Truth in Advertising At Boston Children's?

By Anne Van Rensselaer

"Attacking the Causes of Autism on Many Fronts"-- so reads an ad in the New York Times Magazine (6/21/09), by Children's Hospital Boston. Hooray, because this is exactly what we need right now; diversified research, unaffected by tunnel vision shaped by any narrow field of interest. 

But wait -- it goes on for a full page trumpeting gene research, and mentioning its "377-bed comprehensive center for pediatric and adolescent health care" (implying beds occupied by children being treated for autism spectrum disorders?), and quotes Dr. Charles Nelson, research director of Children's Hospital  Boston's division of developmental medicine: "Our goal is to detect reliable risk markers for autism spectrum disorders in the first year of life, and ultimately use what we find to develop new methods for early screening and diagnosis."

As if: nailing as large a group of genetic markers as possible will do some good for the already mountainous tidal wave of children on the spectrum. 

As if: there were no environmental factors involved.

As if: the only thing autistic twins have in common is their genes--- ignoring that they're exposed to the same environment.

As if: no one has ever heard of epigenetics, the new science of heritable genetic damage caused by environmental insult to prior generations.

"Many Fronts"? Sounds like one front to me: genetics.  To the man with a hammer in his hand, everything appears as a nail.

It will take an army of saints and scientists to dismantle this illness, with wrenches and chisels and screwdrivers and drills too, and above all, cooperation and teamwork.

I'm left wondering if this fine institution, Children's Boston, actually thinks they're helping these kids now, or that they're going after autism on many fronts. Or is it that their public relations people think it just kinda sounds good to promote the faded sex appeal of gene research, as if it were the single cutting edge that might cut through this puzzling condition?

Comments

[Stagmom]

Dev. Ped? We had one in our ped practice. Excuse me, FORMER ped practice. She was useless. As was the doc who had a son with Asperger's. They smiled. They listened. They had nothing to offer a family w/ three kids on the spectrum beyond, "How's school going?" We switched to a new ped who has already ordered tests for the girls and made referrals for us.

(PS) I should, the former ped DID order an EEG when I had a concern over absence seizures in one of my kids. They never got the test results from the hospital. Never gave me any reading. And when I asked the head of the practice he accused me of lying because "He'd never ordered an EEG in his career." Well, I suppose the neuro ordered the test literally - but the request came from the pediatric office. I ended up calling the hospital myself.

[jill r]

this is funny! i am laughing because we go to a developmental pedi at children's. strictly for the paper work. to show the school system that we have someone behind us for IEP enforcemnet purposes. but if childrens had it their way they would have made me stop the biomed treatment that has worked so well with my son and done it their way. wait, what was their way? oh thats right, they never gave me any suggestions, except to brace myself for the worst!

[Betsy]

My children received their worst care ever at BCH. As my husband says 'Hell will freeze over 10 times before we darken their doorstep again with our children'.

That said, I had pretty much the same treatment as the other poster. They disregarded everything and all but called me a loony mother. When we took all of our records to the Cleveland Clinic, they were shocked that my children were simply dismissed by BCH.

[Cathy]

Hmmm...4 years ago when looking for a GI specialist or metabolic specialist to help my son's malabsorbtion (as diagnosised by ME) and gut issues (only antedotal by 3 years of consitpation) Boston's Children's Hospital told me that they don't treat autism..."excuse me, I don't want you to treat his autism - just his digestive issues". She repeated "I'm sorry, we don't treat autism".
Now I guess the market just looks so LUCRATIVE they can't ignore it anymore.
I realized in that moment that it was up to ME!!!! ME?! Yes, me!
But how many kids have been lost in the past four years after their parents hear that reply? Go to hell BCH!

[cynical]

I'm reminded of the abuses that occurred at Agency Child Services in New York in 2003. Something about this isn't sitting right.

[michael framson]

Somewhere along the way in my understanding of business practices, one point stuck with me:

What ever was touted as number one in a business's advertising, would be the last thing they would deliver, if at all. If "Quality is number one," You can bet you're not going to get "quality".

So with BCH, "Attacking on....Many Fronts," no, just on one front.....genetics. And attacking is certainly overstated.

The more truthful add would read, "Maintaining the Status Quo on Autism with one front."

We know that the obstacles in the way of treating or preventing autism and other toxic insults to our health, caries the foul stench of corporatism. Its hard to get away from that stench whether from hospitals, food companies, medical associations, pharma, insurance companies, or government.

It is the cause, and it just plain stinks!

[Theresa]

...and now we're going to have a geneticist as head of NIH (http://www.the-scientist.com/community/posts/list/333.page). I don't see things improving on the national level any time soon :-(

[Jimsomnia]

Happened to see a report on PBS "NOVA - Science Now" earlier this week about a genetic study being done by a hospital in Boston (same one?) that not only didn't mention any environmental factors but actually asserted that regressive traits (children "appearing" to be normal for 12 to 18 months and then suddenly developing traits of autism) was actually another mysterious delayed genetic event. So even when you see obvious reactions to environmental factors, it's actually still gentetic.

Just thought it was amazing to see this on the same day I watched Martha Herbert's presentation at the CDC conference in Maine.

Mass General and Harvard are quietly opening up to the truth about the interaction between genetics and environmental triggers, but we also see this kind of single-minded propaganda. Do these people have a PR department that feeds stuff to the media (like the CDC does), or what?

[curtis]

They are searching for a "gene or a combination of genes" that can take carbon, change it to something "like mercury" and cause symptoms similar to mercury posioning....

This will be a very long search.

[Sargent L. Goodchild, Jr.]

To Katie Wright and anyone who wants their child with autism researched and treated. My name is Sargent L. Goodchild, Jr. and I am a good friend of Kim and the executive director of Active Healing. I have had conversations with Mitchell Albert, Ph.D. regarding the opportunity to study children with autism using functional MRI in combination with a program of neurological organization at the U Mass Medical School in Worcester. The study is still distant, but I would be happy to speak with you about how I evaluate and develop parent run treatment protocols. My contact information is below. I hope that I have the opportunity to speak with you.

In health,
Sargent L. Goodchild, Jr.
Exec. Director
Active Healing, Inc.
978.525.3608
www.activehealing.org

[Lost in Boston]

Let me make this absolutely clear- Boston Children's Hospital triggered my son's regression.

BCH delivered the mercury-containing flu shots my son received and things began to go wrong shortly afterward. BCH also supplied our twins with the mercury-containing HepB shots they received at birth, which no doubt contributed to susceptibility. This institution has EVERY reason to tout all the red herring causation theories for autism they come across: they're guilty of causing autism.

[Anne Dachel]

Anne,

"Attacking the causes of autism" implies that we could actually determine the cause and prevent it. The illogical goal here is earlier diagnosis.
This is a sham.
Autism will remain "the mystery," BUT...
the public is again told that it's a genetic disorder and not an epidemic.
That's the main reason for the whole thing.
As Boyd Haley once told me, if you don't want to find something, look where it's not.

Anne Dachel
Media

[Katie Wright]

Thanks Anne
I too am so tired of hearing about autism researchers dedicating all their resources to the "development of genetic risk factors." Can someone please study my sick autistic child for a change? Shame on Dr. Nelson, it is irreponsible to invest so much money into these pet academic programs when there are hundreds of thousands of autistic children living with serious unresearched, untreated medical problems.

Early screening and diagnosing is great but why do services often end there? They do the easy part and call it a day. Who among us cannot diagnose an ASD toddler? It is all too easy.

Families need help for their children POST diagnosis and one would think that a hopsital would be the logical place to find it. Instead of researching GI disease, dietary interventions or autoimmunity problems and treatments (issues which affect actual people), Nelson prefers theroretical genetic risk fatcors. I fail to see how this will help anyone. These kids still have autism. How is Boston Children's actually HELPING children living and struggling with autism NOW?

[Stagmom For Deb in IL]

Deb, Kim here. I'm glad you "got" that photo. Sometimes my mind words in odd ways as I'm deciding on a photo for a post. Have a good weekend.

K

[patti]

http://www.boston.com/news/daily/22/mccormack_archive_08072001.htm

Here's their level of care so you can imagine how much they must care about autistic children.

[patti]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2003/09/18/childrens_hospital_scrutinized/

Children's Hospital Boston has had several problems over the past few years regarding complete neglect of children with seizures resulting in their deaths. This hospital also appears to work very closely with New England Center For Children making sure to get the message out that vaccines do not cause autism. They really are a pathetic duo who seem to have quite a monopoly, which is always a dangerous thing. Parents need to smarten up about these places.

[Deb in IL]

Love the picture - a pile of jeans. Love the article - pointing out how misleading the hook is.

Keep spreading the word. Obesity? Diabetes? Autism? (100 other dx's) - It's our diet, toxins and bad medicine, not hereditary.