ABC: GIRLS WITH AUTISM, AIRS TONIGHT

From ABC News. This program airs TONIGHT, January 23.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2008
GIRLS WITH AUTISM ON “NIGHTLINE” WEDNESDAY, TOMORROW, JANUARY 23rd

Tomorrow night, Nightline continues its series on autism by exploring the relatively rare occurrence of girls with autism. In the U.S., far more boys than girls are diagnosed with autism. That fact alone has consequences: it tends to focus most of the research, effort, and money on boys. But in a surprising twist, correspondent John Donvan and producer Caren Zucker talk to several researchers and psychologists who believe there are actually more girls with autism in the U.S. than diagnosed. Not only may there be many under-diagnosed girls, according to these experts, but some girls with autism may be assigned some other diagnosis. In fact these girls are often being under-diagnosed or
diagnosed with something else. The researchers believe that many of the symptoms are being missed, or that they are just more subtle in girls. Nightline takes an in-depth look at how girls and boys are brought up culturally, and how these differences could contribute to a misdiagnosis in girls, resulting in the harsh reality that we just don’t know how many cases of girls with autism really exist.

Brenda Smith Myles, an associate professor in the Department of Education at the University of Kansas, suggests girls with autism can fake “normal,” because girls in general get more lessons than boys in how to behave. Smith tells Nightline, “They are told not to get angry, to be nice, they are told to share, all of those behaviors.” She goes on to say, “It’s more appropriate if you will for a boy to have a tantrum and major meltdown than a girl.”

John Donvan talked to 14-year old Victoria Roma, about the differences between girls and boys with autism: Donvan: Do you think it is more challenging for a girl with autism than a boy?

Roma: “It’s really harder to hook up with friends, especially the neighborhood kids.”

Donvan: Harder for girls than boys?

Roma: “Yeah.”

Donvan: Why would that be?

Roma: “Because girls are concerned about how the world thinks of them, less than boys.”

Donvan: What are the things that are challenging for you?

Roma: “I feel like I’m thinking but I’m not thinking at all. And also, it's a challenge for me to be aware of everything; am I flapping? Was that a joke I just heard? Should I be laughing? Should I not be
laughing? Should I be serious at this time? Can I be a little silly at this time? You know…”
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Nightline’s in-depth report on girls with autism airs on ABC News World News with Charles Gibson at 6:30pm (ET) and then on Nightline, Wednesday, January 23, 2008 at 11:35pm (ET/PT).

For more information, please visit our website at:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/Nightline/story?id=3317576&page=1

Nightline is anchored by Cynthia McFadden, Terry Moran, and Martin Bashir. John Donvan and Vicki Mabrey are correspondents. James Goldston is the executive producer. “Nightline airs at 11:35 p.m. (ET/PT) weeknights on the ABC Television Network.

ABC News Media Relations:
Andrea Jones 202-222-6896
Alison Bridgman 202-222-7370

Comments

[Theresa]

Anyone ever notice that in the epidemiological studies done by the Geiers, they found not only increases in the incidence of autism after thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines in comparison with thimerosal-free DTaP vaccines, but also in mental retardation and speech disorders? In fact, mental retardation was on par with autism as a relative risk when comparing only the difference between Thimerosal-containing and non-containing DTaP after effects. Compare the raw numbers – 17 cases of autism versus 35 cases of mental retardation after the Thimerosal DTaP. Maybe if you get mental retardation from a vaccine – Thimerosal laced or not – you get it right away and are more likely to report to VAERS? Regardless, those are pretty amazing numbers.

In addition, they found that more boys developed autism than girls after the Thimerosal-containing DTaP shots, but this was not true of mental retardation, where the male/female ratio was more on par. This might suggest that girls are hit less in general across the “spectrum” of speech disorder-autism-mental retardation. But it also suggests that when they do get hit, girls get hit hard – they don’t develop autism, they develop mental retardation. Ever heard this from your doctor – when girls have autism, they often have it really, really bad? Ever noticed that many girls with autism have big complicating factors like severe global motor apraxia, ataxia, seizures?

The amazing thing is that this was only the DTaP they analyzed and only incidences that were actually reported in the VAERS. Think of all the incidences that weren’t reported and all the other Thimerosal-containing vaccines, RhoGAM, the Hep B which is given right after birth when the CNS is even more underdeveloped and more sensitive to injury.

I know that the “hype” about vaccines is all about autism, but the connection is not just to autism. It’s to mental retardation and speech disorders as well. We are too bound by the labels in the DSM-IV.

Anyway, just some thoughts that can hopefully take us beyond the “autism only” debate, which might leave both girls and boys with mental retardation or speech disorders out of the loop.

No it’s not just about autism…

Some quotes from the Geiers:
http://www.ebmonline.org/cgi/content/full/228/6/660

“Specifically, an analysis of the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) database showed statistical increases in the incidence rate of autism (relative risk [RR] = 6.0), mental retardation (RR = 6.1), and speech disorders (RR = 2.2) after thimerosal-containing diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (DTaP) vaccines in comparison with thimerosal-free DTaP vaccines.”
….

“Our data showed large male/female ratios in those children reported to have developed autism (17) and speech disorders (2.3) after vaccination with thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines. However, the male/female ratio was significantly less appreciable in children reported to have developed mental retardation (1.2) after thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines. The mean ages of children developing neurodevelopmental disorders after thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines indicated that older children were primarily affected. In Table II, we summarize the RR, attributable risk, percent association, and statistical significance of neurodevelopmental disorders after thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines in comparison with thimerosal-free DTaP vaccines. We found statistical increases in the incidence of autism, mental retardation, and speech disorders after thimerosal-containing DTaP vaccines in comparison with thimerosal-free DTaP vaccines.”

Best,
Theresa