Autism Concepts

Sign Petition for Ridge School in NYS

2009-03-26T10:51:00.002-04:00

Advocates of the Ridge school in Dutchess County, NY are trying to get Regional approval with the state, which means education programs for our children with autism in their own community.

Please sign and forward The Respect and Justice for Ridge School Petition. Our children and loved ones will benefit from this program. You must live in New York State to sign the petition. Thanks!

Survey of Feeding and Digestive Problems in Autistic Children

2009-03-12T10:07:00.003-04:00

We were asked to share this information with parents to complete A Survey of Feeding and Digestive Problems in Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD): Comparison with non-ASD siblings by Richard Schwartz, MD, pediatrician and professor of pediatrics at Virginia Commonwealth University, Inova Fairfax Hospital for Children, Falls Church, VA.

Below is an introductory letter to parents. Please read it before completing the survey. This is done to fulfill a requirement to explain possible risks, benefits, and confidentiality to all survey participants.

Dear Parent:

The purpose of this survey is to study feeding and digestive problems among children with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) and their siblings. By filling out this survey, you can help pediatricians and other health professionals learn more about this issue. The results of this study will beused to provide better care and counseling to the parents of autistic children.

Completion of the survey should take approximately 23 minutes.
For your reference, we provide answers to some of the common
questions parents ask about this survey.

What will happen if I take part in this research study?
If you agree to participate in this study, please complete the
attached survey. Your participation in this survey is entirely
voluntary. Once you begin this survey, you may end it or cancel
it at any time.

What risks or benefits can I expect from being in the study?
The only foreseeable risk to you is possible loss of confidentiality.
To minimize this risk, we made this survey anonymous and confidential.
This means that your name will not linked to the completed questionnaire,
and your individual responses will not be published or shared with any
party. For more information, please refer to the next question.
The potential benefit to you is that we can send you a copy of the
research results, if you are interested.

Will my medical information be kept private?
Efforts have been made to protect your identity. No identifying code
has been placed on the survey form nd no one outside of the research
team will have access to the individual completed surveys. Only group
data will be reported and responses will not be person-identifiable.
Efforts have been made to protect your identity. No identifying code
has been placed on the survey form and no one outside of the research
team will have acce Efforts have been made to protect your identity.
No identifying code has been placed on the survey form and no one outside
of the research team will have access to the individual completed surveys.

What other choices do I have if I do not take part in this study?
Taking part in this research study is voluntary. If you choose not to
participate, there will be no penalty or loss of benefits to which you
are otherwise entitled.

Who can answer my questions about the study?
If you have any questions regarding this research study, please
contact Vahe Badalyan, MD, at vbadalyan@aol.com.

Thank you for participating in this survey.

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to
contact me at vbadalyan@aol.com.

Thank you for your time.

Some Behavior Problems May Be Reduced By Supportive Co-Parenting

2009-03-05T08:24:00.001-05:00

Article Date: 04 Mar 2009

Researchers looked at changes in children's level of aggressive behavior and other forms of "acting out" as they went from 4 years old to 5 years old. The study found that supportive co-parenting helped children who have difficulty regulating their behavior and attention levels - what researchers call effortful control. Results showed children who had low levels of effortful control generally showed increases in negative behaviors over the year - unless their parents had a supportive co-parenting relationship.

"If you support your spouse in front of your child, show that you are a united front, it can help prevent some behavior problems in children who may be at risk," said Sarah Schoppe-Sullivan, lead author of the study.

"If you have a child who has trouble controlling his or her behavior, that's not a problem that often goes away," she said. "That's one reason why it is so significant that positive co-parenting can help manage the problem."

Read full article at: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/141093.php

For practical ways to help, plan and manage autism visit: Child-Autism-Parent-Cafe.Com.

NYS Proposal to Cut SSI Benefits

2009-02-06T17:40:00.005-05:00

(E-mail excerpt from Autism Speaks)
Although there has been no increase in the state supplement
for 20 years, this year the New York Executive Budget is proposing
to cut the state supplement to Social Security Insurance (SSI) payments
for New Yorkers who are aged, blind or have a disability, such as autism.
The proposed legislation would cut benefits by over 25% for individuals
and couples living alone in the community and 45-70% for those living
with other and are scheduled to occur in June 2009. Now more than
ever we need to preserve the safety net for those with autism who
are SSI beneficiaries.

How You Can Help:

1. Contact Governor David Paterson and your state representatives today!

Tell them that individuals with autism depend on this income to provide for
their most basic needs, including housing and food. These proposed cuts will
result in more people with autism being forced into costly institutional
settings because they can't get the support they need to remain in their own
homes.

Governor David Paterson - (518) 474-8390

2. Forward this e-mail to everyone you know and ask them to take action too.

To learn more about Autism Votes, an initiative of Autism Speaks focused on
federal and state legislative advocacy, please visit http://www.autismvotes.org/.

Novel Cartoon Aid Helps Children Recognize Emotions

2009-02-06T17:11:00.002-05:00

A new study to be published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental
Disorders from Cambridge University has found that after watching The Transporters DVD for just 15 minutes a day for four weeks, most children with autism caught up with other children in their ability to recognize emotions. Parents who have used the DVD have reported noticeable improvements and stronger emotional bonds with their children. Professionals have noted children commenting on other people’s feelings, often for the first time.

For more information go to www.thetransporters.com

Parents United Learning the Special Education System

2009-02-06T16:32:00.001-05:00

PULSES
Parents United Learning the Special Education System

The Ridge School, a private school for high functioning Asperger's students in
Hyde Park, has been denied state approval to serve students with disabilities.

According to the NYS Department of Education, a private school serving
Asperger's students in Dutchess County is not needed at this time.

Come To The: Ridge School Rally

Saturday, February 14th, 1 Pm

Goshen Inn, 40 Park Place, Goshen

Support this school in their quest to become an approved special education
school.

For more information contact:

Kathy Silgailis (845) 987-8054 or silgailisk@wpunj.edu

child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Autism Toll-Free Resource Line

2009-01-07T18:54:00.002-05:00

The Autism Research Institute is offering information and contacts through its new toll-free resource line at (866) 366-3361, under the leadership of Unlocking Autism.

child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Illinois passes autism bill

2008-11-22T12:31:00.000-05:00

Gov. Rod Blagojevich (IL) is expected to sign legislation passed this week requiring insurers to provide up to $36,000 in coverage annually for the diagnosis and treatment of autism until the patient turns 21. The coverage mandate applies only to fully insured individual and group policies and will not apply to self-insured benefit plans. At least 4,500 Illinois families are expected to qualify for the expanded coverage. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Read full article

Childhood Language Disorder Linked to Autism Gene

2008-11-07T08:29:00.000-05:00

Simon Fisher, University of Oxford geneticist and researcher led the study explaining why some children develop language difficulties. The condition known as specific language impairment affects 2-7 percent of pre-school children and is as common as dyslexia. Tests on children from 184 families showed children who carried certain changes in the gene CNTNAP2 had reduced language abilities characteristic of the common disorder. An earlier study had shown that the same gene hinders language ability in autistic children. Researchers do not know exactly how changes to the gene interfere with language development. One possibility may be that changes in CNTNAP2 somehow interferes with production of a type of protein called a neurexin important to the fetal development of the nervous system and eventual language ability. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here to read full article

NY - Transition Fair 2008

2008-10-13T18:33:00.000-04:00

Transition Fair for Students with Developmental Disabilities

Saturday, November 15, 2008
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Location: Westchester County Center, 198 Central Avenue, White Plains, New York
(Just off the Bronx River Parkway in White Plains, NY)

For more information call (914) 995-5244

Older Fathers Linked to Autism in Children

2008-10-02T09:40:00.001-04:00

The British Journal of Psychiatry reports that researchers in Japan have found older fathers are twice as likely to have autistic children as younger men while the mother's age has no influence on the likelihood of her offspring developing the disorder.

An analysis of 84 kids with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders and 208 children without the disorder found that fathers over 33 years were 1.8 times more likely to have children with autism than fathers under 29 years. Men who fathered children between the age of 29 and 32 years were 30 per cent more likely to have an autistic child, the study found.

Read full article

First Autism Summit - Cleveland, OH Oct. 10th – 12th

2008-09-23T08:33:00.000-04:00

Autismtoday.com and Rainbow Babies & Children`s Hospital are co-hosts of the first annual international autism summit of 2008. Parent advocates, doctors, educators address the latest issues on Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. Extraordinary speakers and workshop leaders get your questions answered. Network and share experiences with others. New national and local Autism and Asperger’s resources.

child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Studies Find Increase In Suicides Among Black Youths

2008-09-09T18:11:00.000-04:00

Atlanta, GA (BlackNews.com) - Not long ago, the words "suicide" and "African Americans" were almost never mentioned in the same breath. Despite confronting challenges from slavery to Jim Crow to structural racism, blacks rarely took their own lives. It was a positive health disparity. Until now.

There is alarming evidence that the suicide rate for young African-American men is escalating, and just as much evidence that America's health-care system is ill-equipped to curb it.

Dr. Claire Xanthos, a health services research specialist, recently wrote a policy paper citing studies showing that from 1980 to 1995, the suicide rate for black adolescents rose from 5.6 to per 100,000 of the population. Put in starker terms: this doubling of the suicide rate for young black males has made it the third-leading cause of death among that demographic group.

Clearly, it is a complex problem that is directly related to life experiences of young African-American males in America. While the suicide rate for young black men has risen, the suicide rate for black women remains among the lowest of any demographic group.

So why are our young black men killing themselves?

Dr. Xanthos concludes there are many factors, and among them are the race-related challenges that these youths face. The data show that they go to jail, drop out of school and become victims of crime at rates far higher than their white counterparts. Moreover, young black males are more likely than not to live in a family environment that is less than ideal; roughly 70 percent of African Americans live in single-parent homes.

The combination of family stress, violence in their communities, and the stigma and discrimination they face is taking a toll on young black males. Some mental health specialists, such as Dr. Alvin Poussaint, argue that "death by cop" incidents should be counted as suicide. These are occasions when black youths are despondent and won't commit suicide, but purposely break the law so someone else will kill them.

"How many young men who put themselves in situations where it's very likely that they're going to get shot to death are actually committing suicide?" asked Dr. Poussaint in a recent interview on National Public Radio. "There is such a thing as what we call victim-precipitated homicide, which is suicide. The most classic example would be suicide by cop, which you read about in the newspaper from time to time, where people wanted to be shot to be killed because they were suicidal, but they didn't want to do it themselves...because there's still a stigma attached to committing suicide, so they'd rather have someone else kill them or have it seem like an accident."

This rising suicide tide can impact middle-class black teenagers in white suburbs, as well as those in inner-city neighborhoods. In fact, Dr. Xanthos argues that black youths living in white communities often face the trauma of not relating to their white neighbors and also feeling estranged from blacks from poorer, urban settings. Certainly, the death of James Dungy, the 18-year-old son of Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy, underscored that suicide can strike the rich and poor.

What's clear is that black communities, healthcare professionals and public health officials must mobilize to meet the challenges presented by this problem.
The stigma towards mental illness in the black communities is so taboo that obvious signs that someone has a problem are frequently ignored, even by close family members and friends. The first step must come from parents and friends recognizing the behavior patterns that indicate someone has a problem, and then working to get help for that person.

There is also a crucial role to be played by public health programs, such as Medicaid, which must make it easier for young black men to receive counseling and treatments.

But once these teens get to treatment facilities another problem develops: the lack of black therapists, counselors and psychiatrists. According to data, blacks are about four percent of the nation's psychiatrists, three percent of the psychologists and seven percent of social workers. It's imperative that more African Americans be trained for those positions. The problems weighing on many black youths are created by racism and the family, educational and urban tensions that they face in everyday life. In these instances, an African-American counselor or physician who may be more likely to grasp the situation is needed to provide assistance.

Dr. Xanthos also raises the need for more "bicultural'' training for young black males. Or put another way, it is learning to survive in a white society. Such training would better prepare black youths for integration into schools and workplaces that are predominantly white, while also preparing black youths to confront and overcome the discrimination they are likely to face in American society.

This problem can no longer be ignored. It must be faced in our homes, our communities and by public officials in schools and health facilities.
The reality is that young black males face some of the biggest hurdles in our society, and if they are going succeed we all must do a better job of identifying people with problems and facilitating the treatment that can put them on a successful path.

(Dr. Henrie M. Treadwell, associate director of Development at the National Center for Primary Care of Morehouse School of Medicine, is also director of Community Voices, a non-profit working to improve health services, and health-care access, for all Americans. For print or broadcast interviews with Dr. Treadwell, please contact Alicia Ingram, 404-493-1724, ingramalicia@bellsouth.net.)

-END-

Autism statistics alarm Somalis in Minnesota

2008-08-25T07:38:00.000-04:00

An unusual number of Somali children turning up in autism programs in Minneapolis has captured the attention of state and federal health officials, as fears about a possible surge in autism have swept Minnesota's Somali community. Last year, Somali children made up under 6 percent of the school population, but 17 percent of those in early childhood autism programs (14 of 81 children). The numbers have been creeping up for several years, especially among young children. Somali children appear to have a more severe form of the condition. A developmental pediatrician and autism specialist at Children's Hospital estimates that 10 percent of his patients are Somali. "I do think there's something up with this," McLellan said. "I don't know what it is."

Swedish researchers reported this summer that Somali children in Stockholm appeared to have three to four times the rate of autism as other children -- though the study was based on only 17 children. Another Swedish study found high autism rates among African immigrants from Uganda.

child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here to read article

NYS Governor Paterson Signed Bill to Update Standards and Guidelines Used to Identify Kids with ASDs

2008-08-03T07:38:00.001-04:00

Governor David A. Paterson signed a bill (A.9512-A/S6527-B) this week that will require the Department of Health (DOH) to update the guidelines used by pediatricians to identify children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) and refer them for appropriate services.

The bill requires DOH to establish best practice protocols for early screening of children for ASDs by pediatric primary care providers. These protocols would incorporate standards and guidelines established by the American Academy of Pediatrics and must include: (1) the routine employment of objective ASD screening tools at regular intervals during critical childhood developmental stages; (2) facilitation of a dialogue between service provider and parents for purposes of educating the parents about ASDs, using a modified checklist for ASDs in toddlers; and (3) an appropriate referral mechanism for children who, based upon results of the screening process, require further evaluation. The bill also requires DOH to make the modified checklist for ASD available to the public on its website. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Read full Press Release here

News Segment on Radio Talk Host Negative Autism Comments

2008-07-21T09:22:00.002-04:00

From NAA:
Radio talk show host Michael Savage, made disparaging comments on autism, and drew outrage from the media and advocates for families affected by autism. Sabeeha Rehman, Pres. of NAA New York Metro, was interviewed by WPIX CW11 and asked to explain autism, and her reaction to the comments. Segments of the interview were aired on the news Friday, July 18. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Watch the video clipping of the news segment and the interview here

From: New York State Advocacy Central for Autism
Mike Savage probably thinks the shock value of what he said will enhance his place in the lore of conservative talk radio. He probably figures he will make more money as a result of his comments. We should not let him become even more wealthy by stepping on the hearts of our disabled children.

We can hit him, his advertisers and investors in the pocketbook, the only place he seems to understand or care about.

Click here to take action now!

Send the link to family and friends. You will have a great impact at disciplining or removing this guy from the airwaves. The email we set up will go to his superiors, the investors who run the stations he is on, and our many important politicians. Just go to the site, send the memo, and please tell your friends.

Who pays for autism treatment?

2008-07-09T13:27:00.002-04:00

An explosion in the number of children diagnosed has parents,
insurers and state and private institutions battling over coverage.
The case of Andrew Arce is a window into the conflict.

By Lisa Girion
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
July 6 2008

By the time Andrew Arce was 15 months old,
his parents suspected he was autistic.

View complete article

To learn practical ways to help, plan and manage daily living with autism visit: www.child-autism-parent-cafe.com.

The law firm below represents families that have been denied care from insurance companies or assistance in obtaining treatment for autism from insurance companies for their kids with an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Law Offices of Scott C. Glovsky
225 S. Lake Ave., Suite 1000
Pasadena, CA 91101
Toll Free: (877) 316-2093

NY: All New Vaccine Mandates Squashed

2008-07-03T07:44:00.000-04:00

Parents are Powerful

From A-CHAMP:
New York Assembly Bill A 10942, the "worst vaccine bill ever" and the mandatory meningococcal vaccine bill are dead. And they were killed by parents who aren't going to let pharma kick them around anymore.

Another vaccine bill that would have allowed minors to get vaccines for sexually-transmitted diseases without parents permission or knowledge went down to defeat when the Assembly Health committee refused to even consider it.

This represents the fourth defeat in a row, with no wins, for the vaccine industry in New York, last year an mandatory HPV bill was killed.

Read full article

New York Metro Chapter of the National Autism Association

2008-06-18T16:05:00.000-04:00

From NAA... If you have been coming to the NYC meetings, but have not joined, please take a moment to go here: http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/join.php and join through the national website.

Reasons to join the NAA!

- Supports treatments that help our children, including biomedical treatments
- Provides outreach and support for families who have just been diagnosed
- Offers member discounts from certain companies that provide supplements for autistic children http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/join.php.
- Supports relevant autism research, including a current study exploring the link between mercury and autism: http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/researchmercury.php.
- Distributes email updates on relevant legislative activity
- Connects you to a large network of families and practitioners in the autism community

When you join NAA, you automatically become a member of the New York Metro Chapter. You will benefit from the local monthly educational sessions geared towards families, educators and caregivers affected by Autism and receive help from our NAAvigators who will help families navigate the system.

For autism information and practical strategies visit: child-autism-parent-cafe.com.

GAO Report on Federal Disability Programs

2008-06-13T08:24:00.000-04:00

From Margaret Dunkle, Director, Early Identification and Intervention Collaborative for Los Angeles County and Senior Fellow, Center for Health Services Research & Policy, George Washington University

The Government Accountability Office May 20th report on Federal Disability Programs: More Strategic Coordination Could Help Overcome Challenges to Needed Transformation has a lot going for it. But it’s not the first place one would normally look to find a jazzy report with tough recommendations. GAO recommends that Congress create a new coordinating entity to make more than 200 federal programs in 20 agencies dealing with disabilities fit together for real people. Noting these programs typically have different missions, goals, funding streams and eligibility criteria. And it is generally left to the people with disabilities and their families to figure out how to navigate the confusing maze of services, supports and benefits.

Interestingly, by focusing primarily on adults with disabilities and pretty much ignoring children with disabilities, this report actually underestimates the extent of fragmentation and confusion. You can find the full GAO report at: http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08635.pdf. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Autism & Me

2008-06-04T16:48:00.000-04:00

The author of "Autism & Me," a photo/essay book explains autism through the voices of typical siblings, and features 14 pairs of siblings ranging in age from four to fourteen.

Each entry in the book contains an essay from the typical child along with photos of both siblings. The book will be published in the fall of '09.

In the interest of portraying autism's effect on all races and ethnic groups, author needs to include African-American families.

For parents that are interested, contact Ouisie at: ouisies@gmail.com. A very informal home interview with their typical child to get their thoughts about autism will be scheduled at a convenient time (before the end of June). The interview will take about 20 minutes followed by a fun photo session with both kids for about 30-45 minutes. Photos will be taken at home, the playground, in their backyard or wherever the kids feel most comfortable.

Some of the interview questions are:

*What does it mean to have autism?
*What do you think it would feel like to have autism?
*How different do you think you and your sibling are from other sisters and brothers?
* What would you like to tell readers of this book about your sister/brother?
* What are some of your sister/brother=92s favorite activities?
*What kinds of things do you and your sister/brother do together?
*What things bug you about your sister/brother?
*What do you wish your sister/brother could do that s/he can do?
*What are some things that your sister/brother can do that you can't do?
*What do you think your sister/brother's life will be like when s/he grows up?
*What do you think your life would be like if you didn't have a sister or brother with autism?

child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Autism Creates Financial Hardship

2008-04-17T09:09:00.000-04:00

Health Insurance, Second Jobs and Second Mortgages Often Used to Pay
By Melissa Hincha-Ownby

An autism spectrum disorder diagnosis usually comes with a significant financial burden for the family; and many families are facing serious financial decisions when determining which treatment route to take with their loved one. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for full article

National Black Church Initiative Foreclosure Prevention Guide

2008-04-09T11:25:00.000-04:00

The National Black Church Initiative and 13 historic African American denominations have come together with industry and government to create a helpful guide to assist families going through foreclosure and to help others avoid it altogether. This user-friendly booklet is designed to provide critical and helpful information on how to keep their home. The booklet will consist of a list of government-based agencies and private lenders that can assist at risk borrowers. This step-by-step guide will also help them to identify resources in the housing industry that have been created for the explicit purpose of assisting homeowners who are touched by the current difficulties. The booklet contains websites, phone numbers, lists of individuals and institutions that can help borrowers navigate through this housing turbulence.

The National Black Church Initiative Foreclosure Prevention Guide can be downloaded at www.naltblackchurch.com/pdf/prevention_guide.pdf child-autism-parent-cafe.com

HBO Documentary: “Autism: The Musical”

2008-03-20T13:15:00.000-04:00

“Autism: The Musical” airs March 25, at 8 p.m. on HBO, follows five children with autism and their families as they write, rehearse, and perform their very own musical. Elaine Hall, founder of “The Miracle Project,” came up with the idea when traditional therapies didn’t work for her son. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for article

Press Conference on Autism-Vaccine Court Concession

2008-03-06T19:19:00.000-05:00

FAIR Autism Media has posted the press conference held earlier today in Atlanta with the family of Hannah Poling on the first Autism-Vaccine Court Concession. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here to view: www.autismmedia.org/media11.html

First 100 Day Kit by Autism Speaks

2008-03-04T08:08:00.000-05:00

Autism Speaks has created a 100 Day Kit specifically for newly diagnosed families, to make the best possible use of the 100 days following the diagnosis of autism. The kit contains information and advice from trusted and respected experts on autism and parents of children with autism. There is a week by week plan for the next 100 days, organizational suggestions and forms that parents/caregivers can use to help with the paperwork and phone calls, as they begin to find services for their child.

Download the free 100 Day Kit at: http://www.autismspeaks.org/docs/family_services_docs/100_day_kit.pdf

For more daily and future planning strategies check out our Autism Action Plan for practical ways to help your loved ones.

Autism Sibling Support Program in Ohio

2008-03-02T11:01:00.003-05:00

Nationwide Children's Sibshops™ for Autism program is one of only a handful of such programs in the country and is modeled from Sibshops™ curriculum provided by The Sibling Support Project™, the national effort dedicated to the lifelong concerns of brothers and sisters of people who have special health, developmental or mental health concerns, learn how to handle difficult or stressful situations, learn more about autism and their siblings' special needs. Also, Nationwide Children's Autism Academy provides general autism information, including intervention and medication options, funding sources, advocacy efforts and resources available within the community.

Autism Sibling Support Program
Nationwide Children's Hospital
Columbus, OH
United States

Richmond House in VA has an opening

2008-02-13T11:47:00.000-05:00

There is currently one opening at Richmond House, a residential program for adults with autism. They would love to hear from anyone interested in their residential program. Families are also welcome to contact us or make an appointment with us at any time. For more information, call Jane Smith at 804-288-3122 or email at
richmondhouse@comcast.net. Richmond House

child-autism-parent-cafe.com

"All in the “Autism” Family"

2008-02-10T12:45:00.000-05:00

Introducing the "All in the “Autism” Family"
Conference on Autism & Asperger's Syndrome
April 11th & 12th, 2008
Long Beach Marriott,
4700 Airport Plaza Dr,
Long Beach, CA

Discover new, exciting tools that empower families
living with autism to have healthy, meaningful
relationships with loved ones at home, at school
and in communities. Local and national “autism
relationship experts” come to Long Beach to teach
you how to influence and enhance social capacity
of those with autism. Don’t miss this wonderful
event.

Speakers Include:
- Joey Travolta - Director "Inclusive Films"
- Taylor Cross - An Individual with ASD
- Keri Bowers - Filmmaker & Mother of a Son with Autism
- Dr. Kathi Calouri - M.A. and Ph.D. at UCLA
- Eric Hamblen - Co-Founder and Program Director of PACE Place
- Una Hayes-Shepard MSW - Founder of Progressive Resources
- George Saidah - The Heart of Sailing

Visit www.AutismCalifornia.com for full details.

Child-Autism-Parent-Cafe.Com

“Eli Stone” Vaccine/Autism story line airs TODAY

2008-01-31T08:35:00.000-05:00

Action Alert from National Autism Association:

Please take a couple of minutes to call ABC and thank them for not bowing to pressure from drug companies and the American Academy of Pediatrics to cancel “Eli Stone,” scheduled to air tomorrow, January 31 at 10:00 Eastern. This network needs to hear from parents of vaccine-injured children, whose stories have been successfully swept under the rug by Big Pharma for years. This is an important step in getting the truth about vaccine-injured children into the mainstream where it belongs.

We heard from an ABC employee yesterday who commented that so far, the overwhelming majority of comments the network had received were from the medical community—on both sides of the issue. When asked her thoughts after viewing the “Eli Stone” episode this same employee stated, “I had no idea about this issue. My eyes got watery.” We need to let the people at the network know of the profound effect vaccine injuries have had upon families, and now is our chance to do just that.

WHO TO CALL:
Ms. Hope Hartman, ABC Network Vice President of Media Relations 818.460.6360.
We’ve been told that Ms. Hartman has input on which resources are offered to viewers after the episode airs and upon any follow-up programming as well.

WHEN TO CALL:
Today: January 31

POINTS TO MAKE:
-ABC needs to hear a big “thank you” from our community
-Ask that the National Autism Association (nationalautism.org) and other advocacy organizations be included with resources following the show. They are going to provide the CDC’s website -- parents exposed to this topic for the first time need alternate resources that can help their children
-Ask for a follow-up to the show on ABC’s Nightline, including experts on recovering children through autism medical treatments
-Please tell them about your family and why the vaccine-injury story line is important to you
-There’s not much time, so please give ABC a call ASAP and let them know the significance of addressing the vaccine/autism connection through “Eli Stone.”

Together, we can make a difference.

Autism Cluster In New Jersey School

2008-01-02T08:07:00.000-05:00

Dr. Lawrence Rosen, medical adviser at the Deirdre ImusEnvironmental Center for Pediatric Oncology, said there appears to be an autism cluster at St. Anthony's school in Northvale, which serves children with autism and suspects it's because of an environmental problem and that the center, which started the inquiry, wants tests of air, water and soil at the school. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for full article

New Vitamin/Mineral Supplement for Children and Adults with Autism

2007-12-11T11:47:00.000-05:00

Participate in a 12-week trial of a new vitamin/mineral supplement for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. The purpose of the study is to determine the effectiveness of a new vitamin/mineral supplement by evaluating symptoms at the beginning and end of the study. This study has been approved by the Human Subjects Institutional Review Board at Arizona State University.child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Hillary Clinton's Autism Plan

2007-11-28T13:19:00.000-05:00

Hillary Clinton unveiled her plan to help children and families affected by autism, vowing to dramatically boost research funding and support services for families caring for an autistic loved one.

As President, Hillary Clinton will provide approximately $700 million a year to address autism through the following initiatives:

•Expanding research to identify causes of autism and monitoring its impact across the country
•Creating an Autism Task Force charged with investigating evidence-based treatments, interventions, and services
•Providing planning and demonstration grants for services for adults
•Improving access to post-diagnosis care
•Providing teacher training
•Creating a National Technical Assistance Center
•Guaranteeing quality, affordable health care

Read what Autism Organizations are saying about Hillary’s Plan

For information on autism visit child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Toy Containing 'Date-Rape' Drug Pulled

2007-11-08T09:41:00.000-05:00

Two children in the U.S. and three in Australia were hospitalized after swallowing the toy Aqua Dots, a popular holiday toy distributed by Spin Master Toys. Scientists say a chemical coating on the beads, when ingested, metabolizes into the so-called date rape drug gamma hydroxy butyrate. When eaten, the compound - made from common and easily available ingredients - can induce unconsciousness, seizures, drowsiness, coma and death. The toy beads are sold in general merchandise stores and over the Internet for use in arts and crafts projects. They can be arranged into designs and fused together when sprayed with water. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Read full article here.

Adolescence And Autism: A Difficult, But Not Hopeless Combination

2007-11-05T18:32:00.000-05:00

The challenges autistic patients face become more pronounced during adolescence, when many kinds of social behaviours are developed these individuals can become more aware of their relationship difficulties.

"This study shows that the social and interpersonal skills of autistic adolescents can be improved, and we established that our method is efficient and does not require significant resources," said Dr. Fombonne, Head of Child Psychiatry at McGill University Health Centre.

They wanted to address the needs of autistic adolescents who had no major delay in their language development or who were not cognitively challenged (high-functioning autism and Asperger syndrome). The major component of the sessions is role play, which allows the patients to simulate different social situations and create new friendships with other members of the group.

The study results definitely back up this conclusion, as there was increase in patients' social skills over the course of the sessions, an improvement that was maintained outside the training groups. This last point proves that behaviour improvement in these patients is not solely tied to the hospital environment. The training has also helped some of the adolescents reduce problems with excessive irritability or sensitivity.

McGill University Health Centre (2007, November 3). Adolescence And Autism: A Difficult, But Not Hopeless Combination.

For more information on adolescence and autism visit: child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Three New Video Presentations Added to www.Autism.com

2007-11-03T09:50:00.001-04:00

From the Autism Research Institute:

The following video presentations are now available on the Autism Research Institute's homepage:

Dr. James Adams' recent talk titled 'Results of a DMSA Treatment Study.' This lecture was presented at last month's Defeat Autism Now! Conference in Garden Grove, California (Oct. 2007). For those who remember, ABC's Primetime Live aired a story about this research project last year while the study was ongoing.

ASA President Lee Grossman's talk at the Defeat Autism Now! Conference in Garden Grove, California (Oct. 2007). Lee is the President of the Autism Society of America (ASA), and he discusses some of ASA's initiatives and ASA's association with the Autism Research Institute.

Andrew Wakefield, M.D.'s keynote address at the Autism Society of America's National Conference in Phoenix, Arizona (July, 2007). Dr. Wakefield discusses the research on gastrointestinal problems associated with autism.

To view the videos:
Go to www.autism.com -- the video links are located on the far right column on the homepage. The videos were rendered in both high band (DSL, cable) and low band (dial-up).

child-autism-parent-cafe.com

National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week

2007-10-25T20:07:00.000-04:00

During National Bullying Prevention Awareness Week check out Parent Guide to Understanding Bullying to help you recognize and deal with both bullied and bullying children, warning signs parents should be alert to, the psychology of bullies and victims, how to empower children, and how to reach out to bullies, how not to raise a bully and what schools can do to help prevent bullying.

Books

Bullying at school: What We Know and What We can Do
By Dan Olweus, Ph.D.

Bully-Proofing Your Child: A Parent’s Guide
By Carla Garrity, Ph.D., Mitchell Baris, Ph.D., and William Porter, Ph.D

Resources

The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program

American Medical Association
Violence and Bullying Resource Links

NYU Child Study Center
Social Life in Middle and High School: Dealing with Clicks and Bullies (pdf)

Hidden Smarts Abstract thought trumps IQ scores in autism

2007-09-18T11:10:00.000-04:00

There's more to the intelligence of autistic people than meets the IQ. Unlike most individuals, children and adults diagnosed as autistic often score much higher on a challenging, nonverbal test of abstract reasoning than they do on a standard IQ test, say psychologist Laurent Mottron of Hôpital Rivière-des-Prairies in Montreal and his colleagues.

The same autistic individuals who score near or below the IQ cutoff for "low functioning" or "mental retardation" achieve average or even superior scores on a test that taps a person's ability to infer rules and to think abstractly about geometric patterns, Mottron's team reports in the August Psychological Science. child-autism-parent-cafe.com.

Click here for full article.

Fisher-Price To Recall Almost A Million Toys

2007-08-10T09:35:00.000-04:00

Fisher-Price is recalling 83 types of toys -- including the popular Big Bird, Elmo, Dora and Diego characters -- involves 967,000 plastic preschool toys made by a Chinese vendor and sold in the United States between May and August because their paint contains excessive amounts of lead.

Owners of a recalled toy can exchange it for a voucher for another product of the same value. To see pictures of the recalled toys, visit www.service.mattel.com. For more information, call Mattel's recall hot line at 800-916-4498. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Morgan Autism Center Autism Conference

2007-08-08T10:12:00.000-04:00

Morgan Autism Center 6th Annual Autism Conference Co-Hosted By Santa Clara Valley Medical Center/Santa Clara University, Saturday September 29th At Santa Clara From 8:00am - 5:30pm

Speakers:

Dr. Steven Gutstein – “Going To The Heart Of Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome And Pervasive Development Disorder”

Michelle Garcia Winner – “ Implementing Social Thinking Vocabulary And Concepts Into Our Home And School Day”.

Blue Ribbon Commission – Led By Dr. Albert Wang – Update On Recommendations From California Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission On Autism.

Dr. Pilar Bernal – “Understanding Diagnosis And Screening To Achieve Best Practices Care Plan”

Dr. Richard Coolman –“Asperger Syndrome; A Professional/Parent Perspective”

Dr. Robert Hendren – “ What The M.I.N.D. Institute Is Learning About Autism And Neurodevelopment”

Dr. Glen Elliott – “ Alternative Treatments For Autism: A Skeptical Survey Of The Terrain”

Kevin Dotts – “Introduction To Applied Behavioral Analysis”

For more information contact the Morgan Autism Center

child-autism-parent-cafe.com

An Opportunity to Support Dr. Andy Wakefield

2007-07-19T10:19:00.000-04:00

from National Autism Association

The Austin American Statesman, the only daily newspaper in Austin, has run a disparaging story on Dr. Wakefield in yesterday’s paper.

“Austin Autism Researcher is Investigated: Man behind discredited study on autism and vaccines now runs Austin center for autistic children”

http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/07/17/0717wakefield.html

This is another in a long line of attacks that ignores the facts and relies on recycled propaganda. We want to send a message to the Statesman that this is a poor attempt at telling this complicated story and they owe their readership and the autism community something more. This story is full of inflammatory language, misquotes and mistakes and clearly calls in to question the nature, quality, and validity of the work we do here at Thoughtful House. It is vital to our efforts that this publication be told the truth and set the record straight.

Please send a brief email to the reporter and her editor letting her know your thoughts.

Send your email to:

maroser@statesman.com; dharmon@statesman.com; roppel@statesman.com

You can include any/all of the following:
• A brief version of your child’s story
• It is incorrect to say that that Dr. Wakefield’s first study was discredited and renounced. The only retraction was a retraction of the interpretation that the press made following the release of the study. It had nothing to do with the facts in the paper.
• Dr. Wakefield’s work has been replicated and supported by subsequent, peer-reviewed publications by other researchers
• A statement about what Dr. Wakefield’s work means to you and your family
• A request for a retraction or an article clarifying these inflammatory remarks
OR if you do not have time but would still like to support Dr. Wakefield, you may fill in, cut and paste and send the following message:

To Mary Ann Roser
My name is ______ and I have a _________ year old child that has been diagnosed with ____________. Your story regarding Dr. Wakefield was full of inaccuracies and innuendos that are an injustice to the families affected by autism spectrum disorders. There is a significant amount of peer-reviewed, published literature that supports his work. Many of the inaccuracies you reported are recycled, inaccurate facts that have been perpetuated through a long line of regurgitated stories. Trust and responsibility are crucial in journalism, something that seems to have been lost here. You owe the community you report for to tell an honest story, even if it is a complicated one.

Organizations that care for children with ASD, particularly those that actually listen and address real medical concerns, should be applauded. Dr. Wakefield, and all of his colleagues at Thoughtful House, should be given credit for taking care of children that others left to languish in pain.

If you are going to write a story, you should at least take the time to understand what you are saying.

Sincerely,

Your name

child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Show Support for Dr. Andrew Wakefield – Sign The Nigel Thomas Petition: Autism: Stop The Deceit: Start The Treatment

2007-07-18T11:22:00.000-04:00

Our autistic loved one received a measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine at age 15-months in 1993. He became ill with a fever, and would later develop a rash. He then began having chronic gastrointestinal symptoms and slowly over time became autistic, which grew worse after a second MMR shot at age 4.11. At this time, he had another autistic regression. No doctor would listen to our concerns, try to diagnosis or treat his symptoms. We were told to give him Imodium AD everyday to control diarrhea. He went on to develop a failure to thrive condition since he could no longer gain or maintain weight properly.

At age 5 we sought help from the late Dr. Bernard Rimland, of the Autism Reseach Institute, who referred us to a Defeat Autism Now! (DAN) physician in our area. Remarkable improvements were seen on the very first day of treatment, e.g. he regained his sense of smell, and the diarrhea would end for some time. Within a few weeks he began to speak spontaneously. Once we could no longer afford to continue with certain biomedical treatments, the chronic gastrointestinal symptoms returned.

Dr. Andrew Wakefield would soon publish a study in The Lancet about a bowel condition affecting a small subgroup of children with autism. This study gave our family hope, and offered validity to our loved one's medical history. A new DAN doctor referred him to a pediatric gastrointerologist who would finally listen to our story and concerns. In March, 2002 our loved one underwent a colonoscopy and endoscopy. After biopsy, he was found by an independent hospital pathologist to be moderately affected by a bowel condition, commonly known as "autistic enterocolitis." After eight years of suffering, treatment for our family member finally began. child-autism-parent-cafe

Excerpts from Barbara Loe Fisher Commentary:
Andrew Wakefield, M.D., will be defending himself against charges of professional misconduct lodged against him by British physicians running the General Medical Council of England. At the heart of the matter is the medical establishment's fury at Dr. Wakefield for daring to publish an hypothesis in the Lancet in 1998 that provided clinical evidence for an association between MMR vaccine, intestinal bowel disease and autism. Subsequently, Dr. Wakefield suggested that some genetically vulnerable children might be unable to handle being injected with three live attenuated viral vaccines at once, pointing out that children rarely are simultaneously infected with wild type measles, mumps and rubella infections in nature.

Andrew Wakefield has steadfastly resisted pressure from government, medicine and the pharmaceutical industry to halt his research into autistic enterocolitis and the possible links between childhood vaccinations, intestinal inflammation and autism. That refusal to stop investigating the potential biological mechanisms for vaccine-induced autistic enterocolitis has made him a target for those determined to make an example out of him. Like individuals who are persecuted for holding different ideological, religious or political beliefs from those in power, Dr. Wakefield is being persecuted for taking a scientific position that does not conform with the majority of those operating or profiting from the global mass vaccination system.

Many parents of vaccine injured children - regardless of which biological mechanism was involved in their children's vaccine-associated regression into autism - support the pioneering work of Andrew Wakefield and his right to pursue his scientific investigation without being persecuted.

Please show support for Dr. Andrew Wakefield. Sign the Nigel Thomas Petition: Autism: Stop The Deceit: Start The Treatment.

Parent Advocacy Brief: Preschool Services Under IDEA

2007-07-15T10:32:00.000-04:00

The National Center for Learning Disabilities has created a new Parent Advocacy Brief, to help parents understand their children's education rights. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here to download the Parent Advocacy Brief.

NYS - VESID New Amendment to Part 100 Regulations

2007-07-04T07:45:00.000-04:00

The Regulations of the Commissioner of Education have been amended to conform to IDEA 2004 and the final federal regulations to implement IDEA 2004. The Commissioner*s regulations, which were approved as an emergency action by the Board of Regents at their June 2007 meeting, are effective July 1, 2007. Public comment will be accepted until August 17, 2007. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for info

Autistic Brains Can Be Trained To Recognize Visual And Vocal Cues

2007-07-02T17:01:00.000-04:00

Individuals with often miss the subtle meanings conveyed by a person's face and tone of voice, and have trouble determining the communicative intent of others. Neuroimaging show individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) show reduced activity in the regions of the brain that respond to such cues. In a report in the Archives of General Psychiatry and currently online, UCLA researchers providing ASD children with explicit instructions to pay more attention to facial expressions and tone of voice elicited an increased response in the medial prefrontal cortex, part of the brain's network for understanding the intentions of others. "That's significant. The fact that you can 'normalize' activity in this region in the ASD group by directing their attention to these important social cues clearly indicates there's nothing intrinsically wrong with this region in the autistic brain," said Mirella Dapretto, co-authored the study with her former graduate student Ting Wang, a postdoctoral fellow at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. "This is a very positive thing," Dapretto said, "because these findings have implications for future interventions" they suggest that you could train the autistic brain to make use of the information conveyed by the human face and voice to successfully navigate social interactions. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Read full article

National Autism Association Letter to NBC Television

2007-06-14T09:57:00.000-04:00

Mr. Steve Capus, President
NBC News
30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112

June 13, 2007

Dear Mr. Capus:
The undersigned organizations are writing to you regarding the concerns among families of vaccine-injured children across the country over NBC’s recent coverage of the Autism Omnibus proceedings. In particular, we take issue with the comments Dr. Nancy Snyderman made during yesterday’s Today show. While one would hope a "First do no harm” philosophy would have some bearing on the information Dr. Snyderman provides to viewers, clearly it does not.
Dr. Snyderman's ties to Johnson & Johnson, defendants in vaccine injury litigation, are obviously dictating the agenda in her appearances on your network at the risk of the safety of our children. This conflict of interest calls into serious question your journalistic integrity and credibility.
NBC’s viewers were exposed to a blatant falsehood yesterday as Dr. Snyderman claimed that vaccines no longer contain mercury. This is not the case, and this misinformation has unfortunately given America's parents a false sense of security that vaccines are now mercury-free. This false claim puts all of America's children and the unborn at risk of great harm.
The mercury-based preservative thimerosal has never been fully removed from childhood vaccines as Dr. Snyderman vehemently claimed. A simple check on the FDA's website would have confirmed this: http://www.fda.gov/cber/vaccine/thimerosal.htm#t1. Mercury is still in most flu, tetanus, and diphtheria/tetanus vaccines--and an array of vaccines still contain "trace" amounts. (The term "trace" must be used loosely as this aspect of vaccine production is not being regulated and there is some variation on what constitutes a trace amount. As children often receive multiple "trace" amounts of mercury in one sitting, cumulative amounts and potential adverse effects are as yet unknown.)
While no reputable medical practitioner in this country would allow even "trace" amounts of lead to be injected through vaccines given its known neurotoxicity, physicians continue to allow mercury, which exceeds the toxicity of lead by more than 100-fold, to be routinely injected into humans.
As a physician representing NBC, Dr. Snyderman has failed to tell the truth about mercury-containing vaccines and the known dangers associated with them. There is simply no excuse for such careless and false reporting while this country is in the throes of a childhood epidemic of neurological disorders.
During Monday’s NBC Nightly News Dr. Snyderman stated, “there really is no science” behind the autism/mercury link. Vaccines and the mercury-based preservative thimerosal have not been ruled out as a cause of autism. To the contrary, there are literally thousands of scientific, peer-reviewed studies supporting the extreme neurotoxicity of mercury and the relationship between mercury exposure and neurological injury. The following link provides a copious amount of research which contradicts what Dr. Snyderman told the American public: http://www.generationrescue.org/studies.html
The CDC's own study conducted in 2000 clearly shows the agency knew that injuries were occurring to children from mercury-containing vaccines, yet the data was manipulated to obscure the link. Lead researcher Dr. Thomas Verstraeten had this to say regarding the CDC's thimerosal findings:
“...we have found statistically significant relationships between the exposure and outcomes for these different exposures and outcomes. First, for two months of age, an unspecified developmental delay, which has its own specific ICD9 code. Exposure at three months of age, tics. Exposure at six months of age, an attention deficit disorder. Exposures at one, three, and six months of age, language and speech delays which are two separate ICD9 codes. Exposures at one, three, and six months of age, an entire category of neurodevelopmental delays, which includes all of these plus a number of other disorders.” (Dr. Thomas Verstraeten, page 40, Simpsonwood meeting transcript)
The full transcript of this secret, closed-door meeting held by the CDC at the United Methodist Retreat Center, Simpsonwood, can be read at NoMercury.org or PutChildrenFirst.org.

Many European countries have banned the use of thimerosal/mercury in vaccines for many years. Seven states have passed legislation banning the use of thimerosal/mercury in vaccines and similar legislation is pending in over 30 additional states. If there was no science to back up the dangers of using mercury in vaccines, we wouldn’t be seeing such legislative efforts to ban its use.

In her most recent NBC appearance, Dr. Snyderman was asked why parents were filing claims on behalf of their vaccine-injured children, to which she answered matter-of-factly, “money.” This cavalier statement alone goes far beyond contempt and displays an appalling ignorance of the emotional and financial devastation faced by families of vaccine-injured children. This must be addressed by an immediate apology from NBC to all the parents of children suffering from vaccine-induced illnesses.

We urge you to speak with the growing number of scientists who have published research supporting a causal link between mercury in vaccines and neurodevelopmental disorders, and can provide you contact information for these researchers.

Reporting false information is a disservice to the American people. When it comes to the children and the unborn in this country, we should err on the side of safety, regardless of personal belief, conviction, or backing from the pharmaceutical industry.

Based on the misinformation presented by Dr. Snyderman, and the potential for harm this has brought to bear upon children, we ask for her resignation. We will accept nothing less than a full and public retraction of her false statements, along with an apology from your network.

We expect an immediate response to our request. We can be contacted at 828-776-0082 or amy@momsagainstmercury.org.

Respectfully,

Advocates for Children’s Health Affected by Mercury Poisoning (ACHAMP)
Autism Recovery Resources of Washington (ARROW)
Autism Society of Oregon – Lane County Chapter
Coalition for Mercury-Free Drugs (CoMeD)
David A. Geier, Vice-President Institute of Chronic Illnesses, Inc.
Developmental Delay Resources (DDR)
Dr. Boyd Haley, Bio-Chemist, Chemistry Department University of Kentucky
Educate Before You Vaccinate
Foundation For Autism Information and Research
Foundation for Mercury Injured Children
Generation Rescue
John Wilson, MD Great Smokies Medical Center
K Paul Stoller, MD, President, International Hyperbaric Medical Association
KindTree Productions, Inc
Mark R. Geier, MD, Ph.D., FABMG, President Genetic Centers of America
Maryland Autism Recovery Coalition
Mercury Free Maryland
Moms Against Mercury
Moms of Hope
National Autism Association
No Mercury
SOAR! Salem Oregon Autism Resources
Talk About Curing Autism (TACA)
TN4SaferVaccines
Treating Autism in the UK
UnInformed Consent
US Autism and Asperger Association
World Mercury Project

Fears over vaccines link to autism reaches US court

2007-06-12T09:27:00.000-04:00

In an unprecedented case, some 5,000 US families were Monday seeking to overturn a body of medical evidence and prove to a court that childhood vaccines are linked to a rise in autism. At least 20 experts are due to testify to the case which could last as long as a year as the families seek to persuade the special court that vaccines can trigger developmental problems in healthy children. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for full article

Autistic students face race and class struggle

2007-06-06T07:52:00.000-04:00

According to the state Department of Education, more than 34,000 children in California public or specialized schools with autism, a developmental disability that affects a person's ability to communicate and socialize. Local public school districts are responsible for education costs even for children who cannot be mainstreamed, or placed in regular classes. Since the 2000-01 school year, overall enrollment in the state's public schools has gone up by about 2%, while the number of enrolled children with autism has more than doubled.

POOR and minority kids with parents who don't know how or whom to pressure get fewer services — and get them later — than middle-class and wealthy kids with assertive parents. African American and Latino children with autism are one to two years older than white children before they're diagnosed.

In Los Angeles, it took white kids an average of four visits to specialists over four months to be diagnosed with autism; black children required 13 such visits over 10 months, according to 2005 legislative testimony of Robert Hendren, executive director of the UC Davis MIND Institute.

Click here for article

To learn more about African Americans and autism visit Child-Autism-Parent-Cafe.Com

Autism And Scoliosis

2007-05-31T07:38:00.000-04:00

A mother shares her thoughts, feelings and experiences with an autistic child who needs scoliosis surgery. Click here for info

Children with both autism and ADHD more likely to bully

2007-05-21T11:30:00.000-04:00

A new study finds children with both autism and attention deficit or attention deficit hyperactivity disorders are four times more likely to bully than children in the general population, according to a study released in the journal, Ambulatory Pediatrics. However, the researchers caution against labeling these children simply as bullies. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for more info

Free Internet Training for Parents & Professionals

2007-05-10T17:11:00.000-04:00

Learn the ins and outs of monitoring your kids use of the internet. Do you worry about your children falling victim to internet predators? Things NOT to do online.

The Inter-Agency Council on Child Sex Abuse
When: May 18, 2007
Time: 2:00-4:00
Where: Orange County Department of Mental Health
30 Harriman Drive
Goshen, New York
By: Nicole Powell, Victim Services/ Community Education Coordinator, and Rape Crisis Counselor from the Mental Health Association, and Will Garcia, Sr. Investigator of the Child Abuse Task Force

R.S.V.P. by Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Contact Regina LaCatena at (845) 291-2622 or send e-mail.

child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Autism Groups Oppose Draft Compounded Medicine Legislation

2007-05-03T10:00:00.000-04:00

A coalition of autism organizations expressed concerns regarding draft legislation that would restrict or eliminate access to compounded medicines doctors prescribe to treat children with autism. The organizations – A-CHAMP, Autism One, the Autism Research Institute, Defeat Autism Now!, Generation Rescue, Moms Against Mercury, the National Autism Association, NoMercury, REAACH, SafeMinds, SOAR Autism Network, TACA – Talk About Curing Autism, US Autism and Asperger Association and Unlocking Autism – issued a position paper outlining their concerns with the so-called Safe Drug Compounding Act of 2007. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here to read position statement.

May 2 Interactive Webcast To Focus On Children’s Coverage and Health Disparities

2007-05-01T20:58:00.000-04:00

On Wednesday, May 2, 2007 at 1 p.m. ET, the Kaiser Family Foundation will host an interactive webcast to discuss racial/ethnic disparities in children’s health, and how efforts to expand health coverage can reduce these inequalities. You can ask questions of the panel in advance of or during the webcast by emailing your question to TodaysTopics@kaisernetwork.org. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for info.

Autism One 2007 Conference

2007-04-18T09:17:00.000-04:00

Autism One 2007 Conference to be held on May 23-27, in Chicago, IL with speakers: Lisa Ackerman, Executive Director, Talk About Curing Autism (TACA), “Starting the Biomedical process - a parent's perspective.” Wendy Fournier, President, the National Autism Association (NAA), “Raise Your Voice: Politics and the Autism Research Agenda.” Portia Iversen, co-founder of Cure Autism Now (CAN), “Profoundly autistic behavior with high verbal intelligence - a new phenotype and a reason for much hope.” Lyn Redwood, RN, President, the Coalition for SafeMinds, “Mercury and Autism: Past, Present, and Future.” child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for info

Looking For Families Coping With Autism

2007-04-09T09:47:00.000-04:00

Do you have a child with autism or PDD who is 6-12 years old? The Clinical Graduate Program of the Psychology Department at the University of Massachusetts (Boston) is conducting a study that will examine how families who have a school-age child
with autism are coping. The data is being collected through a survey that is mailed to the family. Families will receive $10 after returning the survey. There is a lack of research on the impact of autism in diverse groups, and therefore they are especially interested in recruiting families that will provide racial, ethnic, economic, and religious diversity. If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact Meg Manning at Margaret.manning001@umb.edu or (617) 287-6318. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Grants to support Pennsylvania families living with autism

2007-04-06T07:54:00.000-04:00

One-time mini- grants to help individuals and families gain access to essential community services and supports.

Applications for the grants must be submitted to the Department of Public Welfare's Bureau of Autism Services by April 27, 2007. Families may be eligible for grants up to $500 which can be used for supports and activities, including child care, summer camp/recreation programs, or home modifications.

Individuals or families must be a United States citizen, a resident of Pennsylvania not currently receiving any other family support services, including waiver-funded services, Family-Driven Support Services, services funded under Individual Support Plans or county-based funds from MH/MR or other similar services or funding. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for more info

Drug Compounding In Jeopardy

2007-04-02T09:41:00.000-04:00

Proposed bill would give the FDA full control over compounding

Senators Kennedy (D-MA), Burr (R-NC) and Roberts (R-KS) have circulated a
copy of proposed draft legislation that would greatly restrict access to
compounded medications. The legislation would severely restrict and possibly
deny your access to critical medications. According to Parents and
Professionals for Customized Care (PsC2) , if this legislation passes, federal regulators, not your doctor, will decide what medicines you can take.

The so-called Safe Drug Compounding Act of 2007 would, among other things, broadly eliminate the availability of many critical, commonly compounded medications that many patients rely on.

Dr. Jaquelyn McCandless states that [for the autism community], "this means
that our children would not be able to obtain MB-12 (nasal or injections),
LDN, detoxification agents such as DMSA and DMPS, secretrin, transdermals
(such as NAC, TTFD, ALA, GSH), etc. (not to mention bio-identical natural
hormone replacement and many other extremely important health items that
have to be compounded). This is clearly written to benefit pharmaceutical
companies, which is also behind the move to restrict or eliminate many of
our vitamin- nutrient compounds. We have to become activists to protect our
children; it would be devastating to not be able to get many of these
compounds that are helping kids to an unprecedented degree now."

What can you do? Act now to stop this dangerous legislation! Write your
elected representatives in Congress. Use P2C2's easy to use tool to write
your members of Congress. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Take Action Now!

Autism: It’s Not Just in the Head

2007-03-29T07:56:00.000-04:00

Excerpt From Discover Magazine article by Jill Neimark

The devastating derangements of autism also show up in the gut and in the immune system. That unexpected discovery is sparking new treatments that target the body in addition to the brain.

“There were days I considered shutting the garage door and letting the car run until I was dead,” says Colorado mom Erin Griffin, of the time nine years ago when she learned that both her boys—not just her firstborn—suffered from autism. Brendan, her angular, dark-haired older child, was diagnosed in 1996 at age 4. Kyle, her round-faced, hazel-eyed younger son, was diagnosed in 1998 at age 2½.

But Kyle and Brendan’s story does not have a tragic ending. After interventions that included occupational and speech therapy, as well as dietary change and nutritional supplements, both boys improved significantly. Their tale of slow, steady recovery reflects the changing landscape of autism today. The condition, traditionally seen as genetic and originating in the brain, is starting to be viewed in a broader and very different light, as a possible immune and neuroinflammatory disorder. As a result, autism is beginning to look like a condition that can, in some and perhaps many cases, be successfully treated." child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here to read full article

New Autism Bill S. 937 Introduced

2007-03-27T08:27:00.000-04:00

On March 20, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) introduced the “Expanding the Promise for Individuals with Autism Act of 2007” (S. 937) with Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO). The bill authorizes funding to expand and enhance effective interventions, supports and services to individuals with autism spectrum disorders and related developmental disabilities and their families. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for info

Bill Cosby, Toni Braxton Discuss Autism Tonite on CNN

2007-03-21T10:42:00.000-04:00

Check out Larry King tonight 9-10pm ET! Bill Cosby and Toni Braxton speak out on the autism epidemic affecting 1 in 150 children. As autism cases soar, what's behind the rise? child-autism-parent-cafe.com

COSAC Issues in Autism Conference

2007-03-14T09:53:00.000-04:00

COSAC (the New Jersey Center for Outreach & Services for the Autism Community) is celebrating its 25th Annual Silver Anniversary Conference May 17-19, 2007 in Atlantic City, NJ. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for more info

Autism Concepts Blog Back Online

2007-03-14T09:50:00.000-04:00

Hello,

After signing up for Blogspot's custom domain name the Autism Concepts blog was missing in cyberspace for awhile.

I'm happy to say, we're back online!

Sorry for any inconvenience.

Crystal

International study finds new autism genetic links

2007-02-28T10:57:00.000-05:00

Scientists revealed the most extensive findings to date on the genetics of autism, pinpointing two new genetic links that may predispose children to develop the complex brain disorder. The five-year study, led by international researchers from 19 nations, indicated autism had numerous genetic origins rather than a single or a few primary causes. The study incriminated a gene called neurexin 1 involved with glutamate, a brain chemical previously implicated in autism that plays a role in early brain development, as a possible susceptibility gene for autism. A previously unidentified region of chromosome 11 also was implicated. Autism is a spectrum of disorders apparently stemming from genetic and environmental causes. Geneticist Stephen Scherer of the University of Toronto and the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto said 90 percent of autism may have a genetic basis. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for article

LIVE Webcast – First in New Series “Today’s Topics In Health Disparities”

2007-02-26T09:04:00.000-05:00

On Friday, March 2, at 1 p.m. ET, Kaiser will launch a new series of live, interactive webcasts entitled “Today's Topics In Health Disparities,” which will be devoted to addressing a range of issues relating to health and health care disparities in the United States. Each discussion will feature a panel of experts tackling current issues in health disparities and answering questions from webcast viewers. The first in the series, “Is the U.S. Making Progress in Reducing Disparities in Health Care Access and Quality?” will provide an overview of key findings in the 2006 National Healthcare Disparities Report (NHDR), focus attention on evidence showing the areas in which racial and ethnic disparities in health care have narrowed, and discuss interventions that may explain some of the gains achieved. Marsha Lillie Blanton, Kaiser senior advisor on race, ethnicity, and health care will moderate the panel, which will include Carolyn Clancy, M.D., director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality; Reed Tuckson, M.D., senior vice president of Consumer Health and Medical Care Advancement at UnitedHealth Group; and Elena Rios, M.D., M.S.P.H., president and CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association. Submit questions to TodaysTopics@kaisernetwork.org. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for info

Children's sleep and cognitive functioning

2007-02-13T09:30:00.000-05:00

A new study shows that African-American children and children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds fare worse than their counterparts when their sleep is disrupted. African-American and European-American children's performance on cognitive tests was similar when they slept well, the study found. But when sleep was disrupted, African-American children's performance was worse.

"The findings are consistent with the idea that health-related disparities between different groups of American children have important consequences. In the context of these disparities, children are not at equal risk for cognitive difficulties when sleep is disrupted."
child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here to info

NAA Again Calls for CDC to Declare Autism a National Emergency

2007-02-09T20:39:00.000-05:00

The National Autism Association (NAA) is asking again for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to treat the epidemic of autism among children as a national emergency following the release of the agency’s latest study claiming a new diagnosis rate of one in 150.

“While it’s nice that the CDC has shared these findings with the public, they must move forward with a plan to treat the children suffering with autism now,” said NAA board chair Claire Bothwell. “This agency has yet to answer the question, ‘Why are so many children sick?’ If this were an epidemic of practically any other disease among the children of this country, they would have long since investigated how it could have happened and made earnest attempts to find treatments.”child-autism-parent-cafe.com

.”Click here for info

Autism diet gets a closer look

2007-02-05T09:58:00.000-05:00

Dubbed by some as the "autism diet," it is a gluten- and casein-free way of eating, often used by people diagnosed with celiac disease. Gluten products such as wheat, rye and barley are eliminated, as are dairy products, which contain the protein casein. Why the diet seems to work isn't completely understood. One theory involves the "leaky gut syndrome," in which the autistic child's body isn't able to process proteins found in wheat and dairy products. The undigested chunks of protein get into the bloodstream and affect the brain. Another theory is the body's immune system is reacting to the proteins in the body. One study sponsored by the National Institute of Mental Health, at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York looks at the effects of the diet in autistic children between the ages of 2 1/2 and 4 1/2. It began in 2004 and should be completed in 2008. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

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Daily increase in new autism cases in California DD system

2007-02-02T12:38:00.000-05:00

"California is now averaging over 9 new cases of full syndrome autism entering California's DD system a day, seven days a week. 78% of the autism population in the system is under the age of 18, with 84% under the age of 22 years old. We currently have 1,223 more 3 to 5 year olds in the system then we have for ALL ages from 22 years old to 62 years old and beyond. 20 years ago in 1987 there were 2,273 persons with autism in California's system. Today, 20 years later, there are 32,809." - Rick Rollens, Co-founder M.I.N.D. Institute UC-Davis

child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for more info

ADA Action Alert! Need your real-life stories of employment discrimination on the basis of disability

2007-01-30T10:55:00.000-05:00

From The Disability Policy Collaboration

The Arc of the United States and United Cerebral Palsy need your compelling, real-life stories of employment discrimination on the basis of disability to help make the case to Congress that the Supreme Court's narrow interpretations of the Americans with Disabilities Act have harmed people with disabilities in employment. It is time to restore the original scope and intent of the ADA!

Click here for more details about this issue and how to send your personal story.

The Arc and UCP, together with the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD), will use these personal stories in coming weeks to educate members of Congress about the need for a legislative "fix" to the ADA in a way they can relate to and that can be readily understood. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

A failure in autism treatment

2007-01-30T08:18:00.000-05:00

The New Jersey Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community released a white paper last month with more than 80 recommendations for revamping a system that largely ignores adults who suffer from the neuro-developmental disorder. The group, which provides autism education and advocacy services, called for an "integrated, seamless" service delivery system that's available to everyone and proactive strategies to meet the needs of an increasing number of adults with autism. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for info

Punished, sidelined, betrayed - our lost generation of autistic children

2007-01-29T10:51:00.000-05:00

SCOTLAND'S education system is failing hundreds of the country's most vulnerable youngsters, bringing misery to families, an investigation by The Scotsman has revealed. Our investigation uncovered disturbing evidence of how schools often refuse to accept that a child's behaviour could be linked to autism, despite the large rise in diagnosed cases. Even when a child is diagnosed, staff are often simply unable to cope with the challenges their autism presents. Instead, the pupils can be labelled disruptive, meaning the school looks to punish the child rather than help them to cope with the effects of their condition. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for info

Mini DAN! Conference on Jan. 27-28, 2007

2007-01-17T08:27:00.000-05:00

There is an upcoming mini DAN! Conference to be held later this month, January
27 and 28, in Jacksonville, Florida. Maureen McDonnell, R.N., Drs. Elizabeth Mumper, Nancy O’Hara, Jerry Kartzinel, and Julie Buckley will provide parents and clinicians with practical information on current research, relevant tests and effective approaches for treating autistic children. Parents are encouraged to attend this session on January 27.

On January 28, licensed health care providers are invited to attend a
full-day intensive training. During this session the DAN! faculty will share their
knowledge and experience regarding how to identify subgroups within the
autism population, prioritize treatments, select appropriate testing, and
interpret lab data. Additionally, information on treating common features
such as intestinal dysbiosis, nutritional imbalances, immune dysregulation,
inefficient detoxification and heavy metal toxicity will be reviewed. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for more info

IDEA Sample State Complaint Form

2007-01-04T10:00:00.000-05:00

This complaint form provides a document to submit a complaint to the New York State Education Department (NYSED). This form can be used when parents, individuals or organizations believe a school district or public agency has violated a requirement of Part B of IDEA or NYS laws or regulations related to students with disabilities. Use of this form is not required. If you choose not to use this form, you must include in your complaint the required information that is identified on this form. For more information contact the Office of Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID), Special Education Policy Unit at 518-473-2878. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for info

Emotion detection may explain autism

2007-01-02T09:08:00.000-05:00

University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers have documented changes in the brain's emotional center that may explain the social impairment seen in children with autism. The UW authors found that males with autism who spent the least time looking at a person's eyes in photographs had a much smaller amygdala - the almond-shaped danger-detecting region of the brain - than males without autism. Males with a small amygdala also had difficulty distinguishing any face showing an emotion from those with neutral expressions, researchers say.

And in a separate French study, scientists identified a gene that may explain why some people develop autism. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for info

Grant to Develop Center of Excellence to Educate Students with Autism

2006-12-27T08:09:00.000-05:00

Autism Center of Excellence, Inc., a non-profit corporation dedicated to the education of children and young adults with autism, announced it has been awarded a $700,000 grant from the Florida Department of Education to plan and develop an autism education center of excellence near Tampa. Florida Autism Center of Excellence (FACE) will apply for a charter and request authorization to serve students in Hillsborough, Pasco, Pinellas, Sarasota, Manatee and Polk counties. The center is scheduled to open in August 2007 and will serve students ages three to 24.

"The Florida Center of Autism Excellence will provide a comprehensive program to address the unmet needs of students with Autism Spectrum Disorders," Mark Claypool, president and chief executive officer of ESA, said. "We believe that children and young adults with autism can advance in their academic and interpersonal skills if they are given the right type of instruction, encouragement and tools to learn in a safe and healthy academic environment.

"Unfortunately, current public education and social programming for students with autism is severely limited by a lack of resources and expertise, and many students simply do not receive the individualized programming that will help them progress from elementary school through high school and transition to post-secondary education," Claypool said. "That's exactly what FACE will provide students in these six counties." child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for more info

Bush Signs Healthcare Related Bill For Autism

2006-12-20T09:58:00.000-05:00

President Bush signed a bill to increase federal funding by 50 percent for the disorder, which afflicts 1.5 million people in the United States. Congress voted to increase federal funding to identify the cause of autism, now diagnosed in one in 166 children. The Senate has also approved a voice vote legislation that authorizes $945 million to National Institutes of Health over five years for autism research, screening and treatment. The institutes would reportedly research areas related to autism spectrum disorder, including an examination of whether the increase in autism diagnoses is caused by environmental factors.

According to Bush, "By creating a national education program for doctors and the public about autism, this legislation will help more people recognize the symptoms of autism." "This will lead to early identification and intervention, which is critical for children with autism," he added. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for info

The Age of Autism: 'Problems' in CDC data

2006-12-14T10:19:00.000-05:00

By Dan Olmsted
UPI Senior Editor

WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- For three years, the CDC has used a study conducted on its own Vaccine Safety Datalink to reassure parents that mercury in vaccines does not cause autism. Now a panel of government-appointed experts says there are "serious problems" with exactly the approach the CDC took. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

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Autism Expert Advocates Technology at Senate Hearings

2006-12-11T08:41:00.000-05:00

Testifying before the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology inquiry on the issue of funding for the treatment of autism Canadian autism expert, Dr. Jeanette Holden, from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario advocated the use of computer technology as a means to alleviate the problem of providing autism intervention services to families of children with autism.

Dr. Holden is currently undertaking a research trial consisting of 46 families across Ontario, including 63 adult care providers and 52 children aged 2 to 9, using AutismPro. The study is being done in partnership with Autism Ontario and Autism Spectrum Disorder - Canadian American Research Consortium (ASD - CARC) out of Queen's University. Participants have been provided with a one year subscription to the program.

"Early results of our research trial indicate that parents are strongly impressed by AutismPro as a valuable tool for providing care to their children," said Cynthia Howroyd, CEO and President of Virtual Expert Clinics. A speech pathologist who worked with children with autism in New Brunswick. Ms Howroyd developed the online program as a solution to the dilemma of providing timely autism services with limitations in dollars and trained therapists and the startling growth in the disorder. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for info

Combating Autism Act Passes House

2006-12-11T08:39:00.000-05:00

The National Autism Association (NAA) and SafeMinds are calling the passage of the Combating Autism Act an important step forward for the one in 166 children now diagnosed with autism. The two groups have been involved for the past year and a half with the legislative process to ensure that three main concerns were addressed in the bill:

• Research provisions for investigating the link between environmental factors and the development of autism.
• Greater research oversight from the autism community
• Treatment of those diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.

In the report language accompanying the bill, Congressman Joe Barton stated, “..the legislation rightfully calls for renewed efforts to study all possible causes of autism—including vaccines and other environmental causes.” Barton also states, “..these provisions will insure continuation and intensification of crucial research at NIEHS so that it is able to conduct all necessary research to determine the environmental factors in autism.” child-autism-parent-cafe

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New Research Suggests Oxytocin’s Potential for Treatment of Two Core Autism Symptom Domains

2006-12-04T19:07:00.000-05:00

American College of Neuropsychopharmacology

Contact: Sharon Reis (202) 745-5103
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE
9 am EST, December 4, 2006

Study Presented at ACNP Annual Meeting Outlines Effects on Key Symptoms

Nashville, TN, December 4, 2006 – Preliminary new research discussed today at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology’s Annual Meeting finds that oxytocin, when administered using intravenous fluid and nasal technology may have significant positive effects on adult autism patients. The study, funded by the Seaver Foundation, examined the effects of oxytocin on repetitive behaviors and aspects of social cognition in adults with autism.

Investigators Eric Hollander, MD and Jennifer Bartz, PhD presented results of both intravenous and intranasal administration of oxytocin in high-functioning adult autism patients and discussed the implications of this research for the treatment of autism. Dr. Hollander is Chairman of Psychiatry and at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York, NY and Director of the Seaver and New York Autism Center of Excellence, one of eight NIH-funded (STAART) centers devoted to the study of autism. Dr. Bartz is a Post Doctoral Fellow at the Seaver Center at the Mt., Sinai School of Medicine.

“Studies with animals have found that oxytocin plays a role in a variety of behaviors, including parent-child and adult-to-adult pair bonding, social memory, social cognition, anxiety reduction and repetitive behaviors,” explained Dr. Bartz. “However,” adds Dr. Hollander, “we have only recently considered that administration of oxytocin can have behavioral effects. Autism is a particularly ripe neuropsychiatric disorder for studying this approach because it presents with the types of symptoms that have been found to be associated with the oxytocin system.”

High-functioning adults with autism or Asperger’s disorder received an intravenous infusion of pitocin (synthetic oxytocin) or placebo (saline solution) over a four-hour period. During that time, participants were monitored for repetitive behaviors that are hallmarks of autism spectrum disorders including need to tell/ask, touching, and repeating. These behaviors were assessed at a baseline and throughout the course of the infusion.
“Repetitive behaviors are often overlooked as symptoms of autism in favor of more dramatic symptoms like disrupted social functioning,” noted Hollander. “However, early repetitive behavior is often the best predictor of a later autism diagnosis.”

The infusion produced results that were both clinically and statistically significant. Hollander noted a rapid reduction of repetitive behaviors over the course of the oxytocin infusion, whereas no such reduction occurred following the placebo infusion, suggesting that oxytocin does indeed address these symptoms.

Researchers also looked at the effects of oxytocin on social cognition. Autism patients are often unable to detect or read emotion in others through facial and voice cues, resulting in the decreased ability to have meaningful interactions with others that characterizes individuals with this disease.

To test participants’ ability to assign affective significance to speech, participants listened to pre-recorded sentences with neutral semantic content that were presented with different intonations such as anger, sadness, or happiness. Participants were asked to identify the emotion. Participants received intravenous infusions of pitocin (synthetic oxytocin) or placebo (saline solution) over a four-hour period; participants then returned approximately two weeks later, receiving the alternate compound. Comprehension of affective speech was assessed throughout the four-hour infusion on both occasions, that is, once with intravenous infusion of oxytocin and once without.

Most interestingly, participants who received oxytocin on the first testing day retained the ability to assign affective significance to speech, performing above expectations when they returned approximately two weeks later. This effect was not found among participants who received the placebo on the first testing day.

Hollander and his colleagues are now using nasal technology to study the treatment implications of oxytocin in a controlled six week trial. “The intranasal administration of oxytocin is important because it may allow for better penetration of the blood brain barrier, and is easier to administer,” explained Hollander. “When administered orally, oxytocin is metabolized and only a small amount reaches the brain. This is important because the behavioral effects of oxytocin are thought to result from its action on the brain.”

Hollander and his colleagues are among the first group to have used intravenous fluid technology and nasal technology to study the behavioral effects of oxytocin in autism spectrum disorders. Though the findings are promising, Hollander cautions that this research is still very preliminary.

“Our findings will need to be replicated in large scale, placebo controlled trials to fully explore treatment potential,” said Hollander. “And, though both intravenous and intranasal approaches have been well tolerated, we need to understand more about the safety of these potential treatments, particularly before these effects are explored in autistic children.”

ACNP is holding its Annual Meeting December 3 – 7, 2006, in Hollywood, FL.

ACNP, founded in 1961, is a professional organization of more than 700 leading scientists, including three Nobel Laureates. The mission of ACNP is to further research and education in neuropsychopharmacology and related fields in the following ways: promoting the interaction of a broad range of scientific disciplines of brain and behavior in order to advance the understanding of prevention and treatment of disease of the nervous system including psychiatric, neurological, behavioral and addictive disorders; encouraging scientists to enter research careers in fields related to these disorders and their treatment; and ensuring the dissemination of relevant scientific advances. A non-profit organization, ACNP receives revenues from a variety of sources including membership dues, publication sales, registration fees, and pharmaceutical industry grants.

# # #
child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Study: Oxytocin’s Potential for Treatment of Two Core Autism Symptom Domains

2006-12-04T18:17:00.000-05:00

American College of Neuropsychopharmacology

Contact: Sharon Reis (202) 745-5103
EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE
9 am EST, December 4, 2006

New Research Suggests Oxytocin’s Potential for Treatment of Two Core Autism
Symptom Domains
Study Presented at ACNP Annual Meeting Outlines Effects on Key Symptoms

Nashville, TN, December 4, 2006 – Preliminary new research discussed today at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology’s Annual Meeting finds that oxytocin, when administered using intravenous fluid and nasal technology may have significant positive effects on adult autism patients. The study, funded by the Seaver Foundation, examined the effects of oxytocin on repetitive behaviors and aspects of social cognition in adults with autism.

Investigators Eric Hollander, MD and Jennifer Bartz, PhD presented results of both intravenous and intranasal administration of oxytocin in high-functioning adult autism patients and discussed the implications of this research for the treatment of autism. Dr. Hollander is Chairman of Psychiatry and at the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in New York, NY and Director of the Seaver and New York Autism Center of Excellence, one of eight NIH-funded (STAART) centers devoted to the study of autism. Dr. Bartz is a Post Doctoral Fellow at the Seaver Center at the Mt., Sinai School of Medicine.

“Studies with animals have found that oxytocin plays a role in a variety of behaviors, including parent-child and adult-to-adult pair bonding, social memory, social cognition, anxiety reduction and repetitive behaviors,” explained Dr. Bartz. “However,” adds Dr. Hollander, “we have only recently considered that administration of oxytocin can have behavioral effects. Autism is a particularly ripe neuropsychiatric disorder for studying this approach because it presents with the types of symptoms that have been found to be associated with the oxytocin system.”

High-functioning adults with autism or Asperger’s disorder received an intravenous infusion of pitocin (synthetic oxytocin) or placebo (saline solution) over a four-hour period. During that time, participants were monitored for repetitive behaviors that are hallmarks of autism spectrum disorders including need to tell/ask, touching, and repeating. These behaviors were assessed at a baseline and throughout the course of the infusion.
“Repetitive behaviors are often overlooked as symptoms of autism in favor of more dramatic symptoms like disrupted social functioning,” noted Hollander. “However, early repetitive behavior is often the best predictor of a later autism diagnosis.”

The infusion produced results that were both clinically and statistically significant. Hollander noted a rapid reduction of repetitive behaviors over the course of the oxytocin infusion, whereas no such reduction occurred following the placebo infusion, suggesting that oxytocin does indeed address these symptoms.

Researchers also looked at the effects of oxytocin on social cognition. Autism patients are often unable to detect or read emotion in others through facial and voice cues, resulting in the decreased ability to have meaningful interactions with others that characterizes individuals with this disease.

To test participants’ ability to assign affective significance to speech, participants listened to pre-recorded sentences with neutral semantic content that were presented with different intonations such as anger, sadness, or happiness. Participants were asked to identify the emotion. Participants received intravenous infusions of pitocin (synthetic oxytocin) or placebo (saline solution) over a four-hour period; participants then returned approximately two weeks later, receiving the alternate compound. Comprehension of affective speech was assessed throughout the four-hour infusion on both occasions, that is, once with intravenous infusion of oxytocin and once without.

Most interestingly, participants who received oxytocin on the first testing day retained the ability to assign affective significance to speech, performing above expectations when they returned approximately two weeks later. This effect was not found among participants who received the placebo on the first testing day.

Hollander and his colleagues are now using nasal technology to study the treatment implications of oxytocin in a controlled six week trial. “The intranasal administration of oxytocin is important because it may allow for better penetration of the blood brain barrier, and is easier to administer,” explained Hollander. “When administered orally, oxytocin is metabolized and only a small amount reaches the brain. This is important because the behavioral effects of oxytocin are thought to result from its action on the brain.”

Hollander and his colleagues are among the first group to have used intravenous fluid technology and nasal technology to study the behavioral effects of oxytocin in autism spectrum disorders. Though the findings are promising, Hollander cautions that this research is still very preliminary.

“Our findings will need to be replicated in large scale, placebo controlled trials to fully explore treatment potential,” said Hollander. “And, though both intravenous and intranasal approaches have been well tolerated, we need to understand more about the safety of these potential treatments, particularly before these effects are explored in autistic children.”

ACNP is holding its Annual Meeting December 3 – 7, 2006, in Hollywood, FL.

ACNP, founded in 1961, is a professional organization of more than 700 leading scientists, including three Nobel Laureates. The mission of ACNP is to further research and education in neuropsychopharmacology and related fields in the following ways: promoting the interaction of a broad range of scientific disciplines of brain and behavior in order to advance the understanding of prevention and treatment of disease of the nervous system including psychiatric, neurological, behavioral and addictive disorders; encouraging scientists to enter research careers in fields related to these disorders and their treatment; and ensuring the dissemination of relevant scientific advances. A non-profit organization, ACNP receives revenues from a variety of sources including membership dues, publication sales, registration fees, and pharmaceutical industry grants.

# # #
child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Students with Disabilities Entitled to School Transportation When Home District Closed

2006-12-01T11:44:00.000-05:00

Students with Disabilities are Entitled to Transportation to School Programs Even When the Home District is Closed

November 2006 - Did you know that students with disabilities who are placed in out of district programs by the Committee on Special Education (CSE) or the Preschool Committee on Special Education (CPSE) are entitled to transportation to that program even when the home district is closed? In other words, students who have special education placements, documented on their Individualized Education Program (IEP), should be transported to these placements everyday the program is open even if the home district is closed (snow days are an acceptable exception).

Section 4402(4)(d) of the Education Law specifies that a child identified by the Committee on Special Education as needing a placement outside of the district of residence shall be provided transportation to this placement. Nowhere in this section does it give the district authority to limit transportation to only those days that the district is in session.

If you are aware of a family being denied transportation to an approved placement, please send a completed intake form (attached to this letter) to:

Robin Worobey
Developmental Disabilities Planning Council
155 Washington Avenue, Albany, NY 12210-2329
(518) 486-7505 or fax (518) 402-3505
rworobey@ddpc.state.ny.us

The DDPC also request that those families that are currently struggling with denial of transportation share their personal stories in a letter. These letters will be collected and used to obtain a statewide resolution to this problem.

For clarification, we are not talking about students who are attending a non-public school selected by parents at the parent’s expense.
child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Free Eyeglasses DEC. 5th

2006-11-30T10:58:00.000-05:00

Lenscrafters will be sponsoring a community day on December 5th. If you have a youth in need of new glasses, contact a Lenscrafters in your area and get their prescriptions filled for free. You'll need a valid prescription and a letter from an organization stating financial need (with the organization's Tax ID number on it). child-autism-parent-cafe.com.

Click here for info

Ped Med: The biological factor in autism

2006-11-29T09:40:00.000-05:00

Indeed, when Van de Water probed the brain's disease-deflecting armor in 30 autistic children ages 2 to 5 and 26 without the disorder, she detected a variation in the way specialized messenger molecules called cytokines react to bacteria and other health threats in the two groups.
These immune proteins, which normally get into gear when a response is needed to injury or irritation, instead appear to be constantly "switched on," or inflamed, in individuals with autism, reported another team.

The finding "backs up what we're seeing in the peripheral blood, that perhaps there is a change in these kids and the cytokine production in the brain is altered."

Cytokines are known to affect slumber, and sleep disorders are a common complaint of individuals with autism. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for more info

Sad News from the Autism Research Institute

2006-11-28T13:27:00.000-05:00

Dr. Bernard Rimland, fondly known as the "father of autism" passed away on November 21, 2006, at age 78.

Rimland’s book "Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior" dispelled the “refrigerator mother” view that autism was due to cold, uncaring mothers caused their children to withdraw into themselves. Rimland concluded autism is a neurological disorder.

Rimland reasoned autism is an epidemic, as one in every 166 children is diagnosed with the disorder. He believed heavy metals in vaccines, namely Thimerosal played a major role in the increase of cases, and supported a grass-roots movement among parents to have Thimerosal removed from vaccines.

Dr. Rimland founded the Autism Society of America, the largest autism organization in the U.S.

In 1967, Rimland established the Autism Research Institute (http://www.autismwebsite.com/ARI/index.htm) to conduct research, disseminate the results of research, on the causes of autism and on methods of preventing, diagnosing and treating autism, and provides information based on research to parents and professionals throughout the world. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here for more info

Communicating With Your Child's Doctor

2006-11-17T10:03:00.000-05:00

The key to building a better relationship with your child's doctor is open communication and reasonable expectations. What can you expect from your child's doctor? He or she should:

• help you monitor your child's health
• explain your child's growth and development and what you can expect
• diagnose and treat your child's minor or moderately serious illnesses
• explain your child's illnesses and treatment
• provide referrals and work with specialists in the case of illnesses requiring special expertise

child-autism-parent-cafe

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NYS Dept. of Ed Update on Behavioral Interventions

2006-11-13T08:42:00.000-05:00

Message From The Special Education Muckraker. Beware! NYSED's newest version of its "aversive behavioral intervention" regulations will be published in the NY State Register on Nov. 15th. They must be horrible, because NYSED has refused to let the disability community see them before then - and is asking the Regents to vote to make these amended regulations permanent at their Dec. 4-5, 2006 meeting. They don't want the disability community to have enough time to organize a campaign to persuade the Regents to vote these abusive regulations down once and for all. Stay close to your computers on Nov. 15th. Your children's physical safety in school may - really - depend on it.

UPDATE from child-autism-parent-cafe.com: Revised proposed regulations relating to Behavioral Interventions, including Aversive Interventions have been published in the State Register and are available for public comment. Written comments on the proposed regulation must be received by December 15, 2006.

Effective June 23, 2006, the Board of Regents approved regulations that establish general standards for behavioral interventions and set a general ban on the use of aversive behavioral interventions, with a provision and procedures for a child-specific exception to this ban (http://www.vesid.nysed.gov/specialed/behavioral/exception.htm). child-autism-parent-cafe.com

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Satisfaction with Primary Health Care Received by Families of Children with Developmental Disabilities

2006-11-13T08:15:00.000-05:00

A recent study, "Satisfaction with Primary Health Care Received by Families of Children with Developmental Disabilities" from the Journal of Pediatric Health Care, 2006 – is especially interesting. This research shows that, even as we make progress, there is room for much more. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

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U.S. Study: Children show hardening of arteries

2006-11-13T07:35:00.000-05:00

Children with risk factors for heart disease, including high cholesterol and diabetes, are showing signs of narrowing and hardening of the arteries, conditions normally associated with adults, a study said on Sunday. Testing should include regular blood lipid and glucose level testing, said the report's lead author, Sanaz Piran, a resident at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Earlier treatment could include more aggressive use of cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins. Researchers found that children at risk already show signs of heart disease, including arterial wall thickness and decreased flexibility of blood vessels. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Industrial chemicals linked to autism, ADHD

2006-11-10T11:15:00.000-05:00

Industrial chemicals have caused a "silent pandemic" of brain disorders, according to a study published Tuesday in the British medical journal, the Lancet.

One in every six children has some kind of developmental disability, and most of these affect the nervous system.

Exposure to toxic chemicals during fetal development can be linked to autism, attention deficit disorder, cerebral palsy and developmental delays, say the study's authors. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

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NCLB and IDEA: What Parents of Students with Disabilities Need to Know

2006-11-09T09:44:00.000-05:00

NCLB and IDEA: What Parents of Students with Disabilities Need to Know
and Do, National Center on Educational Outcomes, August 2006. This report discusses the intersection between the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA, in its latest update by Congress, has been more closely aligned with NCLB, making it equally important that parents become familiar with the ways the two laws have been positioned to work together to improve academic achievement of students with disabilities. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

Click here to view report.

"Independence Beyond Borders: A Teleconference for Parents

2006-11-03T09:02:00.000-05:00

The National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange hosted a
teleconference, "Independence Beyond Borders: A Teleconference for Parents
of Children with Disabilities and Youth Influencers." If you are the parent of or work with youth with disabilities, learn how international exchange can be part of youth with disabilities life experiences! child-autism-parent-cafe.com

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Willing, Able -- and Unemployable

2006-10-31T17:30:00.000-05:00

By Ann Bauer
Monday, October 30, 2006

Today, what I fret about most is the fact that after two years of submitting applications, taking tests and going in for interviews, he cannot get a job.

When he was 16, I told him it was time to get a part-time job. I took him first to the coffeehouse where I wrote each morning, introduced him to the manager and took my usual table. But even from a distance, I could see things weren't going well. The "interview" took three minutes, ending abruptly when the manager offered Andrew a cup of coffee and my son -- ever conscious of the rules -- insisted on paying for it, fumbling with his wallet and spilling coins all over the floor.

I switched coffeehouses and tactics. Next, I took Andrew to Target, a company known for its history of working with disabled people. Only there's a catch: I was told when I called that their policy was to employ "visibly handicapped" workers. People in wheelchairs qualify, as do those with Down syndrome. My son, with his eccentricities and halting speech, does not. What's more, Target administers a computerized psychological screening test designed to eliminate people on the outer edges of the bell curve. People like Andrew. Read full article.

Check out Employment and Independent Living Resources here.

Medicaid Funds Cut Autism Education Program

2006-10-31T16:11:00.000-05:00

A program that teaches autistic children at public schools will lose more than one million dollars in Medicaid funding at the end of the year. The state Department of Health and Human Services says it will provide enough funding to get programs through the end of the school year, but then schools will have to come up with other ways to pay for the programs. The program is called applied behavioral therapy and teaches new skills to children with the brain disorder. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

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What is Guardianship?

2006-10-24T15:12:00.000-04:00

Did You Know...

Parents do not have the legal authority to make decisions for their child once their child turns 18 years of age -- no matter the child's level of competency. This includes medical, housing, vocational and financial decisions.

Check out our updated What Is Guardianship? page. Learn how you may continue to protect your adult child’s rights.

Genetic Variant Carries Increased Risk Of Autism

2006-10-24T15:01:00.000-04:00

Researchers have identified a common gene variant that more than doubles the risk of autism. The research, led by investigators at the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, provides new insights into the genetic basis of the complex disorder.

“This is a relatively common variant, seen in about 47 percent of the population,” Levitt said. “So why doesn't everybody have autism?”

“Genes create a vulnerability that then gets coupled with some environmental disturbance - but right now, we don't have any idea what those factors might be.”
child-autism-parent-cafe.com

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Study: Crucial Deficit In Children With Autism

2006-10-19T07:15:00.000-04:00

Young children with autism appear to be delayed in their ability to categorize objects and to distinguish between living and nonliving things, according to a breakthrough study by researchers at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University. The results could provide a cognitive explanation for one of the characteristics of autism: the inability to recognize the goals and motivations of others. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

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FDA approves autism drug for behavior problems

2006-10-13T17:13:00.000-04:00

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Risperdal to treat irritability in autistic children and adolescents. This is the first time the FDA approved a drug to treat behavior-related problems associated with autism in children. The drug can be used to treat aggression, deliberate self-injury and temper tantrums. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

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NYS - Senator Golden Hosts Special Ed Fair For Community Children

2006-10-11T08:20:00.000-04:00

Senator Golden Hosts Special Ed Fair For Community Children

State Senator Martin J. Golden (R-C, Brooklyn) will be hosting a special education fair for families and students of School District 20, 21 and 22 on Saturday, October 14, 2006, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Marine & Academic Center Rotunda at Kingsborough Community College located at 2001 Oriental Boulevard in Brooklyn.

"As a member of the State Senate Education Committee who has worked very closely with our schools and our parents for many years, I have discovered the need to host this special education fair to address the needs, to provide the information, and to allow for the best of opportunities for our children who require special education. I think it is important for parents to understand how to access the services that are available to them in an effort to benefit their children. I look forward to hosting this event that will help our children learn and grow."

Refreshments and lunch will be served. For directions, call Kingsborough Community College at (718) 368-5000. For additional information, contact Sen. Golden at (718) 238-6044. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

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Free autism workshops

2006-10-10T09:50:00.000-04:00

Eden II Foundation, in cooperation with KeySpan Energy, will offer a series of free monthly workshops from Oct. 19 through July 19 to educate parents and professionals on autism. The workshops topics such as an overview of autism, promoting speech and language in autistic children, managing challenging behaviors and using video and computer technology in autism education. child-autism-parent-cafe.com

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