Friday, July 28, 2006

Advance Your Child's Understanding of Social Situations

Social Stories: Advance Your Child's Understanding of Social Situations



Social Stories can help advance your child's learning and understanding of social situations or change problem behavior. Learn why and how to write a social story for your child.

click for full blog

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Autism Pioneer Dr. John Wilson offers free interview

Autism pioneer Dr. John Wilson offers free interview on Access to Health Experts to the public on August 9, 2006, hosted by Liz Lipski, PhD, CCN. Written and audio transcripts are available after the event from: http://www.accesstohealthexperts.com. Dr. Wilson believes children who develop autism are not "hard-wired" for this disease. Rather, genetically susceptible children may develop autism as a response to exposure to environmental influences, i.e. certain types of chemicals in food or the environment, or lack of specific nutrients. The following have been shown to play a significant role in connection to autism:

•Mercury or Thimerosal- a mercury preservative in childhood vaccinations, combined with a genetic inability to excrete this toxic metal.
•Food allergies- primarily of glutein and casein. Glutein is found in most baked goods containing wheat, oats, rye and barley. Casein is the principal protein in milk.
•Severe physical sensitivities and allergies to inhalants, and environmental chemicals.
•About half of all autistic children have an inheritable metabolic impairment in their body's utilization of vitamin B-12 and Folic Acid. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for info

Monday, July 24, 2006

Financial Problems For School Districts Serving Disabled Students

Every year school districts are confronted with a longer list of
students requiring an expensive special needs education.
Department of Education data shows the number of special
education students as a percentage of total enrollment has increased statewide every year since 2003. The numbers have clearly risen in years before that, but in 2003 the state began gathering enrollment numbers earlier in the school year -- on Oct. 1 instead of Dec. 1. child-autism-parent-cafe.com


Click here for more info

Saturday, July 22, 2006

Free Conferences and Chats on Biomedical Treatments for Parents All Over The World

The Great Plains Laboratory is offering parents and professionals free online conferences and chats with Dr. William Shaw about biomedical treatments for Autism, Asperger's syndrome and ADHD. Biological Causes and Most Efficient Therapies for ADHD. The conferences offer an invaluable resource for parents and professionals worldwide who want to learn more about biomedical treatments for autism, developmental disorders and chronic neurological disorders, and ask questions to one of the greatest experts in biological treatments for autism and PDD. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click for more info

Friday, July 21, 2006

Your Child Can Show Their Artistic Talent And Help Support FARR

Jul 21, 2006

Children of all ages on the autism spectrum are invited to enter a contest to create a Valentine's Day card for the Foundation for Autism Research and Remediation (FARR). All proceeds from the sale of the cards will benefit FARR, a non-profit organization committed to Quality of Life research and autism treatment. FARR is receiving submissions beginning now until October 30, 2006. A panel of judges will select 10 cards based on artistic expression and following the theme. These 10 cards will be professionally printed on beautiful card stock, mass produced, and sold. Winners will be announced on December 1, 2006 at their site. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for more info

Thursday, July 20, 2006

New Study Shows Difference in Male Autistic Brains

According to a new study, researchers at the U of California in San Diego and the Mind Institute at UC Davis, men and boys with autism have fewer neurons in the amygdala, a part of the brain involved in memory and emotion. Previous brain-imaging studies have shown that in boys with autism, the amygdala develops early and stops growing around age eight. In typical boys, the amygdala continues to grow until age 18. In the new study, the brains from nine people with autism and the brains from ten typical people were compared. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for more information.

Monday, July 17, 2006

Charges against doctor in MMR controversy may be dropped

After testing 12 autistic children in 1998 at the Royal Free Hospital in the UK for serious bowel disorders, Dr. Andrew Wakefield suggested parents consider three separate measles, mumps and rubella injections. In 2004, the General Medical Council announced an investigation into allegations that autistic children admitted to the hospital with serious bowel problems were subjected to "unnecessary and invasive" tests.

Click for more info

Read about our loved one with similar serious bowel problems and how autism affects his life.


For information, resources and practical strategies on autism click here.

http://www.AutismConcepts.com

Friday, July 14, 2006

New research finds autism in children

UK - Autism in children more widespread than thought
July 14, 2006

One in a hundred British children suffer from some form of autism - many more than previously feared, new research shows.

A study of youngsters aged nine and ten found 39 per 10,000 had autism and 77 per 10,000 a related disability known as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).

Professor Gillian Baird, who led the research, said: "Prevalence of autism and related ASDs is substantially higher than previously recognised."

Full article at: http://www.lse.co.uk/ShowStory.asp?story=HF1327091Z&news_headline=autism_in_children_more_widespread_than_thought

Click here for more information on autism and prevalence rates in the U.S.

Click here for information, resources and practical strategies on autism and http://www.autismconcepts.com/.

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Fighting autism epidemic will pay off

Thursday, July 13, 2006

Aiding kids with disorder now costs less than caring for them as adults
Barry Stern

Autism spectrum disorders are the nation's fastest-growing developmental disabilities. These disorders include obsessive behaviors, limited social skills and communications deficits. Despite a 10-fold increase since 1990, our state and federal officials act as if this "epidemic" poses no threat to our well-being and domestic tranquility.

Yet the growth of autism, if unchecked, poses a serious risk to the economy. With appropriate interventions, a child with autism has a 1 in 2 chance of recovering. Without them, their chances are slim to none.

Those who fail to recover will be dependent the rest of their lives, each one costing taxpayers $1 million to $2 million for their care. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates between 120,000 to 360,000 U.S. children 14 and under are autistic. America will have to spend billions of dollars while they are young to save hundreds of billions of dollars for their care as they age.

Read article at: http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060713/OPINION01/607130315/1008

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Study: How does PECS compare to other communication interventions?

A recent study conducted by the Special Education Dept. at Vanderbilt University, compared effectiveness of 2 communication interventions (Responsive Education and Prelinguistic Milieu Teaching [RPMT] and the Picture Exchange Communication System [PECS]) in 36 preschoolers with autism. The results discovered that the RPMT promoted the rate of recurrence of generalized turn taking and generalized initiating joint attention more than did the PECS. Generalized initiating joint attention occurred only for children who began treatment with at least some initiating joint attention. In comparison, the PECS promoted generalized requests more than the RPMT in children with very little initiating joint attention prior to treatment. These effect sizes were large.

Source: J Consult Clin Psychol. 2006 Jun;74(3):426-35.Randomized comparison of two communication interventions for preschoolers with autism spectrum disorders.

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Study: New Model of Brain Sheds Light On Triggers of Autism

New Model of Brain Sheds Light On Triggers of Autism
iSTART model illustrates brain mechanisms that lead to autistic behaviors

According to the researchers, iSTART is a breakthrough in theunderstanding of the many factors that contribute to autism and provides aunifying perspective that connects autistic symptoms to brain mechanismsthat have no obvious connection to the condition.

"This approach should make it easier for scientists studying normalbehavior to connect their work to autism research," said Grossberg. "iSTARTopens up a wide range of possible new experiments to evaluate autisticbehaviors and further test and develop the model."

More information about iSTART and its component models can be found at http://www.cns.bu.edu/Profiles/Grossberg.

Excerpts from article at: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-07/bu-nmo071006.php

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Monday, July 10, 2006

Level of Mercury in Vaccines for Children is Shocking and Toxic

Letter to the Editor:

Level of Mercury in Vaccines for Children is Shocking and Toxic
Governor Lingle Should Support Bill Banning Mercury Content
By Michael Wagnitz, 7/6/2006 11:59:00 AM

Editor's Note: Gov. Linda Lingle is considering a veto of a bill that passed this legislative session that would ban the use of Mercury in children's vaccines - an move that has set off a firestorm of debate. Here is a letter on one side of the issue. The governor has to decide what she will do by July 11.

Thanks to the Hawaii Reporter for discussing the mercury/vaccine issue. As a chemist with 20 years experience evaluating material for mercury, I was shocked to discover the quantity of mercury in vaccines (50,000 parts per billion (ppb) Hg in vaccines, 200 ppb to qualify as liquid hazardous waste). It dwarfs all other sources of childhood mercury exposure. This doesn't even take into account that the main ingredient in thimerosal, Ethylmercuric Chloride, arguably, is one of the most toxic forms of mercury that exists (see Merck Index for detail).

Lisa Randall (Hawaii Reporter, 7/2/06) cites the six major epidemiological studies as the conclusive science on this subject. She dismisses the 5 published epidemiological studies done by independent researchers Dr. Mark and David Geier which reach a totally different conclusion. All of the other studies she refers to are from Europe where the vaccine schedule is substantially different than the U.S.

Read full article at: http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?21440de1-d4e2-4d58-8126-ce34ccf3c52d

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

American Academy of Pediatrics fights efforts to ban thimerosal

06/15/2006

In 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the U.S. Public Health Service recommended the removal of thimerosal from vaccines intended for American children.

In the past two years, state chapters of AAP have been extremely active in efforts to block state legislation to ban the use of thimerosal in pediatric vaccines—even though most vaccines are available in a reduced-thimerosal or thimerosal-free formulation. All pediatric vaccines in the UK are free of this preservative, and it has been banned in Scandinavia for years.

Many Americans simply do not believe the CDC’s assertions that injected mercury is safe, especially as pregnant women are advised to avoid eating tuna wraps.

States that currently ban thimerosal in vaccines are California, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, New York, and Washington. But even before the law was enacted in Illinois, the Illinois chapter of the AAP had planned an exemption. In its view, the single gravest issue is the potential unavailability of enough thimerosal-free influenza vaccine for infants and young children. The AAP has wholeheartedly endorsed the CDC recommendation to administer influenza vaccine yearly to healthy infants and young children.

Read full article at: http://www.aapsonline.org/nod/newsofday300.php

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Sunday, July 09, 2006

Autism treatment pioneer dies at 79

Raleigh, NC, July 8 (UPI) -- Autism treatment pioneer Eric Schopler, who founded a seminal program for autistic children and their families, has died in North Carolina at age 79.

An autism research and treatment pioneer, Schopler was known for rejecting the idea that autism is caused by destructive or negligent parents. Instead, Schopler saw autism as a brain disorder that could be managed with treatment and therapy.

Schopler's unique insights led to the creation of Division TEACCH -- Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication-Handicapped Children. TEACCH is a network of nine state-funded clinics
Excerpts from article at: http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060708-071803-6747r

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Saturday, July 08, 2006

Study: Girls With ADHD Continue To Struggle Academically And Socially In Adolescence

UC Berkeley Study Finds That Girls With ADHD Continue To Struggle Academically And Socially In Adolescence

As they enter adolescence, girls with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) show fewer symptoms of hyperactivity. But they continue to lag behind their peers academically and have a greater proclivity for other behavioral and emotional disorders as well as for substance abuse, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley.

In a much-anticipated, five-year follow-up study of one of the largest samples of girls with ADHD ever examined, UC Berkeley researchers found not only that difficulties for girls suffering from the disorder persist during their teens, but that insidious new problems can emerge. These findings are published in the June issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology.

"As girls with ADHD mature into adolescence, on average they don't show as many visible symptoms of the condition, especially the most noticeable form - hyperactive behavior," said the study's lead author, Stephen Hinshaw, who is a UC Berkeley professor of psychology and chair of the psychology department.

"But we can't get fooled into thinking things are fine. Delinquent and depressed behaviors, risk for substance abuse, symptoms of eating disorders, high need for services, difficulties with peers - these problems hit girls with ADHD harder than they did for the comparison group without the condition," he added.

Article at: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=46228

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Friday, July 07, 2006

The Age of Autism: Anna's last days -- 1

The Age of Autism: Anna's last days -- 1
By Dan Olmsted
UPI Senior Editor

Washington, July 6 (UPI) -- On April 26 a Scottish child named Anna Duncan attended a party where two children had chickenpox. Nine days later she got her routine measles-mumps-rubella vaccination. Four days after that she developed classic chickenpox symptoms -- spots and fever.

One week later, on May 14, Anna was dead from an apparent seizure. She was 17 months old.

Now her father, John, is struggling with the sudden loss of a bright, lively child -- and increasingly suspicious that the MMR shot during an apparent chickenpox infection triggered her death.

Read article at: http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/view.php?StoryID=20060630-021004-3424r

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/

http://www.autismconcepts.com/

Judge: suit lacks evidence linking mercury, autism

Judge: suit lacks evidence linking mercury, autism
Associated Press

Raleigh, N.C. - Parental advocates fighting to prove a link between mercury-containing vaccines and autism had a setback Thursday when a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit against a producer of a treatment given pregnant women.

U.S. District Court Judge James Beaty determined that a mother of an autistic child "failed to present sufficient evidence" that would suggest a link between RhoGAM and autism. The anonymous mother had sued producer Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics, Inc., a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.

Read article at: http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/news/local/14981271.htm

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

http://www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com/

http://www.autismconcepts.com/

Study: Pervasive Developmental Disorders in Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Prevalence and Links With Immunizations

Study: Pervasive Developmental Disorders in Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Prevalence and Links With Immunizations

Eric Fombonne, MD(a), Rita Zakarian, MEd(a), Andrew Bennett, PhD, CPsych(b), Linyan Meng, MSc(a) and Diane McLean-Heywood, MA(b)

(a)Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal Children's Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
(b) Lester B. Pearson School Board, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

The findings ruled out an association between pervasive developmental disorder and either high levels of ethylmercury exposure comparable with those experienced in the United States in the 1990s or 1- or 2-dose measles-mumps-rubella vaccinations.

Abstract at: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/118/1/e139

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:
www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Study: The impact of ADHD and autism spectrum disorders on temperament, character, and personality development

The impact of ADHD and autism spectrum disorders on temperament, character, and personality development.

Anckarsater H, Stahlberg O, Larson T, Hakansson C, Jutblad SB, Niklasson L, Nyden A, Wentz E, Westergren S, Cloninger CR, Gillberg C, Rastam M.Malmo

University Hospital, Forensic Psychiatric Clinic, Sege Park 8A, S-205 02 Malmo, Sweden. henrik.anckarsater@skane.se.

OBJECTIVE: The authors describe personality development and disorders in relation to symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorders. METHOD: Consecutive adults referred for neuropsychiatric investigation (N=240) were assessed for current and lifetime ADHD and autism spectrum disorders and completed the Temperament and Character Inventory. In a subgroup of subjects (N=174), presence of axis II personality disorders was also assessed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Personality Disorders (SCID-II). RESULTS: Patients with ADHD reported high novelty seeking and high harm avoidance. Patients with autism spectrum disorders reported low novelty seeking, low reward dependence, and high harm avoidance. Character scores (self-directedness and cooperativeness) were extremely low among subjects with neuropsychiatric disorders, indicating a high overall prevalence of personality disorders, which was confirmed with the SCID-II. Cluster B personality disorders were more common in subjects with ADHD, while cluster A and C disorders were more common in those with autism spectrum disorders. The overlap between DSM-IV personality disorder categories was high, and they seem less clinically useful in this context. CONCLUSIONS: ADHD and autism spectrum disorders are associated with specific temperament configurations and an increased risk of personality disorders and deficits in character maturation.

PMID: 16816230 [PubMed - in process]

For information, resources and practical strategies visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Study: Stereotypy in young children with autism and typically developing children.

Res Dev Disabil. 2006 Jun 28; [Epub ahead of print]

Stereotypy in young children with autism and typically developing children.

Macdonald R, Green G, Mansfield R, Geckeler A, Gardenier N, Anderson J, Holcomb W, Sanchez J.

New England Center for Children, 33 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772-2108, USA.

Although stereotypy is one of the key diagnostic features of autism, few studies have compared stereotypic behavior in children with autism and typically developing children. The present study employed direct observational measurement methods to assess levels of stereotypic behavior in 2-, 3- and 4-year-old children with autism or pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and age-matched typically developing peers. Thirty children with autism or PDD-NOS and 30 typically developing children participated. Each child's performance of several early learning and play skills was assessed using a direct observational assessment protocol developed for children with autism who were entering early intensive behavioral treatment. Duration of episodes of vocal and motor stereotypy was recorded from a videotaped 10min portion of that assessment session. Results indicated that the 2-year-old children with autism or PDD-NOS had somewhat higher levels of stereotypic behavior than the typically developing 2-year-olds, while the 3- and 4-year-old children with autism or PDD-NOS displayed substantially higher levels stereotypic behavior than their same-age peers.

PMID: 16814515 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Study: Stereotypy in young children with autism and typically developing children.

Res Dev Disabil. 2006 Jun 28; [Epub ahead of print]

Stereotypy in young children with autism and typically developing children.

Macdonald R, Green G, Mansfield R, Geckeler A, Gardenier N, Anderson J, Holcomb W, Sanchez J.

New England Center for Children, 33 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772-2108, USA.

Although stereotypy is one of the key diagnostic features of autism, few studies have compared stereotypic behavior in children with autism and typically developing children. The present study employed direct observational measurement methods to assess levels of stereotypic behavior in 2-, 3- and 4-year-old children with autism or pervasive developmental disorder - not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) and age-matched typically developing peers. Thirty children with autism or PDD-NOS and 30 typically developing children participated. Each child's performance of several early learning and play skills was assessed using a direct observational assessment protocol developed for children with autism who were entering early intensive behavioral treatment. Duration of episodes of vocal and motor stereotypy was recorded from a videotaped 10min portion of that assessment session. Results indicated that the 2-year-old children with autism or PDD-NOS had somewhat higher levels of stereotypic behavior than the typically developing 2-year-olds, while the 3- and 4-year-old children with autism or PDD-NOS displayed substantially higher levels stereotypic behavior than their same-age peers.

PMID: 16814515 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Fast talker sets world straight on autism

By Jenna Johnson
Register Staff Writer
July 3, 2006

The talker of the Louisiana team is D.J. Gilder.

“People should know everything about autism,” Gilder says. And if people don’t take the time to find out that an estimated 1 million to 1.5 million Americans have autism or that it is the fastest-growing development disability or that autism has varying levels of severity or any of those other facts and statistics listed on the Autism Society of America’s Web site, Gilder says they should at least know that people with autism contribute to the world in incredible ways.

Excerpts from full article at: http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060703/NEWS/60703027/1001

For information, resources and practical strategies visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com
Practical ways to help, plan and manage daily living with autism

www.AutismConcepts.com

Dietary supplements are safe.

Dietary supplements are safe. Senate Bill 3546 makes them even safer.
For release: 7/4/06
Citizens for Health today commended Senators Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) for introducing Senate Bill 3546, the “Dietary Supplement and Nonprescription Drug Consumer Act,” a bill that will require manufacturers to notify the FDA of all serious adverse events (AEs) for over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and dietary supplements reported to them.

Joining with other consumer groups and trade associations in supporting this bill, Citizens for Health also thanks the dietary supplement industry for having set a good example over the years by working hard to voluntarily log and submit the small number of serious adverse events (side effects) that may or may not have been definitively associated with the use of dietary supplements, but which have been submitted in good faith regardless.

Not only does the bill show a serious commitment to consumer safety and protection by the dietary supplement industry - it also includes appropriate safeguards so that unjustified burdens are not placed on these responsible companies.

Show your support of Senate Bill 3546 today!
This bill emphasizes how well-regulated the dietary supplement industry actually is and how committed supplement companies already are to safety and to making the existing regulations work more effectively.
Citizens for Health looks forward to the passage of this bill in the Senate and encourages the House of Representatives to take similar steps. The bill was expected to go to the Senate floor for a vote in mid-July.

Ask your Senators to co-sponsor S. 3546 today! Please also ask your Representative to support the House version of this when it is introduced.

Check out The Council for Responsible Nutrition's Myths & Facts about Mandatory Adverse Event Reporting for Supplements.

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Questions of blame linger in autism, vaccine dispute

Posted on Tue, Jul. 04, 2006
By Meg McSherry Breslin
Chicago Tribune

Chicago - It has been nearly 50 years since mothers shouldered the blame for their children's autism. Yet for many parents, echoes of that painful era remain.

In the 1950s and '60s, the medical community accepted University of Chicago psychoanalyst Bruno Bettelheim's assessment that "refrigerator mothers" - those with a supposedly cold, unloving demeanor - brought on their children's disorder.

Although it is now known that autism is a neurological disorder and not the result of bad parenting, the exact cause remains a mystery.

Many parents, however, are convinced they've found the answer. And most experts are on the opposing side.

Indeed, few medical battles are more charged than that between parents who believe mercury in their children's vaccines brought on autism and the medical establishment that has found no evidence to support that claim.

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Monday, July 03, 2006

NYS - Parent Workshop "How to be your child’s' advocate"

Parent Workshop in Long Island, NY "How to be your child’s' advocate"
Marlene Rosenson from L.I. Advocacy Center will present facts and information about advocacy. She will discuss the CSE meeting, the IEP, LRE and other topics.

Date(s): 7/10/2006
Time(s): 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Location: St. Charles Hospital Suffolk Medical Home
200 Belle Terre Road
Port Jefferson, Ny 11777

Contact Lorraine or Michele at 631-474-6489 or 6490 or email lorraine.sawyer@chsli.org.

For information, resources and practical strategies visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Sunday, July 02, 2006

ALERT: Students with disabilities may be cut-off from speech, PT, OT and other related services

From Paul Marchand:

If the Bush Administration has their way, families of students with disabilities who are Medicaid eligible and who receive IDEA related service through their school systems may be cut-off from their much-needed services, which can include speech, physical and occupational therapies, transportation to health services, tube feeding and other medical interventions.

The Arc of the United States needs your help. Here is how:

1. Help us stop the Bush Administration from gutting these services for students with disabilities. Click here to learn more about this issue and contact the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, urging them to restore the funding for this program.

2. Senator Ted Kennedy, a friend of the disability community, will be introducing legislation aimed at correcting this problem. To learn more, click here and contact your Senator, urging him/her to support Senator Kennedy’s bill.

3. Finally, click here to send us personal stories from Medicaid eligible families who have a student(s) with a disability and who receives IDEA-related services. Please emphasize the critical nature of the related services on the child's ability to thrive in school and the devastating impact the elimination of such services would have on the child.

For chapters and affiliates, to help us save this funding, it is vital to reach out to your network of families, distribute this Action Alert broadly and help us gather these stories.

Thanks for your efforts.

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Study: Media coverage of the MMR vaccine.

Commun Med. 2004;1(2):171-81.

Journalists and jabs: Media coverage of the MMR vaccine.
Speers T, Lewis J.

The MMR vaccine became front-page news in early February 2002, in a much reported controversy about alleged links between MMR and autism. We examine both media content and public opinion and knowledge to explore how this controversy was presented, and, in turn, how this coverage influenced public perceptions. The news coverage of MMR was monitored over a seven and a half month period from 28 January to 15 September, 2002. Two national surveys were conducted-in April and in October, 2002-both based on over 1000 face to face interviews, with the purpose of exploring what the public learned from the coverage, and how this information may have influenced attitudes towards the vaccine. We will argue that the media's critical scrutiny of those supporting MMR was not matched by a rigorous examination of the case against it, and that the public was, as a consequence, often misinformed about the level of risk involved.

PMID: 16808699 [PubMed - in process]

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com

Saturday, July 01, 2006

Please Participate in Autism Adult Sibling Study

To better understand the long-lasting relationship between individuals with disabilities and their adult siblings, researchers at Vanderbilt University are seeking volunteers to complete a 30 minute online questionnaire at: https://kc.vanderbilt.edu/FamilyResearch.

A pdf version of the questionnaire is available at: AdultSiblingQuestionnaire.pdf

If you would prefer a paper version of this questionnaire, you may email your contact information (name, street address, city, state and zip code) to FamilyResearch@vanderbilt.edu or leave a voice message with your contact information on the FamilyResearch 800 number, 888.322.5339.
Findings will be presented at The Arc's 2006 National Convention in October.

For information, resources and practical strategies on autism visit:

www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

www.AutismConcepts.com