The Autism Retort Blog

<!--[if !mso]>

v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);}

<![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 <![endif]--><!--[if !mso]>

st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }

<![endif]--> <!-- /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:Wingdings; panose-1:5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0; mso-font-charset:2; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:0 268435456 0 0 -2147483648 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} h1 {mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-outline-level:1; font-size:24.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; font-weight:bold;} h3 {mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; mso-outline-level:3; font-size:13.5pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; font-weight:bold;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} p {mso-margin-top-alt:auto; margin-right:0in; mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto; margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Tim  read more »

A Marietta College student and Warren High School graduate is attempting to cover new ground in autism research, exploring an area of the disorder mostly ignored until now.

Heather Haught, 20, of Tunnel, a junior at the college, is entering the second phase of a research project aimed to form a better picture of what foods those with autism spectrum disorders prefer and how a diet can be made to cater to their needs and address eating problems associated with autism.

Often, children with autism are underweight, while many adults with autism are overweight or obese.

"I want to try to determine how we can get these people into a healthy weight range and have it be based in science," Haught said.

Haught had little background on autism when she learned a bit about it in a developmental psychology course at the college. She took that interest to assistant psychology professor Alicia Doerflinger, who had a background in the research of development of feeding behaviors, and the study was born.

The two found they would be virtual pioneers in their experiment, titled "The Effect of Food Preferences, Food Intake and Taster Status on Body Weight in Children with Autism."

"When we started to look at the literature, there was obviously not a lot of work done in that area," said Doerflinger. "Even though it's pretty well known that parents of children with autism have feeding issues on a daily basis, there didn't seem to be investigation into that in any depth. It was a little niche we could move into."

The lack of previous studies may be due to the difficulty of working with young children who are autistic or simply because with all the functionality issues related to the disorder, it may not have been a high priority, she said.  read more »

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - Research on a new device - a version of which is now available to consumers -  that measures young children's language-learning environment and holds promise for use in the screening, assessment and treatment of  young children with autism, will be the topic of the first 2009-2010 UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute Distinguished Lecturer address on Wednesday, Oct. 14.

The address will be presented by Steven Warren, a senior scientist, professor of applied behavioral science and vice provost for research and graduate studies at the University of Kansas, at 4:30 p.m. in the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute auditorium, 2850 50th St., Sacramento.

Warren is internationally recognized for his contributions to understanding language development in children and his leadership in the field of developmental disabilities. He has conducted extensive research on early communication and language-intervention approaches and has published more than 120 papers, chapters, and books on these and related topics.

Warren’s major research interests are early communication and language development and intervention and the prevention of mental retardation. His Distinguished Lecturer address focuses on his research using a new device that is an extension of the LENA (Language ENvironment Analysis) system, which Warren calls a “breakthrough technology.”  read more »

(NaturalNews) According to a U.S. government survey just published, rates of autism in children have doubled since 2003. Today, an estimated 1 in 91 children are being diagnosed with autism, making this the highest rate in any population in the history of human civilization. Meanwhile, the vaccination push in America continues, specifically targeting children with not just seasonal flu vaccines (which may contain thimerosal), but also the H1N1 swine flu vaccine.

It all begs the question: Is there a link between vaccines and autism?

In defending vaccines, many doctors have blamed autism on a genetic cause. But if it's genetic, why are rates skyrocketing so quickly? The gene pool obviously isn't changing that dramatically. There's no such thing as a "genetic epidemic." If genes caused autism, the rate of autism diagnosis should be holding steady year after year. Clearly, something else is at work, causing the sharp increase in autism.  read more »

One does hope that the surge, epidemic, tragedy, or whatever else we parents want to call it when our 11-year-old still watches “Elmo” will be treated with the human respect and attention it deserves, and won’t become just another political, ratings-rich football booted back and forth between Fox News and MSNBC.

http://www.blisstree.com/autismvox/new-numbers-smart-surveys/

"Shocking" new autism data released in the U.S. on Monday sent reverberations across the border and renewed calls for Canadian government agencies to get a grip on autism rates in this country.

 

The U.S. data found the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder has continued to increase, and now affects one per cent of children in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

 

The CDC said it went public with the findings, because they were similar to those published Monday by the Boston-based medical journal Pediatrics, which found that ASD affected one in 91 children — including 1 in 58 boys — in the U.S.

 

"These data affirm that a concerted and substantial national response is warranted," said the CDC in a statement.

 

The published Pediatrics study, done by the Health Resources and Services Administration, surveyed by telephone 78,000 parents with children aged three to 17.

 

Suzanne Lanthier, of Autism Speaks Canada, said the U.S. data were "shocking" and should motivate Canadian health authorities to focus their energies on dealing with autism.

 

"We need to start paying attention to that, and putting significant resources into finding out why this is happening," said Lanthier.

 

Lanthier said Canada does not have similar national data on domestic autism rates.

 

Autism advocacy groups in Canada have relied on the previous 1-in-150 rate released by the CDC in 2007, said Lanthier.

 

"Given what we have seen, there is no reason to believe that Canadian rates would be significantly different from the U.S.," said Lanthier.

 

Canadian studies have pegged child ASD rates in Canada at between one in 147 and one in 165.

   read more »

Bryan is six years old, and autistic.  The clinically observed statistics cited by authorities claim one in 120 to 150 children have an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). In point of fact, how many “normal” children have a cognitive disorder that either has not yet been expressed, or is thought minor enough to be overlooked by the conventional medical community?  The number of children estimated to have a cognitive disorder has been put at three times the ASD figures--that is a huge number!  The percentage cited by “experts” depends on the study, and who is collecting and tabulating data.  Either way, we know these disorders can be caused by a significant toxic exposure to mercury.

Bryan developed autistic symptoms two weeks after being injected with a vaccine containing thimerosal, which is 49% mercury.  Why was he cognitively affected, when so many other children show no effects from a single exposure to mercury?  And why do some children need two or more vaccinations to be negatively affected?  There are many causes, but there are clues that have become apparent in my biologic dental practice.

Bryan’s parents sought out my practice because they both had “silver” (mercury amalgam) fillings in their teeth.  Through their own reading and Internet research once their son was affected, they realized the risk of mercury exposure people have from these old-fashioned fillings.  (All silver-colored fillings in teeth are 50% elemental mercury, and all off-gas mercury vapor into the mouth nonstop).  They also understood that simply removing mercury fillings without precautions was dangerous. They wanted the mercury removed as safely as possible, according to the biologic protocols that exist to protect patients from the incidental mercury vapor and particles released during removal of mercury dental fillings.  read more »

Recovering Autistic Children, Edited by Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D. and Bernard Rimland, Ph.D. This book is the extensively updated and enlarged revision of Treating Autistic Children, which was published in 2003. Almost all of the 31 parent reports have been updated and 83 pages of new information have been added. You'll find up-to-the-minute information from ARI's acclaimed Defeat Autism Now! <!--(DAN!®)-->Project and new sections including Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment (HBOT); clinical use of Methyl B12; Specific Carbohydrate Diet; Low-Dose Naltrexone; Chelation; Medical Marijuana to control aggression; and much more! Thousands of autistic children have recovered and are recovering, based on the sound information in this book. 2006, paperback, 468 pages. ($24.00)

Changing the Course of Autism, Bryan Jepson, M.D. edited by Jane Johnson. A decade ago, autism was a rare disease--today, most Americans know a family with an autistic child. Autism is now epidemic, currently affecting half a million American children, or 1 in 150. This makes it the most common developmental disability--more common than Down's syndrome, cerebral palsy, and mental retardation combined. Autism is growing at a startling rate of 10-17 percent per year, which means that the disease could reach several million Americans in the next decade. 2007, paperback, 358 pages ($18.95).

Facing Autism: Giving Parents Reason for Hope and Guidance for Help, by Lynn M. Hamilton. A treasury of detailed, helpful information from a mother who has carefully investigated all of the promising treatment approaches. 2000, paperback, 361 pages. ($17.00)  read more »

Individuals with autism never make eye contact; they do not look at you.

Autism is a mental illness.

Progress means a person doesn't have autism.

Individuals with autism don't speak.

Autism can be outgrown.

Individuals with autism can't learn.

Underneath all the difficult behaviors is a normal person.

Individuals with autism cannot show affection and do not respond to physical affection.

Individuals with autism do not want friends.

Individuals with autism do not relate to peers/adults.

Individuals with autism are very manipulative.

Individuals with autism could talk if they wanted to.

Individuals with autism can't smile.

Individuals with autism don't notice others and don't pick up cues from adults.

When a person with autism does not respond to a question/direction to which he has shown a previous correct response, he is being stubborn/non-compliant/obnoxious.

Wasn't 150 the new 166? With no end in sight, I'm starting to think that the higher rate of diagnosis is meant to show (at least for some people) a higher rate of cure.

http://www.blisstree.com/autismvox/so-is-100-really-the-new-150/