight.
This year, the Pennridge School District in Pennsylvania, expects to only receive about $1 million in federal funding, and only $2.8 million from the state, to cover its $11 million special ed budget. This means about 60% ofthe total cost will have to be paid by local taxpayers.
In recent years, the average age of autistic children entering the school system has shifted to much younger children. Under federal law, public schools must provide appropriate education for all children with disabilities, starting at age 3, and many autistic children remain in the system until age 21.
For very young children, the recommendation for early intervention has created an increased demand for more intensive behavioral therapy and educational services in general. However, the federal government only partially reimburses the states for the cost of educating autistic children,even though early intervention means that the services required for each child must now be provided for a much longer period of time.
And on the other hand, as more autistic children reach late adolescence, the need for out-of-home residential services is beginning to have a heavy impact on state budgets.
There is also an increase in public health care costs associated with the growing number of autistic children. For instance, according to state government records, South Carolina has an estimated 2000 children under the age of 18 with autism, and the great majority of these children are eligible for at least some services covered by Medicaid.
During the fiscal year 2005, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, South Carolina paid out more than $20 million for autism care, in large part, because most insurance companies do not cover the high cost of the specific therapies that have been found to be the most successful in treating children with autism.
A group of South Carolina lawmakers are trying to pass a bill that would require private insurers to cover services for all autism patients regardless of age. Industry lobbyist, Larry Marchant says that if passed, the bill would cause the health insurance premiums that individuals or families pay to increase 25%, and would average out to an extra $200 a month for those enrolled in family plans, according to State.com on March 26,2006.
In addition, the financial burden that a disorder like autism takes on families is absolutely devastating. Upon becoming autistic after receiving vaccines at 16 months, Laura Bono says her son, "Jackson's medical and therapy needs began taking every bit of money we had saved or ever would have saved."
"The total we have paid for Jackson's medical, nutritional and private therapy expenses so far," Laura says, "is roughly $685,000 since August 1990."
That amount averages out to well over $50,000 a year.
There is no escaping the fact that the epidemic is having a profound impact on society; not only on autistic children and their families, but on our public health care programs and school systems as well. And, until vaccine-makers are held accountable, taxpayers will continue to carry the full burden.
Evelyn Pringle
evelyn.pringle@sbcglobal.net
Reprinted here with permission.
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
www.AutismConcepts.com
http://www.opednews.com
Scientist and medical experts say that unless the government forces the pharmaceutical industry to pay for the damage caused by mercury-laced vaccines, in the not too distant future, Americans will experience the worst welfare disaster in the history of this country.
No doubt with that in mind, eight members of Congress are calling for a new investigation into the link between the autism epidemic and the mercury-based preservative, thimerosal, that children received in vaccines during the 1990s, and that some children received as late as 2003.
After six years of hearings, and testimony from medical experts, scientists, special education teachers, school nurses, and parents of autistic children, several lawmakers say they are convinced that a review of the vaccine database will show a causal link between autism and thimerosal.
Throughout the 1990s, when thimerosal was most heavily used, the number of children diagnosed with autism reached epidemic proportions. During this period, the levels of mercury that children received were 120 times greater than safety standards set for oral ingestion of mercury in food, according to the lawmakers.
In 1999, public health officials began asking vaccine-makers to eliminate the preservative from childhood vaccines. But seven years later, word got out that the preservative is still in the flu vaccine recently added to the childhood immunization schedule, and parents, medical experts, and scientists are outraged.
In seeking an independent review, the lawmakers basically told the Centers for Disease Control to butt out. They maintain that previous research conducted by the agency is flawed because it "was based on data collected prior to the removal of thimerosal and failed to explicitly compare the outcome of children who received thimerosal-containing vaccines with those who did not," they said.
The group has also criticized the Institute of Medicine for its 2004 public announcement that there is no link between vaccines and autism, because the conclusion for the most part, was based on European studies, when American children had been injected with 75% higher levels of mercury than the European children in the studies were exposed to.
In March 2006, the lawmakers sent a letter to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, asking their agency to conduct a study of the CDC's Vaccine Safety Datalink, which contains records on 7 million children vaccinated since 1990."If the federal government is going to have a study whose results will be broadly accepted, such a study cannot be led by the CDC," the lawmakers wrote in the letter.
Although the debate over the cause of autism may rage on indefinitely, the rising costs to society of caring for and educating the children afflicted with the disorder can not be ignored.
On January 4, 2005, the Government Accountability Office advised the Subcommittee on Human Rights and Wellness Committee on Government Reform, that the average per pupil cost for educating a child with autism was estimated to be over $18,000 during the 1999-2000 school year, the most recent year in which data were available at the time of the report.
That means that six years ago, the GAO's estimate for educating autistic children was nearly 3 times the cost of educating a normal student. The amount of money needed to educate autistic children is the highest per pupil cost for children receiving special ed services.
The epidemic does not discriminate, its happening in every state in the nation, due to the fact that under the mandatory vaccine schedule, children in every state received the same mercury-laced vaccines.
From December 1998 to December 2002, the autism population in California'sDevelopmental Services System nearly doubled and the 97% increase in 4 years did not include children less than 3, persons classified with less common forms of autism, or persons who are suspected of having autism but are not yet diagnosed.
The total number of autistic students served statewide increased from 10,360 in December 1998 to 20,377 in December 2002.
Over the last 6 years, the state of Ohio experienced more than a 1,000%increase in students with autism, with 5,406 reported cases for the 2003-2004 school year, according to the Ohio Legislative Office Of Education Oversight.
This year, the Pennridge School District in Pennsylvania, expects to only receive about $1 million in federal funding, and only $2.8 million from the state, to cover its $11 million special ed budget. This means about 60% ofthe total cost will have to be paid by local taxpayers.
In recent years, the average age of autistic children entering the school system has shifted to much younger children. Under federal law, public schools must provide appropriate education for all children with disabilities, starting at age 3, and many autistic children remain in the system until age 21.
For very young children, the recommendation for early intervention has created an increased demand for more intensive behavioral therapy and educational services in general. However, the federal government only partially reimburses the states for the cost of educating autistic children,even though early intervention means that the services required for each child must now be provided for a much longer period of time.
And on the other hand, as more autistic children reach late adolescence, the need for out-of-home residential services is beginning to have a heavy impact on state budgets.
There is also an increase in public health care costs associated with the growing number of autistic children. For instance, according to state government records, South Carolina has an estimated 2000 children under the age of 18 with autism, and the great majority of these children are eligible for at least some services covered by Medicaid.
During the fiscal year 2005, according to the Department of Health and Human Services, South Carolina paid out more than $20 million for autism care, in large part, because most insurance companies do not cover the high cost of the specific therapies that have been found to be the most successful in treating children with autism.
A group of South Carolina lawmakers are trying to pass a bill that would require private insurers to cover services for all autism patients regardless of age. Industry lobbyist, Larry Marchant says that if passed, the bill would cause the health insurance premiums that individuals or families pay to increase 25%, and would average out to an extra $200 a month for those enrolled in family plans, according to State.com on March 26,2006.
In addition, the financial burden that a disorder like autism takes on families is absolutely devastating. Upon becoming autistic after receiving vaccines at 16 months, Laura Bono says her son, "Jackson's medical and therapy needs began taking every bit of money we had saved or ever would have saved."
"The total we have paid for Jackson's medical, nutritional and private therapy expenses so far," Laura says, "is roughly $685,000 since August 1990."
That amount averages out to well over $50,000 a year.
There is no escaping the fact that the epidemic is having a profound impact on society; not only on autistic children and their families, but on our public health care programs and school systems as well. And, until vaccine-makers are held accountable, taxpayers will continue to carry the full burden.
Evelyn Pringle
evelyn.pringle@sbcglobal.net
Reprinted here with permission.
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
www.AutismConcepts.com
Monday, April 24, 2006
Treatment involves repeated exercises
By Olympia Meola
Times-Dispatch Staff Writer
The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential, celebrating its 50th anniversary, has treated 20,000 children with brain injuries, according to its director, Janet Doman. She said she did not know how many of those children were in Virginia or the Richmond area.
A treatment they employ -- the one used for Zachary Palkovics -- is a tactile stimulation program, she said. The repetition teaches the child how it feels to crawl, or to creep. Patterns of motion are what the brain understands, she said.
"It's a symphony of movement and the coordination of many things," she said. "The brain can't do anything until it feels how it feels."
Excerpt from full article at:
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137835545954&path=%21news&s=1045855934842
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
www.AutismConcepts.com
Times-Dispatch Staff Writer
The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential, celebrating its 50th anniversary, has treated 20,000 children with brain injuries, according to its director, Janet Doman. She said she did not know how many of those children were in Virginia or the Richmond area.
A treatment they employ -- the one used for Zachary Palkovics -- is a tactile stimulation program, she said. The repetition teaches the child how it feels to crawl, or to creep. Patterns of motion are what the brain understands, she said.
"It's a symphony of movement and the coordination of many things," she said. "The brain can't do anything until it feels how it feels."
Excerpt from full article at:
http://www.timesdispatch.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=RTD%2FMGArticle%2FRTD_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1137835545954&path=%21news&s=1045855934842
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
www.AutismConcepts.com
Friday, April 21, 2006
Guardianship News
With thanks to Law Offices of Linda A. Geraci, www.LgeraciLaw.com.
On March 23, 2006, the New York Court of Appeals decided Matter of MB, holding that the Legislature intended to grant existing guardians full health care decision-making authority when it passed the Health Care Decisions Act (HCDA) in March 2003. Thus, guardians appointed prior to the effective date of the HCDA can make health care decisions for mentally retarded persons without having to obtain an amended guardianship order that specifically recognizes their authority as encompassing the power to end life-sustaining treatment. The Appellate Division of the Second Department previously held that the HCDA could not be applied retroactively.
In this case, M.B. was a 42-year-old terminally ill man with Down's Syndrome whose guardian requested the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment. The guardian's request was initially denied, but subsequently granted by the Surrogate's Court based on its interpretation of the retroactivity of the HCDA. This decision clarifies that the HCDA grants guardians the authority to make health care decisions for mentally retarded persons, but it also imposes procedural safeguards intended to protect the interests of the patient. Therefore, if you were appointed guardian prior to March 16, 2003, you are authorized to make health care decisions for your loved one without the need for court involvement.
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Practical ways to help plan and manage daily living with autism.
On March 23, 2006, the New York Court of Appeals decided Matter of MB, holding that the Legislature intended to grant existing guardians full health care decision-making authority when it passed the Health Care Decisions Act (HCDA) in March 2003. Thus, guardians appointed prior to the effective date of the HCDA can make health care decisions for mentally retarded persons without having to obtain an amended guardianship order that specifically recognizes their authority as encompassing the power to end life-sustaining treatment. The Appellate Division of the Second Department previously held that the HCDA could not be applied retroactively.
In this case, M.B. was a 42-year-old terminally ill man with Down's Syndrome whose guardian requested the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment. The guardian's request was initially denied, but subsequently granted by the Surrogate's Court based on its interpretation of the retroactivity of the HCDA. This decision clarifies that the HCDA grants guardians the authority to make health care decisions for mentally retarded persons, but it also imposes procedural safeguards intended to protect the interests of the patient. Therefore, if you were appointed guardian prior to March 16, 2003, you are authorized to make health care decisions for your loved one without the need for court involvement.
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Practical ways to help plan and manage daily living with autism.
Face Reader Bridges Autism Gap
By Eric Smalley for Wired News
You are a mind reader, whether you know it or not. You can tell just by looking at a human face whether the person is concentrating, confused,interested or in agreement with you.But people afflicted by autism lack this ability to ascertainemotional status -- it's one of the signature characteristics of the disease. Help could be on the way for autistic individuals, though: A novel computer-vision system developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology could do the mind reading for those who can't.Two MIT researchers wore tiny cameras mounted on wire rods extending from their chests to demonstrate the Emotional Social Intelligence Prosthetic, or ESP, at the Body Sensor Networks 2006 international workshop at MIT's Media Lab last week. The video cameras captured facial expressions and head movements, then fed the information to a desktop computer that analyzed the data and gave real-time estimates of the individuals' mental states, in the form of color-coded graphs.
The system's software goes beyond tracking simple emotions like sadness and anger to estimate complex mental states like agreeing, disagreeing, thinking, confused, concentrating and interested. The goal is to put this mental state inference engine on a wearable platform and use it to augment or enhance social interactions, said Rana el Kaliouby, a postdoctoral researcher at the Media Lab.
Full article at: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/medtech/1,70655-0.html
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Practical ways to help plan and manage daily living with autism
You are a mind reader, whether you know it or not. You can tell just by looking at a human face whether the person is concentrating, confused,interested or in agreement with you.But people afflicted by autism lack this ability to ascertainemotional status -- it's one of the signature characteristics of the disease. Help could be on the way for autistic individuals, though: A novel computer-vision system developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology could do the mind reading for those who can't.Two MIT researchers wore tiny cameras mounted on wire rods extending from their chests to demonstrate the Emotional Social Intelligence Prosthetic, or ESP, at the Body Sensor Networks 2006 international workshop at MIT's Media Lab last week. The video cameras captured facial expressions and head movements, then fed the information to a desktop computer that analyzed the data and gave real-time estimates of the individuals' mental states, in the form of color-coded graphs.
The system's software goes beyond tracking simple emotions like sadness and anger to estimate complex mental states like agreeing, disagreeing, thinking, confused, concentrating and interested. The goal is to put this mental state inference engine on a wearable platform and use it to augment or enhance social interactions, said Rana el Kaliouby, a postdoctoral researcher at the Media Lab.
Full article at: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/medtech/1,70655-0.html
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Practical ways to help plan and manage daily living with autism
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
20 Parent Tips To A Tantrum-Free Haircut For A Child With Autism
Does your child act out or tantrum during a haircut? As a mother of an adolescent child with autism, I can certainly identify with those of you whose children do not tolerate haircuts very well. This article will hopefully lead to more tantrum-free haircuts.
Check it out at:
http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/haircut.html
For more information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com.
Check it out at:
http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/haircut.html
For more information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Repetitive Self-Injurious Behavior: The Emerging Potential of Psychotropic Intervention
By Rendueles Villalba, M.D., and Colin Harrington, M.D.
Psychiatric Times February 2003 Vol. XX Issue 2
Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is intentional self-directed tissue injury inflicted without conscious intent to kill oneself (Simeon et al., 1992). A provisional nosology, based on the clinical phenomenology of self-injurious behavior, has been developed (Table 1) (Villalba and Harrington, 2000). However, this typology awaits etiological grounding. While a variety of neurotransmitter systems may be involved in the initiation and maintenance of repetitive self-injurious behavior (rSIB), most clinical studies to date have attended to the role of serotonin or endogenous opioids. This focus has emerged from a conceptualization of rSIB as a problem of impulse control (primarily mediated by serotonin) and/or as a maladaptive pain-related behavior (ultimately mediated by opioids) (Villalba and Harrington, 2000). Clinically significant forms of self-mutilation occur predominantly in mental retardation, pervasive developmental disorders, major psychotic disorders and cluster B personality disorders (Simeon et al., 1992). Psychodynamic formulations have suggested that self-inflicted injury may promote affect regulation, relieve anxiety, terminate dissociative experiences, discharge sexual arousal, support (dysfunctional) interpersonal relationships, generate euphoria, serve as self-punishment, establish ego/self boundaries and/or serve as a nonlethal alternative to suicide (Haines et al., 1995; Herpertz et al., 1997; Suyemoto, 1998). In this review, we address biological aspects of rSIB.
Full article at: http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=175802309
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.autismconcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent.cafe.com
Psychiatric Times February 2003 Vol. XX Issue 2
Self-injurious behavior (SIB) is intentional self-directed tissue injury inflicted without conscious intent to kill oneself (Simeon et al., 1992). A provisional nosology, based on the clinical phenomenology of self-injurious behavior, has been developed (Table 1) (Villalba and Harrington, 2000). However, this typology awaits etiological grounding. While a variety of neurotransmitter systems may be involved in the initiation and maintenance of repetitive self-injurious behavior (rSIB), most clinical studies to date have attended to the role of serotonin or endogenous opioids. This focus has emerged from a conceptualization of rSIB as a problem of impulse control (primarily mediated by serotonin) and/or as a maladaptive pain-related behavior (ultimately mediated by opioids) (Villalba and Harrington, 2000). Clinically significant forms of self-mutilation occur predominantly in mental retardation, pervasive developmental disorders, major psychotic disorders and cluster B personality disorders (Simeon et al., 1992). Psychodynamic formulations have suggested that self-inflicted injury may promote affect regulation, relieve anxiety, terminate dissociative experiences, discharge sexual arousal, support (dysfunctional) interpersonal relationships, generate euphoria, serve as self-punishment, establish ego/self boundaries and/or serve as a nonlethal alternative to suicide (Haines et al., 1995; Herpertz et al., 1997; Suyemoto, 1998). In this review, we address biological aspects of rSIB.
Full article at: http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=175802309
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.autismconcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent.cafe.com
Thursday, April 13, 2006
GRACE (VA) Co-Sponsors Free Program for Autism Awareness Month
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT:
Deanna L. Parker
Greater Richmond Autism Coalition for Equality (GRACE)
P.O. Box 314
Mechanicsville, Virginia, 23111
Phone: (804) 257-9007
Two Local Groups Sponsor Free Program for Autism Awareness Month
Richmond, VA (April 6, 2006)—Autism organizations nationwide have joined together to designate the month of April as Autism Awareness Month. In an effort to increase understanding and awareness of Autism, the third leading childhood disorder in the United States, the Greater Richmond Autism Coalition for Equality (GRACE), a local parent education, advocacy and support group, and the Diversity Council of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, are hosting the Fourth Annual Autism Awareness Program, “A Parent’s Guide to Educating Your Child with Autism in Virginia.” The program is free of charge and will consist of an interactive panel discussion on educational interventions and supports for children with autism throughout the lifespan. Topics will include successful educational programming and strategies, how to build and maintain effective relationships with school administrators and professionals, IEP team building, and planning for independent living.
The program will be held on Saturday, April 29th 2006 from 8:30-1:30 p.m. at the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Downtown Campus Auditorium. Food will be provided for program attendees, including a continental breakfast and lunch. Supervised children’s activities will be available for the first thirty registrants. Advance registration is recommended. On-site registrants will be accepted on a first come first served basis. For more information or to register for the program, please visit the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College website at www.reynolds.edu or call GRACE at (804) 257-9007.
Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects an individual in the areas of social interaction and communication. The Department of Health and Human Services, The Center for Disease Control, The American Academy of Pediatrics, The Medical Home Initiatives and First Signs now report that one in 166 children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. One out of six children is diagnosed with a developmental disorder and/or behavioral problem.
# # #
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
CONTACT:
Deanna L. Parker
Greater Richmond Autism Coalition for Equality (GRACE)
P.O. Box 314
Mechanicsville, Virginia, 23111
Phone: (804) 257-9007
Two Local Groups Sponsor Free Program for Autism Awareness Month
Richmond, VA (April 6, 2006)—Autism organizations nationwide have joined together to designate the month of April as Autism Awareness Month. In an effort to increase understanding and awareness of Autism, the third leading childhood disorder in the United States, the Greater Richmond Autism Coalition for Equality (GRACE), a local parent education, advocacy and support group, and the Diversity Council of J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, are hosting the Fourth Annual Autism Awareness Program, “A Parent’s Guide to Educating Your Child with Autism in Virginia.” The program is free of charge and will consist of an interactive panel discussion on educational interventions and supports for children with autism throughout the lifespan. Topics will include successful educational programming and strategies, how to build and maintain effective relationships with school administrators and professionals, IEP team building, and planning for independent living.
The program will be held on Saturday, April 29th 2006 from 8:30-1:30 p.m. at the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College Downtown Campus Auditorium. Food will be provided for program attendees, including a continental breakfast and lunch. Supervised children’s activities will be available for the first thirty registrants. Advance registration is recommended. On-site registrants will be accepted on a first come first served basis. For more information or to register for the program, please visit the J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College website at www.reynolds.edu or call GRACE at (804) 257-9007.
Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects an individual in the areas of social interaction and communication. The Department of Health and Human Services, The Center for Disease Control, The American Academy of Pediatrics, The Medical Home Initiatives and First Signs now report that one in 166 children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. One out of six children is diagnosed with a developmental disorder and/or behavioral problem.
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For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Help for Siblings of Children with Special Needs
By: Lifespan on Apr 10 2006
Siblings' relationships
Siblings of children with chronic illnesses and developmental disabilities are two to three times more likely than their peers to experience psychological adjustment problems. Young children in particular are at high risk for experiencing these kinds of problems. To address this concern, a report published in the December 2005 issue of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology finds that family-based group intervention can help improve the self-confidence and knowledge of young siblings (ages 4 to 7) of children with special needs.
"We found that participating in a group with other young siblings and parents of children with disabilities was both educational, therapeutic, and fun," says lead author Debra Lobato, PhD, with the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center (BHCRC) and Brown Medical School.
The authors explain that within their families, well siblings may experience extra caregiver burden, differential treatment, and an imbalance of family resources. Outside their families, siblings may experience limited access to information about the child's condition, negative peer reactions, and disruptions in social activities.
"It's important to address the psychological and emotional needs of this group at an early stage," says Lobato. "Children spend more of their lifetimes with their siblings than they do with their parents. Siblings play a key role in one another's social and emotional development. They often sleep together in the same room, eat at the same table, and go to the same school. Our siblings are often the ones who most easily make us laugh and cry. So, when a child has a chronic illness or disability, brothers and sisters are likely to affect each other in both positive and negative ways."
Full article at: http://www.emaxhealth.com/50/5461.html
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Siblings' relationships
Siblings of children with chronic illnesses and developmental disabilities are two to three times more likely than their peers to experience psychological adjustment problems. Young children in particular are at high risk for experiencing these kinds of problems. To address this concern, a report published in the December 2005 issue of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology finds that family-based group intervention can help improve the self-confidence and knowledge of young siblings (ages 4 to 7) of children with special needs.
"We found that participating in a group with other young siblings and parents of children with disabilities was both educational, therapeutic, and fun," says lead author Debra Lobato, PhD, with the Bradley Hasbro Children's Research Center (BHCRC) and Brown Medical School.
The authors explain that within their families, well siblings may experience extra caregiver burden, differential treatment, and an imbalance of family resources. Outside their families, siblings may experience limited access to information about the child's condition, negative peer reactions, and disruptions in social activities.
"It's important to address the psychological and emotional needs of this group at an early stage," says Lobato. "Children spend more of their lifetimes with their siblings than they do with their parents. Siblings play a key role in one another's social and emotional development. They often sleep together in the same room, eat at the same table, and go to the same school. Our siblings are often the ones who most easily make us laugh and cry. So, when a child has a chronic illness or disability, brothers and sisters are likely to affect each other in both positive and negative ways."
Full article at: http://www.emaxhealth.com/50/5461.html
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Brain Scans Help Explain Autistic Traits
Poor communication between brain areas in people with autism may explain why they have difficulty relating to other people, says a U.K. study in the journal Neuroimage.
The weak connections between their brain areas mean that people benefit less from social situations, resulting in poor interaction with others, the University of London researchers concluded.
They compared the brain scans of 16 people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and a control group of 16 people without autism. Both groups were shown images of two faces and two houses on a screen and asked to determine if they were identical, BBC News reported.
The brains scans revealed that both groups had the same reaction to the images of the houses. However, the faces prompted much greater brain activity among the people in the control group than in the people with ASD, which explains their lack of interest in faces.
"It seems that, for people with ASD, paying attention to a face is much harder to do and doesn't have the same effect," said research head Dr. Geoff Bird of the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience.
-----
Copyright © 2006 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
The weak connections between their brain areas mean that people benefit less from social situations, resulting in poor interaction with others, the University of London researchers concluded.
They compared the brain scans of 16 people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and a control group of 16 people without autism. Both groups were shown images of two faces and two houses on a screen and asked to determine if they were identical, BBC News reported.
The brains scans revealed that both groups had the same reaction to the images of the houses. However, the faces prompted much greater brain activity among the people in the control group than in the people with ASD, which explains their lack of interest in faces.
"It seems that, for people with ASD, paying attention to a face is much harder to do and doesn't have the same effect," said research head Dr. Geoff Bird of the UCL Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience.
-----
Copyright © 2006 ScoutNews LLC. All rights reserved.
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Monday, April 10, 2006
Parents of Autistic Kids March Against Mercury
By Lindsay Puccio
April 6, 2006
An Autism rally in Washington, DC attracted some local parents to take a stand. Parents said they want more research done to find out if mercury, which was found in children's vaccines, caused their sons and daughters to become Autistic.
Almost a thousand parents and physicians marched their way through the streets of Washington, DC to get the government's attention.
Parents said they want more research done to find out if mercury, which is found in children's vaccines, caused their sons and daughters to become Autistic.
"It empowers us as parents, and gives us some power to do something," said Kathy Young, a Charlottesville mother of an Autistic daughter.
Young walked in the "Mercury Generation March" to support her daughter. For years research showed Autism was a genetic disorder. But Young believes her daughter developed the disorder because of a known toxin that is in most vaccines. There has been some studies to prove it.
Full article available at: http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/news/headlines/2591361.html
View the full page ad which ran in USA on April 6, 2006 by putchildrenfirst.org.
And here's a response by the CDC:
CDC Statement regarding autism-related advertisement in USA Today
We know that autism is a heart-wrenching situation for many families and many children and it presents special challenges that we would certainly want to prevent and do anything we could to avoid. When it comes to the nation’s immunization recommendations, the CDC and Public Health Service are always guided by one overriding goal and interest—all our recommendations are designed to protect the health and well being of all children.
We are very disappointed in an advertisement that appears in today’s edition of USA Today. The advertisement completely mischaracterizes the efforts of CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Institute of Medicine, and others to protect the health and well being of the nation’s children. CDC has sponsored multiple public meetings and scientific reviews, we’ve involved numerous outside organizations and experts in our research and recommendations, and we’ve made continued investments in research designed to discover factors which may place children at risk for developing autism. Importantly, if levels of thimerosal found in vaccines, including influenza vaccines, were associated with harm, CDC, the Public Health Service, and the nation’s physicians (e.g., the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and American Academy of Family Physicians) would not recommend their use.
We’ve made substantial progress in removing thimerosal from vaccines – and have done so without placing infants and children at risk for potentially serious vaccine preventable diseases. As we continue in our efforts to further reduce the use of thimerosal in vaccines, we must also ensure, particularly in the case of influenza, that our efforts do not create serious undesirable outcomes, such as vaccine shortages that would place people, including children, at risk. History has shown that disruptions in vaccine supplies can render the population more vulnerable to diseases we know we can prevent.
We don't know, unfortunately, for children with autism what caused it, nor do we have sound, scientifically valid information on effective treatments. That's a fact. We just simply don't have answers to the cause of this disorder or the disorders that fall into the autism spectrum. We don't have a complete picture of the scope of the problem. We're just learning about the subtleties that can be early signs of autism, we're learning about the importance of early detection, and we're learning about the importance of early treatment, but we have a long way to go before we really understand the scope and magnitude of this problem in our country and what the trends really mean.
As we're looking for answers related to the causes and effective treatments for autism, we have to also be careful not to base our health recommendations on unproven hypotheses or fear. We have to base our decisions on the best available science that we have in front of us, and today the best available science indicates to us that vaccines save lives, and that's a very, very important message for all of us to remember.
For more information about autism, immunizations, or thimerosal, we encourage you to visit the CDC website: www.cdc.gov
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
April 6, 2006
An Autism rally in Washington, DC attracted some local parents to take a stand. Parents said they want more research done to find out if mercury, which was found in children's vaccines, caused their sons and daughters to become Autistic.
Almost a thousand parents and physicians marched their way through the streets of Washington, DC to get the government's attention.
Parents said they want more research done to find out if mercury, which is found in children's vaccines, caused their sons and daughters to become Autistic.
"It empowers us as parents, and gives us some power to do something," said Kathy Young, a Charlottesville mother of an Autistic daughter.
Young walked in the "Mercury Generation March" to support her daughter. For years research showed Autism was a genetic disorder. But Young believes her daughter developed the disorder because of a known toxin that is in most vaccines. There has been some studies to prove it.
Full article available at: http://www.charlottesvillenewsplex.tv/news/headlines/2591361.html
View the full page ad which ran in USA on April 6, 2006 by putchildrenfirst.org.
And here's a response by the CDC:
CDC Statement regarding autism-related advertisement in USA Today
We know that autism is a heart-wrenching situation for many families and many children and it presents special challenges that we would certainly want to prevent and do anything we could to avoid. When it comes to the nation’s immunization recommendations, the CDC and Public Health Service are always guided by one overriding goal and interest—all our recommendations are designed to protect the health and well being of all children.
We are very disappointed in an advertisement that appears in today’s edition of USA Today. The advertisement completely mischaracterizes the efforts of CDC, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Institute of Medicine, and others to protect the health and well being of the nation’s children. CDC has sponsored multiple public meetings and scientific reviews, we’ve involved numerous outside organizations and experts in our research and recommendations, and we’ve made continued investments in research designed to discover factors which may place children at risk for developing autism. Importantly, if levels of thimerosal found in vaccines, including influenza vaccines, were associated with harm, CDC, the Public Health Service, and the nation’s physicians (e.g., the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Medical Association, and American Academy of Family Physicians) would not recommend their use.
We’ve made substantial progress in removing thimerosal from vaccines – and have done so without placing infants and children at risk for potentially serious vaccine preventable diseases. As we continue in our efforts to further reduce the use of thimerosal in vaccines, we must also ensure, particularly in the case of influenza, that our efforts do not create serious undesirable outcomes, such as vaccine shortages that would place people, including children, at risk. History has shown that disruptions in vaccine supplies can render the population more vulnerable to diseases we know we can prevent.
We don't know, unfortunately, for children with autism what caused it, nor do we have sound, scientifically valid information on effective treatments. That's a fact. We just simply don't have answers to the cause of this disorder or the disorders that fall into the autism spectrum. We don't have a complete picture of the scope of the problem. We're just learning about the subtleties that can be early signs of autism, we're learning about the importance of early detection, and we're learning about the importance of early treatment, but we have a long way to go before we really understand the scope and magnitude of this problem in our country and what the trends really mean.
As we're looking for answers related to the causes and effective treatments for autism, we have to also be careful not to base our health recommendations on unproven hypotheses or fear. We have to base our decisions on the best available science that we have in front of us, and today the best available science indicates to us that vaccines save lives, and that's a very, very important message for all of us to remember.
For more information about autism, immunizations, or thimerosal, we encourage you to visit the CDC website: www.cdc.gov
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Friday, April 07, 2006
Study Denouncing Autism Epidemic Misses the Mark; ASA Calls for Studies Benefiting Families Now
Study Denouncing Autism Epidemic Misses the Mark; ASA Calls for Studies Benefiting Families Now
To: National Desk Contact: Kate Ranta of the Autism Society of America, 301-657-0881 ext. 120 or kranta@autism-society.org
BETHESDA, Md., April 5 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Autism Society of America (ASA), the oldest and largest grassroots organization serving the entire autism community, in response to a study by Dr. Paul Shattuck appearing in next week's edition of Pediatrics titled "Diagnostic Substitution and Changing Autism Prevalence," says the study takes the focus away from the real issue: autism is affecting millions of people and families who need help today.
"We need to move away from a dialogue about prevalence," said ASA President & CEO Lee Grossman. "Whether it's one in 166 children or one in 1,166 being diagnosed with autism, each and every one of those affected today and in the future must be helped."
According to the study, the rise in number of autism diagnoses is not evidence of an epidemic, but shows that schools are diagnosing autism more often. Shattuck claims that autism rates have not increased over the last two decades, and children identified by U.S. school special education programs as mentally retarded or learning disabled have declined with the rise in autism cases between 1994 and 2003, suggesting a diagnostic substitution. Shattuck says there may be unknown environmental triggers behind autism, and his research suggests the past decade's rise in autism cases is a result of poor labeling.
ASA Board of Directors Chair Cathy Pratt, Ph.D., said that "in 30 years of working in the autism community, certain realities have become increasingly clear. More individuals are receiving a diagnosis on the spectrum. The needs of these individuals and their families continue to grow. And finally, the lack of options and resources place an incredible stress on all and threaten the future of these individuals. Any study that diverts our focus or that diminishes the perception of this need hurts us all. I know of no family who has enough resources for their child, nor any adult who has all the supports he or she needs."
Diane Twachtman-Cullen, Ph.D., co-chair of ASA's Panel of Professional Advisors, noted that "the findings of Dr. Shattuck's study do not support the conclusion that there is or is not an autism epidemic. If we read more into this study than the findings support, we will be doing a disservice to the significant number of individuals with autism and their families who aren't mere statistics in a study, but rather, real people with real needs."
Jim Ball, Ed.D., co-chair of ASA's Panel of Professional Advisors, added that regardless of Shattuck's study findings, more and more people are being diagnosed with autism and the focus must be on the services agenda.
"The fact remains that the numbers of those with autism have reached epidemic proportions, and we need to address this now," continued Grossman. "Let's put research into interventions, education and services for individuals with autism, not into a dispute about whether autism is being better labeled versus an epidemic."
---The Autism Society of America (ASA) is the leading voice and resource of the entire autism community in education, advocacy, services, research and support. The ASA is committed to meaningful participation and self-determination in all aspects of life for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. ASA accomplishes its mission through close collaboration with a successful network of 200 chapters, and hundreds of thousands of members and supporters.
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
To: National Desk Contact: Kate Ranta of the Autism Society of America, 301-657-0881 ext. 120 or kranta@autism-society.org
BETHESDA, Md., April 5 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The Autism Society of America (ASA), the oldest and largest grassroots organization serving the entire autism community, in response to a study by Dr. Paul Shattuck appearing in next week's edition of Pediatrics titled "Diagnostic Substitution and Changing Autism Prevalence," says the study takes the focus away from the real issue: autism is affecting millions of people and families who need help today.
"We need to move away from a dialogue about prevalence," said ASA President & CEO Lee Grossman. "Whether it's one in 166 children or one in 1,166 being diagnosed with autism, each and every one of those affected today and in the future must be helped."
According to the study, the rise in number of autism diagnoses is not evidence of an epidemic, but shows that schools are diagnosing autism more often. Shattuck claims that autism rates have not increased over the last two decades, and children identified by U.S. school special education programs as mentally retarded or learning disabled have declined with the rise in autism cases between 1994 and 2003, suggesting a diagnostic substitution. Shattuck says there may be unknown environmental triggers behind autism, and his research suggests the past decade's rise in autism cases is a result of poor labeling.
ASA Board of Directors Chair Cathy Pratt, Ph.D., said that "in 30 years of working in the autism community, certain realities have become increasingly clear. More individuals are receiving a diagnosis on the spectrum. The needs of these individuals and their families continue to grow. And finally, the lack of options and resources place an incredible stress on all and threaten the future of these individuals. Any study that diverts our focus or that diminishes the perception of this need hurts us all. I know of no family who has enough resources for their child, nor any adult who has all the supports he or she needs."
Diane Twachtman-Cullen, Ph.D., co-chair of ASA's Panel of Professional Advisors, noted that "the findings of Dr. Shattuck's study do not support the conclusion that there is or is not an autism epidemic. If we read more into this study than the findings support, we will be doing a disservice to the significant number of individuals with autism and their families who aren't mere statistics in a study, but rather, real people with real needs."
Jim Ball, Ed.D., co-chair of ASA's Panel of Professional Advisors, added that regardless of Shattuck's study findings, more and more people are being diagnosed with autism and the focus must be on the services agenda.
"The fact remains that the numbers of those with autism have reached epidemic proportions, and we need to address this now," continued Grossman. "Let's put research into interventions, education and services for individuals with autism, not into a dispute about whether autism is being better labeled versus an epidemic."
---The Autism Society of America (ASA) is the leading voice and resource of the entire autism community in education, advocacy, services, research and support. The ASA is committed to meaningful participation and self-determination in all aspects of life for individuals on the autism spectrum and their families. ASA accomplishes its mission through close collaboration with a successful network of 200 chapters, and hundreds of thousands of members and supporters.
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Increase Autism Awareness with Build A Bear Workshop
April is Autism Awareness Month!
Help spread awareness and support Autism Speaks with a cute cuddly teddy bear.
Increase Autism Awareness with Build A Bear Workshop -- when you purchase NIKKI's BEAR III, the 3rd in a series during the month of APRIL, a portion of the Proceeds will be distributed through the Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation to Autism Speaks Cost 18.00 Over 200 stores worldwide! www.buildabear.com or call them toll free 1-800-789-BEAR (2327)
For information, resources, practical strategies on autism please visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Help spread awareness and support Autism Speaks with a cute cuddly teddy bear.
Increase Autism Awareness with Build A Bear Workshop -- when you purchase NIKKI's BEAR III, the 3rd in a series during the month of APRIL, a portion of the Proceeds will be distributed through the Build-A-Bear Workshop Foundation to Autism Speaks Cost 18.00 Over 200 stores worldwide! www.buildabear.com or call them toll free 1-800-789-BEAR (2327)
For information, resources, practical strategies on autism please visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Siblings of Disabled Have Their Own Troubles
nytimes.com
April 4, 2006
By Gretchen Cook
When he was growing up in Oregon, Graham Seaton found it virtually impossible to bring children home from school to play.
"I knew there was something wrong with my place," he recalled. "But I didn't know how to explain what that was."
He knew that he would have to tell his friends why they could play only in his bedroom — and only with the door locked. And that, ultimately, he would have to explain what was "wrong" with his older brother Burleigh, who is profoundly autistic.
"I just didn't have the words," he said.
Now 30, Mr. Seaton said he realized that as a child, he felt he could not ask his parents for those words.
"I was so aware I couldn't make a big deal with my family," he said. "My parents already had enough on their hands."
An estimated seven million "typically developing" American children have siblings with disabilities, according to the Arc of the United States, a leading advocacy group for the mentally retarded. Those children face many of the same challenges — and joys — as their parents, but they also face other problems. Some resent the extra demands placed on them at an early age by their disabled siblings, and many feel neglected by their often overburdened parents.
Some children say they fear "catching" their siblings' disabilities. Others may wish that they, too, were disabled, so that they could get all the attention their siblings do. And many suffer embarrassment about their siblings' inappropriate behavior or abnormal appearance, and then feel guilty about it.
Read full article at: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/04/health/04sibs.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
For information, resources, practical strategies on autism please visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
April 4, 2006
By Gretchen Cook
When he was growing up in Oregon, Graham Seaton found it virtually impossible to bring children home from school to play.
"I knew there was something wrong with my place," he recalled. "But I didn't know how to explain what that was."
He knew that he would have to tell his friends why they could play only in his bedroom — and only with the door locked. And that, ultimately, he would have to explain what was "wrong" with his older brother Burleigh, who is profoundly autistic.
"I just didn't have the words," he said.
Now 30, Mr. Seaton said he realized that as a child, he felt he could not ask his parents for those words.
"I was so aware I couldn't make a big deal with my family," he said. "My parents already had enough on their hands."
An estimated seven million "typically developing" American children have siblings with disabilities, according to the Arc of the United States, a leading advocacy group for the mentally retarded. Those children face many of the same challenges — and joys — as their parents, but they also face other problems. Some resent the extra demands placed on them at an early age by their disabled siblings, and many feel neglected by their often overburdened parents.
Some children say they fear "catching" their siblings' disabilities. Others may wish that they, too, were disabled, so that they could get all the attention their siblings do. And many suffer embarrassment about their siblings' inappropriate behavior or abnormal appearance, and then feel guilty about it.
Read full article at: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/04/health/04sibs.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
For information, resources, practical strategies on autism please visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
The Age of Autism: Mercury Ban Opposed
By Dan Olmsted
Representatives of 22 medical organizations have written to all members of Congress opposing efforts to ban the mercury-based preservative thimerosal from vaccines.
"Our organizations respectfully wish to state our opposition to all legislative efforts at the federal and state levels to restrict access to vaccines containing thimerosal, an ethylmercury-based preservative," said the letter dated Monday from "Multiple National Organizations that Support Safe and Effective Vaccines."
The groups said that banning the preservative in vaccines for children and pregnant women -- as several states have done and legislation in Congress proposes -- would "perpetuate false and misleading information that vaccines are not safe. Parents may see the banning of thimerosal as an admission that vaccine safety oversight is inadequate."
In fact, the letter said, "There has been considerable research on this issue since the 1999 precautionary statement of the U.S. Public Health Service and the American Academy of Pediatrics and there is no documented scientific evidence that ethylmercury in the form of thimerosal in the doses admi! nistered in vaccines causes any risk to health."
The letter also cited concerns that bans could trigger "ongoing vaccine shortages or inability to deliver care. ... Limit the nation's inability to quickly administer influenza vaccine in the U.S. when a pandemic strikes. ... Lead to increased costs for vaccines. ... Add more complexity to our pre! sent vaccine delivery system. ... Profoundly affect global immunization programs, as do many U.S. vaccine policy decision."
Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., sponsor of a House bill to ban thimerosal from vaccines, said the letter would not deter his efforts.
"It is warped logic to suggest that somehow public confidence is reassured
by keeping mercury in vaccines," Weldon told United Press International on Tuesday. "Buying into this logic will only further erode public confidence in vaccines. It's time to kick the mercury habit."
Also Tuesday, proponents of banning thimerosal fired back in their own letter to Congress, noting that they plan to be in Washington Thursday for an anti-mercury march and lobbying on Capitol Hill. They believe the medical groups' statement is intended to pre-empt that effort.
According to a statement from the National Autism Association:
"We feel legislation specifically delineating the removal of thimerosal (ethyl mercury) from vaccines is necessary in an effort to restore public confidence in vaccines and to prevent the potential for injury in our most vulnerable citizens; the fetus, infants and children. We base our concerns with the policy of exposing pregnant women and children to ethyl mercury on scientific facts and current policy."
At issue are concerns raised by parents and some scientists that increasing exposure to thimerosal in childhood vaccines during the 1990s may have triggered a huge rise in autism diagnoses. In 1999 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others recommended manufacturers phase out thimerosal as soon as possible to limit exposure.
In 2004 the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies said it found no connection and that future research should go to "more promising" areas.
Yet concerns have persisted, in part because some flu vaccines still contain thimerosal, and the CDC has recommended the vaccines for all pregnant women and for children ages 6 months to 5 years.
Those concerns have prompted several states -- including New York, Illinois, California, Iowa, Delaware and most recently Washington state -- to enact bans over the opposition of the CDC and state medical associations.
At the same time, pressure has mounted for more studies of potential health problems of thimerosal and vaccines in general. Last week U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said she will introduce a bill this month to force the federal government to study the autism rate in never-vaccinated American children.
In a letter to Congressional health policy staff that accompanied the groups' statement opposing a thimerosal ban, Diane C. Peterson of the Immunization Action Coalition said: "As you may be aware, recent media attention has been given to the role of thimerosal in vaccines and the development of autism. The 22 national organizations that have signed this letter, as well as many others, stand behind the enormous amount of scientific evidence that shows no link exists between thimerosal in vaccines and the development of autism.
"Please oppose all anti-thimerosal legislative proposals and help further (the) nation's work in protecting children and adults against vaccine-preventable diseases."
The signers include representatives of the following groups:
Ambulatory Pediatric Association; American Academy of Family Physicians; American Academy of Physician Assistants; American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology; American College of Preventive Medicine; American Liver Foundation; American Medical Directors Association; American Pharmacists Association; Association of Immunization Program Managers; Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists; Every Child by Two; Hepatitis B Foundation; Hepatitis Foundation International; Immunization Action Coalition; Infectious Diseases Society of America; National Coalition on Adult Immunization; National Foundation for Infectious Diseases; Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases; Pediatric Infectious Disease Society; Society for Adolescent Medicine; Society of Teachers of Family Medicine; Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
E-mail: dolmsted@upi.com
Printed here with permission.
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Representatives of 22 medical organizations have written to all members of Congress opposing efforts to ban the mercury-based preservative thimerosal from vaccines.
"Our organizations respectfully wish to state our opposition to all legislative efforts at the federal and state levels to restrict access to vaccines containing thimerosal, an ethylmercury-based preservative," said the letter dated Monday from "Multiple National Organizations that Support Safe and Effective Vaccines."
The groups said that banning the preservative in vaccines for children and pregnant women -- as several states have done and legislation in Congress proposes -- would "perpetuate false and misleading information that vaccines are not safe. Parents may see the banning of thimerosal as an admission that vaccine safety oversight is inadequate."
In fact, the letter said, "There has been considerable research on this issue since the 1999 precautionary statement of the U.S. Public Health Service and the American Academy of Pediatrics and there is no documented scientific evidence that ethylmercury in the form of thimerosal in the doses admi! nistered in vaccines causes any risk to health."
The letter also cited concerns that bans could trigger "ongoing vaccine shortages or inability to deliver care. ... Limit the nation's inability to quickly administer influenza vaccine in the U.S. when a pandemic strikes. ... Lead to increased costs for vaccines. ... Add more complexity to our pre! sent vaccine delivery system. ... Profoundly affect global immunization programs, as do many U.S. vaccine policy decision."
Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., sponsor of a House bill to ban thimerosal from vaccines, said the letter would not deter his efforts.
"It is warped logic to suggest that somehow public confidence is reassured
by keeping mercury in vaccines," Weldon told United Press International on Tuesday. "Buying into this logic will only further erode public confidence in vaccines. It's time to kick the mercury habit."
Also Tuesday, proponents of banning thimerosal fired back in their own letter to Congress, noting that they plan to be in Washington Thursday for an anti-mercury march and lobbying on Capitol Hill. They believe the medical groups' statement is intended to pre-empt that effort.
According to a statement from the National Autism Association:
"We feel legislation specifically delineating the removal of thimerosal (ethyl mercury) from vaccines is necessary in an effort to restore public confidence in vaccines and to prevent the potential for injury in our most vulnerable citizens; the fetus, infants and children. We base our concerns with the policy of exposing pregnant women and children to ethyl mercury on scientific facts and current policy."
At issue are concerns raised by parents and some scientists that increasing exposure to thimerosal in childhood vaccines during the 1990s may have triggered a huge rise in autism diagnoses. In 1999 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others recommended manufacturers phase out thimerosal as soon as possible to limit exposure.
In 2004 the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies said it found no connection and that future research should go to "more promising" areas.
Yet concerns have persisted, in part because some flu vaccines still contain thimerosal, and the CDC has recommended the vaccines for all pregnant women and for children ages 6 months to 5 years.
Those concerns have prompted several states -- including New York, Illinois, California, Iowa, Delaware and most recently Washington state -- to enact bans over the opposition of the CDC and state medical associations.
At the same time, pressure has mounted for more studies of potential health problems of thimerosal and vaccines in general. Last week U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., said she will introduce a bill this month to force the federal government to study the autism rate in never-vaccinated American children.
In a letter to Congressional health policy staff that accompanied the groups' statement opposing a thimerosal ban, Diane C. Peterson of the Immunization Action Coalition said: "As you may be aware, recent media attention has been given to the role of thimerosal in vaccines and the development of autism. The 22 national organizations that have signed this letter, as well as many others, stand behind the enormous amount of scientific evidence that shows no link exists between thimerosal in vaccines and the development of autism.
"Please oppose all anti-thimerosal legislative proposals and help further (the) nation's work in protecting children and adults against vaccine-preventable diseases."
The signers include representatives of the following groups:
Ambulatory Pediatric Association; American Academy of Family Physicians; American Academy of Physician Assistants; American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology; American College of Preventive Medicine; American Liver Foundation; American Medical Directors Association; American Pharmacists Association; Association of Immunization Program Managers; Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists; Every Child by Two; Hepatitis B Foundation; Hepatitis Foundation International; Immunization Action Coalition; Infectious Diseases Society of America; National Coalition on Adult Immunization; National Foundation for Infectious Diseases; Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases; Pediatric Infectious Disease Society; Society for Adolescent Medicine; Society of Teachers of Family Medicine; Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
E-mail: dolmsted@upi.com
Printed here with permission.
For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Insurance and autism
It makes compassionate and financial sense to mandate insurance coverage for autistic children.
Published: Tuesday, April 4, 2006 - 6:00 am
House lawmakers want to spend $7.5 million to fund therapy for children with autism. That's an appropriate expenditure for this disease that can severely impair a young person's ability to communicate, form relationships and adapt to change.
But the money shouldn't deter lawmakers from considering another legislative initiative requiring private insurance companies to cover autism therapy, which can cost up to $100,000 a year. The House's proposed allocation is an attempt to prevent the state mandate on private insurance from moving forward.
But the state money allocated may not be enough to provide therapy to all young people who need it. In South Carolina, about 2,000 children under 18 have autism. In addition, the $7.5 million is coming from a one-time source -- part of the $30 million the state is expected to gain from the sale of the old state mental hospital. The money might not be available next year.
Advocates argue that early intensive therapy can do wonders for some autistic children. The State newspaper quoted advocates as saying that almost half of children who get at least 40 hours of therapy a week can enter the first grade on time. Another 40 percent make considerable progress, they say.Even though therapy may be costly for insurers, it would save the state considerable sums in the future, advocates say. An autistic child who receives insufficient treatment almost always ends up being cared for in an institution at taxpayer expense. That can cost the state up to $4 million for each patient.
Read full article at: http://www.greenvillenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060404/OPINION/604040317/1008
For information, resources, practical strategies on autism please visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Published: Tuesday, April 4, 2006 - 6:00 am
House lawmakers want to spend $7.5 million to fund therapy for children with autism. That's an appropriate expenditure for this disease that can severely impair a young person's ability to communicate, form relationships and adapt to change.
But the money shouldn't deter lawmakers from considering another legislative initiative requiring private insurance companies to cover autism therapy, which can cost up to $100,000 a year. The House's proposed allocation is an attempt to prevent the state mandate on private insurance from moving forward.
But the state money allocated may not be enough to provide therapy to all young people who need it. In South Carolina, about 2,000 children under 18 have autism. In addition, the $7.5 million is coming from a one-time source -- part of the $30 million the state is expected to gain from the sale of the old state mental hospital. The money might not be available next year.
Advocates argue that early intensive therapy can do wonders for some autistic children. The State newspaper quoted advocates as saying that almost half of children who get at least 40 hours of therapy a week can enter the first grade on time. Another 40 percent make considerable progress, they say.Even though therapy may be costly for insurers, it would save the state considerable sums in the future, advocates say. An autistic child who receives insufficient treatment almost always ends up being cared for in an institution at taxpayer expense. That can cost the state up to $4 million for each patient.
Read full article at: http://www.greenvillenews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060404/OPINION/604040317/1008
For information, resources, practical strategies on autism please visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Monday, April 03, 2006
The Age of Autism: Hot potato on the Hill
By Dan Olmsted
The newly proposed legislation to study the autism rate in never-vaccinated American kids could settle the debate over vaccines and autism once and for all. Does that mean it will never happen?
This week U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., stepped out front on the issue. She announced at a briefing at the National Press Club that she is drafting legislation to mandate that the federal government find the answer to that question.
Notice the word "mandate" -- as in "direct," which is the language! the bill uses. As in, quit making excuses and just do it.
Bureaucrats and lobbyists and "experts" sometimes forget that the power in this country resides with the people, who express their will through their elected representatives. This may sound rather grand, but the point is that legislators are not some "special interest" who must be humored while the permanent ruling class goes on its merry way.
That's why putting a bill before the Congress -- which Maloney says she will do by the end of April after getting as much public comment as possible -- could be a bigger threat than people realize.
After all, as Maloney said this week, "Maybe someone in the medical establishment will show me why this study is a bad idea, but they haven't done it yet."
Maloney, who credits this column with the idea to look at the never-vaccinated, also critiqued the studies that supposedly have ruled out any link between ! vaccines -- particularly the mercury-based preservative thimerosal -- and autism.
"The one major government study to date, the Institute of Medicine's 2004 review, has been met with skepticism from a lot of people," she said. "There are serious questions about the data set and methodology.
"Meanwhile, there is new biological evidence published in top journals, and from major U.S. universities, to support the mercury-autism hypothesis. Just last week we saw the study out of UC Davis, which found that thimerosal disrupts normal biological signals within cells, causes inflammation and even cell death.
"In short," the congresswoman concluded, "I believe that there are still more questions than answers. But answers are what we desperately need."
Surely everyone's in favor of answers, aren't they? Well, no, they're not. Already, doubts are being raised about whether there are enough never-vaccinated kids to do such a study (there are); whether it's worth doing (it is! ); and what the results would really show (well, let's find out).
In fact, if the feds hadn't been contentedly dozing for the last decade as the autism rate inexplicably soared, we'd already have our answer.
Back in 2002 a woman named Sandy Gottstein, who does not even have an affected child, came all the way from Anchorage, Alaska, to raise this issue at a congressional hearing.
"My question is, is the National Institutes of Health ever planning on doing a study using the only proper control group, that is, never-vaccinated children?" Gottstein asked.
Dr. Steve Foote of NIH responded: "I am not aware of a proposed study to use a suitably constructed group of never-vaccinated children. ... Now CDC would be more likely perhaps to be aware of such an opportunity."
Responded Dr. Melinda Wharton of the CDC: "The difficulty with doing such a study in the United States, of course, is that a very small! portion of children have never received any vaccines, and these child ren probably differ in other ways from vaccinated children. So performing such a study would, in fact, be quite difficult."
Another futile effort is recounted in David Kirby's book, "Evidence of Harm," which recounts parents' compelling stories that their children's regressive autism was triggered by vaccine reactions.
The book -- just out in paperback and winner of this year's prize from the prestigious Investigative Reporters and Editors -- describes how in 2004 Lyn Redwood of the advocacy group SafeMinds sent a list of proposed studies to Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla.
Weldon, a strong advocate of banning thimerosal, sent the list on to Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Redwood's proposal No. 1: "An investigation into the rates of neurodevelopmental disorders including autism in vaccinated and unvaccinated populations (e.g., Amish, Christian Scientists.)"
Last year this column set out to test that theory among the Amish, in an unvaccinated subset of homeschooled kids and in a large medical practice in Chicago with thousands of never-vaccinated children. In this admittedly unscientific and anecdotal reporting, we didn't find very many kids with autism.
That's certainly not conclusive, but we did conclude there are plenty of never-vaccinated kids in this country, and not all of them are riding around in buggies and reading by candlelight. The total number of appropriate "controls" -- reasonably typical never-vaccinated kids -- is well into the tens of thousands, at least.
Nor is the issue pro-vaccines vs. no vaccines, as some who oppose such a study are subtly suggesting. It's safety vs. complacency.
After all, the CDC switched to an inactivated polio vaccine in 2000 when it became clear that the live polio virus was causing a handful of polio cases each year. And kids today are still protec! ted from polio -- only now with zero chance of actually contracting it from the vaccine.
Switching to a safer vaccine did not cause a collapse in public confidence in childhood immunizations -- probably quite the contrary.
Expect to hear all kinds of excuses, including that one, from the powers that be as to why such a conclusive study couldn't, shouldn't and really mustn't be done. Then ask yourself, Why?
E-mail: dolmsted@upi.com
Printed here with permission.
For information, resources, practical strategies on autism please visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
The newly proposed legislation to study the autism rate in never-vaccinated American kids could settle the debate over vaccines and autism once and for all. Does that mean it will never happen?
This week U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., stepped out front on the issue. She announced at a briefing at the National Press Club that she is drafting legislation to mandate that the federal government find the answer to that question.
Notice the word "mandate" -- as in "direct," which is the language! the bill uses. As in, quit making excuses and just do it.
Bureaucrats and lobbyists and "experts" sometimes forget that the power in this country resides with the people, who express their will through their elected representatives. This may sound rather grand, but the point is that legislators are not some "special interest" who must be humored while the permanent ruling class goes on its merry way.
That's why putting a bill before the Congress -- which Maloney says she will do by the end of April after getting as much public comment as possible -- could be a bigger threat than people realize.
After all, as Maloney said this week, "Maybe someone in the medical establishment will show me why this study is a bad idea, but they haven't done it yet."
Maloney, who credits this column with the idea to look at the never-vaccinated, also critiqued the studies that supposedly have ruled out any link between ! vaccines -- particularly the mercury-based preservative thimerosal -- and autism.
"The one major government study to date, the Institute of Medicine's 2004 review, has been met with skepticism from a lot of people," she said. "There are serious questions about the data set and methodology.
"Meanwhile, there is new biological evidence published in top journals, and from major U.S. universities, to support the mercury-autism hypothesis. Just last week we saw the study out of UC Davis, which found that thimerosal disrupts normal biological signals within cells, causes inflammation and even cell death.
"In short," the congresswoman concluded, "I believe that there are still more questions than answers. But answers are what we desperately need."
Surely everyone's in favor of answers, aren't they? Well, no, they're not. Already, doubts are being raised about whether there are enough never-vaccinated kids to do such a study (there are); whether it's worth doing (it is! ); and what the results would really show (well, let's find out).
In fact, if the feds hadn't been contentedly dozing for the last decade as the autism rate inexplicably soared, we'd already have our answer.
Back in 2002 a woman named Sandy Gottstein, who does not even have an affected child, came all the way from Anchorage, Alaska, to raise this issue at a congressional hearing.
"My question is, is the National Institutes of Health ever planning on doing a study using the only proper control group, that is, never-vaccinated children?" Gottstein asked.
Dr. Steve Foote of NIH responded: "I am not aware of a proposed study to use a suitably constructed group of never-vaccinated children. ... Now CDC would be more likely perhaps to be aware of such an opportunity."
Responded Dr. Melinda Wharton of the CDC: "The difficulty with doing such a study in the United States, of course, is that a very small! portion of children have never received any vaccines, and these child ren probably differ in other ways from vaccinated children. So performing such a study would, in fact, be quite difficult."
Another futile effort is recounted in David Kirby's book, "Evidence of Harm," which recounts parents' compelling stories that their children's regressive autism was triggered by vaccine reactions.
The book -- just out in paperback and winner of this year's prize from the prestigious Investigative Reporters and Editors -- describes how in 2004 Lyn Redwood of the advocacy group SafeMinds sent a list of proposed studies to Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla.
Weldon, a strong advocate of banning thimerosal, sent the list on to Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Redwood's proposal No. 1: "An investigation into the rates of neurodevelopmental disorders including autism in vaccinated and unvaccinated populations (e.g., Amish, Christian Scientists.)"
Last year this column set out to test that theory among the Amish, in an unvaccinated subset of homeschooled kids and in a large medical practice in Chicago with thousands of never-vaccinated children. In this admittedly unscientific and anecdotal reporting, we didn't find very many kids with autism.
That's certainly not conclusive, but we did conclude there are plenty of never-vaccinated kids in this country, and not all of them are riding around in buggies and reading by candlelight. The total number of appropriate "controls" -- reasonably typical never-vaccinated kids -- is well into the tens of thousands, at least.
Nor is the issue pro-vaccines vs. no vaccines, as some who oppose such a study are subtly suggesting. It's safety vs. complacency.
After all, the CDC switched to an inactivated polio vaccine in 2000 when it became clear that the live polio virus was causing a handful of polio cases each year. And kids today are still protec! ted from polio -- only now with zero chance of actually contracting it from the vaccine.
Switching to a safer vaccine did not cause a collapse in public confidence in childhood immunizations -- probably quite the contrary.
Expect to hear all kinds of excuses, including that one, from the powers that be as to why such a conclusive study couldn't, shouldn't and really mustn't be done. Then ask yourself, Why?
E-mail: dolmsted@upi.com
Printed here with permission.
For information, resources, practical strategies on autism please visit:
www.AutismConcepts.com
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy Training - Rochester, NY -May 17
Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy Training in Rochester, NY on May 17
Presented by Wayne Steedman, Esq. and Pat Howey, Paralegal and Advocate Sponsored by Greater Rochester S.A.F.E. (Schools Are For Everyone)
Location: Rochester Public Library (Central Library), Kate Gleason Auditorium, 115 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14606-1896 (Use Yahoo Maps for driving directions)
Date: May 17, 2006 (Registration: 8:15 – 8:45 am;
Conference: 9:00 – 4:30 pm)
Registration: Your registration fee includes the textbooks for the program, Wrightslaw: IDEA 2004 and Wrightslaw: From Emotions To Advocacy, 2nd Edition ($35 retail value), and lunch.
You will also receive a complimentary copy of 10 Tips: How to Use IDEA 2004 to Improve Education for Children with Disabilities, by attorney Wayne Steedman, Esq.
Program Description
This full day special education law and advocacy program will focus on four areas:
Special education law, rights and responsibilities
Tests and measurements to measure progress & regression
SMART IEPs
Introduction to tactics & strategies for effective advocacy
Wrightslaw programs are designed to meet the needs of parents, educators, health care providers, advocates, and attorneys who represent children with disabilities regarding special education.
The program is not disability specific.
Questions? Please call Rhonda Miga at (585) 242-0707 or email rhondamiga@yahoo.com
Presented by Wayne Steedman, Esq. and Pat Howey, Paralegal and Advocate Sponsored by Greater Rochester S.A.F.E. (Schools Are For Everyone)
Location: Rochester Public Library (Central Library), Kate Gleason Auditorium, 115 South Avenue, Rochester, NY 14606-1896 (Use Yahoo Maps for driving directions)
Date: May 17, 2006 (Registration: 8:15 – 8:45 am;
Conference: 9:00 – 4:30 pm)
Registration: Your registration fee includes the textbooks for the program, Wrightslaw: IDEA 2004 and Wrightslaw: From Emotions To Advocacy, 2nd Edition ($35 retail value), and lunch.
You will also receive a complimentary copy of 10 Tips: How to Use IDEA 2004 to Improve Education for Children with Disabilities, by attorney Wayne Steedman, Esq.
Program Description
This full day special education law and advocacy program will focus on four areas:
Special education law, rights and responsibilities
Tests and measurements to measure progress & regression
SMART IEPs
Introduction to tactics & strategies for effective advocacy
Wrightslaw programs are designed to meet the needs of parents, educators, health care providers, advocates, and attorneys who represent children with disabilities regarding special education.
The program is not disability specific.
Questions? Please call Rhonda Miga at (585) 242-0707 or email rhondamiga@yahoo.com
The alienating 'hello'
By Donna Williams
April 2, 2006
Swept up in pattern by Donna WilliamsWe all have had that experience where we know someone but just can’t remember where we know them from. Face Blindness is like this except it happens all the time, even with people you know really really well.
When I was a child I recognised people by the color they wore. I’d get lost constantly in the supermarket, taking hold of some stranger’s clothing only to end up distressed because their voice or walking style then didn’t match the one I expected from the person who was meant to have this color, the one who’d brought me there.
So I learned to find the bok section and hang out with the shiny covers and good smells.
As an adult people would wave to me in the street and say hi. I’d look away, scared of these strangers. Later a friend would see me in a familiar setting and snub me and I wouldn’t understand what I’d done wrong. It seems I’d ignored them in the street.
Read full article at: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=7549
For information, resources, practical strategies on autism please visit:
http://www.autismconcepts.com/
http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/
April 2, 2006
Swept up in pattern by Donna WilliamsWe all have had that experience where we know someone but just can’t remember where we know them from. Face Blindness is like this except it happens all the time, even with people you know really really well.
When I was a child I recognised people by the color they wore. I’d get lost constantly in the supermarket, taking hold of some stranger’s clothing only to end up distressed because their voice or walking style then didn’t match the one I expected from the person who was meant to have this color, the one who’d brought me there.
So I learned to find the bok section and hang out with the shiny covers and good smells.
As an adult people would wave to me in the street and say hi. I’d look away, scared of these strangers. Later a friend would see me in a familiar setting and snub me and I wouldn’t understand what I’d done wrong. It seems I’d ignored them in the street.
Read full article at: http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=7549
For information, resources, practical strategies on autism please visit:
http://www.autismconcepts.com/
http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/
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