Dachel Media Review: Food Allergy Expense, Measles, Bad Parents
Read Anne's comments after the jump.
Sept 17, 2013, UK Brighton and Hove News: Blaming parents for autistic children:
Sept 17, 2013, WNCN News Raleigh, NC: Doctors warn of measles comeback
Sept 17, 2013, BREAKING NEWS: New study shows kids with food allergies costing parents billions--USA Today, Fox News, CNN (See links after jump)
UK Brighton and Hove News
"Brighton and Hove parents criticised for having autistic children
"Parents of autistic children in Brighton and Hove have been accused of being poor parents instead of being given help.
"The habit of blaming parents was highlighted by a support group in evidence to a scrutiny panel at Hove Town Hall."
I'm not sure what's going on here. It sounds like autism is being blamed on bad parenting, children aren't getting a proper diagnosis or services. That's one way to make the autism epidemic go away--ignore it.
WNCN News Raleigh, NC
"The CDC said recent misinformation about the measles vaccine -- including a since-disputed link to developing autism from vaccines -- may still be influencing some families."
It would be nice if doctors took even a small percentage of the concern they have for vaccinating and focused on ending the autism epidemic. I'm waiting to see headlines like: "Doctors warn of epidemic increase in autism." This the same old denial--but a great chance to educate! I posted 13 comments. All links work!
USA Today, Fox News, CNN Breaking News:
USA Today: Average yearly cost for a child's food allergy: $4184 "Children's food allergies cost nation a total of nearly $25 billion a year, study says."
CNN: What food allergies are costing families -- and the economy
"Why so many kids are experiencing allergies to common food items still isn't clear, although experts suspect that some of the trend can be attributed to improved public health and sanitation efforts that may have made us too clean to build strong enough immunity to common allergens found in food and the environment. Kids not eating things like nuts and shellfish at an earlier age may also contribute to the rise in food allergies.
"Regardless of how the shift began,..."
Fox News: Food allergies cost US families billions per year
"Children's food allergies cost the United States about $25 billion a year, new research suggests....
"Exactly why allergies are on the rise is a mystery. Some research suggests that increasing awareness of allergies."
Allergies affect 8 percent of children. With more and more kids riddled with autism, learning/behavior disorders, diabetes, allergies, asthma, bowel problems, pretty soon we won't remember what a healthy kid looked like.
"So what chronic condition, illness, disorder does your child have?"
Notice that it's COST of food allergies that's being talked about here. There's only a mild interest in the cause.
My favorite is Fox News: "The rise is a mystery. Some research suggests that increasing awareness of allergies may contribute to the increase."
Second place: CNN: "Regardless of how the shift began,..."
NOTE: Also consider that while allergies are costing families in America billions each year---there are lots of opportunities for people to MAKE MONEY on specialty foods for these kids!
Absolutely agree there is no such thing as a genetic epidemic,but there might be genetics triggers eg history of coeliac disease in families. Medical staff did used to ask a few basic questions before vaccinating a baby that practice no longer applies. I am and always will be very supportive of Dr Wakefield,s work . I helped to organize the first medical conference in the UK in which Dr Wakefield,Professor Sudir Gupta, Professor Reed Warren and many other researchers highlighted the paths which needed further investigations sadly not to be taken up by the powers controlling Autism. What we hoped for as parents for further research turned into a nightmare.
Posted by: bk | September 20, 2013 at 03:44 AM
In response to bk, the Wakefield et al 1998 Lancet paper, described a novel syndrome, with both autism like neurological features and a distinctive bowel colitis like presentation. Parents insisted their children regressed following MMR vaccinations.
The twelve children in the Lancet study, were representative of a much larger group of children treated for similar bowel disorders at the Royal Free Hospital, London. Amongst these children, was my own autistic grandson, now twenty. His condition improved dramatically when he was prescribed a gluten/casein free diet, although the bowel disorder he suffers from is sadly permanent.
Dr Wakefield was actually previously researching a possible link between the single measles vaccine and Crohns disease. this vaccine was introduced into the UK vaccination schedule around 1968 and both my daughters were vaccinated. Two of their 'peers' developed Crohns. Both needed operations on their diseased bowels. One of these persons was involved with Dr Wakefield's research. My daughters and their friends are now in their forties.
There's no question that bowel disorders of all kinds have increased dramatically. Viruses and auto-immune disorders have been implicated, but no one dares to question the live attenuated viruses in vaccines. Instead the emphasis is on 'genetic' and there may well be an inherited tendency, but there is no such thing as a 'genetic' epidemic!!
http://www.ed.ac.uk/news/2013/fundingforstudy-200513
Extract from above:-
“Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are common causes of chronic ill-health in Scotland and elsewhere in the UK - the diseases together now are thought to affect as many as one in 100-200 adults in the UK.
The disease burden is especially great in children in Scotland, where the incidence of Crohn’s disease has increased by 500 per cent in the past 50 years.
Currently there is no way to prevent Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. Medical therapy is used to treat the symptoms, which may include abdominal pain, diarrhoea and severe weight loss. Many sufferers require major surgery during the course of the disease.”
Posted by: Jenny Allan | September 19, 2013 at 04:47 PM
In response to Jennie Allan with the numbers of coeliac diagnosed in Scotland at a record high it would be an interesting study to look at their ancestors particularly in relation to work. Coeliac diease is very high in the Irish community due to the famine and dramatic change of diet.In the 18th and 19th centuries there was very fluid work force between Scotland and Ireland mainly in farming, maybe this might account for it. Unfortunately this will never be researched nor will the rates of Autism in the vacc/unvacc be looked at either. Looking at MMR vaccine in isolation will only provide some of the answers not all of them. Single measles causes the same bowel problems as the MMR . The powers controlling the world of autism will stop any attempts to investigate medically as what happened to Dr Wakefield will happen to any other researcher raising the issues. It appears we are back to bad parenting again according to the media.
Posted by: bk | September 19, 2013 at 10:50 AM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-24124878
Extract from above:-
"Child coeliac numbers in Scotland are at a 'record level'. The driving force of coeliac disease is a reaction to foods containing gluten, including wheat. Scientists have found coeliac disease affects six times more children living in Scotland now than it did in 1990......
It is triggered by what doctors call an "infective hit", often a viral infection such as gastroenteritis, causing the immune system to attack the lining of the intestines.
Damage can cause symptoms such as weight loss, abdominal pain and stunted growth, although doctors said that in many older children and adults recurrent abdominal pain may be the only symptom."
In the UK, including Scotland, The MMR vaccine was introduced in 1988. Prior to this, autism and gluten intolerances were rare. Many autistic children are gluten intolerant and these children commonly also have gastrointestinal disorders, similar to those described above. Why is no one researching a possible connection between the three live viruses in the MMR vaccine and auto-immune intestinal damage? Oh- I forgot. Someone DID research a connection. His name is Dr Andrew Wakefield.
Posted by: Jenny Allan | September 18, 2013 at 07:18 PM
Oddly enough - and I think it is just a coincidence - there was a report in the hard edition of the Telegraph on Monday about a UK lobby group 'The Mindful Policy Group' headed by former Consevative education spokesman Tim Loughton MP publishing statements on their website suggesting that autism was the result of bad parenting. On its website it said, “In the early years of life, the brain is still developing and if caregiving is not adequate – or is abusive – the result is significant lifelong damage to the brain. in later life, this often leads to...depression, the capacity to commit violence, bipolar, and autism. In a nutshell, bad parenting leads to most of the recognised mental disorders...."
It all disappeared remarkably fast, and there were denials by Loughton: "Mr Loughton said the statement was a poorly phrased error (sic), dismissing the controversy as a "complete non-story".
However, the Telegraph report goes on'The Mindful Policy Group was established by psychologists seeking to lobby the Government and charities to put attachment theory, which emphasises the importance of strong relationships, at heart of policies affecting families and children"
http://www.mindfulpolicygroup.com/about/who-we-are/
Posted by: John Stone | September 18, 2013 at 06:40 PM