AGE OF AUTISM

PAUL OFFIT AND THE NYT

David Kirby has quite a bit to add to the Offit piece over at HuffPo, HERE.

The New York Times ran an Op-Ed piece HERE by Dr. Paul Offit of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia today.  I'm not even going to get into the slap in the face to the Poling family and the 4900+ other families waiting for their cases to be heard. Or the rest of us with a child with autism.  Instead, I'm going to concentrate on how Dr. Offit presents himself. 

Oh, by the way, did you see today's news (HERE)that a panel of cardiologists is recommending that docs STOP prescribing Vytorin for it's clear lack of effectiveness in patients? No wonder Merck wants that Rototeq vaccine that Paul Offit promotes to be injected into every American child three times, by law no less. Got to make up those profits somewhere. Your baby is a fine place to start.

The bio below his Op-Ed piece reads:  "Paul A. Offit, chief of the infectious diseases division of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, is the author of “Vaccinated: One Man’s Quest to Defeat the World’s Deadliest Diseases.”

OLMSTED ON AUTISM: SUSAN JACOBY’S PSEUDO-INTELLECTUAL JUNK

BY DAN OLMSTED

Facing a long plane ride recently, I was thumbing through the airport bookstore and came across a new book by Susan Jacoby titled “The Age of American Unreason.” Now there was a title to catch my attention, because I do think that the general level of education and discourse and shared values in this country is in decline, and not unrelated to the mess we find ourselves in concerning autism, the practice of medicine, the damaging mediocrity of the mainstream media, and so on. I looked forward to spending the next four hours agreeing with Jacoby.

THE POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF THE HANNAH POLING DECISION

Editor's Note: Margaret Dunkle is Hannah Poling’s great aunt and an early intervention specialist. She wrote the following memo to her colleagues at the “Early Identification and Intervention Collaborative for Los Angeles County” and has given her permission to Age of Autism to reprint it in full.


To: Early Identification and Intervention Collaborative for Los Angeles County
From: Margaret Dunkle
Date: March 17, 2008

What Are the Policy Implications of the Hannah Poling Decision
for Screening, Intervention and Treatment?

Most of you have heard that the federal government has conceded that:
“…the vaccinations Hannah [Poling, an Athens, GA, girl who is now nine years old] received on July 19, 2000, significantly aggravated an underlying mitochondrial disorder, which predisposed her to deficits in cellular energy metabolism and manifested as a regressive encephalopathy with features of autism spectrum disorder.” *

Additionally:
“Having reviewed this additional evidence, [medical personnel at the Division of Vaccine Injury Compensation, Department of Health and Human Services (DVIC)] now recommends compensation for Hannah’s seizure disorder as sequela of her vaccine-injury….” **

What are the policy implications of this decision? What questions need to be asked – and answered – by people who care about both:

CRY SHAME! SUPPORT FOR MURCH, WAKEFIELD AND WALKER-SMITH

CryShame (please note their web address is www.cryshame.com) is a campaigning group co-founded by a number of UK parents and professionals who are concerned about the catastrophic rise in autism spectrum disorders and in the potential link with environmental toxins– particularly MMR and thimerosol (mercury) containing vaccines.

REVIEW: AUTISM THE MUSICAL

By Michelle O'Neil

I agreed instantly to do a review of  Autism the Musical, a film that aired on HBO last week. The movie was gorgeous and I fell in love with every single kid in it. I fell in love with the drama teacher who's vision was responsible for the whole thing. The moments of brilliance on the part of the children. A girl named Lexi, who sings like an angel but can't carry a conversation. A boy named Wyatt who deeply and openly processes his own feelings and behaviors on camera. Gentle Henry who finally calmed down enough to accept a heartfelt compliment from a friend. A non-verbal boy, that seemed to have nothing to say, but then typed out a poignant message to his dedicated mama, asking her to "listen" more.

There were moments of tension, when a mother so used to controlling everything about her son's life, is forced to let go during dress rehearsal.

A moving, somewhat lonely scene of a mother and son lighting their menorah for Hanukkah.

But as I reflected on what to write about the film, the thing that kept coming up for me was marriage. This movie went right to the heart of what autism in the family does to a marriage.

HOW CAN YOU LIVE FOREVER IF YOU DON'T TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF?

By Michelle Dozois

We all know being a parent requires a tremendous amount of energy and patience.  Add to that the demands of raising a child with special needs and our personal health can easily get shoved to the back burner. I make my living helping others get fit yet, when my son was diagnosed with autism, I put all my energies into him, neglecting myself. I felt drained, tired and depressed. Who wouldn’t? By getting back into a regular exercise routine, I felt a million times better and was able to put even more energy into my family.

We all want to be there to help care for our children but how do we find time to take care of ourselves?

CDC'S GERBERDING TO CNN: VACCINES CAN TRIGGER AUTISM SYMPTOMS

Here's the CDC's latest slide down the slippery slope to acknowledging what I've taken to calling So Effing Obvious: Vaccines can trigger "symptoms that have characteristics of autism" in susceptible kids.

Recall David Kirby's recent piece that mitochondrial susceptibility might be 1 in 50 kids. -- Dan Olmsted

JULIE GERBERDING, DR., CDC DIRECTOR: Well, you know, I don't have all the facts because I still haven't been able to review the case files myself. But my understanding is that the child has a -- what we think is a rare mitochondrial disorder. And children that have this disease, anything that stresses them creates a situation where their cells just can't make enough energy to keep their brains functioning normally.

Now, we all know that vaccines can occasionally cause fevers in kids.

So if a child was immunized, got a fever, had other complications from the vaccines. And if you're predisposed with the mitochondrial disorder, it can certainly set off some damage. Some of the symptoms can be symptoms that have characteristics of autism.

The transcript is HERE.

FORBES.COM: 1 in 50 AT RISK?

Forbes.com picked up the NAA press release on mitochondrial disease and autism. You can see their site HERE.

THE NAKED AUTHOR STRIPS AUTISM BARE

Thank you to Cornelia Read of The Naked Authors and mother of a 14 year old daughter who is profoundly affected by her autism. By profoundly, I mean in ways I can not fathom. And I have three girls with autism. Even if you only scroll down to the bottom of the post - take a look at that beautiful young girl. And think hard. The post parallels the vaccine/autism controvery with the history of drugs and products long removed from the market or given stark warning labels. I warn you, this post is long. It's intense. It's the work of a creative, talented mother who loves her child. If you want the CODE for it so you can run it on your own blog, email me at kim stagliano at gmail.

By Cornelia Read There's a topic I've wanted to blog about here for a long time, but it's pretty heavy stuff--not exactly the bright and breezy fare most people want to skim through online while sipping their morning beverage of choice. Over the last year or so, every time I said to myself, "hey, maybe this week, if I can just get my head around a way to make the info meaningful and compelling... to personalize it somehow so that it's not a complete drag to ingest, but yet not so bereft of necessary info that it's easy to blow off..." I'd end up scuppering the whole thing as impossible to convey. I'm still not sure I can make a blog post out of this that won't put you to sleep, but something happened this month that makes me feel like it's really, really important that I give it my very best effort right now, okay?

MAYBE WE SHOULD TAKE OUR KIDS TO THE VET?

A reader sent us THIS ARTICLE about dogs and vaccines from a Pet Food site. Here's the start:

Back in 1991, my four-year-old Golden Retriever Oliver died very suddenly. Like any grieving 'mum', I asked why. Two years later, Oliver's sister Prudence died of leukaemia, and again I asked why. My other dogs were also suffering: Chappie had thyroid disease; Sophie had crippling arthritis; Samson had autoimmune disease (he died when he was five); and Guinnevere had allergies. I thought I must be the worst dog owner in the world, and tried to discover what I was doing wrong.

I learnt that all of the above can arise from over-vaccination and inappropriate feeding.

DOUG FLUTIE ON FOOTBALL, AUTISM

Doug Flutie is a former NFL footplayer, Heisman trophy winner (Boston College) and father of a son with severe autism. He and his wife Laurie founded The Flutie Foundation.

Doug Flutie on football, autism
By Jennifer Brett | Thursday, March 27, 2008, 09:21 PM

Read the full piece from The Atlanta Journal Constitution HERE.

....After his remarks Flutie took questions about both autism and sports. Here are condensed excerpts of his remarks. Questions, which came from audience members, are paraphrased.

Q: Do you think there is a link between autism and vaccines?

A: There is some relation. What it is, I don’t know. I’m not a doctor. All I know is at 2, Dougie’s shooting hoops and talking smack. Next thing you know, he’s tripping over toys. I was never immunized for chicken pox. I did okay.

Q:What kinds of programming would you like to see offered to children with autism?

A: Whatever is going to push the children to be more and more independent.

A LOVE LETTER FROM A FATHER FOR HIS SONS TO THE WOMAN WHO REFUSES TO LISTEN

Managing Editor's Note: Jack Russell sent this letter to Dr. Julie Gerberding, head of the CDC. We'll let you know if he hears back from her.

By Jack Russell

I am the father of 3 ½ year old twin boys were diagnosed with autism a little over a year ago.  Our boys are on the high-functioning end of the autistic-spectrum and although our road has been and continues to be extremely tough, we have seen and met so many other parents whose daily life and future outlook is far tougher than ours. 

Fortunately, my wife and I have had the scientific background, self-confidence and relative financial means to research about autism on our own and begin the biomedical treatment of our children.  Through these interventions our children have made remarkable progress.  While I hesitate to use the loaded word “recovered” because I know we’ll always have special challenges, we have every hope, as do the professionals that work with them, that they will lose their diagnosis prior to entering Kindergarten.

AUTISM ONE RADIO: ON SITE IN LONDON

SPECIAL ON AUTISM ONE RADIO

Debut of Polly Tommey presents…Autism Issues Around the World

Thursday, March 27, 9:00 pm ET
Friday, March 28, 12:00 noon ET
Saturday, March 29, 12:30 ET

www.autismone.org/radio

Topic:
The MMR & Autism: Dr. Andrew Wakefield's General Medical Council Hearing – An On-Site Report from London

In 1998, Dr. Wakefield and colleagues published a research paper in The Lancet that sparked questions about the safety of the MMR, and which subsequently caused a huge impact in the UK, resulting in a decline in vaccination rates. The General Medical Council is currently conducting an inquiry into alleged professional misconduct by Dr. Wakefield under a number of specific allegations relating to the conduct of and context of the research.  However, many parents of children with autism feel very differently about the importance of such research and they are expected to be gathered outside the GMC in London on Thursday, March 27, as what is becoming one of the longest cases in GMC hearing history moves into its final phase. Autism One Radio’s Polly Tommey will be on-site in the UK, placing the case in the context of the published facts to-date, reporting back on the scene, and canvassing the views of those in attendance.

DAVID KIRBY: ARE 1 in 50 KIDS AT RISK?

The following is an excerpt from David Kirby's latest HuffPo piece. Read the full post and comment HERE.

By David Kirby

On Tuesday, March 11, a conference call was held between vaccine safety officials at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, several leading experts in vaccine safety research, and executives from America's Health Insurance Plans, (the HMO trade association) to discuss childhood mitochondrial dysfunction and its potential link to autism and vaccines

It was a sobering event for all concerned, and it could soon become known as the Conference Call heard 'round the world.

MAJOR AUTISM GROUPS SUPPORT DR. ANDREW WAKEFIELD

BY THE EDITORS

The British Medical Establishment's battle to discredit Andy Wakefield runs into its first major obstacle this week -- Andy Wakefield himself. He begins testimony in his own defense in the proceeding -- we think Inquisition is a much better word -- to pull his medical license after he published a study raising questions (questions, mind you!) about whether the MMR shot led to a GI disorder and regressive autism. He had the temerity to suggest that while we figure it out, it might make sense to separate the measles, mumps and rubella shots. For this outrage, he's already been driven out of England -- thankfully, to the USA. We'll bring you full coverage and news about how you can support him starting with the letter (below) from several major US autism groups. In addition, you can visit www.cryshame.com to learn more.

Wakefield and Colleagues Should Be Knighted, Not Persecuted

U.K. Medical Inquiry Threatens Scientific Inquiry & Progress in Autism

The National Autism Association (NAA), SafeMinds, Unlocking Autism, Generation Rescue, Autism One and Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) wish to express support for Dr. Andrew Wakefield and his colleagues who are unjustly facing a fitness to practice hearing by the General Medical Council (GMC) of the United Kingdom. Dr. Wakefield, a pioneer in autism research and treatment, begins his historic testimony today. The undersigned organizations, along with other U.S. families affected by autism, join in spirit with the U.K. families who are demonstrating today at the GMC offices in London.

The GMC prosecution is a frontal attack on the health and well-being of those around the world who have an autism spectrum disorder.

THE FRAGILE BASIS OF GENETIC AUTISM CLAIMS REVEALED BY AN OSOTEN*

By Mark Blaxill

*Original source of the estimated number

In an earlier essay here, I commented on a claim made by the Autism Consortium in a recent study, originally published online in January in The New England Journal of Medicine. In an article that offered up a number of aggressive claims regarding the genetic bases of autism, lead author Lauren Weiss and 21 of her colleagues made the following remarkable statement.

In approximately 10% of patients, autism can be explained by genetic syndromes and known chromosomal anomalies (most of which have recognizable features in addition to autism) including the Fragile X syndrome, tuberous sclerosis, the Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome, the Potocki-Lupski syndrome, and…the region (15q11-13) that is affected in Prader-Willi and Angelman syndromes.

AUTISM RESEARCH INSTITUTE PUZZLE PIECE CAMPAIGN

How many paper shamrocks have you bought at the grocery store to support MD/Jerry's Kids? Here's a campaign to fund autism research! Please, order a couple of hundred Puzzle Pieces and bring them to your local stores to sell.  To your school too, if they'll allow it! Heck they sell candy, books, everything except cigarettes to raise money in the schools - why not puzzle pieces?  Thank you to our wonderful sponsor Autism Research Institute for their support. Let's return the love and a whole lot of money! ORDER YOUR PUZZLE PIECES NOW!  EMAIL LYNDA

Help Fund Research-- Keep the Rimland Vision Alive!

The Million Dollar Puzzle is an initiative to fund research through the Autism Research Institute, and to keep Dr. Rimland's vision alive.

ARI depends on donations and support from the community to fund research for treatments that make a difference for today’s individuals living with autism today. We are solving the puzzle of autism by linking individuals, villages, towns, cities, states and countries, with Puzzle Pieces. This grassroots campaign has spread across North America, already reaching 38 states and Canada.

HIDING BEHIND A CHARITY TO FUND STUDIES

Gardiner Harris, the reporter who bows to vaccines as if they are the Holy Grail, wrote the NYT article below. He's never shy about slamming pharmaceutical companies and medical studies about anything, everything except vaccines. Note, the cig company hid behind a charity to disguise itself. Gee, companies fund flawed studies through charities? Who knew?

In October 2006, Dr. Claudia Henschke of Weill Cornell Medical College jolted the cancer world with a study saying that 80 percent of lung cancer deaths could be prevented through widespread use of CT scans.

CT Screening for Lung Cancer Small print at the end of the study, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, noted that it had been financed in part by a little-known charity called the Foundation for Lung Cancer: Early Detection, Prevention & Treatment. A review of tax records by The New York Times shows that the foundation was underwritten almost entirely by $3.6 million in grants from the parent company of the Liggett Group, maker of Liggett Select, Eve, Grand Prix, Quest and Pyramid cigarette brands.

Read the full NYT article HERE.

GOOD MORNING AMERICA: STAGLIANO FAMILY ON AUTISM EXPENSES

By Kim Stagliano

Last Thursday, Mark, the girls and I taped a segment for Good Morning America NOW (which airs on the cable channel ABC News Now.) The piece is about the expense of autism as it relates to tax time. Cameron Mathison interviewed us. (You "All My Children" fans will recognize him as Ryan.) He has two young children and was most kind to the girls.  (The links follow.)

We drove 60 miles/2 hours and 45 minutes into Times Square (love that NY traffic!) and were met by a delightful producer named Matt Drake. By "met" I mean he was standing on the street corner waiting for us outside the studio door. How's that for service? I've NO idea how he recognized us lurching up the street with me shrieking, "HOLD MY HAND!" to three pretty girls.

FOUR AUTISM ONE PRESENTERS IN ONE NEW BOOK!

By Kim Stagliano

Robert Parish, documentary film maker, has gathered many writers for a new book about working with the autism population called: Embracing Autism: Connecting and Communicating with Children in the Autism Spectrum.

Four of us, including Robert, will be presenting at Autism One this spring: Autism/Asperger expert Stephen Shore/, Autism Risk and Safety Management expert Dennis Debbaudt, and I. 

CDC RESPONSE TO DAVID KIRBY ON AJC

The Atlanta Journal Constitution ran an online opinion piece refuting David Kirby's powerful piece (HERE) from last week.  You can comment on the AJC blog again HERE.  Hurry before they close comments.

"Autism claim shouldn't deter parents"

By ANNE SCHUCHAT

Published on: 03/26/08

David Kirby's March 20 opinion column, "Give Us Answers on Vaccines," misinterpreted available information about a case before the National Vaccine Injury Compensation program and may have parents wondering what is best for their child when it comes to immunizations. That is unfortunate, given that our nation's childhood vaccines are very safe and are proven to protect and save lives.

Read the full opinion piece HERE.

BARBARA LOE FISHER ON NYT COMMENTERS

By Barbara Loe Fisher

The discrimination begins, always, with the majority in a society pointing the finger at a minority for somehow endangering the public health and welfare. Individuals in the minority group are singled out as different - ethnically, biologically, spiritually, morally - from the majority. The human impulse to fear, judge, marginalize or eliminate those different from the rest has left a blood soaked trail winding throughout the entire history of man from the Great Inquisition to the Holocaust; from the killing fields of Cambodia to Rwanda, Serbia and Tibet; while the persecution of those with leprosy, TB, AIDS, mental illness, and handicaps continues in every society.

It was with a heavy heart that I read the March 21 New York Times ARTICLE, "Public Health Risk Seen as Parents Reject Vaccines." Then I waded through the venomous comments posted on the NY Times website attacking parents of vaccine injured autistic children and those supporting informed consent to vaccination, specifically legal exemptions.

JIM CARREY HALTS "HORTON HEARS A WHO" VACCINE CAMPAIGN

By Lisa Ackerman

Horton Hears An "Ow?"

Late last week a story hit the wire about "Free movie and immunizations: Horton hears an "ow!" (HERE.)  What’s this? A new vaccination strategy you say?

The article referenced free vaccinations at a theater in New Mexico featuring the movie “Horton Hears A Who.” In case you have been in a cave under a rock for the last month, Horton’s voice is none other than the amazing Jim Carrey. And if that rock still has you covered, Jim happens to be Jenny McCarthy’s boyfriend. Jenny is outspoken on vaccines & vaccination safety. A theme that runs throughout her book “Louder Than Words” featuring the story of her recovered son, Evan.

AN OPEN LETTER TO BENJAMIN KRUSKAL FROM ANNE DACHEL

"Dear Dr. Ben ..." An open letter to Benjamin Kruskal from Anne Dachel

(You can read Dr. Ben's original blog post HERE.) The following is Anne Dachel's comment:

I was stunned by your comments announcing that the number of children diagnosed with autism in California continues to increase despite the removal of thimerosal from vaccines there.

You offer us no explanation for the still rising rate but you're obviously enjoying the moment since you write that it's "a small thing, but nice to see an explicit contradiction to the original indirect evidence that thimerosal was the culprit in autism."

FOOKED

By J.B. Handley

Don’t let the New York Times hit-and-run piece last Friday on parents who don’t vaccinate fool you. Our public health establishment, the AAP, and pediatricians in general are utterly and completely…fooked (hey, this is a family blog!).

The Poling case has opened a pandora’s box so complex and nasty that our health authorities have no idea what to do.

Before the Poling case became worldwide news, and soon after David Kirby’s piece ran in the Huffington Post that started this whole wonderful cluster-fook, the Vaccine Lobby went into red-alert mode. Paul Offit himself was calling most of the major reporters in the country, trying to explain to them why the Poling decision meant nothing and was certainly not newsworthy. Unfortunately for Offit, the court decision was already on the web for reporters to read, and soon after the media learned that Hannah’s Dad was a mainstream neurologist.

KENT HECKENLIVELY ON THE AUTISM OMNIBUS PROCEEDING

Everything You Wanted to Know about the Autism Omnibus Proceeding, but Didn’t Know How to Ask

By Kent Heckenlively, Esq.

As the first three of nine planned test cases have finished and lurch toward a conclusion, I think it’s a good idea to provide the community with an overview of what’s happened, some relevant questions, and what’s planned for the upcoming months.

What’s the structure of the Autism Omnibus Proceeding and how is it different from a traditional trial?

NEWEST STUDY JOKE: DRINKING WHILE PREGNANT CAUSES AUTISM

By Kim Stagliano

I realize today is a holiday for many of us. So I apologize for making you want to spit out your jelly beans with this post. A new study (by a psychiatrist, of course) has been released linking autism to maternal drinking while pregnant.

Now I ask you: "Did you drink while pregnant?"  Did your mother or your grandmother? Which one of you has a child with autism and knows dozens or more mothers with affected children?  Heck, I didn't even sniff vanilla extract while pregnant.

Maybe we can write a play, a murder mystery about autism, and call it "Alcohol and Old Sperm."

As this study was flying around the lists last night, most people concurred these researchers have it backwards. Drinking doesn't cause autism. But autism can cause drinking.

Read about the study HERE.

Kim Stagliano is Managing Editor of Age of Autism.

HAPPY EASTER

By Kim Stagliano

Here's to a season of hope, renewal and faith for our children. I thought you'd get a kick out seeing the GFCF Easter cake I made for Mia, Gianna and Bella.

Of course, the M&M's are not GFCF and they have food dye in them, so I'll have to eat them all myself. Ah, the sacrifices a mother makes for her children.

From all of us at Age of Autism, Happy Easter, friends.

TABLE FOR TWO, PARTY OF ONE

by Cathy Jameson

I don’t know if it’s the recent time change, the approaching seasonal change or just crazy hormones. I seem to be in a funk more and more lately and can’t shake those nagging what-about-me feelings I have. Part of the pressure I feel is the mounting stress of preparing for a new baby in just a few weeks. Some of the stress comes from everyday living while rearing four young children, one of whom has special needs. Most of the stress is a self-induced pity party watching my child make some progress, regress a tad and then remain developmentally stagnant. 

AUTISM LIKE SYMPTOMS

By Kathy Blanco

The other day, I was compiling a list of autism like symptoms or even separate diseases found in autism children.   I began to circulate them through yahoo groups lists, and found that over eighty eight conditions are present, or in some variations, or on some variations of theme, found in these children (co morbid conditions and causal or contributory).   There is probably a multitude more.   Autism is a term used to refer to a spectrum of disorders whose cause is unknown-SO THEY SAY.     Feel free to ADD to this list...what is wrong in autism, and wrong with the term "AUTISM".

Genetic problems cannot account for the staggering increase in autism in the past 20 years.  However, genes are activated by nutrients.  Some so-called genetic defects are related to the poorer nutritional status of today's mothers and children due to their diet, eating habits, infections (under our noses), toxins, metabolic poisons, ioatragenic means, and due to stress.

Here is the list..of what autism REALLY is...

1. Chronic burning diarrhea
2. Constipation with grapefruit-sized blockage
3. Intestinal diverticuli
4. Seizures (petit mal, grand mal, tonic, clonic)

WALL STREET JOURNAL BLOG ON VACCINES

Go on over to the WSJ blog, where they are discussing the NYT piece on vaccination.  We're warning you though, you might blow your stack when you read the article and see how they are demonizing the topic.  Here's a preview. 

According to the piece, such parents are aware of the risks, but still choose not to give their children the shots because of an “unproven notion” that vaccines are linked to autism and other disorders.

Read the WSJ blog and comment HERE.

FROM THE PAPER THAT BROUGHT YOU THE IRAQ WAR ...

BY DAN OLMSTED

The New York Times' self-appointed role as guardian of the CDC's childhood immunization schedule continues apace this morning with a front-page story, "Public Health Risk Seen as Parents Reject Vaccines." It pretty much speaks for itself but allow us to point out three things.

One: "Recent news stories that a federal vaccine court agreed to pay the family of an autistic child in Georgia who had an underlying mitochondrial disorder has led some skeptics to speculate that vaccines may worsen some conditions. Again, researchers say there is no evidence to support this thesis." Unfortunately for "researchers" -- don't you love these monolithic anonymous categories? -- that's exactly what the government conceded in the Hannah Poling case. The Times gets it wrong by letting "the experts" shape the truth. Again.

HOW YOU CAN HELP JOURNALISTS INVESTIGATE VACCINE SAFETY

By Nancy Hokkanen

Editor's Note: This is the second piece in a two-part series titled "Semantics, Rhetoric and Spin."

For too many years the mainstream media has largely avoided investigating the public’s vaccine safety concerns. The tragic result of that inaction is countless children unnecessarily injured by vaccinations.

For journalists, information overload is an ongoing problem. Internet proliferation has reduced news formatting to bite-sized blurbs. Reporters lack time to read the myriad studies and reports on autism, vaccine injuries and biomedical treatments. To meet deadlines, they regurgitate bullet points from CDC press releases. This results in oft-repeated vaccine/autism cliches, which I detailed in January (here) at The Age of Autism.

AJC BLOG ON DAVID KIRBY'S OP ED PIECE

Please go over the the blog at The Atlanta Journal Constitution and share your opinions on David Kirby's Op-Ed piece.  CLICK HERE to go to the blog.

DAVID KIRBY IN THE ATLANTA JOURNAL CONSTITUTION

Managing Editor's Note: Atlanta is the home of the CDC.  If she reads the piece at the breakfast table, CDC Director Julie Gerberding might not be able to swallow that puppy she devours each day before toddling off to work with a happy heart, eager to tell the world there is no autism epidemic and even if there was, it isn't caused by vaccines. As always, thank you, David.

By DAVID KIRBY

By now, many parents in America have heard of the Hannah Poling court case. They know the government has acknowledged that vaccines contributed to autism in at least one little girl from Georgia. Understandably, they are worried, and they want answers.

But instead of frank talk from leading health officials, their concerns are being met with stonewalling, denial and misinformation. By refusing to address what really happened to Hannah - by commanding parents to settle down and adhere to the nation’s rigid immunization regime - officials will only drive people away from vaccines in anxiety-ridden droves.

Read the entire piece in The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

BOYD HALEY LETS 'EM HAVE IT

(Editor's Note: Boyd Haley, the University of Kentucky chemistry professor and all-around troublemaker for those who deserve it most, weighs in on one of our favorite topics: The need to study the autism rate in never-vaccinated kids. Haley begins his commentary by citing the Poling case and the bogus focus on her "mitochondrial disorder."

We quote Boyd in more depth on that topic in "Hannah Poling and Rachel Carson," below this post. If Boyd did not exist, it would be necessary to invent him.)

The attempt by the CDC and AAP to promote the concept that thimerosal containing vaccines are safe for all but those with "underlying mitochondrial disorder" is similar to the previous attempt to label autism as a genetic disorder.  This attempt is geared to place research funds into areas other than looking at vaccines in general and thimerosal in specific as the cause for the recent increase in autism.

STOCK UP ON AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH GOODIES!

The Little Shop of Hope at NAA is offering 20% savings through Friday so you can stock up on items for Autism Awareness Month in April!

Just go to www.nationalautismassociation.org and click on Online Store. (Check out the new kids shirts "Cuties for the Cure" - they're adorable!)

Discount code is SUS08, enter it at checkout to get the 20% off.

And click HERE to see NAA President Wendy Fournier on ABC Six in Providence!

OLMSTED ON AUTISM: HANNAH POLING AND RACHEL CARSON

BY DAN OLMSTED

Those of you who read this blog regularly know our core tenet is this: Autism is predominantly an environmental disorder, in the sense it is triggered by toxins coming from outside the body to cause mayhem within. (Genetic susceptibility? Sure. But toxins are the trigger.) We tend to focus a lot on one particular outside-in factor -- vaccines -- because the link between vaccines and the autism epidemic is so eff-ing obvious, but we do believe the environment more broadly defined – in the Inconvenient Truth, Silent Spring sense – is playing a major role. Our planet is so toxified and our kids carry such a body burden from birth that it takes less and less to tip them into autism, asthma, allergies, ADD, ADHD, autoimmune disorders … and that's only the A's.

DENTIST. AUTISM. PANIC?

By Kim Stagliano

Think about taking your child with autism to the dentist. Did a cold sweat just break out on your forehead? Cleanings are difficult, let alone major dental work!

I met Dr. Bob Porper in January, at an autism event here in Connecticut. When I explained I have children on the spectrum, he reached into his sportcoat pocket and pulled out a crazy looking, two headed toothbrush. My eyes popped out of my head! My father is a retired orthodontist. "Open. Bite. Close." was common dinner table talk when I was a kid.  My girls now use the Twinbrush. It's pretty cool!  And I get to pretend I'm the Two Headed Monster from Sesame Street every time they brush!

I'm pleased to announce that Dr. Porper will be writing about oral health care for Age of Autism.  He is generously donating 5% back to the autism community to NAA.  At the end of this post is info on where to order a Twinbrush for your family, and a 10% savings for our readers.  Here are a few words from him.

Hello, my name is Dr. Robert Porper.  I am a retired Oral Surgeon.  In my practice, I specialized in the treating of special care patients, including those with autism. And I understand fully the challenges you face bringing your child to the dentist for care.

THE SHORT GOOD-BYE: DAY 21 AUTISM OMNIBUS HEARING

The Short Good-Bye – Day Twenty-One of the Autism Omnibus Proceeding – Snyder v. the Secretary of Health and Human Services

By Kent Heckenlively, Esq.

After 4,665 pages of testimony the first three test cases of a planned nine ended with closing arguments totaling 36 pages. 

As an attorney I have to admit I find something so satisfying about the end of a case when each side is required to do their own summation of the evidence.  If law is the way in which civilized societies resolve their differences rather than armed combat, then at their best, attorneys are our modern warriors. 

Instead of brute force though, they use their brains as well as their hearts, so that the truth may be revealed.

THE STATE OF AUTISM IN THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

By Ed Arranga

In 1992 there were five school-aged children in Illinois with autism. Today, there are 13,000. 

More and more children are lost – more and more families overwhelmed – more and more money is spent - and less and less is accomplished. The best of intentions fail when outdated models drive the decision-making process.   

The old way has not worked. It’s time to change everything about autism in the State of Illinois.   

We Are Proud To Announce The First Annual Autism in Action: Illinois Mayoral and Policymakers Partnership Program