| by Scott Campbell |
| Feb 26, 2008 |
| 1. What Am I Going to Do After High School? Exploring Postsecondary Education Options: A seminar for students with disabilities and their parents. What is different about the college search process if you have a disability? This presentation will address issues such as accessing support services, documentation, and if and when to talk about your disability. Come learn about a variety of education options and how to determine what's best for you after high school including: 4-year and 2-year Colleges, Technical Schools, Apprenticeship Programs, and Military. GUEST SPEAKER: Ann Deschamps, Ed.D. from Career and Transition Services. It is at SOUTH LAKES HS LECTURE HALL, 11400 South Lakes Dr 2. The Arlington County Autism Committee will hold a parent briefing on Wednesday, February 27, 2008 from 6-7 p.m. at the Arlington Public Schools Education Center, 1426 N. Quincy Street, Arlington, VA 22207. The Autism Committee is a multidisciplinary team comprised of Arlington Public Schools staff and parents with an interest in the educational services for students with autism. The Autism Committee's mission is to review best practices and make recommendations related to the provision of educational services for students with autism. For more info, contact Lucia Claster at aclaster@aol.com or call 703-276-0748. 3. Proactive Parents meeting on WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2008 from 7 to 9pm at the Meeting Room, Kings Park Library, 9000 Burke Lake Road, Burke, VA 22015. Maureen Nameroff, MS--Child/Family Therapist, will help guide us through preparing our kids for adolescence, saving us (and them) from a nightmare come true, if we don't do this properly. She will give us tips on PREPARING OUR CHILDREN FOR PUBERTY and how to teach our kids appropriate ways to handle sexual feelings and urges that accompany adolescence, as well as ways for our kids to spot and handle inappropriate touching or sexual behavior on the part of others. Generally, our kids run a high risk of sexual abuse, and they are also adept at doing the wrong thing at the wrong time, so educating them properly IS A MUST. Don't miss this one, and bring a friend--all welcome! Meeting is held once a month at the Kings Park Library in Burke, VA from 7pm-9pm. For more info or to RSVP, contact Beth Troutman at 703-346-2414 or troutmanbeth@yahoo.com. 4. Feb27th Autism Coffee Break offering a lifetime of support, understanding, and opportunities for people with developmental disabilities and their families. Open to anyone who is interested. Please join us on February 27, 2008 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. as we discuss safety concerns and considerations of individuals with autism and other cognitive disabilities. Learn how the characteristics of autism can impact health and safety of people with autism. Topics will include wandering, communication issues, vulnerability, and emergency preparedness. Specific resources and strategies for parents and caregivers will be provided. Presentation by Scott Campbell, the parent of a child with autism and on the boards of four autism organizations. Scott has been educating first responders and parents for three years about the safety issues for people with Autism Spectrum Disorders. He has created autism awareness training programs for first responder personnel, based on his 16 years of experience as a National Ski Patrol instructor and 25 years as an active duty Army officer. Please RSVP to Lindsay Ison, (301) 925-7050 ext. 237 or lison@thearcofpgc.org. 5. POAC-NoVA has a few more spots open for PVBIA's Setting Up A Home Program and the ABLLS with Chitra Sharathchandra and Gretchen Ortega! This class is geared towards beginners to ABA/VB. It is for Parents, Teachers, IA's. It is on February 27th, Wednesday from 6pm to 9:00pm at the George Mason Library (NOT GMU), 7001 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, VA. It costs $25 via Pay Pal. Please email your Name, Address, Email, and Parent or Teacher for registration to pvbia@poac-nova.org. We will be following Fairfax County Recreation Dept as our Snow Emergency Plan! 6. Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia presents a discussion on Extended School Year Services Options on Thursday, February 28, 2008 from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at the Dunn Loring Center, Room 11, 2334 Gallows Rd. (http://www.fcps.edu/maps/dunnlo.htm), Dunn Loring, VA 22027. Does your child regress educationally or behaviorally during the summer or take a while to recoup what he or she had learned by the end of the previous school year? This is only one of the possible reasons your student may qualify for Extended School Year (ESY) services. It's not just summer school! Please come to this workshop and hear about your child's legal rights and some strategies to receive ESY services for your child from Scott Campbell from the Autism Society of America- Northern Virginia (ASA-NV) chapter and Parents Of Autistic Children-Northern Virginia (POAC-NoVA). Scott's son has received ESY services for eight to nine weeks in the past five summers, and he would like to share the information on how to get the same ESY services for your child too!!! Please enter through the Idylwood Road side of the building. Please RSVP to Heather Trammell at heathert@dsanv.org or (703) 621-7129. 7. Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia Presents Social Security and Medicaid Waivers: Understanding the Differences. This program will feature David Melton of the Social Security Administration and Maureen Hollowell from the Endependence Center to help us understand the differences between these two programs. Date: Saturday March 1, 2008 - Time: 10:00 am to 1:00 PM - Place: Infant & Toddler Connection of Fairfax-Falls Church - Conference Room -3750 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax, VA 22030. Please RSVP to Heather A. Trammell at heathert@dsanv.org or (703) 621-7129. 8. FREE AUTISM, ADHD,& ASTHMA SEMINAR on Saturday, March 1, 2008 from 10.00am to 12:00pm. "Autism, ADHD, & Asthma: What is Really Happening to Our Children and How you can make a Difference Without Prescription Medications" by Janelle M. Love, MD at the University of Maryland University College, 6865 Deerpath Rd Elkridge, MD 21075. The prevalence of autism, ADHD, Asthma, & Allergies is staggering in this day and age. Children are even having severe allergic reactions when they are next to another eating peanuts. Ever wonder why? Genetics play a role but is not the trigger. There is a much more in depth picture that every parent needs to understand to have his/her child have a productive life. This conference will give you the understanding of how genetics, biochemistry, immune system issues, and toxic loads are affecting our children and what steps you can take to help. To register, please call Linda Brozanic at 800-288-0383. 9. Next McTrans Meeting is on Saturday, March 1, 2008 from 10am at the Arc of Montgomery County (http://www.arcmontmd.org), 11600 Nebel Street, Rockville, MD 20852. Lyda Astrove, long time advocate for children and adults with disabilities in Montgomery County, will give an update of where things are with the "jobs" program through county government, what remains to be done, etc., and the autism task force that is just now getting started. PLEASE NOTE in case of snow or ice the meeting will be cancelled. See http://www.mctransitions for latest information. 10. Eddie's Club closing session on Sunday, March 2 from 2pm to 4pm at Washington Irving Middle School, 8100 Olde Keene Mill Road, Springfield, VA 22152. An opportunity for youngsters, boys and girls ages 4 - 21 that have any form of special need, to participate in a supervised, volunteered based, social and recreation program. Parents Workshop: Medicare Waivers - Tracy Rizzo. Challenged Moms room dedicated to moms that just want to talk among themselves. Go to http://www.eddiesclub.org for more information. 11. NEW! Arlington County Therapeutic Recreation & Family Fun Night Invites you to FAMILY ICE SKATE NIGHT on Friday, March 21, 2008 from 8:00 to 9:30pm at the Kettler Iceplex, 627 N. Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22203 (Located on the 8th Level of the Ballston Public Parking Garage). $1/person includes rental skates! We're pleased to announce an evening of exclusive use of the rink for individuals with disabilities & their families! Come and try ice skating or broom ball (no skates, but it is played on the ice). Please contact Michael Swisher for details (703) 228 4738 or mswish@arlingtonva.us. You can expect Smaller crowds, no music, lower lights, as well as alternative activities off the ice. 12. NEW! Barnes & Noble is celebrating Autism Awareness month in their stores. The store in Alexandria, VA. is hosting a special Storytime on Saturday, April 26, 2008 at 11:00 AM. We will be reading Since We're Friends: An Autism Picture Book by Celeste Shally and David Harrington. We are also planning some activities for the children who attend, however, the full details have not been ironed out. For more info, contact Jennifer L. Brownell at (703) 299-9473 or crm2867@bn.com. 13. Best Buddies is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing opportunities for one-to-one friendships and integrated employment. Founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver, Best Buddies is a vibrant, international organization that has grown from one original chapter to more than 1,300 middle school, high school, and college campuses across the country and internationally. Their six formal programs - Best Buddies Middle Schools, High Schools, Colleges, Citizens, e -Buddies and Jobs - will positively impact more than 350,000 individuals this year. Even though Best Buddies has advanced tremendously in their short existence, many areas of the country and many regions of the world still lack programs to help people with intellectual disabilities become part of mainstream society. For more information about Best Buddies, visit their website at www.bestbuddies.org or contact Ginny Kelly, Best Buddies of Virginia Program Manager, at 703.533.9420 or ginnykelly@bestbuddies.org. 14. National vitamin-mineral study for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. Openings in Autism Research Study of a new liquid Vitamin/Mineral Supplement. The Purpose of the study is to evaluate the possible effectiveness of a new vitamin/mineral supplement in reducing the symptoms of autism. This will be a National study for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. Study Design: * 12-week treatment study, * Double-blind, placebo-controlled (meaning half of the participants receive the real supplement) * Includes behavioral assessments only (no blood tests) Eligibility Criteria: * Open to children and adults ages 3-60 years. * Must have certified diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (autism, PDD-NOS, or Asperger's) * No use of a vitamin/mineral supplement in the last 2 months Researchers: James B. Adams, Ph.D., Professor of School of Materials at Arizona State University, and Sharon McDonough-Means, M.D., Developmental Pediatrician. For more information and application form, go to http://autism.asu.edu. 15. "How to Choose the Wrong Treatment for Your Child with Autism" dated 15 January 2008 by Lisa Jo Rudy from About.com at http://autism.about.com/od/medicalissuesandautis1/p/badresearch.htm. "How NOT to Choose a Treatment for Autism: With so many treatments available for autism, how do you make intelligent choices? Here are some tips for what NOT to do when choosing autism treatments. Try a Therapy Based on a Forum Post: "AutismMom" says she tried her own home remedy on her son - and within two days, he was potty trained! Do you believe her? While you never know (AutismMom may in fact have discovered a major new therapy), forum posts should never be a sole source for therapeutic advice. Rush Out to Buy the Product You Saw Featured on a TV Program: Now that Autism is big news, stories about amazing cures abound. On television, authors and celebrities talk about "recovering" their children with treatments ranging from high colonics to do-it-yourself chelation kits. The fact that a celebrity stands behind a treatment, however, is no guarantee that the treatment is safe or effective. Start a Regimen Based on a Lone Doctor's Recommendation: Dr. X has developed a treatment for autism, and according to him (and his website) he has cured 500 autistic children. Dr. X is the only one offering his amazing new treatment, and it costs only $10,000. While Dr. X could, in fact, be a misunderstood genius, chances are he's a huckster. Buy the Cut-Rate Version of an Expensive Therapeutic Tool: Treatment for autism can be terribly expensive, and it's tempting to buy the low-cost or do-it-yourself version of a medical treatment or device. And you certainly CAN purchase low-cost Hyperbaric Oxygen Chambers, chelation kits, and other typically high-priced treatments online. The problem is hyperbaric oxygen, chelation, and other biomedical treatments are NOT do it yourself operations. They're potentially risky medical treatments that are safe only under controlled circumstances (and when implemented by trained experts). Do Whatever Your Neighbor Does: Jane next door put her son on megadoses of vitamin supplements, and suddenly her son is talking! So you do the same, hoping for the same results. But what you may not know is that Jane's son actually has a vitamin deficit, while your child doesn't. While Jane's son is finally having his nutritional needs met, yours may be receiving an overdose! Believe Despite the Evidence: Once you choose a treatment for autism, chances are you'll sink a lot of time, money and energy into that treatment. As a result, you're looking for evidence that the treatment is working - and you may find it, even when it isn't there. The outcome? You may wind up sinking yet more time, money and energy into a treatment that's the wrong fit for your child. Jump on Every Trend: Today, due in part to celebrity appearances on TV, the trend is to treat every child with a gluten-free, cassein-free diet and vitamin supplements. Tomorrow, it may be hyperbaric oxygen, neurofeedback or stem cell therapy. Sure, you can try it all. But chances are you'll wind up breaking the bank and overwhelming your child. At the same time, you'll also find it impossible to know what really worked. Believe in the Impossible: Quack cures for autism abound. Clay baths, "green" foods, and a whole range of other nonsensical products are out there - and there's a sucker born every day. If the claims seem to good to be true - they almost certainly are! The Bottom Line: Choosing Treatments: As you read the literature, be sure the treatment is based on real science; that more than one research study supports the treatment; and that you understand why and how the treatment works. Out there in the real world, check on your practitioner's credentials. Call references. Be sure you're talking to someone who really deserves your respect. Once your child is receiving a treatment, pay close attention to the outcomes. Is he having any negative reactions? Are there real improvements? Hucksters prey on hope. That's why parents of children with autism are so often their target. But as savvy readers and careful researchers, you'll be able to avoid the nonsense - and provide your child with choices that make sense for him and for you." 16. "Reputations for sale?" dated 27 January 2008 by Fiona Godlee in an editorial in the British Medical Journal at http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/334/7586/0. "This week, BBC's Panorama programme again revisits the controversy surrounding the SSRI Seroxat. Its 2002 investigation into reports of adverse events from Seroxat prompted 67 000 people to contact the BBC, forcing a rethink of the safety data. Now GlaxoSmithKline faces legal action and, if found culpable, the possibility of huge payouts to thousands of patients. As Joe Collier explains in his preview of this week's Panorama, to be aired on Monday 29 January (doi: 10.1136/bmj.39104.771597.59 ), the focus this time is on the interplay between industry and the forces that should counter what he calls "the adverse effects of drug companies." Panorama's account of GlaxoSmithKline's successful attempts to market Seroxat for use in children, despite the fact that its own published trial found evidence of serious adverse effects and failed to show benefit, is fascinating but depressingly familiar. The Vioxx story, told last week (BMJ 20 January, p 120), appears to have all the same hallmarks, including the paying of opinion leaders and ghost writers to talk up a drug when the evidence can't speak for itself. What is even more depressing is that such behaviour is still so widely tolerated within medicine. There has been no shortage of outcry or official condemnation-including clear statements from the World Association of Medical Editors, the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors, and industry itself through its Good Publication Practice guidelines-that undeclared conflicts of interest and ghost writing are unacceptable. But, you might reasonably ask, what use are such huffings and puffings in the face of the individual rewards on offer from drug companies? Let's be clear what is and is not acceptable. There is nothing wrong with getting help from medical writers, provided they and their source of funding are clearly acknowledged. In fact the BMJ agrees with Keith Dawes (doi: 10.1136/bmj.39104.595463.94 ), that medical writers are generally a good thing (see Resources for authors on bmj.com http://resources.bmj.com/bmj/authors). Nor is there anything wrong with academics or clinicians working with industry, provided they remain personally accountable for everything they say. What is clearly wrong is writers, academics, or clinicians concealing under their coat tails an army of company spin doctors intent on distorting the scientific record. Legislation is not going to happen soon-the powerful industry lobby will make sure of that. Regulation is still inadequate (David Healy, BMJ 2006;333:92-5), although the US Food and Drug Administration is at last tightening up on postmarketing surveillance (doi: 10.1136/bmj.39104.352616.DB ). So what can we do to change the blind-eye culture of medicine? In the interests of patients and professional integrity I suggest intolerance and exposure. As Joe Collier says, we shouldn't have to rely on investigative journalists to ask the difficult questions. So at meetings, why not slow hand clap any speaker who does not begin their talk with a sentence or slide declaring their conflicts of interest? And if journals discover authors who are guests on their own papers, they should report them to 17. "FDA proposes higher fees for drug approvals to cover postmarketing surveillance" dated 27 January 2008 by Janice Hopkins Tanne from the British Medical Journal at http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/334/7586/177-b. "The US Food and Drug Administration has agreed with pharmaceutical manufacturers on an almost 30% increase in the "user fees" that drug makers pay to the FDA to expedite approval of new drugs. The FDA has also consulted patient advocates, consumer groups, health professionals, and academic researchers about the new rules. User fees are annual fees paid by pharmaceutical manufacturers. The FDA wants them to increase by $87.4m to $392.8m (£199.0m; 303.7m). The FDA now gets more than half of its funding from user fees. The agency will hold a public meeting in Washington, DC, on 16 February to hear comments and will then ask Congress to approve the new rules. The FDA says the largest portion of the new fees-$29.3m-will help it increase postmarketing surveillance of newly approved drugs beyond the current three years. The agency has been criticised for not detecting the cardiovascular risks of COX 2 (cyclo-oxygenase-2) inhibitors, such as Vioxx, and the suicide risks of antidepressants. In future, the FDA proposes to look at data other than spontaneous adverse event reports, including population based epidemiological data and other types of observational data to detect drug problems. The FDA also proposes a plan to improve naming, labelling, and packaging of drugs to avoid confusing names and packages. The fees will also improve guidance for FDA reviewers; improve information technology by moving the agency and the industry towards an all electronic environment; and cover costs of the agency's move to a new facility in the area. In addition, the agency recommends setting up a separate new user fee programme of $6.2m in the first year to cover the costs of reviewing direct to consumer television advertising of prescription drugs. The review is voluntary. e fees were established by the Prescription Drug Use Fee Act in 1992 to help the FDA speed up new drug approvals. The act authorising the fees must be re-approved by Congress every five years and then must be signed by the president. The fees are paid by pharmaceutical firms when they file new drug applications. They are calculated based on their number of manufacturing factories in the United States and the number of drugs they sell in the US. Last year, the Institute of Medicine said in Preventing Medication Errors: Quality Chasm Series that the FDA doesn't have the ability to monitor drugs once they are approved; doesn't have the legal authority to act when adverse effects are discovered; and is underfunded. The FDA's latest recommendations were published in the Federal Register (2007;7:1743-53). It acknowledged that some consumer groups said they wanted all human drug reviews to be done with government rather than industry funding, but "they generally considered fee-funding to be inevitable." Sidney Wolfe, director of the Public Citizen's Health Research Group, told the Chicago Tribune, "The FDA's critical drug regulatory functions are too important to be tainted and compromised by direct funding from the very companies whose drugs the agency reviews for safety" (www.chicagotribune.com, "FDA wins deal on drug fees," 12 Jan 2007). Bill Vaughan, senior policy analyst for Consumers Union, a non-profit making group, said, "At a time when countless drugs have safety problems, it isn't enough to just rely on money paid by the pharmaceutical industry to fund needed drug safety reforms ... Consumers Union supports legislation introduced in the last Congress [but not passed] that would reform drug safety laws and give the FDA more power to perform postmarketing safety studies once problems arise." The organisation also supports public reporting of clinical trial results "so patients and doctors know about side effects and drug risks." Such reporting is not now required." 18. "Ghost writers need to be more visible" dated 27 January 2008 by Keith Dawes from the British Medical Journal at http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/334/7586/208. "What is a medical writer? A medical writer is a professional writer who is hired to write scientific or medical documents, including manuscripts for publication in peer reviewed journals. Most medical writers are employed by drug companies, contract research organisations, or medical communication agencies, but there are also freelance medical writers and consultants. Currently medical writers contribute extensively to medical journals, mostly as unheralded "ghost writers." Medical writers also have an important role in medical education, drug development, and drug marketing. Though mostly unseen, unappreciated, and misunderstood, they nevertheless add quite a bit of grease to the wheels of science publishing. It has been claimed that at least 50% of all publications on treatments in the BMJ, Lancet, and New England Journal of Medicine have been written by an unacknowledged ghost writer (BMJ 2004;329:937; 2004;329:1345). Not surprisingly, given the negativity associated with publications sponsored by the drug industry, the hidden role of the medical writer has attracted much criticism. The preconception that medical writers are all unscrupulous-employed by Machiavellian drug companies to distort and promote scientific data in an unethical manner-is untrue. Most medical writers would welcome more recognition; and in an effort to increase transparency a number of publication guidelines recommend that papers acknowledge medical writers where used. These include the guidelines for good publication practice for pharmaceutical companies that have been endorsed by several pharmaceutical multinationals (Current Medical Research and Opinion 2003;19:149-54; see also the World Association of Medical Editors' guidance on ghost writing at www.wame.org/wamestmt.htm#ghost 19. "Inside big pharma's box of tricks" dated 27 January 2008 by Joe Collier from the British Medical Journal at http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/334/7586/209. "The list of examples of big pharma's trickery seems endless (even though many of those employed in it are of the highest calibre and of unquestionable integrity). Indeed, it is as though, in the marketing arm of some drug companies, mischief is institutionalised. But much of this is recognised, and the adverse effects of drug companies could be countered by alert regulators, scientists, prescribers, and the medical press. All too often, however, these checks fail. There is even evidence that, in some cases, these counter-forces collude with industry and so compound its indiscretions. It is this area, the interplay between industry and some of the would-be counter-forces, that Panorama's "The Secrets of Seroxat" seeks to tackle. Panorama has been investigating drug companies' behaviour for years, and this inquiry is its third involving selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and in particular Seroxat (paroxetine), since 2002. It deals primarily with GlaxoSmithKline's history as it relates to the development of paroxetine for the treatment of children with depression. Drawn into the frame are opinion formers and medical journals, and the picture painted is one of a conspiracy orchestrated by the company in which doctors have been misled, regulators duped, journals exposed, and children harmed. The story is said to be based on information gained from "secret" company files made available through court cases and freedom of information regulations. It starts with the company discovering the results of trials it has commissioned to investigate the value of paroxetine in the treatment of adolescent depression: the product was found to be no more effective than placebo and able to cause serious psychological side effects such as self harm, suicidal thoughts, and suicidal attempts. At the time the company had wanted to license the drug for use in depressed children but privately realised that with such information an application would be unsuccessful. The inquiry then tells of how the company is claimed to have "written up" the trial for publication, bought and manipulated (apparently willingly) opinion formers, worked to promote the product for use in children (although it was not, and never has been, licensed for such use), and distorted information about the safety and efficacy of the drug in letters to prescribers, in advice to their sales force, and in messages to the media. The programme covers many areas, and claims that there was a failure by the company to reveal material about Seroxat to the regulatory authorities and a failure by the regulatory authorities to recognise and respond to the various problems with due speed. But these are areas in which Panorama has investigated before. It is the pursuit of media manipulation that now gets particular attention. The inquiry claims that the manufacturer, through its agencies, "ghost wrote" the major trial that was subsequently published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and how that in the "writing" data were distorted to maximise the known benefits and minimise known harms. It also reports that key named authors of the paper do not appear to have critically read the report; how the journal editors had failed to spot the distortions (although at least one other medical journal had been concerned enough to reject the article earlier); how key opinion formers "promoting" the product were so close to the company financially and intellectually that they could not possibly offer independent advice; and how drug company spokespeople simply lied to the media when pressed about the product's side effects. If these claims are well founded, patients deserve better. Panorama has made its contribution by telling this story. It has reminded us again of a social contract involving drug producers, drug prescribers, drug regulators, and information suppliers. In a properly functioning society, openness and honesty should be assumed and certain standards of behaviour expected. Indeed, in an ideal world, drug companies should be trusted. It has to be recognised that not all activities can be controlled through legislation; rather they rely on good practice and honesty and a will not to cheat patients. It does seem to be the case that regulatory authorities now appear to be more prepared to tackle these issues and prescribers now have greater insights into drug company behaviour and have every reason to be vigilant. For their part, professional bodies must start to look seriously at how their members behave and bring to book those who mislead (or collude in misleading) others about drug properties. The new players to enter the equation are the medical journals. These provide a crucial conduit between drug companies and society at large as they publish original papers, opinion pieces, and, of course, advertisements for drugs. Many are suspicious of the media, but as is often the case it is the media (and typically Panorama) that will have been important in prompting much needed change. It seems silly that we should need the media to shame us into altering our ways; surely we should be proactive and get there first." 20. "Lack of Brain Protein May Explain 'Rain Man' Abilities" dated 12 February 2008 from Forbes at http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2008/02/12/hscout612573.html. "The lack of a particular brain protein may explain the phenomenon of "Rain Man" -- autistic savants who learn some tasks better but also forget faster, say researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mice genetically engineered to lack a key protein used for building synapses -- the junctions through which brain cells communicate -- actually learned a spatial memory task faster and better than normal mice, according to findings in the Feb. 13 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. But when tested weeks later, the altered mice couldn't remember what they had learned as well as normal mice, and they had trouble remembering contexts that should have provoked fear. "These opposite effects on different types of learning are reminiscent of the mixed features of autistic patients, who may be disabled in some cognitive areas but show enhanced abilities in others," study co-author Albert Y. Hung, a staff neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, said in a prepared statement. "The superior learning ability of these mutant mice in a specific realm is reminiscent of human autistic savants." The absence of this important synaptic scaffold protein, called Shank1, may "trap" the mice's synapses into a state in which the synapses are ready to respond to input but not maintain it in long-term memory, he said. In humans, mutations in the closely related protein Shank3 have been linked to the autism spectrum of disorders (ASD) characterized by impaired social interaction, absent or delayed language development and repetitive behaviors. Occasionally, an autistic person has an outstanding skill, such as an incredible rote memory or musical ability. Such individuals, like the character Dustin Hoffman played in the film "Rain Man," may be referred to as autistic savants." 21. "New regs on special ed won't serve students" dated 14 February 2008 in a letter to the editor by James Rapp in The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star at http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2008/022008/02142008/354885. "I write on behalf of young adults with disabilities who make up the Youth Leadership Team at the disAbility Resource Center. We write concerning the new Virginia proposed regulations about special education. The proposed regulations say that our special-education services can stop when the school says so without our parents or us agreeing to this. We do not think this is right. The federal law, the Individual with Disabilities Education Act, says that special-education services should be decided by a team of school staff and parents. If parents (and students age 18 and older) aren't allowed to participate as part of the team in their Individual Education Program (IEP) meetings, where decisions about special-education services are made, then the law is not being followed. The proposed regulations take away a parent's and student's voice about the student's future. Virginia House Bill 808 says that parents (and students age 18 and older) should have a say about deciding if special-education services should be stopped for their child. The school alone should not do this. Our future is ours, and we should have a say so in it. We hope our legislators agree." 22. "Bullies' hidden danger- End the spiral of cruelty through intervention of bystanders" dated 14 February 2008 by Ira Chaleff from the Baltimore Sun at http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/oped/bal-op.bullying14feb14,0,3580644.story. "you think bullying is just "kids being kids," think again. It may seem like harmless schoolyard antics (although almost any bullied child would disagree), but the road that we take when we tolerate childhood bullying is a dangerous path. How often does bullying occur? The first report issued in March 2007 by the Maryland State Department of Education, in response to Maryland's Safe Schools Reporting Act of 2005, found 2,165 reported cases in the first seven months of data collection. Many more cases certainly go unreported. The Safe Schools Reporting Act is a clear sign that officials in Maryland - like those in many other states, including neighboring Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia - are beginning to treat this problem with appropriate seriousness. The General Assembly is considering additional legislation to create penalties for schoolyard and online bullying. Unfortunately, such bills address only procedures for investigating reported acts of bullying and punishing bullies. They are silent about what experts on bullying find most important for prevention: the actions or inactions of bystanders. It may seem a stretch to link schoolyard bullying to atrocities such as ethnic cleansing and genocide. Yet, in her book Extraordinary Evil, Barbara Coloroso offers a convincing analysis that the structure of bullying and genocide are frighteningly similar. What alarms Ms. Coloroso most is that her research of anti-bullying programs throughout the world showed they "had as their foundation conflict-resolution solutions" when "the problem is that bullying is not about anger or conflict; it is about contempt." In bullying, she notes, there is always an imbalance of power and the use of that power to terrorize the target. In The Art of Followership, a book released last month that I co-edited with two professors from Claremont University, Lorna Blumen, an education consultant, shines a clear spotlight on the most effective antidote to bullying: "Research has shown that when bystanders intervene, the bullying stops in half the time. For that to happen, there must be an underlying support structure that makes intervention the norm, not the courageous, risky exception." Bystanders, especially children, often do not know what to do when witnessing an act of bullying. Ms. Blumen gives clear examples of the language that student bystanders can use to stop bullying in its tracks. Surprisingly simple statements can be highly effective: "Stop that. We don't treat people that way here," or, to the bully's target, "He's having a bad day. Come play with us. When he's feeling better, he can join us." For the above examples to work, however, in most cases, two or more bystanders must be willing to speak up. This is why it is necessary for schools to create a culture that understands, in Ms. Blumen's words, that "failing to intervene to stop the bullying of others makes us silent colluders." This line of thinking about effective strategies is well supported by the famous experiments conducted a half-century ago by Stanley Milgram at Yale. In experiments conducted repeatedly in many cultures, Mr. Milgram and those who replicated his experiments found that about two-thirds of people will inflict harm on others in compliance with an authority figure issuing the order. However, if one other person refuses to do so, the percentage drops considerably, and when two others stand up to the authority figure, according to Thomas Blass, a contributor to The Art of Followership, "only 10 percent of the subjects ended up being completely obedient." In the schoolyard, the bully becomes the illegitimate authority figure. Two or more vocal bystanders who are not the bully's immediate target can neutralize the bully's toxic sway. The dynamics are similar online, where bullying incidents among schoolchildren increasingly occur. Onlookers such as Facebook friends can stop bullying by speaking out against it. Obviously, we cannot police every conversation in a schoolyard or online. Therefore, developing an ethic where peers do not tolerate bullying behavior toward others is the real solution. School systems need the time and funding to teach children how to counter bullying, and administrators need to be willing to remove bullies until the school population, adults included, is trained to deal with bullies. They will not just be making the schoolyard and cyberspace safer for the significant number of kids that are traumatized by bullying, and who sometimes murderously snap - most infamously, but certainly not only, at Columbine High School - or commit suicide out of desperation. They will be equipping a citizenry to recognize the toxic leadership that is bullying and refuse to be silent, collusive followers. This is especially critical for those who go into professions that are trusted with the violent power of the state. Failure to train such a citizenry sooner or later results, to our national shame, in an Abu Ghraib or the sexual abuse of a Haitian immigrant by New York City police officers. On a global level, it is the road to a Rwanda or a Darfur. While making our schools safer and more productive, we can develop the models that educate future generations to make silent bystanding unthinkable in the face of humiliation, hate crimes and worse." 23. "Texas school system fosters low graduation rates" dated 15 February 2008 from the Austin Business Journal at http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2008/02/11/daily31.html?b=1202706000%5e1592499. "A study by Rice University 24. "Education is special" dated 15 February 2008 by CAROLINA MURILLO from The Brunswick News at http://www.thebrunswicknews.com/open_access/news/291002641796746.php. "Speech-language pathologist Lauren Collier asks her first grade pupils to explain the pictures on the board. Sitting in front of her, eight children at C.B. Greer Elementary quickly volunteer answers at the same time. "A picture!" "Ice cream!" "A car!" At the same time, a few steps away from Collier, Shonda Betts, first grade teacher, works with another group of 12 children. "We are using a model called co-teaching or collaborative teaching," Betts later explains. "It teams up general and special education teachers in the same classroom." Collier said she is excited about engaging in co-teaching to deliver special education services to students with disabilities. "They are receiving education in the least restrictive environment," she noted. The collaborative approach allows all students to remain in the general education classroom and has been praised by the Georgia Department of Education. Both teachers simultaneously work together to reinforce learning and provide assistance to students as needed. It is a set up that allows the classroom teacher to focus on content and the curriculum so the special educator can focus on the learning process, as well as help students acquire, remember and demonstrate knowledge and skills. "We can switch groups halfway through the class and each group receives the entire curriculum," added Collier. "Their social skills also improve because they are not labeled different than their peers." In Betts' and Collier's class, six of the 25 children have special needs. Since the inception of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, which mandates placement in the least restrictive environment, the approach has become the predominant model in special education placement. Glynn County schools have used this model of inclusive education for the past six years for the 1,500 special education learners enrolled in all grade levels. The school system's efforts have not gone unnoticed by the Georgia Department of Education, which recognized it in January as a leader in the state for the number of students receiving instruction in a general education environment. The state target for educating children with disabilities in general classrooms is 57 percent of students. The Glynn County public school system has achieved 70 percent. Another accomplishment was made in the education of pre-school children with special needs. Glynn County obtained 68 percent, exceeding the state target of 56 percent. "It is the third year in a row we have received this recognition," said Jane Christian, director of special education for the school system. "It just motivates us to continue improving the education of our children with this method." For Christian, the approach gives teachers the opportunity to work at a personal level with students and focus on their weak areas. During the classes, students are provided with special accommodations or learning techniques based on their disability. Some can be aided with graphic organizers and others with word processors, while a different group might receive their lessons in "chunks" or pieces for a better understanding. The different classroom techniques allow the students to overcome learning barriers, which is particularly important because students with disabilities are included in the standardized testing of the No Child Left Behind federal act, Christian said. "The annual yearly progress, or AYP, of special needs children is assessed as an accepted subgroup," she added. "That is why this method is important. Both teachers (in a classroom) are responsible to meet the needs of all their students." But for teachers it can be a challenge, said Carol Geiken, special education coordinator. "Teachers are constantly undergoing professional development on the co-teaching method," she said. "It allows them to learn different teaching techniques and gain knowledge on how to measure the students progress." Training sessions are geared toward preparing teachers to work with all students, regardless of disability or handicap." 25. "Dyslexic students ask for help- State should test for dyslexia and related disorders, parents say" dated 15 February 2008 by JEANNINE KORANDA from The Wichita Eagle at http://www.kansas.com/news/legislature/story/312206.html. "As a dyslexic student, 18-year-old Jessica Harrouff used to spend hours struggling to do her homework. Harrouff wasn't diagnosed as dyslexic until middle school, missing critical early years that could have helped her develop ways to cope with the reading disorder. "I couldn't understand why I couldn't remember what I just read," the Augusta High School senior told the House Education Committee on Thursday while urging lawmakers to pass a bill that would require schools to test students for dyslexia and related learning disorders. House Bill 2778 also would require schools to provide treatment for any child identified with the disorder, along with training for teachers. The committee would have to approve the measure before the full House could consider it. Dyslexics tend to be good at hands-on visual skills, but struggle with being able to take in language information and store it and retrieve it quickly, Wichita psychologist Brian Stone told the committee. "I don't see backwards, it's the just the way the information goes in my head," Harrouff explained. The measure stems from the efforts of parents -- many from the Wichita area -- who say they have struggled to get the necessary help for their children. Among them is Terry Sader, chair of the Kansas Coalition for Dyslexia Legislation. He and several other coalition members spent almost two hours telling lawmakers about their experiences with dyslexia. Sader's group advocates for the state to require teacher training, screening and intervention for students with dyslexia. But state and local officials say the disorder already is defined as a learning disability under federal disabilities and civil-rights laws. "It is part of federal law, it is part of state (law)," said Alexa Posny, Kansas commissioner of education. Dyslexia may be covered under federal regulations, but several parents and their children told the lawmakers how they struggled first to identify the children as dyslexic then get the tutoring the children needed to succeed. "Schools will tell you that dyslexia is a medical issue, there is nothing specific to do for dyslexia," Jeanine Phillips, executive director of Wichita's Fundamental Learning Center, told the committee. The center provides tutoring for people with learning disorders. Phillips also is dyslexic. Only about 3 percent of students have dyslexia severe enough to qualify for school programs, Phillips said. "Most of the kids with dyslexia fall right into the no-service crack," she said. The International Dyslexia Association estimates 15 percent to 20 percent of people have some difficulty reading. Harrouff told the committee that after learning she was dyslexic, her family discovered there was no one in Augusta who could help her. So her mother, Stephanie Harrouff, became certified to teach dyslexic students and tutored her daughter. She now works with other students. "It's really embarrassing for these kids; it is shameful because they don't understand how they are so intelligent but they can't read," her mother said before the hearing. Schools do realize there are serious needs that should be met for dyslexic children, Posny said. But dyslexia isn't the only disorder that groups want children screened for. They also want disabilities such as autism and hearing difficulties addressed. "If we possibly go to one, we could possibly have to go to all of them, and I believe we are already determining the needs regardless of the label," she said. In the primary grades in Wichita, schools administer a diagnostic screening that tells the teacher if a student is having problems in areas such as phonics, said Diane Gjerstad, who handles government relations for the Wichita school district. A law isn't necessary, but more training for teachers is, she said. The state needs to fund more professional development for teachers who can identify struggling readers appropriately and know what to do, she said. Rep. Jason Watkins, R-Wichita, who sponsored the measure, said the number of people there to testify in support -- about 50 -- showed the need for the measure. "Look out at this room and at the number of people that are here, that made a trip to Topeka," he said. "I think that has to say, and has to say loudly, that we have a problem." 26. "Autism group demands apology from CBS for offensive remark" dated 18 February 2008 from USA Today at http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2008-02-18-autism-big-brother_N.htm. "A national autism advocacy group is demanding an apology from CBS over a disparaging remark a contestant on the reality show Big Brother made about people with the disorder. John Gilmore, executive director of Autism United, said Monday that his group has been trying to speak with CBS executives since last week's broadcast. On that episode, a contestant named Adam, who claims to work for an autism foundation, said he would spend his winnings on a hair salon for people with developmental disabilities "so retards can get it together and get their hair done." His partner, Sheila, told him: "Don't call them that." Adam responded: "Disabled kids. I can call them whatever I want. I work with them all day, OK?" The show's website describes him as a 29-year-old public relations manager from Delray Beach, Fla. In a statement released Monday, CBS condemned Adam's comments, saying they don't represent opinions held by the network or the program's producers. "We certainly find the statements made by Adam to be offensive but believe they were countered by the immediate reaction of shock and condemnation from a fellow houseguest, Sheila," the statement said. "Adam's remarks would not have been permitted to air unchallenged." Big Brother also has been condemned for contestants' remarks on incest, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation. Some contestants have been removed following incidents that were deemed violent or racist. The premise of the show is that contestants - or "houseguests" - are isolated from the outside world while under constant surveillance. Once a week, they vote to evict a member of the group. When just two people remain, a jury of voted-off contestants picks the Big Brother winner of the $500,000 grand prize. Autism is a complex disorder featuring poor social interaction and communication skills." 27. "Getting 'off meds' has consequences" dated 19 February 2008 by Lindsey Tanner from The Associated Press at http://www.boston.com/news/education/higher/articles/2008/02/19/getting_off_meds_has_consequences/. "Psychiatrists say it's a common scenario -- troubled patients stop taking their medicine, because of cost, side effects, the stigma, or delusions that they don't need it. The consequences can be tragic, though rarely as horrific as the Valentine's Day suicide-slaughter at Northern Illinois University. No one knows what triggered Steven Kazmierczak's campus rampage, yet one of the clues to an emerging psychiatric profile is this: His girlfriend says he recently stopped taking Prozac. Prozac is a drug generally prescribed for major depression. It and similar antidepressants carry warning labels about risks for suicidal behavior in patients younger than Kazmierczak, who was 27. Still, stopping these drugs can also lead to suicidal thoughts and behavior. And taking them may increase the risk for other violence if they're mistakenly prescribed as the only treatment for patients in a depressive phase of bipolar disorder, psychiatrists say. In that case, the drugs may trigger a manic phase that could include aggressive behavior toward others. In court cases, attorneys have sometimes tried to blame violent behavior on Prozac. However, scientific evidence to support that is lacking, and psychiatrists and the drug's maker, Eli Lilly and Co., say the underlying mental illness is the most likely culprit. "There is much information that is still unknown about his life and medical history and therefore it may never be known as to why (Kazmierczak) ultimately chose to take the lives of others as well as himself," Lilly spokesman Charlie McAtee said in a statement. Kazmierczak, a graduate student in social work at the University of Illinois, was a worrier with obsessive-compulsive tendencies, his girlfriend told CNN, but it is not known if he'd been diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder. She said he'd stopped taking Prozac three weeks before last week's tragedy. Two days before the Feb. 14 shootings, a New York man who'd been treated for psychiatric problems and who had also stopped taking medication is accused of fatally stabbing a therapist. "Can stopping medications be an important contributory factor to deterioration of behavior ... where violence ends up being committed? Yes, absolutely," said Dr. Paul Ragan, an associate professor of psychiatry at Vanderbilt University. Ragan said he has had patients attempt suicide after stopping antidepressants because their insurance ran out, although violence against others is rare in depression. "Suspending a patient's use of antidepressants is very rarely linked to violence toward others," McAtee said. On or off medication, the vast majority of people with schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder "do not engage in violent behavior," said Dr. David Fassler, a University of Vermont psychiatry professor. Still, compliance with medication is a significant problem, he said. "Research demonstrates that about 25 percent of patients stop taking antidepressant medication within three months. By six months, some studies suggest that the overall compliance rate is less than 50 percent," Fassler said. ..." 27. "Parent voices concerns for special-education students" dated 20 February 2008 by Lynn Atkins from The Benton County Daily Record at http://nwanews.com/bcdr/News/58982/. "Why are special-education students - the students who must overcome the most barriers to learning - moved more often than other students? That's a question one parent, Debbie Hobbs, wanted answered by the Rogers Board of Education at Tuesday night's board meeting. Hobbs, the parent of a special-education student and a member of a committee that advises the district on special-education issues, was given three minutes during the public-comment portion of the meeting. Hobbs reminded the board that she spoke at an earlier meeting when the board was considering the district's strategic plan. In response to that earlier meeting, when Hobbs pointed out that special education was not mentioned in the plan, an amendment was adopted. "Our children with special needs are still treated as an amendment, an afterthought," she said. Besides the frequent moves, special-education students don't receive text books, she said. Her son, now at Rogers High School, has never brought home a text book. The district doesn't have an inventory of special equipment and resources needed by those students, she told the board. Special Services Director Sherry Stewart was called on by the board when Hobbs completed her presentation. Stewart said that classrooms are being rearranged to ensure that students don't have to move during their elementary-school years. By next year, those changes should be in place, she said. Also, she told the board that special-education students use the same text books as general education students. Teachers must teach to the same standards in all classrooms. At times, she said, special-education teachers use supplemental materials that go along with the text books. It's up to each individual teacher to assign homework in those text books. The advisory committee that Hobbs served on is focusing on communications, Stewart said, and has produced a newsletter and planned trainings for parents. The committee has also planned an "agency fair"so parents can learn about services available for their children. Hobbs wasn't given the opportunity to respond to Stewart's statements. ..." 28. "Don't let disabilities limit dreams for your children" " dated 20 February 2008 by Heidi Litchfield from the Morris Daily Herald at http://www.morrisdailyherald.com/articles/2008/02/20/opinion/columnists/heidi_litchfield/995litchfield.txt. "Those who know me and have read my previous columns can probably figure out I love my family and, especially, my four children. My children range in age from seven to 19 and are pretty typical children. The girls spend an hour in front of the mirror getting ready and the boys spend an hour in the dirt playing. I've always wanted my children to succeed and do better then my husband and I have, as I think most parents do. I recently covered a motivational speaker in Minooka, Eddie Slowikowski, for the newspaper and he spoke of how his parents enabled him to become who he is today, and I thought he was a wonderful speaker. The weeks since I've seen him his words have bounced around in my head, and I've wondered if I have enabled or disabled my children - how I can enable them from this point forward to become anything they choose to be. I realized that while my oldest was growing up I allowed society, and a few of her educators, to tell me what she wouldn't or couldn't do as she grew up with her cerebral palsy and mental disability. I sat in an IEP meeting when she was in first grade and heard them tell me she would never learn above a 12-year-old level, and I walked away mad, in denial and I cried. I took her to Loyola, where I had her tested for a 12-hour period on video cameras for evaluation, where her doctors told me she would catch up and be age appropriate one day, but they couldn't tell me when. The educators huffed and they puffed and said that it just wasn't possible. I suppose, in retrospect, I half-way believed them and started to accept the fact. We watched as she learned to tie her shoes and zip her coat in third grade, when she had an amazing teacher who refused to allow her to say she couldn't do something. We watched as she struggled through junior high school with more social problems than educational; she was an old soul who adults loved and children didn't understand. She excelled in high school and, during her senior year IEP, after she had sat on high honor roll for all but one semester of her four years, the educators again sat me down again with more bad news. They told me there had been a mistake somewhere and unfortunately they had forgotten to give her another IQ test after the initial, first-grade one, and that it should have been done every three years. They said they just had no idea what had happened. I thought okay, well, we already know she is mentally disabled, you've had her in special education her entire life, what could the possible harm be in not taking the IQ test again. "Well Mrs. Litchfield," they told me with a sad look on their face. "She is not mentally retarded according to her IQ test, her first test scored in the normal range, so we took a longer, more in-depth test and, sure enough, she is not mentally handicapped - in fact, we don't know how long she has been in the normal range." This was great news. I was happy, I felt relief, and then I cried. Because of the status of the initial test and what I was told, I realize I had not allowed myself the dreams for her I had with my other daughter - I assumed she wouldn't be able to do the things she wanted to do, and I realize I let her know she couldn't do some things, that in fact she can and should do. I realize now the main disability my child had was me. I have now decided that I will correct this mistake with her and keep it from happening with my other children, and I can't thank Eddie enough for bringing it to my attention. Every day I pull my children aside and tell them they are smart, that they can be whatever they want to become, and I will help them in any way I can. Think of what our children could become if we weren't holding them back." 29. "Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills" dated 21 February 2008 by Alix Spiegel from National Public Radio at http://m.wfae.npr.org/news.jsp?key=378130&rc=hs. "On October 3, 1955, the Mickey Mouse Club debuted on television. As we all now know, the show quickly became a cultural icon, one of those phenomena that helped define an era. What is less remembered but equally, if not more, important, is that another transformative cultural event happened that day: The Mattel toy company began advertising a gun called the "Thunder Burp." I know &mdash who's ever heard of the Thunder Burp? Well, no one. The reason the advertisement is significant is because it marked the first time that any toy company had attempted to peddle merchandise on television outside of the Christmas season. Until 1955, ad budgets at toy companies were minuscule, so the only time they could afford to hawk their wares on TV was during Christmas. But then came Mattel and the Thunder Burp, which, according to Howard Chudacoff, a cultural historian at Brown University, was a kind of historical watershed. Almost overnight, children's play became focused, as never before, on things &mdash the toys themselves. "It's interesting to me that when we talk about play today, the first thing that comes to mind are toys," says Chudacoff. "Whereas when I would think of play in the 19th century, I would think of activity rather than an object." Chudacoff's recently published history of child's play argues that for most of human history what children did when they played was roam in packs large or small, more or less unsupervised, and engage in freewheeling imaginative play. They were pirates and princesses, aristocrats and action heroes. Basically, says Chudacoff, they spent most of their time doing what looked like nothing much at all. "They improvised play, whether it was in the outdoors... or whether it was on a street corner or somebody's back yard," Chudacoff says. "They improvised their own play; they regulated their play; they made up their own rules." But during the second half of the 20th century, Chudacoff argues, play changed radically. Instead of spending their time in autonomous shifting make-believe, children were supplied with ever more specific toys for play and predetermined scripts. Essentially, instead of playing pirate with a tree branch they played Star Wars with a toy light saber. Chudacoff calls this the commercialization and co-optation of child's play &mdash a trend which begins to shrink the size of children's imaginative space. ..." 30. "Virtual Teachers Outperform Real Ones" dated 21 February 2008 from FOX News at http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,331729,00.html and MSN News at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23276977. "Never let schooling get in the way of your education, Mark Twain supposedly said, and the latest advances in psychology and behavior science take that to a new dimension - virtual reality and the digital domain. Virtual characters 31. "Canine caregivers- Highly trained dogs offer new life to autistic children" dated 21 February 2008 by GRACIE BONDS STAPLES from the Cox News Service at http://www.florida-weekly.com/news/2008/0221/Health/025.html. "Matthew Plunk pulls away from Ajax but can't go more than 2 1/2 feet, the length of the tethering strap securing him to the Great Pyrenees-boxer mix. This, his parents say, is just one of the benefits of having an assistive dog to help their mildly autistic son navigate not just their Norcross, Ga., home but the world outside. Before they got Ajax, Jennifer Plunk said, Matthew was prone to darting away, especially if he became frightened or upset. And when he was in the middle of a meltdown, behavior common in children suffering from Asperger's syndrome such as Matthew, he was inconsolable. Not with Ajax. The dog is trained to recognize the situation, and he moves in to nuzzle 7-year-old Matthew to avert the behavior. Matthew was diagnosed with Asperger's at age 3. He was socially aloof and moved constantly, Plunk said. When the family ventured away from their home, people stared at him, and Plunk imagined they saw just another over-indulged brat - and a mother badly in need of parenting classes. Now people see Ajax tethered to her son and are less judgmental and more empathetic, she said. When she saw a news special about assistive dogs, she knew then that "this could be something huge for Matthew." Within months of receiving Ajax last year, Plunk said, Matthew started to change. "He's more calm and comfortable in his skin," she said. "He's interested in what's going on around him, more in tuned with people." Kelly Martin hopes her son Carter can be so lucky. She believes an assistive dog could help him live a more regular life, too. That freedom, however, comes with a $13,000 price tag, the price charged by 4 Paws for Ability. The Ohio-based nonprofit, where the Plunks got Ajax, trains service dogs for children and adults with various disabilities. "It would be his own personal guide into this crazy world we live in," Martin said. "This dog will give Carter and my family back a lot of freedoms that we've had to forego because it is too hard for Carter to do normal things." Getting a diagnosis. Kelly Martin first noticed her son was different during the summer of 2006. Carter was 2, but unlike other kids his age, his vocabulary was limited to "mom," "dad," "bubba," "mine" and "no." "That was the extent of it," Martin said. "No sentences." That summer, the high school teacher and equestrian coach began investigating why her son wasn't talking, why he preferred playing alone and why he was having constant meltdowns. A series of tests confirmed his mother's suspicions: Carter has, among other things, severe attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism. Though Carter doesn't entirely fit the mold of a typical autistic child - he bonds with adults and shows emotion - his communication and social skills are almost nonexistent. Therapeutic animals. While looking for ways to help Carter, Martin enrolled her son in a therapeutic horseback riding program at Sonrise Camp in Gainesville, Ga. In the hours and days immediately following his therapy sessions, Martin said, she noticed Carter had fewer meltdowns. She wondered about the possibility of having that kind of therapy available continuously. Martin was investigating the impact of dog therapy on children when she came across testimonials, including one from Plunk, on the Internet. "They were moms just like me with kids just like mine," she remembered. "I said, 'Oh my gosh, that can be Carter. I can take him to church without people staring at me, to the grocery story without him having meltdowns.' " Martin filled out an application, and in December, 4 Paws called to say she'd been approved. "That was the best day ever," she said. ..." 32. "Personal and political" dated 21 February 2008 from The Independent (Ireleand) at http://www.independent.ie/opinion/editorial/personal-and-political-1294842.html. "THE Minister for Education is increasingly embroiled in a war of words over the treatment for autism known as Applied Behavioural Analysis, or ABA. One side of the debate, if it can be described as such, comprises the heart-rending stories of parents who have begged and borrowed to provide their children with what they regard as a super treatment. The other side of the argument is the minister's view, endorsed by the Taoiseach last night, that funding is not an issue, but that no single treatment for autism is superior. The parents' stand is emotional, the minister's position is perhaps too dispassionate. Ms Hanafin and her advisers must be aware of the frustration and anger that engulf this issue, yet she is allowed to sink deeper and deeper into the role of bete noir. The Minister for Health must be watching from the wings, relieved that for once she is not the one being cast as villain. Whether she knows it or not, Mary Hanafin has come across as overly dogmatic and dismissive of parents' views. Her suggestion that the Opposition timed a debate on autism so that she could be vilified for being away on a junket smacked of paranoia, even if they really were out to get her. Her rejection of an invitation to visit a special school and observe ABA in action seemed abrupt and even rude. Perhaps she thought it was another trap. There is a fundamental contradiction at the root of this conflict. Parents believe ABA is by far the best treatment and this view is backed by many experts, including a prominent member of a task force that advised the Department of Education on autism. The department and the minister reject the exclusive use of ABA and favour a combination of methods. Ms Hanafin says that this view is endorsed by a consensus in the international autism community. Can both sides be correct? The parents who report phenomenal improvements in their children's condition as a direct result of intensive ABA treatment, or the minister who insists she is simply applying best international practice? Earlier this week, in these pages, the minister made her case in a reasoned and logical manner. Sadly, for her, many parents of autistic children see this only in terms of love, not logic." 33. "Special education teacher charged with child abuse" dated 22 February 2008 from FOX 11 News from http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=5853798&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1. "Investigators say a special education teacher at an elementary school in Venice is accused of beating several of her students. Detectives say Diana O'Neill turned herself in to Venice Police on Thursday. Witnesses told investigators she hit one student in the head with a catalog, backhanded another student, and twisted the arm of third boy behind his back. They claimed to have seen O'Neill lash out at students and punish them inappropriately throughout the school year. According to police, the students involved were between the ages of 7 and 11, and they attend Venice Elementary School's special education program. Investigators say some of them are confined to wheelchairs, and others have various mental disabilities. Investigators say two of O'Neill's aides confirmed the reports when they were questioned by authorities. The Department of Children and Families was called in to investigate after the school's principle received reports of the alleged abuse. O'Neill is charged with four counts of aggravated child abuse, and she was previously placed on administrative leave from her position at the school while the investigation was ongoing." 34. "Doctors' warning as measles cases hit record high" dated 22 February 2008 by David Batty from The Guardian (UK) at http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/feb/22/health. "Doctors today urged parents to ensure their children were properly protected against measles after cases of the disease hit a record high. There were 971 cases of measles in England and Wales in 2007 in contrast to 740 the previous year - a rise of over 30% and the highest jump since records began in 1995, said the Health Protection Agency (HPA). The agency, which monitors infections diseases, blamed the increase in the continuing patchy uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Dr Mary Ramsay, consultant epidemiologist at the agency, said: "This increase in measles cases is of concern. "Although MMR coverage is starting to improve, we know that large numbers of children are still not fully protected. Therefore we expect to see more large outbreaks of measles in the future. "The only way to reduce the impact of such outbreaks is to ensure the uptake of the MMR vaccine increases, and that older children who have missed out come forward for vaccination. "Our main focus is to remind people that they need two doses of the MMR vaccine to be fully protected. Anyone who has not had two doses could be at risk of this serious infection." Because of reluctance by some parents to allow their children to have triple jab there is now a pool of several hundred thousand unvaccinated children - all of them highly vulnerable to measles. Last year the HPA issued a warning to parents to make sure their child received the jab before returning to school. It was prompted by an unusually high number of cases over the summer. A report by the agency, published today, noted there were "numerous" small outbreaks of the disease in nurseries and schools. Nearly four-fifths (79%) of the measles cases last year were in children under the age of 15. There were 90 cases in children under one, 312 in one- to four-year-olds, 237 cases in five- to nine-year-olds, and 128 in those aged 10 to 14. The disease causes fever followed by a rash. Children do not usually die from measles - they are damaged by or die from complications, which include blindness, inflammation of the brain and pneumonia. Cases of both mumps and rubella were lower than in 2006. HPA figures showed the number of cases of the former fell from 4,381 in 2006 to 1,442 last year, while cases of the latter fell from 32 to 27. There was a mumps epidemic in 2005 but the rate of infections is still high among children born between 1980 and 1992, with two-thirds of diagnoses made in this group. Only 157 cases were reported in children under 15. Doctors believe the falling rates of mumps and rubella and the rising number of measles cases is due to children receiving single jabs for the diseases rather than the triple MMR jab. Parents are also failing to ensure their children receive two doses of the combined vaccine. Measles is far more contagious than mumps or rubella and outbreaks have occurred in areas where uptake of the MMR vaccine is lowest, according to the HPA. The triple vaccine has been the subject of controversy since the Lancet journal published research by Andrew Wakefield and others suggesting a possible link between the jab and autism and bowel disease. But the Lancet later said numerous researchers had failed to prove a link between MMR and autism. In 1996-97, 92% of children were vaccinated. By 2003-04 that had dropped to its lowest point - 80%. In some areas, particularly parts of London where parents were particularly sceptical, such as Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham, the vaccination rates dropped as low as 65%. There were well-publicised measles cases in a nursery school in Streatham in 2002. The take-up has increased, to 85% last year, but it is still lower than the 95% necessary to prevent any measles cases." 35. "All children give us experiences" dated 22 February 2008 by Vickie Erben from The Fayetteville Observer at http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=286420. ""Mama! Mama! Look at me!" shouts 7-year-old Caitlin to her mom as she propels herself higher and higher on her swing. "I am flyin' just like a bird!" I happen to be Mama, and, as any other Mom would, I caution, "Be careful; you're going to fall!" Sounds like a pretty normal scene, doesn't it? It is normal for me, a 48-year-old trying to keep up with this energetic child of mine. However, it wasn't supposed to be this way. During my 18th week of pregnancy, Caitlin was diagnosed with Down syndrome. I was immediately told by many professionals of all of the things that Caitlin would never do and strongly encouraged to consider abortion. Of course, for my husband and me, abortion was not an option. I have to say that while I am quite upset over the moral position of UNC professor Albert Harris, who stated outright in his biology class that a woman who discovers that her child has Down syndrome should abort the child ("Professor's comments anger atudents," the Fayetteville Observer, Feb. 18), I am not surprised. Current statistics show that nine out of every 10 women who discover that their child will have Down syndrome choose abortion. I wonder if Professor Harris was aware of this statistic when he made his comment? Some might argue that Professor Harris was exercising his right to free speech when he aired his opinion during his class. And I guess that I would say that he has a right to state his beliefs. And I also have a right to say that he is wrong. One family. It is quite interesting that he bases his opinion on one family whom he knew whose lives were ruined when they had a child with Down syndrome. Someone's life is ruined because he or she chooses to let it be ruined. Yes, I was upset when I found out about Caitlin's diagnosis. Yes, I did cry and scream and shout, "Why me?" But, I chose to have faith in my God for giving me Caitlin and see what the answer to my question was. In a nutshell, I have met people whom I might never have met. I have experienced things that I might never have experienced. I have learned things that I might never have learned. Even seven years after having Caitlin, I still find that my question is being answered. Probably the most significant thing that has happened to me since I have had Caitlin is the emergence of a passion and energy that I didn't know I had. I work for those labeled with a disability to be valued for the abilities that they possess. I work for those labeled with a disability to be seen and valued as people. I work to provide those labeled with a disability inclusive opportunities. This passion and energy have influenced my job as well. I have the privilege of working as an assistant professor in the education department at Methodist University in Fayetteville. As a result of having Caitlin, I have drastically altered the strategies that I use to teach my students who will be future teachers and the strategies that I want them to use to teach their students. I am passionate that all students (yes, even those labeled with a disability) should have an equal opportunity to learn. I expect my students to develop a repertoire of strategies to teach one concept. Plan A is not good enough. I want to know what plans B, C, D, E, F and G are. As I stated earlier, I am upset, even embarrassed, that an educator would hold such a limited viewpoint and expect his students to agree. Students should be encouraged to discuss, research, analyze, experience and draw their own conclusions. Students should be encouraged to explore, question and to continually learn. Even though I am a teacher, I am also a student. I choose to continue to learn each day from Caitlin. I choose. I choose." 36. "Einstein, Newton, Mozart achieved genius through autism- Famous and brilliant individuals in the fields of science, politics and the arts, such has Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Thomas Jefferson and Mozart, accomplished success through autism <\l > , according to a leading psychiatrist" dated 22 February 2008 from newKerala.com at http://www.newkerala.com/one.php?action=fullnews&id=25641. "Speaking at a meeting of the Royal College of Psychiatrists <\l > ' Academic Psychiatry conference, Prof. Michael Fitzgerald, Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College, Dublin, said that the relationship between creativity and psychiatric disorder is not a myth, arguing that the characteristics linked to autism spectrum disorders <\l > (ASDs) were the same as those associated with creative genius. He argued that the link between ASD's, creativity and genius were caused by common genetic causes. "Psychiatric disorders can also have positive dimensions. I'm arguing the genes for autism/Asperger's, and creativity are essentially the same. We don't know which genes they are yet or how many there are, but we are talking about multiple genes of small effect. Every case is unique because people have varying numbers of the genes involved," the Telegraph quoted Prof. Fitzgerald, as saying. "These produce people who are highly focused, don't fit into the school system, and who often have poor social relationships and eye contact. They can be quite paranoid and oppositional, and usually highly moral and ethical. "They can persist with a topic for 20-30 years without being distracted by what other people think. And they can produce in one lifetime the work of three or four other people," he added. He explained that traits such as a need to be dominant and up to the mark and autistic repetitiveness were key to the success of politicians such as Charles de Gaulle, who famously said "I am France", US president Thomas Jefferson and Enoch Powell. Prof Fitzgerald also used case histories from biographies of Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein to show how these famous scientists displayed all the characteristics of Asperger's syndrome. He also illustrated the link between the musician Kurt Cobain's childhood Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder <\l > , (ADHD) and his later creativity. Prof Fitzgerald reached his conclusion after comparing the characteristics of around 1,600 people he has diagnosed with ASDs and the known biographical details of famous people. He said Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein demonstrated how many with Asperger's traits could work for long periods on topics without taking note of others' views. Prof Fitzgerald's book "Genius Genes: How Asperger Talents Changed the World" was published at the end of last year, "It is important to avoid stereotypes of people with autism as geniuses or otherwise, as everyone has individual character traits, strengths and needs," Amanda Batten, of the National Autistic Society, said. "These might include attention to detail and the ability to pursue something for long periods of time, however apparent ability in some areas may lead people to underestimate the challenges individuals face in other parts of their lives," she added." 37. "Teacher defends actions" dated 22 February 2008 by Tiffany Lankes " A Venice Elementary School teacher accused of abusing severely disabled students made her first appearance in court this afternoon, saying she was using accepted teaching techniques, not torturing her students. Venice police arrested Diana Z. O'Neill Thursday night when she turned herself in following a monthlong investigation during which two of her aides reported that they saw her hit, slap and push her special education students. In court, O'Neill's attorney, Catherine Sloan, said that her clients' aides are not properly trained in handling and teaching special needs students, and mistook some of O'Neill's actions as child abuse. For example, police cited an incident in which O'Neill shoved a cloth into a child's mouth and then pulled it out so hard that she also removed the child's tooth. But Sloan said this is a common technique used to teach disabled students biting reflexes, and O'Neill accidentally knocked out a baby tooth. "These charges were observed by aides who are not sufficiently trained to work with handicapped children," Sloan said. "This woman is completely professional." Sloan also questioned why the two aides waited weeks, keeping a log of what they saw as abusive behavior, before reporting the issues to anyone. State law requires anyone who suspects child abuse to report it to the state's abuse hot line. The judge reduced O'Neill's bail from $200,000 to $40,000." 38. "Flour mill workers have fewer sons" dated 22 February 2008 from Reuters at http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2008/02/22/eline/links/20080222elin001.html. "A new study suggests that men who work in flour mills tend to father fewer sons than average -- adding to evidence that certain toxic exposures may affect men's reproductive function or the survival of male fetuses. Using data from the Washington State health department, researchers found that the children of men who worked in flour mills were disproportionately female. Of 59 children born to these workers between 1980 and 2002, 37 -- or roughly 63 percent -- were girls. In contrast, just over 51 percent of children born in Washington during that period were boys, according to the findings published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine. While the reason for the discrepancy is not certain, on-the-job exposure to chemicals may be involved, according to Dr. Samuel Milham and Eric M. Ossiander, the health department researchers who conducted the study. Flour mill workers are exposed to a range of pesticides used to keep insects out of stored grains and flour. One pesticide, known as DBCP, has been banned because of its effects on men's fertility and on male births, Milham and Ossiander point out. The current findings suggest that some pesticides used in flour mills may have similar effects, the researchers speculate. Mother Nature has always given a slight advantage to males in the male-to-female birth ratio, as death rates among young males are higher. Traditionally, it's been expected that for every 100 girls born, there will be about 105 boys. Hever, recent research suggests that this gap is narrowing. One study found that, across the U.S. and Japan, male births have been declining since 1970. In the U.S., the proportion of males births dipped from 105.5 per 100 female births in 1970, to 104.6 in 2001. Those researchers speculated that environmental toxins -- whether pesticides, heavy metals, solvents or other pollutants -- may partially explain this trend. Men's exposure to these chemicals may, for example, specifically damage sperm carrying the Y chromosome, and this could lead to fewer male fetuses. Male fetuses themselves may also be more vulnerable to such toxins. The current study found that, besides the low prevalence of male births, boys born to flour mill workers also weighed significantly less than average. Their average birthweight was 7 pounds, compared with nearly 8 pounds among girls born to flour mill workers, and about 7 pounds, 12 ounces among boys born statewide. According to Milham and Ossiander, this finding is "unprecedented," and could reflect another toxic effect of the fathers' chemical exposures. SOURCE: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, February 2008." 39. "Disability bill advances in the Virginia Senate" dated 23 February 2008 by CHELYEN DAVIS from The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star at http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2008/022008/02232008/358581. "Disabled children would be able to take service dogs to school under a bill passed by a Senate committee yesterday. The bill requires schools to comply with provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The measure, sponsored by Del. Mark Cole, R-Spotsylvania, defines schools as public entities, which means they have to abide by the ADA, including allowing service dogs. The bill was inspired by Matt Hooios, a 10-year-old Stafford County child disabled by x-linked hydrocephalus. Matt has a service dog, a golden retriever and Labrador mix named Calder. But he is not allowed to take Calder to school with him at Margaret Brent Elementary School. Schools in Virginia do not consider themselves to be public entities, which by definition must comply with all ADA requirements. The ADA already requires public entities to allow service dogs. Without being a public entity, schools can bar service dogs from schools--in practice, schools allow some dogs on a case-by-case basis. When Cole's bill first came up in the House earlier this session, Stafford school spokeswoman Valerie Cottongim said principals of schools decide whether to allow service dogs, although Matt's parents, Tom and Sharon Hooios, say their experience suggests that decision is made at a higher administrative level. Stafford school officials have told the Hooioses that Calder isn't necessary to Matt's education and therefore not allowed. The Hooioses disagree. They say the dog makes Matt more independent, and that in itself helps him learn. Frustrated with the school system's refusal to acknowledge Calder as an educational aid to Matt, and with the very fact that they had to ask permission for something they consider their son's right under the law, the Hooioses decided to take their problem to Cole. Cole said he spoke to lawyers about the "public entities" distinction, and was told "that's really legal fiction, and if the school were challenged in court they would lose a costly lawsuit." Cole's bill already passed the House of Delegates unanimously. It drew no "nay" votes in the Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Committee yesterday, although an attorney for the Virginia School Boards Association spoke in opposition to it. Kathleen Mehfoud said schools should not be considered the same as other buildings to which the public has access, and that Cole's bill could force schools to make facilities, like their cafeterias and restrooms, open to all. She also warned senators that Cole's bill could cost schools a great deal of money, because if a child in class with a child who had a service dog was allergic to dogs, the school would be required to create separate classes for both of them. ..." 40. "Vaccine debate goes prime time- TV show dives into middle of debate over whether vaccines cause autism" dated 24 February 2008 by JANET MARSHALL from The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star at http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2008/022008/02242008/353705. "ABC dove into the middle of an emotional health debate last month when its new show, "Eli Stone," featured a jury supporting a woman's claim that a vaccine caused her son's autism. That goes against what multiple scientific studies have shown: that there's no link between vaccines and autism. But it validated the feelings of scores of parents who say their kids were fine before getting inoculated, and changed afterward. Before the show aired, the president of the American Academy of Pediatrics urged ABC to cancel the episode, calling it irresponsible. And some Harvard-affiliated doctors criticized it in the Boston Globe--stressing that the show is fiction, but the life-saving power of vaccines is real. The conflict acknowledges the powerful role TV plays in influencing people's beliefs about health. But do people really trust what they see? Should they? The television industry has been praised for hiring doctors as consultants, and for raising awareness of many diseases. But the tube is there to entertain, not provide a health education. "I would like to think I wouldn't base how I would vaccinate my child on a television drama," said Nancy Masannat, coordinator of a Fredericksburg area support group for families with autistic children. "And I would like to think the American Academy of Pediatrics would give us a little more credit." HIGH STAKES. "Eli Stone" isn't the first show to tell a medical tale many doctors would dispute. Think of soap opera actors who emerge from comas, their faculties miraculously intact. Or think of "House" patients who nearly die from mysterious ailments, only to be cured by episode's end. TV writers aren't bound by reality. So why the uproar over "Eli Stone?" The stakes are high. Physicians worry about what can happen when parents choose not to vaccinate their kids. Because of the lives they save, vaccines topped the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's list of the most important medical advances of the 20th century. In a letter to the ABC president a few days before "Eli Stone" was to run, Dr. Renee R. Jenkins, president of the pediatrics group, warned: "In the United Kingdom, erroneous reports linking the measles vaccine to autism prompted a decline in vaccination and the worst outbreak of measles in two decades, including the deaths of several children," Jenkins wrote. Jenkins went on: "ABC will bear responsibility for the needless suffering and potential deaths of children from parents' decisions not to immunize based on the content of the episode." But if physicians fear the harm that can come to kids who aren't vaccinated, some parents fear the harm that can come to kids who are. ..." 41. "Crist's healthcare plan would cover more kids- The Legislature may be close to making a significant reduction in the number of uninsured by concentrating on children and young adults" dated 24 February 2008 by JOHN DORSCHNER from the Miami Herald at http://www.miamiherald.com/tropical_life/story/431106.html. "For the first time, the governor and the Legislature may be on the verge of taking a significant step to reduce the number of uninsured in Florida. The changes are most likely to come among children and young adults -- groups in which a few dollars in preventive care could mean lifelong savings. Gov. Charlie Crist and the insurance industry appear to have agreed that adult children should be allowed to stay on parents' policies until the age of 25 or 30, even if they're no longer in school. What's more, the governor proposes the expansion of Florida Kidcare to include all uninsured children in the state. Some consumer advocates, however, question how much that plan will reduce the number of uninsured. About 3.9 million nonelderly Floridians -- about one out of every four in the state -- are without insurance. That includes 548,000 children -- 12.6 percent of those under 19, according to a University of Florida study. Among adults, the most likely to be uninsured are the young ones -- 35.1 percent of 19-24 year olds and 28 percent of 25-34 year olds, according to the Florida Health Insurance Study. Many experts say an inexpensive, efficient healthcare system can be created by spending dollars on the young, because early preventive care tends to be cheap and can avoid or lessen serious diseases later in life. DEPENDENTS. Most health plans now support employees' children until they reach 19 or, if they stay in college, until they reach 22 or 23. When these young adults enter the work force, many must start with part-time jobs that offer no benefits because employers are trying to keep down healthcare costs. For these young adults, Crist is proposing that insurers be required to carry them on their parents' plans until they reach 30. This proposal applies only to regulated insurance plans. It doesn't affect large corporations that are self-insured and use an insurance company only as a third-party administrator. An insurance trade group is willing to accept Crist's concept -- at least up to age 25, ''if they're willing to pay slightly more,'' says Sam Miller of the Florida Insurance Council. ''This is a group that doesn't buy insurance,'' but because they're young and generally healthy, ''it's very affordable'' to insure them. The powerful Florida Hospital Association backs this concept, as well as the expansion of Kidcare because it knows those without insurance tend to postpone primary care until they're so sick they go to the emergency room, where by law hospitals can't refuse them. ''We have become de facto primary care,'' says Rich Rasmussen of the FHA. Florida's Kidcare has generally been for lower- and lower-middle income children who have no insurance and are not poor enough to qualify for Medicaid. Parents pay for coverage on a sliding scale, depending on income. Most families pay $15 or $20 a month, according to a state website. The Jeb Bush administration cut back on Kidcare and restricted enrollment periods to narrow periods each year. That led to enrollment dropping 124,000 between 2004 and 2005. Last year, during Crist's first legislative session as governor, a push to reform Kidcare died in political wrangling. This year, Crist is back with a new plan: Proposing to eliminate all income caps for enrollment. If parents were willing to pay the full cost of the insurance, 126,000 more kids could be covered by the plan. Lisa Margulis of the consumer healthcare advocacy group Florida CHAIN says that plan might expand coverage some, but the premiums will be $128 to $159 per month, discouraging many parents from signing up. ..." 42. "Vancouver couple show autism, romance can coexist" dated 24 February 2008 by ERIN MIDDLEWOOD from The Columbian at http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004197834_autisticcouple24.html. "Emilia Murry Ramey and Jody John Ramey met through a mutual friend. They soon discovered they had more in common than their friend. Both were students at Portland State University. And both have autism. The Vancouver couple are among the estimated 1.5 million Americans living with the effects of some degree of autism. Specifically, Emilia and Jody both have Asperger syndrome, marked by social awkwardness and a lack of understanding of conventional social rules. As if dating weren't hard enough. "I hadn't had any dating experience before meeting her," said Jody, 35. "I used to say I had more jobs than dates," joked Emilia, 33. Not only did Jody and Emilia figure out dating, they laid out tips for others in a book, "Autistics' Guide to Dating: A Book by Autistics, for Autistics and Those Who Love Them or Who Are in Love with Them." The book is available for $19.95 on the London-based Jessica Kingsley Publishers Web site jkp.com 43. "UNI profs probe link between mercury and autism" dated 24 February 2008 by JENS MANUEL KROGSTAD from the Cedar Falls Courier at http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2008/02/24/news/top_story/doc47c03669cc06a508014273.txt. "A research article published by a pair of University of Northern Iowa professors concludes the link between mercury and autism can't be ruled out and needs further study. The results don't prove mercury exposure causes autism, a developmental disability that can affect language and social skills. Autism's prevalence has burgeoned in the last two decades, and is estimated to affect one in 150 children in the country. The article drew both quick rebukes and enthusiastic praise from those debating the link between mercury in vaccines and autism. But Catherine DeSoto and Robert Hitlan, both psychology professors, said their work doesn't directly address the controversial issue because mercury exposure can occur in more than one way. "This study doesn't prove that vaccines cause autism," DeSoto said. "It does suggest that ruling out mercury as playing any role in autism might have been a bit premature." The results, published in the Journal of Child Neurology in November, created a stir because it is based on the only case-controlled study to examine the relationship of mercury blood levels and autism. The findings caught the attention of Gov. Chet Culver, who met with DeSoto late last year while visiting UNI on unrelated business. Culver was collecting information on the environmental effects of coal power plants, not the vaccine-to-autism link, DeSoto said. Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., submitted the article as evidence to judges presiding over a federal vaccine court charged with deciding if families injured by vaccines should be compensated. Typical public criticism, DeSoto said, read like an anonymous blog comment written shortly after the paper was published: "DeSoto and Hitlan are a bad joke, in my opinion." But an online aggregator of academic articles, Faculty of 1000 Biology (at www.f1000biology.com), took notice and flagged the article as a "must read." "I found this article oddly exciting and disturbing because it involved the re-analysis of a classic paper used to debunk the mercury hypothesis of autism spectrum disorder and the original conclusion is now in doubt," read the review on the site. "It certainly will re-ignite a controversy where, alas, there is more heat than light." The UNI professors did not conduct the field research. They re-examined data from a 2004 article published in the same journal, co-authored by Virginia Wong, a child neurologist and professor at University of Hong Kong, The original article studied the mercury levels in the blood and hair of 82 children with autism and 55 children without the disorder, and found no relationship between high mercury levels and autism. The results were cited by at least 21 articles, and was referenced in a 2006 report to the Texas legislature on the economic impact of implementing pollution controls on the state's power plants. However, the original study contained several errors, ranging from mistakes in reporting statistical findings to incorrectly listing the age range of the children studied. When the UNI professors and the original authors re-crunched the numbers using the primary data, they both concluded the original results severely understated the relationship between mercury and autism. DeSoto and Hitlan used their own analysis, which found a statistically significant relationship. However, reanalysis by Wong, one of the original authors, came up with results just above the accepted threshold when results are considered statistically significant - an outcome duplicated by DeSoto and Hitlan. However, their interpretation of Wong's outcome differed: DeSoto and Hitlan wrote the results were statistically significant enough that the link should be further studied. The original authors, writing a correction in the journal, maintained the conclusion they came to with the original, flawed, study: High mercury blood levels don't cause autism. But in an interview, Wong said she doesn't dismiss the link between mercury and autism. "I totally agree (with DeSoto and Hitlan). We need to repeat this study," she said. ..." 44. "Vaccinating Boys for Girls' Sake?" dated 24 February 2008 by Jan Hoffman from The New York Times at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/24/fashion/24virus.html?_r=1&oref=slogin. "HOW cool are those Gardasil 45. "Improved education of autistic students focus of bill" dated 24 February 2008 by KJRH2 News at http://www.kjrh.com/news/state/story.aspx?content_id=9695eadf-b1fc-4e9b-a1c6-f55d8958daab. "Improved education for autistic children is the goal of a bill being considered in the Oklahoma Legislature. The bill filed by Sen. Mary Easley, D-Tulsa, is intended to allow more children with this developmental disorder to be included in regular classrooms and to give more support and training to teachers to make this happen. Autistic children often have problems with social interaction and difficulty in communication. About 2,000 of the state's 95,000 students receiving special education services have autism, said Misty Kimbrough, assistant state superintendent of special education services. The idea behind Easley's bill is to address those issues by putting an emphasis on training for teachers of prekindergarten through third-grade students so they learn to recognize symptoms and provide positive support for students with autism. Melinda Lauffenburger, whose 15-year-old daughter, Joy, has autism, said there are five things children with autism have difficulty with - communication, social interaction, behavior, organization and sensory stimulation. Rene Daman, director of the Oklahoma Autism Network, said there is a gap in training for regular education teachers -- as well as other school personnel ranging from principals to cafeteria workers. "In the world of autism, there's not a one-size-fits-all treatment approach, and so people will seek different treatments based on the individual needs of their child, based on the individual preferences of the family, and different districts have professionals that have training in different areas," Daman said. The State Department of Education has provided training about autism since the early 1990s, Kimbrough said. Most of the teachers who attend the training are special education teachers." 46. "Autism's Origins: Mother's Antibody Production May Affect Fetal Brain" dated 25 February 2008 in a press release from Center for Autism and Related Disorders at the Kennedy Krieger Institute.at http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080225213444.htm. "The mothers of some autistic children may have made antibodies against their fetuses' brain tissue during pregnancy that crossed the placenta and caused changes that led to autism, suggests research led by Johns Hopkins Children's Center investigators and published in the February issue of the Journal of Neuroimmunology. The causes of autism, a disorder manifesting itself with a range of brain problems and marked by impaired social interactions, communication disorders and repetitive behaviors, remain unknown for an estimated 90 percent of children diagnosed with it. Genetic, metabolic and environmental factors have been implicated in various studies of autism, a disorder affecting 1 in 150 U.S. children, according to estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Now our research suggests that the mother's immune system may be yet another factor or a trigger in those already predisposed," says lead investigator Harvey Singer, M.D., director of pediatric neurology at Hopkins Children's. Researchers caution that the findings needn't be cause for alarm, but should be viewed instead as a step forward in untangling the complex nature of autism. Mostly anecdotal past evidence of immune system involvement has emerged from unusual antibody levels in some autistic children and from postmortem brain tissue studies showing immune abnormalities in areas of the brain. Antibodies are proteins the body makes in response to viruses and bacteria or sometimes mistakenly against its own tissues. Yet, the majority of children with autism have no clinical evidence of autoimmune diseases, which prompted researchers to wonder whether the antibodies transferred from mother to child during pregnancy could interfere with the fetal brain directly. To test their hypothesis, the research team used a technique called immunoblotting (or Western blot technology), in which antibodies derived from blood samples are exposed to adult and fetal brain tissue to check whether the antibodies recognize and react against specific brain proteins. Comparing the antibody-brain interaction in samples obtained from 100 mothers of autistic children and 100 mothers of children without autism, researchers found either stronger reactivity or more areas of reactivity between antibodies and brain proteins in about 40 percent of the samples obtained from the mothers of autistic children. Further, the presence of maternal antibodies was associated with so-called developmental regression in children, increasingly immature behaviors that are a hallmark of autism. While the findings suggest an association between autism and the presence of fetal brain antibodies, the investigators say further studies are needed to confirm that particular antibodies do indeed cross the placenta and cause damage to the fetal brain. "The mere fact that a pregnant woman has antibodies against the fetal brain doesn't mean she will have an autistic child," Singer says. "Autism is a complex condition and one that is likely caused by the interplay of immune, genetic and environmental factors." Researchers are also studying the effect of maternal antibodies in pregnant mice. Preliminary results show that the offspring of mice injected with brain antibodies exhibit developmental and social behaviors consistent with autism." 47. "Government Concedes Vaccine-Autism Case in Federal Court - Now What? "After years of insisting there is no evidence to link vaccines with the onset of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), the US government has quietly conceded a vaccine-autism case in the Court of Federal Claims. The unprecedented concession was filed on November 9, and sealed to protect the plaintiff's identify. It was obtained through individuals unrelated to the case. The claim, one of 4,900 autism cases currently pending in Federal "Vaccine Court," was conceded by US Assistant Attorney General Peter Keisler and other Justice Department officials, on behalf of the Department of Health and Human Services, the "defendant" in all Vaccine Court cases. The child's claim against the government- that mercury-containing vaccines were the cause of her autism- was supposed to be one of three "test cases" for the thimerosal-autism theory currently under consideration by a three-member panel of Special Masters, the presiding justices in Federal Claims Court. Keisler wrote that medical personnel at the HHS Division of Vaccine Injury Compensation (DVIC) had reviewed the case and "concluded that compensation is appropriate." The doctors conceded that the child was healthy and developing normally until her 18-month well-baby visit, when she received vaccinations against nine different diseases all at once (two contained thimerosal). Days later, the girl began spiraling downward into a cascade of illnesses and setbacks that, within months, presented as symptoms of autism, including: No response to verbal direction; loss of language skills; no eye contact; loss of "relatedness;" insomnia; incessant screaming; arching; and "watching the florescent lights repeatedly during examination." Seven months after vaccination, the patient was diagnosed by Dr. Andrew Zimmerman, a leading neurologist at the Kennedy Krieger Children's Hospital Neurology Clinic, with "regressive encephalopathy (brain disease) with features consistent with autistic spectrum disorder, following normal development." The girl also met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) official criteria for autism. In its written concession, the government said the child had a pre-existing mitochondrial disorder that was "aggravated" by her shots, and which ultimately resulted in an ASD diagnosis. "The vaccinations received on July 19, 2000, significantly aggravated an underlying mitochondrial disorder," the concession says, "which predisposed her to deficits in cellular energy metabolism, and manifested as a regressive encephalopathy with features of ASD." This statement is good news for the girl and her family, who will now be compensated for the lifetime of care she will require. But its implications for the larger vaccine-autism debate, and for public health policy in general, are not as certain. In fact, the government's concession seems to raise more questions than it answers. 1) Is there a connection between vaccines, mitochondrial disorders and a diagnosis of autism, at least in some cases? Mitochondria, you may recall from biology class, are the little powerhouses within cells that convert food into electrical energy, partly through a complex process called "oxidative phosphorylation." If this process is impaired, mitochondrial disorder will ensue. The child in this case had several markers for Mt disease, which was confirmed by muscle biopsy. Mt disease is often marked by lethargy, poor muscle tone, poor food digestion and bowel problems, something found in many children diagnosed with autism. But mitochondrial disorders are rare in the general population, affecting some 2-per-10,000 people (or just 0.2%). So with 4,900 cases filed in Vaccine Court, this case should be the one and only, extremely rare instance of Mt disease in all the autism proceedings. But it is not. Mitochondrial disorders are now thought to be the most common disease associated with ASD. Some journal articles 48. "Japan facing vaccination lawsuits" dated 25 February 2008 from United Press International at http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Science/2008/02/25/japan_facing_vaccination_lawsuits/6883/print_view. "The Japanese government is bracing for a flood of damage suits from hundreds of people who contracted hepatitis B through mandatory childhood vaccinations. Lawyers for the victims say the first suits will be filed in late March by a group of some 20 people who are seeking compensation of between $139 million and $555 million each, Kyodo News reported Monday. Other groups are expected to follow in April, filing their cases in 11 district courts across Japan, the lawyers say. Last month the Diet enacted relief measures for people who contracted hepatitis C from tainted blood products after Japan's Supreme Court ordered compensation for five hepatitis B victims, Kyodo said. Japan no longer mandates vaccinations against certain diseases due to side effects that prompted a number of lawsuits." 49. "NJ Legislator: Probe Antipsychotics, Kids & Medicaid "New Jersey's Medicaid program spent more than $73 million on antipsychotic medications for children less than 18 years old between 2000 and 2007, according to state records, even though the drugs weren't approved by the FDA for treating kids. And a state official acknowledges the drugs may have been prescribed for conditions other than schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, the approved uses. As a result, a state legislator is calling for an investigation and is formulating legislation. "There are horror stories about these meds and there's a reason they're not prescribed for kids," says New Jersey assemblyman Pat Diegnan UPDATE: Brown called us directly to say this: "The issue at hand is that the health care system is completely inadequate to deal with childrens' mental health needs. There's simply insufficient coverage for kids and adolescents....We don't know the long-term outcomes. So more research needs to be done and, simultaneously, more services need to be provided." In their defense, New Jersey Medicaid officials say payments are made for any drug that is approved by the FDA, regardless of whether off-label usage is involved. "We don't practice medicine and we don't second guess prescribers," says Kaye Morrow, assistant director for Medicaid in the Department of Health's division of medical assistance and health services. "If there's an FDA approval for a drug and there's no restriction on a drug, we pay for it." However, she adds that usage will be examined and data is being gathered by an outside contractor, Comprehensive NeuroScience 50. "Lowe's Pulls Ads From Big Brother" dated 25 February 2008 by Kenneth Hein from Brandweek at http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003714356&imw=Y. "CBS got a little taste of its own reality. Lowe's has vowed not to advertise on future episodes of the reality show Big Brother 9 because of a defamatory comment a contestant made about people with autism. On the episode, which aired Feb. 13, Adam Janinski said he hoped to win the competition so he could open a hair salon "so retards can get it together and get their hair done." When a cast member chastised him, Janinski said, "Disabled kids. I can call them whatever I want. I work with them all day, okay?" Janinski works for the United Autism Foundation of Florida. John Gilmore, executive director of a group called Autism United (which is not affiliated with Janinski's organization) reached out to the CBS demanding an apology following the shows airing. He also contacted many of the advertisers which appeared during that episode including Lowe's, Campbell's Soup, Claritin, Geico, McDonald's and Taco Bell. Lowe's rep Karen Cobb said, "Once it was brought to our attention, we decided not to advertise [on Big Brother] further." Cobb added that although the company aired an ad during the Feb. 13 show, it does not routinely advertise on Big Brother. Lowe's spent more than $400 million on media last year, per Nielsen Monitor-Plus. "We're delighted Lowe's is doing the responsible thing. These companies are very careful about developing their brand image and relationships with their customers," said Gilmore. "Being associated with Big Brother and the comments made on the show is something most responsible companies should want to deal with." CBS declined to comment on specific advertisers. But in a statement, said: "As stated last week, we certainly find the statements made by Adam to be offensive, but believe they were countered by the immediate reaction of shock and condemnation from a fellow houseguest (Sheila). Adam's remarks would not have been permitted to air unchallenged. "Big Brother is a reality show about watching a group of people who have no privacy 24/7--and seeing every moment of their lives. At times, the Houseguests reveal prejudices and other beliefs that we do not condone. Any views or opinions expressed in personal commentary by a Houseguest appearing on Big Brother, either on any live feed from the House or the broadcast, are those of the individual(s) speaking and do not represent the views or opinions of CBS or the producers of the program." Gilmore said the network's lack of a reaction is particularly upsetting considering "Big Brother contestants have been dropped in the past for making racially insensitive statements," he said. Message boards, including CBS.com's have been abuzz with anger regarding the comment. One post at CBS.com said of Janinski: "As the parent of two children with Autism, I'm simply amazed that people are so insensitive...I'm certain that he won't have his job when he returns to his 'normal life.'" Autism affects an estimated one in 155 children today." 51. "Fight for a different normal- Faced with limited funding, some students with Aspergers drop out of school" dated 25 February 2008 by Denise Ryan from The Age (Australia) at http://www.theage.com.au/news/education-news/fight-for-a-different-normal/2008/02/22/1203467395755.html. "THOUSANDS of young Victorians with Asperger syndrome or high-functioning autism have dropped out of mainstream high schools and are spending their lives locked in their bedrooms watching television or on the PC, say autism experts. These young people have serious problems interacting with others and coping with school because of their disability but receive little State Government-funded help because they do not meet the strict criteria for assistance. Bruce Tonge, a child and adolescent psychiatrist at Monash University, says many 16-year-olds with an autism spectrum disorder drop out from about year 9 but are not eligible for adult autism services because they do not have an intellectual disability. "They can then spend years in their room staring at the computer, becoming increasingly depressed and sometimes aggressive with their parents," Professor Tonge says. He says about 70% of autistic children have an intellectual disability and attend special schools, while about 30% are of normal intelligence but can have ritualised behaviours and serious problems with social interaction. The latter group, diagnosed with Aspergers or high-functioning autism, mostly attend mainstream schools but can find this extremely stressful without assistance. "It is inaccurate to use IQ as the benchmark as to whether a person gets services or not. Those with average IQ may have poor ability to function in the community yet get no help," Professor Tonge says. Meredith Ward, the president of the Autistic Family Support Association, says the Government does not want to broaden its criteria for funding to include students with Aspergers or high-functioning autism. "The rationale seems to be rationing of services rather than meeting the appropriate educational needs of every student." A spokesman for the Department of Human Services, when asked why teenagers diagnosed with Aspergers do not get adequate help, said many receive services funded by the department. The spokesman said schools make decisions at a local level about how to support such students, perhaps by employing a teacher's aide or a speech pathologist. Ms Ward, the parent of a 12-year-old with high-functioning autism and the manager of the state plan for Autism Victoria, described this response as "mischievous and inaccurate". "High-functioning children without an intellectual disability have to prove a significant language deficit or have severe behavioural problems to get any help. Most don't qualify," she says. More than 180 adults with Aspergers or high-functioning autism have sought help from Alpha Autism, Victoria's largest provider of specialist employment and support services to adults with autism. But Alpha is only funded to help adults diagnosed with autism and an intellectual disability. John Lang, the president of the Alpha board, says staff help these unofficial clients in their own time out of "the goodness of their hearts". Mr Lang, who was diagnosed with Aspergers when he was 17, says his own experience of high school - where he was bullied so badly that he later had a nervous breakdown - is replicated in many schools today. "The school failed to diagnose me and failed to give me support. It didn't help to have a minor degree of Aspergers. I fell through the cracks. That's still the case for many people." Young people with Aspergers are also over-represented in jails and among the homeless. Jeanette Purkis, a former client of Alpha Autism, has written a book, Finding a Different Kind of Normal: Misadventures with Asperger Syndrome, where she explains that, until she was diagnosed, she made sure she returned repeatedly to jail, partly because she found its structure easier to understand than life outside. The Government is working with Autism Victoria to develop a state plan for autism. Autism specialists hope this will make the funding criteria less restrictive, as is the case in WA. Other states such as NSW have more baserooms - places in mainstream secondary schools where such teens can get support - than Victoria. ..." 52. "State sees drop in students enrolled in special education" dated 26 February 2008 by Amy Coutee from The Virginian-Pilot at http://hamptonroads.com/2008/02/state-sees-drop-students-enrolled-special-education. "Fewer students are receiving special education services in Virginia than have in a decade. After years of continuous growth, which outpaced the growth in total student enrollment, special education rosters lost more than 4,000 students in one year. Numbers are down to about 168,000. Less than 14 percent of the state's student population, is expected to fall in the special education category this year, compared with 14.5 in 2004. Official numbers, broken down by city and disability, should be complete by April. "We've had a fairly significant drop," said Paul Raskopf, with the state Department of Education. "Whether that's a blip on the screen or an anomaly, we won't know until next year." Educators said the drop probably was caused by declining student enrollment and changes to the way educators identify and help struggling learners. Numbers statewide began to level off in 2006. In South Hampton Roads, the numbers dropped for two years in every division but Chesapeake and Suffolk. In Suffolk, overall enrollment is up and special education numbers remain consistent. In Chesapeake, special education numbers have fluctuated. In Chesapeake, enrollment has dropped for two consecutive years and is expected to continue to decrease for two more years. In Virginia Beach, enrollment dropped by about 1,000 this fall. "That certainly would have had an impact," said Virginia Beach's Robert Mitchell. About 300 of those students were in the special education department. Another reason could be that educators are looking for options in placing the students. "I think across the board people have become more cautious about putting kids in special education before they try out other interventions," said Mitchell, director of the Office of Programs for Exceptional Children. "We are looking at lots of things to try with the students before we look at special education." One such technique, called "response to intervention," is being slowly phased in. Teachers identify struggling learners early, match the instruction to students' needs and track individual progress. More school divisions will pilot the method next school year. John Wills Lloyd, professor at the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education, said concerns about about identification of special education students also could be a factor in the decrease. Studies have found that minority children often were identified for special education more frequently than other groups. Schools now watch out for over-representation of one race of gender. But some parents worry that "response to intervention" is simply delaying getting students needed special education services. For students with clearly defined disabilities, parents want immediate special education services rather than to try out a series of other methods first. Lloyd said there could be a silver lining in the decrease: Fewer students could make special education classes more homogenous, allowing teachers to focus on a disability." 53. "Woman Promises Autism Cure?" dated 26 February 2008 by Anna Werner from CBS5 News at http://cbs5.com/investigates/MAPS.autism.cure.2.662695.html. "There are thousands of children in the Bay Area diagnosed with autism, and parents are desperate for help. Families are looking at all kinds of treatments. A CBS 5 investigation uncovers an autism treatment that's promised as a cure. It's being pitched at seminars across the country, several of which we attended with an undercover camera. At a seminar in Orange County, we heard that promise. "We are talking about fixing the brain, fixing the brain forever," the program's inventor, Claudie Gordon-Pomares told parents. She said she can repair the brain through sensory stimulation called "Monitored Multi-cortical Activities for Additional Pathways and Synapses," or MAPS. "Of course it works, because it's been proven" Gordon-Pomares said. "Doesn't matter the age, doesn't matter how long parents have tried something." Who is Gordon-Pomares? Her Canadian center, the Brain Repair Institute, has been featured on local news. Her website 54. "Revealed: 'invisible' adults living with autism" dated 26 February 2008 by Judith Duffy from The Sunday Herald (UK) at http://www.sundayherald.com/news/heraldnews/display.var.2068680.0.0.php. "MORE THAN half of adults with autism in Scotland do not get enough support and thousands struggle through life feeling isolated and ignored. The largest-ever survey into the experiences of adults with autism has revealed that many have to battle to access services and are often completely dependent on their families. According to the National Autistic Society (NAS) Scotland report, due to be launched this week, 52% of adults have not had an assessment of their needs since the age of 18, just over one in 10 adults with autism is in full-time employment and more than half reported being bullied or harassed. It is estimated that more than 35,000 adults in Scotland have the condition, but campaigners said they were "invisible" to local authorities, who are failing to record the number of people with autism in their area. The NAS's Exist campaign is the first major initiative to focus on the needs of adult with the disability. Joanna Daly, policy and parliamentary officer for NAS Scotland, said one difficulty was that many people thought of autism as a childhood condition. "A lot of people don't understand it is a lifelong condition, and this report is calling for adults with autism to be recognised," she said. Daly added that many older adults had grown up when knowledge of autism was in its infancy and were only now being diagnosed. "They have really just struggled through life ... a lot of the time they have relied on their families for support and are getting to a stage now where that support may not always be there for them," she said. "These adults need to be supported to make a smooth transition to a more independent life." Issues in the report include limited access to diagnosis, with 56% of those surveyed saying they found it hard to get their condition recognised. One adult said: "The GP did nothing. She didn't see any point in diagnosis for an adult." But even after diagnosis many say they do not get the support they need. One participant in the survey commented: "I have had little or no support ever - my mother has done everything." Daly said the services most adults wanted were social groups, social skills training and befriending. These could open up opportunities for education, employment and the chance to be involved in the community, "because many adults with autism tell us they are completely isolated and ignored". Bill Welsh, president of the Edinburgh-based Autism Treatment Trust, said the plight of many adults with autism had been "swept under the carpet", yet one child in 100 in the UK was diagnosed with the condition and the cost to society for each autistic child was estimated at £4 million. He added: "A major social, health and financial problem is upon us and urgent action is required." Public health minister Shona Robison said the government had funded local and national projects aimed at improving services for people with autism. "We are developing guidance for commissioners of health and social care services for people with autistic spectrum disorder, which will address the need for appropriate and responsive services." 55. "Evidence of Oxidative Stress in Autism Derived from Animal Models" by 1Xue Ming, 2Michelle A. Cheh and 2Carrie L. Yochum, 3Alycia K. Halladay and 2George C. Wagner form 1Pediatric Neuroscience, UMDNJ, Newark, NJ 2Psychology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ in the American Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology. "Abstract: Autism is a pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder that leads to deficits in social interaction, communication and restricted, repetitive motor movements. Autism is a highly heritable disorder, however, there is mounting evidence to suggest that toxicant-induced oxidative stress may play a role. The focus of this article will be to review our animal model of autism and discuss our evidence that oxidative stress may be a common underlying mechanism of neurodevelopmental damage. We have shown that mice exposed to either methylmercury (MeHg) or valproic acid (VPA) in early postnatal life display aberrant social, cognitive and motor behavior. Interestingly, early exposure to both compounds has been clinically implicated in the development of autism. We recently found that Trolox, a water-soluble vitamin E derivative, is capable of attenuating a number of neurobehavioral alterations observed in mice postnatally exposed to MeHg. In addition, a number of other investigators have shown that oxidative stress plays a role in neural injury following MeHg exposure both in vitro and in vivo. New data presented here will show that VPA-induced neurobehavioral deficits are attenuated by vitamin E as well and that the level of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a marker of astrocytic neural injury, is altered following VPA exposure. Collectively, these data indicate that vitamin E and its derivative are capable of protecting against neurobehavioral deficits induced by both MeHg and VPA. This antioxidant protection suggests that oxidative stress may be a common mechanism of injury leading to aberrant behavior in both our animal model as well as in the human disease state." 56. "These Are a Few of My Favorite Things" by Darlene Rowley in a press release from Autism Speaks at http://www.autismspeaks.org/community/ownwords/intheirownwords_charlotte.php. "Our son, Johnnie, was diagnosed as PDD-NOS at age 2, he now he is 4 years old. Our daughter, Charlotte, is just 21 months older than he is, now five years old and in Kindergarten. Since Johnnie's diagnosis, Charlotte has grown up with the conversation of autism, as we speak freely about it at home and amongst family and friends. Our daughter knows more than any five year old should have to know about autism and as a result, has matured greater than any little girl should for her age. Charlotte has even joined in ABA/speech/OT-PT therapy sessions. The way she assists her brother with prompting for words is incredible; she could be a therapist herself! Her bonding and perseverance has remained steadfast, even when some children would become disappointed and disengaged. He completely adores her. She has never given up on him, and in turn, she is beginning to see some reciprocity in their relationship. Charlotte is in Kindergarten and had a project this fall where she had to make a poster about herself and bring in three things that are important to her. She brought out her stuffed animal horse, pool toys, and then went into my bedroom for the last item. She came to me with one of my Autism Speaks puzzle piece pins and said that this was one of the things she was bringing to school. Frankly, I didn't know where she got the pin from, but it must have been so important to her that she knew where I kept it. I asked her why she wanted to include the pin. She replied that she "wanted to tell her class about autism and that this was the piece to the puzzle and that one day they are going to find all the pieces so there won't be any more autism." I was so proud of her, yet my heart broke for her. Charlotte told her class about autism, her brother and how she helps him, showing them the pin, I know there are many powerful advocates out there, but the impact that autism has on siblings is truly an untold story. As parents we feel our own personal pain, but the effect on siblings is very deep and real. These siblings are being recruited for something really big in their lifetime. Each child with autism is so special and their siblings, too, are blessed with many special gifts." 57. "Yeah, I'm Autistic- You Got a Problem With That?" by David Wolman from Wired magazine. "The youtube clip opens with a woman facing away from the camera, rocking back and forth, flapping her hands awkwardly, and emitting an eerie hum. She then performs strange repetitive behaviors: slapping a piece of paper against a window, running a hand lengthwise over a computer keyboard, twisting the knob of a drawer. She bats a necklace with her hand and nuzzles her face against the pages of a book. And you find yourself thinking: Who's shooting this footage of the handicapped lady, and why do I always get sucked into watching the latest viral video? But then the words "A Translation" appear on a black screen, and for the next five minutes, 27-year-old Amanda Baggs-who is autistic and doesn't speak-describes in vivid and articulate terms what's going on inside her head as she carries out these seemingly bizarre actions. In a synthesized voice generated by a software application, she explains that touching, tasting, and smelling allow her to have a "constant conversation" with her surroundings. These forms of nonverbal stimuli constitute her "native language," Baggs explains, and are no better or worse than spoken language. Yet her failure to speak is seen as a deficit, she says, while other people's failure to learn her language is seen as natural and acceptable. And you find yourself thinking: She might have a point. Baggs lives in a public housing project for the elderly and handicapped near downtown Burlington, Vermont. She has short black hair, a pointy nose, and round glasses. She usually wears a T-shirt and baggy pants, and she spends a scary amount of time-day and night-on the Internet: blogging, hanging out in Second Life, and corresponding with her autie and aspie friends. (For the uninitiated, that's autistic and Asperger's.) On a blustery afternoon, Baggs reclines on a red futon in the apartment of her neighbor (and best friend). She has a gray travel pillow wrapped around her neck, a keyboard resting on her lap, and a DynaVox VMax computer propped against her legs. Like many people with autism, Baggs doesn't like to look you in the eye and needs help with tasks like preparing a meal and taking a shower. In conversation she'll occasionally grunt or sigh, but she stopped speaking altogether in her early twenties. Instead, she types 120 words a minute, which the DynaVox then translates into a synthesized female voice that sounds like a deadpan British schoolteacher. The YouTube post, she says, was a political statement, designed to call attention to people's tendency to underestimate autistics. It wasn't her first video post, but this one took off. "When the number of viewers began to climb, I got scared out of my mind," Baggs says. As the hit count neared 100,000, her blog was flooded. At 200,000, scientists were inviting her to visit their labs. By 300,000, the TV people came calling, hearts warmed by the story of a young woman's fiery spirit and the rare glimpse into what has long been I regarded as the solitary imprisonment of the autistic mind. "I've said a million times that I'm not 'trapped in my own world,'" Baggs says. "Yet what do most of these news stories lead with? Saying exactly that." I tell her that I asked one of the world's leading authorities on autism to check out the video. The expert's opinion: Baggs must have had outside help creating it, perhaps from one of her caregivers. Her inability to talk, coupled with repetitive behaviors, lack of eye contact, and the need for assistance with everyday tasks are telltale signs of severe autism. Among all autistics, 75 percent are expected to score in the mentally retarded range on standard intelligence tests-that's an IQ of 70 or less. People like Baggs fall at one end of an array of developmental syndromes known as autism spectrum disorders. The spectrum ranges from someone with severe disability and cognitive impairment to the socially awkward eccentric with Asperger's syndrome. ..." 58. "How Vaccines Can Damage Your Brain- Vaccines, Depression and Neurodegeneration After Age 50: Another Reason to Avoid the Recommended Vaccines" by Russell L. Blaylock, M.D., CCN from Mercola.com at http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2008/2/26/how-vaccines-can-damage-your-brain.aspx. "It has been estimated that 14.8 million Americans suffer from major depressive disorder and of this number 6 million are elderly. If we include anxiety disorders, which commonly accompany depression, the number jumps to 40 million adults. Depression later in life tends to last longer and be more severe than at younger ages. It is also associated with a high rate of suicide. Previously, it was thought that major depression was secondary to a deficiency in certain neurotransmitters in the brain, particularly the monoamines, which include serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. While alterations in these important mood-related neurotransmitters is found with major depression, growing evidence indicates that the primary culprit is low-grade, chronic brain inflammation. This exclusive article will review in detail the functions and impact of various agents on depression and neurodegeneration, including: * The impact of MSG on your brain and mood * The link between elevated brain glutamate and inflammation * The connections between pesticides and neurological disorders such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease * How vaccinations cause brain inflammation * The impact of an expanding vaccine schedule for the elderly * The shocking truth, linking brain inflammation to neurodegenerative diseases * How vaccine additives such as mercury and aluminum impact your brain health * The real danger of live virus vaccines Current recommendations by the CDC for adult vaccinations include a total of 14 separate inoculations with infectious agents and powerful immune adjuvants. According to CDC recommendations, multiple vaccinations for a single disease are separated by no more than 4 weeks, which is close enough together to trigger a smoldering process of brain inflammation and excitotoxicity that can not only result in depression, anxiety and high suicide rates, but can increase your risk of developing one of the neurodegenerative diseases as well. We have also seen that in many cases a person will be injected with several vaccines during a single office visit and this means that their body is exposed to a very large dose of immune adjuvant. Compelling studies, using many animal species as well as humans, have shown that this overactivates brain inflammatory mechanisms that can last for years." 59. "Calif. Sens. Perata & Steinberg Introduce Autism Insurance Coverage Bill" "Legislation was introduced Friday to address the findings of the California Legislative Blue Ribbon Commission on Autism that private health plans often fail to provide consistent services and management for individuals with autism. Senate Bill 1563, authored by Sen. Perata and co-authored by Sen. Steinberg, requires that the Department of Managed Health Care and the Department of Insurance, in conjunction with other state agencies, develop recommendations to ensure that health insurers provide appropriate and equitable coverage for individuals with autism and pervasive developmental disorders. As stated by Senator Perata, "In view of the increasing epidemic of autism spectrum disorders in California, SB 1563 is an important step to ensure that health plans are fulfilling their existing obligations." |
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