AGE OF AUTISM

Age of Autism Contest Winners: National Autism Association Heart Necklace

Congrats to Jan Randall, Rebekah Gill and Kevin who have won this necklace. Please support our friends at National Autism Association  and Designs by Ja9 and purchase your necklaces now for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Teacher gifts at Designs By Ja9.

 

National Autism Association Exclusive: Designs by Ja9 Love Puzzle Necklace Giveaway

Our friends at National Autism Association  and Designs by Ja9 have given us three of these beautiful necklaces for our readers. Leave a comment to enter. We'll draw the winner on Saturday. Good luck!

In the meantime, purchase your necklaces now for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Teacher gifts at Designs By Ja9.

 

National Autism Association & AutismCollege.com To Offer Free Online Safety Conference

National Autism Association & AutismCollege.com To Offer Free Online Safety Conference

San Diego, CA – The National Autism Association and AutismCollege.com are teaming up in February to offer a free web conference for caregivers of those diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  The web conference series entitled Autism Safety and Crisis Prevention will feature top autism experts covering sensitive safety topics that include sexual-abuse risk reduction, bullying prevention, suicide ideation, wandering prevention, and prevention of risks associated with restraint and seclusion.

Historically, medical literature has maintained that ASD does not affect life expectancy; however, a 2001 California study found elevated death rates in ASD related to several causes that included accidents such as suffocation and drowning. “Safety is a primary concern for those on the spectrum and their parents, yet there is very little practical information out there,” says Chantal Sicile-Kira, author and founder of Autism College. “Autism College is happy to partner with the National Autism Association to help empower parents with information they need to protect their children and teens.”

The Autism Safety and Crisis Prevention webinar will be available to caregivers through February. To register, visit www.autismcollege.com.

Webinar presenters will offer real-life strategies to address multiple safety topics, followed by a question-and-answer session. “Even those families who currently do not face safety challenges can learn valuable information through this free safety online conference,” says NAA President Wendy Fournier. “Being aware of the issues and armed with information is critical for all parents.”

Autism Safety and Crisis Prevention Webinar Schedule:

-        Saturday, February 11, 8:15am- 9:45am PST, Dr. Nora Baladerian, Ph.D. will present “How Can Parents Reduce the Risk of Sexual Abuse of Their Child or Young Adult?”

-        Saturday, February 11, 10:00am-11:30am PST, Dr. Lori Ernsperger will discuss “The 3 R's to Bullying Prevention for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Recognize, Respond, and Report.”

-        Wednesday, February 15, 6:00pm-7:30pm PST, Dr. Joshua Feder will discuss “The Problem of Depression and Suicidal Ideation in Autism and Related Disorders.”

-        Saturday, February 18, 8:15am-9:45am PST,  Wendy Fournier of the NAA will discuss Wandering Prevention and Response.

-        Saturday, February 18, 10:00am- 11:30am PST, Pat Amos, M.A. will discuss “Preventing and Eliminating the Use of Restraints and Seclusion.”

About AutismCollege.com:

AutismCollege.com provides practical information and training on autism.

About National Autism Association (NAA):

NAA is a parent-run nonprofit organization and the leading voice on issues related to autism safety and crisis prevention. The organization’s mission is to respond to the most urgent needs of the autism community, providing real help and hope so that all affected can reach their full potential. For more information, visit nationalautismassociation.org.

Changes in DSM-5 Autism Definition Could Negatively Impact Millions

Autism organizations concerned that autism diagnostic changes will jeopardize services, impair tracking, and disrupt research around the globe.

WASHINGTON, DC – Proposed changes to the diagnostic criteria for autism spectrum disorders in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – 5 (DSM-5) will potentially disrupt appropriate and necessary services to hundreds of thousands of individuals in the US, hamper the ability to track the numbers of people with autism, and interfere with efforts to establish biological causes of autism.

“The proposed criteria make it significantly more difficult to qualify for an autism spectrum diagnosis and they completely eliminate the categories of PDD-NOS and Asperger’s Disorder,” stated Wendy Fournier, National Autism Association President. “In a well-intentioned desire to improve the specificity of an ASD diagnosis, the new criteria may, in fact, go too far and create unintended consequences. It is critically important that any diagnosis address all the symptoms of an individual and allow them the supports they need.”

The new criteria, rationale and previous criteria are available at: http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/proposedrevision.aspx?rid=94

Currently, the federal government is spending millions of dollars to track prevalence of ASDs in 11 states; the 2000 birth cohort is due out this year. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires schools to report the number of students with autism annually. Both sets of data have shown dramatic increases in autism spectrum disorders. One in 110 children in the US is now affected by autism compared to one in 10,000 in the early 1980’s. By significantly changing the criteria for diagnosis, the new DSM-5 will impair the ability of public health officials to compare future rates of autism spectrum disorders to past rates, since the definition will have changed. Accurate projections of trends in autism rates are critical to planning educational interventions, Medicaid and adult services. "By analogy, if the medical community chose to only count melanoma in the future instead of all types of skin cancer, it would look like skin cancer rates had gone down, even though other types were still present and needed treatment,” said Ginger Taylor, Canary Party Executive Director.

Sponsor Spotlight: SafeMinds Seeks to Help Pregnant Women Avoid Toxic Mercury Exposure

Dear Friends,

 

As the mother of two young adults with autism and a physician who treats individuals with autism and related disorders, I am alarmed that pregnant women and children continue to be unnecessarily exposed to mercury in the form of the preservative Thimerosal. This exposure is most significant and, in my opinion, most dangerous, when given to pregnant women and young infants.

 

I have recently begun to see children in my practice whose mothers received both seasonal and H1N1 influenza vaccines during pregnancy. This would typically have exposed both them and their unborn children to 50 mcg of mercury, which far exceeds the threshold that the EPA considers to be safe when consumed in food or water. Obviously, mercury ingested in food and beverages is not 100% absorbed, while injected mercury is. The safety threshold for injected mercury is unknown, but would undoubtedly be far lower than the amount considered to be safely consumed in food. The children with this in utero exposure that I have evaluated to date have suffered from significant, early onset signs of autism. While I cannot prove a direct correlation between their exposure to mercury and their current symptoms, mercury is a known neurotoxin. It is imperative that physicians and expectant mothers learn that this mercury exposure is avoidable.

 

SafeMinds and I have developed a campaign to educate obstetricians and their patients about common sources of mercury exposure. It focuses on the Thimerosal content of flu shots, but also includes information on dental amalgams, fish, and fluorescent light bulbs. Many doctors are not aware that the flu vaccines they recommend contain mercury and that mercury-free vaccines are readily available. Literature regarding their limited efficacy and safety data will also be provided.

 

We need your help to insure that this information gets to as many physicians as possible. We are asking you to send us the name and address of your obstetrician.

 

SafeMinds will then send a comprehensive educational package to your doctor with a brief note that their patient (you) requested that they consider this information. By making this campaign personal, we hope that physicians will take the time to read the materials, pass the information along to their patients, and order only mercury-free vaccines if they chose to continue to recommend influenza vaccination. A small investment of your time may protect hundreds of women and children from unnecessary mercury exposure and the health problems it can cause. Thank you for joining us in this important project.

 

Sincerely,

Cindy Schneider, M.D.

Medical Advisor, SafeMinds

Help Spread the Word Send Us the Name, City and State of your OB/GYN and we will send a package to them from you.

Click here to send information.

View Campaign Materials

 

Autism Research Institute Features Network for Individuals with Hearing and Visual Impairments

The Network for Individuals with Hearing and Visual Impairments

The mission statement: To maintain a framework supporting communication, education, research & advocacy for persons with autism and hearing and/or visual impairments.

Currently, approximately one-third of the children in school programs who are deaf or blind also have a diagnosis of autism. Unfortunately, the major primary disabilities categories do not include the terms deaf-autistic or deaf-blind to address their exceptional needs.

To learn more about the Network visit www.autism.com and click on the 'Hearing/Visually Impaired' link on the homepage.

Frequently Asked Questions:

What is the Network?

A compliation of parents, affected individuals and professionals with special interest in people with autism and deafness, or autism and blindness.

How can I benefit from the Network?

We can direct you to support and services available in your local area or community.

How do I join?

We are a group supported by ASA (Autism Society of america 1-800-3AUTISM); we urge you to join ASA —you may join our network by filling out the email form or printing it out and mailing it to ARI (Autism Research Institute).

Order a SafeMinds OB/GYN Awareness Packet Today

Order a free SafeMinds OB/GYN awareness campaign package that includes:

• Dear Colleague letter from Dr. Cindy Schneider and Dr. Bob Sears for your doctor to read
• 3-minute DVD of Dr. Schneider explaining why it is important to only administer mercury-free flu vaccines if they vaccinate their pregnant patients.
• 5 educational brochures aimed at health care providers which contain information regarding flu vaccination
• 5 11 x 17 color posters outlining ways to avoid mercury exposure during pregnancy for your doctor to put up in their exam rooms.
• 25 SafeMinds flu brochures for patients  (Please feel free to order these for distribution here -  at SafeMinds.)

You can view kit materials here or request a kit here.

 

April in Newark is Much Better than April in Paris. Register for the Autism Research Conference.

How ab0ut a trip to New Jersey this spring for your holiday gift? Don't giggle, - we're talking about the ARI Spring conference - loaded with information to help you help your loved one with autism. The conference is at the Newark airport (Liberty) making it easily accessible to most of the country. Newark is a hub for United/Continental and Amtrak trains have a stop on site. From our friends at ARI:

We are very pleased to announce that registration for the Spring 2012 ARI Conference - set for Newark, NJ April 26-29th - is open and will offer a variety of financial support options for families, including: Buddy Rates, free attendance for volunteers on days they help, and Angel Fund discounts for families in financial need. Angel funds and volunteer options are limited and offered on a first-come/first-served basis.

 

Register Online today and join us to:

• Explore the latest research and treatment findings
• Experience hands-on support for taking a biomedical approach home
• Network with parents and clinicians using a biomedical approach

Earn CME credits attending our Clinician Seminars, Science Sessions, and Nutrition Seminar (licensed medical providers)

Complete speaker schedules will be online later this month - check the ARI Conference website for updates.

 

Safeminds Launches OB/Gyn Awareness Campaign

Please visit the Safeminds OB/Gyn mercury awareness campaign. You can download materials to share with your own doctor or on your social media.

Congratulations to Talk About Curing Autism on Successful Ante Up for Autism!

TACA Founder Lisa Ackerman is flanked by former NFL plaers Jason Bell, left, and DeShaun Foster.

Congrats to our sponsor and good friends at TACA on a successful event. TACA gives parents the knowledge and skills they need to help their children from diagnosis day forward.  Have you seen the thick binder available at every local chapter across the country?  TACA - all go, not just for show and looks like they raised a nice chunk of dough! In some orgs, that $250,000 is one salary, at TACA, it will care for a whole lot of families. KS

From The Newport Beach Independent: The 5^th Annual Ante Up for Autism “Gala and Casino Night” this month attracted more than 300 people and raised some $250,000 for Newport Beach-based Talk About Curing Autism (TACA) – a national non-profit organization with a mission to educate, empower and provide support to families affected by autism, and to speed up the cycle time from suspicion to autism diagnosis to effective treatments.

“The proceeds from this event will help TACA families who are struggling to battle the confusion of autism,” said Pat McIlvain, the event co-chair and VP of Oakley Sports Marketing.  “Thanks to the efforts of TACA, many families are given hope and guidance to put the puzzle pieces in place and unlock the potential of their children.”

“When my son Dylan was diagnosed with autism nearly 10 years ago, my wife and I had no idea what autism was or how it would affect our family,” McIlvain recalled. “We were lost until we found TACA.”

Held at the St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa, the event included a VIP red carpet entrance, cocktails and hors d’ oeuvres on the resort lawn, a live performance by “One Tree Hill” actress and singer Kate Voegele, tournament poker with tips from poker stars Michelle Lau, David Mosikian and Joe Sebok, a dinner buffet, and a live silent auction.  The winner of this year’s poker tournament was Chuck Smith of Seal Beach.

Celebrity attendees included actress Amber Lancaster of MTV’s “The Hard Times of RJ Berger” & CBS’s “CSI: Miami,” Alexis Bellino of “The Real Housewives of OC,” actor, writer & producer Johnathon Schaech, actor Clifton Collins Jr., actor Ken Davitian, actor John Hensley, actress/TV host Nicky Whelan , “Deal or No Deal” model Leyla Milani of Newport Beach, musician, Kelley James and television host and spokesmodel Renée Herlocker handling red-carpet MC duties.

Professional athlete attendees included X Games gold medal snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler, pro beach volleyballers Kerry Walsh and Casey Jennings, former NFL players Jason Bell and DeShaun Foster, and Olympic gold medal hurdler Felix Sanchez.

For more information on TACA, visit tacanow.org.