The Chicago Tribune and Autism Treatment Community: Thrice Bitten, Twice Shy
By Kim Stagliano
Trine Tsouderos is writing another article for The Chicago Tribune about autism and autism treatments. To date, her pieces have appeared to be addenda chapters for Dr. Offit's Autism's False Prophets, a book dedicated to telling parents what treatments do not work for autism, from a doctor who does not treat patients with autism.
After countless hours of interviews with scientists and parents alike, Ms. Tsouderos has chosen to portray autism treatment in a pejorative fashion. Take into consideration this letter from Dr. Martha Herbert, pediatric neurologist and Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard University Medical School, regarding her treatment by Ms. Tsouderos:
"I did a rather long interview with the Tribune to explain my thoughts on chelation and additional approaches to solving the health issues connected to autism. The only consequence of my interview is that you use a solitary quote to make me sound contentious and defensive. Is there a reason you chose not to use something I said that would actually illuminate the discussion surrounding chelation and other medical treatments for medical compromises that may exist in these children?.."
I was contacted by Ms. Tsouderos for an interview about her forthcoming article on a supplement called OSR from CTI Science. CTI's Science's FAQ page says OSR is less toxic than aspirin and Vitamin E. If the Tribune has its own toxicity testing, I’m sure readers will be interested in seeing the data. In light of the skewing of parental interviews in the past, I chose not to respond to her requests for an interview. Others, like the founder of CTI Science, Dr. Boyd Haley, graciously allowed the interview process to continue until such time as it became clear that the writer's goal precluded gaining meaningful insight.
Kim Stagliano is Managing Editor of www.ageofautism.com. Her Kimoir, All I Can Handle. I'm No Mother Teresa. debuts this Fall.
Has anyone had adverse effects when starting OSR? I've noticed that with my 13 yr old son, after being on OSR for a few weeks the irritating behaviors are a little worse. Can't tell if it's because of OSR and just starting it, or if it's that the yeast is coming back.
Posted by: Christi | May 09, 2010 at 08:33 PM
Doesn't this say it all?
“The right to search for truth implies also a duty. One must
not conceal any part of what one has recognized to be true.”
Albert Einstein (engraved in stone on the National Academy of
Sciences building in Washington, D.C., home to the NIH and
the IOM).
Posted by: Kathy Blanco | January 14, 2010 at 06:50 PM
How about a story on the side effects of the "approved" drugs used for autism? Lactating 12 year old boys don't appeal to readers? Where was the outcry forSky Walker by the Trib?
Posted by: Cup-Fake Journalism. | January 14, 2010 at 02:00 PM
Chicago Tribune, do you want a story?
How about the wholesale medical neglect of children with Autism by the mainstream medical community. You could write about all the children who have gone for years with undiagnosed Petite Mal seizure conditions because their pediatricians told them the symptoms were "just the Autism". They weren't.
You could write about the children who suffer with untreated bowel conditions because the GI doctors refuse to examine them.
You could ask the Neurologists why they do not treat Autism. Could it be the little matter of insurance not covering Autism? Then you could ask the American Academy of Pediatrics why instead of standing side by side with parents lobbying to end insurance discrimination against Autistics instead they spend their time lobbying to keep mercury from being banned in vaccines (http://www.aapsonline.org/nod/newsofday300.php) and trying to get a TV station to air a show they didn't like.
There's the real story concerning Autism treatment, Tribune!
Posted by: AnaB | January 14, 2010 at 01:40 PM
I think that on this issue the MSM has become just like Pravda in the old USSR. They are propagandists for an evil regime (pharma and its governmental and medical enablers). Their function is to maintain the status quo through lies of omission or commission, even as the hungry citizenry already knows the truth. "PANDEMIC! PREGNANT WOMEN IN DANGER! PROTECT THE HERD! THIMEROSAL SAFE! ALUMINUM SAFE! VLPS SAFE! NO INCREASE! BETTER DIAGNOSIS! NO CAUSATION! NO CONTAMINATION! COINCIDENCE! GENETICS! ASKED AND ANSWERED! MANDATES! 10,000 AT ONCE! ACCEPTANCE! NEURODIVERSITY! DESPERATE PARENTS! HARMFUL CURES! QUACK DOCTORS! JUNK SCIENCE!"
Everyone in the Soviet Union knew the important articles were the ones on the back page, that you had to read between the the lines, that the truth was the opposite of the headlines, and that the real news was what wasn't printed at all; it was the knowledge passed from neighbor to neighbor over dinner, with the radio turned up loud so the eavesdropping authorities wouldn't hear.
Maybe it's time to start looking into the Zils and Dachas and stock options of the media and their small auxilliary of reliable quotistes. Let's follow the money and see where it leads. After all, Al Capone went to jail for tax evasion, not the massacre.
Posted by: Let Them Eat Cupcakes! | January 14, 2010 at 01:28 PM
Wow - with Trine's help, all the cutting edge treatments for autism may soon be getting all sorts of free press. My guess is that the stuff that really seems to compete and hold off any future pharmaceutical monopoly on treatments for autism is the stuff that we'll be seeing in her column. I love the irony in that. You know what they say - there is no such thing as bad press!
Has anyone read "The Shack?" God doesn't cause the evil that happens in this world, but he'll find ways to use it for good.
Posted by: Jenny | January 14, 2010 at 01:21 PM
IMHO Trine is such a light-weight - no wonder she's getting the assignments covering this topic. The mainstream media cannot afford to upset major sponsors.
I'm not surprised by MikeWag's comments either.
I will never forget the ridiculous setting (a divorce case!) to explore, quite negatively, the biomedical approach to autism. Disgusting "journalism" (using that term loosely) on display. . .
Trine - wake up. Stop carrying the water for these entities who don't care about your kids or mine. They care about one thing - the shareholders and the bottom line. That's my opinion, if I'm still allowed to have one in this country.
Posted by: Parent | January 14, 2010 at 01:18 PM
The fact that the CDC want toddlers to take in about a 100x dose of mercury with "two shots each" of the H1N1 & seasonal flu vaccines should sadly support more chelation in the near future.
***** RE:
Chicago Tribune Publishes Multi-Part Series Exposing Dangers of Non Evidence Based Autism Treatments
* Risky Treatments Have No Basis in Science
* Researchers Say Their Data were Hijacked to Support Alternative Treatments
* Dangerous Treatments Amount to "Uncontrolled Experimentation" on Children
As the CDC or FDA will not even bother to test Thimerosal for safety, every vaccine is simply a "Uncontrolled Experiment."
Posted by: cmo | January 14, 2010 at 01:12 PM
We've been using OSR#1 for a year now. Cognitive gains have been remarkable. Last week I brought my child inside where I work. Most of my co-workers had not seen her in about 5 years. Her behavior was perfect. She said hello to everyone. One person said, "OMG, you can now have an actual conversation with her".
Here's my problem, she has been chewing through her clothing quite excessively. Any idea's what might be going on? OSR#1 is her only current treatment.
Posted by: Curious | January 14, 2010 at 01:04 PM
"Talking to mainstream pediatric specialists about vaccine injury is like talking to Joe Camel about cigarette injury."
Oh my God! Mike you smacked that right out of the park!
Trine, I've met dozens like her, $5 says she sits at the end of the same bar every Friday wondering for fifteen minutes what kind of drink to order. If she is with someone she will order what they are having.
Posted by: bensmyson | January 14, 2010 at 12:25 PM
Trine contacted me and we had 11 e-mail exchanges regarding mercury testing and toxicity. In the end she said all pediatric specialists disagree with what I had to say (even though they send me their samples and then ask me to interpret the results). Here was my final e-mail to her;
"Trine, I'm been evaluating material for mercury for 27 years and I've never tested anything even close to containing the quantity of mercury that is in multi-dose vaccine vials (50,000 ug/l mercury as opposed to EPA classified hazardous waste which is 200 ug/l).
In addition, ethylmercury, the type of mercury found in vaccines is even more toxic than methylmercury. Why? Both of these short chain alkyl mercury compounds are equally distributed to the brain. Once in the brain, the more unstable ethylmercury compound rapidly converts to Hg++ which remains permanently trapped and has been identified as the form of mercury most responsible for degenerative brain diseases. Also, ethylmercury is injected directly in the muscle providing rapid access to the bloodstream thus by-passing all the protective mechanisms of the gastrointestinal system.
Talking to mainstream pediatric specialists about vaccine injury is like talking to Joe Camel about cigarette injury."
Posted by: MikeWag | January 14, 2010 at 11:50 AM
Maybe she can entitle her next Trib piece "Cupcakes show no link to Autism".
Trine Tousdero is obviously no rocket scientist...she should stick to cupcake reporting and leave the science to those who know what they're talking about.
Posted by: Sarah | January 14, 2010 at 11:03 AM
Interesting.
We have been taking OSR#1 in our family for over a year. In addition to seeing great improvements in all of us, our son - who is 14 and has autism - has had dramatic improvements. We have done biomed since the day he was diagnosed. I have given him handfuls of supplements a day for the last dozen years.
You know which one he asks for now to be sure I get his supplements pulled together in the morning? OSR.
He asks for it every morning because it makes his brain, and I quote, "feel more calm and less jumpy."
That's about all the feedback I need.
They have a FAQ page up on the site now which indicates that it is less toxic than other commonly taken supplements on the shelves of stores across America.
So again...where is the story here? What are we being alerted to and why? There are so many other useful things the Tribune could dedicate its time to - real investigative journalism.
One thing I know for sure Trine...the boxes that contain OSR that come to my house don't have a skull and crossbones on any of the ingredients that go into the final product. There are things my kid has been exposed to in the past that had that label plastered right on it. Guess what? A doctor put it in my kid.
Go do a story about that, cupcake.
Posted by: Move along Tribune Readers - There is no story to see here. | January 14, 2010 at 10:12 AM
"Imagine, right now, a cupcake."
HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHAAAAAAAH
HAHAHHHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHAAAAAAAhahahahaha
Wow everyone stop and listen, if you are an expert in cupcakes you are obviously qualified in neuroscience.
Good for you Kim. I personally think she's sleeping with Alison Singer.
Posted by: Casey | January 14, 2010 at 09:17 AM
@ Garbo's comment: "Let's not forget that after the last atrocious article someone discovered Trine was facebook friends with Alison Singer. Sorta splains it all, no?"
Singer's entire Facebook page is down at the moment. Why would Ms. Singer hide that she and Paul Offit are sources for the Tribune series? Praise for the Tribune is on the ASF homepage.
As RFK Jr. said in DC, this is not high quality fraud.
http://www.autismsciencefoundation.org/home.html
Chicago Tribune Publishes Multi-Part Series Exposing Dangers of Non Evidence Based Autism Treatments
* Risky Treatments Have No Basis in Science
* Researchers Say Their Data were Hijacked to Support Alternative Treatments
* Dangerous Treatments Amount to "Uncontrolled Experimentation" on Children
Posted by: Imagine, right now, a cupcake | January 14, 2010 at 09:02 AM
I never trust anyone in the autism community UNTIL they've had a "hit" piece written about them. NOW, I think I'll have to try this OSR stuff.
Posted by: Maggie | January 14, 2010 at 05:43 AM
If the Chicago Tribune REALLY wants to do a story on autism, have reporter Ellen Gabler do a piece on the Autism Speaks payroll; it kind of parallels this article:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/watchdog/chi-chicago-dwellings-13-jan13,0,6822866.story
Posted by: htbenz | January 14, 2010 at 04:00 AM
"We've not tried OSR before, but if they're going to try to defame it maybe we should, it probably means that it works."
spot on!
Posted by: General rule of thumb | January 14, 2010 at 03:08 AM
IF we are to believe in Creation...how can we accept that God created flawed and failed immune systems?
IF, on the other hand, we are to believe in evolution, how can we accept that we have DEVOLVED into such pathetic life forms that human kind, with it's science, can manufacture synthetics and inject them into our bodies without negative outcomes? ...In either situation, the arrogance and illiterate attempts by flawed medical scientific attempts has not yet proven, nor provided for a fountain of youth. Merely a method of withdrawing our financial resources, modern medicine is nothing more than snake oil salespeople ransaking our pockets.
Some say, that's what biomed is...I beg to differ. Yes, your child may have different responses to the next (lots of trial and error), but, the premise is real. Our kids are oxidatively stressed, inflammed, have a disease process (some even say neurodegenerative at a subcellular mitochondrial level), and in some instances are deteriorating. Who in their right mind would up and leave that situation to the "experts" that made this crisis in the firest place, yeah right, trust me, I am the professional?
Personally, I will put my stakes on the experts that see the real reason for the rise in autism-who often stick their lives and necks on the line to save our children. Between our metals in vaccines, the viruses and retroviruses in them, the mycoplasmas, the borrelia lyme, and the immediate cord clamp and foods that degenerate the brain and toxic loads in general, I can tell you plainly and simply, that if given the opportunity, I would choose to reverse those "hits" in my child, any day. Yes, there are risks, risks in everything we do in life. But I find it riskier to leave an oxidatively stressed child alone, who, in the end, without interventions of any kind, WILL end up in institutions with violent aggressions, inability to cope socially and or take care of themselves independently, and or die of unecessary seizures and even cancers. How can any parent sit idely by and watch that happen? Perhaps this reporter should sit with a couple of parents who have been there and done that, and see the truth of our existence in this autism bizz? Boyd has been emailed by me several times, in praise of his OSR, and I find it a miracle personally in my children. I also like LDN, but that's another subject. The point being, our kids deserve a chance to normalcy.
Posted by: Kathy Blanco | January 14, 2010 at 01:02 AM
Maybe Tsouderos should return to reporting on cupcakes...Boyd Haley's OSR happens to be the icing on our recovery cake!
My daughter has been biomed for 8 years; with steady and undeniable gains, each month. Between a prescribed diet, careful supplementation, and intensive and on-going behavioral intervention my daughter has emerged from her solitary world and joined ours.
Initially, my daughter could not tolerate any kind of soft food and especially refused to consume anything which might stick to her fingers or, worse, combine two varying textures in a single bite - sensory defensiveness is common in Autism.
In the last few years, my daughter has joined the ranks of the many children who truly relish birthday parties, and especially cake. And, since the addition of OSR, she not only consumes her cake and icing with glee, but also has progressed to a higher cognitive level; she recently used no fewer than five adjectives to describe the experience!
We were without OSR for over a month - and the notes from school and therapy indicated my daughter was more distractible and irritable, less expressive, and less able to perform her classwork during this period. I was thrilled to re-introduce OSR and see her reports home change to reflect her renewed ability to express, engage and comprehend.
My daughter's joyful embraces and rapid-fire storytelling, her sparkling eyes and effervescent smile - THESE things are not simply the icing on her cake; they are the lifeblood of her future.
The Trib's place at the table is bought and paid for with PhRMA dollars, their hatchet dulled by the bones of the children they're robbing of an independent future. And yet they sit at the table alongside us without disclosing their sole motivation - the all-mighty advertising dollar and, likely, all the graft an editor might wish.
Your children be damned.
The Chicago Tribune and its writers continue bludgeoning the Autism community; as if their blows with a blunt hatchet might smite the existence of our legion of more than 960,000 American children with Autism.
Good luck with that.
Me? I'll keep our bio-medical regimen, intensive therapies and OSR.
The Trib? I'll use it to mop up the waste from our on-going celebration and then post it in its rightful place - the circular file.
Posted by: LizP | January 14, 2010 at 12:33 AM
Let's not forget that after the last atrocious article someone discovered Trine was facebook friends with Alison Singer. Sorta splains it all, no? Public Information and Communication Services. Guess that H1N1 vax profit $ buys a lot of hatchets. It's appalling. We've not tried OSR before, but if they're going to try to defame it maybe we should, it probably means that it works.
Posted by: Garbo | January 13, 2010 at 11:56 PM
Who names their kid Trine?
Posted by: Fine with you skipping Trine | January 13, 2010 at 11:11 PM
Most newspapers are happy just ignoring autism, leaving it a mystery and calmly telling us that one percent of children have it while expressing no sense of alarm.
The Chicago Tribune does that and goes a step further. They've dedicated themselves to slamming parents and doctors in the autism community for any claim made about alternative/biomedical treatments for autism.
And of course.......no matter how bad the numbers, the Trib is never alarmed about HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DISABLED CHILDREN FLOODING OUR SCHOOLS.
Seriously, the staff of Trib must be up nights coming up with new ways to dismiss autism. I work everyday with kids on the spectrum. I have no idea where they're going to end up as adults. Their parents are overwhelmed. The fact that no one has answers, no one can help these people in their struggles is due in large part to coverage autism receives from sources like the Chicago Tribune.
Anne Dachel
Media
Posted by: Anne McElroy Dachel | January 13, 2010 at 10:36 PM
Who is Trine sleeping with? Offit? Orac? or Kathleen Seidell? Just sayin.
Posted by: AutismComic | January 13, 2010 at 10:29 PM
Kim;
I am so sorry that you have to deal with people like this. It can give you high blood pressure from the frustration of dealing with them.
Posted by: Benedetta | January 13, 2010 at 10:11 PM
So--how do you move a kid out of the autistic spectrum? Get biomed, it worked for our child. I think this reporter is a sad reflection of our media today. Don't report on the facts, just go with what you want to write about--that'll do. Not that I'd wish this on anyone, but I wonder if she'd change her tune if someone in her family was affected? Or maybe she'll just do some bloodletting and give them more vaccines...
Posted by: Jenny in fl | January 13, 2010 at 09:30 PM
Let me get this straight: a reporter, who 15 months ago was on the cupcake beat, now knows more about neurology than Dr. Martha Herbert and more about chemistry than Dr. Boyd Haley? Um, excuse me?
This series by the Tribune is a new low for mainstream media autism news coverage, which is saying something.
By Trine Tsouderos
October 23, 2008
"Imagine, right now, a cupcake. But not a cupcake with yellow cake on the bottom, or chocolate. No, think white cheddar. Got it? OK. Now imagine the frosting, but instead of vanilla or chocolate, think tomato. Yes, tomato frosting. Top the cheese and tomato cupcake off with a wee crouton or two. Grilled cheese and tomato soup
cupcake.
"http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/oct/23/entertainment/chi-avant-garde-eats-1023oct23
Posted by: Imagine, right now, a cupcake | January 13, 2010 at 08:38 PM
I'll watch for it and I'm ready to comment - keep it positive. They can't argue that biomed (and OSR) have helped my kid. I saw immediate gains by the second day he was on it, and today I give it to him every other day. It's working really well. If I take one, I feel a boost in my energy that's not like any other. Personal testimonies over and over in the comments should show the readers that the Chicago Tribune is biased.
Posted by: DebinIL | January 13, 2010 at 08:10 PM
The reason you have no fleas, Kim, is because you don't lie down with proven dogs. Boyd Haley did what he had to do because the article is about his product, but he clearly got out of there before he got fed on as well.
Did you wish Tsouderos a "lovely" New Year?
Posted by: Gatogorra | January 13, 2010 at 08:03 PM