Date:	Saturday, April 9, 2005
	Topic:	Chelation and alternative detoxification methods for ASD children Chelation is often a controversial but recommended treatment plan for ASD children who are tested as metals toxic. For as many reports which cite chelation as an alternative practice, Autism Research Institute (ARI) cites chelation to be by far the most recommended biomedical treatment protocol by thousands of parents surveyed this past year. Several recent studies have also outlined that many ASD children have a defect in removing toxic metals from their bodies and should consider treatments that help boost and enable detox. This presentation will review many of the commonly prescribed and natural chelation remedies available today. (This will include: DMPS, DMSA, ALA, Glutathione, and other over the counter supplements used today for chelation and detox.)
	Presented by: Dr. Kurt Woeller – Stillpoint Health www.biohealthcenters.com Dr. Woeller is a DAN! (Defeat Autism Now!) Doctor since 1999.
	Time:	TACA meeting, 1:00 pm- 4:00 pm
	Fee:	Free – no RSVP required
	Location:	VINEYARD NEWPORT CHURCH - 102 East Baker Avenue - Costa Mesa
		(Please do not contact the church for meeting details. They have graciously offered use of their facility, but are not affiliated with TACA.) And remember, we are still a non-faith based group!
	Directions:	405 FWY South, Exit Bristol Right on Bristol Left on Baker Go under FREEWAY. The Vineyard Church is on the corner just after the freeway - turn left onto the freeway access road, make FIRST right into the Vineyard's parking lot.

TACA Has 7 Southern California Meeting Locations:
1.	Costa Mesa:	2nd Saturday of each month (info in item #1 for meeting topics and details)
2.	West Hills:	(the Valley, man) 1st Sunday of every month, 7-9 p.m. Location: Jumping Genius – 22750 Roscoe Blvd., West Hills (the corner of Roscoe Blvd. & Fallbrook Ave.) Info: Contact us
3.	San Diego:	4th Tuesday evening – 6:30- 8:00 p.m. Info: Contact us - April 26, Charles Scott-- Special Needs Trusts - May 24, Dr. Devin Houston -- Enzyme Protocol for Autism Spectrum Disorders
4.	Corona:	3rd Saturday – 1:30–4:30 p.m. NEW LOCATION AS OF 2/1/2005 : Autism Behavior Consultants 1880 Town & Country Road Building B-101  Norco, CA 92860. Located off the 15 Freeway (Take 2 nd street or 6 th street exit) off Hamner. For more information, please contact us - April 16 Speaker - To be determined - May 21 Two Speakers: - Jack H. Anthony, Special Ed Attorney, on Special Education Law & Your family - Author Christina Adams offers TACA members the first look at her new book A Real Boy: A True Story of Autism, Early Intervention and Recovery (Berkley/Penguin, May 2005). She discusses the struggles and joys of the recovery process, how her son passed a kindergarten-readiness test with no sign of autism detected, and how a new doctor refused to believe he’d ever been diagnosed (see biography on Christina in section 2). - June 18 Testing & Assessments – by Dr. Christine Majors Dr. Majors is a Child Neuropsychologist specializing in autism and other disabilities. Her important discussion will review: What is in a test and outside evaluations? Why are they important? Where should you start? And important observations about district and regional center testing.
5.	Torrance:	3rd Monday of each month at Whole Foods Market on PCH in Torrance Time: 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. For more info: Contact us
6.	Visalia:	3rd Wednesday of month Time: 6 p.m. "Happy Hour" with GFCF snacks and coffee - 6:30-8:30 p.m. Speaker Location: Kaweah Delta Multi-Service Center Auditorium, 402 W. Acequia, Visalia Information: Please contact Lynne Arnold Wednesday, April 20, 2005 The Truly Independent Evaluation by Mitchel Perlman, Ph.D., of San Diego, Clinical Forensic Psychologist. Dr. Perlman specializes in assessing children and teens with special needs. With cross-training in education, forensics, psychopharmacology and neuropsychology, Dr. Perlman has extensive expertise in detecting and/or explaining developmental aspects that have often been unnoticed or misunderstood. In many children who had been diagnosed with autism and mental retardation, for example, Dr. Perlman has found near-gifted to gifted intelligence and has been instrumental in guiding parents to the resources to unlock it. Wednesday, May 18, 2005 Classroom Competence - Monique Bekashus, MS, of Fresno, Program Director and Behaviorist at Behavior Intervention Association. Wednesday, June 15, 2005 Sensory Integration - Jennifer L. Hoffiz, of Pleasanton¹s Sensory Integration Center Wednesday, July 20, 2005 Working with the Regional Center: Your Rights Under the Lanterman Act - Enid Perez, Attorney, Kay Spencer, Advocate, of the Office of Client Rights.
7.	Santa Rosa:	(typically) 2ndTuesday of each month at Swain Center – 795 Farmers Lane, Suite 27, Santa Rosa – 7:00 - 8:30 p.m. For more info: Please contact us.

Article A: As Autistic Children Grow, So Does Social Gap

By JANE GROSS
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/26/health/26autism.html

[Richard Perry/The New York Times - Jake Exkorn, 8, who had early social skills training, has frequent play dates. He recently horsed around with Sergei Bluman and Will Youmans.

Sixth grade was a trying time for Karen Singer's autistic son, who spent recess wandering the periphery of the playground by himself and sometimes hid in the school bathroom when he needed a safe place to cry.

He knew he was doing something wrong as he reached the social crucible of middle school, but he did not know how to fix it. At home he begged his mother to explain: "Why am I like this? What's wrong with me?"

Intensive behavioral treatment, popularized over the last 10 years, prepared him academically and helped him get by in regular classes for years. But social skills are more elusive for autistic children, and the gap widens with each passing year.

Classmates who once tolerated his peculiarities now shunned him. Their interests had changed to hanging out and being cool, while he remained preoccupied with saltwater fish and Yu-Gi-Oh trading cards. During group projects the boy rigidly held his ground on small matters, like what color ink to use. When challenged, he blurted out, "You're stupid!" or other inappropriate retorts.

"It was shocking how it all of a sudden fell apart," said Ms. Singer, who asked that her son, now 13, not be identified by name or hometown and thus be further stigmatized. "He'd never say, 'I don't want to go to school.' He'd make it through the day, then come home and melt down."

Last fall the Singers moved their son to a private school for children with learning disabilities, persuading him that it was not a failure but rather an opportunity to feel less anxious. And he does.

The Singers' anguished choice is an unintended consequence of improved diagnosis and new behavioral therapy. A generation ago most autistic children would have been written off as hopeless. Now, as their numbers are increasing, many learn to speak and to tame their most difficult behavioral traits.

They are autism's success stories, moving from one-on-one instruction to typical public school settings. Last year 27 percent of this country's 141,022 autistic children were educated in public school classrooms with normal children, up from 11 percent of the 22,664 autistic children of a decade ago.

But these high-functioning children face a host of new problems as they approach adolescence, when social interactions become more complicated. Parents, educators, researchers and clinicians all say that the majority of such children become conspicuous in the third grade and are bullied or ostracized by the time they reach middle school.

Dr. Sandra L. Harris of Rutgers University, a pioneering educator and researcher in autism, said advances might have fed false hopes. "The intellectual skills of some of these children may lead people to expect more than is possible socially," Dr. Harris said. "They miss so much nuance that it can't be fixed in a 100-percent way. That was the hope. Now we know it's more elusive than that."

Christine Grogan, the director of a school for autistic children in Paramus, N.J., urges educators to be cautious about what they promise parents, adding, "There are many people in the field giving false hope" about whether remaining in the mainstream is realistic for more than a tiny number of children over the long haul.

Virtually nothing in the social arena comes naturally to autistic children. They must be taught how to have a conversation. To show empathy by asking questions. To resist arcane topics that do not interest others. Not to talk too loudly or to stand too close to the other person. To master the vocabularies of sports and flirting.

Even those with I.Q.'s above average struggle to read body language or to imagine what other people are thinking. If they learn a joke, they may tell it a dozen times. They are too literal-minded to understand white lies and too rule-bound to understand they should not tattle. They overreact to routine teasing and invite ridicule by carrying their books over their heads or accepting a dare to kiss a girl.

Faux pas that go unnoticed in the early grades later turn a child into a pariah. "Kids have very short memories when they're young," said Terese Dana, one of a growing number of behavioral therapists and psychologists who are making a career of teaching social skills. "They are much less forgiving as they get older."

Experts say it is possible to teach autistic children to be more interpersonally aware, just as it is possible to teach their peers to be more sensitive. All of Ms. Dana's clients, including Ms. Singer's son, have made significant improvements. But these children do best at an age when parents still organize their social lives and before having a one-on-one school aide becomes embarrassing.

Social skills training was critical for Jake Exkorn, 8. Right now Jake is indistinguishable from his peers in a small private school in Rockland County after six years of work with Ms. Dana. He has frequent play dates, no classroom aide and, according to his mother, Karen Siff Exkorn, no longer meets the diagnostic criteria for autism.

"Yes, we got him ready, like training an athlete for a marathon," Ms. Exkorn said. "But at the end of the day we probably just got lucky in the way Jake was wired."

Ms. Exkorn knows of other children who thrived at 8 and hit the wall at 11, so she remains vigilant. Ms. Dana visits Jake's classroom once a month to smooth a few rough edges, like his tendency to behave competitively in noncompetitive situations, for instance racing to get his coat and then announcing, "I'm first!"

"Terese has said that the stakes change every year, which scared me a little," Ms. Exkorn said. "But, I don't want to consume myself with worry about middle school now. So far, so good."

Jake is an exception. More typical is Kevin Lyons's 13-year-old son. When the telephone rings around 3:00 in Mr. Lyons's house in southern New Jersey, he can safely assume his son has unwittingly gotten into trouble. One recent day he yelled at a classmate on a school bus after the other boy taunted him. Mr. Lyons's son, unlike his frequent tormentor, did not know enough to retaliate when no adults were around.

"It's like he's got the words but not the music," Mr. Lyons said, reeling off a list of social situations that mystify his son, including inviting himself to parties where he is not welcome and crying in class when he misses one math problem. But Mr. Lyons, like many parents of autistic children, says that on balance his son has made more progress among typical children than he would have in a segregated setting.

Laura Sestito's 11-year-old son has withdrawn from the social fray in a Westchester public school. He dislikes sports, rejected a teacher's suggestion to play board games indoors during recess and has refused so many play dates that he is no longer invited. "His teacher reports he gets along with all his classmates but hasn't really connected with any of them," Ms. Sestito said.

Autism experts say that social skills training is the new frontier and that the burden has shifted from special schools and one-on-one settings to public schools because of the stunning increase in autistic children now able to attend.

Catherine Lord, a researcher at the University of Michigan and the primary author of a federal report on educational strategies for autistic children, said that many school districts are "still debating whether social development is even considered an educational objective," although social deficiencies are a hallmark of the disorder. Dr. Lord encourages parents to insist on having specific social skills spelled out in a child's individual education plan, mandated by federal law, and to call in a lawyer if necessary.

A few districts are using novel techniques, like the Montecito Union School, near the University of California, Santa Barbara, where graduate students from its Autism Research and Training Center help autistic children integrate at recess, an especially vulnerable time.

On a larger scale four districts in the New York region use a curriculum designed by Michelle Dunn, a pediatric neuropsychologist at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, which combines social skills groups for autistic children with school wide attention to the need for tolerance and trains school staff members to continue the curriculum on their own.

"We used to focus on one kid at a time," Dr. Dunn said. "But the problem is now too big for that."

Many educators who champion the behavioral techniques that made widespread mainstreaming possible are lowering their expectations. Bridget Taylor, a behavioral researcher who is the director of another school in Paramus, said she now tells parents of kindergartners ready for a regular classroom that "over time it's not necessarily a realistic placement."

Gary S. Mayerson, a New York lawyer who represents families seeking services for autistic children, says none of the options are ideal. Schools for learning disabilities rarely offer sufficient academic challenge. And private schools can choose which children to accept or to expel.

Ms. Singer knows well the agony of that choice. When her son's autism was diagnosed at age 2, he could not speak, make eye contact or sit in a chair. By kindergarten, thanks to a 40-hour-a-week home program with a behavioral therapist, he was in school with normal children, her heart's desire.

"In the beginning you have to reach for the moon," Ms. Singer said. "He would not be where he is today if we hadn't. But you also have to face reality. Do I wish he was a perfect child in a perfect school in a perfect world? Hey, who doesn't? I had to get over that in order to be fair to him."

---

Article B: Autism – A quiet epidemic is being ignored

Quiet epidemic of autism is being ignored
MARK GUYDISH

OPINION

The number of students nationwide with autism increased from about 20,000 to nearly 120,000 in 10 years, according to a new federal report -- a 500 percent jump

That’s not a misprint. It’s 500 percent, and I’m hard pressed to think of anything that climbed so high so fast.

Suppose your pay skyrocketed like that. Luzerne County’s average household income was $23,600 in 1990 and $33,771 in 2000, a 43 percent increase. Had it risen as fast as autism, the average home would be raking in nearly $142,000. Politicians would be able to hire whole families with all the extra tax money.

Or consider the price of gas. In 1990, the U.S. average was $1.13 a gallon. By 2000 it rose only 20 percent, to $1.36. Even at $2 per gallon, the increase is only 77 percent. Pump it up at the same rate as autism, and you’re paying $6.78 per gallon.

One more example: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 1990 heart disease killed 321 out of every 100,000 people. Ten years later, the rate actually dropped. It’s still our No. 1 killer, but had it increased as rapidly as autism, there would be nearly 2,000 heart disease deaths for every 100,000 people.

The point is, a 500 percent increase in anything usually gets some serious notice. Blood boils, crusades launch, politicians spew pablum. Something happens. Yet autism has remained a surprisingly silent epidemic.

A very public impact

Of course, when it comes to autism, something is happening, you just don’t see it a lot. Parents quit jobs so they can be with kids who demand constant attention because they wander, or bounce into windows, or need incessant therapy if they are going to learn to talk or read or write even a little.

Autism tends to catch the public eye only when a parent speaks up in a quest for services they deem essential and can’t seem to get. Most parents have their hands full just trying to care for their kids. Advocacy is a luxury.

Yet this complex disorder has a very public impact. The same federal report (you can see at .pdf) noted that the average cost for an autistic kid in school exceeds $18,000 a year, almost three times what we pay for a regular student.

Do the math: About a decade ago, if we spent $18,000 each on 20,000 kids, it would have totaled $360 million. Now, 120,000 kids would add up to nearly $2.2 billion. I’m ignoring inflation for simplicity.

The cause for such a dramatic increase in autism is unclear. It may stem from better diagnosis or from an expanding list of problems that fall under the autism label – a phenomenon reflected in the newer designation, “Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Some parents believe certain childhood vaccinations caused the explosion of autism, but that theory is hotly debated.

Treatments have been as hard to find as a cause. The government report notes that the best hope so far seems to be early detection – we’re talking pre-pre-school – followed by intensive therapy. The report suggests a minimum of five hours a day, five days a week, but I’ve never met the parent of an autistic child who would consider that enough.

Autistic children may often seem to be trapped in their own world, but as the report starkly shows, they still live in ours.

A 500 percent increase creating a $2.2 billion annual price tag should send a powerful message from these often-silent children.

We can’t afford to ignore autism anymore.

Call Mark Guydish at 829-7161 or e-mail mguydish@leader.net

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Article C: NBC's Week on Autism – Detailed Feedback on Issues & Misstatements

NBC's report on the “autism” epidemic hammers the fact that there is no autism/mercury connection. Simply put, this is unbalanced reporting. Many concerned people, among them thousands of parents (who actually know the facts and are familiar with the research on mercury, a variety of other toxins and their link to neurodevelopmental disorders) are extremely disappointed in NBC’s presentation. NBC has alienated a huge segment of the “autism’ community itself, even while it tried to advance “autism awareness”. NBC’s imbalanced reporting is not merely a matter of discrete inaccuracies or mistakes. It is manifestly a matter of misplaced emphasis, broad misrepresentation, and glaring omissions. NBC has created a false impression about the state of autism science and research by the omission and misplacement of facts. A statement by Dr. Volkmar, Dr. McCormick, Dr. Gerberding or Dr. Goldstein, for example, may have been partially correct, but was not presented in the context of voluminous countervailing scientific research and opinion. After all, in the hands of a skillful editor the context, cumulative opinion and subtle implications of a story can render it balanced or biased. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, NBC's editorial judgment was biased.

The evidence of a connection between autism and mercury is so voluminous that the NBC bias is maddening to those who have spent their lives studying and researching autism. NBC's apparent bias frustrates the efforts of parents who are making valiant efforts to improve the health of their children by intensive bio-medical intervention including, among other therapies, chelation. Again, we hope NBC gets the mercury-autism story right in the future; the fate of thousands of our children depends on accurate reporting and open scientific inquiry.

COMMENTS & CRITICISMS:

1) Point of Omission:

In 1991 Merck knew that the level of mercury injected into children was 87 times the safe level for a 6 month old. See the “Merck Memo.” Documentation supporting this important fact appeared recently on the front page of the LA Times.

The “Merck Memo” was suppressed by Merck for years. Merck never brought it to the attention of the public health authorities.

Why was this important fact not mentioned by NBC?

(2) Inaccurate Statement in NBC’s presentation of Dr. Goldstein-2/21/05 a.m. Today Show:

NBC Narrator:

Others point out that if the mercury in vaccines was the culprit, the rate of autism would have started to decline after 1999. That year, health authorities urged manufacturers to remove Thimerosal from all childhood vaccines except the flu shot -- in order to make sure parents would vaccinate their children.

Dr. Goldstein:
"If indeed, the Thimerosal, which is no longer there, was provoking this epidemic of diagnosis of autism then we ought to see a marked decrease in the number of children we diagnosed with autism. To date that is not happening," sai18562d Goldstein.

Response:

The health authorities urged manufacturers to remove Thimerosal in 1999, but it was not removed. In fact, as late as the end of 2003 or later and perhaps later mercury was still in vaccines. Also, the Department of Human Health Services sent a letter, written in 2003, to Congressman Weldon that indicates the vaccines containing Thimerosal were shipped in 2001 with 2002 expiration dates. (See, http://www.safeminds.org/, page 3 and 6 of HHS letter). It is much too early to see a decrease in rates of autism and neurodevelopmental disorders because of the removal of Thimerosal from vaccines. The largest cohort of children who would have received significantly less Thimerosal in their vaccines than previous cohorts would now be between 1 and 2 years of age, and the data showing their diagnoses would not be in any database for at least two years or more. The statements by the doctors NBC interviewed claiming no reduction in the rate of autism were based on personal anecdotal observation only, and have no sound scientific or statistical basis.

Thus, Dr. Goldstein is wrong in his assumption about the facts and his statements are completely misleading. Worse, the NBC narrator completely misrepresented the facts that we know to be accurate.

(3) Dr. Gerberding statement - 2/21/05 a.m., Today Show:

"Right now, the scientific evidence doesn't provide any framework for concluding that Thimerosal or immunizations in any way affect autism," said Julie Gerberding, director of the CDC. "But we have to have an open mind about that."

Response:

It is of little comfort that Dr. Gerberding has an open mind. Perhaps the CDC Director knows of science that would keep her mind open. If she does, she is not telling anyone and her agency is publishing studies based on questionable data.

We think Dr. Gerberding must be aware that scientific evidence clearly shows that children received many times the safe limit of mercury from their vaccines. Recent evidence by leading scientists (Philippe Grandjean, MD, PhD, and a recent Environmental Health Perspectives study support this) EPA safe limit has been shown to be two times too high. Stajich showed in 1998 that the Hepatitis B (Hep B) vaccine created unsafe levels of mercury in newborns. Dr. Thomas Burbacher has shown that ethylmercury crosses the blood brain barrier, breaks down to inorganic mercury in the brain, probably lodges in the astrocytes (like methylmercury), and causes inflammation and "connectivity" problems in the brain. (presented in testimony before Congress). Work by Leong published in NeuroReport shows that in snail neurons (accepted as a model for human neurons because it is identical in structure and function) inorganic mercury interrupts the activity of an enzyme necessary for the construction of tubulin that forms the structure for neurons.

This research is a framework (and there is more research not quoted here)--but Dr. Gerberding doesn't like the prospect of contemplating this framework. The CDC spokespersons never mention the clinical and biological findings that show a link or a framework that supports the Thimerosal hypothesis.

(4) Dr. McCormick said 2/21/05 a.m. Today Show:

"My response to the parent who's truly convinced and can't be swayed is that there's not much that you can say to them, other than the evidence does not support their point of view. But even trying to remove mercury does not improve the outcomes of these children," said Dr. Marie McCormick of the Harvard School of Public Health.

NBC narrator: “The Institute of Medicine also found no published clinical studies showing that chelation works.”

"The use of chelation in children with autism is a totally unproven therapy," said McCormick. "And chelation is not a procedure without side affects in some individuals."

Response: If the government refuses to fund chelation studies, it is unfair to condemn chelation because there are no provable studies. But there do exist studies that show that chelation works for lead. Chelating agents bind lead in the same way that they bind mercury. Studies do prove that autistic children excrete more mercury upon challenge with a chelator than neurotypical controls. (Bradstreet, Geier, also Adams,--also hair studies by Holmes, another by Adams and one at MIT show that "autistic" children retain mercury more readily than neurotypical controls). So studies do exist. And many of our children have clinical tests showing huge amounts of mercury coming out of them---many times the normal levels, or “reference range.”

Dr. McCormick's other statements carried on NBC programming did not contain any challenge or examination of her contradictory statements.

For example, NBC failed to report that the Institute of Medicine Committee, chaired by Dr. McCormick admitted that it did not adequately address the leading theory among independent scientists — that autism could be triggered by environmental exposures, including mercury in vaccines, in a subset of vulnerable children. As the IOM panel stated in its final report:

"...the committee cannot rule out, based on the epidemiological evidence, the possibility that vaccines contribute to autism in some small subset or very unusual circumstances" (IOM 2004b).

Or as put by the Chair of the IOM committee, Dr. Marie McCormick, of the Harvard School of Public Health:

"Some children could be particularly vulnerable or susceptible to mercury exposure because of genetic or other differences" (McCormick 2001).

On May 19, 2005 the Wall Street Journal reported McCormick as stating, "The committee doesn't dispute that mercury containing compounds can be damaging to the immune system," said Dr. McCormick. Elsewhere Dr. McCormick was quoted as saying, "The committee doesn't dispute that mercury containing compounds can be damaging to the nervous system."

Any competent reporter would have brought out these quotes to balance McCormick's unchallenged statements.

(5) Dr. Volkmar statements on 2/19/05 at 7 pm:

"If all the people who are claiming to fix autism could have fixed autism by now, I would be out of business."

Response: The Autism Research Institute (http://www.ari.org/) has shown that kids can be helped and some to the point of total recovery. There is documentation. More kids would be helped with organized funding and support for the therapies that help. But research in this area is largely unfunded by the government. It does not help that the Institute of Medicine went out of its way to condemn chelation, and discourage research in this area.

A very small percentage of kids get biomedical intervention with medical supervision. It is too expensive (no insurance coverage) and very difficult, and few doctors are available. Many parents have spent tens of thousands of dollars, unreimbursed by insurance, each year for medical costs for their children. If organized funding and support existed for the therapies many parents have used and that have demonstrably helped their kids, it wouldn't be so expensive and so unattainable for those with less resources to help their children. Because the information is not readily available a lot of cost goes into searching for the answers.

(6) Dr. Volkmar stated on 2/19/05 at 7 pm:

Volkmar: "Early in life children with autism have relatively large brains compared to other kids."

Response: Only some kids have large brains. Many children’s are perfectly normal as determined by MRI studies. So are the brains of many kids. Even Dr. Eric Courchesne, the scientist who did the research on head size, was quoted in the LA Times saying that his theory is consistent with a theory of an environmental trigger for autism (this would include the mercury in vaccines theory). Again, Dr. Volkmar's statement is over generalized and completely misleading.

(7) Early on Saturday night show the statement was made by an NBC reporter that MMR contains mercury.

Response: This is obviously incorrect. Anyone who knows about vaccines knows that the MMR is a live attenuated measles, mumps and rubella virus, so it is not preserved" with mercury or any other preservative. The other "killed" vaccines are the ones preserved with mercury and metals and toxins such as aluminum, etc.

(8) Dr. Volkmar: "But study after study has failed to find a link between vaccines and autism."

Response: This is incorrect. First, early versions of the CDC study published in Pediatrics in 2003 showed an association. These were not published. Second, Verstraeten says the Pediatrics study is "neutral" and has called for more research. (letter published in Pediatrics).

The other studies have dramatic and ridiculous flaws. They are all statistical studies, subject to manipulation. An analysis of each is available at http://www.safeminds.org--primarily/ by Mark Blaxill.

But early generations of CDC study do show an association. (see Blaxill, Generation Zero analysis and Verstraeten "Confidential" report of February 2000)

And there do exist peer reviewed studies showing a statistical association. (the Geiers have at least 5 such studies)

(9) Dr. Volkmar:

"The strongest evidence for a cause points to genetics."

Response: Researchers have been looking for years for the autism "gene" and have expanded their "candidate" from 5 to 10 and now 100 genes. There has not been a replicated study showing a small cluster of genes responsible for autism. Rather the genetic research shows that there is "genetic susceptibility" to an environmental trigger. The molecular basis of "genetic susceptibility" has been described in research by Drs. Hornig, James, Deth, Boris and others.

Note also that there is no such thing as a genetic epidemic. If there is an epidemic it must have an environmental trigger. The greatest change in genes in history is 1% change for a period of 100 years. So: If epidemic than: NOT GENETIC

Even Dr. Goldstein of Kennedy Krieger understands the role of the environment, but his statement quoted below from an NBC interview is completely obscured by NBC's dominant message.
”There's really the role for something in the environment could be triggering someone who is genetically susceptible,” said Goldstein. But this single statement was obscured by the overwhelming wrong emphasis of the NBC reports.

(10) Dr. Volkmar:

"There's a very high recurrence risk of autism for siblings, on the order of 2-10% - that's fifty-fold higher than the general population."

Response: This in no way proves that genetics are a "cause." It may suggest that having certain single nucleotide polymorphisms, i.e., a certain genetic makeup, makes one more susceptible to mercury because the body’s natural detoxifying agent, glutathione, becomes depleted. Thus if siblings have the same susceptibility to mercury poisoning (because of familial genetics) or other toxins they would have a greater chance of getting autism if exposed to the same environmental triggers, as would be likely. Siblings would have all been vaccinated, for example.

Also, it might just show that siblings are all from the same "toxic" mother. An article in Mother Jones magazine (Feb 2004) entitled "Toxic Tipping Point" referred to a large study in which over 50% of the children in the study had mothers who had the RhoGam shots (35 mcg mercury per does until 2002). Only about 8% of the female population is negative blood type and so forced to get the RhoGam shots. For this class of mothers, they have a greater than 50% of having a kid on the spectrum. This is another cause of high recurrence risk of autism in siblings. Ironically enough, having a negative blood type and being forced to get one or more RhoGam shots during pregnancy puts these mothers at about 50% greater risk than for the general population. The same statistic Dr. Volkmar quotes. This is hardly genetic. Women were not forced to get RhoGam shots until recent times.

Also, concordance for autism in identical twins is estimated to be from 36% to 90%, not 100%. This means, and any competent geneticist would agree, that there must be an environmental component. So to say "genetics" is a cause of “autism” is an oversimplification of a complex issue. Nevertheless, the “experts” on NBC repeatedly emphasized genetics.

(11) Dr. Volkmar statement on show broadcast 2/19/05:

Narrator: Finally, while there's a tremendous upsurge in autism cases, scientists aren't sure it's a real increase. First, the diagnostic characteristics for autism were broadened a decade ago. Increased awareness means that many cases that may have been previously misdiagnosed or missed altogether contribute to the increase.

Plus, mandated funding for children with autism actually encourages more diagnoses.

Volkmar: "As a result, there's probably more of a push within the educational system to get an autism label to get services that otherwise the child might not get."

Response: There is an internal inconsistency and illogic in this presentation. Is there more autism or not? They are saying "no" because the criteria were widened and "yes" because people are more correctly diagnosing autistic kids (whether the criteria are wider or not). But then Dr. Volkmar suggests that, because of the "push" for an autism diagnosis, the reason for the upsurge is bad diagnoses of autism. (see, Blaxill, Public Health Reports, "What's Going On"). Is it “bad” diagnosis or “better” diagnosis, or perhaps neither, that is the cause.

There are many studies that show a real increase in autism. See one study published by the MIND Institute on California data, by Dr. Byrd.

(12) NBC’s presentation on the Institute of Medicine (“IOM”) Committee that reviewed vaccine safety:

NBC references the Institute of Medicine's 2004 report (mentioned a number of times by NBC) and conclusions from last fall that there is no Thimerosal-autism link. However, NBC does not point out that the IOM, in a very recent ( 2/17/05) report on data sharing, criticized the CDC's lack of openness in its use of the Vaccine Safety Data Link (“VSDL”), a critical and unique proprietary database maintained by private HMO’s by contact with the CDC. The VSDL was the Institute of Medicine's source in one of the often referenced "study after study of hundreds of thousand of children" (used by Robert Bazell, among others to support his statements) disproving a link between Thimerosal and neurodevelopmental disorders and “autism”. NBC has not commented or reported on the timely and newsworthy fact that the IOM data sharing report completely undermines the epidemiological statistical basis for the 2004 IOM conclusions. This would have been real reporting of real news because it is timely and critically important. Yet NBC chose to ignore the news and repeat misleading generalizations. Why was Dr. McCormick or the others not asked about that? This is but another glaring omission of major relevance on the "vaccine theory" and NBC’s omissions in its reporting.

(13) NBC presents experts suggesting that the cause of autism is “genetic” while also maintaining that there is an autism epidemic.

Response:
There is, undoubtedly, and epidemic of neurodevelopmental disorders and “autism” in this country.

There is, however, no such thing as a "genetic" epidemic. NBC repeatedly touts the "epidemic" but then presents over and over so-called “experts” in their programming who state in lockstep, without support, that the cause is “genetic." There is no clarity or objectivity for this report. No researcher or doctor or activist who can "show" this is an environmentally caused condition has been heard. An epidemic can be caused by environmental factors such as Mercury. It cannot be caused be genetics. As said earlier, we do not genetically evolve that quickly that our genes singularly involved in an epidemic.

(14) Comment on imbalanced NBC reporting:

The reporting does not appear to be balanced. It appears that the corporate/government/public health positions are the only ones that are being advanced. It appears that the media does not have independence. Even if the presentation was done in the name of "autism awareness" the imbalance is not acceptable. It is a certain kind of awareness that is being promoted by certain vested interests who can no longer keep the fact of this epidemic a secret. Which parties are afraid of getting sued and who is pulling the strings? NBC should disclose that they get millions and millions of advertising dollars from pharmaceutical companies.

I think NBC may have misjudged the mood of the autism community--they are shutting out voices of credible people that should be heard.

(15) Blatant misrepresentation of “tuna” issue”:

It appears to be a blatant omission in its coverage that NBC presented a mother who discussed eating tuna but who failed to mention (the result of editing by NBC?) the tuna-mercury connection. It is a fact that the government now says that pregnant woman should not eat tuna and that grocery stores in some states ( California) must post a warning about dangerous levels of mercury in fish. See the study by Dr. Jane Hightower who determined that many of her adult patients near San Francisco were mercury poisoned by eating fish.

(16) Routes of Mercury Exposure were inaccurately presented by NBC or not presented at all:

NBC failed to report that mercury exposure occurs in a number of ways, and that the result of this exposure may not be noted in statistics or databases for years after childhood exposure. Most significantly, mercury exposure is cumulative and mercury exposure from vaccines may follow environmental or medical exposures from other sources, such as fish, air, or dental amalgams.

For example, NBC failed to mention that one source of mercury exposure in children is the treatment for Rh negative mothers, one such treatment being RhoGam. RhoGam contained mercury until 2001 (Ortho apparently agreed to produce Thimerosal-free RhoGam in 2001, but the shelf life is two years so there likely was Thimerosal-containing RhoGam in use until early 2003).

NBC did not mention that “amalgam” fillings (approximately 50% mercury) are still used in children and adults and contribute to the total Mercury burden to which a child is subjected. NBC failed to emphasize that the flu shot, which contains 25 micrograms of mercury (the total in the two doses given to infants) and which the government is recommending for breast feeding mothers and mandating for children as young as six months. This winter breast feeding mothers and their children stood in lines for hours to get the flu shot because the government told them to fear the flu. Many fear that the recommended flu shot will skew the dramatic drop in autism we expect to see in a few years, now that some mercury was removed from childhood vaccines, as of 2003. Because most kids are not diagnosed with autism until they are 3 years old or older, the effects of the removal of Thimerosal from vaccines will not be seen until approximately 2008.

(17) Glossing over the concept of “autism” and failure to report on the emerging protocols for medical testing and treatment of autism:

Autism is a diagnosis that is based on constructed criteria established by a committee of the American Psychiatric Association and set forth in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, IV or DSM-IV.

The NBC report makes it seem that autistic kids are just, "well", "autistic", whatever that means. A definition of "autism" is elusive because there are multiple criteria and the cause is unknown. NBC, like many practitioners and researchers, “objectifies” the disorder. In reality “autism” is a label for a collection of symptoms that have been observed by medical professionals. A group of “autistic” children can be characterized more by their differences than their similarities—this is called heterogeneity. Autistic children can be verbal or non-verbal, violent or passive, flap their hands or not, can be social or anti-social, engage in repetitive or stereotypical behaviors or not. They can bang their heads and have tantrums but many children labeled “autistic” do not show these characteristics.

It would be easier to understand the mercury connection if an NBC segment highlighted the similarity in the lab work observed in an “autistic” child. Notwithstanding heterogeneity the lab work in certain groups of children is remarkably similar, and points to specific biomarkers that are characteristic of children who are labeled with the “autism” diagnosis. These biomarkers are consistent with mercury toxicity.

What researchers are finding as almost universal among autistic children is that they are immune compromised and exhibit multiple forms of auto-immune disorder. The are often food intolerant, have autoimmune antibodies to certain brain tissues, lab reports consistent with heavy metal poisoning, severe deficiencies in a number of vitamins and minerals, severe deficiencies in glutathione (the body’s primary agent for detoxification), cysteine other essential proteins. The exhibit pituitary and thyroid abnormalities and metabolic problems.

There's a saying that if you don't take a temperature, you won't find a fever. To many in the autism community, NBC is not taking the temperature of autism. The reporting is missing many facets of relevant and helpful information. Parents have offered to procure for NBC a nationally recognized medical doctor who can produce lab reports and explain the typical biomedical profile for an “autistic” child and show that the evident biomarkers would be atypical of "normal" children. Most importantly, however, the biomarkers evidence mercury toxicity. A simple example a study conducted a doctor who specializes in the treatment of “autistic” children that showed that “normal” children excreted Mercury in their hair whereas “autistic” kids, although exposed to Mercury, did not excrete it. This hallmark of autism shows that “autistic” children retain mercury in their bodies where it does its insidious damage.

(18) NBC failed to mention that beginning in 1991 the number of mandatory vaccines for children was increased from 9 to 21.

It is no mere coincidence that the increase in Thimerosal containing vaccines, and the resulting tripling of the amount of mercury injected into children occurred right at the point when the "autism epidemic" began. This telling fact was omitted by NBC in its presentation, as far as we can tell. Merck knew, in 1991, that the level of Mercury the kids were exposed to by 6 months was 87 times the safe level. We know this from documents showing that in 1991 Merck reviewed the Thimerosal issue but failed to report its findings to the government or the public. Even today, the government advises pregnant or nursing mothers to avoid tuna because of the dangers of excessive mercury exposure from fish. Nowhere does NBC point out that injected mercury is much more toxic than mercury exposure via the gut.

(19) Other notable omissions in NBC’s presentation on Saturday night, February 15, 2005:

* children received 100-200 times the EPA's "safe" level of mercury via vaccines.
* Dr. Bernard Rimland of the Autism Research Institute was never featured or mentioned in NBC’s presentation. Dr. Rimland has 50 years' experience in researching and treating autism. He is the man responsible for debunking the “refrigerator mother” theory of autism etiology propounded by the discredited Bruno Bettelheim. Dr. Rimland was highly respected by Dr. Leo Kanner, the psychiatrist who “discovered” “autism”. It is ironic that it is Dr. Rimland sparked the investigation into a genetic etiology of “autism”. Today Dr. Rimland believes that mercury from vaccines is a causal factor in “autism.”

Recent scientific research has shown the following:
(1) Brain inflammation is found in the brains of “autistic” children but not “normal” children
(2) Evidence of autoimmune response (production of cytokines by certain brain cells) is found in the brains of “autistic” children but not “normal” children
(3) Autoimmune response is characteristic of mercury toxicity;
(4) Mercury induces autoimmunity and cellular production of cytokines in human cells.
(NBC’s “experts” presented none of the foregoing research)

* Author David Kirby was interviewed for 3 hours by a Today Show producer, yet the brief statement presented by NBC was the misleading one that there is no “proof” that mercury causes “autism”. Mr. Kirby’s book is replete with evidence showing that mercury causes autism. The NBC’s editing shows bias, if not conscious manipulation of the facts.

*NBC failed to mention the CDC vaccine conference that took place at Simpsonwood in 2000, or the minutes of a 2001 CDC/IOM closed meeting at which the IOM's Marie McCormick states that "we are not ever going to come down that it is a true side effect," despite the fact that the Committee had not yet considered any evidence on the autism/mercury link. NBC simply failed to report on the voluminous evidence showing that the authorities have tried to suppress the mercury-“autism” link.

*Despite hours of on camera interviews with NBC Dr. Boyd Haley, Chair of the Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky was not presented by NBC.

*NBC failed to present other researchers who were interviewed at length weeks prior to the NBC programming

(20) NBC’s limited nightly news segment on the "theory" of autism being a result of Mercury poisoning was limited, incomplete and undermined by the context of NBC’s reporting.

After feeling the pressure of “thousands of emails” NBC’s Managing Editor took the unprecedented step of changing its broadcast to present what it called the “other side” of the story. In a hastily produced segment on the nightly news NBC presented one eminent researcher but sandbagged its reports with further conclusory statements that “vaccines have been cleared as a cause.” Most egregiously, NBC’s science reporter, Robert Bazell stepped out of his role as reporter and said that he is a trained researcher and he has found that vaccines are clear as a cause. We have come to expect reporters to report the news, not make the news. The unprecedented pressure of emails on NBC apparently caused it to seek refuge in making the news rather than presenting a balanced and complete report.

There now exists a well-supported theory that the “autism epidemic” is actually a result of mercury poisoning. Documents obtained by parents via Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) requests over the past several years, show that our government has known about mercury poisoning of our children from Thimerosal since at least 1999. The FDA and CDC suppressed study results that they found unfavorable. Other documents prove that the pharmaceutical companies knew about the mercury risk from the vaccines much earlier. Also, doctors hundreds of doctors who follow a biomedical protocol for healing children and removing mercury from their bodies have reams of test results from thousands of "autistic" kids showing the excessive output of mercury coupled with clinical observations evidencing improvement. There is some good news to be reported here. Kids can be RESCUED from autism. Kids can be rescued from governmental and corporate malfeasance (or worse).

What is keeping NBC from reporting these wonderful stories?

BELOW IS MORE DOCUMENTATION THAT COUNTER FACTS PROFFERED BY NBC:

(A) The following report from the SafeMinds website clearly explains that Thimerosal containing infant vaccines were used long after it was suggested manufacture stop in 1999 (because the vaccines on the shelves were never recalled):
http://www.safeminds.org/mercury/mercury_releases/Thimerosal_content_of_US_vaccines.pdf

(B) From our own government and direct from a US government website (http://www.reform.house.gov/WHR/)(this is the sub-committee chaired by Rep. Dan Burton (R. Indiana):

"The explosive increase in occurrences of Autism Spectrum Disorders has become a great health care concern for parents in the United States. Autism, once considered a rare behavioral disorder, is now estimated to affect between 1 in 500 and 1 in 250 children in the country. Witness testimonies in addition to published scientific studies have exhibited that the use of Mercury as a preservative (Thimerosal) in childhood inoculations may be one of the causes of Autism. In response to this data, the Subcommittee has held several hearings to support these claims, as well as initiating efforts to remove Thimerosal from childhood and adult inoculations and ophthalmologic solutions as a safety precaution. The Subcommittee has made additional efforts to promote the safety of all vaccines."

(C) David Kirby, author of "Evidence Of Harm," spent more than hour with an NBC interviewer discussing the autism/mercury link. Although only one inappropriate comment from his entire interview was used in the broadcast, Kirby has 500 supporting documents mounted onto his website. An NBC producer viewed almost his entire presentation. He also has a PowerPoint presentation available for viewing.

David Kirby
29 Lincoln Place, Garden Apt.
Brooklyn, NY 11217
718-230-4250
dkirby@nyc.rr.com
http://www.evidenceofharm.com/

(D) Dr. Mark Geier and David Geier, researchers who have published five studies showing a direct causal link between Thimerosal containing vaccines and “autism” and other neurodevelopmental disorders were not presented by NBC despite the fact that an NBC camera crew filmed a long presentation by the Geiers only weeks before the NBC “autism epidemic” programming.

(21) Reporting on twins concordance:

2/22/05 Today Show:

Matt Lauer stated on the Today Show that, paraphrasing, if one sibling has autism there is a 1 in 10 chance of a sibling having autism. On a later broadcast NBC reported the chances as "1 in 15".

Response:
Matt Lauer's statement is a gross exaggeration of the statistics. This is another example of inconsistent reporting because even NBC's statistics are inconsistently reported. But that is not the point, really, because the issue is far more complicated. Even Dr. Ramoz, an assistant in geneticist Dr. Joseph Buxbaum's laboratory (he is NAAR funded and is employed by the pharmaceutical companies as an expert witness against parent's claims—a fact not disclosed by NBC when Dr. Buxbaum appeared on Power Lunch) has conceded that there is an environmental component to “autism”. (A parent learned this when he attended a public presentation by Dr. Ramoz at Mt. Sinai Hospital on February 8, 2005. A parent personally asked him about the 10% of twins (according to his misleading statistics) who don't both have autism. Dr. Ramoz readily admitted that this suggests an environmental component, notwithstanding the fact that the word "environmental" was not uttered by him in his presentation nor did it appear in his PowerPoint slides.) Judy Grether, an epidemiologist, pointed out at the November 2003 Autism Summit sponsored by NIH that the lack of complete concordance of autism in twins demonstrates that there is a strong environmental component. NBC failed to adequately report this, allowing the viewer to form the erroneous impression that autism is genetic. That was the theme: autism is genetic.

NBC's report suggests that the concordance statistics show that autism is “genetic”. The evidence certainly does not support the idea that “autism” is “genetic”. Even Dr. Volkmar stated in an earlier NBC telecast that the chances of a sibling getting autism are "2 to 10 percent." A simple calculation reveals that the “2 to 10 percent” statistic does not translate into a 1 in ten chance, unless you take the absolute high end of the statistic quoted by Lauer.

While the sibling statistic is interesting it does not prove that the disorder is "genetic" in the sense that "genes cause autism" as is being conveyed on NBC. The statistic is completely compatible with a view that there is an environmental trigger for genetic susceptibility. NBC is misrepresenting the science and likely merely repeating distortions that are being promoted by NBC's so-called experts.

See quote from article by Patricia Rodier below--she says the percentage is "3-8%"

Even if the chance of 10% were the high-end, Lauer's statement is not correct. He is correct at the high end of Volkmar's statements, but based on Rodier's statement, unless research is updated, Volkmar also has overstated the chances of a sibling getting autism.

The low end would be 1 in 50 for Volkmar and approximately 1 in 33 for Rodier's statement. The high end for Volkmar is 1 in 10 and for Rodier is 1 in 12 or 13.

Scientific American cite:
Patricia Rodier (a leading researcher) in SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN February 2000 Volume 282 Number 2 Pages 56-63: Siblings of people with autism have a 3 to 8 percent chance of being diagnosed with the same disorder. This is much greater than the 0.16 percent risk in the general population but much less than the 50 percent chance that would characterize a genetic disease caused by a single dominant mutation (in which one faulty gene inherited from one parent is sufficient to cause the disorder) or the 25 percent chance that would characterize a single recessive mutation (in which a copy of the faulty gene must be inherited from each parent). The results fit best with models in which variants of several genes contribute to the outcome. To complicate matters further relatives of people with autism may fail to meet all the criteria for the disorder but still have some of its symptoms.

posted by No_Points_For_Trying at 6:06 PM | 5 comments    

Monday, February 28, 2005

Contact numbers for NBC executives

TO CONTACT NBC Executives:

Bob Wright, Vice Chairman and Executive Officer, GE

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

NBC Universal Headquarters

30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112

E-mail: robert.wright@nbcuni.com
Phone: (212) 664-4444Fax: (201) 583-5453

Jeff Zucker, President, NBC Universal Television Group
Headquarters30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112
E-mail: jeff.zucker@nbcuni.com
Phone: (212) 664-4444Fax: (201) 583-5453

Neal Shapiro -- NBC News
NBC News President

Headquarters30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112
E-mail: neal.shapiro@msnbc.com Phone: (212) 664-4444Fax: (201) 583-5453

David Verdi -- NBC News
Executive News Director
Headquarters 30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112E-mail: david.verdi@nbc.com Phone: (212) 664-4444Fax: (201) 583-5453

Bill Wheatley -- NBC News
News Vice President - Planning

Headquarters 30 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10112

E-mail: bill.wheatley@nbc.com Phone: (212) 664-3882Fax: (201) 583-5453

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Article D: US Study Confirms Bowel Disease Findings In Children With Autism

Neuropsychobiology. 2005 Feb 28;51(2):77-85 
Dysregulated Innate Immune Responses in Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Their Relationship to Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Dietary Intervention.
Jyonouchi H, Geng L, Ruby A, Zimmerman-Bier B. Department of Pediatrics, New Jersey Medical School, UMDNJ, Newark,
N.J., USA.

Autism researchers at the University of New Jersey Medical School in the US have confirmed the original findings of researchers from the UK, by finding evidence of marked inflammatory and immune abnormalities in children with autism associated with gastrointestinal symptoms.

The study compared the production of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory molecules by immune cells in autistic children on unrestricted (n = 100) or elimination (n = 77) diets with developmentally normal children with non-allergic food hypersensitivity on unrestricted (n = 14) or elimination (n = 16) diets, and healthy typically developing children.

In response to challenge with bacterial toxins or dietary proteins from cow’s milk, immune cells from autistic children with bowel symptoms showed a strong pro-inflammatory response and a reduced ability to switch off immune system activity compared with the other children.

The authors conclude that the findings indicate intrinsic defects of these immune responses in autistic children with intestinal problems, suggesting a possible link between gastrointestinal and behavioral symptoms mediated by immune abnormalities.

Dr Wakefield who led the team that first described intestinal disease in UK children with autism and demonstrated very similar immune abnormalities to those described by the New Jersey researchers in this group of patients, now heads up Thoughtful House Center for Children in Austin, Texas. Dr Wakefield confirmed the importance of these new findings and stressed their potential for increasing our understanding the role of gastrointestinal inflammation in the behavioural symptoms in children with developmental disorders such as autism.

Thoughtful House in a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recovering children with developmental disorders through a unique combination of state of the art medical care, education and research.

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Article E: U.S. Autism Rates Rise Sharply

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthology/story?id=558681

HealthDay News -- The apparent rise in the proportion of children in the United States with autism appears to be real, a new analysis suggests.

Autism prevalence is increasing with successively younger children, particularly those born between 1987 and 1992, epidemiologists report in the March issue of Pediatrics.

It's a worrisome trend, experts said, magnifying questions on the causes for the increasing rates while placing a tremendous strain on the nation's special education resources.

"The financial burden that this will place on our society is going to be just stunning, and that is really the wake-up call here," said Andy Shih, director of research and programs at the National Alliance for Autism Research in Princeton, N.J.

What causes autism isn't known, but some research points to a genetic origin. Scientists also are exploring neurological, infectious, metabolic, immunologic and environmental factors.

To assess prevalence trends in autism, researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and the University of Minnesota used data reported to U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education Programs. The study included children who were aged 6 to 17 between 1992 and 2001.

Prevalence refers to the proportion of people in a given population affected by a disease at a point in time, yielding a snapshot of the impact of the disease.

Researchers compared the results for autism with trends for other disabilities, including traumatic brain injury, mental retardation and speech/language impairment.

"The analysis shows that the number of children receiving a special ed classification of autism has increased drastically over the past decade,"

said Craig J. Newschaffer, director of Johns Hopkins' Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities Epidemiology.

While the exact number of autism cases in the United States in not known, estimates range from one in 500 to one in 1,000 diagnosed cases each year, according to government statistics.

Difficulty in pinning down the actual number of causes stems from changes in how autism is diagnosed, what is considered autism and how cases are reported.

Some people have attributed the rising rate of autism to "diagnosis shifting," meaning children who in past years might have been classified as having mental retardation or speech/language difficulties are now being diagnosed as having autism.

This study refutes that theory.

"By looking at trends in other classifications, we see that this increase is not seen across the board in all [special] ed classifications,"

Newschaffer said. "This is not a rising tide lifting all boats."

Increases in autism prevalence were greatest for kids born from 1987 to 1992. And while prevalence continued to increase among kids born after 1992, the increases were not as great.

"This may represent a slowing of the rate of increase -- not a decrease," Newschaffer reasoned. It may also be the result of a 1997 change in federal law allowing special ed agencies to classify kids over age 5 as having a "developmental delay," he added. It could mean more children will be classified as being autistic at a later age.

All of this presents a major challenge to the nation's special education system. And to parents of kids with autism, it means either qualifying for financial assistance or paying for special therapists themselves.

"It's not uncommon for me to hear parents spending $30,000 to 40,000 a year," Shih said.

He added, "If this trend continues, it could be possible that we would no longer be able to care for everyone who deserved the care."

Meantime, controversy continues to swirl over a hypothetical link between the childhood vaccine given to prevent measles, mumps and rubella

(MMR) and autism.

That possible connection, first raised in a widely reported 1998 study in The Lancet, led by British gastroenterologist Dr. Andrew Wakefield, has been discredited in several prominent studies since then.

A May 2004 report from the Institute of Medicine concluded that neither the mercury-based vaccine preservative thimerosal nor the MMR are associated with autism. And last week, Japanese and British researchers again disproved the connection in a study of 30,000 Japanese kids that was published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.

Yet, many parents and patient advocates remain suspicious. The National Autism Association, for one, insists that vaccines have not been cleared as a cause of autism.

"There is a great deal of evidence supporting a link between vaccines and autism," the association said in statement reacting to a report on NBC Nightly News. "Even [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] CDC director Julie Gerberding has not ruled out that possibility, as she indicated in her statement on the Today show, 'Right now, the scientific evidence doesn't provide any framework for concluding that thimerosal or immunizations in any way affect autism, but we have to have an open mind about that.'"

Journalist David Kirby explored the issue in his new book Evidence of Harm. "No one can say with certainty that thimerosal, the vaccine preservative made with 49.6 percent mercury, helped fuel the explosion in cases of autism, attention-deficit disorder, speech delay and other disorders over the past decade," he wrote. "But no one can say for certain that it did not."

More information The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development can tell you more about autism http://www.nichd.nih.gov/publications%5Cpubs/autismfacts.pdf.

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Article F: Autism is a World to Air on CNN:

Autism Is A World is coming! It will be broadcast on CNN Presents on Sunday, May 22, 2005 at 8:00 pm EST.

Distribution of the film will begin on the day of the broadcast. At that time, you may visit our website, www.autismisaworld.com to purchase a copy of the film.

Also, at the time of the broadcast, our website and CNN.com will include additional resources on autism and how to use the film for discussion in a community screening.

Article A: Mercury/vaccine bill would provide 'firewall protection'

CRAIG WESTOVER
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/editorial/10849069.htm?1c

What do you say to the father of an autistic child?

What do you say to the father of a child who passed all her baby milestones on time … and who then helplessly watched the child he loved regress into a self-absorbed shell?

What do you say when that father lashes out at drug companies and politicians for "poisoning for profit" his little girl with vaccines laced with thimerosal — a mercury-based additive intended to prevent vaccine contamination?

What do you say to the father of an autistic child when you think he's wrong?

That was my reaction to a phone call I received after my column on the flu vaccine shortage appeared on these pages. I'm old enough to remember classmates with limbs shriveled by childhood polio. The childhood vaccination program is a real and proper government success story. Doubting the conspiracy theory, I was nonetheless curious.

And indeed, curiosity-driven but cursory research turned up "no evidence of harm" from thimerosal and the trace amounts of mercury found in vaccines. But it also unearthed annoying bits of data that just didn't fit where my skeptical attitude wanted to push them.

Autism is a neurological disorder. It affects a child's ability to communicate, form relationships and respond to his surroundings. There is clearly a genetic predisposition for autism, but expanding scientific evidence admits the plausibility of environmental influence. And classical manifestations of autism are mirrored by behavioral and biological characteristics of mercury poisoning. Mercury is a known neurotoxin.

Consider: Before 1980 the historical rate of diagnosed autism was four to five cases for every 10,000 live births. In 2002, the National Institutes of Health revised that figure to one case for every 250 births. Current figures peg the ratio at one case in every 150 births.

Then consider this: Over that same time frame, as new vaccines were mandated by legislation and government regulation, the amount of mercury injected into some babies nearly tripled. By 1999, a baby who received all recommended vaccines at his two-month checkup might be injected with 118 times the EPA safe dosage average for a single day.

Put another way, in order to reach a safe dosage level for the mercury contained in the single Hepatitis B shot mandated for all infants, a baby would need to weigh 275 pounds.

These data are significant because a bill (S.F. 639) is currently before the Minnesota Senate Health and Family Security Committee that would prohibit vaccines that contain mercury from being administered in Minnesota unless there are exceptional circumstances. It faces an uphill climb.

It would be reassuring if this legislation were inspired by one of the myriad federal agencies charged with protecting Americans from dangerous drugs. It was not. How about the Minnesota Health Department? It opposes the legislation. The Mayo Clinic?

"There are no data to support the theory that thimerosal causes developmental disorders, such as autism," reads a January 2005 letter to the HSF Committee from the clinic. "To imply it does misleads the public."

What gives?

In Minnesota and across the nation, it's pushed by parents, united by the common desire to know what happened to their kids and why, teamed with independent researchers who have uncovered the connections among vaccine schedules, mercury exposure and autism.

While the government remained silent, these passionate parents have exposed flaws in the nation's vaccination program that might have damaged thousands of children and created financial liabilities and confidence issues that threaten a program that ought to represent government at its best.

Alarmist? Three months ago, I'd have said, "Absolutely." Today, I think the word "alarmist" is too tepid.

S.F. 639 is an important bill because, as its supporters say, it builds a protective firewall between Minnesotans and a federal and state bureaucracy reluctant to investigate its own performance and admit to and correct its own mistakes.

A newspaper column can, at best, elevate the visibility of the S.F. 639, but can only scratch the surface of this scientific, political and emotional issue. I will be devoting additional columns to the topic regardless of the fate of S.F. 639.

The autism epidemic — and it is an epidemic — doesn't go away if S.F. 639 fails to become law. It doesn't go away because bureaucrats won't acknowledge good science that indicates there might be a problem. And it certainly doesn't go away just because bureaucrats don't know what to say to the father of an autistic child.

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Article B: Legislation Introduced to Protect Vaccine Manufacturers from Product Liability Litigation; SafeMinds Urges Opposition to HR 650

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28 / U.S. Newswire/ -- SafeMinds announced today its opposition of HR 650, inappropriately titled "The Vaccine Accessibility for Children and Seniors Act of 2005," which removes a legal remedy for those injured by vaccines. The title of Rep. Ric Keller's (FL-8) bill is deceptive in that it exclusively addresses product liability lawsuits against vaccine makers.

HR 650 addresses neither increased access to vaccines for children nor seniors; rather the legislation seeks to impose barriers to legal remedies for the vaccine-injured, including those injured from exposure to the mercury-based preservative thimerosal. SafeMinds is the nation's leading organization fighting to rid mercury from all medicines and promoting treatment research for those already injured.

"Each time legislation is introduced to protect the vaccine industry from product liability it is hidden behind a nice title or buried inside legislative minutia," stated Lyn Redwood, president of SafeMinds. "In 2002 legislators attempted a comparable end run on our civil rights by inserting similar language in the Homeland Security Bill, literally in the dark of night. Only when the American people spoke up in outrage was the move repealed. When faulty tires on SUVs were rampant, legislators didn't recommend that the tire or automotive manufacturers be protected from litigation; it is beyond comprehension that when there are increased questions about vaccine injury that legislators would introduce legislation to take away American's rights."

HR 650 seeks to shield vaccine manufacturers from any litigation based upon a report by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). That report has been highly criticized by members of Congress for its lack of balance and failure to consider credible laboratory and animal research showing thimerosal caused brain injury. The bill further deters any litigation against vaccine makers by threatening families of injured children and their lawyers with severe financial penalties should they lose in court.

SafeMinds encourages all Members of Congress, health professionals, industry, and the public health community to oppose this legislation and work to ensure that families retain their rights for effective legal recourse for the vaccine injured.

For more information about SafeMinds go to: http://www.safeminds.org.

http://www.usnewswire.com/

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Article C: Loss Linked to Mercury Costs $8.7B  

Washington (AP) - Lower IQ levels linked to mercury exposure in the womb costs the United States $8.7 billion a year in lost earnings potential, according to a study released Monday by researchers at a New York hospital.

The Mount Sinai Center for Children's Health and the Environment combined a number of previous studies to determine hundreds of thousands of babies are born every year with lower IQ associated with mercury exposure.

Using work examining the effects of lead exposure on IQ, researchers determined that even a 1.6 point drop in IQ could cost a person $31,800 in lifetime earnings because of missed educational opportunities or jobs.

Peter McCaffery, a scientist at the University of Massachusetts Medical School who studies the brain, said the Mount Sinai researchers did a reasonable job piecing together a wide range of possible reactions to mercury exposure.

Mount Sinai pediatrician and lead researcher Leonardo Trasande estimated that between 316,588 and 637,233 children are born each year with umbilical cord blood mercury levels linked to IQ loss.

The research found the IQ losses linked to mercury range from one-fifth of an IQ point to as much as 24 points.

As an example, Trasande said about 4 percent of babies, or about 180,000, are born each year with blood mercury levels between 7.13 and 15 micrograms per liter. That level of mercury, the group concluded, causes a loss of 1.6 IQ points.

Mercury levels, Trasande said, are probably lower generally than they were in years before limits were placed on emissions from medical waste and municipal incinerators.

"We've made great progress in reducing mercury emissions over the past decade, and this is likely to have reduced the number of affected children and to have reduced costs by a similar amount," Trasande said.

Leonard Levin, a scientist at the Electric Power Research Institute, said no group has yet to produce solid data defining the impact of mercury on intelligence.

Mount Sinai released its findings in hopes of influencing the debate over legislation before Congress, known as Clear Skies, that would change how the government regulates emissions from power plants and other sources.

The study was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, and with financial support from the Jennifer Altman Foundation, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and the Rena Shulsky Foundation.

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Article D: Merck Misled on Vaccines, Some Say

The firm supplied shots containing a mercury compound after saying it had halted its use.

By Myron Levin
LA Times Staff Writer
March 7, 2005
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-merck7mar07,0,156305.story

Drug maker Merck & Co. continued to supply infant vaccine containing a mercury-based preservative for two years after declaring that it had eliminated the chemical.

In September 1999, amid rising concern about the risks of mercury in childhood vaccines, Merck announced that the Food and Drug Administration had approved a preservative-free version of its hepatitis B vaccine.

"Now, Merck's infant vaccine line," the company's press release said, "is free of all preservatives."

But Merck continued to distribute vaccine containing the chemical known as thimerosal, along with the new product, until October 2001, according to an FDA letter sent in response to a congressional inquiry.

The thimerosal-containing supplies had expiration dates in 2002.

Merck executives confirmed the details in the FDA letter but defended the accuracy of Merck's announcement in 1999, saying the company had indeed begun to produce preservative-free vaccine.

Merck continued to supply the preservative-containing version "during the transition period to ensure an adequate supply of vaccine to help protect the nation's children," said spokeswoman Mary Elizabeth Blake.

She said package labels disclosed which lots of vaccine were preservative-free.

Parent groups and a congressional critic of U.S. vaccine policy are crying foul.

"As far as the world knew, the product coming out of Merck had no thimerosal in it," said Sallie Bernard, executive director of Safe Minds, a group concerned about childhood exposure to mercury, a neurotoxin. Parents and doctors who wanted a thimerosal-free product "would be totally confused," she said.

Rep. Dave Weldon, a Florida Republican and a physician, said what Merck did was "misleading."

"You had people literally into 2002 getting shots with mercury, having been told it was all taken out in 1999," he said. "There should have been a much more cautious announcement that we're going to eliminate the mercury over time." The FDA letter was sent to Weldon in June 2003 in response to his questions about progress in removing mercury from vaccines.

Thimerosal, which is nearly 50% ethyl mercury, has largely been eliminated from most routine childhood vaccines, though it still is present in most flu shots. It had been widely used as a sterilizing agent to prevent bacterial contamination from repeated insertion of needles into multi-dose vials of vaccine.

More than 4,200 claims have been filed in the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program by parents alleging that their children suffered autism or other neurological disorders from mercury in their shots.

Last year California banned thimerosal in childhood vaccines as of 2006.

Vaccine makers and many health officials say there is no credible evidence of harm from the small doses of mercury once widely present in kids' shots. They cite a report last May by the prestigious Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, which concluded that available evidence "favors rejection of a causal relationship" between vaccines and autism.

Parents have cited contrary findings and say the studies cited by the institute's panel were flawed.

Though they said there was no proof of harm, the U.S. Public Health Service and the American Academy of Pediatrics in July 1999 acknowledged that mercury exposures from a multitude of shots exceeded federal health guidelines, and they called on manufacturers to voluntarily eliminate thimerosal from kids' vaccines.

Last month The Times disclosed a leaked Merck memo from 1991 showing that the company was aware at that time of concerns about thimerosal. In the memo, a former Merck scientist calculated that 6-month-old children who received their shots on schedule could receive a mercury dose up to

87 times higher than the guideline for the maximum daily consumption of mercury from fish.

"When viewed in this way, the mercury load appears rather large," said the memo by Dr. Maurice R. Hilleman, an internationally renowned vaccinologist and a former senior vice president of Merck. "The key issue is whether thimerosal, in the amount given with the vaccine, does or does not constitute a safety hazard."

Hilleman and Merck executives have declined to discuss the memo.

Merck's announcement of the new thimerosal-free vaccine figured strongly in a shift in federal immunization policy.

In issuing their 1999 appeal, federal authorities also recommended that the first hepatitis B shot, typically given to newborns in their first

12 hours of life, be postponed except for at-risk infants — those whose mothers had tested positive or whose hepatitis B status was unknown.

But that caveat was lost in confusion over the new policy, and some hospitals delayed the birth dose even for at-risk children. Fearing that these babies could contract the serious disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reinstated the birth dose for all newborn babies, citing the availability of the new Merck vaccine.

The Merck release was issued Sept. 9, 1999, and the CDC announced the revised policy the next day.

The CDC notice cited the introduction of the Merck vaccine and the expectation that a preservative-free version from a second manufacturer would be available soon. It called on hospitals and doctors to assure that they had enough of the new product for newborns before giving it to older babies.

"There was a belief there was enough thimerosal-free hepatitis vaccine, so they went back to the birth dose," said Glen Nowak, a spokesman for the CDC.

Dr. Eric Mast, chief of the prevention branch in the CDC's division of viral hepatitis, said the agency had not conducted surveys to determine the percentage of newborns who got mercury-free shots. But he said the CDC had not received reports "from state health departments or providers that there was a problem with access" to preservative-free vaccine.

Weldon, however, said that with the old product continuing to flow into the market, he was "fairly confident that newborns continued to get mercury-containing vaccines."

"It would have to be a very well-informed and diligent pediatrician to make sure all of the stock he supplied contained no mercury," he said.

7. TACA Survey Update

Only 115 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

8. TACA Mom Still In Need - Please Read

A TACA family is in great need. If you can help – please help!

Our very own Ruthie Daniels is a 36 yr old TACA single mom diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She is undergoing chemotherapy and needs your help. Ruthie will have to complete 6 months of chemo and will need help during this time. She is a single mom with 2 boys, one with autism (Noah) and one with ADHD.

Ruthie's needs are as follows:

• THE BIGGEST NEED IS ONE-ON-ONE BABYSITTING: Anyone who lives in South Orange County and could take Noah to the park or watch him for a couple of hours between 2:30-4:30 Monday - Friday. One-on-one babysitting is recommended for Noah.
• THERAPY HELP: If anyone knows a therapist trained in RDI methodology, she will be losing her therapist. $20 an hour is the most she can pay, 4 to 6 hours per week at her home.
• RUNNING ERRANDS: Ruthie needs help with grocery shopping and errands and to the pharmacy.
• COOKING: LOTS OF COOKING AND FOOD DROP OFF IN PROGRESS! A big thank you to all for helping with this!!
• CONTACT INFO: Ruthie lives Laguna Niguel. Her number is 949-347-8532. Please do not call late -- she is very tired.

THANK YOU FOR ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO HELP!

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10. 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: April 9, Manhattan Beach; April 16, Northridge; 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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NEW CLUB FOR TEENAGERS WITH ASPERGER SYNDROME:

Dear Parents,

Let us start by introducing ourselves. My name is Melia Plotkin, daughter of Deborah Plotkin. My entire life, my mother has told me touching stories of people with disabilities. Now that I am old enough to make a difference, my friends and I have decided to follow in my mother’s footsteps. And who better than to join me in this experience than my two best friends: Christine and Nicole Poletto! We are all freshmen in high school and would like to help out the community by beginning a club for teenagers with Asperger’s Syndrome called the TEENageJAMboree. This name may be only temporary. We will take suggestions for alternative names at the first meeting. Our goal we hope to achieve by starting this club is to develop and maintain friendships, in which we would all interact with each other by participating in various activities such as crafts, bowling, swimming, ice skating, etc.

We would begin by meeting once a month. Adult chaperones will be present. Our first meeting will be on Saturday, March 12 th from 4:00AM-6:00PM.  We have decided that the first meeting will take place at my house 9945 Rue Chantemar San Diego CA 92131. This will provide us with an intimate setting where we will be able to get to know each other better. We will discuss where the next events will take place at this first meeting.

If you are interested in having your teenage son/daughter join this group, please contact us sometime before our first meeting (Our e-mails are listed below). We hope to see you there, and look forward to meeting you all! J

Sincerely,

Melia, Christine, and Nicole

E-mails:

Melia Plotkin: AilemP4490@aol.com
Christine Poletto: c_delsolsk8r@hotmail.com
Nicole Poletto: nicoledelsol4490@hotmail.com

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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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How To Find Child Care To Meet The Unique Needs Of Your Child Presented by Abby J. Cohen, Child Care Law and Policy Consultant

Please join us to gain resources and information which will help you find child care for your child with special needs.

• State and federal laws ensure that your child is able to participate in child care programs.
• Child care providers have a responsibility to meet your child’s needs.
• What should you do if the provider is unwilling to make reasonable accommodations?

Learn more by joining us for this presentation which will cover all aspects of disability civil rights laws and the protection they provide pertaining to child care.

• When: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
• Where: Regional Center of Orange County and
• Comfort Connection Family Resource Center
• 801 Civic Center Drive West (Civic Center/Flower)
• Cost: FREE
• Please R.S.V.P. to Lilly Sanchez at (714) 558-5400. If you have any questions, please contact Jacqui Kerze at (714) 796-5299

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Thoughtful House Conference – featuring Dr Andrew Wakefield, Dr Arthur Krigsman and many others

Austin In Action The Evolving Medical Model in Childhood Developmental Disorders: Implications for Clinical and Educational Care

Sunday, April 3, 2005 at the Austin Downtown Omni Hotel 700 San Jacinto at 8th Street Austin, TX 78701 (512) 397-4858

For more info http://www.thoughtfulhouse.org/events.htm

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Packing Your Own Parachute -- You wouldn’t jump out of an airplane without a well packed parachute would you?

Wednesday, March 9, 2005 7:00pm – 9:00pm

at the UCI Child Development Center 19262 Jamboree Road, Irvine 92612(between Birch and Fairchild, across the street from Starbuck’s) For more info, (949) 824 – ADHD (2343)

So WHY would you take your child to a family reunion or the mall without a plan? Creating an organized approach to outings can increase the potential for success and enjoyment. Don’t just HOPE things go well, HOPE that your child feels like behaving, HOPE that you can struggle through it.

Enjoying time with your child is a goal every parent desires and we’ll talk about how to create an alliance with him/her and work together in search of that goal. Understanding your child’s personality, energy, and potential will help you create plans that will enable you both to create positive experiences.

Come for a night of adventure, as Dr. Robbi Woolard shares strategies, stories, and solutions to the struggle for sanity as parents. Robbi is a psychologist with UCI-CDC and is also coordinator of social skills. She has worked for over 25 years as a social worker and psychologist in the public schools, private practice, adoption and foster care, and Head Start. Robbi sees life as one big adventure and along with raising two sons, has traveled the world over, done ultra distance running, swims and triathlons, kayaked, scuba, and oh, yes, she did jump out of a plane.

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March 24 and 25, 2005: OC Department of Education: Michelle Garcia Winner

Social Thinking HFA / Asperger's

Time : 8:30am - - 3:30pm both days.

Location: Orange County Department of Education, 200 Kalmus, Costa Mesa.

For more information, please contact: Contact: Andrea Walker Andrea_Walker@ocde.k12.ca.us (714) 966-4198
Registration fee : $50/$60

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Thoughtful House Conference – featuring Dr. Andrew Wakefield, Dr. Arthur Krigsman and many others

Austin In Action The Evolving Medical Model in Childhood Developmental Disorders: Implications for Clinical and Educational Care

Sunday, April 3, 2005 at the Austin Downtown Omni Hotel, 700 San Jacinto at 8th Street, Austin, TX 78701 (512) 397-4858 For more info http://www.thoughtfulhouse.org/events.htm

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PEDAL 4 A CURE LAUNCHES ON APRIL 17 th IN NEWPORT BEACH : While most families are thinking about where to go for their spring and summer vacations, Jeff Spaetzel and Adam Dabrowski are going to be "Pedaling for a Cure" by riding their bicycles from Los Angeles, CA to Chicago, IL. The ride will coincide with National Autism Awareness month. Amber, Spaetzel's eight-year old daughter who was diagnosed with autism in December 2000, is the inspiration behind the ride. The duo hope to raise $100,000 to help find a cure for autism and to date have raised over $25,000.

Spaetzel and Dabrowski invite the public to attend the send-off ceremony scheduled to begin at 10am at the Newport Beach Pier in Newport Beach California on Sunday, April 17th. Newport Beach mayor Steve Bromberg will conduct the official send off ceremony. From there the riders will make their way to Riverside, CA where Riverside Mayor Loveridge will welcome the riders into town at the 42nd Street Bagel shop between 1 pm-2 pm.

Spaetzel and Dabrowski are staying with families who have children with an autism spectrum disorder, police stations or fire departments along their route between Los Angeles and Chicago. If you would like to help, host families are still needed in the Palm Desert /Palm Springs/Coachella Valley/ Indio area as well as Clinton and Des Moines, IA. Click on the following link for more information:

http://www.pedal4acure.org/Sponsorarider.asp

The ride will wrap-up the Cure Autism Now Walk on May 22 at Soldier Field in Chicago and will pass through over 28 cities and nine states including: Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Illinois. The ride is very symbolic to those raising a loved one with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. The $100,000 vision represents the financial burden autism puts on families, the 2,400 mile ride represents the distances many families travel to get help, and only two riders as opposed to a group represent the isolation and lack of support for those with autism.

Spaetzel and Dabrowski invite everyone to check out their website and track the ride at http://www.pedal4acure.org The duo also invite everyone to sign their guestbook at http://www.pedal4acure.org/guestbook.htm with thoughts and well- wishes to help them through the tough days ahead.

For those who may be interested in helping this cause, virtual mile markers can be purchased and dedicated to a loved one for as little as $10. Email notifications will be sent out as the mile marker(s) are passed. Both riders are covering all the expenses out-of-pocket to ensure 100% of the proceeds go to Cure Autism Now.

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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
• 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.

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

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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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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, 2005Late 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).

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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 SURFCAMP dates 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 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

This past month has been a tough one for me. I was very ill and because of the four weeks being sick, I am very behind on TACA and many other activities. But thankfully my health is almost 100% better and I am slowly catching up!

April is rolling around again and it is time for AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH! We will be using this time to help educate the people around our families to raise awareness and needed funds for TACA. I have been asked by many of the TACA families “How can I help?” I will be providing a special E-news broadcast at the beginning of April on JUST HOW TO HELP. This help will not be soliciting funds from families affected by autism and TACA is not going to ask for “dues or fees” to be a part of this group at this time. What we do need your help is to ask your family, friends, neighbors, vendors, and colleagues to help TACA meet our mission and hopefully expand to our vision to help families in California affected by autism. I consider TACA ‘the here and now team’ that addresses the important needs of families today, while doctors, scientists and specialists look for clues to the treatment and inevitable cure for Autism. But until that happens – there is TACA and this is where we will need your help to make our support and educational activities possible. PLEASE STAY TUNED!

Please stay tuned on how you can help. We can use your assistance and what better time than in Autism Awareness month?

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

And Editor: Kim Palmer (thanks Kim!)