Article A: California Reports DECLINE in Autism:

According to information released today by the California Department of Developmental Services (DDS)...www.dds.ca.gov/autism), the First Quarter of 2005 (1/4/05 to 4/4/05) produced the smallest number of new cases of professionally diagnosed DSM IV full syndrome autism of any first quarter reporting period since the year 2001. 736 new cases.

In California's 36 year old developmental services system, the DDS Quarterly Reports document changes in the caseloads of California's eligible developmental disabilities. The eligible disabilities are: Autism, which only includes the most severe cases of autism known as full syndrome autism and DOES NOT include any other autism spectrum disorder such as PDD, NOS, or Asperger's Syndrome; Mental Retardation, Cerebral Palsy, and Epilepsy. The Quarterly Reports do not include children between the ages of 0 to 3 years old. Children between 0 and 3 are placed in the Early Start Program and accounted for in that section of California's developmental services system.  82% of all new autism intakes first enter the system by age 6 years old, 90% are there by age 10, and 99% have entered by age 15.

California's autism epidemic now accounts for 57% of all the new intakes, and is the fastest growing disability in California's system.

At the beginning of 1988, some 17 short years ago, there were 2,778 cases of autism in California's developmental services system. Today there are 27,312.

Today, California is adding on average eight new children a day, seven days a week, with professionally diagnosed DSM IV full syndrome autism to it's system. 80%, or 8 out of 10, of all persons with autism in California's system are between the ages of 3 and 17 years old. The staggering tidal wave of young children is unique to the autism population and is not evident in any other eligible disability except autism.

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Article B: Autism Partnership responds to recent criticism

DEFENDING CHILDREN!
http://www.autismpartnership.com/testifying.htm

Ron Leaf, John McEachin, Mitch Taubman, Tracee Parker & Andi Waks

Outrage has been expressed recently in a number of forums over the fact that Autism Partnership has on occasion given expert testimony on behalf of a school district. This has caused people to question our motives in taking such action and even led some to accuse us of being "anti-child". Over the past decade we have testified in support of a school district's program on six occasions and we will describe the nature of our involvement in these cases in the following pages. We would like to first give some perspective on what we see as our role in providing services to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

"Good Guys" vs. "Bad Guys"
We have heard some professionals say they would "never testify against a family" and some would go even further, arguing that, "anyone who takes a position that is different from what the family believes is unethical and mercenary". There appears to be a perspective amongst SOME people in our field, that educational legal matters are ALWAYS about families making the right choices for their children, going up against cold, monolithic and powerful school districts, who are making the wrong choices, because all the district cares about is saving money. Frankly, we feel that such sweeping categorizations are irresponsible. It exemplifies the same kind of stereotyping that parents are so quick to accuse school districts of committing. Parents know all too well what it is like to be on the receiving end of such prejudice, (i.e., the belief on the part of SOME school personnel that families are "uninformed, impossible to please, and over-empowered"). We believe such stereotyping, whether committed by parents or by school districts, is unfair, inaccurate, unproductive and potentially harms children.

Educating children with ASD is a complicated matter. Both family members and professional educators have something important to contribute to the effort. It clearly works best when the process is collaborative. And when it turns to dispute, as with anything in life, it is not as simple as figuring out who are "the good guys" and who are the " the bad guys". In fact, we know there are instructors and others involved in educating students with ASD who have dedicated themselves to providing necessary, quality, and comprehensive services. Yet, despite their dedication these same educators have sometimes found themselves involved in legal disputes. SOMETIMES this happens merely because they are educators, and parents have been led to believe that educators are automatically the "bad guys" without objective and level-headed consideration of what the school staff are actually accomplishing. SOMETIMES the dissatisfaction occurs merely because a child is not achieving "best outcome" status and it is assumed that this must be due to inadequacies of the school district's program.

Of course, SOMETIMES district staff fail to provide an appropriate education and in such cases parental dissatisfaction is well justified and calls for action. However, there seems to be an automatic belief that school districts are incapable of providing quality intervention and that private agencies are ALWAYS far superior. This simply has not been our experience over the past 25 years. SOME districts actually provide quality educational programs.
SOME of these are not just "adequate", but truly effective. And for those districts that do not currently provide meaningful educational benefit, there is still the possibility that they can significantly improve their programs with in-depth long-term training. As for the private agencies, there are SOME who provide very poor, and even detrimental services. The point is that we cannot make generalizations about who are the "good guys" and who are the "bad guys".

Changing the Behavior of School Districts
EVEN IF it were true that 99% of the time parents make reasonable demands on school districts, it still CAN happen that what a parent is asking for in a particular case is not reasonable or would not be in the best interests of a child. EVEN IF it has been the experience of parents that the vast majority of programs offered by school districts are very poor quality, it CAN happen that a school district has worked hard to put in place an excellent program. Parents expect professionals to step up and advocate for their child when the school district does not do its job. At Autism Partnership we do this all the time. But let's consider the opposite scenario, EVEN IF it rarely occurs. What should happen if the school district really does have an excellent program or the parents are asking for something that does not make sense for the child? We believe that effective and appropriate programs should be acknowledged and defended. In fact, when such desired behavior occurs infrequently, it is even more important for that behavior to be reinforced when it does occur. It follows that if there is ever to be hope of changing the way school districts operate, laudable and sincere efforts must be supported. In such cases, it is our belief that to remain silent and not acknowledge what is in the best interest of the child would be irresponsible, unprofessional, and just plain wrong.

We are willing to work with school districts so that school personnel (e.g., teachers, aides, speech pathologist, occupational therapists, etc.) can be trained to provide quality educational programs. Our experience has been that with comprehensive and ongoing training, and when the motivations of the district are sincere, it is possible for school personnel to provide quality services that are at least at the same level as those provided by private agencies (and in some cases, better). The advantage of working with schools is that services can be provided to a far greater number of children and it can be done more cost-effectively. Quite simply, there are not enough professionals who can provide quality programs to children with ASD. Realistically, there will not be sufficient funds to provide the services that are required unless it can be done in more efficient ways. The majority of children receiving high quality intensive behavioral intervention are those who are lucky enough to have parents with the resources, knowledge and emotional stamina to fight to obtain services. These children represent a minuscule percentage of children with ASD. This leaves the vast majority of students with
ASD receiving services that are considerably lower in quality or even non-existent. By training school, staff our goal is to minimize this disparity.

When we consult to a school district, we insist on a comprehensive approach. We help set up ABA classrooms and direct instruction programs; develop curriculum and data collection systems; provide guidance toward successful inclusion; help develop effective behavior intervention programs; and conduct extensive ongoing staff training. Additionally, we assist districts in building capacity by helping them develop their own in-house experts. We also conduct research to determine the effectiveness of ABA strategies and methods that can be used in schools. We show them how services in school can be supplemented with services at home to ensure that children receive the necessary level of intensity to meet their needs.

To Testify or Not to Testify?
We have consistently been informed by all parties involved that support of the educational interests of children with special needs constitutes the essence of IDEA and its protections. Most parents and advocates within the ASD community expect us to be willing to testify, when necessary, on behalf of a child who is not receiving necessary services. We are willing to do this, have done this, and will continue to do this. Ironically, it is often these same people who would like us to never to testify for a school district even if the services being provided are excellent services. Failure or refusal to testify on behalf of good services when they do occur in a school district, would only perpetuate the severe shortage of well- trained and highly experienced professionals who can help meet the needs of children with ASD.

When we have made the decision to testify as experts for a school district, it is has been based upon our strong belief that the district was providing quality services. After careful and extensive analysis of data; reviewing reports, assessments and evaluations; multiple observations; conducting extensive interviews; and implementing intervention probes we then form an opinion taking into account what we have learned from our many years of experience. When we STRONGLY believe that children are being provided quality educational services, AND that these services are equal to if not better than those being received privately, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY that it is in the best interests of the child, THEN AND ONLY THEN would we be willing to testify. Otherwise we would not support the school district's case; we would recommend that the district should improve its in-house services and agree to support and fund the family's requested services from an outside provider. In a number of such cases, we have not only refused to testify on behalf of the district but have been prepared to support the family's case against the district. Furthermore we have severed our relationship with a district if they do not follow through on the commitment to providing quality services so as not to collude in creating a facade that quality services were being provided.

In five of the six cases in which we have testified on behalf of a school district, Autism Partnership was providing comprehensive and on-going training to school staff. Training included didactic, hands- on and classroom consultation. In each case our involvement with the district had been underway for at least three years PRIOR to our involvement in legal proceedings. Testimony, therefore, was not only supporting the staff's skills but defending the training provided by Autism Partnership. Despite the fact that school staff had become highly skilled, parents could not overcome their belief that school staff in general are inherently incapable of providing a meaningful education. In these cases we were convinced that not only were staff providing quality intervention but that the intervention was actually superior to that being provided by staff from private agencies. We believed that it would be a mistake not to continue with the services that were being provided by the school. It certainly is not our practice to serve as hired guns for a school district and we are extremely reluctant to go against the wishes of a parent. But when we strongly feel that a child's future may be compromised, then we feel we have a professional obligation to speak up if we have been involved in the child's program.

In only one case, we had not provided extensive training to the school staff prior to our legal involvement. Therefore, we did not testify as to the skill of school personnel. We decided to testify in this particular case because we felt the private services the child was receiving was not meeting his needs. Additionally, the Hearing Officer mis-characterized ABA and its effectiveness. We felt such misinformation was not only harmful for this child but could negatively impact children with ASD in general. For example, neither the hearing officer nor the "experts" made a distinction between the intervention provided at UCLA (i.e., clinical model) and a less effective workshop model. There was a fundamental misunderstanding of the criteria that were utilized to evaluate children's outcomes. Additionally, there were several inaccurate representations of the methods and protocol used at UCLA. It is worth noting that since our testimony we have provided extensive training and technical support to ensure the quality of the program for children with ASD in this district.

Although we have received notoriety for these cases, what seems to be overlooked is that we have testified AGAINST school districts and government agencies far more often. Furthermore, the vast majority of cases where we have advocated for a child never went to trial, because of our ability to convince the school district that the child needed the services.

When we do testify for a School District, we are often asked on cross examination if we are being paid for our work. The answer is "yes". When we are expert witnesses there is a tremendous amount of time spent in preparation. We do not see the need to apologize for receiving remuneration for this level of professional effort and commitment. More importantly the fees we receive as expert witnesses enable Autism Partnership to provide much needed treatment for children. We are able to provide services to families who do not receive proper funding. We are able to conduct workshops at no charge to families. We are able to conduct research which is not otherwise funded and we are able to provide pro bono expert witness work to families in legal disputes.

We fully appreciate the concern of families that some of our work could be misconstrued as "giving comfort to the enemy", especially when taken out of context. We wish that such litigation never had to happen. Unfortunately, litigation is at times necessary to ensure that children receive the services they need. Our legal efforts, no matter which "side" we appear to be on, are necessary extensions of our clinical endeavors and professional commitment. Our desire to positively impact the lives and serve the best interests of children with ASD needs to be backed up with willingness to defend quality services wherever they occur, regardless of whether it is in a home- based program or in a school district classroom. As distasteful as it may be, we believe that we must be willing to fight when it is the right thing to do for the child.

NOW: A parent responds to Autism Partnerships comments:

Perception vs. Reality?  Perception is Reality. Nice work on articulating your position.  Well put. Nevertheless, families and the school districts are in an adversarial situation.  A legal, adversarial matter.  In such a situation (and I believe both Camus and Mr. Miyagi both articulated it quite well), lines are drawn, and sides are chosen.

You need not justify taking a fee for a professional witness testimony.  You're providing a service, thus you get paid; you're  a paid consultant.  Not unlike a tax/audit accountant, you are "selling your opinion."

From your explanation, in conjunction with consulting for the school district, you will also provide expert testimony.  It sounds like smart business.  Business.

This business arrangement limits your ability to make the following claim:

"As distasteful as it may be, we believe that we must be willing to fight when it is the right thing to do for the child."

This statement may be true.  Rather, you may perceive it to be true.  Others, I believe, may perceive otherwise.

Therein lies your dilemma.

You consult for the school district.  This is great. Its wonderful that trained experienced professionals can raise the level of service the district staff
provides.  Then, you can for a fee testify to the quality of the service.  Great.  Sounds like it helps the district, helps the kids, and it's a good business.  Business.

I hope that Autism Partnership successfully raises the level of service that the districts provide.  I also hope you make a lot of money doing it.  I also hope you make a lot of money testifying in this regard.

It's likely that you may soon find yourself no longer in the BUSINESS of consulting with families and children, no longer working directly with children and families in their homes providing ABA therapy, and no longer providing one-on-one services (for a fee) in lieu of your new BUSINESS.

In this regard, you need to analyze and decide which business you want to be in.  Do you want to help families and children, or do you want to help school districts help children? Which is more effective, more realistic, and which is more lucrative?  But this is NOT what you are doing, and I quote, "we believe that we must be willing to fight when it is the right thing to do for the child."

As a parent, I am fighting for what I believe is right for my child.  You, on the other hand, are providing a service for a fee.

More specifically, you are providing adversarial services, which may rightly be in direct conflict, for a fee.

You may not believe this to be true, but perception is reality.

Good luck to you.  I'll be fighting for my son if you need to get in touch with me.

Brian,
Coop's dad (and TACA member)!

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Article C: Kids get a sample of life with autism

Understanding of the disorder gets a push in some schools.

ACTIVE PARENT: Lisa Tabari gets a hug and kiss from her daughter Shabnam, 5, who has autism. Lisa led an assembly at Shabnam’s school as a part of Autism Awareness Month. Leonard Ortiz, The Orange County

By SAM MILLER
The Orange County Register

MISSION VIEJO – Staff members at Hankey Elementary were finishing up an assembly on autism awareness Monday and taking questions. One girl raised her hand: "I have a cousin with a disability," she said.

She's not the only one. In Capistrano Unified the rise in cases of autism has outpaced national averages, touched hundreds of families and become the elephant in the room of every budget discussion.

If anyone isn't aware of those facts, Lisa Tabari is making sure they learn. "It's about time we all get together and say, 'This is a problem,' " said Tabari, the mother of an autistic daughter at Hankey.

She led the assembly to educate her daughter's classmates on autism, a disorder still considered mysterious by many families affected by it.

Parents of children with autism say few understand the difficulties of living with the disorder. "We go to Vons, to Ralphs, and there is a line of five people," said Cassie McCann, whose son has autism. "He's a big boy, but he throws a tantrum like a 2-year-old. People yell at me - 'Shut him up!' "

If that's how adults react, Tabari worries about how kids will respond, especially with most autistic children eventually being "mainstreamed" into regular classes.

There were 18 children diagnosed with autism in 1996 in Capistrano Unified. Last school year, there were more than 450 cases.

Similar figures have shown up throughout the county: 230 reported cases in Irvine Unified in December 2003; 136 in Santa Ana; 73 in Los Alamitos.

Thirty Hankey students have autism; most are mainstreamed to some degree. That means their schoolmates must learn about the disorder.

"They're going to encounter somebody in their day-to-day existence who has autism," said Charlene Lerman, a special-education teacher at Hankey who taught her first autistic student in 1979. "It's inevitable considering how big our population has become."

Tabari wanted the kids to know how her daughter and other autistic children are affected. She showed how hard it is to listen with overstimulated senses, asking children to memorize a long list of words while lights flickered and country music blared. She used a game of charades to show the frustration of being speechless.

"You guys think this is going to be easy or hard?" she asked before one modified task.

With one voice, the students hollered, "Hard!"

Fourth-grader Ray Trujillo said it's hard to relate to some autistic children, but he'll try. "It's best to try to find out what they like and stuff."

Tabari said parents will take the show to other schools. While the district's PTA groups send a parent to Washington, D.C., this week to ask for funding, Tabari will be outside local supermarkets, reminding folks that not every child who throws a tantrum in the check-out line is just misbehaving.

AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH

Since 1972, April has been designated Autism Awareness Month. Some local events: REACT Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises money for schools to provide special-education services, will hold a fundraiser from 6 to 10 p.m. April 29 at the Claim Jumper in Fountain Valley, 18050 Brookhurst St. Information and registration: (714) 963-6711, or www.reactfoundation.org. Talk About Curing Autism will hold a 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. seminar April 30 in Costa Mesa for parents of children recently diagnosed with autism. Experienced parents will talk about various therapies, resources and education issues. Information: (949) 640-4401 or www.tacanow.org. Cure Autism Now, a national group based in Los Angeles, expects as many as 5,000 parents at Los Angeles Walk Now, a 5K event April 16 at the Rose Bowl. Nearly $300,000 has been donated through teams of participants. Information: (888) 828-8476, or www.cureautismnow.org.

CONTACT US: (949) 454-7394 or sammiller@ocregister.com

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Article D: Study Links Free Radicals to the Spectrum of Autism

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-autism3apr03,1,3750859.story?coll=la-headlines-nation&ctrack=1&cset=true

A metabolic flaw may account partly for the range in severity shown in children with the developmental disorder, scientists report.

By Robert Lee Hotz
Times Staff Writer

Many autistic children share a chronic flaw in the body's natural defenses against oxygen free radicals — corrosive molecules in the body that can severely damage developing brain cells, scientists said Saturday in San Diego.

The molecular havoc caused by free radicals — natural byproducts of metabolism — is believed to be a major factor in the cell damage that underlies aging.

Researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock found that a single breakdown in the body's metabolism might underlie many of the puzzling symptoms of autism, a complex developmental disability with a spectrum of behaviors.

"This is a very promising thing to look at because it gets at the actual metabolic processes in the brain," said UCLA neurologist George Bartzokis, who did not participate in the research. "The brain is especially vulnerable to damage from free radicals."

Those with autism typically have difficulty communicating and interacting with other people. It strikes some in infancy. Other children may develop normally for several years before falling into a private world where normal social interaction and behavior becomes impossible.

The new findings also may help shed light on the condition's range in severity because maturing neurons and synapses are especially vulnerable to this biomolecular bombardment. Autism could therefore cause different symptoms and degrees of severity in children depending on when the disorder is triggered.

Normally, the body shields itself from such damage with a chemical produced by every cell called glutathione, which neutralizes oxygen free radicals. It binds to them, altering their electron balance and sees them safely expelled from the body.

By analyzing blood samples from 95 autistic children and 75 healthy ones, researchers led by biochemist S. Jill James at the University of Arkansas determined that levels of this protective antioxidant were abnormally low in many autistic children.

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Article E: A TWO PART SERIES

The Age of Autism: The Amish anomaly

By Dan Olmsted
Published 4/18/2005 10:52 AM
LANCASTER, Pa., April 18 (UPI) -- Part 1 of 2. Where are the autistic Amish? Here in Lancaster County, heart of Pennsylvania Dutch country, there should be well over 100 with some form of the disorder.

I have come here to find them, but so far my mission has failed, and the very few I have identified raise some very interesting questions about some widely held views on autism.

The mainstream scientific consensus says autism is a complex genetic disorder, one that has been around for millennia at roughly the same prevalence. That prevalence is now considered to be 1 in every 166 children born in the United States.

Applying that model to Lancaster County, there ought to be 130 Amish men, women and children here with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Well over 100, in rough terms.

Typically, half would harbor milder variants such as Asperger's Disorder or the catch-all Pervasive Development Disorder, Not Otherwise Specified -- PDD-NOS for short.

So let's drop those from our calculation, even though "mild" is a relative term when it comes to autism.

That means upwards of 50 Amish people of all ages should be living in Lancaster County with full-syndrome autism, the "classic autism" first described in 1943 by child psychiatrist Leo Kanner at Johns Hopkins University. The full-syndrome disorder is hard to miss, characterized by "markedly abnormal or impaired development in social interaction and communication and a markedly restricted repertoire of activities and interests," according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Why bother looking for them among the Amish? Because they could hold clues to the cause of autism.

The first half-dozen articles in this ongoing series on the roots and rise of autism examined the initial studies and early accounts of the disorder, first identified by Kanner among 11 U.S. children born starting in 1931.

Kanner wrote that his 1938 encounter with a child from Mississippi, identified as Donald T., "made me aware of a behavior pattern not known to me or anyone else theretofore." Kanner literally wrote the book on "Child Psychiatry," published in 1934.

If Kanner was correct -- if autism was new and increasingly prevalent -- something must have happened in the 1930s to trigger those first autistic cases. Genetic disorders do not begin suddenly or increase dramatically in prevalence in a short period of time.

That is why it is worth looking for autistic Amish -- to test reasoning against reality. Largely cut off for hundreds of years from American culture and scientific progress, the Amish might have had less exposure to some new factor triggering autism in the rest of population.

Surprising, but no one seems to have looked.

Of course, the Amish world is insular by nature; finding a small subset of Amish is a challenge by definition. Many Amish, particularly Old Order, ride horse-and-buggies, eschew electricity, do not attend public school, will not pose for pictures and do not chat casually with the "English," as they warily call the non-Amish.

Still, some Amish today interact with the outside world in many ways. Some drive, use phones, see doctors and send out Christmas cards with family photos. They all still refer to themselves as "Plain," but the definition of that word varies quite a bit.

So far, from sources inside and outside the Amish community, I have identified three Amish residents of Lancaster County who apparently have full-syndrome autism, all of them children.

A local woman told me there is one classroom with about 30 "special-needs" Amish children. In that classroom, there is one autistic Amish child.

Another autistic Amish child does not go to school.

The third is that woman's pre-school-age daughter.

If there were more, she said, she would know it.

What I learned about those children is the subject of the next column.

The Age of Autism: Julia
Dan Olmsted    LEOLA, Pa., Part 2 of 2.

Three-year old Julia is napping when I arrive at the spare, neat, cheerful house  on Musser School Road near the town of Leola in Lancaster County.    

She is the reason I have driven through the budding countryside on this perfect spring day, but I really do  not need to meet her.   

In the last column, I wrote about trying to find autistic Amish people here in the heart of Pennsylvania  Dutch country, and noted there should be dozens of them -- if autism occurs at the same prevalence as the  rest of the United States.    

So far, there is evidence of only three, all of them children, the oldest age 9 or 10. Julia is one of them. I  found out about her through a pediatrician in Richmond, Va., Dr. Mary Megson. I had been asking around  for quite some time about autism and the Amish, and she provided the first direct link.   

Megson said she would give my name to this child's mother, who could call if she chose. A few days later  the phone rang. It was Stacey-jean Inion, an Amish-Mennonite woman. She, her husband Brent and their  four children live simply, but they do drive a vehicle and have a telephone. After a few pleasantries, I told  her about my trying to find autistic Amish.    

Here is what she said, verbatim:    "Unfortunately our autistic daughter -- who's doing very well, she's been diagnosed with very, very severe  autism -- is adopted from China, and so she would have had all her vaccines in China before we got her,  and then she had most of her vaccines given to her in the United States before we got her.   

"So we're probably not the pure case you're looking for."   

Maybe not, but it was stunning that Julia Inion, the first autistic Amish person I could find, turned out to  be adopted -- from another country, no less. It also was surprising that Stacey-jean launched unbidden into  vaccines, because the Amish have a religious exemption from vaccination and presumably would not  have given it much thought.   

She said a minority of Amish families do, in fact, vaccinate their children these days, partly at the urging  of public health officials. 

"Almost every Amish family I know has had somebody from the health department knock on our door  and try to convince us to get vaccines for our children," she said. "The younger Amish more and more are
getting vaccines. It's a minority of children who vaccinate, but that is changing now."   

Did she know of any other autistic Amish? Two more children, she said.   

"One of them, we're very certain it was a vaccine reaction, even though the government would not agree  with that."   

Federal health officials have said there is no association between vaccinations and autism or learning disabilities.   

"The other one I'm not sure if this child was vaccinated or not," she added.   

During my visit to their home, I asked Stacey-jean to explain why she attributed the first case to vaccines.   

"There's one family that we know, their daughter had a vaccine reaction and is now autistic. She was  walking and functioning and a happy bright child, and 24 hours after she had her vaccine, her legs went  limp and she had a typical high-pitched scream. They called the doctor and the doctor said it was fine -- a  lot of high-pitched screaming goes along with it.   

"She completely quit speaking," Stacey-jean said. "She completely quit making eye contact with people.  She went in her own world."    

This happened, Stacey-jean said, at "something like 15 months." The child is now about 8.   

For similar reasons, Julia Inion's Chinese background is intriguing. China, India and Indonesia are among  countries moving quickly to mass-vaccination programs. In some vaccines, they use a mercury-based  preservative called thimerosal that keeps multiple-dose vials from becoming contaminated by repeated  needle sticks. 

Thimerosal was phased out of U.S. vaccines starting in 1999, after health officials became concerned  about the amount of mercury infants and children were receiving. The officials said they simply were  erring on the side of caution, and that all evidence favors rejection of any link between Autism Spectrum  Disorders and thimerosal, or vaccines themselves.   

Julia's vaccinations in China -- all given in one day at about age 15 months -- may well have contained  thimerosal; the United States had stopped using it by the time she was born, but other countries with  millions to vaccinate had not.   

Stacey-jean said photographs of Julia taken in China before she was vaccinated showed a smiling alert  child looking squarely at the camera. Her original adoptive family in the United States, overwhelmed  trying to cope with an autistic child, gave Julia up for re-adoption. The Inions took her in knowing her  diagnosis of severe autism.   

I tried hard -- and am still trying -- to find people who know about other autistic Amish. Of the local  health and social service agency personnel in Lancaster, some said they dealt with Amish people with  disabilities, such as mental retardation, but none recalled seeing an autistic Amish.    

Still, I could be trapped in a feedback loop: The Amish I am likeliest to know about -- because they have  the most contact with the outside world -- also are likeliest to adopt a special-needs child such as Julia  from outside the community, and likeliest to have their children vaccinated.    

Another qualifier: The Inions are converts to the Amish-Mennonite religion (Brent is an Asian-
American). They simply might not know about any number of autistic Amish sheltered quietly with their  families for decades.   

It also is possible the isolated Amish gene pool might confer some kind of immunity to autism -- which  might be a useful topic for research.   

Whatever the case, Stacey-jean thinks the autistic Amish are nowhere to be found.   

"It is so much more rare among our people," she said. "My husband just said last week that so far we've  never met a family that lives a healthy lifestyle and does not vaccinate their children that has an autistic  child. We haven't come across one yet."    

"Everywhere I go (outside the Amish community) I find children who are autistic, just because I have an  autistic daughter -- in the grocery store, in the park, wherever I go. In the Amish community, I simply  don't find that."   

UPI researcher Kyle Pearson contributed to this article.    This ongoing series on the roots and rise of autism aims to be interactive with readers and welcomes  comment, criticism and suggestions. E-mail: dolmsted@upi.com  

Article A: Congrats to author David Kirby for his N.Y. Times BESTSELLER - “EVIDENCE OF HARM”

MERCURY IN VACCINES AND THE AUTISM EPIDEMIC
A MEDICAL CONTROVERSY

People Are TALKING … EVIDENCE OF HARM

 “I am begging everyone in America to read this book.”
-- Don Imus
 
“Six months from now, this will be the biggest subject that everyone is talking about.”*
– Montel Williams
 
“It isn’t a stretch to say Big Pharma’s fortunes are tethered in part to the Amazon.com sales rank of ‘Evidence of Harm.’ If a link is found, the potential liability makes asbestos litigation look like belonging to a small claims court.”
-- Stephen Schurr, Financial Times
 
“WARNING! -- Reporter David Kirby has recently written a book, ‘Evidence of Harm,’ purporting that there is a link between thimerosal and autism and other developmental disorders. This book is being marketed aggressively. Publicity surrounding the release of this book has the potential to confuse families who are asking appropriate questions about vaccine safety.”
-- National Network for Immunization Information
 
“Kirby crafts an engrossing David and Goliath story from this controversy, one in which the giant is an amalgamation of big government bureaucrats and pharmaceutical lobbyists. Walking the middle line, Kirby’s book remains one of the most thoroughly researched accounts of the thimerosal controversy thus far. This is the book for medical professionals and concerned parents to read. It's accessible in its handling of medical topics and compelling in its recounting of the parents' fight.”
-- Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) ***
 
 “We at CDC are in the process of reviewing Mr. Kirby’s book in detail, but the general issues raised in the book have already been extensively examined, including by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The vast majority of studies have failed to find any association between exposure to thimerosal in vaccines and autism; that is, they have failed to find any evidence of harm.”
--Dr. Stephen Cochi, National Immunization Program, CDC
 
“‘Evidence of Harm’ is an important book. It is an important book for politicians and policy-makers lest they forget that theirs is to protect those who put their trust in them; theirs is not preserving a system at the expense of those the system is meant to serve.”
– Craig Westover, St. Paul Pioneer Press
 
“It sickens me that there are still scare mongers out there like you worrying the public needlessly. I can't believe you still try to dispute the recent high quality studies that have put this issue to rest. Your book is too late, we don't use thimerosal in vaccines anymore except flu-vax.  Make sure you tell Oprah et. al. that when you go out on tour.  I hope you and it's publisher lose money on this book, for you should be held responsible for childhood morbidity due to unvaccination that results from your spinning of the truth. 
-- Raymond Holt, MD
 
“Kirby creates warm portraits of parents trying desperately to find treatments for their damaged children while, at the same time, carrying on a war with both big government and big business. With knocks to bureaucrats and kudos to parents, Kirby does a good job of explaining the scientific issues in an unresolved controversy.”
-- Kirkus Reviews
 
"There is a huge publicity campaign afoot, engineered by individuals who seek to bolster their claims that one child's autism caused by a vaccine reaction. That way, they can create a class action, get thousands of parents to join them in their crusade, and influence public opinion, including the opinion of prospective jurors in their cases. I am convinced that Evidence of Harm is an integral component of that publicity campaign. I doubt that Kirby is disinterested. The book is published by St. Martin 's, but I strongly suspect that SafeMinds underwrote production of the material that appears at evidenceofharm.com. I would like to know whether David Kirby has received any compensation from SafeMinds during the preparation of the book. The principals of SafeMinds have a substantial financial interest in the outcome of vaccine lawsuits. If Kirby was paid by them to write the book, he should disclose this.”
--Quackwatch.com

“A riveting new book that examines this controversial but biologically plausible link. ‘Evidence of Harm’ lines up the known evidence while telling the stories of a handful of determined parents forced to become their own detectives. You'll get eye-opening glimpses into the trenches where once normally developing kids slip into the shuttered world of autism and where their parents refuse to be bounced off the walls of seemingly impenetrable bureaucracies. Highly recommended.
-- Richard Harkness, Columnist, The Biloxi Sun Herald

“As a pediatrician, I'm deeply disappointed by your choice to interview David Kirby. Like with the Swiftboat Veterans for Truth campaign, giving media exposure to a completely unsubstantiated allegation perpetuates false information and sews doubt where there should be none. I must waste time discussing how thimerosal is not a risk to a parent's child. I wonder how many of the 2000 or more influenza deaths per year among U.S. children you or your guest are willing to be responsible for? Unfortunately, doubts remain in the minds of parents--just as they did in the minds of voters about John Kerry's Vietnam service. From Fox News, I expect this poor quality of journalism.”
--Letter to Leonard Lopate, WNYC Radio
 
“The pharmaceutical industry, the CDC, the FDA, and a host of other people do NOT want you to read this book - because they are afraid of it. And they should be. This well-written book is one that all parents should read - and ask why no one from the above mentioned agencies or companies would talk to David Kirby. What are they hiding??? I am a scientist - a Harvard Ph.D. in Genetics and a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of MIT - and although there is indeed no absolute proof that mercury in vaccines has caused this epidemic, neither is there disproof. What is abundant in this book is plenty of reason to believe that there is evidence of harm.”
-- John M. Greene, Ph.D., Amazon.com Reader Review
 
 “Everyone’s holding their breath in anticipation of the effect the book will have on everything. Kirby has done a masterful job making a lot of weirdness intolerably believable.  I just can't imagine anyone, on finishing the book, going: "Hmm, that's nice." 
-- Lenny Schafer, The Schafer Autism Report
 
“I only caught the last 5 minutes or so of the piece with David Kirby, but I can't emphasize enough my dismay at the incomplete information that I heard. Unfortunately, preventive health is never 'media-friendly" because it’s just not that exciting to talk about all the awful disease that didn't happen.”
--Letter to Leonard Lopate, WNYC Radio

“Kirby's not alone in asking whether autism is a misdiagnosis for mercury poisoning. An increasing number of families, physicians, scientists, and some in Congress point to a growing body of evidence linking mercury toxicity with otherwise unexplained disorders like autism.”
--Coy Barefoot & Alison Bell, The Hook, ( Charlottesville, VA)

“Read this book! David Kirby's superb, even-handed account of the investigation into this ongoing, high-stakes controversy is fascinating and compelling. The poignant personal accounts of the families of autistic children are heart-wrenching.”
-- Dr. Bernard Rimland, Director, Autism Research Institute and Founder, Autism Society of America

“A plethora of books and other material on autism is attracting the attention of readers and viewers. The new book with the most buzz is ‘Evidence of Harm’ by David Kirby.”
-- The Clarion Ledger, ( Jackson, Mississippi)

“A riveting tapestry that will hold the interest of parents of newly diagnosed children, seasoned advocates, and members of the general public. ‘ Evidence of Harm’ is a powerful historical account.”
-- Teri Small, General Manager, Autism One Radio
 
“The thimerosal issue is not going away, and is likely to heat up even more with the publication of Evidence of Harm. It’s a must-read for parents of children with autism and, for that matter, anyone concerned about our country’s public health.”
-- Ela Schwartz, Spectrum Magazine
 
“David Kirby's mesmerizing chronicle of this mega-scandal will shock even the most cynical observer of corporate greed in America. The ultimate David and Goliath tale for a modern age. The FDA, CDC, and pharmaceutical giants have a lot of explaining to do.”
-- Rita Shreffler, National Autism Association

"Reading Evidence of Harm takes me back through the journey I lived as I watched parents grab hold of any information that might help their children who were injured and pushed into the world of 'autism'. As the grandmother of a mercury injured child, I understand their urgency to stop the rampage that is sucking the life out of our children. David Kirby has done a superb job of chronicling history as the truth is uncovered. I sat in the hearing rooms and felt the pain of these parents. I marched by their
side at the rallies. Daily I counsel them by phone and e-mail. There have to be answers. Thank God there are parents and researchers, doctors and advocates who will not give up, who will sacrifice their time and careers, who will go without sleep to find the answer to stop this epidemic. I am proud to count them as my friends. Thanks to David Kirby there is a voice loud and strong sending this message to the world.
Let the truth be known! Save our children! "
--- Nancy H. Cale , Vice President/Co-Founder, Unlocking Autism

”Evidence of Harm” has also been cited as a resource by the following:
 
-- NBC/MSNBC News
-- Imus in the Morning, WFAN-AM
-- Discover Magazine
-- Joan Hamburg, WOR- AM
Continued In-Store sales can get and keep this book on the national book lists. Please visit a major chain and purchase your copy and one for a friend

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Article B: Playing politics at kids' expense

Bill would insulate pharmaceutical firms from liability

By ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has buried a provision in the "Protecting America in the War on Terror Act" to insulate the pharmaceutical industry from liability for venal actions that may have poisoned an entire generation of Americans.

Mounting evidence suggests that Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative in children's vaccines, may be responsible for the exponential growth of autism, attention deficit disorder, speech delays and other childhood neurological disorders now epidemic in the United States.

Prior to 1989, American infants generally received three vaccinations. In the early 1990s, public-health officials dramatically increased the number of Thimerosal-containing vaccinations without considering the cumulative impact of the mercury load on developing brains.

AP photo Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative in children's vaccines, may be responsible for the exponential growth of autism.

Warning Issued

In a 1991 memo, Dr. Maurice Hilleman, one of the fathers of Merck's vaccination programs, warned the president of the company's vaccination division that 6-month-old children administered the shots on schedule would suffer mercury exposures 87 times the government safety standard (400 times the current U.S. government's safe level). He recommended that Thimerosal be discontinued, "especially when used on infants and children."

Merck ignored Hilleman's warning and, for eight years, government officials added seven additional shots for children containing Thimerosal.

Mercury is a known brain poison, and autism rates began rising dramatically in children who were administered the new vaccine regimens. A decade ago the American Academy of Pediatrics estimated the autism rate among American children to be 1 in 2,500. Today, the CDC places the autism rate at 1 in 166, or one in 80 boys. Additionally, one in every six children is now diagnosed with a related neurological disorder.

In 1998 the CDC's lead Thimerosal researcher, Dr. Thomas Verstraeten, complained to his colleagues in a secret memo that, despite rerunning and rethinking the research, the links between Thimerosal and autism "just won't go away."

Secret Meeting

In 2000, CDC, FDA and pharmaceutical companies called a secret meeting to review Verstraeten's findings. According to transcripts, participants were alarmed about the undeniable link between the mercury preservative and autism. Dr. Bill Weil told the group, "You can play with (the results) all you want. They are statistically significant."

Dr. Richard Johnston acknowledged he feared his grandchild getting vaccinated. But the group was most concerned with keeping the findings secret.

Numerous animal, DNA, epidemiological and other studies point to Thimerosal as the culprit in America's epidemic of neurological disorders.

Autistic children have been shown to have higher mercury loads than nonautistics, and there have been reports of significant improvements in some brain-injured children by removing mercury from their bodies.

Most of the symptoms of autism are similar to the symptoms of mercury poisoning. Recently, scientists have been able to induce autism in certain mice by exposing them to Thimerosal.

In a recent study, former FDA scientist Dr. Jill James uncovered a scientific link that helps explain why Thimerosal injures some children and not others. That study found that many autistic children are genetically deficient in their capacity to produce glutathione, an antioxidant generated in the brain that helps remove mercury from the body, a harmless difference until the child is exposed to large quantities of mercury.

Porter Bridges' experience is typical. In 1993, this healthy 4-month-old slipped into a coma hours after receiving his vaccines.

Today, 11-year-old Porter is autistic, hyperactive and severely brain damaged. He requires minute-to-minute supervision, is frequently afflicted with violent seizures and is not yet toilet-trained.

After a seven-year legal fight, the U.S. government acknowledged that Porter was damaged by his vaccines. There are now 520,000 autistics in the United States with 40,000 new cases each year.

High Cost of Care

The cost of caring for autistic children is conservatively $40,000 annually. Families with children with autism and other neurological diseases have filed more than 4,200 claims in the special federal " Vaccine Court." Some plaintiffs have also filed in trial courts.

Some Drug Makers Act

Thimerosal defendants include Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, Aventis, Wyeth and Eli Lilly. Frist's newly proposed "anti-terror" legislation would create insurmountable burdens of proof for plaintiffs in these cases and forbid states from banning Thimerosal.

Drug makers wary of liability have reduced Thimerosal in children's vaccines in recent years, with the exception of Chiron and Aventis' pediatric flu vaccine. Mercury-laced vaccine stocks were given to children until the end of 2003.

Thimerosal's inventor, Eli Lilly, donated $226,000 to Frist's national Republican Senate Campaign Committee in 2002 and bought 5,000 copies of Frist's book on bioterrorism. Congress will vote on Frist's bill in the near future.

Instead of demanding the immediate removal of Thimerosal from all vaccines, and making the drug industry help defray the public and private costs of caring for injured children, Frist's bill would give the industry a free ride at public expense.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the chief prosecuting attorney for Riverkeeper and a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS

Online at: http://www.pe.com/localnews/opinion/syndicated/stories/PE_OpEd_Opinion_D_op_11_autism.f42d.html

6. TACA Survey Update

Only 135 surveys have been collected since August 2004 at the TACA meetings. We would like to hear from you regarding WHAT YOU WANT TO HEAR, what is important to you and your family.

Below is a summary grouped by topic and highest priority of the surveys collected to date. Please be sure to let us know what you want to hear about in 2005. To request your free survey form, please contact us

7. Vendors Supporting TACA

On May 20, 2004, our son, Erik, was diagnosed with Autism. Bewildered, we did not know where to turn. Through a co-worker, my wife found TACA. We have come to rely on this group and have learned so much from its members. We now want to give back to TACA.

My name is Kevin Thompson and I am the owner of Legal Alliance Group, Inc., a professional legal services corporation. My company specializes in the preparation of estate plans (wills, trusts, advanced health care directives, powers of attorney), guardianship, business formation (corporations, limited liability companies, and partnerships), and legal advocacy for children who have autism. I would like to work with TACA families and assist them with their legal needs. I will make a donation of up to $100.00 from any fees received from TACA families, or TACA family referrals, in order to help this wonderful organization grow.

I received my Juris Doctor degree from Chapman University School of Law, and am a member in good standing with the American Bar Association. I have assisted many families with their estate planning needs and want to offer my services to TACA members. My fees are generally 60% lower than attorneys in this area; yet the documents I draft for you are the same documents an attorney would draft.

I would encourage you to consider a comprehensive estate plan to protect not only your interests and assets, but those of your children as well. A comprehensive estate plan should include a will, a trust, an advance healthcare directive and a durable power of attorney.

Please feel free to contact my office to schedule a free initial meeting to discuss what is right for you and your family. My office phone number is (949) 461-7279. You can also send an e-mail to legal.alliance@sbcglobal.net. I look forward to meeting you and assisting you with your legal needs.

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9. Upcoming Fee-based Conferences & Seminars
in Southern California

One day workshops for caregivers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders are offered by *S*P*I*R*I*T* (Supporting Parents in Reinforcement, Intervention and Techniques) in four locations - Manhattan Beach, Pasadena, Santa Monica and Northridge. 

Topics include characteristics of children with autism spectrum disorders; chronological and developmental ages; Piaget's cognitive development and Kohlberg's moral development; diagnosis, assessment and recovery; developing a family vision and plan; changes to parents behavior and approach; behavior management, functional analysis of behavior and task analysis; and other interventions.  A hosted lunch features a video of four young adults discussing growing up with autism.  The presenters, Jeanne LaPorte, R.N. and Peggy Main, L.C.S.W., have more than 30 years professional and personal experience working with individuals and families at UCLA and in private practice.  Both are parents of special needs children, one a 28-year-old with autism.  The workshop is $75 and is Regional Center vendored (vendor number PL05787.)

Dates and locations are: May 21, Santa Monica; June 11, Pasadena and July 9, Manhattan Beach.  

Please contact Jeanne or Peggy at 818-749-1401 or 888-421-6121 (toll free) for more information or to reserve a space.  Flyers and brochures are available.

*S*P*I*R*I*T also does a no-charge 45-minute presentation for support groups entitled "In Praise of Parents."

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Children's Hospital of San Diego and The Autism Tree Project Foundation present:

Initial Evaluation and Diagnosis of Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Course and Demonstration

• Saturday, April 23, 2005
• Registration at 7:30 a.m. Conference Time: 8:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.
• Location: CHSD, MOB 113 3030 Children’s Way, San Diego, CA 92123
• This course is approved for 6.75 hours in Category 1 CME or Category 1 CMA credit.
  • Speaker DORIS TRAUNER, MD Professor and Chief Division of Pediatric Neurology UCSD School of Medicine
  • Dr. Trauner and the panel will present two sessions:

    • An Approach to the Evaluation and Diagnosis of Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD)

    • A Demonstration of the Office Evaluation of Children with ASD, With Live Patients

Registration $50.00 (Continental breakfast and Lunch provided)

No refunds after April 1st, 2005.

REGISTRATION

Name: _________________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________________

City, State, Zip: __________________________________________________

Phone#: __________________ E-mail address: ____________

Please make registration checks payable to: Children's Hospital

Fax Visa or MasterCard information below and fax to CAlC @ (858) 966-7930:

# of people attending _____ Type of CME's/CPD's/MCEP's needed __________

Total to be charged: $ _____ Name as it appears on Credit Card: ____________

Credit Card Number: ____________ Exp. Date: _______ Card Code: _____

Address & Zip code on credit card bill: _________________________________

Mail Registration Form to:

Children's Autism Course, 8010 Frost Street, Suite 502, San Diego, CA 92123

For more information, please call Dayna Hoff at the Children's Autism Tree Project Foundation (619) 980-8614

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FREE PARENT PRESENTATIONS at the CRIMSON SPEECH & LANGUGE CENTER in SAN DIEGO
For more info and to please RSVP - (858) 695 9415

Wednesday, April 27, 2005 from 6:30-8:00 P.M.
Fast Forward
Current Research and New Programs
Nanci Engel, M.S.
Director Banyan Tree Learning Center

Wednesday, May 4, 2005 from 6:30-8:00 P.M.
The IEP Process
Erin Dyer Ring, Ph.D.
Developmental Psychology
Educational Specialist

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Chapman University School of Education with support from Rex and Jennifer Hudler's Team Up for Down Syndrome Presents:

The 3rd Annual Symposium of Instructional Strategies for Students with Special Needs

• Date: April 30, 2005
• Time: 8:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
• Location: Beckman Hall, Chapman University, One University Drive Orange, CA 92866
  Keynote Speakers Dr. Linda Clinard

Author and educator, specializing in school-to-home communication and content area literacy
Faculty research liaison in the Department of Education at the University of California, Irvine
Recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Reading Award in 2001
Jenny Skinner Special Olympics Athlete Self-Advocate

One Registrant per form:

Name _________________________________________________Telephone ____________________

Address __________________________________ City _________________ State ________ Zip ____

E-mail _______________________________ School _____________________District _____________

Early Registration

( must be postmarked by April 25, 2005 )

____ Educators $50

____ Parents of a student w/special needs $35

____ Students w/valid ID $25

Late/On-site Registration

( will begin at 8:00 a.m. on the day of the Symposium )

____ Educators $60

____ Parents of a student w/special needs $45

____ Students w/valid ID $35

Checks payable to: Chapman University

Mail to: Symposium at Chapman University School of Education

One University Drive , Orange, CA 92866

For additional information, call ( 714 ) 532-7700

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Los Angeles , CA , April 30 - May 1, 2005 ( 9 am - 4 pm) 2-day Workshop: "Going to the Heart of Autism" Introduction to the RDI™ Program for Parents and Professionals (CE Credits).

Where: Pasadena Child Development Center 620 N. Lake Ave. Pasadena, CA 91101

Overview: Based on the latest scientific research, discover how people with Autism, Aspergers and NLD can learn to communicate reciprocally, be genuinely interested in others, and not just tolerate, but enjoy change, transition and going with the flow.

The goal of the RDI™ Program is for each person on the spectrum (whether they are considered "low" functioning or "high" functioning) to be excited about expanding their world, rather than to be afraid of it.
http://www.rdiconnect.com/workshops/LosAngelesCA/

Who Should Attend?
If you are… a family member, any professional who works with people on the autism spectrum, a researcher, educator, or a person on the spectrum, you can gain new insight from attending this two day workshop.
Continuing Education Credits for Professionals:
Certified Case Managers, Psychologists, Certified Counselors, SLPs, Social Workers & other professionals: Please contact houser@rdiconnect.com for information about CE Credits.

What will the 2-day workshop cover?
• The core deficits of autism based on the latest research.
• Research results on the quality of life for people on the autism spectrum.
• The developmental path unique to people on the spectrum: including the concepts of absolute vs. relative thinking, imperative vs. declarative communications, episodic memory, and more...
• The basic principles of the RDI™ Program.
• Video clips of parents and children and clips from the first two years in the life of a child with autism
• Research on the effectiveness of the RDI™ Program
• and much more.
FOR MORE INFO http://www.rdiconnect.com/workshops/LosAngelesCA

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REMINDER--Next monthly meeting of the ORCO SPED RELIANCE TASK FORCE is Monday, May 2, at 7pm, at ST JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL, Orange, in ANNEX RM 7.

At the last meeting of the RELIANCE TASK FORCE, we learned that several members were not receiving the frequent emails from RELIANCE.

So we are writing to you, using your direct email address, to see if you will let us know, by return mail, whether or not you are receiving these routine e-mailings.

If you have already replied, our apologies, for contacting you again--but, please respond again.

Once we have canvassed everyone, we will then set about the task of trying to determine where the problem is. At this writing, there does not seem to be any clear pathway to finding out.

If anyone has expertise in LISTSERVs, please let us know so that you can help us determine where the problem is.

Thx & Have a Great Day,
ronlackey@dreamteamnetwork.org
office 949-388-2870

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Autism Society of America, Los Angeles Presents “Working Together for Autism”

A conference on the latest in education, speech, social, biomedical and life issues

• Dates: May 20-21, 2005
• Location: Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel, 5855 West Century Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90045
• Who should attend: For Parents, Teachers, Other Professionals, and Individuals on the Spectrum
• Speakers include: Eustacia Cutler (Mother of Temple Grandin), BJ Freeman, Jed Baker, Bill Frea, Joan Green, James Adams, Jacquelyn McCandless, Barbara Doyle, Sarah Spence, M.D, Ph.D., and Claire Lajonchere

REGISTRATION: Go to _______(preferred) or send in form below

Name_________________________________ Email: ________________________________________

Address_____________________________________________________________________________

City________________________ State____ Zip___________ Phone____________________________

Parent Friday $90____ Saturday $90 ____ Both Days $165____

Spouse Friday $70____ Saturday $70 ____ Both Days $130____

People on autism spectrum: Friday $20 ___ Saturday $20 ____ Both Days $35_____

Financial aid is available for families . Contact your Regional Center, www.dds.cahwnet.gov/rc/rclist.cfm. If they cannot help, low-income families may mail in a copy of their income tax return to the address below with this form.

DEADLINE: May 8, 2005 Late Registration Fee: $15 if postmarked after May 8, 2005.

Purchase Orders: add $15 processing fee.

Checks: Make payable to Autism Conferences. Visa/Master card Number:_____________________

Exp. Date________ Amount:___________ Signature________________________

Mail to: Autism Conferences, 1340 E. Vinedo Ln., Tempe, AZ 85284 (Note: This is the conference organizer for ASA-LA).

Web site: www.asalosangeles.org

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The Amazing Autism One Conference is Back!
www.autismone.org – At the O’Hare Chicago Marriott - May 26-29, 2005 . Over 100 speakers – the “who’s who” in Autism with the following four tracks to choose from:

The most comprehensive conference on autism ever assembled now offers greater focus to help you address specific needs, shorten your learning curve, and bring you quickly up to speed.

Most Comprehensive
Questions and answers do not stop at the boundary of a discipline.
Multivariate in presentation and cure autism bows to the collective weight of doctors working with therapists working with educators working with parents working to recover their children.

Our children benefit from an inter-disciplinary approach. Autism One 2005 is proud to feature over 100 of the leading experts presenting in four tracks to help you make the best decisions:

1. Biomedical Treatments
2. Behavior / Communication / Education Therapies
3. Complementary and Alternative Medicine
4. Government / Legal / Personal Issues

Greater Focus
This year we are introducing a number of important changes to provide what we are calling a "lived experience." Conferences have a tendency to talk at you. That's not good enough. Real learning occurs at a deeper level; a level that combines the abstract with the practical.

Initiatives include:
1. The Mentor Program: You may request a mentor. Mentors are fellow- parents with recovered children or children well on their way to recovery.
2. Three Mini-Tracks: 1. Parents New to the diagnosis; 2. Puberty, Adolescence and Adulthood; and 3. Environmental Medicine/Issues are available.
3. Pre-Conference Day, GFCF and SCD - Culinary Delight: The Pre- Conference day is devoted to hands-on cooking to take the mystery out of gluten- casein-free, and specific carbohydrate diets.
4. Gluten/Casein free items on breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus:
Menu options will include gluten- and casein-free for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Have a taste, it's good.

A partial list of topics, by track, include:

1. Track - Biomedical Treatments
Autoimmune factors / treatments
Biochemistry of autism
Casein- gluten-free diet
Chelation - many forms of
Dental care
Diagnosis
Enzymes
Essential fatty acids
Food / nutrition / diet / vitamins / minerals / organic foods Environmental medicine / toxins IVIG, transfer factors, IV glutathione, Neurological testing, findings, treatments, Phenol sulfur transferase deficiency, Ongoing research, Vaccinations

2. Track - Behavior / Communication / Education Therapies
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Auditory Integration, Computers as learning tools, Greenspan / Floor time, Home schooling, Music therapy, Occupational Therapy, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Pivotal Response Training (PVT), Psychological counseling, testing, Puberty and beyond, Relationship Development Intervention (RDI), Supra-Modal Integrative Learning Experience (SMILE), Sensory Integration, Verbal Behavior, Vision Therapy

3. Track - Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Ayurveda Medicine, Chiropractic, Detoxification, Environmental medicine, Homeopathy, Naturopathic Medicine, Hyperbaric oxygen treatment, Mother's milk, Neurofeedback, Neural organization technique, Orthomolecular Medicine, Raw milk, Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)

4. Track - Government / Legal / Personal Issues
Adolescence, Adult services, Autism - the law and you, Counseling - coping and communication for parents, Dealing with insurance companies, Estate Planning, How to be your own best advocate, Individual Evaluation Plans (IEPs), Legislative action, Obtaining government services, Puberty, School systems, Vaccines - the law and you

Autism One is a 501(3)(c), non-profit, charity organization, started by a small group of parents of children with autism. Parents are and must remain the driving force of our community, the stakes are too high and the issues too scarce to delegate to outside interests.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Thank you and we'll see you in May.

My Best,
Edmund Arranga
714.680.0792
http://AutismOne.org
earranga@autismone.org

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Great Plains Labs – Latest in Autism Treatments Anaheim , CA on June 18-19, 2005. For more info: www.greatplainslaboratory.com

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The SURFERS HEALING SURFCAMPdates are posted on our website www.surfershealing.org . Please fill out application and e-mail it to jennifer@surfershealing.org or fax it to 949-728-1200. Thanks and we can't wait for summer.

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DEFEAT AUTISM NOW!: October 2005 Long Beach –OR- Los Angeles conferences. The web conference also includes the Recovered Autistic Children event.  To learn more about the DAN! web conference and to subscribe, visit: www.ARIWebConference.com or www.danconference.com

Both my children, Lauren and Jeff, had their birthdays this month. Lauren turns 22 (and boy do I feel old, again) and Jeff has turned 8. Happy Birthday to my inspiration and two of my loves!! MY TWO KIDS! (The other loves of course being my great husband, Glen, and my family.)

Once in awhile people will write me or say “You have two kids? I thought you just had Jeff?” But I am proud to say I have two kids. You may think, Well, why do you always sign your emails “Lisa A Jeff’s mom”? Well – here is the story.

When I first got started in the autism journey which included Yahoo Groups (at the time EGroups), Lauren pulled me aside and said: “Mom, it is cute how everyone signs their name – so and so’s mom or dad.  Please sign your name “Jeff’s mom.”  All the prayers and thoughts should be for Jeff. I am fine and want him to be the focus.”  I ignored her and signed both kids ‘til she got mad at me! So you know how that came about!

I have to also brag that it was Lauren’s idea for:

• Starting the TACA group. She felt both Glen and I had a lot to share and she pushed us to move it forward.
• She created the first TACA web site with “CuringJeff.org” which has since grown to such a large resource with over 30,000 hits per month – internationally
• She created the “first draft” of the “What is Autism?” video featured on the TACA website by creating a Powerpoint to the “Superman song” with pictures of her and Jeff. Her love and amazing talent moved so many to tears that she thought maybe it would move some people to ACTION!

Did I say that I love this kid? Not only is she talented in her own right with her writing abilities and soon-to be-education abilities, she will be graduating from UCI this summer. I could not be more proud to have her as a daughter. She is an amazing person I treasure and call my friend.

Well, I have to tell you all – I have two really great kids. Both have taught me more lessons than I have taught them!

Hugs, thanks, and be SAFE,
Lisa A Jeff's mom

And Editor: Kim Palmer (thanks Kim!)