Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Items 1 through 8 have been deleted, since they are primarily for families
living in Virginia and Maryland, and I did not want to send useless
information to the folks in the rest of the country. However, please let me
know if you live in Virginia, Maryland or DC; so that I can add you to my
private email distribution list for events in those states.


9.  The latest issue of the open access journal- the Behavior Analyst Today
is now available on line at www.behavior-analyst-online.org.

10.  "DRUG FILES SHOW MAKER PROMOTED UNAPPROVED USE" dated 18 December 2006
by ALEX BERENSON from The New York Times at
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9E05E2DA1331F93BA2
5751C1A9609C8B63.

"Eli Lilly encouraged primary care physicians to use Zyprexa, a powerful
drug for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, in patients who did not have
either condition, according to internal Lilly marketing materials.  The
marketing documents, given to The New York Times by a lawyer representing
mentally ill patients, detail a multiyear promotional campaign that Lilly
began in Orlando, Fla., in late 2000. In the campaign, called Viva Zyprexa,
Lilly told its sales representatives to suggest that doctors prescribe
Zyprexa to older patients with symptoms of dementia.  A Lilly executive said
that she could not comment on specific documents but that the company had
never promoted Zyprexa for off-label uses and that it always showed the
marketing materials used by its sales representatives to the Food and Drug
Administration, as required by law.  ''We have extensive training for sales
reps to assure that they provide information to the doctors that's within
the scope of the prescribing information approved by the F.D.A.,'' Anne
Nobles, Lilly's vice president for corporate affairs, said in an interview
yesterday.  Zyprexa is not approved to treat dementia or dementia-related
psychosis, and in fact carries a prominent warning from the F.D.A. that it
increases the risk of death in older patients with dementia-related
psychosis. Federal laws bar drug makers from promoting prescription drugs
for conditions for which they have not been approved -- a practice known as
off-label prescription -- although doctors can prescribe drugs to any
patient they wish.  Yet in 1999 and 2000 Lilly considered ways to convince
primary care doctors that they should use Zyprexa on their patients. In one
document, an unnamed Lilly marketing executive wrote that these doctors ''do
treat dementia'' but ''do not treat bipolar; schizophrenia is handled by
psychiatrists.''  As a result, ''dementia should be first message,'' of a
campaign to primary doctors, according to the document, which appears to be
part of a larger marketing presentation but is not marked more specifically.
Later, the same document says that some primary care doctors ''might
prescribe outside of label.''  Ms. Nobles said that the company had never
promoted its drug for any conditions except schizophrenia and bipolar
disorder. Older patients who seem to have dementia may actually have
schizophrenia that has gone untreated, Ms. Nobles said.  Several
psychiatrists outside the company said yesterday that they strongly
disagreed with Lilly's claim. Schizophrenia is a severe disease that is
almost always diagnosed when patients are in their teens or 20s. Its
symptoms could not be confused with mild dementia, these doctors said.
Zyprexa is by far Lilly's best-selling product, with $4.2 billion in sales
in 2005, 30 percent of its overall revenues. About two million people
worldwide received it last year. Based in Indianapolis, Lilly is the
sixth-largest American drug company.  The issue of off-label marketing is
controversial in the drug industry. Nearly every company is under either
civil or criminal investigation for alleged efforts to expand the use of its
drugs beyond the specific illness or condition for which they are approved.
Lilly faces federal and state investigations over its marketing of Zyprexa.
In its annual report for 2005, Lilly said that it faced an investigation by
federal prosecutors in Pennsylvania and that the Florida attorney general's
office had subpoenaed the company ''seeking production of documents relating
to sales of Zyprexa and our marketing and promotional practices with respect
to Zyprexa.''  Since Lilly introduced Zyprexa in 1996, about 20 million
patients worldwide have received the drug, which helps control the
hallucinations and delusions associated with schizophrenia and severe mania.
But Zyprexa also causes weight gain in many patients, and the American
Diabetes Association found in 2004 that Zyprexa was more likely to cause
diabetes than other widely used drugs for schizophrenia.  ..."

11.  "Preliminary results of largest scan of autism DNA information" dated
18 February 2007 in a press release from the University of Pittsburgh
Schools of the Health Sciences
<http://www.upmc.com/communications/newsbureau>  at
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-02/uops-pro021507.php.

"Preliminary findings from the largest genome scan ever completed in the
history of autism research are being published today in Nature Genetics.
University of Pittsburgh researchers with a consortium of scientists from
across the world contributed to this landmark research endeavor through the
Autism Genome Project. The data represent the first phase of the effort,
which was to assemble the largest collection of autism DNA and complete the
whole genome linkage scan.  The collaboration is funded by Autism Speaks, a
non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of autism and
raising money to fund autism research, and the National Institutes of
Health.  This research was performed by more than 120 scientists from more
than 50 institutions representing 19 countries who formed a
first-of-its-kind autism genetics consortium, the Autism Genome Project
(AGP). The AGP began in 2002 when researchers from around the world decided
to come together and share samples, data and expertise to facilitate the
identification of autism susceptibility genes. "This project represents a
new beginning in autism research, and provides an invaluable resource to
researchers worldwide," said Bernie Devlin, Ph.D., associate professor of
psychiatry and human genetics at the University of Pittsburgh and a
corresponding author of the study.  "We hope that access to the tools and
information developed through this project will help researchers begin to
unravel the causes of autism."  The consortium leveraged the unprecedented
statistical power generated by its unique sample set by using "gene chip"
technology to look for genetic commonality in autistic individuals culled
from almost 1,200 families. The AGP also scanned these families' DNA for
copy number variations (CNV), or sub-microscopic genomic insertions and
deletions that scientists believe might be involved with this and other
common diseases. The innovative combination of these two approaches
implicates a previously unidentified region of chromosome 11 and neurexin 1,
a member of a gene family believed to be important in contact and
communication between neurons, among other regions and genes in the genome.
The neurexin finding, in particular, highlights a special group of neurons,
called glutamate neurons, and the genes affecting their development and
function, suggesting they play a critical role in autism spectrum disorders.
"By combining cutting-edge CNV analysis with the more traditional linkage
and association [analyses], the scientists now have a promising new
experimental framework to look for autism susceptibility genes," said Andy
Shih, Autism Speaks chief science officer. "These exciting findings from the
AGP linkage scan confirm the value and contribution of multidisciplinary
collaboration to advancing autism research."  The AGP consortium believes
the identification of susceptibility genes will provide profound new insight
into the basis of autism, offering a route to breakthroughs in diagnosis and
new treatments in support of families.  Autism is a complex brain disorder
that inhibits a person's ability to communicate and develop social
relationships, and often is accompanied by extreme behavioral challenges.
Autism Spectrum Disorders are diagnosed in one in 166 children in the United
States, affecting four times as many boys as girls. The diagnosis of autism
has increased tenfold in the last decade. The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention have called autism a national public health crisis for which
a cause and cure remain unknown."

12.  "Autism on Campus: The Other Diversity" dated 25 February 2007 by
Daniel Passantino at http://www.wiretapmag.org/education/43008.

"As I walked home through Central Park one afternoon -- having been expelled
from Hunter College's Manhattan dorms that morning -- I was so emotionally
drained that even the bare trees seemed vivacious by comparison. During my
two months as a resident student I'd lost 15 pounds, slept maybe five hours
a night, and had constant, vivid, flashbacks of my many humiliations. I
spent my days as tense as a hunted animal, fearing the scornful gazes of
students who shunned me like they would a person who'd committed a heinous
crime. My self esteem was shattered; when enough people look at you with
disgust, it's hard not to see yourself as disgusting. As for why? The best
answer I have is that, in this era of tolerance, on a campus where the mere
mention of racism elicits anger, I was guilty of being different from my
peers.  My most marked difference from the other students is labeled
"Asperger's Syndrome <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asperger's_Syndrome > "
(AS). It's a milder form of autism. According to a CDC study
<http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/dd/addmprevalence.htm >  released in February,
about 1 in every 150 American children has an "Autistic Spectrum Disorder."
That category includes everyone with some variant of the disability.
Asperger's Syndrome, which is one of the least conspicuous conditions on the
autism spectrum, doesn't alter the appearance or reduce the academic
abilities of those with it -- but renders us "Aspies" unable to intuit
emotions from body language. In conversations, people without social
disabilities -- pejoratively called "neurotypicals" -- rely on a steady
stream of unspoken social data to time their words so smoothly their entire
interactions seem almost pre-choreographed. Since we Aspies don't pick up on
these cues, we wind up awkwardly barging into chats, or getting sidelined
out of them. Not getting much in the way of social feedback also makes us
forthright to the point where many people find us offensive. The notion of
dissembling to 'protect' someone's feelings doesn't come naturally to us.
After all, we can't understand people who aren't completely honest with us.
In hindsight, my decision to enter a college dormitory -- a socially trying
place for even a neurotypical -- was, to put it mildly -- misguided.  At
first, things went well for me at the dorms. I made lots of acquaintances
there, and figured I was well on my way to starting a new life as a 'normal
person.' Within a few days, though, I found that whenever I tried to go
somewhere with the people I'd met, they'd tell me that they'd already made
arrangements with their own buddies.  Barely two weeks of the semester had
passed before loose bunches of students crystallized into cliques. These met
all their members' needs for companionship -- but left outsiders like me
with few opportunities to socialize with those in them. I figured that I
could solve the problem of my isolation from these groups by forming bonds
with individuals. One way I tried to do this was by holding little ice-cream
parties in the lounge of my dorm floor with open invitations. People came,
ate my food, and conversed amongst themselves.  ..."

13.  "Top General Motors, BBDO Worldwide and Virgin Mobile USA Executives
Join Autism Speaks Board of Directors" dated 26 February 2007 in a press
release from Autism Speaks at
http://www.autismspeaks.org/press/board_additions.php.

"Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness
of autism and raising money to fund autism research, today announced that
three new members have been named to its board of directors: Mark LaNeve,
North America Vice President of Vehicle Sales, Service and Marketing at
General Motors; Andrew Robertson, President and CEO of BBDO Worldwide; and
Dan Schulman, CEO of Virgin Mobile USA. The announcement was made by Bob
Wright, chairman of the board and co-founder of Autism Speaks.  LaNeve was
appointed General Motors North America vice president of vehicle sales,
service and marketing in March 2005. He had served as GM North America vice
president of marketing and advertising since September, 2004. In 2001,
LaNeve was named general manager of Cadillac, returning to GM and Cadillac,
where he began his career, following a stint as president and chief
executive officer at Volvo Cars of North America, Inc. (VCNA). He left GM in
1997 to become vice president of marketing at VCNA. Prior to leaving GM, he
was brand manager for the Pontiac Bonneville and held several sales and
marketing positions at Cadillac between 1981 and 1995. LaNeve's success with
the Cadillac brand was recognized and rewarded in 2003 when he was named
"Grand Marketer of the Year" by Brandweek magazine.  Mr. Robertson became
the youngest CEO in BBDO history in June 2004. He has been with BBDO
Worldwide since 1995, serving as CEO of Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO, in London.
In 2001, he joined BBDO North America as president and CEO and was elected
to the Worldwide Board of Directors. In 2002, he was named to the additional
post of president, BBDO Worldwide. As president and CEO, he helped guide
BBDO to "Agency of the Year" in 2005, and winner of The Gunn Report as the
most awarded agency network in the world, in 2006.  Since August 2001, Mr.
Schulman has served as chief executive officer of Virgin Mobile USA, a joint
venture between Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Sprint Nextel with
more than 4.6 million customers. From May 2000 to May 2001, Schulman was
president and CEO of priceline.com. He is the former president of the AT&T
Consumer Markets Division of AT&T Corp. and was appointed to the AT&T
Operations Group. From March 1997 to November 1998, he was president of AT&T
WorldNet Service."

14.  "Autism Speaks Launches Pediatrician Outreach Initiative to Increase
Awareness about the Diagnosis and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Problems-
Consensus Statement Developed by Expert Panel Includes Recommendations for
Care Specific to Children with Autism" dated 28 February 2007 in a press
release from Autism Speaks at
http://www.autismspeaks.org/press/gi_pediatrician_outreach.php.

"Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness
of autism and raising money to fund autism research, has launched a new
awareness initiative that will provide thousands of pediatricians with
updated information about diagnosing and treating gastrointestinal problems
in their patients who have autism. More than 43,000 physicians across the
country will receive a consensus statement that includes specific
recommendations for evaluating patients who present with GI symptoms and
determining an appropriate treatment plan. Gastrointestinal problems are
common among children with autism and often a source of significant
discomfort and distress.  The consensus statement was developed by an expert
panel of pediatric gastroenterologists and autism specialists convened last
October by Autism Speaks. The statement is based on their expert clinical
opinions and currently available data in medical literature. To read the
consenus statement, click here </docs/Autism_Speaks_GI_Statement_1-07.pdf>
(PDF); for a cover letter from Autism Speaks President Mark Roithmayr, click
here </docs/AS-AAP_GI_Cover_letter.pdf>  (PDF).   "Because of their
deficits, many children with autism are not able to effectively communicate
their symptoms or discomfort to their doctor," said Dr. Andy Shih, chief
science officer of Autism Speaks. "This outreach initiative reflects Autism
Speaks commitment to ensuring that children with autism receive the best
medical care possible. We want to encourage professional awareness in the
medical community about specific medical issues, such as GI problems, that
affect many of these young patients."

15.  "Autism Speaks and Leading Global Autism Researchers Announce the
Launch of Phase 2 of the Autism Genome Project- Phase One Progress Sparks
Expansion of the Largest Collaborative Study Ever Conducted to Find the
Genes Responsible for Autism" dated 1 March 2007 in a press release from
Autism Speaks at http://www.autismspeaks.org/press/agp_phase_2.php.

"Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness
of autism and raising money to fund autism research, and an international
consortium of researchers, philanthropists, government funding agencies, and
participating families today joined together to launch the second phase of
the Autism Genome Project (AGP), a global scientific effort to discover the
genes responsible for causing the disorder.  The first phase of the
multi-million dollar AGP achieved its goal of assembling the largest gene
biobank in the world and conducting the most comprehensive genome scan in
autism genetics, aimed at mapping susceptibility genes. One third of the DNA
and clinical data was provided by the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange
(AGRE). The AGP research was performed by 120 scientists from over 50
institutions representing 19 countries who formed a first-of-its-kind autism
genetics consortium. Results from phase 1 were published recently in the
distinguished scientific journal Nature Genetics (click here
</press/agp_results.php>  for the releated press release).  Phase 2 of the
project represents a 14.5 million dollar investment over three years, by
Autism Speaks, the British Medical Research Council
<http://www.mrc.ac.uk/index.htm> , the Health Research Board of Ireland
<http://www.hrb.ie/> , Genome Canada and partners, Canadian Institutes for
Health Research <http://www.cihr-irsc.gc.ca/e/193.html> , Southwest Autism
Research and Resource Center <http://www.autismcenter.org/> , and the
Hilibrand Foundation. This unique combination of international, public and
private partners funding a consortium of clinicians and scientists is
unprecedented in the field of autism research. The project is also guided by
7 luminaries in the field, forming a strategic Scientific Steering Committee
chaired by Professor Peter McGuffin of the Institute of Psychiatry, King's
College London.  Building on previous success, the coalition of researchers
will now apply state-of-art 'gene-chip' technologies to scan the genome for
association with new genetic markers, as well as sub-microscopic copy number
variations (CNVs) along chromosomes in autism. These findings will guide
high-throughput DNA sequencing experiments designed to pinpoint underlying
changes in DNA sequences in autism susceptibility genes. The unprecedented
statistical power generated by the AGP will ultimately allow researchers to
confirm the role of these genes, in autism spectrum disorders.  "The
integration of CNV analysis with the more traditional linkage and
association approaches is an innovative and potent combination," said Andy
Shih, Autism Speaks chief science officer. "Some of the data will have
immediate diagnostic impact, and going forward our new understanding of
genetic contributors in autism will give direction to the development of
targeted treatment and intervention."  "The identification of susceptibility
genes will provide profound new insight into the basis of autism offering a
route to breakthroughs in new treatments in support of families," said
Autism Speaks co-founder and board chair, Bob Wright."

16.  "An Inside Look at Autism Speaks Advocacy in the Nation's Capital"
dated 2 March 2007 in a press release from Autism Speaks at
http://www.autismspeaks.org/supportlegislation/index.php.

"U.S. Senate Designates April "National Autism Awareness Month- The U.S.
Senate adopted a resolution on Feb. 13 designating April 2007 as "National
Autism Awareness Month." The resolution reflects the Senate's recognition of
the autism epidemic, noting the CDC's new prevalence statistic of 1 in 150,
and a commitment to raising awareness within the general public.  April has
traditionally been Autism Awareness Month, recognized and promoted
nationally by the autism community. Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.) introduced
the resolution with co-sponsors Sens. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) and Debbie
Stabenow (D-Mich.). This is the third such resolution Sen. Hagel has
introduced in his push for improved research, treatment and support for
autism-particularly in light of the recent prevalence studies published by
the CDC.  "This resolution recognizes the importance of autism awareness,"
Hagel said. "The prevalence of autism among children remains high, while the
causes of autism are poorly understood and there is no cure. It is critical
to support research and improve treatments of autism that will foster the
health and well-being of autistic individuals."  The resolution echoes
Autism Speaks' commitment to research, awareness and support, "designating
April 2007 as 'National Autism Awareness Month' and supporting efforts to
increase funding for research into the causes and treatment of autism and to
improve training and support for individuals with autism and those who care
for individuals with autism."  The full text of the resolution is available
here </docs/Autism_Awareness_Resolution_(2-07).pdf>  (PDF).
Campaign for Combating Autism Act and D.O.D. Appropriations Continues-
Congressmen Chris Smith (R-N.J.), Mike Doyle (D-Penn.) and Congresswoman
Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.) this week asked their fellow members of the House
of Representatives to sign on to two letters seeking federal funding for
autism activities. The first letter
</docs/autism_2008_labor-hhs_approps.pdf>  (PDF) seeks $168 million in
fiscal 2008 for autism research, surveillance and services in the Labor,
Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations bill. This funding is
consistent with the recommendations of the Combating Autism Act. The second
letter </docs/autism_2008_approps_DOD_ltr.pdf>  (PDF) requests $15 million
for autism research in the Department of Defense Appropriations bill.  The
Combating Autism Act "authorizes appropriations," but the actual funding to
implement the law will be established by appropriations legislation
developed by the House and Senate Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human
Services, and Education Appropriations. If you haven't already, we encourage
you to show your support of this legislation by contacting your
Congressional representatives, via this form
<https://secure2.convio.net/naar/site/Advocacy?pagename=homepage&page=UserAc
tion&id=213> ."

17.  "The lessons of Jonathan Carey: Being kept safe is a most basic right"
dated 3 March 2007 in an editorial by Nancy Cutler from The Journal News at
http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070303/OPINION/70
3030316/1015/OPINION01.

"Autism is different. It's different from other developmental disorders, and
even different from those that fall within the "autism spectrum."  After the
death this month of a 13-year-old autistic boy living in an upstate group
home, activists and some politicians are demanding that the state Office of
Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities create a deputy
commissioner of autism services. A recent study by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention found that one out of every 150 American children -
and one in 100 boys - are afflicted with some degree of autism.  Is another
layer needed at OMRDD? With so many families confronted with autism, and
working to navigate a system of services that often are lacking, more
attention may be needed. In fact, a state Senate hearing on the issue is
scheduled for Monday morning in Albany.  What will we learn from the story
of Jonathan Carey, who died when he was improperly restrained during a van
ride from a residential facility north of Albany? It remains to be seen what
governmental structures, if any, require change. The senseless end to his
short, and undeniably hard, life shows that basic training in keeping people
safe is still needed. As well, we, as a society, must have the determination
to get to those with autism, and other disabilities, the most effective
education and support.  Jonathan Carey's parents were already active in
lobbying for legislation to ensure that parents or legal guardians get
information about their institutionalized children. They had met just a
couple weeks ago with Rockland's state Sen. Thomas Morahan, the sponsor of
"Jonathan's Law," which the senator described as an "access to information
bill." The Careys had tried to get information about Jonathan's treatment at
a residential school in Dutchess County after they found him bruised and
lying in his own urine. They removed him from the facility. Parents of a
nonverbal child in need of intense supervision struggle with how to keep him
safe. An attempt to find out exactly what had happened to their son left the
Careys feeling shut out when they sought his records. They wanted a report
and received one summary sheet. So even before their son died, and two
caretakers were indicted on manslaughter charges, this family already was
painfully aware of their son's vulnerability.  ..."

18.  "Early fears about MMR in secret papers- Mark Watts reports on the
potentially dangerous side-effects of the MMR vaccine" dated 3 March 2007 by
Mark Watts from The Telegraph (UK) at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2007/03/05/hmmr105.
xml.

"Katie Stephen was a healthy baby girl when she was injected with the MMR
triple vaccine. Ten days later she was vomiting, delirious and running a
fever.  That was in 1990. Seventeen years later, she is deaf in one ear.
Following the debate over MMR and its alleged link with autism, government
documents just released under the Freedom of Information Act show there was
another, earlier concern for which there was more evidence and, apparently,
more immediate risk. Whitehall experts knew of it before MMR's mass
introduction into Britain, but the public was kept in ignorance.  Katie's
symptoms were consistent with those of encephalitis, which can cause brain
damage or even death. Her mother Wendy, a former psychiatric nurse, is
convinced that the first variant of MMR used in Britain is responsible.
Mass immunisation with the combined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine began
in Britain in October 1988. Ten years later, Andrew Wakefield, a researcher
at the Royal Free Hospital in London, suggested the vaccine might increase
the risk of autism and bowel disorders. But at least eight months before the
first British children were injected with MMR, the government working party
set up to introduce it was already aware of another potentially dangerous
side-effect.  The newly released documents include the minutes of a meeting
of 15 experts and officials held in February 1988. According to the minutes,
the group "read a report of cases of mumps encephalitis which had been
associated with MMR vaccine containing the Urabe strain of the mumps virus.
The Canadian authorities had suspended the licences of MMR vaccines
containing the Urabe strain."  This was bad news for the government: the
Urabe strain was to be used in 85 per cent of early MMR injections. Canada
did not withdraw the licences for Urabe MMR, but stopped using it as a
precaution.  In early 1987, just after the Thatcher government decided on
MMR as an option in mass vaccinations, doctors in America had already
reported "adverse reactions" to Urabe MMR. A few months later, the Swedes
reported 52 cases of "febrile convulsions probably associated with MMR
vaccination".  Then, in Britain, five cases of convulsions were reported in
children taking part in an MMR trial in Somerset, although only three of
these appeared to be related to the triple vaccine. A meeting of the
government's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) noted:
"This gave a rate of three convulsions per thousand doses of MMR."  The
group "expressed concern" about giving triple vaccines to children with a
personal or family history of convulsions. Nevertheless, the British
immunisation programme involving Urabe MMR went ahead in 1988.  Toby Stewart
of west London was one of the children given it. He soon developed
encephalitis-type symptoms and was left with what his father Andy, a
business consultant, describes as "low-scale brain damage". Mr Stewart
believes his son was the victim of cost-cutting - Urabe MMR being cheaper
than MMR2.  Toby was one of the last British children to be injected with
Urabe MMR. After the start of mass immunisation, more alarming evidence
surfaced around the world. Canada, having stopped using Urabe MMR in 1988,
withdrew licences for the vaccine in May 1990. Malaysia, the Philippines and
Singapore soon followed.  In the same month, the JCVI's "adverse reactions"
sub-committee expressed "special concern" over reports from Japan linking
Urabe MMR with high levels of meningoencephalitis.  It took until 1992 for
Britain to stop injecting children with Urabe MMR, replacing it with MMR2,
which contains a less potent form of the mumps virus. And, according to the
minutes, that action owed more to the decision of the manufacturers of Urabe
MMR to cease production. Revoking the licence would have cast light on
Whitehall's decision to use Urabe MMR on British children despite disturbing
evidence of its potential effects.  The minutes of Whitehall committees
dealing with the triple vaccination have been obtained by the FOIA Centre, a
research company, on behalf of parents involved in a group action for
damages against a number of pharmaceutical companies for an array of
conditions allegedly caused by MMR.  The discussions uncovered began 20
years ago, but Mrs Stephen still feels betrayed. Mr Stewart is equally
bitter. "These documents," he says, "confirm our worst fears."

19.  "Special educators find standards stifling- Some fear practical skills
are taking a back seat to the new academic demands of No Child Left Behind"
dated 4 March 2007 by Chris Kenning from The Louisville Courier-Journal at
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070304/NEWS0105/
703040504.

"Seventeen-year-old Corey Bohn doesn't know his phone number and can't make
change for a dollar.  His Down syndrome makes it a struggle to talk,
recognize letters, cross a street, or even let someone know when he's in
pain.  Nevertheless, Corey, who attends Doss High School in Jefferson
County, now is expected to learn versions of grade-level academics such as
the Pythagorean theorem, the periodic table of elements, principles of cell
division and the parts of a novel -- all before he leaves high school.  "I
just don't think learning that is important for him," said Debbie Bohn,
Corey's mother, who is a special-education teacher for Jefferson County
Public Schools.  The requirements are the result of revised state standards
that took effect this year for thousands of Kentucky students with moderate
to severe mental disabilities.  The change, required by the federal No Child
Left Behind law, more closely linked those students' curriculum and testing
to a selection of modified grade-level material learned by other students.
The idea is to ensure that Kentucky's disabled students receive the same
academic opportunities as everyone else.  But teachers, parents, principals
and professors complain that the new standards are promoting unrealistic and
meaningless lessons that squeeze out instruction in practical life skills
and limit the time such students can spend in regular classrooms.  Although
teachers are allowed to reduce the complexity of the concepts and make
accommodations, such as allowing students to point to one of three photos to
answer a question, some students are growing so frustrated they're acting
out, even hitting themselves, teachers said.  "It's just horrible," said
University of Kentucky professor John Schuster, who heads the university's
graduate program in special education.  "Imagine you're a parent of a
high-school-aged child with a severe disability, and the state has said you
have to learn the first 12 elements of the periodic table, and your child
can't make a sandwich, ride a bus or make a grocery list."  Requirements
defended.  Johnnie Grissom, who oversees special education for the Kentucky
Department of Education, said the revised standards aren't harder, just more
explicit. Teachers should have been incorporating grade-level concepts from
the beginning, she said.  She and other state education officials say
teachers can simplify concepts in meaningful ways for students -- while
melding academics and life-skill lessons -- so that nothing is lost.  But
that doesn't always reflect classroom realities, and across the state,
teachers are "pulling their hair out," said Belva Collins, a UK
special-education professor.  April DuVal, director of Louisville's Council
on Mental Retardation, said she sees "a breakdown between what Frankfort is
saying and school systems are trying to implement, and the sad part is
parents are being caught in the middle."  Even in the hands of the best
teachers, some parents still object to the new policy.  "It may be a noble
idea, but we have to be realistic," said Todd Robertson, who believes her
10-year-old son, Nicholas, who can't communicate well or recognize his name,
shouldn't be learning a "grocery list of knowledge that can be
regurgitated."  ..."
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Items 1 through 33 have been deleted, since they are primarily for families
living in Virginia and Maryland, and I did not want to send useless
information to the folks in the rest of the country. However, please let me
know if you live in Virginia, Maryland or DC; so that I can add you to my
private email distribution list for events in those states.

34.  Peter Pan Peanut Butter Recall - on lid of jar, # starts with 2111.
http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2007/02/15/hscout601970
.html  At this time, Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter have been
implicated in this outbreak.   If you are concerned that your family may
have suffered from a Salmonella infection due to eating one of these types
of peanut butter, please follow the recommendations below: _       Check the
product code listed on the lid of the peanut butter jar.   If the product
code begins with _2111,_ please do not eat any more of the peanut butter.  _
If anyone in your family develops severe illness with bloody diarrhea,
fever, or symptoms lasting more than three days, they should consult a
healthcare provider. _ If the illness is/was not severe, just throw away the
jar. You can also contact the product manufacturer ConAgra at 866-344-6970
or http://www.conagrafoods.com/index.jsp if you have any additional concerns
or for more information about the refund ConAgra is offering for peanut
butter jars with the product code, _2111._  You may also want to contact the
FDA at http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01563.html or  call 1-800
INFO-FDA to follow the investigation. CDC is working with state and local
health officials, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Department
of Agriculture (USDA) to determine the food responsible for this outbreak.
Public health investigators have identified peanut butter as being consumed
more often by ill persons than well persons and as statistically linked with
illness. Evaluation of additional information about the brand of peanut
butter, the consumption habits of cases, and the patterns of distribution of
cases is ongoing. For more information on Salmonella infection and this
outbreak, please refer to the following website: www.cdc.gov/salmonella
Please do not hesitate to call 1-800-CDC-INFO, e-mail cdcinfo@..., or
visit www.cdc.gov if you have any additional questions.

35.  "Foundation Offers Grants to Help Parents and Caretakers Pay for
Children's Medical Needs and Equipment Not Fully Covered by Insurance" dated
24 January 2007 in a press release from the UnitedHealthcare Children's
Foundation at http://www.uhccf.org.

"The UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation (UHCCF) is now offering support
to meet the needs of children nationwide with assistance grants for medical
services not fully covered by health insurance.    Parents and caretakers
across the country will be eligible to apply for grants of up to $5,000 for
health care services that will help improve their children's health and
quality of life. Examples of the types of medical services covered by UHCCF
grants include: speech therapy, physical therapy and psychotherapy sessions;
medical equipment such as wheelchairs, braces, hearing aids and eyeglasses;
and orthodontia and dental treatments. "The UnitedHealthcare Children's
Foundation has already helped more than 375 families and provided nearly $1
million in financial assistance," said UHCCF President Matt Peterson. "We
are excited about the expansion of the program and look forward to the
opportunity to help many more children access health care services that will
enhance their health and quality of life."  To be eligible for UHCCF grants,
children must be 16 years of age or younger. Families must meet economic
guidelines, reside in the United States and be covered by a commercial
health insurance plan.  "Receiving a grant from the UnitedHealthcare
Children's Foundation changed our lives," said Karen Lucas, whose son Quinn
required extensive therapy as a result of spina bifida, a congenital
condition. "With the grant, we were able to take advantage of a special
program that provides the right therapies and support needed for Quinn's
specific medical needs. That program has opened up a whole new world for
him, and the grant from the UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation has eased
the financial burden on our family."  The UnitedHealthcare Children's
Foundation is a public charity with its own board of directors, operating
independently from UnitedHealthcare. While UHCCF continues to be supported
principally by UnitedHealth Group and its employees, individual and
corporate donations to help provide assistance are deeply appreciated.
Donors can designate funds to be used in the region where they reside;
otherwise unspecified donations are divided equally among the regions."

36.  "The "R" Word: Everybody Hates It- By refusing a part, a Hollywood
actor does his part to change attitudes about people with intellectual
disabilities" dated 8 February 2007 by Victoria Colette Reynolds in a press
release from the Special Olympics at
http://www.specialolympics.org/Special+Olympics+Public+Website/English/Press
_Room/Global_news/Vincent+Martella.htm.

"A co-star of CW Television Network's "Everybody Hates Chris" recently made
a huge statement in Hollywood - by refusing to say a single word.  Two weeks
ago, Vincent Martella was asked to audition for a role in which his
character would have to say the "R" word: retarded. Without thinking twice,
Martella turned down the part.  "When I proofread the script before I went
to the audition, I saw that word and right away I knew that it wouldn't feel
right to me to play a part like that," says Martella.  That's because
Martella, 14, feels strongly about people with intellectual disabilities.
Not only is he a Special Olympics National Youth Ambassador, but last
summer, he participated in the National Youth Summit, held at the 2006
Special Olympics USA National Games in Ames, Iowa.  At that event, 20 youth
with and without intellectual disabilities debated significant issues,
including the need to educate others about the ramifications of the "R"
word. Via a live video feed, Martella piped in and pointed out that - just
like the character he portrays on "Everybody Hates Chris," "Everybody's
different, and we all have to learn to accept each other just the way we
are."  In his everyday interactions with others, Martella says he doesn't
hesitate to correct someone if he hears them use the "R" word.  "Sometimes
they'll ask, 'What's the problem, because I don't actually mean it,'" he
says. "I'll tell them that it's offensive and it's one of those words you
should learn not to use - because it's a hurtful thing to say and it does
affect other people."  In fact, Martella says, "There's really no use for
the word, and even the dictionary, it has nothing to do with intellectually
disabled people."  If more people spoke up on this subject, he says, more
people would stop and think before using the word. Hooray for Hollywood for
the part the film industry has played in opening eyes and altering
attitudes. Martella refers to the Farrelly Brothers' film, "The Ringer,"
starring Johnny Knoxville and Special Olympics International Board Member
Eddie Barbanell.  "When I talk to people about ["The Ringer"], they tell me
it changed their attitude," Martella says. "Now they catch themselves before
they start to stay the 'R' word."  Martella also predicts that the upcoming
film, "My Brother," starring Special Olympics International Board Member
Vanessa Williams, will help create a ripple effect - not just among
celebrities who think twice about the roles they accept, but also the
public, who would do well to watch their words, realizing the ramifications
of "labeling" anyone.  "I believe that the world needs somebody to tell them
that it just isn't right to say that word," he says. "And all it takes is a
little bit of knowledge and caring for somebody to speak up."  As for the
statement he made in refusing to audition, Martella says many actors refuse
to read for roles based on personal principles. "This was just a personal
reason of mine and they were fine with it," he says, referring to his agents
and the casting director. "It was just a simple, 'I'm not gonna say it, so
I'd rather not even bother.'"  When the movie is released, Martella says
he'd be delighted if the "R" word is no longer in the script. "I'll be very
happy if that day comes," he says. "Knowing that word is offensive and
should not be used, well, that would be a day where I believe that Special
Olympics has made an impact, I've made a bit of an impact, and everybody
that doesn't use the word will make an impact."  Martella doesn't just speak
his mind about people with intellectual disabilities. He helps raise funds
to advance the mission of Special Olympics. Just last fall, Martella and
other celebrities helped raise more than US$500,000 for Special Olympics
Southern California at the Pier del Sol 2006, held at Santa Monica Pier and
Pacific Park. Martella says that not only was it fun to interact with
hundreds of Special Olympics athletes and supporters at the event, but he
also got to "hang out" with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and
First Lady Maria Shriver."

37.  "A different way of seeing things- Albany teacher prepares for Disabled
Awareness Month" dated 12 February 2007 by Marian Viney from the Albany
Times Plus at http://www.themonroetimes.com/m0212pal.htm.

"What is it like to live with a disability?  During the next few weeks the
students at Albany Middle School will participate in a workshop that will
help them find out.  "Most of Albany's students have grown up together and
are not as aware of kids with disabilities," Kari Kratochvill, Albany's
special education teacher, said. "Through this workshop, we want to increase
awareness of disabilities and how people deal with disabilities on a
day-to-day basis. People encounter people with disabilities everywhere,
whether it is a physical disability or a sensory disability."  Mary Janis
and Jill Schott, teachers in Albany's Elementary School, have been working
with the younger students and making them more aware of physical
disabilities.  "I was interested in continuing that idea one step further,"
Kratochvill, who earned her special education teaching degree from the
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater said.  Working with Sue Gorski, a middle
school science teacher, Kratochvill has scheduled 45-minute presentations
for sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders that will include hands-on
activities dealing with sensory issues.  "Wearing a pair of safety goggles
that are severely scratched might help a student understand what it is like
to have poor vision," Kratochvill said. "Or listening to a radio tuned
between stations and trying to participate in a game that relies on hearing.
"We don't always recognize the sensory disabilities, such as trouble dealing
with different textures or smells," Kratochvill said. "We can't always see a
disability."  One of the items Kratochvill plans to cover is pointing out
some famous people who had learning disabilities.  Albany students will
cover and practice the basic guidelines, the common courtesies, and
conversation suggestions during the workshop.  Kratochvill has found a
computer simulation program that will help students and staff learn more
about Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder.  Kratochvill is trying
to bring in the Cornerstones for Success program from UW-Whitewater to the
Albany schools in April. The unique program dispels myths about persons who
have a disability and shows students how they can be successful in and out
of the classroom.  The presentation involves a demonstration of wheelchair
basketball with world-class athletes who happen to have a disability. They
share with students the successes that they have experienced both on and off
the basketball court and show how these experience have benefited their
lifestyle.  "Because one of the fastest-growing populations is individuals
who happen to have a disability," Kratochvill said. "I want to plant a seed
of knowledge about disabilities and these types of issues.  "Students will
encounter diversity challenges every day throughout the rest of their lives
and they will be better able to handle situations if we address them in a
hands-on manner."

38.  "Discrimination Disguised As Science" dated 13 February 2007 by
Catherine Traywick in an oped article at
http://www.statepress.com/issues/2007/02/13/opinions/699721.

Here I am, ovaries and uterus in heels and a flouncing skirt, and I have
just learned that, according to modern science, I am a man, or worse - a
woman.  Now, don't get me wrong - I have been bombarded with gender
stereotypes as much as any good little American girl. I willingly stuffed
myself into under-wire bras, invasive g-strings and four-inch stilettos, and
I certainly grew up in a home where the rights and chores of men and women
were carefully delineated.  Among television, fashion magazines and my mom,
how could I not know that men are from Mars and women are from Venus?  I
have heard plenty of women who excuse their boyfriends' disrespect because
"That's how guys are," and I have seen plenty of men publicly ridiculed
because "Dude, you throw/talk/walk/pee like a girl."  Believe me, I
understand the cultural norm. And yet, the good feminist that I am never
accepted a word of it.  So one can imagine my surprise when I recently
stumbled upon actual scientific evidence of what I had always considered an
absurd, abominable myth, a spoiled remnant of the "think pink" era, a
decrepit senile old descendent of Victorian science, and an occasional ASU
Greek Life visitor: the theory of the male and female brain.  Apparently,
numerous researchers and scientists claim that a biological difference
between men and women actually exists and that our irreconcilable
differences are owing to a fundamental difference in our brains. According
to one researcher, Simon Baron-Cohen, author of "The Essential Difference,"
men have a systematic brain (you know - rational, logical, in a word:
"intelligent"), while women have an empathetic brain (caring, compassionate,
in a word: "deficient").  Personally, I do not think that last word appears
on my resume. And maybe it is just the cocky reassurance that comes with
being a Libra, but I am damn logical, damn smart and damn right. Then again,
maybe that is just my man brain talking.  For those of us who do not fit the
woman's body/woman's brain (or man's body/man's brain) mold (and Simon
assures us that there are plenty) - we, uh, well ... we simply do not fit.
We are different, exceptions, presumably not right. I have taken the liberty
of coining the term: "transgenderly brained." So, in addition to
"interracial," "Filipino-American," "non-Christian," "Democrat" and "woman,"
there is just one more minority I can wear on my why-I'll-never-be-president
vest.  Could they all be wrong? Could these many researchers and men of
science be acting on an age-old myth?  Well, it was "biology" in the 19th
century when doctors and scientists concluded that, because the female brain
was 12 percent smaller than the male brain, women were an inferior sex,
unable to match the intellectual level of men.  Also familiar are the names
of Florence Nightingale, Marie Curie and plenty of others I'm sure would
have disagreed. In any event, it turns out that those great men of science
were actually quite wrong - and that the brain of an elephant is over four
times larger than that of a human.  What is unfortunate is that science is
not responsible for the everyday, on-campus belief that men and women are
unequal - society is. Men are physically bigger and stronger because over
thousands of years, boys have been the nutritional priority over girls - a
pattern that is passed down in behavior as well as genes.  And while boys
are busy being boys, little girls had better not get their dresses dirty.
Studies show that when gender, and even race, is made a factor, minorities
tend to perform less well on tasks that are traditionally associated with
the opposite sex.  When gender and race are not made a factor, however,
minorities tend to perform considerably better. The fact that there are more
male scientists and engineers than female does not signify a universal
truth.  Before the women's revolution, men did better in school and more
graduated from college, but today just the opposite is true.  Maybe instead
of labeling our capabilities according to our gender, we should be labeling
ourselves according to our capabilities."

39.  "Report identifies ed-tech trends to watch- Emerging forms of
publication, massively multiplayer educational gaming among trends on the
horizon expected to have a huge impact on schools" dated 13 February 2007
from Eschool News at
http://www.eschoolnews.org/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=6870.

"Virtual worlds, emerging forms of publication, and "massively multiplayer
educational gaming" are among the emerging trends expected to have a huge
impact on educational technology over the next few years, according to a
recent report from the New Media Consortium and the nonprofit group
EDUCAUSE.  The groups' "Horizon Report" identifies six technology trends
they predict will have a significant impact on education within the next one
to five years. The report is part of an annual series aimed at helping
school leaders understand the emerging trends they should be paying
attention to.  The six trends identified in this year's report are
*User-created content; *Social networking; *Mobile phones; *Virtual worlds;
*New scholarship and emerging forms of publication; and *Massively
multiplayer educational gaming.  User-created content and social networking
already are common on campus--but their significance to education is just
being realized by many school leaders, the report notes.  User-created
content "is all around us, from blogs and photostreams to wikibooks," the
report says. Inexpensive tools and easy access to technology have "opened
the doors for almost anyone to become an author, a creator, or a filmmaker."
These tools allow students to express their creativity and encourage shared
responsibility for developing course resources, links, and materials. They
also allow for asynchronous public feedback on assignments. Photography
students at Rowan University, for example, use Flickr to post, organize,
share, and critique their colleagues' work for each assignment.  Social
networking is not limited only to Facebook or MySpace. "We are seeing more
and more professionals use social networks to find colleagues and experts in
different fields," says Diana Oblinger, EDUCAUSE vice president. "There is
so much information out there that we don't know for ourselves. We need to
be a part of a network that can help point us to the top information."  ..."

40.  "High-profile report calls for new NCLB- A bipartisan panel calls for
renewal this year of education's most controversial law" dated 14 February
2007 from Eschool News at
http://www.eschoolnews.org/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=6871.

"A new report, titled "NCLB and Beyond" put out by the Aspen Institute
declares that the United States Congress should reauthorize the No Child
Left Behind Act (NCLB) this year. The bipartisan commission set out to look
at NCLB's success and failures. In its final analysis, the commission
released 75 recommendations that it says should be part of the
re-authorization of the NCLB bill.

Congress should reauthorize the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) this year,
declares a high-profile report released Feb. 13 by the Aspen Institute, a
think tank in Washington, D.C.  Declares the report, titled "NCLB and
Beyond": The rejuvenated law should establish national standards for student
achievement, broaden the definition of highly qualified teachers, and
authorize $400 million over four years to help states develop data systems
to track student achievement and teacher qualifications.  The bipartisan
commission--co-chaired by former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy
Thompson, who served 14 years as the Republican governor of Wisconsin, and
former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes, a Democrat--set out to look at how the NCLB
law has succeeded and failed. In its final analysis, the commission released
75 recommendations it says could be part of the re-authorization of the
bill, which is due to come up later this year.  Explained Barnes in
releasing the report, "The recommendations create a blueprint--really, we
think a jump-start--for Congress that we hope [lawmakers] will use to chart
the course of the next re-authorizing of this law ... We can and should
re-authorize No Child Left Behind this year. The commission stands ready to
help and assist in any way the Congress desires."  The White House and U.S.
Department of Education (ED) want NCLB renewed this year, but many
Washington observers say the reauthorization is likely to be delayed until
2008 or later.  U.S. ED Secretary Margaret Spellings welcomed the Aspen
Institute report, but its recommendations were in a withering cross-fire
from both the left and the right even before its official release.  Summed
the National Education Association: "NEA opposes the commission on No Child
Left Behind's proposed 'highly qualified effective teacher' (HQET) mandate
as an ill-conceived proposal that sets teachers up for failure."  Said
American Federation of Teachers President Edward J. McElroy : "The 'Highly
Qualified and Effective Teachers' recommendation in the commission's report
should be a nonstarter for the congressional committees dealing with
reauthorization of No Child Left Behind."  Conservative education
commentator Chester E. Finn Jr., writing with Michael J. Petrilli, in a
response published by the National Review Online, had this to say: "If
conservatives thought Bush's original law was a dubious venture, heavy as it
is on big-government mandates and light on school choice, this version would
be markedly worse. It's the antithesis of what you might expect from former
Wisconsin governor and commission co-chair Tommy Thompson, one of America's
foremost proponents of school choice (and of state flexibility in welfare
reform), who must have been consumed by his nascent presidential campaign
and left the drafting to staff.  "The future the commission depicts gives
Washington yet more power over the nation's schools; its summary
recommendations use the word 'require' (often followed by the word 'states')
at least 35 times. By contrast, we found just half a dozen 'allows' or
'permits.' Seems the panel is six times more interested in issuing new
federal mandates than providing flexibility to states, districts or
schools."  Said the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, "The
commission's recommendations for reauthorizing the federal No Child Left
Behind, amount to little more than NCLB on steroids... While the commission
claims that the public now accepts NCLB, numerous state and national surveys
find that educators overwhelmingly reject the test-and- punish dictates of
the law while parents reject the side effects of teaching to the test. The
more the public knows about the law, the more they oppose it."  ..."

41.  "Thorny issue for exit exam- State board ponders: What do we require of
disabled students?" dated 15 February 2007 by Laurel Rosenhall from the
Sacramento Bee at http://www.sacbee.com/293/story/123886.html.

"One of the biggest dilemmas in creating a high school exit exam re-emerged
Wednesday as the State Board of Education grappled with a philosophical,
logistical and legal puzzle: Should the test be a graduation requirement for
students with disabilities?  The issue had been on hold for the last year
because the state -- under pressure from a lawsuit -- exempted special
education students in the classes of 2006 and 2007 from passing the test.
That amounted to between 20,000 and 25,000 students last year. All other
students, beginning with the class of 2006, must pass the California High
School Exit Exam in order to receive a diploma.  The Board of Education is
looking at the issue now because the exemption for students with
disabilities expires Dec. 31. That means that starting next year, special
education students will have to pass the test to graduate -- unless the
Legislature alters the exit exam law.  In a series of three meetings between
now and June, state education officials will formulate a recommendation to
the Legislature on what kinds of graduation requirements are appropriate for
students with disabilities.  It's a thorny question because the students'
disabilities vary greatly and affect learning in many different ways. The
exit exam, in contrast, is a highly standardized test of 10th-grade-level
English and middle school-level math plus algebra.  Three-quarters of
California students who are disabled have a specific learning disability or
a speech and language impairment, said Alice Parker, one of several special
education experts to address the board Wednesday.  The remainder of students
with disabilities are mentally retarded, health impaired, emotionally
disturbed, autistic, orthopedically impaired, deaf, blind or have some
degree or combination of those conditions, she said.  The hearing made clear
that lawmakers face a huge challenge in creating a graduation policy that is
sensitive to that range of abilities but also pushes schools to educate
disabled students to the highest possible level.  Even special education
advocates disagreed on the best course of action. Some argued that exempting
students with disabilities from the test or making a special test for them
would amount to state-sanctioned segregation. Others criticized the
requirement that they take the same test as their non-disabled peers.
"Special education students are going to be penalized for not being able to
answer questions about material they haven't been taught," said Roger
Heller, an attorney with Disability Rights Advocates, which sued the state
over the exit exam.  He pointed to disabled students' low pass rate last
year to prove his point: About 48 percent passed the test, in contrast with
91 percent in the general population.  But some board members raised doubts
about the special ed pass rate because it doesn't include disabled students
who passed the test using modifications, such as calculators or
dictionaries. Those students must go through the so-called "local waiver"
process to be considered passing.  That involves a parent requesting a
principal to lobby the school board for a waiver. Some districts grant them
and some don't, leaving some students without a diploma even if they get a
passing score on the test.  The waiver issue was a source of much discussion
Wednesday. It has parents, teachers and school district officials confused,
many people said. It creates an unfair burden on students with disabilities,
Heller said. And the reliance on parents and principals to initiate the
process means some children will end up with strong advocates and some will
not, said board member James Aschwanden.  The Board of Education meets again
to discuss the exit exam for special needs students March 7-8 and May 9-10."

42.  "Schools strive for 'no parent left behind'- Public schools facing
pressure to perform are working to help parents be more engaged in their
children's educations" dated 15 February 2007 by Stacy A. Teicher |from The
Christian Science Monitor at
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0215/p13s02-legn.htm.

"With schools increasingly held accountable for the performance of every
student, the demand to partner with parents has intensified. School plays
and fundraisers supported by moms, dads, and grandparents are still staples
of American public schools. But in the spirit of "it takes a village,"
families now might find such activities paired with a workshop on test-prep
or a briefing on how to read state accountability reports.  When "no child
left behind" became the mantra of federal education officials five years
ago, it was touted as a way to empower parents to ensure their children
received a good education. If schools are chronically failing academically,
children can receive tutoring or transfer. But there have been barriers to
parents taking advantage of those offers. In 2003-04, only 1 percent of
eligible students chose to transfer, and only 19 percent participated in
supplemental services such as tutoring, according to a recent report by
Appleseed, a nonprofit organization in Washington.  Such escape valves give
parents leverage, but it's perhaps more important for family members to be
brought in as allies as local schools plan improvement, experts say.  "The
revolution of [the No Child Left Behind Act] is it really institutionalized
parent involvement in schools in a way that says, 'Your contribution is more
than just sending your kids and baking cookies,' " says Edwin Darden,
director of education policy at Appleseed. But, he adds, "there's a long way
to go in terms of parents really understanding fully what the rights and the
opportunities are of No Child Left Behind." The vision of the law, the group
reported, "remains unfulfilled."  No Child Left Behind (NCLB) actually
requires schools that need improvement to inform and involve parents in
their strategies, but federal and state monitors haven't been paying much
attention to that part of the law, says Anne Henderson, a senior fellow at
the Annenberg Institute for School Reform and coauthor of "Beyond the Bake
Sale: The Essential Guide to Family-School Partnerships."  Parents tend to
have widely varied interactions with school staff, partly because of factors
such as their socioeconomic background or ability to speak English, Ms.
Henderson says. For white, middle-class parents, it's generally easier to
walk into a school and advocate for a child to take particular classes to be
on track for college. For low-income, less-educated families, "they don't
know 'educationese'.... There are class and cultural differences that make
it difficult for them to relate easily and comfortably to school staff - and
school staff may look down on those families," she says.  When Baruti
Kafele, principal of Newark Tech high school in New Jersey, hears educators
lamenting that certain groups of parents just won't get involved, he tells
them, "That is an excuse, and it is unacceptable."  The author of "A Black
Parent's Handbook to Educating Your Children (Outside of the Classroom),"
Mr. Kafele is often called upon to give talks to parents and educators. One
creative solution he heard about at a school in Charlotte, N.C.: The staff
took a bus tour of the communities the students live in, mostly impoverished
areas where the teachers generally didn't venture. "Until you get into the
community, you don't even know the child.... You can't fear the student, nor
the community, nor the parent," he says.  ..."

43.  "Boal says 'effective teaching,' not more laws, will stop bullies"
dated 16 February 2007 by CARMINE BOAL from the Des Moines Register at
http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070216/OPINION01/7
02160308/1025/NEWS.

"A bill passed by the Iowa House recently would require all schools to adopt
a policy declaring harassment and bullying in schools as against school
policy. It is a reasonable assumption no one condones the practice of
harassment or bullying of any student for any reason at any time, and it
seems most would favor its passage.  However, it is also my guess most
people would assume schools already have harassment policies in place and it
would be unnecessary for the state legislature to pass redundant
legislation.  I assumed the same. Upon researching the question, I found
that in order to be accredited by the state of Iowa all public and
non-public schools must have a student discipline policy addressing
harassment per Iowa Administrative Code 281-12. Almost all school districts
have adopted the model policy of the Iowa Association of School Boards,
which closely mirrored the rule language.  So why should the legislature
pass another law to mandate schools do something they have already done? The
key is in how the bill defines harassment and bullying and the true intent
of the passage of this legislation.  The bill defines harassment and
bullying as "any conduct toward a student which is based on any actual or
perceived trait or characteristic of the student and which creates an
objectively hostile school environment." The bill then lists the traits or
characteristics upon which harassment or bullying can be based. The list
includes age, color, creed, national origin, race, religion, marital status,
sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, physical attributes, physical or
mental ability or disability, ancestry, political party preference,
political belief, socioeconomic status, or familial status.  Currently only
three other states - California, New Jersey and Vermont - have a similar
harassment and bullying law which lists specific characteristics on which
harassment or bullying can be based.  A key amendment offered would have
eliminated the list of traits or characteristics and instead included the
word "all" to ensure the protection of all students from harassment and
bullying. This amendment was not acceptable to the majority party and was
defeated.  One must ask why language that would protect all students from
harassment and bullying would be less preferable to language that provides a
list that may not include certain students. It seems to me that such a
specific list could provide more headaches for schools to administer.
Because taking the list out of the legislation was not negotiable, it became
apparent there was an additional agenda for those who supported the bill
other than protecting all students from bullying.  To their credit, the
majority party did allow an amendment that would remove non-public schools
from this requirement, recognizing that the inclusion of some of the traits
might be in opposition to their religious tenants. They also agreed to
include cyber bullying in the bill. While I am grateful for those
concessions, I was still unable to vote for final passage of the bill.  The
bottom line is no amount of words added to the Iowa Code will stop the
age-old practice of bullying. Effectiveness is achieved when students,
parents, teachers and administrators join together to confront bullying and
harassment. We must all take responsibility to do our part to change hearts
and minds to make Ankeny a place where all students and all people are
respected."

44.  "Disabled students wrongly expelled, lawsuit alleges- Mother alleges
district illegally removes special-education youths after son kicked out for
having knife" " dated 16 February 2007 by Andrew Becker from the CONTRA
COSTA TIMES at
http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/living/education/16712966.htm.

"The Oakley elementary school district systematically uses discipline to
push disabled students out of its schools, according to a lawsuit filed in
U.S. District Court in Oakland.  The class-action disability discrimination
suit, filed Wednesday, was brought by a parent of a former Delta Vista
Middle School special-education student, neither of whom are named. The suit
alleges that school and district officials illegally expelled the
13-year-old boy for bringing a 2-inch pocket knife to school. It also states
the district failed to follow legal requirements of due process and did not
provide information to the boy's mother on how she could re-enroll her son
in the district.  "They ran him out of the school district with no due
process and then washed their hands of him," said Wendy Musell, an attorney
representing the student and his mother. "It's really a case of a school
district throwing away a child with disabilities. We really think this is a
case of zero tolerance zeroing in on children with disabilities and going
against civil rights."  An Oakley elementary school district spokeswoman
declined to comment on the case because the district had not been formally
notified of the lawsuit.  Attorneys for the woman and her son, who moved
from Pittsburg to Oakley last year, estimate that the suit's class size
could have 20 students. Musell said Oakley schools have tried to discard
students with disabilities because it costs more time and money to educate
them.  The student, now 14, has not attended a public school for nearly a
year. Since his expulsion he has been tutored, his mother said. His
attorneys seek an injunction order to reform disciplinary issues so the
district complies with state and federal law. They also want the district to
re-admit the student and allow him to enroll in a special education services
program. With the denial of a free, appropriate public education, attorneys
argue that the school district has to provide compensatory services for the
boy's tutoring.  Having transferred from Hillview Junior High in Pittsburg
in March, the student, then a seventh-grader, had attended Delta Vista for
only eight days before he was expelled, the plaintiff's attorneys said.
After school the boy showed another student a pocket knife, which attorneys
say he had carried on a church camp retreat a few weeks before. The other
student told his parents about the knife, and they, in turn, notified school
officials. The boy was expelled that day.  "Under federal special-education
law, you cannot expel a child with special-education needs for having a
knife with a blade this size," Rhoda Benedetti, the plaintiff's lead
attorney, said, citing the Individuals with Disabilities Education and
Improvement Act, passed in 2004. "The entire process Oakley uses is
calculated to eliminate disabled students permanently."  Musell said there
were no allegations that the student, who has attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder, severe social reasoning and social skills deficits
on top of learning disabilities, acted violently toward another student.
The boy's mother and her attorneys acknowledge that bringing the knife to
school was wrong, and the boy was subject to discipline, even if he didn't
know better. Citing federal law, they say he shouldn't have been expelled.
They argue that instead of following the legal process of holding a meeting
to determine the proper discipline, the district made its decision in
advance of any meeting or hearing.  Once the expulsion was finalized, the
district failed to give the boy's mother the required information on when,
where and how the boy could re-enroll in the district and what his options
were in the interim, the suit alleges.  "They decided this kid was a
problem, and he was out," Musell said. "We think there are many, many other
children with disabilities this district has just thrown away."  Even after
the mother found an attorney to represent her, the district still rebuked
efforts to gain information, Benedetti said. Mediation in the fall also
failed, she said.  The boy's mother said she doubts her child is alone.
"What kind of way is this to do business?" she said. "This isn't a dog. This
is my child. They're trying to make him into a monster. He's not a monster.
He made a bad choice."

45.  "No Child Left Behind needs flexibility to be useful to good schools"
dated 18 February 2007 from The Wilmington News Journal at
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070218/OPINION11/
702180305/1004.

"Delaware public schools had their problems -- and still have them --
despite our system's national reputation for positive innovations.
Nonetheless, almost a decade before the federal No Child Left Behind Act
laid down markers for school improvement, Delaware was identifying students
who were shortchanged and pushing instructors to gain competence and enrich
curriculum.  Frustrations with No Child Left Behind run coast to coast. The
big themes are rigid and unfair targets based on test scores, insufficient
money to fulfill mandates, availability of qualified teachers, and getting
useful data that help schools work smarter with the children they've got.
In Delaware and elsewhere, friction also arises when Washington's
regulations -- or lack thereof -- become a drag on good ideas.  The good
news is that the goals of No Child Left Behind are taken seriously here. The
results are uneven. Black, Hispanic and poor children do well in some
outstanding schools, though an achievement gap persists. Special-education
students get caught in a bind of being judged by standard tests regardless
of their capabilities or progress. High schoolers of all kinds fall short in
reading and math.  The complaints are legitimate and solvable with
adjustments on the federal, state and local sides.  Congress will take up
reauthorization of the 5-year-old education law with important suggested
modifications. U.S. Education Secretary Margaret Spellings has been
persuaded to allow more flexibility and sample projects. Delaware is a model
in one key area this year: measuring individual students' gains against what
they knew when they started, rather than just monitoring groups and
categories of kids.  The federal administration also proposes adding money
for teacher training, research-based curriculum and data tracking. It's
willing to allow school districts to transfer funds to suit local needs.
High schools with low-income students would get more funds too.  Most
controversially, the government proposes "scholarships" -- that is, vouchers
-- of as much as $3,000 to parents if their home schools fail and they wish
to enroll children in tutoring or a different public or private school. It
also wants the ability to get around collective-bargaining contracts so
failed schools could reassign teachers.  The fight will be over the last two
ideas. There's much practical good and common ground in the rest. For states
such as Delaware, these are tools to build on good intentions."

46.  "Va. raps No Child testing rules" dated 19 February 2007 by ZINIE CHEN
SAMPSON from The ASSOCIATED PRESS at
http://dwb.newsobserver.com/24hour/nation/story/3557423p-12787039c.html.

"Officials in some high-immigrant school districts are threatening to defy a
federal law that requires all children to take the same reading tests, even
those struggling to learn English.  This month, the U.S. Department of
Education threatened sanctions against Virginia - including the possibility
of withholding funds - if the state doesn't enforce the provision, which is
part of the No Child Left Behind law.  The Virginia Department of Education
had sought an exemption for another year, contending that the rule is
unfair.  Immigrants who have been in the U.S. a short time "are simply
unable to take a test written in English and produce results that are
meaningful in any way," said Donald J. Ford, superintendent of the
Harrisonburg city school division.  The federal government denied the
state's request, saying Virginia has known about the act's guidelines for
some time and have had time to prod schools into compliance.  The
five-year-old federal law is scheduled to be rewritten this year, and
lawmakers have said they will try to change the rules for recent immigrants
and special-education students. The aim is to inject more common sense into
the law while sticking with its promise to leave no child behind his or her
peers.  Of Harrisonburg's 4,400 students, 39 percent are English learners,
and nearly 750 of them are classified as beginners, school officials said.
Most of the immigrants are Hispanic, and others are Russian and Kurdish. The
Shenandoah Valley city has many immigrants who work in poultry plants.
School boards in Harrisonburg and the Washington suburbs of Fairfax, Prince
William, and Arlington counties have recently signaled their intent to defy
the No Child Left Behind mandates, and others are considering following
suit.  Those boards have passed resolutions saying they will continue to
evaluate all students' reading proficiency, but will only administer the
state's grade-level Standards of Learning tests to students who have an
adequate grasp of English, as determined by teachers and staff. Several
school divisions said they will continue using an alternate test to measure
progress in non-native English speakers.  U.S. Education Secretary Margaret
Spellings said Virginia is "dragging its feet" and called the testing
provision, the law's Standards Clause, a necessary measure to counter "the
soft bigotry of low expectations." In a Feb. 4 letter to The Washington
Post, Spellings said: "It's time to remember that yes, Virginia, there is a
Standards Clause."  Spelling's comments incensed school division officials.
"We're all so angry," said Arlington County School Board chairwoman Libby
Garvey. She called the required test a "painful and humiliating experience"
for children who haven't grasped English.  Similar disagreements will arise
in other states that have many students who aren't proficient in English,
said Reggie Felton, lobbyist for the National School Boards Association. The
association has asked that the federal education department grant each state
flexibility "for real-life situations to ensure that the test is valid and
reliable for each student."  In Arizona, where there are many Latino
immigrants, school officials also are grappling with testing language
learners.  "We believe that English language-learner students come to school
with different levels of competency," said Panfilo Contreras, executive
director of the Arizona School Boards Association. "They may not be
proficient in their own language, let alone English."  The issue is part of
a larger debate over the law, which seeks to have all students, regardless
of race, poverty or disability, proficient in reading and mathematics by
2014."

47.  "Educators ponder who gets left behind- Renewal of federal education
law sparks debate over testing" dated 19 February 2007 by Nanette Asimov
from The San Francisco Chronicle at
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/02/19/BAGEOO78MI1.DTL.

"Like a strict teacher demanding precision from her students, No Child Left
Behind has inspired reactions ranging from anger to admiration during the
five years it has re-shaped public education in every city and hamlet in
America.  Now that Congress is preparing to reauthorize the 2002 federal
law, groups representing a range of interests -- educators, employers,
testing advocates, testing foes and politicians of every stripe, including
the president -- want the rules rewritten to reflect each of their points of
view.  But as the congressional debate kicks off, this much appears certain:
The law's basic premise requiring every student everywhere to score at grade
level by 2014 will be kept intact, regardless of how improbable success may
be.  And schools that persistently fail to meet annual benchmarks for
improvements in test scores still will be subject to a range of penalties --
from having to help students find a new school to shutting down altogether.
What Congress may change are some day-to-day rules.  Like the law itself,
the rules are aimed at getting back to basics: What's a highly qualified
teacher? What makes a school successful? What's fair if you don't speak
English or have a learning disability? Should testing focus exclusively on
math and English? How much money should be spent, and how do we know if it's
well spent?  Criticism about the highly prescriptive law has come mainly
from educators -- traditional allies of the Democrats, who now control
Congress. But Democrats such as East Bay Rep. George Miller and
Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy not only helped write the bipartisan No
Child Left Behind law, they've been among its greatest champions.  "This is
a defining issue about the future of our nation and about the future of
democracy, the future of liberty and the future of the United States in
leading the free world," Kennedy said of the law when it passed. "No piece
of legislation will have a greater impact or influence on that."  But the
California Teachers Association's parent organization, the National
Education Association, which represents more than 3 million teachers, has
declared No Child Left Behind fundamentally flawed. What the teachers
dislike most is that the law essentially sends bad schools to the corner
with a dunce cap.  "No Child Left Behind is the worst thing that's ever
happened to education,'' said Barbara Kerr, president of the union's
California arm. "It's punitive. It's the scourge of many of our teachers."
The union wants Congress to expand the definition of successful schools to
include those that improve somewhat -- not just those that raise test scores
by the prescribed amount.  The union is not alone in demanding this change.
Other educators, including state school superintendents, school board
members and even parents have been asking Congress for it for years.  The
way it is now, each public school must make adequate yearly progress. That
means more students must score at grade level every year until everyone is
proficient in 2014, though each state can set its own pace. Last year in
California, the law required only one-fourth of students to score at grade
level at each school. About 60 percent of schools met that goal.  Missing
the state's goal two years in a row triggers consequences at schools that
get federal funds for having a high proportion of low-income students -- as
most California schools do.  Some consequences are welcome, such as new
money for tutoring, more training for teachers and added technical
assistance.  But some are not: Schools must tell students they can transfer
to a higher-scoring school. If the low-achieving school continues to miss
adequate yearly progress goals, more extreme measures can be imposed:
Teachers can be ordered replaced or the school can be turned over to outside
management or shut.  Many educators are asking Congress for a broader
definition of success. ..."

48.  "Multi-Country Gene Study Points to Causes of Autism" dated 20 February
2007 by Carol Pearson from Voice or America News at
http://www.voanews.com/english/2007-02-20-voa58.cfm.

"Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder. It affects people throughout
the world. Autism occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is
four times more likely to strike boys than girls.  Theresa and Chris Waddell
have two boys with mild autism. Theresa says they are both different.
"Autism is such a wide spectrum. Every child presents [manifests the
symptoms] differently."  Which is why it is really a group of disorders
called autism spectrum disorders, or ASD. ASD impairs a person's ability to
communicate and relate to others. Those most severely affected cannot even
talk.  Scientists suspected a genetic cause -- and this may have been
confirmed by a new international study. Computers that can read billions of
DNA signals in minutes showed specific genes and genetic abnormalities
unique to these families.  Geneticist Joseph Buxbaum is one of the principal
investigators in the study. He explains what they found. "A smoking gun that
implicates a series of genes that all work together, and may together cause
autism."  The researchers say the new study also shows environmental toxins
do not cause autism spectrum disorders. Professor Buxbaum adds, "The
evidence suggests autism is over 90 percent caused by genes."  And not by
just one gene but by combinations of genes that may cause the different
degrees and kinds of autism.  Buxbaum says it is just the beginning, "We
have the beginnings of the beginning, I would call it. The message here is
that there is great hope now." The researchers say they hope their findings
will lead to drugs that could reverse autism in five to 10 years.  The
researchers will now focus on the many genes they've identified in the
autism families hoping to find the exact roles of each gene or abnormality
and how they interact."

49.  "Behind the veil of autism" dated 20 February 2007 in a blog by Dr.
Sanjay Gupta on a show by Anderson Cooper from CNN News at
http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/blogs/paging.dr.gupta/2007/02/behind-veil-of-autis
m.html.

"Last week, I met a remarkable woman. Amanda Baggs is 26, super-intelligent
and witty. She lives in Burlington Vermont, on a beautiful lake and is very
skilled at shooting and editing videos. In fact, it was one of her videos on
YouTube that caught the attention of CNN. I had met her only through e-mails
and the Internet. I'd be telling you a very different story. But I was able
to visit her in person.  Despite the friendly invitations and our lively
e-mail banter, Amanda would not look at me when I walked in the room. She
wore sunglasses and sat in a wheelchair, even though her legs are fine. She
could make some noises, but could not speak. Amanda has what doctors call
low-functioning autism. If it were not for a device that synthesizes words
as she types on a keyboard, we would not have been able to communicate with
her at all.  She taught me a lot over the day that I spent with her. She
told me that looking into someone's eyes felt threatening, which is why she
looked at me through the corner of her eye. Amanda also told me that, like
many people with autism, she wanted to interact with the entire world around
her. While she could read Homer, she also wanted to rub the papers across
her face and smell the ink. Is she saw a flag blowing in the wind, she might
start to wave her hand like a flag. She rides in a wheelchair, she says,
because balancing herself while walking takes up too much energy for her to
also type and communicate. To an outside observer, the behaviors would seem
eccentric, even bizarre. Because Amanda was able to explain them, they all
of a sudden made sense. In case you were curious, there is no possible way
that I was being fooled. Amanda, herself, was communicating with me through
this voice-synthesis technology.  It really started me wondering about
autism. Amanda is obviously a smart woman who is fully aware of her
diagnosis of low-functioning autism, and quite frankly mocks it. She told me
that because she doesn't communicate with conventional spoken word, she is
written off, discarded and thought of as mentally retarded. Nothing could be
further from the truth. As I sat with her in her apartment, I couldn't help
but wonder how many more people like Amanda are out there, hidden, but
reachable, if we just tried harder.  I am a neurosurgeon and Amanda Baggs
opened my eyes about the world of autism. I am eager to hear what you think
of her story and if you have stories of your own.  ..."

50.  "Living with autism in a world made for others" dated 20 February 2007
by A. Chris Gajilan from CNN News at
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/02/21/autism.amanda/index.html.

"When I walk into her apartment, Amanda Baggs makes no eye contact. She
doesn't come to the door or raise her hand to greet visitors. In fact, I'm
having a hard time discerning whether she even knows I'm there. I say hello
and introduce myself, but she remains silent, sitting at her desk, staring
out the window, rocking slightly back and forth.  Amanda Baggs is a
26-year-old woman with autism. I've been corresponding with her for weeks
via e-mail. I've read her Web site, and from her I've learned a great deal
about living with autism.  A video she posted recently
<javascript:cnnVideo('play','/video/health/2007/02/21/nat.autism.is.my.langu
age.baggs','2007/03/07');>
avascript:cnnVideo('play','/video/health/2007/02/21/nat.autism.is.my.languag
e.baggs','2007/03/07');
javascript:cnnVideo('play','/video/health/2007/02/21/nat.autism.is.my.langua
ge.baggs','2007/03/07');on the Internet describes how she experiences the
world. "My language is not about designing words or even visual symbols for
people to interpret," she says in the video. "It is about being in a
constant conversation with every aspect of my environment."  Admittedly,
it's hard to recognize her in real life, after meeting her online persona
first. (Read Dr. Sanjay Gupta's thoughts after meeting Amanda Baggs.
</HEALTH/blogs/paging.dr.gupta/2007/02/behind-veil-of-autism.html>  )  I
awkwardly carry on a one-sided conversation, until she grunts. My attention
shifts to her computer slowly booting up. She clicks on a program. A
keyboard diagram fills the screen. She begins to type at a staccato pace. We
begin a conversation. I talk. She types. (Watch Amanda communicate in her
own way
<javascript:cnnVideo('play','/video/health/2007/02/21/gupta.amanda.pt1.cnn',
'2007/03/07');>
javascript:cnnVideo('play','/video/health/2007/02/21/gupta.amanda.pt1.cnn','
2007/03/07');
javascript:cnnVideo('play','/video/health/2007/02/21/gupta.amanda.pt1.cnn','
2007/03/07');)  This is the Amanda I've come to know over the past few
weeks. She's highly intelligent, well read and has a great sense of humor.
She never makes eye contact, but there is no doubt she is interacting with
me.   Amanda is part of a new generation of adults with autism. The Autism
Society of America estimates that 600,000 adults are living with autism in
the United States. That number will most likely skyrocket, given the CDC's
recognition of an increase in the numbers of children with autism. The
newest numbers suggest that one in every 150 children has autism.  "The
field as a whole has really neglected adults with autism," says Dr. Eric
Hollander, psychiatrist and head of the Seaver and New York Autism Center of
Excellence.  Adults with autism live normal life spans and may require
long-term medication, therapy and residential placement. Hollander says the
average cost of caring for an individual with autism over a lifetime can be
several million dollars.  Autism treatment and research are undeniably
centered on children. The goals are early diagnosis and intervention.
They're aimed at reducing disruptive behaviors and eventually mainstreaming
children with autism into school and society.  At its core, autism is a
developmental disorder of communication. There is no cure. No one knows the
precise causes, but recent science points towards a genetic component with a
possible environmental trigger.  Amanda Baggs has severe autism. She didn't
cry when she was born. She had to be taught how to nurse. As a little girl,
she rocked her head back and forth but could speak. As she grew, she would
go longer and longer without speaking, until her spoken language disappeared
altogether. (Read Amanda's post to the AC 360 blog on CNN.com.
</CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/blog/> )  She slowly learned how to type.
Now, she relies on her computer or a voice synthesizer linked to a keyboard
to interact with people. According to Hollander, "You might think that these
individuals are mentally retarded or have no verbal skills, but in fact,
they're not mentally retarded. They really understand what is going on and
if they utilize a communication device, they can really communicate what
they are thinking and feeling."  For Amanda, it takes a great deal of energy
to think in words. It is not her natural state of mind. "It's like being
bilingual," she types. "A lot of the way I naturally communicate is just
through direct response to what is around me in a very physical sort of way.
It's dealing with patterns and colors rather than with symbolic words."
(Watch why "normal" communication isn't for Amanda
<javascript:cnnVideo('play','/video/health/2007/02/22/gupta.amanda.pt2.CNN',
'2007/03/08');>
javascript:cnnVideo('play','/video/health/2007/02/22/gupta.amanda.pt2.CNN','
2007/03/08');
javascript:cnnVideo('play','/video/health/2007/02/22/gupta.amanda.pt2.CNN','
2007/03/08');)  The Internet has allowed Amanda to communicate to the whole
world. While standard body language and facial expressions are lost on many
with autism, she says many non-verbal people with autism have the ability to
communicate with one another through autistic body cues.  Thirty or 40 years
ago, life would have been different and much harder for Amanda, says Morton
Ann Gernsbacher, a cognitive psychologist who specializes in autism at the
University of Wisconsin-Madison. "The Internet is providing for individuals
with autism, what sign language did for the deaf," she says. "It allows them
to interact with the world and other like-minded individuals on their own
terms." (Ask Amanda your questions about autism.
</exchange/ireports/topics/forms/2007/02/living.autism.html>  )  These days,
Amanda Baggs lives on her own terms. With the help of an agency, she moved
from California to Vermont about a year and a half ago to be closer to a
friend.  And what does Amanda think is the hardest thing about living with
autism? "Having to navigate a world that is, on all levels, is built for the
abilities and deficits of people who are not built remotely like me."

51.  "'Shocking' School Takes On Severe Autism- A Painful Treatment Inspires
Controversy" dated 20 February 2007 by Rashida Johnson from ABC News
Primetime at http://www.abcnews.go.com/Primetime/print?id=2887677.

"When her son Marc was 14 months old, Linda Doherty knew something was
wrong. While she nursed him, he would only gaze at her with a blank stare.
At other times he would cry incessantly for hours. One day he cried for 14
hours straight.  Doctors constantly told her that Marc was fine, and that he
was developing at a normal pace. However, when Marc was about 2 years old,
doctors diagnosed him with autism.  Watch the story on "Primetime: The
Outsiders" tonight at 9 p.m. ET Marc began to develop aggressive behavior,
and his aggression grew to be so severe that by the time he was 6 he had
been thrown out of four schools. At one point he was given a cocktail of 12
psychotropic medications at once.  "There were times that we went up there,
and he would sit in a corner drooling," said Doherty. "They just kept on
giving him more meds and more meds, 'til he was so doped up he had no
personality."  Searching for Answers.  The situation continued to worsen as
Marc grew.  When he was 7 or 8, he began biting his arms until they bled.
"I couldn't tell you what it looked like. It was open sores," said Doherty.
By this time, she and her husband Richard were faced with the task of trying
to find proper care for their son.  The Dohertys applied to more than 50
schools in New York state. They traveled to visit a school in Virginia, and
another in Delaware, but none of the schools would accept Marc. Linda and
Richard felt they had run out of options.  The couple was actively involved
with the Autism Society of America, and befriended a woman whose son, Linda
said, also exhibited "strange behavior." The woman recommended the Judge
Rotenberg Center in Canton, Mass.  Aversive Stimulation.  One of the most
controversial schools in the country, the Judge Rotenberg Center (J.R.C.)
tries to eliminate the use of psychotropic drugs, and instead uses aversive
stimulation -- specifically behavioral skin shock -- to treat children and
adults with the most severe cases of autism and emotional and behavioral
challenges.  The Dohertys said they were willing to try aversive stimulation
to save their son from self-destruction.  The J.R.C. is the only school in
the country that uses a device called a graduated electronic decelerator, or
G.E.D. It is used to administer an electric skin shock when children engage
in aggressive or self-injurious behavior. Students carry a backpack holding
the device, which is connected to electrodes that are strapped to their
arms, legs and torso.  The school receives parental and court consent before
starting a student on the treatment. About half the students receive the
therapy.  Though many people object to this type of punishment, Dr. Matthew
Israel, the founder and director of the J.R.C., said "the device is simply a
device that administers a two-second shock to the surface of the skin that
has absolutely no side effects, [and] is extremely effective as a corrective
procedure to encourage children not to show violent behavior, not to show
self-abusive behavior."  Using a combination of punishment and reward has
had a positive effect on J.R.C. students, said Israel. Students, if they
exhibit proper behavior, earn points that can be redeemed for gifts in what
he calls the "rewards room." Students can purchase video games, DVDs, neck
ties, jewelry and stuffed animals.  ..."

52.  "Special Needs Child Walks Away From School" dated 20 February 2007
from WSJV28 FOX News at http://www.fox28.com/News/index.php?ID=13951.

"A Michiana mother demands answers, after her 9 year old special needs child
wanders away from school.  The deaf, autistic student walked out of Mary
Beck Elementary School in Elkhart during lunch Tuesday morning.  The boy's
mother says this is not the first time something like this has happened.
This is the second time in two years Norma Jean Bueno says her son was able
to walk out of Mary Beck Elementary School without anyone stopping him.  It
was just two weeks ago, Bueno met with staff at the school to talk about her
son's tendencies.  Even with a bell on his shoe, the nine year old was still
able to sneak out of the building.  One second he's sitting on the floor
playing with his toys, the next he's making a dash for the door.  Norma Jean
Bueno says, "You can't take your eyes off of him, because when he knows
you're not looking he's gone."  Bueno's son, Angel, a student at Mary Beck
Elementary School, was at lunch with a teacher's aide Tuesday when he took
off.  Bueno says, "She was next to him and she turned to talk to another
student and by the time she looked back he was gone."  Angel, who's deaf and
autistic, was able to walk right out of the school's front doors without
anyone noticing.  Bueno says, "The office is facing the front doors, so I
don't understand how he could have got out. They have cameras everywhere. I
don't know how he could have gotten out. They said they reviewed the
surveillance tapes over and over and cannot see him escaping from the
school."  It took school staff roughly ten minutes to find Angel. He was
across the street from the school at this home and he was not alone.  Bueno
says, "They found him in a yard with a German Shepherd and a Rotweiler. One
chained up and one in a fence."  Little Angel was inside the fence. Once
back at school, the little boy rolled up his sleeves to show the nurse he
was hurt.  Bueno says, "This is what happened to him right here, it looks
like some claw mark. He's bruised right here."  As for exactly how Angel got
out of the school, that's currently under investigation. Elkhart Schools
Superintendent, Mark Mow, declined our request for an on camera interview,
but he did tell us quote, "If a student wanders away from a building, we
take it very seriously."  Bueno says, "He could have been killed by the dog.
Anything could have happened. He doesn't know he's going to go out in the
street and get hit by a car. He doesn't know he's going to jump in water and
drown. They know that. They know he doesn't talk, can't hear, he doesn't
communicate well. I feel like they failed me, failed my son."  Bueno says he
son will not be returning to Mary Beck Tuesday. She wants to transfer her
son to another school.  Bueno says what also upsets her is the fact her son
wandered off around 11:30 and she was not called until 1:00."

53.  "Vaccine meeting, Merck donation coincide" dated 21 February 2007 by
LIZ AUSTIN PETERSON from The Associated Press at
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070222/ap_on_he_me/cancer_vaccine_texas.

"Gov. Rick Perry's chief of staff met with key aides about a new vaccine to
prevent cervical cancer on the same day its manufacturer donated money to
his campaign, documents obtained by The Associated Press show.   Texas
became the first state to require the vaccine against human papillomavirus
earlier this month when Perry issued an executive order requiring it for
girls entering sixth grade. Lawmakers are considering overriding the
measure.  A calendar for chief of staff Deirdre Delisi obtained under Texas'
open records laws shows she met with the governor's budget director and
three members of his office for an "HPV Vaccine for Children Briefing" on
Oct. 16. That same day, Merck & Co.'s political action committee donated
$5,000 to Perry and a total of $5,000 to eight state lawmakers.  Perry
spokesman Robert Black said the timing of the meeting and the donation was a
coincidence. "There was no discussion of any kind of mandates," Black said.
The documents obtained Wednesday by The AP provide new detail about the
relationship between the governor's office and Merck, which makes the only
HPV vaccine on the market.  Perry's mandate has inflamed conservatives, who
say it contradicts Texas' abstinence-only sexual education policies and
intrudes too far into families' lives. Though there is a provision in state
law that allows parents to opt out of the vaccine, opponents say the shots
are too new and too costly to force on young girls.  Merck had waged a
behind-the-scenes lobbying campaign to get state legislatures to require 11-
and 12-year-old girls to get the three-dose vaccine against the virus that
can cause cervical cancer as a requirement for school attendance. But it
announced Tuesday it was suspending those efforts after its motives were
questioned. The New Jersey company stands to make billions if Gardasil is
required nationwide.  Critics had previously questioned Perry's ties to the
company. Mike Toomey, Perry's former chief of staff and Delisi's
predecessor, lobbies for Merck. And the governor accepted a total of $6,000
from Merck during his re-election campaign, including $1,000 in December
2005.  According to Delisi's calendar, she met with Toomey three times in
the six months before the order was issued. One meeting happened in August,
on the same day two other Perry staffers met with a different Merck lobbyist
for a "Merck HPV Vaccine update." The other meetings came just after the
November election and just before the legislative session began in January.
Black initially said he did not know what the two discussed, but later said
the November and January meetings involved another company Toomey lobbies
for. He also said the pair have been friends for years, and that Toomey has
many clients other than Merck. He insisted that the governor did not decide
to issue the mandate until well after the November election.  Late
Wednesday, Black issued a statement: "The Associated Press has tried to
create a conspiracy where none exists, and they have offered not one shred
of evidence to their baseless accusations that the governor's office has
done anything wrong."  Merck spokesman Ray Kerins, reached after business
hours, said he could not immediately comment but would look into the matter.
Calls seeking comment were made to a home number for Delisi and an office
number for Toomey, but were not immediately returned.  Cathie Adams,
president of the conservative Texas Eagle Forum, said Black's explanation of
the timing of the campaign contribution didn't sound right.  "We have too
many coincidences," she said. "I think that the voters of Texas would find
that very hard to swallow."  Bills have been introduced in about 20 states
to require the vaccine, but they have struggled. Some parents' groups and
doctors particularly object because the vaccine protects against a sexually
transmitted disease. Vaccines mandated for school attendance usually are for
diseases easily spread through casual contact, such as measles and mumps.  A
bill has passed the Virginia Legislature, but a spokesman for Gov. Timothy
Kaine said he wants to review a provision that lets parents opt out before
he says if he will sign it."

54.  "Gender Politics Doesn't Have Place In Science" dated 21 February 2007
by Matthew Neff in an oped article at http://tinyurl.com/2quu6a.

"Catherine Traywick's column last Tuesday was filled with egregious errors,
unsupported claims and an over arching misunderstanding of science, one that
I worry is only too common in literary and political academia today.  In
"Discrimination Disguised as Science," Traywick denounced recent research on
the biological differences between men and women, attacking Simon
Baron-Cohen, a professor of psychopathology at Cambridge and author of "The
Essential Difference."  She says that Baron-Cohen paints men as rational,
logical and, therefore, "intelligent" and women as caring compassionate and,
therefore, "deficient." Those who don't fit this mold aren't what
Baron-Cohen would call "right."  This is a wild misrepresentation of the
man's actual work, a gross simplification of sexual differentiation and an
unnecessarily shrill defense of something that isn't even being attacked.
Baron-Cohen's work on biological sex differences arose out of his studies on
autism and Asperger's Syndrome, disorders that are characterized by an
inability to communicate or relate socially, reliance on routines and a set
of strong, obsessive, narrow interests that often involve intense
fascination with rational systems.  Autism occurs much more frequently in
males, so Baron-Cohen examined the parents and grandparents of people with
autism to see how the genetic line looked up until that point. He found a
large number were engineers and analytical-types who were excellent at
systematizing but poor at empathizing.  Baron-Cohen theorizes that on one
end of the spectrum are the systematizers: people who understand life
according to rules and laws and who seek to predict, control and -navigate
the systems they see. On the other end are the empathizers: people who
identify and react to the emotions and thoughts of others and who are better
at judging character and nonverbal communications.  On average,
statistically speaking, men systematize, and women empathize.  Baron-Cohen
in no way means that you're either one or the other, but rather judges them
according to a quotient test, specifically, an EQ (empathy quotient) and SQ
(systematization quotient). Everyone systematizes and everyone empathizes,
but some tend more towards one or the other.  He does not add any value
connotations to either; Traywick's labels of "intelligent" for the
systematic and "deficient" for the empathic are hers alone. He also
acknowledges "male" and "female" as linguistic conceits for his way of
thinking about sexual differences and not necessarily the actual sex of the
brain-owner.  But Catherine Traywick's main point is that "science is not
responsible for the everyday, on-campus belief that men and women are
unequal - society is."  Different does not mean unequal, and no scientist
has ever said it does. The British Baron-Cohen describes what he sees as an
American academic "sleight of hand" in substituting "gender" for "sex." He
says, "The ideology is that we shouldn't be determined by anything; we
should be able to be anything we choose. Gender refers to how you think of
yourself: as masculine or feminine it's much more subjective, and is
commonly believed to be culturally constructed.  "Talking about gender is
therefore much more optimistic than talking about sex. It's the rags to
riches idea - you can become anything."  Cultural influences may be a huge
factor on sexual identity, but so is evolutionary biology.  Eight hundred
million years ago, sexual differences in vertebrates noticeably diverged as
males distinguished themselves through physical prowess and competition and
females through caring and social dexterity.  Natural selection ensured that
these divergences reinforced themselves, in every sexually reproducing
species, down through the millennia. Sexual distinctions became the result
of very different reproductive strategies.  It's not a matter of labeling
capabilities according to sex. It's a matter of understanding the
psychological, biological and sexual characteristics of human brains as
demonstrated by human behavior and how and why they got that way: gender
politics be damned."

55.  "Defense of Mercury Was Inaccurate" dated 21 February 2007 by Boyd
Haley in an oped article at http://tinyurl.com/32hg5t.

"The letter below is in response to the Feb. 12 commentary by Judy Fisch of
the Vermont Dental Association regarding the safety of dental amalgams.
Contrary to the assertions of Dr. Fisch, I want to point out the following.
Her letter claims that the National Institutes of Health, the World Health
Organization and the Journal of the American Medical Association have
concluded, "There is little evidence to support a causal relationship
between dental amalgam and human health problems."  I would ask Dr. Fisch to
produce the documents that support this claim, as I am certain they do not
exist. There may be dentists in these organizations that say this, but it is
not the opinion of these organizations.  In fact, last September at a Food
and Drug Administration hearing to review the health risks of dental
amalgam, an external advisory committee voted 13 to 7 rejecting a white
paper that concluded that amalgams were safe.  Dr. Fisch uses bogus
arguments to support her case, similar to those used by the FDA staff.
Today, no scientist or dentist educated in the property of amalgams
containing 50 percent mercury believes that it is a safe dental filling
material. According to the World Health Organization's 2005 Mercury Policy
Report, amalgam is the largest contributing factor to mercury body burden.
The EPA and National Academy of Sciences have released documents stating
that 8 to 10 percent of American women have such high mercury body burdens
that any child they give birth to is at risk for neuro-developmental
disorders. The Centers for Disease Control state that one of six American
children have a neuro-developmental disorder. How can reasonable health
experts ignore this situation?  The long-standing deceptive practices of the
American Dental Association and state dental boards have shown no concern
about the health of the general public or their members, who are
occupationally exposed to mercury vapor on a daily basis. Research at the
University of Washington by experts in the field discovered that 85 percent
of dentists and dental hygienists had aberrant urinary porphyrin profiles
(only evident in mercury poisoning), indicating they were not effectively
making heme required for making hemoglobin to carry oxygen into the blood.
It is also a component in the mitochondrial system necessary for making
energy and needed as a co-factor in P450 enzymes for detoxifying the body of
organic toxins. Of the 85 percent of dentists and dental technicians
affected, 15 percent exhibited increased abnormal porphyrin effects based on
having a genetic polymorphism.  It is such genetic subsets that are more
susceptible to mercury exposures. Many research studies have indicated an
adverse health effect of mercury on those in the dental field, including
infertility and miscarriage in females and compromised neurological and
psychological conditions in both sexes.  Insensitivity, incompetence and
lack of understanding of the toxicity of mercury are evident by Fisch's mere
mention of preferring a mercury filling for a patient with cerebral palsy, a
neurological disease. Mercury is a known neurotoxin and could easily
exacerbate the symptoms associated with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis,
lupus, Parkinson's, autism, Alzheimer's and muscular dystrophy.  There is no
factual basis for many of the claims made by Fisch, including the absurdity
of "when combined with other metals, it forms a stable alloy that has
entirely different properties than mercury by itself."  Anyone who has taken
chemistry 101 knows that this isn't true.  Mercury is not inert when mixed
with the other alloy metals. It is an element that is emitted from dental
amalgam as pure mercury vapor, and its release can be measured quite easily
using a mercury vapor detector or a mercury cold-vapor analyzer after
collecting the water in which an amalgam has been placed for a few hours or
less.  In closing, Fisch's article was about money not health. Her summary
statement was: "Dentists have an obligation to protect the environment while
serving our patients." I say, more importantly: "Dentists need to show more
concern in protecting their patients by using only fillings that are not
potentially harmful."

56.  "Fenty Submits Plan for Special-Ed- Changes Would Be Part of Takeover"
dated 21 February 2007 by David Nakamura and V. Dion Haynes
<http://projects.washingtonpost.com/staff/email/david+nakamura++and+v.+dion+
haynes/>  from The Washington Post at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/20/AR2007022002
008.html.

"Mayor Adrian M. Fenty yesterday beefed up his proposal to take over D.C.
public schools by promising to overhaul special education. If he gains
control of the school system, the mayor said, he will expand the placement
of disabled children in regular classes, bring special education into
compliance with court rulings and cut transportation costs.  The plans,
contained in a 10-page memo to D.C. Council Chairman Vincent C. Gray (D),
came in response to questions raised at a public hearing last month on
legislation to reduce the power of the Board of Education and give the
mayor's office direct control of the 55,000-student school system.  Gray
called special education a "grave concern" and noted that Fenty's initial
48-page takeover legislation contained "only 11 lines" about special
education.  "To his credit, the mayor now has worked to add some additional
substance to that," Gray said, adding that he has not reviewed the mayor's
latest proposals.  Improving services for special education students is
among the most challenging problems facing the troubled school system. In
2005, the system spent $118 million to send 2,283 special education students
to private facilities, a cost that had increased 65 percent since 2000,
records show. Although special education students represented 4 percent of
the system's enrollment, they consumed 15 percent of the system's budget.
The council held its sixth public hearing on Fenty's school takeover
legislation yesterday, including testimony from an advisory panel on special
education appointed by former mayor Anthony A. Williams (D). That panel,
chaired by downtown business leader Joseph D. Sternlieb, supported some
pieces of Fenty's school governance restructuring, but it urged the council
to allow the school board to maintain authority over some education matters.
Fenty's deputy mayor for education, Victor A. Reinoso, was a member of the
school board for two years, and many of the administration's proposals
mirror recommendations made by the board in a "white paper" report on
special education delivered to Superintendent Clifford B. Janey early last
year. Most of the board's recommendations, however, have yet to be
implemented.  In a brief cover letter, Reinoso described Fenty's plan as a
"draft" that will be fleshed out with input from parents and nonprofit
groups such as D.C. Appleseed.  "We view this action plan as the beginning
of a dialogue on the best, fastest, and most efficient ways to immediately
improve special education services," Reinoso wrote.  Fenty proposes to
establish up to 12 pilot schools in Wards 5, 7 and 8, which have the highest
proportion of students referred to special education. A team of education
and medical specialists would analyze the schools and develop specialized
plans to improve services.  D.C. school officials have acknowledged that
some students -- particularly black males -- who misbehave or perform below
grade level are erroneously referred to special education. Fenty is
proposing to expand "student support teams" -- aimed at giving teachers
strategies to address the students' behavior and academic problems -- to all
schools, including public charter schools.  Fenty also wants to require that
assistant superintendents, principals, teachers and support staff are
trained on "differentiated learning" to accommodate more special-needs
students in regular classrooms.  Kim Y. Jones, executive director of
Advocates for Justice and Education, which supports parents of special-needs
students, said she likes Fenty's approach. However, she added, the plan
would not work without the hiring of numerous special education teachers,
psychologists, social workers and behavioral specialists to work with
regular education staff in the schools.  Fenty's proposal also calls for
signing contracts with service providers that would lock in costs. He also
wants to work closely with officials in the special education transportation
office to reduce busing costs. The department is run by a federal
court-appointed administrator as part of a settlement in a class-action suit
filed by parents of disabled students.  "I would certainly, without
question, welcome a dialogue," said David Gilmore, the transportation office
administrator."

57.  "Proposed legislation would reform care for autism" dated 22 February
2007 from the Greater Binghamton Press and Sun-Bulletin at
http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070222/NEWS01/7022
2008.

"Following the death of an autistic boy in the care of state workers, Sen.
Thomas W. Libous, R-Binghamton, said today he will introduce legislation
Monday to reform care at the state Office of Mental Retardation and
Developmental Disabilities.  The proposal includes creating a deputy
commissioner position for autism services to direct the agency's treatment,
education, training, services and research for people with autism. It also
calls for creating other positions to coordinate and advise administrators
regarding programs and services for autistic people, and report to the
governor with proposals to improve services.  Jonathan Carey, a 13-year-old
resident at the O.D. Heck Developmental Center in Niskayuna, died last week
after state workers restrained him in a car for an extended period,
according to police reports.  "This tragedy proves we need much better
training for our employees, and we need many more state and voluntary-sector
beds for children with autism," Libous said."

58.  "PUBLISHER FOCUSES ON AUTISM- Ex-Dundalkian is top producer of books
about the condition" dated 22 February 2007 by Catherine Harrison from The
Dundalk Eagle at
http://www.dundalkeagle.com/articles/2007/02/22/news/news02.txt.

"Out of every 166 births, one child is born with autism, according to the
Autism Society of America. In all, between 1 and 1.5 million Americans are
autistic. It is the fastest-growing developmental disability.
Ex-Dundalk resident R. Wayne Gilpin owns Future Horizons, the world's
biggest publishing company of materials about autism and Asperger's
Syndrome.  "I've been truly blessed in that my vocation and my passion are
in the same area," Gilpin, who now lives in Fort Worth, Texas, said in a
phone interview last week.  Gilpin's son, Alex, was diagnosed with autism as
a child. This spurred Gilpin to get involved with autism organizations and
become president of the Autism Society of America.  When Alex was 4, Gilpin
said, school professionals recommended that he be institutionalized because
he would never learn to read or write, develop a sense of humor or make
friends. But Gilpin believed that the professional was wrong.  "[Autism is]
not the end of the world. It's not life-threatening, and all of these kids
can get better," Gilpin said.  Autism is also known as pervasive development
disorder. The cause of the brain disorder is unknown, and there is no cure.
It typically manifests by the time a child reaches age 3. The 1988 film Rain
Man and the 2004 novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time are
acclaimed works that tell stories about autistic characters.  While the
severity can vary, it causes cognitive, communication and social problems.
But living with an autistic child doesn't have to be depressing or joyless.
For one thing, Gilpin said, "Humor comes from the fact that they see the
world so literally."  When Gilpin speaks to his two other children, they
know what he means - but Alex just knows what his father says.  "He's taught
me how badly I've used the English language," Gilpin said with a laugh.  On
the Future Horizons Web site, Gilpin recounts telling Alex the story of
Pinocchio; as Alex listened, he engaged in repetitive body movements, a
common result of autism. When Gilpin told Alex to stop, Alex said, "Dad, I'm
not doing anything." And then he looked scared and touched his nose.  In
another instance, Gilpin told Alex that he wouldn't tell him again to pick
up his clothes off the floor. "Good," Alex said.  Friends and relatives
always asked to hear the latest Alex stories, so in 1993, Gilpin began
compiling the anecdotes into a book he titled Laughing and Loving with
Autism. When he told parents and teachers of autistic children about his
project, they shared stories that he included in the book as well.  He
printed 100 copies at his publishing company, which at that time focused
largely on automotive and electronics books, and took the books to an Autism
Society of America conference in Canada.  The 100 books were sold in three
days. Gilpin then published 1,000 copies; they sold in two weeks.  "[There
was] such a thirst for something positive about autism," Gilpin said.  ..."

59.  "CDC's Vaccine Committee Whitewashed Toxic Vaccine Component, Says
National Autism Association (NAA)- Vaccine discussion excluded peer-reviewed
published research documenting harmful effects of the mercury preservative
thimerosal" dated 23 February 2007 in a press release from NAA at
http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/press022307.php and
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,64985.shtml.

"Parents and health advocates are expressing outrage over the recommendation
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee for
Immunization Practices (ACIP) that pregnant women, infants and children
continue to be exposed to mercury contained in the flu vaccine despite
recommendations from the Institute of Medicine that mercury not be injected
into these sensitive populations since 2001.  Dr. Jay Lieberman was assigned
to present on "Thimerosal, Reviewing the Evidence." A plethora of
peer-reviewed published data documenting the harmful effects of thimerosal
on the immune, metabolic and nervous systems in humans and animals is widely
available with a simple PubMed data search. But none of this information was
mentioned by Dr. Lieberman. Instead, the discussion centered on
epidemiological studies which have been highly criticized due to their
inability to identify any such harmful associations. In fact, one such study
presented by Dr. Lieberman was found by the National Institute of Health
(NIH) in October of 2006 to contain several serious flaws that were "judged
to reduce the usefulness of an ecologic study design using the VSD (Vaccine
Safety Database) to address the potential association between thimerosal and
the risk of Autism Spectrum Disorders."  Dr. Lieberman has been a consultant
to Merck, GlaxoSmithKline, and Sanofi-Pasteur and is on the speakers' bureau
for all three vaccine-makers, who have used, and currently use, thimerosal
in their products. "We have been very concerned about Dr. Lieberman's
conflicts of interest," commented Executive Director Rita Shreffler of NAA.
Shreffler says that NAA requested that a counterpoint speaker without ties
to drug companies be allowed to present current, peer-reviewed toxicological
data and the request was denied. "To leave this presentation in the hands of
those who have profited from, and continue to use thimerosal in some of
their products is consistent with the CDC's history of concealing the
consequences of injecting mercury into humans," said Shreffler.  While most
routine childhood vaccines are currently available in mercury-free or
reduced mercury versions, the majority of flu shots still contain 25
micrograms of mercury, an amount considered unsafe under government agency
guidelines for anyone weighing less than 550 lbs. The CDC now recommends flu
shots for pregnant women and children ages six months through five years.
"It's obvious this committee's ties to the drug companies are dictating what
will come to light regarding the use of mercury in vaccines," said Claire
Bothwell, NAA board chair. "When it comes to discussing thimerosal, it's
hard to tell where the pharmaceutical industry leaves off and where the CDC
begins. The blurring of these lines is not in the best interests of public
health."  For more information, visit www.nationalautism.org
<http://www.nationalautism.org/>  and www.safeminds.org
<http://www.safeminds.org/> ."

58.   "Dad is charged with smothering tot" dated 23 February 2007 by DAVID
GAMBACORTA from the Philadelphia Daily News at
http://www.philly.com/mld/dailynews/news/local/16764587.htm.

"Little Shaemar Nelson-Thomas was less than a month away from celebrating
his second birthday.  It was going to be a special milestone for the
sweet-faced "Sponge Bob"-loving toddler and his loved ones. Thanks to recent
rounds of physical therapy, Shaemar, who was autistic, had finally learned
to crawl and inch his way up the steps in his grandmother's home.  With
additional therapy, his family hoped that Shaemar would soon learn to talk.
But any chance they had to experience the joy of hearing the little boy
speak was snuffed out Saturday night, police say, when Shaemar's father
smothered him in the basement of his grandmother's Kingsessing rowhouse.
Troy Thomas, 25, was arrested Tuesday night and charged with his son's
murder, said Homicide Sgt. Anthony McFadden. Thomas simply told detectives
that "the baby just wasn't able to wake up," McFadden said. A medical
examiner ruled that the toddler had died of asphyxiation.  "He was a sweet,
adorable kid," said Minerva Nelson, 45, Shaemar's maternal grandmother. "He
was always happy, and we were so thrilled to see how he was doing with
therapy."  At 23 months, Shaemar enjoyed following his grandmother into the
kitchen while she cooked. "He'd go to town on fried chicken wings," she
said. "He was always smiling."  Nelson said she was in her home on 50th
Street near Upsal Saturday and Thomas was in the basement with Shaemar and
the baby's mother, Tuesday Nelson, 24.  She said Thomas quietly walked up
the basement steps shortly after 8 p.m. "He said Tuesday wanted me to come
downstairs right now, that it was an emergency."  "I went down the steps and
the baby was just laying there. Tuesday was changing his Pampers. I started
to do CPR, and then we brought him upstairs, I laid him on the couch and
continued the CPR.  "My brother called 911, but it was too late. He was
already gone," Nelson said.  Thomas remained silent during the ordeal,
Nelson said. "He didn't say anything. He acted like he didn't have any
feelings, like he didn't care.  "He killed his baby and he had no remorse."
On Sunday, officials from the Department of Human Services arrived at
Nelson's home and temporarily removed Shaemar's three older siblings: a
3-year-old boy, and 4-year-old twins.  Sources close to the investigation
said DHS became involved with Shaemar's family five years ago, after
allegations of abuse and neglect concerning his four siblings.  At least one
allegation proved to be true, sources said, and as a result, three siblings
were placed in Minerva Nelson's care.  A fourth child, a 5-year-old girl,
was placed with another grandmother and remains in her care.  "We made a
mistake by letting Troy be around here, but I hope they [DHS] don't make the
other kids suffer for it," Nelson said.  She characterized Thomas as a
lay-about father who wanted little to do with his son.  "He was just there
to play video games," Nelson said. "I tried to get him involved in Shaemar's
life, but he was only interested in X-Box or PlayStation."

61.  "Family devastated by house fire gets help" dated 23 February 2007 from
the Pensacola News Journal at
http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070223/NEWS
01/702230351/1006.

"An account was established Thursday to help a Milton woman and five foster
children whose mobile home was heavily damaged by fire.  The account,
available at any Pen Air Federal Credit Union location, is to benefit Linda
Jordan of Lewis Road.  The fire, of electrical origin, forced her and the
children to temporarily move in with relatives. The children range in age
from 5 to 15; two are autistic.  They lost their clothes and many other
items, said her daughter, Peggy Jordan of Pensacola.  She said her mother
wants to keep the children in the same area to minimize disruption, but
"it's hard for them to find a place to rent with so many children."

62.  "THE BRAZEN CAREERIST- Workplace wisdom: Autism research offers advice"
dated 23 February 2007 by PENELOPE TRUNK from The Hook at
http://www.readthehook.com/stories/2007/02/15/BRAZEN-REFEEDautismResearch-A.
rtf.aspx.

"Hannah Schufreider may seem an unlikely person to offer career advice.
She's a 12-year-old autistic girl who spends her days being bored in school.
Hannah's successful strategies for dealing with her disability could be
adapted by adults having trouble in their professional lives-- particularly
those who can't connect with others at work.  The link between the two is
socials skills. Is there always one person at the office who's rude during
meetings? Do you shy away from interacting with colleagues because you're
not good at office politics?  Maybe that colleague, or you, have trouble
reading social cues. People with autism usually have poor social skills.
Autistic people behave in ways that are out of sync with other people. "I
make terrible jokes because I copy stuff I see on TV. I think it's funny,
but my parents tell me it's not," says Hannah. Most people are born with the
ability to read nonverbal cues, but Hannah cannot.  A workplace corollary is
when a colleague who makes a coworker the butt of a joke is clueless that
the coworker has a fragile personality. Another example: you've worked
months on a big project, and after talking about it for an hour, a colleague
says, "Forget it, that will never work."  In these situations, a manager
should take that person aside and explain what was inappropriate.  People
who miss social cues naturally have no idea they're missing them. "Often
employees don't agree with the assessment. So the person speaking tries to
give specific scenarios," says HR pro Beth Howell.  For example, instead of
saying, "I feel you were too aggressive in that meeting," Howell would say,
"In the meeting when you said 'X,' did you notice no one said anything? You
might have been a little too strong."  Teaching people to read social cues
is difficult. So instead of trying to understand how to say things
differently, these people should avoid large meetings and concentrate on
one-on-one conversations or e-mail.  People who are bad at reading nonverbal
cues fare worse when there are more people around.  Back to Hannah. She's
more successful in a smaller group than in her regular, larger classroom.
It's easier for her to connect with one person and block out everyone else.
Writing is another good solution because the nonverbal affect isn't present.
For most people, this makes communication more difficult, and we add
emoticons to compensate for lost nuance. To someone without strong social
skills, written communication has a flat, straightforward affect, making
misunderstanding less likely.  Hannah's connection to the written word is
almost life-saving. When she has trouble in a given situation, she reads. So
here's a tip-- if you're on the receiving end of the
"You're-offending-people" feedback, try communicating via e-mail.  A lot of
people with poor social skills say things like, "I just want to be left
alone." But it's very hard to maneuver through the workplace with this
attitude.  People judge your work skills as incompetent if you're not
likable-- no matter what your work skills are. It may not be fair, but
people do it. So if you want to keep your job, you need to do enough
politicking at work to make people like you. Instead of saying you don't
like being around people, try creating scenarios where you find people more
tolerable.  For those not succeeding with colleagues at work, the key is to
figure out what environment would help them become successful. For someone
with poor social skills, much of the ability to function is dependent on the
environment.  But perhaps the most important thing we can learn from kids
with autism is that they're most likely to succeed if we help them
compensate for their weaknesses. We each have strengths, and we can each use
this approach to make the difficult task of self-improvement more positive."


63.  "Perspectives / Challenges and Possibilities" by Marge Scherer in the
February 2007 edition of Educational Leadership at
http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.c00a836e7622
024fb85516f762108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0c_ws
_MX&javax.portlet.prp_818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0c_viewID=article_view&j
avax.portlet.prp_818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0c_journalmoid=a53b1caee83901
10VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD&javax.portlet.prp_818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0
c_articlemoid=6d4b1caee8390110VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD&javax.portlet.begCach
eTok=token&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=token.

"Last year at the ASCD Annual Conference, I met Bonnie St. John, an African
American champion skier and an inspirational speaker whose topic is
educating students with disabilities. I met Bonnie at the door of the empty
conference hall where in a few hours she was to speak to an overflow
audience. She persuaded the guard to let us in (we were supposed to enter
through a guest entrance, but she was the general session speaker), then she
sprinted down the graduated stairway to the stage. There she began pacing,
reciting poetry to get the feel of the sound system. It was an impressive
introduction to a woman whose leg amputation occurred at 5 years of age.  In
her speech, Bonnie talked about the time that her mother, a single mom and a
school principal, brought home to her a brochure picturing a one-legged
skier. Not that her mother expected Bonnie to learn to ski-they lived in San
Diego, after all-but that she wanted her to realize the possibilities in
life. As her skiing record shows, Bonnie took to the idea.  Challenges and
possibilities are the twin themes of this issue on "Improving Instruction
for Students with Learning Needs." Thirty years ago, terms such as
mainstreaming and least restrictive environment first became familiar to
educators. Today the talk is of response to intervention, universal design,
and adequate yearly progress. If anything, the challenges and possibilities
are larger than ever.  Greater expectations. Talk to most parents of
children identified as having a disability (see p. 91), and you will
probably hear that they want educators to see past their child's disability.
Like all parents, they want their schools to meet their child's special
needs, and they don't want their child labeled or stigmatized. Years ago,
parents had to plead for children with Down syndrome to be taught to read
and for students with autism to be educated with their classmates. No wonder
advocates today feel that if they don't push the system, their children
won't receive the education services they deserve.  In recent years, the
goal for children with disabilities has shifted from improving access to
education to improving student performance. The goal today is for all
students to be proficient on state content standards for the grade in which
they are enrolled. The NCLB requirement to disaggregate data by subgroup
means that when it comes to educating students with special needs, schools
face higher expectations than they have ever faced before. And as critics of
NCLB note, 100 percent proficiency is a goal that no country's education
system has ever achieved. Even those who applaud NCLB acknowledge the
difficulties of implementation.  Ableism. Author Thomas Hehir (p. 9)
introduces a concept that may be new to many-ableism. Like racism and
sexism, ableism discriminates. It does so in two ways: Either it expects too
little and therefore treats those with disabilities as incapable; or it
expects too much, asking students with disabilities to perform exactly as
their nondisabled peers do without accommodations or special services.
Hehir suggests that the purpose of special education is to "maximize the
opportunities to participate while minimizing the impact of the disability."
Assuming that there is one right way to learn, read, walk, talk, paint, or
take a test is the root of inequity, he says. The requirement to include
students with disabilities in standards-based reform holds promise, but
high-stakes tests should not be the only means through which students can
demonstrate what they know and are able to do.  ..."

64.  "What Will It Take to Get the High Schools We Need?" by Gene R. Carter,
Executive Director, ASCD in the February 2007 edition of Educational
Leadership at
http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/menuitem.ef397d712ea0a4a0a89ad324d3108a
0c/template.article?articleMgmtId=a7249412dd2a0110VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD.

"Evidence that the traditional high school needs significant reform has been
mounting for decades. High school graduation rates are dropping. Many
students who enter college require remedial courses in basic subjects, and
an increasing number of young adults who join the workforce directly out of
high school have insufficient reading, writing, and mathematics skills. At
the same time, an increasingly complex global economy means that students
need critical-thinking skills, technological expertise, and business acumen
to succeed.  Recognizing the urgency of this issue, ASCD has developed a
High School Reform Proposal to help the U.S. Congress foster the innovative
reform needed to fully support our nation's high school students. As a
membership organization of 178,000 principals, superintendents, teachers,
and other frontline education professionals united by the desire to prepare
today's students for tomorrow's success, we know that today's high schools
need higher standards and accountability, a rich and rigorous curriculum,
greater innovation, and increased student engagement.  ASCD proposes a
voluntary program to provide educational options and resources for school
systems or states. This is not an alternative to No Child Left Behind but
new legislation that goes beyond NCLB. Participating high schools must
incorporate transparency and accountability and must illustrate success
through rigorous data collection.  If enacted, our proposal would provide
incentives for schools to foster change in five key areas: multiple measures
of assessment, personalized learning, increased flexibility in use of time
and structure, professional development, and business and community
engagement. Although any one of these changes would benefit our students
tremendously, only by working on all five areas simultaneously will we truly
transform the high school experience for the benefit of all students.
Multiple measures of assessment are essential. By incorporating more
meaningful assessment data from portfolio assessments, demonstrations, oral
presentations, and applied projects, we can ensure not only that important
accountability decisions are based on the best possible data but also that
educators can use the data to determine which students are struggling, which
strategies are working, and how teachers should adjust their instruction to
help each child succeed.  Personalized learning can have a remarkable impact
by helping our students assume ownership for connecting their learning with
future goals. When students work with educational mentors and career coaches
within the school building, they will not only see greater relevance in
their schoolwork but also grow increasingly engaged in school, connected to
adults, and prepared for graduation and future success.  Flexible use of
time and structure is needed to liberate schools from inflexible graduation,
time, and attendance requirements-such as the 100-year-old Carnegie
unit-that do not reflect contemporary knowledge of best practices. This may
mean that some students complete high school in fewer or more than the
traditional four years. What counts is not the time spent in the school
building but the learning that the student masters.  Professional
development is also vital. We cannot support student learning until we
better support teachers and school leaders in gaining the knowledge, time,
and resources to educate in new and innovative ways. The ASCD High School
Reform Proposal calls for flexibility, innovation, and greater resources for
professional development.  Business and community engagement opens the doors
to new learning possibilities. The key to helping students succeed is
focusing on the best opportunities for students to master learning
objectives, whether those opportunities take place inside a classroom or at
a nearby business or other location in the community. When schools
collaborate with local businesses, they can combine the resources and
knowledge of the business community with the academic rigor of the school
curriculum.  Improving a 100-year-old, largely unchanged education system is
no small task. But, in concert, the elements we propose will ensure the
students of today are prepared to become the innovators and leaders of
tomorrow."

65.  "Perspectives of Students With Intellectual Disabilities about their
Experiences with Paraprofessional Support" from the February edition from
The Advocacy Institute at
http://www.advocacyinstitute.org/advocacyinaction/Student_Perspectives_Parap
rofessionals.shtml.

"Researchers Stephen Broer, Mary Beth Doyle and Michael F. Giangreco
interviewed sixteen young adults who were all supported by paraprofessionals
in general education classrooms for some period of time while they were in
public school.  This study is interesting because, as the authors note,
there are no other studies that have sought the perspectives of students
with significant disabilities themselves. All of the young adults who
participated in the study were verbal and were able to recall and describe
events that had happened in the past and what their feelings had been.  All
but one of the study participants had completed school within the five years
of the study; the other participant was in the last 2 months of school. The
majority of the sixteen participants had attended different high schools;
the three who attended the same high school were enrolled in overlapping
years. The paraprofessionals that supported nine of the former students were
different individuals. Seven of the study participants were supported by the
same paraprofessional in the two different high schools attended, but in
different years.  Researchers report that four themes emerged from the work
of the study. Each is interrelated with the others, but all suggest that the
relationships between the students and the paraprofessionals assigned to
support them were one of their prime and sometimes exclusive relationships
while they were in school.  FINDINGS.  1. "It felt a little weird. It felt
like having, like a mother".  Nearly all the paraprofessionals described by
the study were women and many were, in fact, old enough to be the parent of
the student in question.  Feeling like the paraprofessional was acting as a
mother was comforting for some, "she was like a mother to me," but
discomforting as well. Study participants believed that having a mother was
not appropriate in school and that this dynamic did interfere with
developing friendships.  2. "She's my friend now. She has been for a long
time".    Study participants perceived themselves as very isolated from the
regular activities and relationships in their schools. They shared a keen
recognition that they were different and often commented that when they were
in school they felt like they "didn't belong". They remembered desiring to
belong and "fit in" but recalled instances of peer rejection and resignation
that other students with disabilities were "my kind of people".  These
feelings and experiences contributed to the notion that paraprofessionals
were friends as participants explained the ways in which paraprofessionals
filled the companionship void they often felt at school. Most noted that
they typically interacted with their paraprofessional more often than with
peers. This was especially true of the times when students without
disabilities would be interacting primarily with each other.  The young
adults in the study were able to recognize that their relationships with
paraprofessionals did interfere with making conversation and casual
opportunities for developing friendships.  3. Protection from Bullying.
..."

66.  "Inclusive Education and the Culture of Down Syndrome" by Pamela Wilson
</about/specialneedschildren>  from BellaOnline at
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art44827.asp.

"Children with Down syndrome may share more similarities with their
mainstream classmates than there are differences due to individual
challenges. One of the greater differences that students with Down syndrome
experience is that they are tested relentlessly on tasks that are the most
difficult for them.  To get some understanding of the culture of Down
syndrome, try this simple test several times each day for a week. Sit at
your desk, lift your right foot, and make clockwise circles with it. While
doing this, draw the number six in the air with your right hand. Start over
any time your right foot fails to make a clockwise circle while your right
hand is drawing the number six.  Children with Down syndrome are often
tested, and pass a task only if they are able to perform it successfully
three times, often within a set time limit for each attempt.  Imagine
successfully completing a task on a test but not getting credit for it
because it took you a little longer than was allowed. This task could be
written into your IEP, the goal being that you would attempt it repeatedly
until you completed it in slightly less time than it actually takes you to
do it comfortably or well.  Next, imagine that you are working on this goal
while your peers are taking a coffee break, doing something very similar to
this task but taking their own sweet time to do it. Especially in primary
grades, a student may work one on one with a therapist doing a very similar
activity to what their mainstream peers are doing with their teacher,
without the benefits of the classroom atmosphere, peer modeling or
demonstration of cooperative social skills. These variations contribute just
a small part to the culture of Down syndrome.  Another challenge in the
culture of Down Syndrome is disturbed continuity. The student with Down
syndrome may be removed from the mainstream classroom in the middle of one
activity, and returned to class in the middle of another activity. Even
those who do not already have difficulties with transitions might become
disoriented or disgruntled. Frequently, behavior communicates the
frustration and confusion caused by interruptions in continuity.  Teachers
caught on the front lines with IEPs sometimes do not feel they have the same
flexibility to give a student with Down syndrome opportunities for a wider
range of learning, and novel or natural supports for skill building,
academic achievement, and social interaction. They may not be in a position
to advocate for a child in the same way parents do, but often have excellent
ideas about how to make classroom time more constructive and enjoyable.
There are other challenges. When a student with Down syndrome participates
in a mainstream classroom with an IEP created for a special education
classroom, curriculum adaptations may focus on what is most difficult for
that child, rather than offering a wide variety of skills that he or she may
find relatively easy, or interesting enough to be worth the extra effort
required. Participating in and following mainstream curriculum often gives a
student with Down syndrome opportunities to experience success in unexpected
areas.  Sometimes this is achieved purely through peer modeling. Students
with Down syndrome whose professional evaluations suggest cannot follow
three step directions are often highly enough motivated to learn twice that
many when the end result is a vending machine treat or bottle of soda pop.
Those who balk at walking along a balance beam in physical therapy may spend
an entire recess period 'walking curbs' with mainstream classmates.  ..."
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

IS anyone using or have used Rebecca Jackson for ABA?  She is in the
Charleston, SC area.  Thanks!

Catrina

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Items 1 through 8 have been deleted, since they are primarily for families
living in Virginia and Maryland, and I did not want to send useless
information to the folks in the rest of the country. However, please let me
know if you live in Virginia, Maryland or DC; so that I can add you to my
private email distribution list for events in those states.


9.  NEW OAR GUIDE FOCUSES ON TRANSITION.  A Guide for Transition to
Adulthood, the fourth book in the Life Journey through Autism series of
resource guides published by the Organization for Autism Research (OAR), is
now available free of charge to education professionals and parents of
children with autism.  OAR, a national nonprofit organization whose mission
is to apply research to the daily challenges that people living with autism
and their families must face, is distributing the Guides as part of its
continuing, autism education initiative.  This newest book is a resource for
parents, teachers, and professionals working in agencies and systems
associated with helping an individual with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)
make the transition from adolescence to adulthood.   OAR is also delighted
to welcome the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC) in
Phoenix, AZ, as a partner in producing the Guide.  SARRC and OAR will take
this collaboration a step further by developing a Transition Workshop model
with the Guide as a supporting resource.  OAR President, Dr. Peter Gerhardt,
who managed this Guide from start to finish, will co-direct the program,
which will be introduced and videotaped at SARRC’s center in Phoenix later
this year.  OAR and SARRC intend to offer the workshop lesson plans and the
video on DVD as additional transition resources.  Reflecting on the new
Guide, Dr. Gerhardt said, “Adulthood is the defining period of one’s life,
and it is our accomplishments as adults for which we are generally most
proud.  It shouldn’t be any different for the person with an autism spectrum
disorder.  The Transition Guide, we hope, will be an effective resource for
young persons with autism, their families, teachers, and service providers.”
OAR once again welcomed the collaboration of Danya International, Inc., a
health communications company that aided in the development of the first
three publications in the Life Journey through Autism series.   The parents
and professionals who reviewed the Transition Guide were enthusiastic in
their praise of the primary content and additional resource materials,
guidelines, and samples in the appendices.  The areas covered include
Transition agencies and legal help, Transition planning, Vocation and
employment, Postsecondary education, and Life Skills.  Since the publication
of A Parent’s Guide to Research in 2003, OAR has published An Educator’s
Guide to Autism and An Educator’s Guide to Asperger Syndrome and distributed
more than 10,000 copies combined free of charge to parents, teachers, autism
professionals, service providers, schools, and other autism organizations
across the U.S. and in Canada.  OAR’s next work in the series will be A
Guide to Assessments, slated for publication in September, 2007.  Persons
interested in previewing or ordering A Guide for Transition to Adulthood or
any of the other guides in the series may do so online at
http://www.researchautism.org/resources/reading/index.asp.  For more
information about OAR’s Life Journey through Autism series, please contact
OAR at (866) 366-9710 toll free or by e-mail: guides@....

10.  Columbia University's Programs in Occupational Therapy is conducting a
study to gain information from parents on how they perceive the different
treatment approaches commonly used with autism spectrum disorders. We are
looking for parents to fill out a short online survey to help with this
study. If you are a parent whose child has received either ABA, Sensory
Integration Therapy, or Son Rise treatment, we would like to hear from you.
Please click on or copy and paste the following link to the "Parents Helping
Parents" at www.php.com. On this website, please click on the link for the
Columbia University Programs in Occupational Therapy Survey, and you will be
directed to our survey invitation.

11.  "Autism Speaks Launches Federal Legal Appeal Project- A New Initiative
to Help Families in Need Fight for Services, While Establishing and
Preserving Important Legal Precedent for All" dated 13 February 2007 in a
press release from Autism Speaks at
http://www.autismspeaks.org/press/federal_legal_appeal.php.

"Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness
of autism and raising money to fund autism research, today announced the
establishment of the Autism Speaks Federal Legal Appeal Project and invited
families to submit their cases for consideration. The Federal Legal Appeal
Project, organized under the auspices of the Autism Speaks Family Services
Committee, will offer free legal support to families whose Individuals with
Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) -based hearings have been
decided at the administrative level and appealed to the federal level.
Every year, hundreds of families of children diagnosed with autism spectrum
disorders file IDEIA cases in order to secure appropriate educational
services. While a family might have the financial resources to bring or
defend their case, if they lose -- or if they prevail and their school
district decides to mount an expensive and time-consuming appeal in federal
court – they often have no choice but to give up their fight.
“School districts have the ability to out-spend families in these important
legal battles, which not only profoundly affect the lives of individual
families, but often establish critical legal precedent that can impact many
other families' futures,” said Gary Mayerson, an Autism Speaks board member
and leading special needs attorney who has spearheaded the Federal Legal
Appeal Project initiative. “The goal of the Federal Legal Appeal Project is
to level the playing field for the families we assist directly and for all
who are fighting for better services for their children.”  “Autism Speaks
recognizes the tremendous financial burden of mounting an effective case at
the federal level,” said Bob Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks. “We want
to help ensure that deserving cases with legal merit are properly supported
to give them the best possible chance of succeeding.”  All cases submitted
for consideration to the Federal Legal Appeal Project will be reviewed by a
screening committee comprised of attorneys representing several law firms,
who have generously donated their time to Autism Speaks. Cases must have
reached the federal appeal level to be considered. Other key criteria the
committee will take into consideration include: whether the issues involved
are legal important and likely to impact the wider autism community; the
anticipated consequences of taking or not taking the appeal; and the
financial hardship posed on the family to continue the appeal process in the
absence of financial or other assistance.  Interested families may submit
information about themselves and their case to Jennifer Parsons at Autism
Speaks.  For further details about the required documentation and the full
range of criteria for consideration, click here
</howtocope/federal_legal_appeal.php> ."
12.  "Autism Speaks Announces Partnership with The Bachman Company to Raise
Awareness- Snack Food Leader will Feature Autism Awareness Stickers on
Nearly One Million Select Products" dated 14 February 2007 in a press
release from Autism Speaks at
http://www.autismspeaks.org/press/bachman_awareness.php.

"Autism Speaks, the largest non-profit organization dedicated to increasing
awareness of autism and raising money to fund autism research, today
announced a partnership with The Bachman Company to bring its message of
autism awareness to thousands of homes in the Northeast.  Beginning in
February, and running through April during Autism Awareness Month, special
bags of Bachman's Thin ‘n Right® Pretzels, Jax® Cheese Curls, Chipitos®
Tortilla Chips and their popular Tray Pack Pretzel Stix will feature Autism
Speaks stickers with one of the four following facts:
* A new case of autism is diagnosed almost every 20 minutes
* More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with
AIDS, diabetes & cancer combined
* 1 in 166 children is diagnosed with autism (future packaging will
reflect the Centers for Disease Control's newly-released 1 in 150 finding)
* 67 children are diagnosed with autism per day
The stickers will also list Autism Speaks' website as a resource for parents
to learn the early signs of autism.  “We are incredibly grateful to The
Bachman Company for helping us to reach millions of parents with these
important messages,” said Suzanne Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks.
"Parents need to know that autism is much more common than they may think,
and that they talk to their doctor as soon as possible if they suspect a
developmental delay.”  “The Bachman Company is proud to partner with Autism
Speaks in an effort to help promote awareness of autism spectrum disorders,”
said Scott Carpenter, President of The Bachman Company. “Over the past
decade an alarming number of families have been silently struggling to
understand these disorders. Autism Speaks has given them a voice, and a
community, but most of all real hope.”

13.  "Don't mandate new vaccine- Cervical cancer shot for girls has ethical
problems" dated 14 February 2007 in an oped article by BOB BARR from ajc.com
at
http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/2007/02/14/0214edbarr.htm
l.

"Government just can never find enough things to study, regulate and
mandate. Regardless of whether one has a "D" or an "R" following their name,
contemporary elected officials at the federal, state and local level are
drawn insatiably to control those citizens unfortunate enough to fall under
their jurisdiction.  The risk of bad government regulation becomes
especially acute when private industry's drive for profit teams with
government's drive to control, to create a "perfect storm" of government
control. This is happening in Texas, where that state's Republican governor,
Rick Perry, is attempting by executive order to force preteen girls
attending Texas schools to be vaccinated against cervical cancer and genital
warts.  The GOP governor's attempted mandate, which is being challenged in
the Texas legislature, follows on the heels of last year's recommendation by
Washington that 11- and 12-year-old girls be vaccinated against human
papillomavirus or HPV, using the Gardasil vaccine that had just been
approved by the FDA in June 2006.  Of course, whenever the federal
government recommends that something occur, proposals to mandate such action
quickly follow, and do-gooders in the Congress likely will take up this
cause shortly. However, not content to wait for further action from
Washington, many state legislatures and governors are rushing to fill the
newly discovered void. While Perry's heavy-handed action is the most recent
and visible action, other states are gearing up to follow suit.  New York
Gov. Eliot Spitzer already has proposed spending taxpayer dollars in an
effort to begin pushing Gardasil. One New York legislator gushed over the
Texas governor's more forceful action, calling it "terrific" and a move to
be emulated in the Empire State. Further south, Virginia appears poised to
fall in line with the Gardasil bandwagon, and many other states are moving
in that direction.  Merck & Co., the pharmaceutical giant that manufactures
Gardasil, is not simply standing by to answer questions from concerned
legislators and health officials. The company is pulling out all stops in an
effort to secure legislation mandating vaccination with its product.
Campaign contributions are flowing freely in Texas and elsewhere. A
so-called advocacy group for women legislators, Women in Government,
reportedly is serving as one such conduit and has close ties to the Perry
administration. Perry's former chief of staff is a top lobbyist for Merck.
Television ads promoting Gardasil by showing young girls jumping rope are
buttressing Merck's more direct efforts.  It would be one thing if all this
activity and money were simply touting the availability of a new vaccine
designed to help prevent a form of cervical cancer. It is quite another,
however, when the goal of the massive and cash-laden effort is to secure
government action mandating use of the product. Unlike the many other
vaccinations Georgia requires for public school students — chicken pox,
diphtheria, whooping cough, polio, and others — cervical cancer is not
transmitted via casual contact or through airborne viruses.  …"

14.  "Parents get boost on special ed rights- Public advocate wants
districts to provide proof in complaints" dated 15 February 2007 by JOHN
MOONEY from The Star-Ledger at
http://www.nj.com/starledger/stories/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1171518353267770
.xml&coll=1.

"Taking sides in the ongoing debate over special education rights, New
Jersey's public advocate has called for the state to place the legal burden
of proof on districts when facing parent complaints over the services that
schools provide.  Public Advocate Ronald Chen said yesterday several
legislators have agreed to introduce legislation that would accomplish that.
Two recent federal court decisions had put the burden of proof on the
complaining party in special education cases, reversing the longstanding
practice that had existed the last two decades in New Jersey.  But Chen
agrees with many special education advocates who argue that parents are
already at such a disadvantage taking on a school district, the state should
enact its own protections.  "It just makes more sense for the districts to
bear this burden," Chen said yesterday. "Many districts are very, very
responsible in meeting their responsibilities, but there are others that are
just not as responsive to parents' concerns.  "This will tell them they
should do their homework and show they have done all they can," he said.  A
small fraction of special education disputes in New Jersey ever reach court
proceedings, often dealing with a child's school placement or the services
made available. When they do reach a judge's decision, it is more often the
districts winning, according to the state.  But even so, up until two years
ago, New Jersey courts provided special protections for parents making the
complaints and demanded districts prove their programs were adequate, citing
their greater resources and access to documents and experts.  That all
changed in 2005, when the U.S. Supreme Court put the onus on parents in a
decision involving a Maryland case, and the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of
Appeals further affirmed it in 2006 in a case involving an autistic child in
Ram sey.  Advocates maintained that neither case prevented the state from
enacting a statute to protect parents, and they appealed to Chen's office to
take up their stand. They said the federal decisions have only emboldened
districts to challenge complaints and have further chilled parents'
willingness to pursue their cases.  "We had been pushing the ad vocate to
get involved, and we were really excited when he saw this as important,"
said Ruth Lowenkron, an attorney with the Education Law Center in Newark who
helped lead the effort.  "We think this is really critical, and resurrected
what should have been in place all along," she said.  School board attorneys
and other representatives maintain the federal courts' decisions should
stand in New Jersey and said they would oppose any proposed legislation.
"In any legal proceeding, the burden of proof is on the complainant," said
Frank Belluscio, spokesman for the New Jersey School Boards Association.
"This would only add to the already high cost of special education and puts
an additional burden on districts and their taxpayers."

15.  "Expert swims against trend of special ed students in mainstream
classes" dated 15 February 2007 by Tim Grant from the Pittsburgh
Post-Gazette at http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07046/762290-298.stm.

"Although more schools are enrolling children who have disabilities in
regular classrooms, an expert in special education made the radical
suggestion yesterday that they be "separated from the general school
population and given intensive, relentless instruction."  Dr. Naomi Zigmond,
a professor of special education at the University of Pittsburgh, discussed
her uncommon views with members of the Learning Disabilities Association of
America in a keynote address that kicked off its 44th annual international
conference at the Westin Convention Center hotel.  "Because of the pressures
for state testing and accountability and a desire to make kids feel normal
and to expose them to what everyone else gets, we have been forgetting that
special education is supposed to be special," said Dr. Zigmond, who has
studied special education for 41 years.  "It's time for unconventional
thinking," she said. "Because those things have taken precedence over what
special education was invented for and that is to force the education system
to provide something special to students with special needs."  Few issues in
education generate more debate than the highly emotional question of whether
to include special education children in mainstream classrooms.  Federal
laws have long supported the idea that all pupils, including those with
severe and profound disabilities, should be included and educated in
classrooms with nondisabled peers, preferably in schools that they would
attend if they weren't disabled.  Dr. Zigmond's views did not necessarily
reflect those of her audience.  "I don't believe plunking a
learning-disabled kid in a classroom with a teacher who can't meet their
needs is beneficial to a student," said Sheila Clark-Edmands, an education
consultant from Kennebunk, Maine. "But putting them in a self-contained
class with a special ed teacher who's not informed isn't beneficial either."
The annual convention, which ends Saturday, is expected to draw 1,500 people
from across the United States and eight other countries to network and
explore the many facets of learning disorders through a variety of workshops
led by some of the most notable figures in the field.  The most common
learning disabilities are dyslexia and dyscalculia (serious trouble with
math). Learning disabilities happen because of the way a person's brain
takes in and processes information.  Attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder (ADHD) is sometimes thought of as a learning disability, but it's
not usually considered one because most kids with ADHD can learn in school
without special assistance, even though they might be easily distracted and
can't sit still in class.  Many of the attendees are teachers and parents of
children with learning disorders.  "This event is an opportunity for us to
enlighten people who are already in the learning disability field," said
Sheila Buckley, executive director of LDA in Pittsburgh. "But it's also an
opportunity to bring the issue of learning disabilities to the forefront so
there's greater awareness and advocacy for those affected by it."  …"

16.  "Couple gets 2 years in 'caged kids' case" dated 16 February 2007 by
THOMAS J. SHEERAN from The Associated Press at
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/16710692.htm.

"A couple who forced some of their 11 adopted, special-needs children to
sleep in wire-and-wood cages were sentenced to two years in prison Thursday,
after the parents insisted they were only trying to keep the kids safe.  Two
of the children, however, said in statements read in court that they were
treated harshly while they lived with Sharen and Michael Gravelle. One wrote
that they should be imprisoned "for as long as my siblings had to be in
cages."  Sharen Gravelle told the court the children were never confined as
punishment but rather to protect them, including a child who wanted to jump
out a second-floor window.  "Would you prefer that we let them jump? Either
way, we'd be here. The difference is they're still alive," she said in a
tearful, 26-minute statement.  Gravelle blamed social services officials for
not helping her and her husband, Michael, control the destructive behavior
of some of the youngsters.  The children, who suffered from problems such as
fetal alcohol syndrome and a disorder that involves eating nonfood items,
ranged in age from 1 to 14 when authorities removed them in September 2005
from the Gravelles' home in Wakeman, about 60 miles west of Cleveland. They
were placed in foster care in fall 2005 and the couple lost custody last
March.  Sharen Gravelle kept her head down taking notes while the judge read
the sentences. Michael Gravelle sat back in his chair, holding his face in
his left hand.  Each could have received up to five years in prison for each
of the four felonies they were convicted of in December. They also were
convicted of seven misdemeanors.  Michael Gravelle, his face red and his
voice rising, told the judge he and his wife "felt we were being led by the
Lord" when they decided to bring the first child into their home.  He said
problems began when they took in a group of siblings with an array of
behavior and emotional problems.  "What do you do with these kids?" Michael
Gravelle asked. "I prayed constantly for the answer."  He said the
enclosures resulted from the suggestions of a social workers, who
recommended strict rules to improve the children's behavior.  "I'm begging
you," Michael Gravelle told the judge. "I do not deserve jail."  The two
children whose statements were read in court, a girl and a boy, were in the
courtroom Thursday. The boy wrote that he was "thankful that part of my life
is behind me."  He said of his new foster parents, "Because of them I don't
have to steal food. I can use the bathroom whenever I want. Never again will
I have to sleep in a box."  The girl's statement said Sharen Gravelle
treated the children more harshly than her husband did.  "Mom, you walked
around like you were God, then whenever you did go places you were Mother
Teresa taking in the poor black kids that no one wanted," she said.  The
girl said the Gravelles "are grown adults who know the difference between
right and wrong. So I ask that they get as much time in jail for as long as
my siblings had to be in cages."  The Gravelles have said they will appeal
their convictions. The judge allowed them to remain free on bond pending the
appeal.  The couple has said they needed to keep some of the children in
enclosed beds with alarms to protect them from their own dangerous behavior
and stop them from wandering at night.  Prosecutors said the Gravelles were
cruel. Witnesses, including the sheriff and some of the children, said the
cages were urine-stained and lacked pillows or mattresses, but a social
worker and others who testified for the defense said they never witnessed
abuse and that the children's behavior improved because of the bright blue
and red cages.  One Gravelle child testified he was forced to live in a
bathroom for 81 days, sleeping in a bathtub because of a bed-wetting
problem. The Gravelles' attorneys said the boy exaggerated the length of his
bathroom stay, and an expert for the defense testified that the technique
helped the boy."

17.  "Men charged after autistic boy dies in van- Niskayuna center resident
allegedly abused in 2004 at previous school" dated 16 February 2007 by
MICHELE MORGAN BOLTON </TUNews/author/AuthorPage.aspx?AuthorNum=20>  and TIM
O'BRIEN </TUNews/author/AuthorPage.aspx?AuthorNum=101>  from the Albany
Times-Union at
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=563861&category=&BCCode=H
OME&newsdate=2/16/2007.

"The 13-year-old child who died while being transported from the O.D. Heck
Developmental Center was the same boy who was allegedly abused while a
resident of the Anderson School in Dutchess County in 2004, his parents
confirmed to the Times Union today.  Mike and Lisa Carey said authorities
told them their son, Jonathan, was inappropriately restrained by two O.D.
Heck workers in a transport van Thursday night going through Colonie and
couldn't be revived.  ``We are devastated,'' Mike Carey sobbed. ``He was
such a special human being. Jonathan loved Jesus. And maybe this is the
Lord's way of getting Jonathan's law passed as soon as possible.''  The two
center employees -- identified by town police as Edwin Tirado, 35, of 1634
6th Ave., Schenectady, and Nadeem Mall, 32, 9 Plaske Drive, Schenectady --
have been charged with second-degree manslaughter.  The two men drove around
for 1 1/2 hours after the boy stopped breathing said Colonie Police Chief
Steven Heider in an afternoon press conference. They went to a Hess Mart for
drinks and then drove to a toy store in Mohawk Commons, a short distance
from O.D. Heck, to buy a video game and drop it off at Tirado's Schenectady
home.  Mall was driving a van to take the 13-year-old and a 14-year-old
patient from O.D. Heck to Crossgates Mall. They first stopped at the
Hannaford on Wolf Road so that Mall could get cash from an ATM. When he
returned, Heider said, Tirado was restraining the boy in the back seat of
the van.  The boy soon stopped breathing. ``The two adults rendered no aid
and they did not return to O.D. Heck for an hour and a half,'' Heider said.
More than two hours after they left for the mall, they finally returned and
told O.D. Heck workers they had a medical emergency. Efforts were made to
revive the boy there, and he was then taken to St. Clare's Hospital where he
was pronounced dead.  ``The 13-year-old succumbed to what we're alleging
were improper and wrongful holds placed on him,'' Heider said.  Tirado, who
had worked at the agency for six years, was the person restraining him, but
Mall had an equal responsibility for failing to provide or get medical
assistance, he said.  The combination of the improper hold, and their
failure to either provide or seek medical attention, resulted in the
manslaughter charge, he said.  The Times Union profiled the Careys earlier
this year and their quest to not only learn who had physically abused the
severely autistic and mentally retarded boy at the Dutchess County facility
but also get his records unsealed. Jonathan was nonverbal and couldn't tell
them himself. That law, he said, would give families the right to access
their own children's records to be sure the state is held accountable for
their care."

18.  "The autism treatment challenge" dated 16 February 2007 by LIDIA
WASOWICZ from United Press International at
http://www.sciencedaily.com/upi/index.php?feed=Science&article=UPI-1-2007021
6-12271600-bc-pedmed-autismtreat-1.xml.

"Without a clear-cut cause to serve as a compass, treatments devised for
autism have spread out in dizzyingly divergent directions -- from behavioral
to dietary to medical to alternative.  To the consternation of mainstream
professionals, some have strayed off the establishment-dictated course -- a
less traveled path many parents have elected to follow.  Leading medical
specialists warn of flimflammers touting untried cures and tempting with
unproven claims.  Others caution that even among widely recognized and
recommended remedies, none can claim universal reliability and few have
rigorous scientific backing.  "There are no standards for safety in autism
treatments," said Steven Gutstein, psychologist, autism specialist,
researcher, child, marital and family therapist and co-director of The
Connections Center for Family and Personal Development and of the
Relationship Development Research Institute in Houston.  He also is the
author of "Autism Aspergers: Solving the Relationship Puzzle" (Future
Horizons Inc., 2000), which describes a technique he developed to teach
social skills to autistic individuals.  "There's not a single study to see
if anyone is harmed by the treatment, be it biomedical or behavioral,"
Gutstein said in an interview. "The assumption is both are better than
nothing, and the more the better, but there are no data to confirm that."
"Part of the problem is that researchers and clinicians don't talk to each
other," he added. "(Some therapists are) still doing facilitated
communication which was debunked years ago."  The process involves a
"facilitator" guiding the hand, wrist or arm of the speech-impaired
individual so he can use a keyboard or typing device to convey his thoughts
and feelings.  In an Aug. 14, 1994, resolution, the American Psychological
Association dismissed the practice as "a controversial and unproved
communicative procedure with no scientifically demonstrated support for its
efficacy."  However, some practitioners, patients and parents swear by the
technique, which they say has made a significant difference in their or
their child's ability to communicate.  Among those trying to bring some
clarity to the therapeutic picture, the federal Studies for the Advancement
of Autism Research and Treatment Network, initiated by the National
Institutes of Health in response to a congressional mandate, is taking a
closer look at a variety of options.  The eight centers that comprise the
network are examining: -- the safety and effectiveness of treating autistic
children ages 30 months to 58 months with the SSRI antidepressant
fluoxetine, the generic name for Prozac; -- differences among toddlers ages
18 months to 24 months with autism, developmental delay and no disorders and
the effectiveness of intensive behavioral therapy as treatment for autism;
-- the effects of a diet free of gluten, a component of wheat, rye, oats,
barley and other grains, and casein, the principal protein in milk and dairy
products -- thought by some to prompt an allergic reaction that causes or
worsens autism -- in autistic toddlers ages 30 months to 54 months; -- the
safety and effectiveness of the SSRI antidepressant citalopram, sold as
Celexa, compared to a sugar pill as a treatment for autistic children ages 5
to 17; -- the effects of peer interaction training on the social
relationships of autistic children ages 6 to 11.  All in all, the NIH is
sponsoring more than 70 therapy-related investigations.  Never far behind,
and often at the head of the autism-research pack, parent advocate groups
like Autism Speaks say they are putting their money where their heart is.
They are providing a financial helping hand for such treatment-centered
projects as a national autism database that eventually will connect
families, educators and researchers in an interactive process of sharing
information, participating in ongoing studies and seeking clues to the roots
of and remedies for an array of conditions collectively called autism
spectrum disorders.  In the meantime, many specialists caution, choosing a
treatment can be as chancy as rolling the dice."

19.  "O.D. Heck staffers charged in teen's death" dated 17 February 2007 by
Shawn Charniga from The Record at
http://www.troyrecord.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17863817&BRD=1170&PAG=461&dep
t_id=7021&rfi=6.

"An employee of a state-affiliated facility that cares for severely disabled
persons used improper physical force to restrain a 13-year-old while he and
a co-worker ran errands, and neither man sought medical care for the youth
during the next hour or more, causing his death, police charged.  Edwin
Tirado, 35, and Nadeem Mall, 32, both Schenectady residents employed by the
O.D. Heck Developmental Center in Niskayuna, were charged with second-degree
manslaughter Friday and held in the Albany County Correctional Facility
without bail after arraignment in Colonie court, police said. A grand jury
may consider the case Wednesday.  Police identified the victim as
13-year-old Jonathan Carey. In February 2005 his parents, Michael and Lisa
Carey, filed a $5.75 million lawsuit in Albany County Supreme Court claiming
the severely retarded and autistic child was abused by staff of a Dutchess
County facility he was housed in during 2003 and 2004.  The couple flew back
to Albany from their first vacation in a decade, a Christian cruise of the
Caribbean, at 9:30 p.m. Friday, their lawyer said.  According to the state
Capital District Developmental Disabilities Services Office, the 500
Balltown Road facility provides services to mentally retarded and
developmentally disabled persons and their families who are residents of
Albany, Fulton, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schoharie, Schenectady, Warren and
Washington counties.  Police said that at the time of the teen's death he
was under the care of Tirado and Mall, who were transporting him in a van on
Central Avenue. While Tirado attempted to restrain the youth, the boy
stopped breathing. It is alleged that neither man sought medical attention
for him afterward.  Colonie Police Chief Steven H. Heider said Tirado and
Mall took Jonathan and a second teen, an unidentified 14-year-old male
described as "high-functioning," to Crossgates Mall at about 6:30 p.m.
Thursday. Along the way, they stopped at a Hannaford supermarket so Mall
could withdraw money from an ATM, Heider said.  "When he came out Mr. Tirado
was in the back of the van with (Jonathan) and he was attempting to restrain
him," the chief said. Disabled-care workers are taught a set of restraining
maneuvers that are seen as proper and not likely to injure care recipients,
he explained.  Tirado "was attempting to use these methods to restrain this
young man in his seat. What is alleged is he used improper methods and
caused this young man to stop breathing," Heider said. Then, deciding to
skip the trip to Crossgates, the two men went to a Hess Mart on Central
Avenue to buy drinks and Mohawk Commons to buy a video game, which was
dropped off at one of the men's homes, before returning to O.D. Heck, Heider
said.  They returned to the facility at 8:50 p.m. and claimed the medical
incident had just taken place, the chief said, but the story fell apart
after questioning by O.D. Heck staff who "just realized something wasn't
right."  The 14-year-old willingly spoke about what he saw and will be a
capable witness, Heider said.  "They rendered no aid, no medical assistance.
They didn't call 911. They didn't do anything to help this young person for
over an hour," the chief said. So ended a young life troubled not only by
developmental disability, but also by allegations of abuse by other
caregivers.  …"

20.  "Are Autism Cases on the Rise in U.S.?" dated 18 February 2007 by E.J.
Mundell from HealthDay in The Washington Post at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/16/AR2007021600
594.html.

"The release last week of statistics on the prevalence of autism spectrum
disorders in American children -- one case in every 150 8-year-olds --
confirmed that the condition is more common now than it was just a decade
ago, when estimates ranged anywhere from one in 500 youngsters to one in
166.  But the new statistics -- from a 14-state survey conducted by the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -- failed to clear up the mystery
of why autism might be striking more and more children with each passing
year.  Alison Singer, senior vice president of the nation's leading autism
advocacy group, Autism Speaks, said she didn't need the CDC statistics to
know that more families are now struggling with the behavioral disorder.  A
decade ago, "we didn't have more than year-long waiting lists for places
within schools for children with autism," said Singer, whose 9-year-old
daughter is autistic. "In fact, we had far fewer schools then for children
with autism, because we had far less need. And if you go into any elementary
school in the country, you'll see more children with special needs and with
autism than you did when I was in elementary school."  Autism spectrum
disorders include autism as well as less disabling conditions such as
Asperger's syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). All of these
conditions involve some level of difficulty in communication and
socialization, according to the CDC. Some children may also engage in
repetitive behaviors, have trouble dealing with changes in routine, and be
prone to emotional outbursts. As many as four in 10 children with autism may
not speak at all, the CDC says.  The exact causes of autism remain a
mystery. "We know that genes are important," said Dr. Bradley Peterson,
professor of child psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and the
New York State Psychiatric Institute in New York City.  On the other hand,
he said, "we know that genes aren't the whole story. Unfortunately, in terms
of non-genetic or environmental factors, we just don't have very good leads
yet."  Theories as to possible environmental culprits are widespread and
hotly debated. They have included a variety of infections (including
maternal German measles during pregnancy); drugs such as thalidomide and a
labor-inducing agent, Pitocin; synthetic compounds such as PCBs and
plastics; and food additives.  Two agents -- the mercury-based vaccine
preservative thimerosal, and the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine --
gained widespread public attention after a 1998 study by British researcher
Dr. Andrew Wakefield linked vaccination to a spike in childhood autism
cases.  Debate still rages on that front, although two more recent and much
larger studies -- one by the U.S. Institute of Medicine and another
British/Japanese effort involving more than 30,000 Japanese youngsters --
have turned up no such link.  So, the question remains: Why are more and
more parents discovering their child has autism?  Peterson said the CDC
statistics may not be as straightforward as they seem.  …"

21.  "A Powerful New Tool- The first findings from the world's largest
autism research project give hope to families and scientists" dated 18
February 2007 by Julie Scelfo from Newsweek at
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17202866/site/newsweek/from/ET/.

"Preliminary results from the largest-ever autism genome study, published
today in the online edition of Nature Genetics, offer promising new avenues
of research into autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which affects 1 in 150
children in the United States. The findings, based on an analysis of genetic
data from 1,200 families, are significant because they come from the Autism
Genome Project (AGP), a consortium of over 120 scientists from 19 countries
who joined forces in 2002. The unprecedented collaboration dramatically
increased the pool of genetic samples from families with autism, giving
researchers a better shot at teasing out possible underlying causes of the
disorder. NEWSWEEK's Julie Scelfo spoke with UCLA's Dr. Dan Geschwind, a
professor of neurology, psychiatry and human genetics at the David Geffen
School of Medicine, who heads the school's chapter of the Autism Genetic
Research Exchange (AGRE). Excerpts: …"

22.  "Largest Ever Autism Study Identifies Two Genetic Culprits- New regions
of the genome can now be plumbed in the search for new therapies for the
mysterious mental disorder" dated 18 February 2007 by Nikhil Swaminathan
from Scientific American.com at
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleid=D7C80F75-E7F2-99DF-3F71D9FC07888C
4F&chanId=sa017.

"The largest genome scan ever conducted to get to the bottom of autism has
pinpointed two locations in the human genetic makeup that may trigger the
mysterious mental condition. The Autism Genome Project, a collaboration of
120 scientists representing 19 countries and 50 institutions, compared the
genomes of 1,168 families that each had at least two autism sufferers in
them to try to track down the regions. The consortium reports its findings
in this week's issue of Nature Genetics.  Autism is a mental disorder
characterized by behavioral problems that may include a lack of social and
communications skills, such as failure to respond to one's own name, intense
tantrums and general detachment. In the last decade the diagnosis of autism
has increased 10-fold. It is now believed to affect one in 166 children born
in the U.S. and four boys for every girl.  "Although we know autism is
highly inheritable, complex gene interactions and submicroscopic anomalies
create a din of statistical noise that drowns out detection of signals from
linked sites in the genome," says study co-author Bernie Devlin, a human
geneticist at the University of Pittsburgh. "To amplify these signals, we
brought to bear gene chip technology with a huge sample, and also screened
for these fine-level anomalies, factoring them into the analysis."  Using a
DNA microarray, or gene chip, the team was able to scan large stretches of
sequence for tiny deletions common within the study families. They also
sought out copy number variations and large-scale insertions or deletions of
genetic material. In the two-fold analysis, the researchers implicated the
gene neurexin 1, located on chromosome 2, as well as a swath of sequence on
chromosome 11.  Neurexin 1 is part of a three-member family of genes coding
for proteins involved in communication between neurons. It is associated
with glutamate, the neurotransmitter known to elevate neuronal activity and
play a role in wiring the brain during early development. Glutamate
functioning has been implicated in other syndromes involving mental
retardation of which autism is often a symptom, such as fragile X syndrome
and tuberous sclerosis. Neurexin 1 is specifically believed to be involved
in building glutamate synapses, the links through which glutamate neurons
send and receive electrical signals.  "Often you don't have any idea of what
a gene does, but in this case we know neurexin 1 is involved at sites where
the neurotransmitter glutamate is released," says study coauthor Gerard
Schellenberg, a medical researcher at the University of Washington. "As for
the chromosome 11 location, we think there is another susceptibility gene
there and we are actively pursuing it. We are in the neighborhood and have a
plan to find it.  The section of chromosome 11 identified in the study has
been linked to proteins that ferry glutamate across synapses.  Genetic
anomalies, from tiny deletions or substitutions of single bases to large
stretches of missing code or even multiple copies of the same code, often
crop up in the human genome and, occasionally, can create a disposition to a
particular type of disorder. Among the variations found in the Autism Genome
Project subjects was the deletion of the neurexin 1 gene. Much of the autism
research community believes there may be roughly six major genes involved in
autism, and maybe 30 others that may confer some risk. A combination of
mutations in any of these genes could contribute to the likelihood of being
born with autism. (In addition, competing theories linking autism to
environmental factors, such as mercury in childhood vaccines, persist.)
Because a number of different genetic factors may contribute to this
disease, identifying these markers is made very difficult and large sample
sizes are needed to get significant results.  "These findings are a piece of
the puzzle," says Geraldine Dawson, director of the University of
Washington's Autism Center. "As we identify these genes we will be able to
screen young children for autism at an early age and begin interventions
earlier, which can have a dramatic effect for some children."  …"

23.  "Town opens school for disabled students- Canton finds a solution for
growing number" dated 18 February 2007 by Peter Schworm from The Boston
Globe at
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/02/18/town_opens_school_for_d
isabled_students/.

"One therapist helped 4-year-old Jonathan Saia flatten his playdough with a
small rolling pin, guiding his hands so the motion was straight and smooth.
Another watched intently as 5-year-old Benny Borre, rotated dinosaur puzzle
pieces until he found the right fit.  The boys, who are autistic, attend a
public preschool that Canton school officials started two years ago in
response to a growing number of children with disabilities entering the
district and to the growing cost of educating them in private schools.  In
this class, five autistic youngsters work closely with therapists to learn
skills and behaviors through a systematic, structured approach called
applied behavioral analysis. On most days, students receive individual
speech and occupational therapies and work one on one with trained
specialists on social interaction and everyday tasks.  Progress is hard won,
but probably would not be possible without such an intensive, focused
effort, teachers and parents said.  The classes are expensive, about $20,000
a year for each student. Sending the children out of town to private
schools, however, could cost three times as much.  The Canton classroom
illustrates two key elements in special education: the high degree of
attention that some special needs children require to learn and the growing
effort to offer such programs locally, both to reduce costs and to allow
children to attend school in their own town.  While the amount of expertise
and experience needed to launch local programs can be daunting, more
districts are trying to avoid rising tuition and transportation costs at
private special education schools, said Alan Dewey, administrator of student
services for the Canton public schools.  Dewey described the program as an
investment that not only yields immediate dividends, but will also save more
money as more students with autism enter the schools. In time, autistic
children will progress and need less outside help, he added.  Canton
teachers point to one preschooler's progress to show that the class's
benefits far outweigh the costs. When he arrived at the preschool last year,
he couldn't speak, didn't interact with others, and flapped his hands
repeatedly. Now, he talks to others and is increasingly social.  The other
day, he said good morning to another student, and teachers now think he
could attend regular kindergarten next year.  Such gains only come after
months of patient, often painstaking lessons, teachers said.  For many
autistic students, little comes instinctively, so teachers break down tasks
into manageable segments and teach them through repetition and positive
reinforcement.  As Jessica Berry, a special education teacher at the
preschool, led the children in song, specialists helped the children with
motions that matched the lyrics, such as "ring the bell," "climb the
ladder," or "spray the water."  The movements didn't come easily, but by the
end of the song students were doing better. A small step, Berry said, but
one that would not have happened without one-on-one help.  "It's the only
way it can work," she said."

24.  "Finding hope in autistic lives- Parents of 3 boys with autism organize
expo to help others navigate the disorder" dated 18 February 2007 by Sandy
Alexander from The Baltimore Sun at
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/howard/bal-ho.autism18feb18,0,6527402
.story?page=2&track=rss.

"For a year, doctors speculated that the boys were experiencing common
developmental delays, Lynn said, particularly because they were triplets and
small at birth.  The diagnosis also was difficult because they were somewhat
social compared with more severe autism cases.  But the Gastons said they
knew "something else is going on here," Lynn said.  After a year of ruling
out other problems, a diagnosis of autism finally came from a specialist in
Bethesda.  It was difficult, Randy said, not only to know for sure that the
children were facing a serious problem but to "grieve for the children you
thought they were going to be."  Lynn said they still have hope the boys
will go on to fulfilling lives. "I'm not willing to say at 5 that it's
over."  But, Randy added, research shows that early intervention is very
important. "We only have a couple of years to get it right," he said.
Carbone agreed that the early years are the most critical, adding that
parents need to use that time to seek out therapy programs that have
experimentally verified methods of treatment.  His focus is in behavior
analysis, an area where he said finding a highly trained therapist is
important, but also difficult and potentially expensive. Many parents have
difficulty getting insurance to cover all kinds of therapies and are looking
to school systems and other government programs for help.  He added, "It's
absolutely critical [that parents] stay involved in the child's program as
closely as they can. ... It's critical to the best outcome."  Lynn Gaston
left her job as a preschool teacher to take care of her boys full time.
Randy is a graphic designer for the Maryland Association of Boards of
Education.  Occupational therapy helped the boys show notable improvement in
their physical coordination. They are now undergoing an intensive verbal
therapy program provided by a private company.  Organizing the expo - a task
that started in October - means additional work on top of their challenging
home life, but Lynn said she has enjoyed the opportunity to help other
families.  "It has kind of made us do something positive about autism," she
said. "I don't want people to feel sorry for us. I love our children."  At
the same time, she said there is no question that caring for three autistic
children is a huge amount of work and worry.  "I wake up every day and say,
'This has got to get better. Someone has got to figure it out,'" Lynn said.
Added Randy: "We keep plugging along. What else are you going to do?"

25.  "Special needs, a costly debate- Schools seek state funds to meet
rising expenses" dated 18 February 2007 by Peter Schworm from The Boston
Globe at
http://www.boston.com/news/education/k_12/articles/2007/02/18/special_needs_
a_costly_debate/.

"School superintendents and parents of special needs children are demanding
that Massachusetts boost spending on special education to help cities and
towns that are struggling with an increasing number of signficantly disabled
students who need a wide range of high-cost services.  Massachusetts has one
of the most inclusive special education programs in the country, and costs
of teaching students with disabilities have strained school budgets for
years.  But rising special education enrollment, particularly the number of
students with autism and other severe disabilities, and surging
transportation and health costs have made costs increasingly unmanageable,
educators said.  The Massachusetts Association of School Superintendents has
filed legislation that would amend the so-called circuit-breaker law to
increase reimbursements to school districts for the cost of educating
children with severe learning problems.  The circuit-breaker law requires
the state to reimburse districts for high-cost students. Under that
provision, the state provided about 11.5 percent of special needs spending
in fiscal 2005, according to the Superintendents Association; the share was
expected to be about 10 percent in fiscal 2006. Leaders of the Legislature's
Education Committee have signaled support for more funding.  "A small
percentage of children need significant services, and the costs are
enormous," said Thomas Scott, executive director of the Superintendents
Association.  The cost of educating special needs children in Massachusetts
public schools has increased by more than $400 million since fiscal 2001 and
totaled $1.6 billion for fiscal 2004, the latest year for which a total is
available, or roughly one-fifth of school spending.  There were 160,752
special needs students in Massachusetts schools in 2005-2006, or 16.3
percent of total enrollment. The number of children identified with special
needs increased by 10,749 between 2002 and 2006.  Special education has
drawn increased attention from parents, educators, and policy makers
following the fatal stabbing last month of a Lincoln-Sudbury High School
student, allegedly killed by a student with Asperger's disorder, a form of
autism.  Some administrators and parents worry that the stabbing will cause
a backlash against placing special-needs children in mainstream schools.
Tense trade-offs sometimes occur in school districts to balance costs of
educating special needs students against needs of other students.  Jennie
DunKley, a special education consultant and mother of a 13-year-old with
Asperger's disorder, said she believes that there is an inherent conflict of
interest in having budget-conscious administrators define the scope of a
child's education.  Financial constraints, she said, are the "elephant in
the room" that forces administrators to closely examine expensive services
that might help a child improve.  "If you have only $100 to educate one
child or 100, which are you going to choose?" she asked. "Everyone's hearts
are in the right place, but their hands are tied."  …"

26.  "Jersey scientists find a possible key to autism" " dated 18 February
2007 by PEGGY O'CROWLEY from The Star-Ledger at
http://www.nj.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/news-11/117177694297300.xml&coll
=1.

"A team of New Jersey scientists believes it has found ways to detect
biological risk factors for autism through simple urine and blood tests, a
discovery that could lead to groundbreaking medical treatment for the
neurological disorder.  The team of 16 scientists, mostly drawn from the
campuses of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, say
their findings, the result of more than two years of study on how the body
breaks down fatty acids, could be a breakthrough for what is the
fastest-growing developmental disorder in the nation, with no known cause or
cure.  The UMDNJ researchers say they have found that children with autism
are unable to metabolize key fatty acids that help the body fight
inflammation that causes damage to the brain and other organs.  "It's an
exciting story that's unfolding," said George Lambert, coordinator of the
15-member research team.  The potential treatment, members of the team say,
is a kind of "therapeutic cocktail" tailored to each child, which would give
them a dose of a "good" fatty acid that they are not able to make on their
own. Team member Bernd Spur of UMDNJ-Stratford created the chemical process
to replicate one of those good fatty acids.  "The pathway doesn't work (in
the body), so we circumvent it," said Spur, a chemist.  Currently, the only
way to diagnose autism is by a clinical assessment of symptoms, which
include difficulty with communication and social interaction, as well as
obsessive behaviors and interests. New Jersey has a high incidence of the
disorder, affecting 1 in 94 children in the state, compared with 1 in 150 in
the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Researchers say that in the future a person's risk for autism could be
measured with a simple urine test that would look for high levels of "bad"
fat molecules, or a blood test that could reveal genetic problems, including
the absence of a key gene, called GSTM1, which is responsible for
metabolizing good fats. Many people with autism do not have this gene.  Xue
Ming, a neuroscientist and a founding director of the Autism Center at
UMNDJ-Newark, discovered that children with autism have higher levels of bad
fat molecules in their urine than typical children.  No one understands yet
why it is that so many children with autism have such metabolic differences,
but Ming suggested it might be caused by an interaction between genes and
the environment. It may be that having less of these key fats reduces the
body's ability to deal with environmental and metabolic stress.  Since the
1990s, scientists have known about the potential for good fatty acids to
treat inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis,
even asthma and Alzheimer's.  That potential has spurred a frenzy of
research into lipids, the fatty compounds that include fatty acids. Studies
at the University of Pennsylvania and Vanderbilt University have confirmed
the New Jersey group's findings, said Spur.  At Harvard University,
researchers are working on treatments for asthma and periodontal disease,
while researchers at Louisiana State University are focusing on stroke.
Team members have been meeting every week for more than two years to discuss
the results of their experiments. They include Lambert, a pediatric
toxicologist who looks at the impact of the environment on children; Spur,
the chemist who replicated the fatty acid in the lab; neurologist William
Johnson, who associated the missing gene with autism; and Ming, a
neuroscientist who tested for the presence of bad lipids in children.  So
far, the scientists have obtained six patents for their research, Lambert
said. They soon will meet with the Food and Drug Administration to discuss
the requirements for producing and testing their substances, he added.
"Metabolic issues in autism are entirely understudied," said Sophia
Colamarino, science director for Cure Autism Now, a major advocacy and
research group in Los Angeles. "It's a very exciting area. There is
accumulating evidence that would clearly tell me this is where I should
look."  The New Jersey scientists are cautious, however, about their
preliminary results, and warn families not to expect a miracle cure. Testing
on humans, they say, could take a few years.  Meanwhile, the researchers are
preparing a preliminary study to begin in September. Lambert hopes to work
with 5- to 7-year-olds at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center in
New Brunswick, a school for children with autism run by Rutgers.  Lambert
will be giving the children doses of a good fatty acids to see if they have
any noticeable effect on the children's cognitive, social and behavioral
states. The study will use a control group of similar students.  "New Jersey
is the perfect place to do this," said Lambert, director of the EPA-funded
Center for Neurotoxicology. "We have a high incidence (of autism), a long
history of activism and a strong community."

27.  "2 new genetic links predispose people to autism, study shows" dated 18
February 2007 from CBC News (Canada) at
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2007/02/18/autism.html.

"An international team of scientists including several Canadians has
discovered genetic links that put children at greater risk of developing
autism.  About 1,500 families offered DNA to scientists searching for a
cause for autism spectrum disorder. The results appear in Sunday's issue of
Nature Genetics.  Stephen Scherer of the Hospital for Sick Children in
Toronto led the Canadian arm of the research, identifying two key genetic
causes for autism.  "Now we can think about this condition in a much
different way," said Scherer. "We have an understanding of what's going on
in the developing brain in these individuals so we can think about ways to
actually deal with this issue."  The work involved abnormalities in
chromosomes, gene codes and proteins. Between seven and 12 per cent of the
families showed individuals sharing possibly detrimental chromosome
abnormalities.  A linkage analysis that searched for regions of the genome
that might be shared by individuals with autism spectrum disorder turned up
a region on chromosome 11 that was not previously been linked to risk of
developing autism.  Autism affects one in 160 children. The complexity of
the genetics helps explain why it is described as a spectrum, with no two
children exactly alike. Environmental factors may also play a role,
scientists say.  The Fenton family of Halifax is a case in point.  Liam, 14,
has Asperger's syndrome. He is able to do Grade 8 schoolwork but has
problems relating to others. His 10-year-old brother, Rhys, has a more
classic form of autism and has difficulties with language, learning and
social interactions.  "We need to find out why," said their mother, Jo-Lynn
Fenton. "Obviously, I have two children with autism, somebody has no
children with autism, so there's a reason, and the best way to find out is
to look at what's different."  The findings may help steer scientists toward
new drugs and behavioural therapies tailored to specific children or groups
of children, said Dr. Lonnie Zwaigenbaum, director of the Autism Research
Centre in Edmonton.  "At some point it may be that this kind of genetic
research identifies subgroups of children with autism where the response to
intervention may actually somehow relate to the genetics."  New treatments
are years away, but the findings may help parents come to terms with why
their children are different, and help them understand that the disorder is
not due to something they did during pregnancy.  The study also underlines
that if one child is born with autism, there is a greater likelihood their
siblings will be as well."

28.  "Canadian team finds genetic markers for autism" dated 18 February 2007
from CTV news (Canada) at
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070216/autism_genome_0
70216/20070218?hub=TopStories.

"Canadian researchers have led an international team in the discovery of a
chromosomal region containing the genes that cause autism, a finding
considered a breakthrough in the effort to better understand the condition.
Researchers at Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and the Offord Centre
for Child Studies say the finding is a major breakthrough in the effort to
better understand the condition and to eventually improve treatment for
patients.  The discovery was part of the largest genome scan ever attempted
in autism research. Called the Autism Genome Project, the initiative
involved 137 researchers from 50 institiutions in nine countries, including
Canada.  Working together, the scientists were able to share samples, data,
and expertise to analyze DNA from about 1,600 families worldwide.  They
zeroed in on a special group of neurons and the genes affecting their
development and function. They then used cutting-edge Copy Number Variation
(CNV) analysis to look for genetic commonality as well as unique differences
in autistic individual.  The scientists were able to implicate a previously
unidentified region of chromosome 11, and neurexin 1, a member of a family
of genes believed to be important in neuronal contact and communication.
The neurexin finding in particular highlights a special group of neurons,
called glutamate neurons, that could play a critical role in autism spectrum
disorders.  "The clinical implications of this discovery are unprecedented,"
said Dr. Peter Szatmari, director of the Offord Centre for Child Studies.
"Not only have we found which haystack the needle is in, we now know where
in the haystack that needle is located.  Dr. Stephen Scherer, a senior
scientist in Genetics and Genomic Biology at SickKids, was the first to
discover the existence of common genetic variants and is delighted with the
discoveries the consortium was able to make.  "We first used genome scanning
technology to test genetic markers in autistic children and find regions in
the genome linking to autism susceptibility genes," said Dr. Scherer, a
senior scientist in Genetics and Genomic Biology at SickKids.  "By combining
this with cutting edge CNV analysis we were able to reveal, for the first
time, the genetic architecture underlying autism susceptibility."  The
findings have been published online in the prestigious journal Nature
Genetics.  Autism affects roughly one in 165 children, making it the most
common form of any neurological disorder or severe developmental disability
of childhood.  Those affected exhibit severe impairments in reciprocal
social interaction and communication, and a preference for repetitive,
stereotyped behaviours."

29.  "Autism study offers hope for treatment" dated 19 February 2007 by
LINDY WASHBURN from North Jersey.com at
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmV
sN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MDgwMzI1JnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg==.

"Results from the largest genetic study ever done of people with autism and
their families suggest that previously unsuspected areas of human genes play
a role in the development of autism -- a finding that that may open the door
for a blood test and targeted drug treatments for certain types of autism.
Preliminary results of the Autism Genome Project, published Sunday in the
journal Nature Genetics, "delineate a new understanding of the genetic basis
for this complex disorder," the authors wrote.  The study is the result of
unprecedented collaboration among scientists at 50 institutions in 19
countries, who combined their collections of DNA from 1,200 families --
including some from New Jersey -- in which two children have autism.  The
goal was to identify "autism susceptibility genes." The significance of the
study's findings was enhanced by the large population studied -- nearly
8,000 people. Cutting-edge technology allowed the scientists to see the DNA
at a much higher resolution than was possible before, so that previously
unseen variations were detected.  Autism, a complex disorder affecting brain
development, interferes with a person's ability to form social relationships
and communicate. It is accompanied by focused, repetitive behavior that can
be extremely challenging. It is thought to result from a combination of
genetic susceptibility and an environmental "trigger," though the exact
mechanism remains a mystery.  A new study released this month by the federal
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found the rate of autism in 14
states studied was 1 in 150 children, higher than the previous estimate of 1
in 166. In New Jersey, it was one in 94.  The burden -- for families and the
health and education systems -- is nearly incalculable, though one
researcher put the toll in New Jersey alone at $1 billion.  "Now we have a
target to work on," said Dr. Andy Shih, one of the study's 137 listed
authors and chief science officer for Autism Speaks, a major source of funds
for the project. Previously, researchers did not know the exact genetic
mutations and physiologic changes in people with autism.  "I think it's
really exciting," said Christine Bakter, a Hamilton Township mother of two
boys with autism, whose family participated in the study. Her youngest son
was just 3 weeks old when his brother was diagnosed with autism at age 3 in
2001. "A genetic marker would make diagnosis, and therefore access into the
early intervention system, much, much easier."  Intensive early treatment of
children with autism, while the brain is still developing, can effectively
"rewire" some of the connections among nerve cells, enabling children to
reach a much higher level of development. In some cases, they are able to
join their peers in typical classrooms.  But diagnosis currently relies on
behavioral signs, rather than a medical test. As a result, most children are
older than 3 before they start treatment. A genetic marker would enable
treatment to begin before changes in behavior were even observed.  …"

30.  "Roots of autism more complex than thought" dated 19 February 2007 by
Liz Szabo from USA TODAY at
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-02-18-autism-roots_x.htm.

"A preliminary new study sheds light on the possible genetic roots of
autism.  Experts say autism, a brain disorder that inhibits the ability to
communicate and develop relationships, appears even more complex than
doctors imagined.  The study, published Sunday in Nature Genetics, was led
by the Autism Genome Project, a collaboration among researchers in 19
countries. The project was financed by the National Institutes of Health and
the advocacy group Autism Speaks.  Scientists have long known that autism
may run in families. For example, if one identical twin has autism, the
other twin is much more likely to have the disorder. And doctors also have
noticed that autism can cause a wide range of disabilities that afflict some
children far more severely than others, says Andy Shih, chief science
officer for Autism Speaks.  The new research suggests there could be many
genes that, in combination with environmental influences, predispose
children to autism, Shih says. That would be very different from other
disorders, such as cystic fibrosis, which are caused by a single gene.  "We
expect genetic studies will show that we're not just talking about one
disease," he says. "It could be autisms."  In the study, researchers
compared genetic samples from nearly 1,200 families in which two or more
siblings have autism or related conditions.  With a larger DNA sample, Shih
says, scientists can be more confident in their findings. Past studies
included DNA from only 200 or 300 families.  In the new study, scientists
looked for telltale patterns — genes that turned up repeatedly, which could
indicate that they play a role in autism, Shih says.  Scientists found
suspicious patterns in several spots on the genome, Shih says. But doctors
are most intrigued by two possible candidates: a previously unidentified
section of chromosome 11, which is home to many genes; and one particular
gene, located elsewhere, called neurexin-1, which appears to be involved in
communication among brain cells.  Scientists also looked for "copy number
variations," places where DNA has been either inserted or deleted. Although
a small number of patients had these variations, relatively few were exactly
the same, Shih says. And though some patients shared these insertions and
deletions with their parents, others did not.   Stan Nelson, a genetics
professor at the University of California-Los Angeles, says researchers
eventually may use these findings to develop tools to better diagnose and
understand the disease. Some genes may prove more influential than others.
Nelson, a study co-author, says some genes may contribute to 20% of cases,
and others cause only 0.2%.  But Rita Cantor, a co-author also at UCLA,
notes that such discoveries will come slowly.  "We'll have to search very
hard to find the genes," Cantor says. "That's not five minutes. That's a lot
of work."

31.  "Autism Genes Believed on Chromosome 11" dated 19 February 2007 by Neil
Osterweil from MedPage Today at
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/Autism/tb/5082.

"Genes associated with an autism risk appear to be clustered in a region on
chromosome 11, according to the largest study yet of families with a
predisposition to the condition.  Action Points: Explain to patients who ask
that the causes of autism are unknown, but that it may be due to a
combination of genetic factors and environmental influences. An
international team studying autism families has identified a region on
chromosome 11 where genes involved in the process may lie. There are no
immediate clinical implications to this finding.  In a study of more than
1,100 families, the Autism Genome Project Consortium, consisting of 137
investigators from 50 centers in 19 countries, has closed in on a stretch of
the chromosome where genes involved with the neurotransmitter glutamate are
known to lie, reported Peter Szatman, Ph.D., of McMaster University, Bernie
Devlin, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues, online in
Nature Genetics.  "This study is by far the largest study ever conducted, in
terms of both researchers and research subjects," said Joachim Hallmayer,
M.D., of Stanford, a co-author. The results point the way toward further
studies, but are far from definitive, the authors acknowledged.  "While
promising, these results need to be followed up with more refined genetic
maps to home in on other specific candidate genes. We also need to look more
closely at chromosomal anomalies in large samples of children with autism,"
Dr. Hallmayer said.  The investigators conducted genetic analyses on 1,168
families in which two or more members had a diagnosis of autism, as defined
by either the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised and the Autism Diagnostic
Observation Schedule, or by clinical evaluation.  Genetic analysis of such a
large sample may be particularly revealing the authors wrote, because autism
has a strong genetic component. They pointed out that in twin studies, there
is a concordance for autism of 60% to 92% among identical (monozygotic)
twins, and up to 10% for dizygotic pairs.  "Although familial clustering in
autism could reflect shared environmental factors, twin studies and the
distribution of milder phenotypes in families favors a model involving
multiple interacting loci," the investigators wrote.  They hypothesized that
autism is a joint or combined genetic affair in which various combinations
of susceptibility alleles may play a role.  They used automated genotype
analysis techniques to conduct genetic linkage analysis, which looked for
specific genetic markers in the vicinity of a suspected autism
susceptibility gene.  They also tracked chromosomal abnormalities among
affected family members by looking at copy number variations,
sub-microscopic genomic insertions, and deletions implicated in various
disorders, including autism.  "Although we know autism is highly heritable,
complex gene interactions and submicroscopic anomalies create a din of
statistical noise that drowns out detection of signals from linked sites in
the genome," said Dr. Devlin. "To amplify these signals, we brought to bear
gene chip technology with a huge sample, and also screened for these
fine-level anomalies, factoring them into the analysis."  There is also
evidence that chromosomal abnormalities or genetic disorders such as fragile
X syndrome or tuberous sclerosis syndrome, both of which involve aberrant
glutamate signaling, may be involved in autism risk, they wrote.  Using the
genetic linkage analysis, the authors found that the 11p12-p13 region of
chromosome 11 was most closely linked to neuroligins, transmembrane proteins
expressed on the postsynaptic cell that bind to presynaptic transmembrane
proteins called β-neurexins.  The candidate genes are involved in the
trans-synaptic transportation of glutamate, a major excitatory
neurotransmitter.  "We also found a family with a deletion in a gene called
neurexin 1 that appeared to correlate with a diagnosis of autism in this
family," Dr. Hallmayer said.  Two young girls in the family with the
neurexin 1 deletion presented with typical autism, including characteristic
developmental delays; one child appeared to be nonverbal, and that other had
mild language regression.  Neurexin 1 encodes for a protein that facilitates
interneuronal communication. Deficits or defects in glutamate function have
been implicated previously in autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
"As for the chromosome 11 location, we think there is another susceptibility
gene there and we are actively pursuing it," said co-author Gerad
Schellenberg, Ph.D., of the University of Washington in Seattle. "We are in
the neighborhood and have a plan to find it."

32.  "Canadian breakthrough offers hope on autism- Project makes possible
DNA test to identify children most likely at risk to condition" dated 19
February 2007 by CAROLYN ABRAHAM from The Toronto Globe and Mail (Canada) at
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070219.wxautism19/BNSto
ry/specialScienceandHealth/home.

"A massive international effort led by Canadian scientists has homed in on
the genes behind autism - a breakthrough that could revolutionize how the
mysterious and surprisingly common condition is both detected and treated.
Touting it as the most significant advance in the field in 30 years,
researchers say the landmark project has put within reach a DNA test to
identify children with autism early enough to counter the condition's worst
effects.  "I don't think it's inconceivable that we're going to be able to
prevent autism down the road," said study leader Peter Szatmari, director of
the Offord Centre for Child Studies at McMaster Children's Hospital in
Hamilton. "The clinical implications of this discovery are unprecedented."
Doctors currently rely on psychological tests to diagnose autism spectrum
disorders in children at age 2 or 3. But a DNA test could identify those
affected as babies, or perhaps even before they are born.  Dr. Stephen
Scherer, left, and Dr. Peter Szatmari led an international project to
discover the genetic architecture underlying autism susceptibility.
(Hospital for Sick Children).  The findings, based on the largest autism DNA
collection ever assembled, could also allow parents who have children with
autism to learn through genetic screening their chances of having another
affected child.  "If you know ahead [of time] of your predisposition to
autism, you can make an informed decision," said Marie Jolicoeur, a
Burlington, Ont., mother who has two sons with autism disorders and whose
family contributed DNA to the project.  Using new genome scanning tools,
researchers have found that several different autism-related genes can play
a role in different families. This helps to explain why no two children -
not even identical twins - have identical symptoms.  The researchers have
pinpointed at least five areas of the genome that harbour genes linked to
autism susceptibility, including those crucial for brain function. They have
also found a genetic mutation tied to the disorder in girls - who are four
times less likely than boys to develop autism disorders.  The work has also
highlighted how autism can spring from genetic quirks not seen in either
parent - suggesting that a genetic glitch has randomly emerged in the sperm
or egg cells of the father or mother prior to conception.  Co-author Steve
Scherer, senior scientist of genetics and genomic biology at Toronto's
Hospital for Sick Children, said, "It may be that 5 to 10 per cent of autism
cases are arising from these de novo [new] mutations."  The research,
released yesterday in an advance online publication of the journal Nature
Genetics, is the first part of a two-phase study run by the Autism Genome
Project. It involves more than 137 researchers from 50 academic institutions
in eight countries and the study of nearly 8,000 people from 1,600 families
who have at least two members diagnosed with an ASD.  Dr. Szatmari, who set
the ground rules for the unprecedented collaboration that began in 2002,
said "the effort has meant the putting aside of individual ambitions to work
together as a team."  Autism disorders have only recently been recognized as
the most common serious developmental condition of childhood, affecting
roughly one in 165 children. Experts refer to it as a spectrum because the
complex neurological condition can range so widely in severity.  Some suffer
severe cognitive impairment, others are savants. Many battle
gastrointestinal problems and show a strong preference for strict routines
and repetitive behaviours. But social deficits are its hallmark, impaired
language, communication and the ability to interact with others.  Once
considered rare, autism disorders seem to have risen dramatically over the
last two decades. But Dr. Szatmari said many experts believe the increase
can largely be explained by greater awareness, different diagnostic criteria
and the specialized resources often made available to those with an ASD
compared with another form of developmental condition.  Despite the growing
awareness, autism's causes have stumped experts. Many suspect environmental
triggers - prenatal hormones, toxins, food allergies and infections. But
experts have long known genes play a major role. Autism disorders tend to
run in families; if one identical twin has an ASD, there is a 65- to
92-per-cent chance the other will also develop the disorder. Doctors also
see subtle forms of autism in parents that may not have been diagnosed.
"Still, for 99 per cent of autism cases, we don't know the underlying
genes," Dr. Scherer said.  …"

33.  "Largest-ever Search For Autism Genes Reveals New Clues" dated 19
February 2007 in a press release from the NIH/National Institute of Mental
Health <http://www.nimh.nih.gov/>  at
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070218183245.htm.

"The largest search for autism genes to date, funded in part by the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), has implicated components of the brain's
glutamate chemical messenger system and a previously overlooked site on
chromosome 11. Based on 1,168 families with at least two affected members,
the genome scan adds to evidence that tiny, rare variations in genes may
heighten risk for autism spectrum disorders (ASD)*.   The study is the first
to emerge from the Autism Genome Project (AGP) Consortium, a public-private
collaboration involving more than 120 scientists and 50 institutions in l9
countries. Their report is published online in the February 18, 2007 issue
of Nature Genetics.  With NIH support, the AGP is pursuing studies to
identify specific genes and gene variants that contribute to vulnerability
to autism. These include explorations of interactions of genes with other
genes and with environmental factors, and laboratory research aimed at
understanding how candidate susceptibility genes might work in the brain to
produce the disorders.  "This is the most ambitious effort yet to find the
locations of genes that may confer vulnerability to autism," said NIH
Director Elias A. Zerhouni, M.D. "The AGP is revealing clues that will
likely influence the direction of autism research for years to come."
"Although we know autism is highly heritable, complex gene interactions and
submicroscopic anomalies create a din of statistical noise that drowns out
detection of signals from linked sites in the genome," explained Dr. Bernie
Devlin, University of Pittsburgh, who served as a corresponding author on
the project along with the University of Toronto's Dr. Stephen Scherer. "To
amplify these signals, we brought to bear gene chip technology with a huge
sample, and also screened for these fine-level anomalies, factoring them
into the analysis."  Clues emerged adding to evidence that implicates
components of the brain's glutamate neurotransmitter system in autism.
Glutamate increases neuronal activity and plays an important role in wiring
up the brain during early development. Since autism likely stems from faulty
wiring, a genetic blueprint gone awry in this pivotal neurotransmitter
system is a prime suspect. Some key genes associated with the glutamate
system are located in chromosome regions previously associated with autism,
note the researchers.  Previous studies have also linked abnormal glutamate
functioning to disorders such as Fragile X syndrome and tuberous sclerosis,
which share some symptoms with autism. It's not unusual for individuals with
either syndrome to be diagnosed with autism.  Among the new clues is
stronger evidence for an association between autism and sites of genes for
neurexins, molecules that build glutamate synapses ý the connection
machinery by which brain cells communicate.  A site on chromosome 11 most
strongly linked to autism in this study harbors genes for proteins that
shuttle glutamate across the synapse. Although detected previously, the
linkage signal at this site was regarded as less important until now.
Submicroscopic anomalies ý tiny deletions, or the doubling, tripling or even
multiplying of stretches of genetic material ý are relatively common in the
human genome and aren't necessarily harmful. However, recent evidence
suggests that these anomalies may contribute to risk for ý or rarely even
cause ý autism if they affect certain sites associated with the disorder.
The AGP researchers found a number of these variations in such suspect
chromosomal locations in affected individuals, including deletion of a
neurexin gene.  These anomalies can also make it more difficult to detect
the genes that more commonly account for autism risk, say the researchers.
Since each major autism candidate gene likely contributes to risk for a
relatively small percentage of families, its linkage signal can easily be
lost in the statistical noise generated by those of the anomalies ý just as
a high level of static can drown out a weak radio signal.  To amplify the
power of possible linkages detected, the researchers analyzed many subsets
of data, variously excluding from the sample factors like the submicroscopic
anomalies, female sex, and ethnicity. These analyses unmasked several
suggestive linkages that would otherwise have eluded detection.  Researchers
last Fall reported discovery of a gene version linked to autism and how it
likely works at the molecular level to increase risk. The AGP researchers
propose that multiple such gene variants, perhaps interacting with each
other and with the tiny anomalies, contribute to risk. As more such genes
are identified, studies of how they work in the brain ý in mice and other
model systems ý will help to sort out the genetic and proposed environmental
influences on autism spectrum disorders, say researchers.  …"

34.  "SARRC launches Phase II of Autism Genome Project" dated 19 February
2007 in a press release from the Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center
<http://www.bizjournals.com/search/bin/search?q=%22Southwest%20Autism%20Rese
arch%20%26%20Resource%20Center%22&t=phoenix>  at
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2007/02/19/daily6.html?from_rss=1
.

"Southwest Autism Research & Resource Center
<http://www.bizjournals.com/search/bin/search?q=%22Southwest%20Autism%20Rese
arch%20%26%20Resource%20Center%22&t=phoenix>  is launching the second phase
of its Autism Genome Project in an effort to find the genes responsible for
the brain disorder.  The study is being conducted in conjunction with Autism
Speaks and an international consortium of researchers, philanthropists,
government funding agencies and participating families. It follows on the
success of the first phase of the genome project, which assembled a gene
biobank in an effort to discover the genes responsible for causing the
disorder.  As part of the study, Phoenix-based Translational Genomics
Research Institute generated the genomic scan data for this international
collaboration. Results from Phase I are being published this week in the
Nature Genetics journal.  Phase II of the project represents a $14.5 million
investment over three years by Autism Speaks, the British Medical Research
Council, the Health Research Board of Ireland, Genome Canada, Canadian
Institutes for Health Research, SARRC and the Hilibrand Foundation.
Scientists will apply gene-chip technologies to scan the genome for
association with new genetic markers. Researchers then will be able to
conduct high-throughput DNA sequencing experiments designed to pinpoint
underlying changes in DNA sequences in autism susceptibility genes.  This
could be the first step in developing a cure for the disorder, said Dr. Raun
Melmed, co-founder and medical director of SARRC in Phoenix.  For more:
www.autismcenter.org <http://www.autismcenter.org/> ."

35.  "Patients find paths to better lives through song" dated 20 February
2007 by KELLY BOTHUM from The News Journal at
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070220/HEALTH/702
200344/-1/NEWS01.

"The dancing bug nabbed Princess Ann in the middle of Louis Armstrong's
trumpet solo. She rocked in her seat and alternated between clapping her
hands and tapping them on her lap.  With help from the staff members of the
Alzheimer's day treatment program at Evergreen I Center, where Princess Ann
attends specialized day care for older adults, her highness -- also known as
Ann Lemon -- rose to her feet. She shuffled her feet from left to right. She
laughed. Her eyes burned with excitement and attention. She mouthed the
words to the songs she knew and hummed the tune of those she didn't.  It's
that kind of reaction that music therapist Cindy Cordrey likes to see when
she works with patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease, a progressive
brain disorder that affects an estimated 4.5 million Americans. The disease
initially affects short-term memory and decision-making functions but it
leaves long-term memory mostly intact.  Exposing these patients to music
from their past -- in this case, tunes like "I've Been Working on the
Railroad," "Let Me Call You Sweetheart" and favorites from Nat King Cole --
can help give them a chance to be "in the moment," as Cordrey calls it, and
able to participate in group activities.  Not everyone is as engaged during
Cordrey's therapy session as Princess Ann, but even small signs, such as
making eye contact or tapping a foot, indicate the veteran music therapist
is reaching her audience.  "Music is my tool," said Cordrey, a certified
music therapist who works with Christiana Care Health System. "My goal for
them is to try to focus on their needs, such as gross motor movement. We
want them to have the best quality of life they can."  Nationwide, more
people like Cordrey are working in health-care settings. They are part of a
growing effort to bring the arts -- music, writing, painting -- back into
hospitals, hospices and nursing homes, not just to give people something to
do but to improve their well-being.  A survey of arts services in 2004 by
the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations found that
about 2,000 hospitals offer some kind of arts-related programs.  Cordrey has
spent more than 20 years as a music therapist. She said the flexibility of
music makes it possible to treat different patients. In addition to
Alzheimer's patients, she also works with special-needs children and people
recovering from strokes, brain aneurysms and other illnesses.  The key is
knowing the different musical needs of patients. The upbeat, swinging music
that an Alzheimer's patient may benefit from, for example, may not be the
best for someone who experiences seizures, she said.  Cordrey graduated from
the University of Delaware and took music therapy classes from the
now-closed Combs College of Music.  About 15 active music therapists work in
Delaware, including two who work with autism students, she said. That's a
good number, considering no schools in the state offer music therapy as a
major. But many more patients could benefit from music therapy if health
care professionals took the time to learn about what it can do, she said.
"The biggest roadblock is not being recognized as a viable therapy," Cordrey
said.  Lynn Spencer-Williams is the administrator for Christiana Care's
Evergreen program, which operates on the grounds of the Emily Bissell
Hospital in Brandywine Springs. She said music is a daily part of the lives
of the "friends" -- her term for her clients -- who participate in the adult
day care program.  The radio is tuned to familiar songs when patients arrive
at the center. They listen to more music during arts and crafts. And of
course it's a necessity for dancing, something Spencer-Williams said happens
at the center every day.  But the music is more than just something to fill
the silent void. Music is used to recall events from long-term memory as
well as enhance patients' current activity levels. Staffers often speak in a
singsong voice to get clients to sit or stand because they respond better to
the musical cues.  …"

36.  "Boy's death adds urgency to effort- Advocates for families of
institutionalized children say recent incident shows need for open records"
dated 20 February 2007 by MICHELE MORGAN BOLTON
</TUNews/author/AuthorPage.aspx?AuthorNum=20>  from the Albany Times-Union
at
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=564739&category=FRONTPG&B
CCode=HOME&newsdate=2/20/2007.

"A bill to open confidential medical and investigative records to parents
and guardians of mentally ill people unanimously passed the state Assembly
in 2006, but it died without a Senate sponsor.  Assemblyman Harvey
Weisenberg, a Long Island Democrat, revived the measure this January. A
companion bill in the Senate was offered by Republican Charles Fuschillo,
also of Long Island.  Meanwhile, Sen. Stephen Saland, R-Poughkeepsie,
introduced another bill, which would give parents access to their children's
records at state-run facilities.  These three proposals have a heightened
significance in the aftermath of last week's death of a 13-year-old boy with
autism who was living at the state's O.D. Heck Development Center in
Niskayuna. Jonathan Carey died after what police have called an improper
physical restraint while he was in a van with two workers from the center.
Now advocates for the disabled are calling on lawmakers to enact legal
protections -- in the form of the Weisenberg-Fuschillo bills, Saland's
measure or new legislation proposed Saturday by state Senate Majority Leader
Joseph L. Bruno -- or a combination of all of them.  It's important to
empower parents who carry a lifelong responsibility of care for their
disabled children, said Ben Golden, legislative director for NYSARC, a
parent-founded advocacy group for developmentally disabled people.  "We need
to give them the tools they need to watch over their children," Golden said
Monday, saying current limits are inflexible. "There is a big difference
between giving everyone access to everything and no access to anything."
Jonathan Carey and a 14-year-old O.D. Heck resident were on an outing to
Crossgates Mall on Thursday evening with two staffers, Edwin Tirado, 35, and
Nadeem Mall, 32, when Jonathan died, Colonie Police said Friday. They said
that at some point the child stopped breathing, but the two men drove around
for about 90 minutes running errands before returning to the center in
Niskayuna.  Jonathan had recently begun living there after his parents
removed him from a private school for people with autism because they
discovered he had been mistreated. Mike and Lisa Carey were seeking state
legislation to open records about their son after being denied access to
information that might explain who abused the boy in 2004 at the Anderson
School in Dutchess County.  The Careys had allied with Bill Bunter, a Long
Island father seeking answers about the alleged abuse of his adult child in
a facility overseen by the state Office of Mental Retardation and
Developmental Disabilities.  For Bunter, the unanswered question is how his
49-year-old daughter, who is mentally retarded and uses a wheelchair, could
have had a piece of heavy plastic embedded in her skin without anyone in
charge treating it until an abscess developed.  Bunter and the Careys were
not allowed to see their children's records because of confidentiality and
mental health laws.  On Monday, Colonie Police Lt. John Van Alstyne said
investigators are awaiting results of the autopsy on Jonathan Carey
conducted Saturday.  Tirado and Mall are due back in Town Court at 6:30 p.m.
Wednesday, but that proceeding could be called off if a grand jury begins
hearing the case.  "We're conferring with the DA's office, and there will
probably be a grand jury," Van Alstyne said. …"

37.  "Lottery win secures children's future" dated 20 February 2007 from the
Great Yarmouth Mercury (UK) at
http://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/content/yarmouthmercury/news/story.asp
x?brand=GYMOnline&category=news&tBrand=GYMonline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED2
0%20Feb%202007%2008%3A44%3A42%3A343.

"A centre for autistic children was last night celebrating a National
Lottery grant of nearly £300,000 that has come just in time lift a threat of
closure.  The Autistic Way Smart Kids Centre in Gapton Hall Road, Yarmouth,
quickly became a lifeline to more than 150 families from a wide area of
Norfolk and Suffolk when it opened in 2002, but in recent years had been
beset by funding problems.  Centre manager Jacky Porter said: “The landlord
let us off our last quarter's rent because of our lack of funding, and
without this lottery grant of £298,635 we would have had to close.  “Now
this money has secured our future, meeting 75pc of our running costs for at
least the next five years.  “The stability means so much to all the staff
because not only do we care for the children and young people in this
facility, we also extend support to all the families sharing their problems
and giving them support.”  Mrs Porter, who battled to raise more than
£100,000 to open the centre because she found there was nowhere for her
autistic son Harry, now 15, to go paid tribute to “everyone who helped to
put this bid together and those people who gave references”.  Because of
dwindling resources and staff cutbacks, the centre has recently only be able
to offer sessions two evenings a week, on Saturdays, and during school
holidays.  “With the lottery money we will be able to increase our paid
staff from six to seven which is important because most children need
one-to-one support,” said Mrs Porter.  “And we will be able to increase the
number of sessions and give a chance for new mums to come in. That is vital
because when kids are first diagnosed it is hard to take and difficult to
accept.”  She said parents had been growing increasingly anxious about the
future as there was no comparable centre that gave carers a much needed
break while ensuring their children were being looked after in a happy, safe
environment.  She said: “We even get families who come along when they are
on holiday in Yarmouth and say there is nothing like Smart Kids in their
part of the country.”  Mrs Porter said a lot of parents split up under the
pressure of caring for autistic children whose behaviour could be
unpredictable and at times violent.  One mother said: “When you have kids
like ours the stress is enormous and even friends and family lack the
expertise to take the load off. There is only one place to go when I need a
break and a sympathetic ear and that's Smart Kids.”  Yarmouth MP Tony
Wright, a patron of the charity, said: “This lottery grant is excellent news
and gives the centre the time and opportunity to start looking at the longer
term future so it can avoid another cash crisis further down the line.”  The
charity is bidding for further grants and looking to increase fundraising
through such means as hiring the centre for children's parties."

38.  "Upstate NY woman who starved young son sentenced to 15 years" dated 20
February 2007 from The Associated Press at
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=564878&category=New%20Yor
k%20State&BCCode=&newsdate=2/20/2007.

"A woman was sentenced to 15 years in state prison for starving her
5-year-old handicapped son, who was found sitting in a playpen infested with
cockroaches and lice, wearing a diaper full of his own waste.  Judy Gratton
had little to say in court Tuesday, except that she wanted to appeal her
conviction and wanted a new attorney.  Gratton, 49, of Cortland, was
convicted in January of first-degree assault, a felony, three misdemeanor
counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and unlawful possession of
marijuana, a violation.  Cortland County Judge William Ames said it was one
of the saddest cases he had ever seen, but he didn't think Gratton
intentionally hurt her youngest child, which is why he did not impose the
maximum sentence of 25 years.  But she blamed others, didn't take
responsibility for the boy's condition and hid her son during frequent
visits by social workers, the judge said in refusing a defense request for a
five-year sentence.  "All you needed to say was, 'I need help,'" Ames said.
"Sadly, the animals in the house were treated better than the children," the
judge said, noting that authorities seized two healthy pit bulls from the
home.  Gratton and her live-in boyfriend, Joseph Kahn, were arrested during
a drug raid at her home in March 2006. Kahn, 45, pleaded guilty to
endangering the welfare of a child and criminal possession of marijuana, and
was sentenced to nine months in jail.  The boy, Harley Morgan, who suffers
from Down syndrome, weighed just 15 pounds when police found him and could
not speak or stand on his own. Several doctors testified that the boy had
been starved for several months and was near death when he was taken from
the home.  A typical 5-year-old should weigh about 40 pounds, according to
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Police said the home was
littered with bags of garbage, dirty diapers and cockroaches.  Two of the
endangering charges related to Gratton's older children, a 12-year-old girl
and 13-year-old boy. Police said the raid was sparked when the girl brought
marijuana to school as a cry for help.  Both older children were
malnourished. All three children have been placed in foster care.  Gratton's
children were given the opportunity to address the court Tuesday on their
mother's behalf but declined.  During the trial, Gratton told jurors the boy
had been sick only for a few days. She admitted that she had a drinking
problem but said she never meant to hurt any of her children.  Alcoholism
and a history of domestic abuse "taught Judy Gratton to keep things inside,
and never ask for help, and to drown her problems in alcohol," said defense
attorney Ira Pesserilo.  Before the sentencing, Pesserilo asked to have the
verdict thrown out and a new trial set. Pesserilo claimed Ames did not
properly instruct the jury, "distorting the law of depraved indifference to
an extent that no jury could possibly acquit," he wrote in his motion
papers. Ames denied the motion for the new trial.  …"

39.  "Merck suspends lobbying for cervical cancer vaccine mandate" dated 20
February 2007 by LINDA A. JOHNSON from The Associated Press at
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/business/16742292.htm.

"Merck & Co., bowing to pressure from parents and medical groups, is
immediately suspending its lobbying campaign to persuade state legislatures
to mandate that adolescent girls get the company's new vaccine against
cervical cancer as a requirement for school attendance.  The drug maker,
which announced the change Tuesday, had been criticized for quietly funding
the campaign, via a third party, to require 11- and 12-year-old girls get
the three-dose vaccine in order to attend school.  Some had objected because
the vaccine protects against a sexually transmitted disease, human papilloma
virus, which causes cervical cancer. Vaccines mandated for school attendance
usually are for diseases easily spread through casual contact, such as
measles and mumps.  "Our goal is about cervical cancer prevention and we
want to reach as many females as possible with Gardasil," Dr. Richard M.
Haupt, Merck's medical director for vaccines, told The Associated Press.
"We're concerned that our role in supporting school requirements is a
distraction from that goal, and as such have suspended our lobbying
efforts," Haupt said, adding the company will continue providing information
about the vaccine if requested by government officials.  Merck launched
Gardasil, the first vaccine to prevent cervical cancer, in June. It protects
against the two virus strains causing 90 percent of cervical cancer and two
strains that cause most genital warts.  Sales totaled $235 million through
the end of 2006, according to Merck.  Last month, the AP reported that Merck
was channeling money for its state-mandate campaign through Women in
Government, an advocacy group made up of female state legislators across the
country.  Conservative groups opposed the campaign, saying it would
encourage premarital sex, and parents' rights groups said it interfered with
their control over their children.  Even two of the prominent medical groups
that supported broad use of the vaccine, the American Academy of
Pediatricians and the American Academy of Family Practitioners, questioned
Merck's timing, Haupt said Tuesday.  "They, along with some other folks in
the public health community, believe there needs to be more time," he said,
to ensure government funding for the vaccine for uninsured girls is in place
and that families and government officials have enough information about it.
Legislatures in roughly 20 states have introduced measures that would
mandate girls have the vaccine to attend school, but none has passed so far.
However, Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Feb. 2 issued an executive order requiring
Texas girls entering the sixth grade as of 2008 get the vaccinations,
triggering protests from lawmakers in that state.  Perry defended his order
on Tuesday, a day after House lawmakers in Austin held a lengthy hearing on
the issue but failed to act on a bill to override the order.  Dr. Anne
Francis, who chairs an American Academy of Pediatrics committee that
advocates for better insurer reimbursement on vaccines, called Merck's
change of heart "a good move for the public."  "I believe that their timing
was a little bit premature," she said, "so soon after (Gardasil's) release,
before we have a picture of whether there are going to be any untoward side
effects."  Given that the country has been "burned" by some drugs whose
serious side effects emerged only after they were in wide use, including
Merck's withdrawn painkiller Vioxx, Francis said, it would be better to wait
awhile before mandating Gardasil usage.  She said she also was concerned
about requiring a vaccine for a disease that is not communicable and so does
not have a big public health impact. While doctors expect Gardasil to have a
huge effect in poor countries where women do not get Pap smears, in this
country those tests limit the incidence of cervical cancer to about 9,710
new cases and 3,700 deaths each year.  The National Vaccine Information
Center has been publicizing reports of side effects - mostly dizziness and
fainting - in several dozen people getting Gardasil, which is approved for
use in females ages 9 to 26. The center, a group of parents worried that
vaccines harm some children, questions whether the vaccine was tested in
enough young girls.  Officials with the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, however, say that reports of side effects through the end of
January don't raise any red flags.  The vaccine also is controversial
because of its price - $360 for the three doses required over a six-month
stretch. Because of that cost and what pediatricians and gynecologists say
is inadequate reimbursement by insurers, many are choosing not to stock the
vaccine or requiring surcharges to administer it, increasing the cost for
many families and making the vaccine hard to come by.  …"

40.  "Autism Spectrum Disorder In The Second Year: Stability And Change In
Syndrome Expression" by Chawarska K, Klin A, Paul R, and Volkmar F. from the
Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine.

"Objectives: Increasing numbers of young children referred for a
differential diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) necessitates
better understanding of the early syndrome expression and the utility of the
existing state-of-the art diagnostic methods in this population. Method: Out
of 31 infants under the age of 2 years referred for a differential
diagnosis, 19 were diagnosed with autism, and 9 with pervasive developmental
disorder - not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) when reassessed at 3 years.  We
examined 1) the symptoms of ASD in the second year and changes in the
syndrome expression by the age of three; 2) relationship between
expert-assigned clinical diagnosis and diagnostic classification based on
Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-Generic (ADOS-G) and Autism
Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R) in the second year; 3) the relationship
between direct observation and parental report of ASD symptoms.
Results: Symptoms of autism and PDD-NOS in the second year were pronounced
and stability of the clinical diagnosis was high. The agreement between
clinician-assigned autism but not PDD-NOS diagnosis and the ADOS-G was high.
However, sensitivity of the ADI-R diagnostic classification of autism was
poor. Comparison of concurrent parental report and direct observation
revealed discrepancies in severity ratings of key dyadic social behaviors.
Changes in communication reflected acquisition of language accompanied by
the emergence of unusual language characteristics. Symptoms of social
dysfunction were relatively stable over time, and so was the severity of
stereotyped behaviors.
Conclusions: The study provides support for stability of clinical diagnosis
and syndrome expression in the second year and highlights advantages and
limitations of the ADI-R and ADOS-G for diagnosing and documenting symptoms
of ASD in infants."

41.  "Neonatal Serotonin Depletion Alters Behavioral Responses To Spatial
Change And Novelty" by Hohmann CF, Walker EM, Boylan CB, and Blue ME. From
Morgan State University, Baltimore, MD.

"Multiple brain disorders that show serotonergic imbalances have a
developmental onset. Experimental models indicate a role for serotonin as a
morphogen in brain development. To selectively study the effects of
serotonin depletions on cortical structural development and subsequent
behavior, we developed a mouse model in which a serotonin neurotoxin,
5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT), is injected into the medial forebrain
bundle (mfb) on the day of birth.  Littermates with saline injections into
the mfb and age matched mice served as controls. This study characterized
the extent and duration of serotonergic denervation after the selective
neonatal lesion and investigated effects on exploratory behavior, spatial
learning and anxiety in mice of both sexes. We report significant decreases
in the serotonergic (5-HT) innervation to cortex and hippocampus, but not to
subcortical forebrain structures in 5,7-DHT-lesioned mice.  The depletion of
5-HT fibers in cortical areas was long lasting in lesioned mice but
autoradiographic binding to high affinity 5-HT transporters was only
transiently reduced. Male but not female lesioned mice reduced their
exploration significantly in response to spatial rearrangement and object
novelty, suggesting increased anxiety in response to change but normal
spatial cognition.  Our data show that developmental disruptions in the
serotonergic innervation of cortex and hippocampus are sufficient to induce
permanent, sex specific, behavioral alterations. These results may have
significant implications for understanding brain disorders presenting with
cortical morphogenetic abnormalities and altered serotonin
neurotransmission, such as autism, schizophrenia and affective disorders."

42.  "Effects of Vagus Nerve Stimulation In A Patient With Temporal Lobe
Epilepsy And Asperger Syndrome: Case Report And Review of the Literature" by
Warwick TC, Griffith J, Reyes B, , et al. from the Department of Internal
Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, and the University
Medical Center, Fresno, CA.

"Seizures are a common comorbidity of autism and occur in as many as 30% of
patients. This case report describes a 23-year-old man diagnosed with both
Asperger syndrome and bitemporal epilepsy. The patient had behavioral
regression that correlated with worsening of his intractable seizures. He
subsequently underwent implantation of a vagus nerve stimulation therapy
device for his refractory epilepsy.  Both his seizures and his behavior were
monitored for 6 months. We describe the efficacy of vagus nerve stimulation
therapy in reducing seizure severity as well as improving the behavioral
components of his Asperger syndrome. We also review the current literature
regarding epilepsy in autistic spectrum disorders."

43.  "Ethical implications of new science" by Evan Beswick in an editorial
of the Student (Scotland) at http://studentnewspaper.org/?q=node/397.

"News of Edinburgh scientists’ potential cure for Rett syndrome – a
physically damaging form of autism – might have raised a few more eyebrows
in international press this week had what it actually proposes been made
more explicit. That is, any eventual treatment developed would involve the
genetic modification of humans.  And if the week’s headlines are to be
believed, humans may be in for a large helping of modification: a “bionic”
eye which connects directly to the optic nerve, a process of shifting around
heart cells to repair heart disease or a breakthrough in nanotechnology. So
it seems odd that, in a week which has had science journals so excited, the
tabloid media who usually most enjoy whipping up a palaver about meddling
with our perfect form have given in without so much as a whimper.  What
seems evident is that, as controversial gene technology begins to bear fruit
in terms of real human benefit, fears of “designer babies” or of mutant
humans injected with pig stem cells now appear to have been overstated. To
assert that the 10,000 children affected by Rett syndrome worldwide might be
disadvantaged by the discovery at Kings Buildings is a tough one to argue.
Placed alongside this week’s medical announcements, any claim that a genetic
cure is fundamentally different in terms of improving quality of life to,
for example, the restoration of sight - is churlish.  The research is
revolutionary in its reversal of the terrible physical deterioration which
accompanies Rett syndrome. But, more broadly, the technique is being touted
by commentators as offering the prospect of cures for mental problems such
as schizophrenia or personality disorders arising from brain damage.  The
treatment of previously permanent brain damage raises a new set of issues.
Who makes the decision to begin treatment should an individual be unable to
do so? Particularly, who can decide to refuse treatment or even determine
what constitutes a disorder? Many parents of children with Down’s syndrome
or autism have defended the unique and valuable personalities of these
youngsters. Media scare stories are unlikely to prevent positive research
into these areas. Whilst the ethical implications of new medical science
must always be borne in mind, to frantically ask ‘how far will this all go?’
sensationalises what should remain firmly in the realm of science fact."

44.  "Editorial preface: The very early autism phenotype" by Nurit Yirmiya
from the Department of Psychology and School of Education, The Hebrew
University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem and Sally Ozonoff from the
MIND Institute and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences,
University of California Davis Medical Center in a press release from Autism
Speaks at http://www.autismspeaks.org/science/journal_of_autism_preface.php.

"In this editorial preface, we first describe the historical roots of this
special issue. We then introduce the papers, all of which focus on the very
early phenotype of autism and the broad autism phenotype. Some of the papers
in this volume include studies on the very youngest children diagnosed with
Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) while in other papers the focus is on infant
siblings of children with autism. Next, we discuss some methodological and
clinical issues pertaining to the studies. We end by considering the ethics
involved in these kinds of studies, their implications for prevention and
intervention, and possible future directions. (In this paper, we use the
term ASD to collectively refer to children meeting criteria for Autistic
Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified. When
a distinction between these conditions is important, the specific term is
used.)  Historical roots.  In the mid-1980s, Marian Sigman, while on
sabbatical in Europe, spoke with Sir Michael Rutter and Simon Baron-Cohen
about initiating a young siblings study in order to achieve insight into the
early precursors of autism. At that time, before the publication of the
ADI-R and ADOS, Sir Michael Rutter was concerned that the older siblings
with autism would not be diagnosed similarly across sites (and countries)
and thus the group decided not to pursue this interest at that time.
However, in the early 1990s, after publication of standardized diagnostic
instruments that would make cross-site collaborations more reliable, Marian
Sigman and Nurit Yirmiya initiated the first sibling study (Yirmiya, et al.,
2005; Yirmiya, Gamliel, Shaked, & Sigman, 2006) in collaboration with Simon
Baron-Cohen and Christopher Gillberg, who also collected data in the UK and
Sweden. At the time, autism was estimated to occur in about 5 in every
10,000 live births, and the recurrence rate of autism in families was
estimated at 4-8%, i.e., almost 100 fold that of the general population.
Children were then diagnosed most often around age 3 years or older. Thus
younger siblings were the optimal at-risk group for those interested in
lowering the age of diagnosis. The hope was that earlier identification
would lead to earlier intervention and a better prognosis.  Several research
groups soon joined this research endeavour, leading to the establishment of
the Baby Siblings Research Consortium (BSRC), a voluntary network of
researchers studying infant siblings of children with autism and other very
young children at risk for ASD. This consortium was first established in
2003 to bring together the major research groups in the field to discover
the earliest behavioural and biomedical markers of ASD. The group currently
consists of 18 accomplished scientists -- representing 16 research
institutions across the US, Canada, and Israel -- who share a commitment to
identify early markers and develop treatments for preventing or ameliorating
symptom development and expression. Through collaborative research, ongoing
communication, and regular networking opportunities, the group's ultimate
goal is to optimize developmental outcomes for children with autism and
enhance family adaptation. Many of the authors of papers in this issue are
members of the BSRC.  This special section on the very early phenotype of
autism is, in part, also the product of a symposium presented at the 2005
Biennial Meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development. Six of
the papers in this issue were first presented in Atlanta in April 2005, but
it was clear from the symposium's attendance and the lively discussion that
took place afterwards that many other groups are conducting research in
related areas. Thus, the idea for this special issue was hatched. We decided
to solicit papers from groups currently engaged in work relevant to the
earliest identification of autism and characterization of the very earliest
evident phenotype. Other important work on early identification and the
earliest behavioral signs of autism that is not represented in this volume
is also being done (Charman et al., 2005; Chawarska, Klin, & Volkmar, in
press; Dietz, Swinkels, van Daalen, van Engeland & Buitelaar, 2006;
Swinkels, Dietz, van Daalen, Kerkhof, van Engeland & Buitelaar, 2006).  …"

45.  "Genetics Researchers Tie Autism to Specific Parts of Chromosomes" by
RICHARD MONASTERSKY from The Chronicle of Higher Education </>  at
http://chronicle.com/daily/2007/02/2007022003n.htm.

"In the largest genetic study of autism to date, 137 researchers in North
America and Europe are reporting that they have identified several
chromosomal regions linked to the disorder. The work, they say, will pave
the way for identifying particular genes associated with autism and related
disorders, which affect about one out of 150 people in the United States.
"We've assembled the largest collection of families that have two or more
affected individuals in them," said Bernie Devlin, an associate professor of
psychiatry and human genetics at the University of Pittsburgh Medical
Center, who analyzed the data for the study. He and his colleagues published
their results on Sunday in Nature Genetics
<http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/ng1985.html>  and said
they would make their data available to other researchers. "I'm expecting
groups, including our group, to use this resource to accelerate findings
about the genetics of autism," he said in an interview with The Chronicle.
The 137 researchers, located at 50 different centers, took blood samples
from nearly 8,000 people who had a family member with some type of
autism-spectrum disorder, which includes classic autism, Asperger's
syndrome, and rarer conditions such as Rett syndrome. The group focused on
data from nearly 1,200 families that had at least two affected individuals.
Although there is great variety in the different types of autism-spectrum
disorders, they are all marked by impairments in social interactions.  Mr.
Devlin and his colleagues analyzed the data to find chromosomal regions that
were present in people with autism more often than would be expected by
chance. They identified a region on chromosome 15, which had been implicated
before, and a part of chromosome 11 that had not been linked before with
autism. The group also studied genetic mistakes that cause portions of the
chromosomes to be repeated or deleted. That type of analysis suggested a
particular gene, called neurexin, might be implicated in the disorder.  The
product of the neurexin gene is involved in one of the communication systems
in the brain. Nerve cells signal to each other using a variety of
neurotransmitter molecules, and neurexin is related to one of those
molecules, called glutamate. The study's findings will prompt researchers to
delve further into the potential relationship between glutamate-related
genes and autism, said Mr. Devlin.  Pat R. Levitt, director of Vanderbilt
University's Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development, said the new
study had more power than previous studies because of the number of subjects
included. But the Nature Genetics paper, on its own, cannot associate any
particular genes with autism, he said. "Is there a smoking gun, like genes
that are responsible for risk?" he said. "No."  The neurexin connection was
made on the basis of just two siblings in the whole study. In order to make
an association between neurexin and autism, "you have to do other
investigations," he said.  Mr. Levitt and a group of researchers reported in
the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
<http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/103/45/16834>  in November that a
particular gene, called MET, is associated with autism. Like neurexin, the
MET gene is involved in glutamate responses in the brain. It is important,
as well, in the immune system and in the gastrointestinal system, said Mr.
Levitt, who noted that a significant fraction of people with autism have
gastrointestinal problems.  In their study of more than 500 families, Mr.
Levitt and his colleagues found that having a particular mutation of the MET
gene raised a person's risk of having autism by 225 percent. But, they
concluded, that this one mutation was not enough on its own to cause the
disorder because some people with that variation do not have autism.
Researchers estimate that it may take five to 10 particular mutations,
perhaps in combination with environmental factors, to cause autism, said Mr.
Levitt. The new study, he says, will help researchers, narrow their search
for those genes."

46.  "Asperger's Confounds Colleges- A surge of students diagnosed with an
autism-related disorder poses new challenges" by ELIZABETH F. FARRELL from
The Chronicle of Higher Education </>  at
http://chronicle.com/weekly/v51/i07/07a03501.htm.

"By the eighth grade, Stephen M. Shore had taught himself to play every
instrument in his school's band. But seven years later, during his junior
year at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, a run-of-the-mill
academic assignment stumped him.  Mr. Shore, a double major in music and
accounting, was assigned a research project on a topic of his choosing for
his "Physics of Music" course. But after finding some books in the library
and doing some reading, he felt lost. The syllabus had given him no specific
instructions or intermediate deadlines.  "I didn't know what to do with the
materials I found," says Mr. Shore, who withdrew from the class to avoid
failing it. "It didn't even occur to me to go to the professor and ask him
for help."  For an honor student, the experience was baffling: Why couldn't
he tackle an assignment that his fellow students handled with ease?  What
Mr. Shore, now a doctoral candidate at Boston University, did not realize at
the time was that his problem is related to a neurobiological disorder --
Asperger's syndrome, one of the milder forms of autism known as autistic
spectrum disorders.  People who have Asperger's tend to struggle with social
interactions because of their extreme literal-mindedness. They typically are
unable to infer meanings from tone or context. And when they lack explicit
instructions on how to complete an assignment, some of them, like Mr. Shore,
hit roadblocks. Researchers have not determined the cause of Asperger's, but
most attribute it to a combination of genetic and environmental factors.  As
more students with Asperger's are getting the help they need in elementary
and secondary schools and making it to college, campus health professionals
are struggling to determine how to help them.  Some colleges have developed
services for such students, but many health-care providers have only a vague
understanding of the syndrome, and of the needs of students who have it.
The absence of a common approach to students with Asperger's has led to
widely differing interpretations of what constitutes "reasonable
accommodations" for them on campuses, as required by federal law.  "One of
the dilemmas here is that we haven't decided where the lines ought to be
drawn, where Asperger's starts and stops," says Fred R. Volkmar, a
specialist on the syndrome who is a professor of psychiatry at the Yale
University Child Study Center. "We realize there are things that
legitimately cause these people to have trouble, but there are a lot of gray
areas."   …"
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Catrina, we have been getting ABA services paid by TRICARE for four years so
far.  The $2500 monthly limit was set by Congress, so you will never get
more than that.  Chris provides some great advice.  If you have nay other
questions, please feel free to call me.  Good luck!  Scott

Office 703 681-9426
Home 703 241-2640

-----Original Message-----
From: militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
Christine Cho
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 12:53 PM
To: militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Military Families Autism Support] Re: Tricare Board Certified ABA
provider

Hi, Catrina,

We have found in our experience that although your case manager for ECHO is
supposed to help you find a therapist, it was MUCH faster for us to do the
searching ourselves. Try the following web site:
www.bacb.com, then click on "consumer information," then click on
"consumers" then on "certificant registry." You can do a search by zip code
of all BCBAs and BCABAs in your area that are on the list.
Then what we did was send out a generic email to everyone on the list to see
who might be available. We were then able to interview those who answered
and choose a therapist. Anyone who is a certified BCBA or BCABA is
authorized by Tricare.

Other web sites you can try are www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer
(the Autism Society of America) and go to their resources link, and
www.abaconnections.com.

There may be other therapists who are not BCBAs or BCABAs that Tricare may
authorize, it may vary from state to state (for example, some Special
Education teachers may have been trained in ABA and are certified by the
state they live in) but you will have to check with Tricare for that.

Let me warn you that it is near impossible to find any BCBA or BCABA that
can provide as many hours a week that is really needed. Our own BCABA comes
six hours a week personally, and that is unheard of in our area. We have
hired the rest of our therapists from our community (neighbors and students)
and trained them and pay them out of our pocket. There is a definite lack of
certified therapists in the USA, which is why many military families are
pushing Tricare to cover non- certified therapists who are overseen by
certified ones. And the answer to your question is no, Tricare will not
cover over $2500 max per month. But you can try to get ABA through the local
school system if you are willing to fight hard enough. I would start with
one thing at a time, though.

Lastly, if are new to ABA, I encourage you to do a little research on ABA
yourself. There are many "subtypes" or ways to approach ABA, and we have
been blessed enough to find a therapist who prefers the verbal behaviour
approach. You can check out http://www.christinaburkaba.com/index.htm
<http://www.christinaburkaba.com/index.htm>  to learn more. She outlines
nicely some of the different terms you will soon become familiar with,
although if you have no scientific or psychology background it may take
several readings to start understanding. You can also find many books on
amazon.com - just search for ABA.

I hope this helps and hasn't overwhelmed you. We were in your position about
nine months ago and I remember how that felt! We've learned alot since then
and absorb more every day.

Chris

--- In militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com
<mailto:militaryfamiliesautismsupport%40yahoogroups.com> , "drecatjanddri"
<drecatjanddri@...> wrote:
>
> Hello all. We are now in the ECHO/Tricare system. Now, I am looking
> for a person for ABA. Does anyone know or use a Tricare Board
Cerified
> ABA person? Also, does anyone get more than the $2500 that is allowed?
> I have recommendations from his PCM, developmental pediatrition and
> child pyshcologist for a minimum of 20 hours a week and I know that
> $2500 a month will not cover that. Thank you for any help!!
>
> Catrina
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Hi, Catrina,

We have found in our experience that although your case manager for
ECHO is supposed to help you find a therapist, it was MUCH faster for
us to do the searching ourselves.  Try the following web site:
www.bacb.com, then click on "consumer information," then click
on "consumers" then on "certificant registry."  You can do a search by
zip code of all BCBAs and BCABAs in your area that are on the list.
Then what we did was send out a generic email to everyone on the list
to see who might be available.  We were then able to interview those
who answered and choose a therapist.  Anyone who is a certified BCBA or
BCABA is authorized by Tricare.

Other web sites you can try are www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer
(the Autism Society of America) and go to their resources link, and
www.abaconnections.com.

There may be other therapists who are not BCBAs or BCABAs that Tricare
may authorize, it may vary from state to state (for example, some
Special Education teachers may have been trained in ABA and are
certified by the state they live in) but you will have to check with
Tricare for that.

Let me warn you that it is near impossible to find any BCBA or BCABA
that can provide as many hours a week that is really needed.  Our own
BCABA comes six hours a week personally, and that is unheard of in our
area.  We have hired the rest of our therapists from our community
(neighbors and students) and trained them and pay them out of our
pocket.  There is a definite lack of certified therapists in the USA,
which is why many military families are pushing Tricare to cover non-
certified therapists who are overseen by certified ones.  And the
answer to your question is no, Tricare will not cover over $2500 max
per month.  But you can try to get ABA through the local school system
if you are willing to fight hard enough.  I would start with one thing
at a time, though.

Lastly, if are new to ABA, I encourage you to do a little research on
ABA yourself.  There are many "subtypes" or ways to approach ABA, and
we have been blessed enough to find a therapist who prefers the verbal
behaviour approach.  You can check out
http://www.christinaburkaba.com/index.htm to learn more.  She outlines
nicely some of the different terms you will soon become familiar with,
although if you have no scientific or psychology background it may take
several readings to start understanding.  You can also find many books
on amazon.com - just search for ABA.

I hope this helps and hasn't overwhelmed you.  We were in your position
about nine months ago and I remember how that felt!  We've learned alot
since then and absorb more every day.

Chris


--- In militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com, "drecatjanddri"
<drecatjanddri@...> wrote:
>
> Hello all.  We are now in the ECHO/Tricare system.  Now, I am looking
> for a person for ABA.  Does anyone know or use a Tricare Board
Cerified
> ABA person?  Also, does anyone get more than the $2500 that is
> allowed?  I have recommendations from his PCM, developmental
> pediatrition and child pyshcologist for a minimum of 20 hours a week
> and I know that $2500 a month will not cover that.  Thank you for any
> help!!
>
> Catrina
>

Hello all.  We are now in the ECHO/Tricare system.  Now, I am looking
for a person for ABA.  Does anyone know or use a Tricare Board Cerified
ABA person?  Also, does anyone get more than the $2500 that is
allowed?  I have recommendations from his PCM, developmental
pediatrition and child pyshcologist for a minimum of 20 hours a week
and I know that $2500 a month will not cover that.  Thank you for any
help!!

Catrina

We live in Charleston, SC.

Announcing free live web based classes on the Discrete Trial Trainer.  The
classes are generally � to 1 hour and cover topics such as: Overview,
Setting up Students, Student Options, and Adding Your Own Reinforcers.  You
will need a PC with a high speed web connection and speakers in order to
attend the sessions.  To view the currently listed classes, visit
www.dttrainer.com/training and click on �Schedule and Registration� next to
�Web Based Training�.  Check out the �Upcoming� list periodically to see the
newest class schedule.



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Does Portsmouth Naval have a similar program?

   Robyn


---------------------------------
Want to start your own business? Learn how on Yahoo! Small Business.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Items 1 through 20 have been deleted, since they are primarily for families
living in Virginia and Maryland, and I did not want to send useless
information to the folks in the rest of the country. However, please let me
know if you live in Virginia, Maryland or DC; so that I can add you to my
private email distribution list for events in those states.


21.  The Organization for Autism Research (OAR)'s OARacle E-Newsletter for
January is at
http://www.researchautism.org/resources/newsletters/2007/2007_jan.asp#one.
I would encourage you to look over what that organization is doing in the
field of applied research for autism.

22.  Request for Parental Participation in Study of Autism Spectrum
Disorders.  Are you the parent of a child, age 12 years or under, diagnosed
with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)?  Are you interested in helping to
improve the genetics evaluation process?  I am a graduate student in the
Genetic Counseling Program at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts.
I am conducting a study on experiences and satisfaction with genetic
services for families of children with ASDs.  Participation in the study
involves completing a brief online survey and an optional phone interview.
The survey will ask for details about experiences and satisfaction with
genetic services and the interview will allow parents to discuss their
experiences with genetic services in greater detail.  Participation is open
to one or both parents of a child/children diagnosed with an ASD.  The
criteria for parental participation are:

* The child/children must currently be under the age of 12 years,
* The child/children must have a diagnosis of an ASD (including but
not limited to autistic disorder, Asperger disorder, PDD-NOS or high
functioning autism),
* The parents must be the biological parents of the child/children,
and
* The family must be English speaking.

If you are interested in participating in this study you can access the
survey by clicking on the link:
http://www.surveymk.com/s.asp?u=328473217145.  If you have questions about
participation, please contact Jennifer Currier Tansey, B.S., Genetic
Counseling Graduate Student by email at jlc40@....

23.  The Autism Registry would like to tell you about a new research project
that may be of interest to you.  The study is called My Child's Therapies.
We are interested in learning more about what it is like for a parent of a
child with a disability to choose and provide therapies for that child.
What treatments have you tried?  What were you expecting those treatments to
do, and were those expectations met?  You are the expert on your child and
we want to hear your story about making decisions regarding therapies, and
how those decisions impact you and your family.  Your participation would
consist of completing a questionnaire on the Internet that asks for
information about your child's diagnosis and level of functioning, the
therapies you have tried, if it feels stressful to choose these treatments,
how providing therapy affects your day-to-day life, and whether or not you
are seeing the progress you expected.  Little is known of the time, effort,
and money that parents put in to their children's therapeutic needs and this
information can lead to a better understanding of the experiences families
of children with a disability face.  While we also ask for some basic
demographic information (e.g., age, gender, race), participation is strictly
anonymous and we will have no means of identifying you.  Please contact the
Registry and let us know if you are or are not interested in receiving
additional information about this study.  You can call us on our toll-free
number at 866-628-2268 ext 315, or email us at autismreg@....  Please
remember that you or your family member is under no obligation to
participate in this study.  If you would like to receive additional
information about the study My Child's Therapies we will email you an
informational letter and a web link to the online questionnaire; no
information will be released to the researcher.   From Colin Pottie, Autism
Registry Coordinator.

24.  ACDA Launches Survey to Assist FDA on Gluten-Free Labeling.  The FDA's
proposal for labeling products 'gluten-free' was published on  January 23,
2007. The FDA has requested feedback from consumers on several issues
relating to the gluten-free diet, and how individuals make choices about
gluten-free products.  Today, the American Celiac Disease Alliance (ACDA) is
launching a survey focused on several questions posed by the FDA. The survey
was developed by dietitians with expertise in the gluten-free diet and who
are associated with the Dietitians in Gluten Intolerance Diseases (DIGID), a
specialty subunit of the American Dietetic Association.   Please take a few
moments to complete this very important survey.  The results will be
compiled and presented to the FDA by the ACDA.   To access the survey go to
the ACDA website www.americanceliac.org/news.htm.  Your comments will help
the FDA decide what type of GF labeling will be allowed in the United
States.  The survey closes on March 15, 2007.

25.  The Good Girl" dated 24 January 2007 by Dave Hingsburger on his blog at
http://davehingsburger.blogspot.com/2007/01/good-girl.html.

"It was truly frightening.  I'm just now getting my head around it.  Let me
explain.  Several times a year I'm asked to do an abuse prevention workshop
for people with disabilities. As part of that workshop we do a role play
wherein Joe (who assists me in doing this workshop) plays a staff and in
that role asks someone with a disability, "How was your day." The person
with a disability responds, "I don't want to talk about it." Then the
question is asked of the group, "What would a good staff do next?" The
answer we are looking for is some version of, "The staff would say, 'That's
OK you don't have to talk about it now. We can talk about it later if you
want."  This role play is informative to me - it lets me know what kind of
world that people with disabilities live in, how they see 'good' staff. I've
had all sorts of responses to this question, "Put her in the side room,"
"Take supper away from him," "Lock him outside," "Don't let her use the
phone," "Put her on the floor." Shocking, but a glimpse into how some staff
use power in their reltionship to those in care. Disturbing, but not the
point of this blog post.  Recently we did this role play and a teenaged
woman with Down Syndrome volunteered to be in the role play along with Joe.
She nodded that she understood her line, "I don't want to talk about it." So
Joe said, "How was your day?" She responded, "Fine." We all laughed and I
reminded her of her line, again after Joe delivered his line she said,
"Fine."  I then asked her if she ever had a bad day, "No," she answered.
"Never?"  "Never."  Already I was wary but I explained that this was just
acting like she sees on television or the movies. Grudgingly she gave her
line, "I don't want to talk about it." We all cheered. She smiled.  Later,
at break she came to speak with me. Her eyes were full of purpose and her
blond bob bounced as she strode up to me. She waited politely for someone
else to finish talking to me and then she said, "I'd never act like that." I
asked her what she meant. She said that she'd never be rude like in the role
play.  I asked her if she ever got angry. She said, "No, I'm happy."  "All
the time?"  "All the time."  "Really?"  "It's not polite to be angry. It's
not nice to answer back." She spoke with the emphasis of a zealot.  "But
what if someone is hurting you? Would you speak up then?"  ..."

26.  "Bill Cosby and Toni Braxton Headline Concert for Autism Speaks April 9
at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center- Tom Brokaw Emcees
a Night of Comedy and Music to Raise Funds for Autism Awareness and
Scientific Research" dated 30 January 2007 in a press release from Autism
Speaks at http://www.autismspeaks.org/press/cosby_braxton_concert.php.

"Legendary entertainer Bill Cosby and six-time Grammy Award-winning
singer-songwriter Toni Braxton will headline a star-filled night of comedy
and music at the Concert for Autism Speaks on April 9 at Frederick P. Rose
Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th Street, in New York
City. NBC News' Tom Brokaw will serve as the master of ceremonies for the
fundraiser for Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to
increasing awareness of autism and raising money to fund autism research.
"Autism is a disorder that is robbing families of the chance to fulfill
their dreams and experience the everyday joys most of us take for granted,"
said Cosby. "For example, many children with autism are very limited in
their ability to develop warm relationships with others, including their
parents. We all need to do our part so that, with our help, these families
will finally get the answers they so desperately seek."   "When autism
became a part of my family's reality, I was determined to join Autism Speaks
in its battle against this devastating disorder that is impacting thousands
of families," said Braxton, who is currently headlining in a long-term
engagement at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. The mother of two children,
one of whom has autism, went on to say, "So much progress is being made on
all fronts - from the laboratory to Capitol Hill -- but all of us must
continue to fight until we have found the cause and a cure for autism."  "We
are incredibly grateful to Bill and Toni for lending their remarkable
talents to us for what promises to be a memorable evening," said Suzanne
Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks. "With the recent passage of the
Combating Autism Act, the future is far brighter for every individual and
family affected by autism. However, the need to raise funds for awareness,
treatment and research is as urgent as ever."  Ticket information for the
Concert for Autism Speaks will be made available in the coming weeks at
www.autismspeaks.org <http://www.autismspeaks.org/> ."

27.  "HPV Vaccine Mandates Risky and Expensive- Vaccine Safety Group Finds
Serious Reactions, High Costs" dated 1 February 2007 in a press release from
the National Vaccine Information Center at
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/02-01
-2007/0004518488&EDATE=.

"The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), the nation's leading
vaccine safety and informed consent advocacy organization, is urging state
legislatures to investigate the safety and cost of mandating Merck's HPV
vaccine (GARDASIL) for all pre- adolescent girls before introducing
legislation amending state vaccine laws. In an analysis of reports made to
the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) since the CDC's
July 2006 universal use recommendation for all young girls, NVIC found
reports of loss of consciousness, seizures, joint pain and Guillain-Barre
Syndrome. In a separate evaluation of costs for young girls being vaccinated
in private pediatrician offices, NVIC discovered that parents living in the
Washington, D.C. area will be paying between $500 and $900 to have their
daughters receive three doses of GARDASIL. "GARDASIL safety appears to have
been studied in fewer than 2,000 girls aged 9 to 15 years pre-licensure
clinical trials and it is unclear how long they were followed up. VAERS is
now receiving reports of loss of consciousness, seizures, arthritis and
other neurological problems in young girls who have received the shot," said
NVIC President Barbara Loe Fisher. "At the same time, parents who take their
daughters to private pediatricians are going to be shocked to find that they
will be paying two to three times the widely publicized $360 cost for the
three-dose series. The cost is going to break the pocketbooks of parents and
break the banks of both insurance companies and taxpayers, when the reality
is that almost all cases of HPV- associated cervical cancer can be prevented
with annual pap screening of girls who are sexually active." Between July
2006 and January 2007, there have been 82 reports of adverse events filed
with VAERS following receipt of GARDASIL by girls and boys ranging in age
from 11 to 27 years. Reaction reports have come from 21 states, including
Virginia and the District of Columbia. All but three of the reports were for
adverse events which occurred within one week of vaccination and more than
60 percent occurred within 24 hours of vaccination. "The most frequent
serious health events after GARDASIL shots are neurological symptoms," said
NVIC Health Policy Analyst Vicky Debold, RN, Ph.D. "These young girls are
experiencing severe headaches, dizziness, temporary loss of vision, slurred
speech, fainting, involuntary contraction of limbs (seizures), muscle
weakness, tingling and numbness in the hands and feet and joint pain. Some
of the girls have lost consciousness during what appears to be seizures."
Debold added "The manufacturer product insert should include mention of
syncopal episodes, seizures and Guillain-Barre Syndrome so doctors and
parents are aware these vaccine adverse responses have been associated with
the vaccine." VAERS reports also indicate the doctors are administering
GARDASIL to girls and women at the same with Tdap, DT, meningococcal
(Menactra), hepatitis A, and other vaccines, even though the Merck product
insert states that, with the exception of hepatitis B vaccine,
"Co-administration of GARDASIL with other vaccines has not been studied."
There is no publicly available information about how many of the 9 to 15
year old girls in Merck's pre- licensure clinical trials received GARDASIL
simultaneously with hepatitis B vaccine. Although approximately half of all
families in the U.S. select a pediatrician in private practice to provide
their children routine care, including vaccinations, children can receive
government subsidized reduced cost or free vaccinations in public health
clinics through the Vaccines for Children program if they cannot afford to
pay for vaccinations administered by private pediatricians. NVIC's survey of
four private pediatric practices in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.
found that parents could be charged anywhere from $525 to $930 for three
GARDASIL shots depending upon whether the child was a first-time or current
patient. Costs for the vaccine plus an administration fee ranged from $140
to $275 per shot with an additional office visit charge that fluctuated
between $35 and $185 depending upon whether a nurse or doctor saw the child.
HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the U.S. and most
persons naturally clear the infection from the body without symptoms.
However, many years of chronic HPV infection is associated with a higher
risk of pre- cancerous changes in the cervix that can lead to cancer unless
diagnosed and treated promptly. High risk factors for chronic HPV infection
include smoking, long-term use of oral contraceptives and co-infection with
HIV, herpes and chlamydia. There has been a more than 70 percent drop in
cervical cancer deaths in American women since the 1950's due to routine pap
smears and nearly all cervical cancers can be prevented with regular pap
smear screening and treatment. In its product manufacturer insert, Merck
states that "Vaccination does not substitute for routine cervical cancer
screening. Women who receive GARDASIL should continue to undergo cervical
cancer screening per standard of care." Merck also states that "The duration
of immunity following a complete schedule of immunization with GARDASIL has
not been established." For more information about HPV infection and GARDASIL
safety, including NVIC's five-page report on GARDASIL adverse event reports
to VAERS as well as a direct link to VAERS reports, go to NVIC's website at
http://www.nvic.org."

28.  "Toys "R" Us Announces National Partnership with Autism Speaks- World's
Greatest Toy Store Helps Raise Funds and Awareness for Nation's Fastest-
Growing Developmental Disorder through Sponsorship of Autism Walk Events And
In-Store Fundraising Campaign" dated 6 February 2007 in a press release from
Autism Speaks at
http://www.autismspeaks.org/press/toys_r_us_partnership.php.

"Today, Toys "R" Us announced its support of Autism Speaks in its commitment
to fund research that will help uncover the causes of, develop effective
treatments for and ultimately find a cure for autism. In an effort to raise
money and public awareness about the disorder, Toys "R" Us will serve as the
national sponsor of the Autism Speaks Walk Now for Autism program, a series
of fundraising walk events in communities across the country. Additionally,
in conjunction with Autism Awareness Month in April, Toys "R" Us will
conduct a seven-week, in-store fundraising campaign in all of its 586
locations nationwide. To launch the partnership, the Toys "R" Us Children's
Fund will provide a $250,000 grant to Autism Speaks.  "With one in 166
children in the United States diagnosed with autism each year, most people
know someone who has been affected by this heartbreaking disorder," said
Jerry Storch, Chairman and CEO, Toys "R" Us, Inc. "As a company committed to
all children and families, Toys "R" Us is proud to partner with Autism
Speaks to help solve the puzzle and find the cause of, and cure for,
autism."  "We are thrilled to have Toys "R" Us join us as our National Walk
Sponsor and valued fundraising partner," said Mark Roithmayr, President of
Autism Speaks. "By creating this partnership, there's a significantly
greater opportunity to educate families and communities across the country
about autism and generate much-needed funds to support our research
initiatives."  Autism Speaks Walk Now for Autism Events.  Beginning this
month and continuing through November, Toys "R" Us will sponsor more than 60
fundraising walk events across the country as the national sponsor of the
Autism Speaks Walk Now for Autism program. From New York City to San
Francisco, this series of signature fundraising events is expected to
attract thousands of participants and provide families, friends and
professional caregivers an opportunity to contribute to the fight against
autism. Toys "R" Us employees will also join in the fight by forming
regional walk teams in their local communities. The complete schedule of
Autism Speaks Walk Now for Autism events may be found at
www.autismspeaks.org <http://www.autismspeaks.org/> .  Fundraising Campaign
in Toys "R" Us Stores.  In conjunction with Autism Awareness Month in April,
all Toys "R" Us locations nationwide will conduct an in-store fundraising
campaign from Sunday, March 18 through Friday, May 4. For seven weeks, the
company will carry out an aggressive marketing program to engage customers
and employees in an effort to raise funds to benefit Autism Speaks' research
endeavors. Additionally, online shoppers will be able to make cash
contributions by visiting www.toysrus.com/autismspeaks.  Autism, a disorder
that inhibits a child's ability to communicate and form relationships,
currently affects almost 1.5 million people in the United States. Part of a
group of disorders known as Autism Spectrum Disorders, autism is more common
than pediatric cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined. As a company with a long
history of advocating for children, Toys "R" Us is united in its commitment
with Autism Speaks to provide a voice for children and families affected by
autism."

29.  "The Local Face of Autism" dated 9 February 2007 by Karen Schradin from
WSAV3 News at
http://www.wsav.com/midatlantic/sav/search.apx.-content-articles-SAV-2007-02
-09-0009.html.

"A local support group says 5 new families join them each month. They fear
if something isn't done soon, those numbers will just keep climbing. Patrick
Spencer looks and acts like any other 1st grader at Pooler Elementary. But
it took years of therapies and procedures to get him here after doctors
diagnosed him with autism at 2 1/2. His mom, Kim Spencer says, "I sat on it
for a few hours and then I got on the internet and there it was a list of
symptoms of autism were exactly every weird and unusual thing that my child
did were right there you know on an internet page." Kim didn't stop there,
she searched causes and treatments, and now is sure Patrick's condition was
brought on by vaccinations.  She says, "He has been diagnosed as mercury
toxic. Where did that mercury come from? You can look up in the National
Vaccine Information Program of every shot that your child got and see if
there was mercury in it." His had mercury, and Kim says his system isn't
able to detox itself. Patrick's family traveled to Florida for treatments to
remove the mercury from his system, and began to see big improvements. She
says, "None of us want us to come across anti vaccine. Nobody wants to come
across anti-vaccine cause nobody wants polio. Nobody. We are not saying we'd
rather this come back than risk autism. What we are asking for is more
studies to determine safe vaccine ingredients and a safe vaccine schedule."
Without change Kim says the problem won't go away and could end up costing
everyone. "This is so expensive, so devastating on every angle. Financially,
emotionally. What happens to him when he is 18. Who takes care of him? Who
is going to take care of any of these kids," asks Kim.  A health crisis that
could become a financial one, when hundreds of thousands of children with
autism become adults in need of care. For support or more information about
autism in the Coastal Empire and Low Country call Kim's group of family
advocates at 691-0790."

30.  "Wisconsin autism rate slightly lower" dated 9 February 2007 from
United Press International at
http://www.upi.com/Consumer_Health_Daily/20070209-035741-5567r/.

"The first phase of a study to find the prevalence of U.S. autism finds five
out of every 1,000 Wisconsin children born in 1994 display autism symptoms.
For the Wisconsin survey, collaborators at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison's Waisman Center and others analyzed medical records
<http://www.upi.com/Consumer_Health_Daily/20070209-035741-5567r/>  as of
2002 for all children in 10 southeastern Wisconsin counties who were 8 years
old that year, an age past the usual time of autism diagnosis.  The group
surveyed 35,126 children, representing nearly half the 8-year-old children
in the state that year.  The researchers found evidence of autism
<http://www.upi.com/Consumer_Health_Daily/20070209-035741-5567r/>  in 5.2
per 1,000 Wisconsin children born in 1994, slightly lower than the average
value of 6.6 per 1,000 children born that year in all the participating
states.   "The rates vary somewhat across states, but are all considerably
higher than previously thought," said Maureen Durkin, an epidemiologist in
the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health
<http://www.upi.com/Consumer_Health_Daily/20070209-035741-5567r/>  and
leader of the Wisconsin project.  In ethnicity comparisons, the autism
prevalence was higher in non-Hispanic whites than non-Hispanic blacks and
lowest of all among Hispanics. The researchers also noted an apparent
geographic difference, with autism rates more than twice as high in Dane
County as in Milwaukee County.  The report can be found at
waisman.wisc.edu/wisadds or www.cdc.gov/autism."

31.  "Autism as extreme maleness" dated 9 February 2007 by LIDIA WASOWICZ
from United Press International at
http://www.upi.com/Consumer_Health_Daily/20070209-085049-8985r/.

"While among reported cases, autism
<http://www.upi.com/Consumer_Health_Daily/20070209-085049-8985r/>  appears
gender-related, affecting some four times as many boys as girls, some
scientists go so far as to argue the disorder is nothing more than an
exaggerated version of the male profile.  They say the neurodevelopmental
condition's behavioral symptoms
<http://www.upi.com/Consumer_Health_Daily/20070209-085049-8985r/>  are a
magnification of men's proclivities, such as making lists, and
peculiarities, such as resisting feelings.  In general, men are sadly
shortchanged on empathy, lacking the intuitive feminine knack to pick up
cues to people's state of mind
<http://www.upi.com/Consumer_Health_Daily/20070209-085049-8985r/>  and heart
and pick out the appropriate emotional response to it, proposes Simon
Baron-Cohen, director of the Autism Research
<http://www.upi.com/Consumer_Health_Daily/20070209-085049-8985r/>  Centre at
Cambridge University in England and author of "The Essential Difference:
Men, Women and the Extreme Male Brain" (Penguin, 2003).  Rather, on average,
they excel at what he calls systemizing -- the organizing, analyzing and
constructing of rule-based "systems" and figuring out the mechanics of how
they work.  Autism overemphasizes these male traits, Baron-Cohen wrote in
Science, the prestigious, peer-reviewed journal published by the American
Association for the Advancement of Science.  Here, nature has a definite
hand, he said. Even on the first day of life, boys and girls already start
going their separate gender-paved ways.  As one example, a mere 24 hours
after coming into the world, the majority of male newborns will look at a
mechanical mobile suspended above them whereas the females, on average, will
prefer staring at a human face, Baron-Cohen said.  Individuals, of course,
will vary in personality, but for the most part, baby boys will not be as
likely as little girls to respond to the distress in others or to make eye
contact with them -- setting a lifelong pattern of behavior, he said.
Toddler boys tend to start talking later than girls and to make slower
progress in expanding their verbal repertoire, some studies suggest.
Baron-Cohen blames biology -- namely, the male hormone testosterone.
Research indicates the amount of prenatal testosterone, produced by the
fetus and present in the amniotic fluid that bathes the baby in the womb,
can predict a child's sociability, Baron-Cohen said.  As a rule of thumb,
the higher the male-hormone level, the less eye contact and the slower the
language development. Surges of testosterone and other male hormones may be
propelling the autistic brain to develop beyond the typical male blueprint,
Baron-Cohen contended.  On a neuroanatomical level, he noted, studies using
scanning technologies show males generally have greater and faster early
growth of certain regions of the brain but less bridging of its two
hemispheres than is true for females.  For example, the average man's
cerebrum -- an area in the front of the brain related to higher thinking --
is 9 percent larger than the average woman's. The same holds true for the
amygdala, where fear and emotion are processed, Baron-Cohen said.  Men also
outpace women in the number of nerve cells in their body, he said. Whether
bigger is better -- or even whether size matters at all -- in these
instances remains to be determined.  Where women have a heads-up is in the
thickness of connective tissue that perhaps facilitates communication
between the brain's hemispheres, Baron-Cohen said.  The left section is
thought to be the analytical side, responsible for measurement, logic, math
and analysis, he said.  The right regulates creativity, art, intuition and
lexicon. Conventional -- and controversial -- wisdom claims the left side
rules in men, the right in women, Baron-Cohen said. This may explain a Yale
University finding that when performing language tasks, women are likely to
activate both hemispheres, but men tend to rely only on the left one, he
added.  Autism amplifies these variations, Baron-Cohen and colleagues
contended.  In children with the disorder, brain growth is more extreme than
in a typical male, and the amygdala is abnormally large in toddlers with
autism, they pointed out. Here, too, testosterone and other male hormones
appear to interfere, Baron-Cohen proposed.  In keeping with the theory,
adults with autistic disorders matched the high end of the male profile on
psychological tests, scoring big points in the "systemized" brain category,
he said.  That's also where 54 percent of non-autistic men but a mere 17
percent of women answering the same questionnaire got their high marks,
Baron-Cohen said.  The theory can explain numerous symptoms of autism,
Baron-Cohen said, from social disability to the occasional extraordinary
talent in math or music or drawing -- all skills that benefit from the
organizational mindset typified by males -- to obsessive, repetitive
behaviors, such as spinning or lining up of objects, a manifestation of an
intensified version of man's drive for systemic order.  Baron-Cohen offered
four pieces of evidence to support his proposition that autism is the
genetic result of ''assortative mating'' between two strong systemizers: --
Mothers and fathers of children with autism both complete a so-called
embedded figures test -- in which geometric shapes are hidden in a complex
design -- faster than men and women in the general population. -- Both
parents are more likely to have fathers who are talented systemizers, e.g.,
engineers. -- Magnetic resonance imaging screens reveal unlike most couples
who exhibit definite gender differences, both moms and dads of autistic
children show strong male patterns of brain activity while performing tasks
that call for empathizing or systemizing. -- Both parents score high on
tests for autistic traits.  As a central theme to his controversial model,
Baron-Cohen emphasizes the need for increased tolerance and understanding of
autistic behaviors and validates the contention of some mildly autistic
adults and parents of children with the less severe type of the disorder
that it is their brain -- and not everyone else's -- that is "normal" or
even "gifted."  While the premise of autism as exaggerated maleness arouses
rigorous debate, the call for greater acceptance attracts more uniform
support."

32.  "Study: Low toxicant levels can damage brain- Researchers find that
cells will shut down when exposed to small amounts of mercury, lead" dated
11 February 2007 by Jamie Talan from Newsday at
http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070211/LOCAL17/70211036
6/1012.

"Low levels of mercury and lead exposure can damage developing brain cells,
a finding that might help explain how these toxicants can lead to a host of
mental and medical problems, a new study said.  "There are 80,000 to 150,000
environmental toxicants about which we know nothing," said Mark Noble, a
professor of biomedical genetics and neurobiology at the University of
Rochester in New York and senior author of the study in the journal PLoS
Biology. "Nobody knows how to screen for them or even where to start."  His
study could be a major step in identifying methods of prevention and
treatment.  Noble and his colleagues conducted their work in the laboratory,
where they subjected so-called glial progenitor stem cells in the brain to
low levels of lead and mercury. They found that these brain cells simply
shut down. The mercury levels previously were thought to be safe in humans,
Noble said.  "These levels -- 5 to 6 parts per billion -- have adverse
effects on these progenitor stem cells," he said.  Noble said studies have
shown that between 300,000 and 600,000 babies are born each year with fetal
mercury levels in cord blood that are 5 to 6 parts per billion.  The
researchers found that progenitor stem cells, the brain's support cells that
carry out a number of key housekeeping functions, are extraordinarily
vulnerable to low levels of toxicants. In the test tube, as many as 25
percent of the progenitor cells obtained from rats shut down when exposed to
the low levels of lead or mercury.  Glial progenitor cells also are present
in adult brains. Noble said they have no idea what effects low level
environmental toxicants are having, but he suspects they might be making
these brain cells more vulnerable to damage and disease."

33.  "Epidemic in the making" dated 11 February 2007 in an oped article from
the Baltimore Sun at
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bal-ed.autism11feb11,0,6784805.stor
y?coll=bal-opinion-headlines.

"It's an alarming figure that should have shocked parents across the
country: A federal study of 14 states, including Maryland, has determined
that one in 150 children has autism, a complex neurological developmental
disorder that can be devastating to its victims and their families. And, as
the figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention make
clear, it is a serious and growing public health issue as well.  But, in
fact, an average autism rate of 6.6 per 1,000 children may not be so
surprising because of the sheer size of the numbers themselves; what was
once thought of as a rare and puzzling disorder now touches hundreds of
thousands of Americans through their families, friends, neighbors and
co-workers. With no cure in sight and varying theories on autism's causes,
there is much that should be done to step up research and treatment efforts.
On the treatment side:
* Maryland should provide more funds for its autism waiver program, which
allows parents of severely disabled children to get individual support and
in-home services, even if they would not ordinarily qualify for Medicaid.
The program serves 900 youngsters, but there's a waiting list of 1,800
others.
* The state's Infants and Toddlers Program, which provides treatment and
care for developmental delays and disabilities, is badly understaffed at a
time when the autism population is growing. Full funding to meet a federally
mandated formula may not be realistic, but more money is imperative.
* Pediatricians must be trained to screen every little patient for autistic
disorders, and the littler the better. Study after study has shown that
early diagnosis is key to helping an autistic child reach his maximum
capabilities. Yet a recent study of Maryland and Delaware pediatricians
indicates that only 20 percent screen patients for autism-spectrum
disorders. A pilot program to train pediatricians in Maryland is in the
works, and it can hardly start soon enough. But the pilot will train only 30
doctors; surely others could take the initiative to educate themselves in
the meantime.
* Many health insurance companies opt out when it comes to autism, leaving
premium-paying parents with often severely disabled children and no
coverage. The excuse that various treatment methods are "experimental" is
generally bogus - there are medically accepted practices for treatment, and
insurance should cover them.
Treatment is critically important, but the real key to facing up to the
autism challenge is research. What are the causes, what is the scope of the
disorder, how is it best treated in children and adults? Answers to those
questions can help the thousands of children who have already been
diagnosed, and will most certainly help turn back the tide for generations
to come.  The Combating Autism Act, which President Bush signed into law in
December, authorized nearly $1 billion over five years, primarily for
research. It's a start, but just that. Because this is an investment we
simply cannot afford not to make."

34.  "Terrified parents turn to schools for the answers; some give up, some
give praise" dated 11 February 2007 by Julia Lyon from The Salt Lake Tribune
at http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_5205607.

"The open sores on Conner Ridges' hands have disappeared since he began
attending Boulton Elementary in Bountiful in November. Instead of biting
himself, he has learned to chew something less personal, such as a plastic
toy or a phone cord. Were he a different boy, brown-eyed Conner with his
sweet, mischievous smile would be in fifth grade. But as an autistic child,
he is in a special classroom where his success is measured by the healing
scars on his hands. These days he is less aggressive, less likely to melt
down in class. His teacher believes more words may eventually emerge from
the nearly silent boy.
Assuming he never receives a high school diploma, Conner, 10, has the right
to stay in public schools until he turns 22. In the next dozen years, he
will need one-on-one help from teachers with a world of patience. Yet he is
not unusual. Many autistic kids are not as severely disabled as Conner is,
but he is among thousands of autistic children whose ranks in Utah schools
are growing deeper by the year.
Since 2000, the number of autistic children ages 3 to 21 in Utah public
schools has jumped from 642 to more than 2,200 - a nearly 250 percent
increase. New research released Thursday said 1 in 133 Utah children has a
form of autism - the third-highest rate among 14 U.S. sites that gathered
data.  Researchers chiefly attribute the higher numbers to a broader
definition of autism spectrum disorders and better recognition of affected
children.  Schools are addressing the growth by working with parents,
teachers and other professionals to help them understand autism. They can be
a savior for parents, providing routine and specialists who expand
vocabulary and teach agitated children to find some degree of peace.
Families, however, say autism can be misunderstood, sometimes resulting in
teachers disciplining children for behavior they cannot control. Specialists
don't work with children as much as some families would like and "regular"
teachers don't always have adequate training, parents say. Families move
from districts or schools searching for the right fit.  "Parents are scared
because they see their child retreating into a world they don't understand,"
said state autism specialist Jocelyn Taylor.
Terrified for the future, parents want the best for their children, and
school is where they hope to find the answers.  ..."

35.  "Families shine in the beam of life and the Shadow of autism" dated 11
February 2007 by Lisa Rosetta from The Salt Lake Tribune at
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5205595.

"These are the things some parents of autistic children can't do: Take
vacations. Pursue careers. Make left turns in cars, or say the word
"cannot," without upsetting their children.  Autism has no clear biological
markers for diagnoses, no proven cause and no cure. Parents oscillate
between finding the humor in their child's bizarre behavior - such as
persistently dabbing glue on a classmate's hair - and teary frustration at
their child's isolation.  Families struggle to know what's best for their
children, fighting for the best treatments and services from public schools,
which face their own challenges. Research released Thursday showed the
prevalence of autism spectrum disorders is climbing in Utah and elsewhere.
"Autism is increasing so rapidly I don't know how any school district could
be ready for it," said Emilie Tanner, president of the Autism Council of
Utah, a collection of agencies and parents. "It's going to be something
everybody is going to have to work on - parents, school districts, teachers,
legislators."  Will Parry's world is one of his own making.  It is a place
of dragons, siths and wizards, where swords and scepters make Will powerful,
invincible even, against the nefarious creations of his mind. As king, the
12-year-old autistic boy creates and destroys at his pleasure.  A red and
orange dragon, a few feet long from snout to tail, is suspended from his
bedroom ceiling. His bed's comforter is bright with flames - he's fascinated
with fire - and his walls are papered with jungle foliage and planets.  This
fantasy world is where Will feels comfortable, understood and important. His
parents, Joe and Catherine, encourage it. Will is happier there, they say.
Since Will was very young, the Parrys have known their son was different. In
preschool he was aggressive toward his teachers and classmates and couldn't
follow instructions. His emotions were exaggerated and, at times, odd. If
someone cried, Will got irate.  As he matured, certain words prompted him to
yell and flail his arms. One week the Parrys could say the contraction
"can't," but not the word "cannot."  Catherine, a Brigham Young University
English professor when Will was diagnosed at age 4, quit her job to attend
school with him. She and Joe eventually made the decision to teach him at
home.  ''Joe had a good phrase: [Will's teachers] 'just didn't always know
what they didn't know and weren't always willing to learn,' '' she said.
..."

36.  "Medicaid cuts could affect students" dated 11 February 2007 by KEVIN
FREKING from the Associated Press at
http://www.localnewswatch.com/skyvalley/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id
=61157.

"Democrats have made it clear: They don't support recommendations from
President Bush that would shave an estimated $77 billion from government
health programs for seniors and the poor. But Bush doesn't need lawmakers'
support for some of the changes that he wants to make to Medicare and
Medicaid. He could get about $23 billion in savings over the next five years
by issuing new federal regulations.  School districts get reimbursed for
arranging speech and physical therapy for Medicaid-eligible students. For
example, when a student with autism gets speech therapy, the school can seek
reimbursement for scheduling the therapy, confirming it gets done and
transporting the student to the therapist, said Mary Kusler of the American
Association of School Administrators.  Kusler said students would still get
the therapy needed to help them learn - schools have no choice in the
matter. However, they may have to cut back other programs to offset the loss
of federal funding.  George Wilson, superintendent for public schools in
Monroe County, Ky., said federal reimbursements connected to therapy are
crucial to helping his district pay for school nurses.  Medicaid is the
federal-state partnership that provides health coverage for about 55 million
poor people. The federal government will spend more than $200 billion on it
this year, while states will spend about $150 billion.  _Teaching hospitals,
$1.8 billion.  _Providers of rehabilitation services for the mentally and
developmentally disabled, $2.3 billion.  "Clearly, the president's budget
has met with extensive skepticism on Capitol Hill. Clearly, the budget
moving forward is highly unlikely," said Tom Nickels of the American
Hospital Association. "As a result, initiatives that can be done through
regulation are very troublesome."  Health and Human Services Secretary Mike
Leavitt referred to the changes during congressional hearings last week as
"savers." He notes that Medicare is expected to grow 6.5 percent annually
during the next five years, while Medicaid will grow at a 7.3 percent clip.
The regulations would barely dent those growth rates.  His hospital, the
third-largest teaching hospital in the country, stands to lose tens of
millions of dollars annually. The loss of money would force him to lay off
staff and would make it harder to train future doctors, Foreman said.
"We've now come to the conclusion - everybody, the government, the industry
- that the country is facing a major doctor shortage in the next 25 years,
particularly in specialty-trained physicians," Foreman said. "Now, in order
to save a few bucks, we're going to gut the facilities that train these
physicians. How does that make sense?"  The regulation on therapy services
for students has not yet been issued. Nor has the regulation on graduate
medical education. That's not the case with a proposed rule that would
affect government-owned hospitals and nursing homes.  Medicaid officials say
it's unfair that some states generate extra federal funding without putting
up more of their own money. The states make large payments to county-owned
hospitals and nursing homes, even as counties are required to return some of
the money to the state.  The Bush administration wants to crack down on such
transfers by limiting Medicaid reimbursement so that it cannot exceed the
cost of providing a particular service. The American Hospital Association
says about 1,200 hospitals, mostly in rural or inner-city areas, would be
affected.  Nickels said the association doesn't dispute the need to do away
with accounting procedures designed to generate more federal dollars. He
said the government is already clamping down on such payments.  However, to
say that publicly owned hospitals cannot charge more than the cost of
providing a service puts them in a difficult spot, Nickels said.  When
hospitals treat patients with private insurance, they charge enough to
offset the lower payments they get when they treat the poor and uninsured.
But many public hospitals serve a high percentage of the poor and uninsured,
so they don't have a way to offset Medicaid's lower payments.  "These are
public facilities that need to be able to revamp themselves and improve.
Technology is a big thing in health care," Nickels said. "We're going to say
to these hospitals, you don't get additional dollars to invest in
information technology."  The administration has emphasized that the
proposed change is about fairness and treating states equally.  Medicaid
also covers a range of mental health services that can help people get
therapy in a community setting and avoid costly institutional care. The
administration wants to clarify what rehabilitation services Medicaid will
cover. The savings are estimated at $2.3 billion over five years.  Dennis
Smith, a senior official at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services,
told lawmakers previously that the definition of rehabilitation services was
so broad there was a risk of abuse.  However, just how the administration
will clarify the definitions is a mystery. The budget provides little clue.
Health care providers say they have no idea of what the regulations would
say. Medicaid officials declined to elaborate."

37.  "Normal' shouldn't be only acceptable realm" dated 11 February 2007 by
SARAH SMITH NESSEL from The Kansas City Star at
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/16671747.htm.

"As the mother of a child on the autism spectrum, I'm becoming increasingly
dismayed by the notion that children like my son are somehow deficient and
need to be "cured."  I realize I'm stepping into a minefield here. A
diagnosis of autism or one of its related disorders can be a wrenching event
for a family, particularly if the child is so severely affected that he or
she is deemed unlikely to ever speak, laugh or connect with another person
in any meaningful way.  But for many of us with less-severely affected
children, the "tragedy" of autism simply isn't. In our current culture of
pathology, children who 50 years ago would have just been considered a bit
odd, or loners, now have a diagnosis, a therapy team, endless rounds of
assessments, a mound of county and school district education plan paperwork
and, all too often, a pile of prescription medications.  Certainly, children
on the autism spectrum have different needs than typical children. And, for
profoundly affected children, those needs may involve fairly intensive
treatment.  But where is the line between helping a child connect with the
outside world and shattering his inner world? Try asking an autistic adult.
With a growing presence on Internet forums devoted to autism, they're not
hard to find.  But if you're a member of the cure-at-any-cost crowd, brace
yourself.  In essays ranging from the quietly eloquent to the explosively
outraged, autistic teens and adults are speaking out against the prevailing
attitude that their personality and behavioral traits constitute a disease
that needs to be cured. And they're right.  Here's what's "wrong" with my
child: He plays alone and can become quite anxious around other children. He
reverses his pronouns, calling himself "you" and other people "me." He'll
chatter to himself all day, but he can't initiate or maintain a conversation
with another person. His speech is mostly echolalic - he simply repeats what
he's heard. He's a bit clumsy. He has very little capacity for imagination
or "pretend" play. He'll sometimes take himself for a spin - around and
around and around. He develops intense fascinations with ordinary objects,
including, unfortunately, fire alarms. He lines up toys and household
objects. A lot.  That's pretty much it. Oh - and he knew his entire alphabet
at 18 months, was beginning to read by his second birthday, could write soon
thereafter and absolutely loves spelling.  In our aforementioned culture of
pathology, even this is a problem. And, of course, it has a label:
hyperlexia - the opposite of dyslexia. Only in this case, the opposite of a
disability isn't an ability. It's a common "symptom" of - here's another
label - pervasive developmental disorder/not otherwise specified. That's his
official diagnosis. If it sounds a bit alarmist and vague, that's because it
is.  He's always been an unusually happy and giggly child, only managing
about one tantrum every six months. He gets along quite well with adults and
loves being tickled. At 3, he's beginning to get interested in math - having
long ago grown bored with simply counting things, he wants to learn addition
and subtraction.  I'm sure there's a label for that, too, along with a
course of treatment and a long list of therapy programs recommended by
people with a financial stake in those programs, but I'm not looking it up.
And please don't e-mail me with information about it. I'm not interested.
Will I be more interested, though, when he gets old enough to feel the pain
of being on the losing end of playground politics? What about adolescence, a
time that is emotionally rocky under even the best of circumstances? How
will he cope? I have no idea what lies ahead. And if he were "normal"? I'd
have no idea then, either.  But somehow, I doubt that I will regret giving
him a childhood that involves more play time than "program" time.  If you
think my concerns don't apply to you or to anyone you know, you might want
to think again. Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
revised upward its estimate of the prevalence of autism to 1 in 150 American
children.  If that were accurate, my neighborhood statistically would be
home to more than 600 children, since, including my son, there are at least
four autism-spectrum kids within three blocks of my house. The school
district I live in, Blue Valley, is said to have a rate of autism spectrum
disorders that's twice the national average. And if the demographic trend of
later-in-life childbearing continues (autism has been strongly linked to the
age of the parents - particularly the father - at the time of conception),
more and more parents will face decisions about how best to raise their
autistic children.  For my part, I'm done listening to people who think I
should try to hammer my square-peg child into the round hole of "normal."
Normal is simply not in his future.  No, this does not mean I'm pulling him
out of the wonderful special-education preschool where devoted and amazingly
patient teachers and therapists, along with "peer models" his age, are
giving him opportunities that I could never give him at home. And it doesn't
mean I'm not getting a little additional therapy for him to help him learn
how to converse.  After all, someday I want to be able to sit down with him
and talk about why I love him just they way he is."

38.  "A sad reality as an epidemic is ignored" dated 11 February 2007 by
Alan E. Moses from the American Chronicle at
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=20496.

"With the CDC's latest report about the numbers of autism cases being much
higher than before thought,the news media ignores this epidemic. Television
news stations devote two days to the death of a celebrity. Anna Nicole
Smith's death is somehow the most important topic of discussion.  There are
no questions as to why this two part study is almost 12 years old? No one is
asking why this study could not have been compiled with more recent data?
Why again they used data from six states then 14? I as many others would
like to know the true numbers and not a purposely watered down and out of
date version. What is the ratio of those born in 1992 compared to those born
in 1999? I believe then we would be blown away by the increase.  But then
again I am not sure that the CDC really wants this information to be
released at this point. And because autism has higher rates among males I
would have liked that ratio to have been released. As of now 1 in 150 just
doesn't seem that bad to most.  As with most parents in the autism community
I have been shunned as overly emotional about this subject. Politicians,
medical professionals, school administrators, teachers as well as family and
friends all seem to ignore our plea. We are looked at as crazy and so that
is why our kids are like they are.  There isn't even a true understanding
that ADD along with many of the other related alphabet set of diagnoses in
all reality appear to be sharing some symptoms. All are treated as solely
psychiatric disorders and not biological.  Being one of many parents I have
a justified belief that the cause of these disorders is environmentally
related. I have had to endure many negative reactions from the people and
agencies that I believed would have the most concern. Many times I have felt
as if I was alone and just spinning my wheels as nobody cares.  Then I come
to the realization that I am far from alone. All I do is reflect about the
conversations that I have with others. Many of them are dealing with having
to rely on anti-depressants and a son using meds for ADD along with
daughters that suffer from asthma. And when you include the grandparents
dealing with Parkinson's and or Alzheimer's you begin to see a pattern.
Does no one notice that it seems as though almost everyone has some form of
auto-immune or neurological disorder? Imagine going to sleep in 1979 and
waking up in 2007.  You would be thinking "Oh my God, What is going on
here?" There comes a time for a reality check.  I can't help but remember
the Love Canal tragedy. I also remember how it was dealt with. It just
quietly went away as no blame was given and those that suffered were not
even offered sympathy. I just fear that we are attempting to do the same
now. The problem is that we have no place to hide anymore."

39.  "Autism Myths Abound" dated 11 February 2007 by LIDIA WASOWICZ from
United Press International at
http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/view.php?StoryID=20070211-052542-7660
r.

"Misrepresented for decades and still suffering from an identity crisis,
autism serves as a lightning rod for myths and misconceptions, researchers
say.  A newfound influx of interest and attention in recent years has
started to demystify the puzzling condition once blamed on "refrigerator
moms." Nevertheless, the intractable disorder remains mired in uncertainties
and misunderstandings, specialists say.  For example, researchers still
can't say for certain whether autism is truly on the rise even though it's
clear its diagnosis is skyrocketing.  The latest government report, released
Feb. 8, estimates some 1 in 150 8-year-olds or approximately 560,000
children and young adults under age 22 are affected by autistic disorders
whose symptoms vary from barely noticeable to severely impairing.  The
study, based on records from educational, medical and service centers,
noted: "Each year since the early 1990s, special education programs in the
United States have been required to report how many children receive
services for an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). From 1994 to 2005, the
number of children ages 6-21 years receiving services for autism increased
from 22,664 to 193,637.  "And those numbers likely do not include all
children with ASDs, because some children receive special education for a
particular need, like speech therapy, and not for a classification of
autism."  The report concluded: "It is clear that more children than ever
before are being diagnosed with an ASD. But, it is unclear how much of this
increase is due to changes in how we identify and classify ASDs in people,
and how much is due to a true increase in the number of people who have
autism and related disorders."  Such uncertainties leave room for
ill-founded conjecture and wild speculation, specialists said.  "There are a
lot of myths, half-truths and outright lies that circulate, and people have
no way of differentiating between science and all the mythology," said
Steven Gutstein, psychologist, autism specialist, researcher, child, marital
and family therapist and co-director of The Connections Center for Family
and Personal Development and of the Relationship Development Research
Institute in Houston.  Gutstein also is the author of "Autism Aspergers:
Solving the Relationship Puzzle" (Future Horizons Inc., 2000), which
explains the technique he developed for teaching social skills to people
affected by the condition whose hallmarks include difficulty in
communicating, socializing and imagining.  So many inaccuracies are
circulating about the disorder in the media and general public, a special
panel of experts was called to address the issue at the 2006 annual meeting
of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, considered one
of the nation's most important and highly regarded forums for reporting
science research and trends.  "It behooves us as scientists to distinguish
uninformed stereotypes from scientific reality and to move beyond myths and
misconceptions," Morton Gernsbacher, Vilas Research Professor and Sir
Frederic Bartlett Professor of Psychology at the University of Wisconsin,
Madison, told the symposium she organized and chaired.  ..."

40.  "Return of the medical maverick- Dr Andrew Wakefield returned to
Britain at the weekend for a conference to discuss the link between
nutrition and autism. Dr Thomas Stuttaford says that Dr Wakefield's research
into the link between MMR and autism was worthwhile" dated 12 February 2007
from The Times Online (UK) at
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/features/article13627
91.ece.

"Dr Andrew Wakefield was, and so far as I know still is, a clever and gifted
doctor who was blessed, or cursed, with an overwhelming interest in his
patients' welfare. His suggestion of a possible link between MMR (the
measles, mumps and rubella vaccination) and a gut problem distinctive to
autism hasn't yet been supported by much convincing research.  The
observation, whether it eventually turned out to be valid or not, was worth
looking into. Dr Wakefield is not only a very traditional doctor but also a
budding medical scientist. The perhaps premature publication of his initial
research has resulted in vilification without inquisition. The Government
was right to be worried lest parents without substantial evidence rejected
MMR. The chances of babies suffering from severe complications of measles if
unvaccinated was much greater than the unlikely, even remote, chance of
developing autism from whatever cause.  Dr Wakefield's opponents were wrong
to support a personalised witch hunt more suited to the political world of
the Whip's office than a medical research team. Nor, as I have witnessed,
should they have tried to repress research that might have proved Dr
Wakefield as wrong as most of us expect and hope that he was.  Only a parent
stupid enough not to worry about their child and its future isn't concerned
about measles and the MMR vaccination. Older doctors, who remember the
occasional child with irreparable damage from an attack of measles, share an
anxiety that measles vaccination in some form or other would cease to be
available if the concern over MMR persisted.  Then there could be a return
to the time when children, as part of growing up, had to face an attack of
measles, which was always disturbing and sometimes dangerous. I am part of
the last generation of doctors brought up in a medical practice in which the
occasional death from measles was considered to be a sad but inevitable part
of village life. These children's deaths overshadowed the lasting damage
done to others' hearing, sight, intellect or the suffering later in
adolescence of a form of fatal dementia not unlike mad cow disease.  Another
fear of parents is that of autism. Few childhood disorders cause such
emotional turmoil for its parents and family disruption. Dr Wakefield's
suggestion that more research was needed to exclude a possible link between
measles vaccination and one of the disorders in the autism spectrum struck
terror into parental hearts. Were they being asked to choose between the
risk of measles and the risk of autism? After consulting a very approachable
and nondogmatic Dr Wakefield I took his advice and recommended that my
grandchildren should be vaccinated with MMR. His opinion at that time was
that if there wasn't a history of auto-immune disease or an inexplicable
mental retardation in the family, he would still recommend the MMR
vaccination.  ..."

41.  "Has this doctor been misjudged?- Dr Andrew Wakefield ought to admit
that he was wrong" dated 12 February 2007 by Anjana Ahuja from The Times
Online (UK) at
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/features/article13627
81.ece.

"Two days in Bournemouth made a pleasant prospect last week. A conference on
autism was the draw, and its star attraction was Dr Andrew Wakefield, back
briefly in the UK after a spell of purgatory in the US. Dr Wakefield, you
may remember, was the doctor who in 1998 posited, on tenuous evidence, a
link between the MMR vaccine and autism. A public health nightmare ensued.
Back then, it also transpired that the doctor had been commissioned to look
into the likelihood of a link between the vaccine and autism for a possible
legal case, thus compromising his objectivity. Later his co-authors withdrew
their names from the research. Wakefield left the UK - some say he was
hounded out - to set up an institute in America pursuing his unorthodox
research into a possible link between bowel disease and autism.  But the
Bournemouth conference, which took place this weekend, and was entitled
Autism is Treatable! , was not for me. It saw Wakefield sharing the platform
at Bournemouth International Centre with a stable of controversial experts
on autism.  These individuals are characterised by varying permutations of
strange beliefs, such as that vaccination does more harm than good, and that
heavy metals (in, say, vaccine preservatives) are poisoning children's minds
and triggering autism. Some also believe that diet, vitamin supplements and
other drugs - so-called biomedical interventions - will relieve autism.  Sir
Michael Rutter, professor of developmental psycho-pathology at King's
College London and a reliable authority on autism, suggests that there is no
conclusive evidence in favour of biomedical intervention for autism. Dr
Wakefield and his ilk are, in effect, advocates for biomedical
experimentation on children with autism.  Along with Dr Wakefield, speakers
Dr Anju Usman, Paul Shattock and Dr Christopher Heard have all been involved
with the Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) initiative, which comes from the Autism
Research Institute (ARI), a San Diego-based charity. (By the way, if
Shattock, a pharmacist at the University of Sunderland, seems familiar, it
is because he said he had found a group of children whose autism was
"caused" by the MMR vaccine. So compelling was this evidence that no leading
journal published it.) Dr Usman is one of a handful of advocates of
chelation therapy - a controversial toxin-removal treatment - for autism. In
the United States in August 2005, a five-year-old autistic child died while
being chelated.  At the time of writing, due to speak alongside Dr Wakefield
in Bournemouth was one of his defenders, Dr Arthur Krigsman. The two are
involved in the Thoughtful House Centre for Children, a Texas-based centre
for treatment and research into developmental disorders. Also due to speak
was Dr Boyd Haley, a chemist at the Uni- versity of Kentucky who believes
that mercury-based preservatives contribute to autism, and Dr Devin Houston,
the founder of Houston Nu-traceuticals. DAN! is "dedicated to educating
parents and clinicians regarding biomedically based research, appropriate
testing and safe and effective interventions for autism".  ..."

42.  "Genetic Engineering Cures Mice Of Brain Disorder" dated 12 February
2007 in a press release from Vanderbilt University Medical Center
<http://www.mc.vanderbilt.edu/>  at
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070210170650.htm.

"Children with Angelman syndrome are often seen laughing and smiling, but
this cheerful demeanor masks serious neurological problems -- mental
retardation, movement problems and seizures.  New research in mice, however,
suggests that many of these deficits could be alleviated.  Edwin Weeber,
Ph.D., and colleagues reversed the neurological deficits in a mouse model of
Angelman syndrome by preventing the inhibition of CaMKII, an enzyme highly
expressed in brain regions affected by Angelman syndrome.  The results,
which appear in the March issue of Nature Neuroscience (currently available
online), reveal an important part of the mechanism underlying the condition
and point to potential therapeutic targets for treating these symptoms.
Angelman syndrome, which affects approximately one in 15,000 children, is a
debilitating neurological disorder characterized by mental retardation,
severely limited speech, and movement and balance problems.  In 1997,
researchers determined that Angelman syndrome was caused by a mutation in a
single gene, called UBE3A. They subsequently developed a mouse model of
Angelman syndrome by mutating this gene.  But the finding was baffling, said
Weeber, because UBE3A is a "housekeeping" gene, meaning that it broadly
regulates cellular processes not particularly specific for any of the
neurological deficits seen in these children. Specifically, the protein
encoded by UBE3A "tags" other proteins for degradation by the cellular
"garbage disposal," the proteasome.  "The most difficult thing to
rationalize was that this housekeeping gene -- which nobody thought did
anything -- caused severe mental retardation," said Weeber, an assistant
professor of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics and Pharmacology and senior
author on the study.  "So we started trying to identify some of the
protein's molecular targets."  In the process, Weeber and colleagues
identified an abnormality in the Angelman syndrome mouse model -- changes in
an enzyme called calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII),
which is important in the cellular processes that underlie learning and
memory.  They found that, in Angelman syndrome, CaMKII activity was reduced
due to an inhibitory chemical modification (phosphorylation). Because of
CaMKII's prominent role in neuronal function, Weeber suspected that this
might account for many of the neurological deficits seen in Angelman
syndrome children.  Fortuitously, one of Weeber's colleagues -- Ype
Elgersma, Ph.D., at Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, Netherlands -- had
created a mouse with a mutation that prevented this inhibition of CaMKII.
The researchers decided to breed the Angelman mice with the CaMKII mutant
mice to see if counteracting the CaMKII inhibition would alleviate the
neurological problems.  The researchers then ran the resulting "double
mutants" through a battery of neurological and cognitive tests.  Angelman
mice performed poorly on learning and memory tasks and displayed impaired
motor coordination.  The double mutants, however, showed normal learning and
memory and motor coordination. And while the Angelman mice were also prone
to seizures, the double mutants showed very low seizure susceptibility.
Weeber was surprised by the robust results. "We thought we might rescue some
of the deficits that we saw in the mouse model," he said. "We had no idea
that we were going to rescue basically everything."  Although impossible to
apply the genetic engineering used in the current study to correct these
deficits in mice to humans, Weeber thinks that the findings may point to new
therapeutic targets for the disorder.  "It's very conceivable that if we can
figure out what lies between UBE3A and CaMKII -- and if it's a specific path
-- then that could be a therapeutic target."  But the results may apply more
broadly, Weeber said, to other types of mental retardation syndromes that
remained unexplained and untreatable.  "There are a lot of mental
retardation syndromes that we still don't understand. Maybe the changes in
CaMKII associated with Angelman syndrome could be implicated in other mental
retardation syndromes as well."  Weeber is also an investigator in the
Vanderbilt Kennedy Center for Research on Human Development."

43.  "Immunizing N.J. Children- Support the vaccination plan" dated 12
February 2007 in an editorial in The Philadelphia Inquirer at
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/editorial/16678401.htm.

"New Jersey wants to protect children from flu, pneumonia and meningitis
through the reliable method that has snuffed out other childhood diseases:
vaccination.  Acting on recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention and other medical associations, the state proposes to
vaccinate against flu and pneumonia 6-month-old to 5-year-old children who
attend licensed day-care centers. It also would protect 11- and 12-year-old
public school students against a fast-moving type of meningitis. It's a
smart preventive measure.  Opposition is likely from the usual suspects -
parents who argue against putting "toxins" in their children's bodies. They
forget that the complications of childhood diseases - measles, mumps,
whooping cough, rubella, polio, diphtheria, hepatitis - far outweigh the
risks of the vaccine. That's true of these proposed vaccines, as well.
Younger children run a high risk of hospitalization, complications, and even
death from seasonal influenza. They also infect other vulnerable family
members, particularly grandparents, who also have a high fatality and
complication rate. Vaccinating the nation's youngest children not only
protects them, but also would help contain the disease.  Early on,
meningitis symptoms mimic a cold or the flu. By the time it's clear the
problem is more than a cold, it can be too late. Patients who survive can
lose limbs or suffer brain damage. New Jersey requires that college students
who live in dormitories get meningitis vaccinations, but that protects only
a small portion of the population. This proposal would save more kids.  The
state is accepting comments on the proposal through Feb. 16. It hopes to
adopt the new rule by the start of the next school year.  The Internet is
packed with conjecture linking a vaccine preservative, thimerosal, with
autism and other neurological disorders. So far, no reputable study has
found evidence of a link. Thimerosal has been removed from virtually all
vaccines, including most flu shots.  Vaccinations are one of medicine's
greatest success stories. They've virtually wiped out certain illnesses - to
the benefit of public health. Under the threat of bioterrorism or flu
pandemic, the nation would look to widespread vaccination as one of the
first, best answers. With this proposal, New Jersey takes a smart step
forward to protect children."

44.  "Bowel problem seen in infants given Merck vaccine" dated 13 February
2007 by Bill Berkrot from Reuters at
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070213/hl_nm/merck_fda_dc_3.

"The Top of Form 1
Bottom of Form 1
Food and Drug Administration
<http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news/?p=Food+and+Drug+Administration>
said it was notifying health-care providers and consumers about reports of
some 28 cases of infants suffering a serious bowel condition after receiving
Merck & Co's new vaccine against the rotavirus.  The FDA said it was not
immediately clear how many of the 28 reported cases were caused by the
vaccine. It said the condition, known as intussusception, can occur in the
absence of vaccination.  Some 3.5 million doses of Merck's RotaTeq have been
distributed in the United States since its approval in February 2006, the
FDA said.  The agency said the 28 reported cases do not exceed the number
that might be expected, but it issued the warning to encourage reports of
any additional cases.  The agency also said it was issuing the notification,
which also was posted on the FDA Web site, to remind people that
intussusception was a potential complication of RotaTeq.  The potentially
life-threatening condition occurs when the intestine gets blocked or twisted
and one portion telescopes into a nearby portion, causing an intestinal
obstruction.  Intussusception causes intense abdominal pain. Most infants
who are treated within 24 hours recover completely. A delay in treatment can
result in serious complications, including tissue damage, perforation of the
bowel and death.  The bowel problem spurred the recall in 1999 of Wyeth's
RotaShield vaccine against rotavirus. The virus causes serious diarrhea and
is a leading cause of hospitalization for infants.  Dr. Michelle Goveia, a
Merck medical director, said RotaTeq was tested in trials involving 70,000
infants, and that little difference in cases of the bowel ailment were seen
in those given the vaccine and those given placebos.  Within one year of
treatment, 13 cases of the bowel problem were detected among infants that
received RotaTeq, compared with 15 cases among those receiving placebos,
Goveia said.  "We believe we designed the study rigorously and we didn't see
a ... relationship," she said.  After RotaTeq was approved, a reporting
system was created that allowed doctors and parents to report any problems
among infants that received the vaccine.  Goveia said it would be difficult
to determine how many, if any, of the 28 cases of intussusception reported
under the surveillance system were due to the Merck vaccine. But she
speculated most were naturally occurring cases, given the product's safety
in the large clinical trials."

45.  "Lawmakers blast FDA drug safety oversight" dated 13 February 2007 by
Lisa Richwine from Reuters at
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070214/hl_nm/fda_drug_safety_dc_1.

"U.S. lawmakers criticized the Top of Form 1
Bottom of Form 1
Food and Drug Administration
<http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news/?p=Food%0Aand+Drug+Administration>
's monitoring of the risks of the antibiotic Ketek (Sanofi-Aventis) and some
other prescription drugs on Tuesday.  At a hearing on the FDA's drug safety
oversight, lawmakers said the agency stifled dissent about the risks of
drugs when top managers disagreed. They cited problems with Ketek, Bottom of
Form 2
Vioxx <http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news/?p=Vioxx>  (Merck & Co.
Inc.'s withdrawn arthritis drug) and antidepressants made by several
companies. "With each of these drugs, it appears that the FDA is not
seriously questioning whether the risks outweigh the benefits of the new
drug," said Rep. Bart Stupak (news
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/politics/news/nm/hl_nm/fda_drug_safety_dc/
21929121/*http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news?fr=news-storylinks&p=%22B
art%20Stupak%22&c=&n=20&yn=c&c=news&cs=nw> , bio
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/capadv/bio/nm/hl_nm/fda_drug_safety_dc/219
29121/SIG=117f3fcqi/*http://yahoo.capwiz.com/y/bio/?id=312> , voting record
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/capadv/vote/nm/hl_nm/fda_drug_safety_dc/21
929121/SIG=11gbsegeq/*http://yahoo.capwiz.com/y/bio/keyvotes/?id=312> ), a
Michigan Democrat who chairs a subcommittee of the House of Representatives
Energy and Commerce.  "One must ask, if the FDA is not protecting its
client, the American people, whose interest is being protected?" Stupak
said.  Iowa Republican Sen. Charles Grassley (news
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/DailyNews/politics/news/nm/hl_nm/fda_drug_safety_dc/
21929121/*http://news.search.yahoo.com/search/news?fr=news-storylinks&p=%22C
harles%20Grassley%22&c=&n=20&yn=c&c=news&cs=nw> , bio
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/capadv/bio/nm/hl_nm/fda_drug_safety_dc/219
29121/SIG=117nci1mq/*http://yahoo.capwiz.com/y/bio/?id=248> , voting record
<http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/capadv/vote/nm/hl_nm/fda_drug_safety_dc/21
929121/SIG=11gri3n8m/*http://yahoo.capwiz.com/y/bio/keyvotes/?id=248> ), a
vocal FDA critic, told the committee that "scientific dissent is
discouraged, quashed and sometimes muzzled" inside the agency and "there's
widespread fear of retaliation for speaking up about problems."  Congress is
considering legislation to strengthen the FDA's oversight of drug side
effects.  The committee was set to hear from current and former FDA
reviewers, who worked on the Ketek application.  FDA whistle blower David
Graham, who told Congress in 2004 that the agency was unable to protect
patients from dangerous drugs such as Vioxx, said the agency had failed to
fix its problems.  "I am here to tell you our nation is still at risk,"
Graham said in remarks prepared for delivery. Graham is an associate
director in the FDA office that monitors the side effects of drugs after
they reach the market.  Republicans on the committee complained that neither
the FDA nor Sanofi had been invited to testify at the hearing. Stupak said
they would be asked to speak at a later date.  FDA spokespeople had no
immediate comment.  On Monday, the FDA announced it had withdrawn Ketek's
approval for sinusitis and bronchitis because officials felt the drug was
too risky for treating those relatively mild infections. Sanofi can sell
Ketek for treating pneumonia.  Concerns about Ketek arose a year ago after
reports of severe liver damage and death in some users. The drug was
approved for sale in 2004.  Lawmakers have proposed various measures to
improve the FDA's monitoring of drug safety. Some suggest creation of a more
independent office to monitor side effects after approval, while others want
to give the FDA more power to force drug makers to complete post-approval
studies."

46.  "FDA: Rotavirus vaccine may harm infants" dated 13 February 2007 by
ANDREW BRIDGES from the Associated Press at
http://www.denverpost.com/healthcare/ci_5218527.

"The government warned on Tuesday of potentially life-threatening twisting
of the intestines in infants vaccinated against a virus that is the leading
cause of early childhood diarrhea. The condition, called intussusception, is
the same that led to the withdrawal of the first rotavirus vaccine eight
years ago.  The Food and Drug Administration said it was unknown whether the
recently approved vaccine, called RotaTeq, caused the 28 new cases. The
condition also can occur spontaneously. Indeed, the reports don't exceed the
numbers expected to occur naturally each year-the so-called background rate,
the FDA said.  "It looks like this is the natural background rate that we
are seeing," said Dr. Michelle Goveia, medical director for pediatric
medical affairs at the vaccine's manufacturer, Merck & Co. Inc. Goveia
suggested heightened concerns about the previous vaccine, made by Wyeth,
prompted the FDA to act.  In Tuesday's public health notification, the
agency said it wanted in part to encourage reporting of any additional cases
of intestinal twisting or blockage to help it assess any risks associated
with the three-shot vaccine series. It also said the vaccine's label would
mention the cases of intussusception.  "It's a known serious,
life-threatening adverse event that is being seen at an expected level
postmarketing. But because it is so serious, we asked the company to change
the label," FDA spokeswoman Karen Riley said.  Dr. Paul Offit, the vaccine's
co-inventor, said the 28 reports were well below the hundreds of cases one
would expect naturally. He suggested the FDA wanted to "shake the tree" for
more reports about the vaccine.  "I am actually encouraged by those data: 28
cases, when you would have expected at least 500 cases, that is really
reassuring," said Offit, of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "I
don't see how those numbers suggest something's awry. If anything, they
suggest nothing's awry."  The 28 cases included 16 infants who required
intestinal surgery. There have been no reports of deaths.  RotaTeq received
FDA approval in February 2006. At the time, the FDA and Merck said trials of
the vaccine involving nearly 70,000 infants indicated it did not increase
the risk of intussusception. But Merck and the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention are conducting follow-up studies of tens of thousands more
infants to track any long-term effects of the vaccine. The FDA also is
monitoring reports.  About 3.5 million doses of the Merck vaccine have been
distributed in the U.S., though not all have been used, the FDA said.  The
earlier rotavirus vaccine, Wyeth's RotaShield, was pulled from the U.S.
market in 1999 after it was linked to a small increase in intussusception.
It had been on the market a year.  In the United States, rotavirus sickens
about 2.7 million children younger than 5, sends up to 70,000 to the
hospital and causes 20 to 70 deaths each year.  Food and Drug Administration
notification on RotaTeq at http://www.fda.gov/cber/safety/phnrota021307.htm.

47.  "FDA Notes Baby Vaccine Bowel Problems" dated 13 February 2007 by
Miranda Hitti </content/Biography/8/101415.htm>  from WebMD Medical News at
http://www.webmd.com/content/article/131/118191.htm.

"The FDA today announced that 28 U.S. babies reportedly developed a
potentially deadly bowel problem after getting the RotaTeq vaccine.  The
babies developed intussusception, a serious and potentially life-threatening
condition in which the intestine gets blocked or twisted.  Sixteen of the 28
babies required hospitalization and surgery. The other 12 needed enemas to
reduce the intussusception. None died.  RotaTeq targets rotavirus, a leading
cause of kids' diarrhea </content/article/90/100639.htm> diarrhea. The
vaccine, approved by the FDA last year, is on the CDC's 2007 recommended
child immunization schedule. It's given in three doses when babies are 2 to
6 months old.  It's not known whether RotaTeq caused the babies'
intussusception. The number of reported cases is in line with expectations,
says the FDA.  However, a different rotavirus vaccine, called RotaShield,
was withdrawn from the market in 1999 after a rise in intussusception was
noted after its use.   RotaTeq's label has been updated to reflect the
intusssusception reports. But the vaccine's "dosage and administration
schedule remains unchanged," says the FDA.  The FDA's Recommendations.  The
FDA's public health notification about the intussusception cases includes
these recommendations: "Parents should contact their child's doctor
immediately if the child has stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, blood in
their stool or change in their bowel movements, as these may be signs of
intussusception. It is important to contact the child's doctor if there are
any questions or if the child has any of these symptoms at any time after
vaccination, even if it has been several weeks since the last vaccine dose."
The FDA also asks that any cases of intussusception be reported to the
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), which is run by the FDA and
CDC.  For a copy of the vaccine reporting form, call 800-822-7967 or go
online to www.vaers.hhs.go </click?url=http://www.vaers.hhs.gov> .  Reported
Cases.  The 28 cases of intussusception were reported between the FDA's
approval of RotaTeq on Feb. 3, 2006 and Jan. 31, 2007.  RotaTeq's
intussusception risk was studied in approximately 70,000 infants -- half of
whom got the RotaTeq vaccine; the other half got a placebo -- before the FDA
approved RotaTeq.  Those studies showed "no significant increased risk of
intussusception," notes an FDA public health notice.  The FDA also says that
"the number of intussusception cases reported to date after RotaTeq
administration does not exceed the number expected," based on unpublished
CDC data.  According to the FDA, about 3.5 million doses of RotaTeq had been
distributed in the U.S. through Feb. 1, 2007, but not all of those doses
have been administered.  The 28 intussusception cases were reported after
the first, second, and third doses of the vaccine. The cases occurred within
73 days after getting any of those doses; roughly half of the cases happened
within 21 days. ..."

48.  "Autism bills take lead on policy, funding" dated 13 February 2007 by
ELISE YOUNG from North Jersey.com at
http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkyJmZnYmV
sN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MDc2Njgw.

"A historic package of bills heading for the Legislature would propel New
Jersey to the forefront of the autism crisis by adding millions of dollars
for research and a slew of services lasting a lifetime.  The half-dozen
measures, to be introduced in the Assembly as early as next week, would form
the state's most cohesive autism policy ever. The legislation comes at a
critical time: On Thursday, the federal Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention concluded that New Jersey has the nation's highest autism rate,
with 1 in 94 children affected.  "I'm like everyone else in New Jersey in
that I know so many people who have had family members, particularly
children, diagnosed with autism," said Assembly Speaker Joseph J. Roberts,
D-Camden, who spearheaded the legislation. "We may be unclear in terms of
why we have ranked with the highest documented cases of any state -- it
could be we're doing a better job detecting and reporting -- but at the very
least it's a wake-up call for action."  Autism is a neurological condition
whose cause is unknown, although both heredity and environmental factors are
suspected. It has no cure.  People with autism can lack communication,
learning and social interaction skills. Some have symptoms so mild that they
are not diagnosed until adulthood -- if ever -- while others go a lifetime
focusing on redundant tasks, unable to speak.  The CDC based its findings on
2002 data from 14 states. The overall rate in those states was one in 150
children -- surpassing the earlier baseline of one in 166.  Researchers said
they were not certain why the rate appears to be worsening. It is possible
that more individuals could be developing autism, but it's also possible
that doctors are just better at diagnosing the disorder.  About 14,000 New
Jerseyans ages 3 to 21 have autism, the study found. Boys here are three to
four times more likely than girls to have autism.  Roberts said that work on
the bills began in early fall, when The Record's "In Autism's Grip" series
examined the state's rising rate. In light of the CDC findings last week, he
said he intends to introduce some of the bills during an Assembly session
Feb. 22.  "We want to get them introduced and passed within the next several
months," he said.  One part of the legislation would add $4 million in
research and clinical funding grants under the Governor's Council on Autism.
Beyond that, Roberts could not estimate what the legislation could cost --
or how much taxpayers would have to pay for it. Some of the funds could come
from federal grants, but the bulk would have to be added to the state
budget.  Similar versions of the Assembly proposals have come before the
Legislature in the past, never to move beyond committee. Roberts said there
is a new urgency this time.  "The CDC report really underscored the
importance of New Jersey being on this issue," he said.  Autism advocates
welcomed the proposals, particularly those for adults.  ..."

49.  "Fish oil unlikely to relieve depression" dated 14 February 2007 from
the March 2007 edition of Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin on Reuters Health
at http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070214/hl_nm/fish_depression_dc_1.

"Despite some evidence linking depression with low levels of omega-3 fatty
acids, there is currently no convincing evidence that omega-3 fatty acids
alone can relieve depression, according to a report published this week.
And there is limited evidence that omega-3 fatty acids given in combination
with antidepressant drugs can relieve depression -- but this needs to be
confirmed before the routine use of omega-3 fatty acid supplements can be
recommended for depression, the report states.   Circumstantial evidence has
suggested a link between omega-3 levels and behavior and mood disorders,
such as depression, findings that have attracted widespread attention.
Omega-3 fatty acids, abundant in oily fish, nuts, seeds, and leafy green
vegetables, "are involved in chemical messaging in the brain, and help
regulate blood vessel activity and aspects of the immune system that affect
the central nervous system," according to the report in Drug and
Therapeutics Bulletin, a publication of the British Medical Journal Group.
Many people take omega-3 supplements (fish oil), which are available
over-the-counter.  Investigators pooled the results of published studies
that evaluated the effect on depression of omega-3 fatty acid supplements
alone or in combination with established antidepressant drugs.  As
mentioned, there was little convincing evidence that omega-3 fatty acids
alone can alleviate symptoms of depression and only limited evidence to back
their use as a supplement to established antidepressant drugs.  In about
nine studies that were reviewed, fish oil supplements were generally well
tolerated; the most common side effects, "particularly with higher doses,
are nausea, fishy belching and loose stools," the report states.  There have
been concerns that fish oil supplements may contain environmental toxins,
such as dioxins, PCBs, or mercury. Therefore, investigators believe it is
important not to exceed the maximum recommended doses.  "Surveys of fish
supplements by the Food Standards Agency have found that the levels of
mercury they contain do not pose a risk to consumer safety," the report
notes.  Moreover, because fish oil supplements contain vitamin A, pregnant
women should take only low-dose omega-3 supplements, because of the
potentially harmful effects of high levels of vitamin A on the fetus."

50.  "Data shows 13 percent of Oregon students in special ed programs" dated
14 February 2007 BY JULIA SILVERMAN from The Associated Press at
http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-18/1171500
856282590.xml&storylist=orlocal.

"About 13 percent of Oregon school kids are in special education classes,
growth that's being driven by a rise in the number of children with autism,
according to data released Wednesday by the state Department of Education.
About one in 150 U.S. children has autism, according to a study released
last week by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the
disease is even more prevalent in the Pacific Northwest. According to the
state Department of Education, autism numbers among students jumped to 6,374
in 2006, from 5,634 in 2005.  The rapid growth in the autistic student
population has led to changes in the state's classrooms, and for special
education teachers like Maurine Ruzek, who has taught for 33 years and now
works at Jefferson Elementary School in Corvallis.  In her classroom, she
said, structure and predictability are key for autistic students. So each
day, a schedule of the day's activities is hung up in the classroom for
everyone to see, and some students have their own mini-schedules for their
schoolwork.  "Kids know what's happening when, and can predict things ahead
of time - it's a secure feeling for them," Ruzek said.  The Department of
Education is also funding a pilot program with Portland State University to
provide training in the latest research on working with autistic students
for early childhood and elementary teachers, as well as some parents across
the state.  Funding also pays to send autism specialists directly to
schools, to help teachers work out individual plans for affected students,
and expansion into training for middle school teachers is in the works.  "We
see kids learn to talk, to understand language, to be able to transition to
independence," said Joel Atkin, a Portland State professor who coordinates
the program.  Other changes are in the air for the 80,314 special education
students in Oregon, up from 79,780 in 2005, according to the Education
Department's numbers. Under federal pressure, the state is finalizing
changes to the assessment tests given to the 6,000 or so Oregon special
education students who are the most severely disabled.  The new tests, which
are due to be rolled out next month, will include tests of academic skills
at the elementary and middle/high school levels, a change from the focus on
"life skills" emphasized in previous years.  Next month, too, the state
Department of Education will roll out a new special education "report card"
required under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or
IDEA. For the first time, the report card will publicly break out how the
state's special education students are doing in areas like graduation rates,
discipline and dropout percentages.  The state has also launched several
pilot programs aimed at special education students that could soon spread to
more school districts, including 14 districts now experimenting with what's
been dubbed the "response to intervention" project.  That model, pioneered
by the Tigard-Tualatin school district, aims to identify students who have
learning disabilities at far younger ages. The idea is also to try out
numerous different learning styles on children to see if anything clicks
before funneling them into special education, proponents said.  "We are
going to get a more accurate identification," said Ron Guyer, director of
special education at the Ontario school district, which is in its second
year of the program. "It used to be, you had to wait until kids had failed,
and then we could ID them as having a learning disability. By then they are
already a couple of years behind, and they are labeled as LD for the rest of
their career."  Nationally, about 12 percent of children are in special
education programs, putting Oregon slightly above the national average.
..."

51.  "Autism increase not a surprise" dated 14 February 2007 from United
Press International at
http://www.upi.com/Consumer_Health_Daily/20070214-022821-5503r/.

"The higher-than-expected incidence of U.S. autism
<http://www.upi.com/Consumer_Health_Daily/20070214-022821-5503r/>  is not a
surprise to special-education staff and autism advocates, says a
special-education expert.  "We have seen the rates of autism increase
dramatically over the last seven years," says Dr. John Somers of the
University of Indianapolis. "Schools are reeling today to accommodate the
needs of the increasing number of children diagnosed with autism."  The rise
in autism cases puts intense pressure on schools to meet the needs of
autistic children, according to Somers.  "Because students with autism
embody a multitude of needs and services such as special education teachers,
speech-language pathologists
<http://www.upi.com/Consumer_Health_Daily/20070214-022821-5503r/> , physical
and occupational therapists, etc., the increase is overwhelming and we do
not have enough school personnel trained in this area to deliver much needed
services."  Autism is readily identifiable as a neurological disorder and,
while no parent wants their child to have medical problems, autism is a more
"comfortable" diagnosis because it carries fewer stigmas than a diagnosis of
other disorders such as mental retardation or emotional disability
<http://www.upi.com/Consumer_Health_Daily/20070214-022821-5503r/> ,
according to Somers."

52.  "Harrison County Man Opposes Mercury In Kids' Vaccines" dated 14
February 2007 by Gabe Gutierrez fgrom WBOY12 News at
http://www.wboy.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=20054.

"Jamie Bailey's 5-year-old son Cameron was diagnosed with autism years ago.
"He's what I do now. He's what I live for. He's what I do. I work for him,"
Bailey said. "He got a fever after he took his vaccine. It lasted nearly 24
hours. When it went away, he stopped talking. The autistic characteristics
started showing up."  Autism is a complex brain disorder usually
characterized by a range of behaviors, including difficulty in expressing
needs and inability to socialize.  Bailey blames the mercury in the vaccine.
He says tests show his son now has an extremely high amount of mercury in
his brain.  That's why he joined a group called "A-Champ" and supports House
Bill 2152 before the state Legislature calling for the elimination of
mercury in children's vaccines.  "We have banded together," he said. "And
we're doing what we can to protect our children."  The medical community,
however, says the mercury is not dangerous.  "According to studies by the
Centers for Disease Control, there is no correlation between mercury and
autism," said Margaret Howe, RN, with the Harrison-Clarksburg Health
Department. She said vaccines contain only very small traces of mercury.
There may be other reasons for Cameron's high levels of mercury in his
brain.  "Other considerations may be environmental," she said. "Are there
areas where he may hav ebeen exposed to? Maybe paint? Or Other material in
the soil?  She said the bill before the Legislature, and others like it
throughout the country, could create a health nightmare.  "You also have to
consider risk and benefit," Howe said. "The risk of the vaccines versus the
benefit of the vaccines."  But Bailey claims there are plenty of studies to
back his position. He's just trying to spread the word.  As parents and
residents, we take for granted that we were being told the truth at all
time," he said. "When down the line, we find out it's not."

53.  "Salmonella Outbreak Due to Peanut Butter" dated 14 February 2007 by
Mike Stobbe from The Washington Post at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/14/AR2007021401
486.html.

"A salmonella outbreak that has slowly grown to nearly 300 cases in 39
states since August has been linked to tainted peanut butter, federal health
officials said Wednesday.  It is believed to be the first salmonella
outbreak associated with peanut butter in U.S. history, said officials with
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  About 20 percent of the 288
infected people have been hospitalized, but none has died, said Dr. Mike
Lynch, a CDC epidemiologist.  About 85 percent of the infected people said
they ate peanut butter, CDC officials said.  How salmonella got into peanut
butter is still under investigation, Lynch said.  The Food and Drug
Administration warned consumers not to eat certain jars of Peter Pan or
Great Value peanut butter because of the risk of contamination.  The
affected jars have a product code on the lid that begins with the number
"2111." The affected jars are made by ConAgra in a single facility in
Sylvester, Ga., the FDA said.  Great Value peanut butter made by other
manufacturers is not affected, the agency said.  ConAgra said it is
recalling all Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter beginning with product
code 2111.  "Although none of our extensive product tests have indicated the
presence of salmonella, we are taking this precautionary measure because
consumer health and safety is out top priority," spokesman Chris Kircher
said. "We are working closely with the FDA to better understand its
concerns, and we will take whatever additional measures are needed to ensure
the safety, quality and wholesomeness of our products."  The largest number
of salmonella cases were reported in New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia,
Tennessee and Missouri.  Salmonella infection is known each year to sicken
about 40,000 people in the United States, according to the CDC.
Salmonellosis, as the infection is known, kills about 600 people annually.
..."

54.  "Her Autistic Brothers" dated 18 February 2007 by KAREN OLSSON from The
New York Times at
http://select.nytimes.com/preview/2007/02/18/magazine/1154665179152.html?ei=
5121&en=eda003d1739f84d9&ex=1171602000&adxnnl=1&emc=eta1&adxnnlx=1171555850-
rOrt/s4y+aXXOWylhZGk7g.

"Tarah Perry wishes her brothers would remember to put on deodorant. Other
16-year-olds, after all, don't need to be reminded of that by their
14-year-old sister. Other families don't keep a stick of Degree in the glove
compartment to enforce deodorant compliance on the way to school in the
morning. Granted, Justin and Jason are different from other brothers - they
are autistic twins - and Tarah's family is therefore different from other
families, and generally speaking she is perfectly O.K. with that. It's all
she has ever known. But lately she has been fighting more with her brothers.
They irritate her, she says. They stink. She tells them as much, and they
squabble about it, as any siblings might - only when you're 14 and your
brothers are disabled and you don't know whether they'll ever make it on
their own or whether you'll be responsible for taking care of them, then
even the little things take on greater weight. Because what Tarah also
wishes is that her brothers will one day manage to hold jobs and find
friends and live the kind of life that regular deodorant-wearing people
live, or some semblance of it. And in the meantime, it would be nice if they
didn't smell up the car.  If you were to meet Tarah apart from her family,
there's plenty you might learn about her before the subject of her brothers
ever came up. She is in the ninth grade and likes to clown around: one day
this fall, for instance, when her biology teacher seemed to be in a bad
mood, she drew a large smiley face on a sheet of notebook paper and held it
up over her own face to try to coax a smile out of the teacher. (It worked.)
Her own face is heart-shaped, sprayed with faint freckles and often demurely
animated - lips slightly pursed, eyes knowing - by a look of private
amusement on the verge of being made public. There is no mention of her
brothers on her MySpace page, and she is more likely to talk about the
marching band or her best friend, Alex, who sits near her in band, or the
music she likes or gossip from school. Or trees. For some reason she can't
stand pine trees. The central Texas town of Bastrop, about 30 miles
southeast of Austin, is overhung by tall loblolly pines, on account of which
Tarah occasionally petitions her parents to move the family someplace else,
like Ireland, where they could live in a castle and have free health
insurance - although, she concedes, she wouldn't really want to move away
from her friends.  Yet she has no doubt that growing up in her brothers'
shadows has shaped her own character. "I think I'm a much nicer person than
I would have been if they weren't autistic," she says. "I would have been
pretty mean and snobby. Still, I'm kind of mean sometimes, but I don't think
I'm snobby." All her life, she has been not just their younger sister but
their de facto older sister, sometime translator and mom's right hand. (Her
biology teacher is not the first stressed-out woman Tarah has tried to cheer
up.) When they were young, Jason and Justin spoke only about 50 words, and
those in odd, high-pitched voices. But according to Tarah's mother,
Jennifer: "It was like she knew what they wanted when I didn't, and she
would help me figure it out. Tarah was mother hen to these boys. I probably
shouldn't have put her in that position, but oh, my God, she helped me so
much."  The boys are now easier to understand and cope with, but their
unpredictability keeps the family on edge. "We'll be going along just fine,
and then boom, something will happen," Jennifer Perry says. One day last
winter, she took the kids to the hospital to see a friend who had just had a
baby. Jason, who is unnerved by strange environments, said that he didn't
want to go inside, and so Jennifer let him wait in the car while she went in
with the other kids. Once the visit was over, they piled back into her big
black Suburban - Justin on the rear bench, Tarah and Jason in the middle and
their younger sister, Melissa, 11, in front. They were headed for the
parking-lot exit when Tarah said, "Mom, when we get home, the boys better
take a shower, because they smell really bad."  Jason slammed his hand on
the seat. "Mom, I asked you not to let Tarah say that anymore!" he said.
Then he turned to Tarah and pulled back his fist and shouted, "I'm going to
hit you so hard!"  ..."

55.  "Parent files tort claim with Norman school district" from the
Associated Press on KTEN10 News at
http://www.kten.com/Global/story.asp?S=6066218.

"A 5 (m) million dollar tort claim filed with the Norman school district
today alleges that a former school teacher and her aide abused a 6-year-old
special-needs student during the 2005-2006 school year.  The document
alleges that former Wilson Elementary teacher Carolyn Sue Shave and her
assistant, Christopher Ray Flores, made the girl sit alone in a dark corner
for hours, used police restraint tactics to force her to the ground and tied
her to a rope to take her to the bus stop.  Norman resident Kristopher
Russow says his daughter has been diagnosed with reactive attachment
disorder, a psychiatric illness where she has emotional problems relating to
other people.  Shave resigned from the district last fall after being
arrested in September on marijuana charges. Court records show she faces a
preliminary hearing Monday. Attempts to reach her for comment were
unsuccessful.  Flores was unavailable for comment today and referred
questions to Norman Schools Superintendent Joe Siano, who also is named as a
defendant in the claim."

56.  "Bernard Rimland 1928-2006" by Chantal Sicile-Kira from February/ March
2007 edition of Spectrum Magazine at
http://www.chantalsicile-kira.com/pdf/article10.pdf.

"Dr. Bernard Rimland passed away just a few days before Thanksgiving.  2006
and will be mourned by many. A sometimes controversial figure who
continually searched for answers, Rimland changed the way autism was viewed
around the world. Those of us who knew him as Bernie will always feel a
twinge of sorrow around this holiday, a reminder of how much we have to
thank this pioneer who played David to the medical establishment's Goliath.
As research would prove, fighting Goliath was not a lost cause, but a
righteous endeavor. The first time I heard Rimland's name was the day after
a visit with my son to a psychoanalyst for the only treatment offered for
autism in Paris at the time. The bookshelf in the waiting room included a
few copies of The Empty Fortress by Bruno Bettleheim, who believed that
autism was a reaction to bad parenting and expounded the 'refrigerator
mother' theory.  Rimland's book, Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its
Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior (1964), would have been a
better choice in this psychoanalyst's waiting room. In his book, Rimland
lambasted the then generally held view that autism was a psychological
disorder, brought on by cold and unloving parents. His conclusion was that
autism was the result of biochemical defects underpinned, perhaps, by a
genetic predisposition, but ultimately triggered by environmental assaults.
This book grew out of the research he did searching for answers when his
son, Mark-born in 1956-displayed behaviors which are now easily recognizable
as symptoms of autism but were rarely seen in those days.  The psychoanalyst
I visited informed me that my son had autistic behaviors due to separation
issues from breastfeeding. This she gleaned from watching my son play with
two round objects, and crawl across the floor in an attempt to retrieve one
that he accidentally dropped. Following this Woody Allen-esque moment, and
looking for some useful advice, I called an old friend and former colleague
from a state hospital for the developmentally disabled in California. She
gave me the telephone number for the Autism Research Institute, the
non-profit founded by Rimland in 1967.  Many are familiar with Rimland and
know that his autistic son, Mark (now 50 and an accomplished artist), was
his impetus for making the field of autism his life's work.  Few know where
he got his unrelenting fighting spirit. It most probably came from one of
his maternal uncles. Rimland once recounted to a journalist from the San
Diego Jewish Journal, "My mother used to tell me about one of her brothers
who was a mathematical genius. During the war (World War I), an elderly
Jewish gentleman was being harassed by German soldiers. My uncle interceded
because he couldn't stand the injustice. The soldiers beat him and left him
there, bleeding to death. My mother would finish this story by telling me,
'So don't be like him!' Instead, it inspired me to fight injustice."  ..."

57.   Cognitive Predictors of Social Improvement In Adolescents With Autism
Spectrum Disorders" [Article in Dutch] by Teunisse JP, Krebbers FT, Palmen
A, et al.

"BACKGROUND: In an earlier study published in this journal (Berger e.a.
2002) it was shown that the cognitive styles 'weak central coherence' and
'poor cognitive shifting' are common in autism spectrum disorders, but tests
have revealed that the styles do not apply to every member of the patient
group. This finding could have consequences for the course of treatment. aim
To find out if the cognitive styles of autistic patients can predict whether
their social functioning will improve after three years of treatment we
conducted a follow-up study in which we examined 44 non-retarded adolescents
with an autism spectrum disorder who were receiving residential treatment.
METHOD: On the basis of factor scores awarded in an extensive battery of
neuropsychological tests, we formed subgroups of patients with weak versus
strong central coherence and cognitive shifting. Then analyses of variance
were used to discover whether the subgroups were predictors of changes in
three aspects of social functioning: autistic symptoms, social intelligence
and social competence.results We found a small but significant gain in all
the social domains. However, there were clear individual differences in the
degree of improvement. Cognitive shifting was found to be a predictor of a
clinically meaningful improvement in social competence.
CONCLUSION: The correlation found between cognitive shifting and social
competence indicates that patients with an autism spectrum disorder should
be given different forms of treatment that take differences in cognitive
style into account.

58.  "Identification And Characterization of the TRIP8 and REEP3 Genes On
Chromosome 10q21.3 As Novel Candidate Genes For Autism" by Castermans D,
Vermeesch JR, Fryns JP, et al. from Laboratory for Biochemical
Neuroendocrinology, Department of Human Genetics, Flanders Interuniversity
Institute for Biotechnology, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium in the 7
February 2007 edition of European Journal of Human Genetics.
"Autism is a genetic neurodevelopmental disorder of unknown cause and
pathogenesis. The identification of genes involved in autism is expected to
increase our understanding of its pathogenesis. Infrequently,
neurodevelopmental disorders like autism are associated with chromosomal
anomalies. To identify candidate genes for autism, we initiated a positional
cloning strategy starting from individuals with idiopathic autism carrying a
de novo chromosomal anomaly. We report on the clinical, cytogenetic and
molecular findings in a male person with autism, no physical abnormalities
and normal IQ, carrying a de novo balanced paracentric inversion
46,XY,inv(10)(q11.1;q21.3).  The distal breakpoint disrupts the TRIP8 gene,
which codes for a protein predicted to be a transcriptional regulator
associated with nuclear thyroid hormone receptors. However, no link between
thyroid gland and autism has been reported so far. In addition, the same
breakpoint abolishes expression of a nearby gene, REEP3, through a position
effect. Receptor Expression-Enhancing Proteins (REEP) 3 is one of the six
human homologs of yeast Yop1p, a probable regulator of cellular vesicle
trafficking between the endoplasmatic reticulum and the Golgi network. These
observations suggest that TRIP8 and REEP3 are both positional candidate
genes for autism.  In addition, our data indicate that in the selection of
positional candidate genes when studying chromosomal aberrations, position
effects should be taken into account."

59.  A Clinic And A Paraclinic Study of Tunisian Population of Children With
Autism. About 63 Cases"  [Article in French] by Belhadj A, Mrad R, Halayem
MB. et al. from the Service de pedopsychiatrie, Hopital Razi, la Manouba,
France.

"Autistic disorder is a pervasive developmental disorder which starts before
the age of 3. The clinic features of autism are variable; the autonomy
degree, the speech quality, the mental retardation associated and specially
the existence of an organic disease change its clinic expression.  A good
knowledge of the basic signs is important to put diagnosis.This work,
propose to describe a clinic and a Para clinic profile of Tunisian
population of children with autism.  The study included 63 children referred
to the child psychiatry department between January 1998 and September 2003
and diagnosed with autistic disorder according to DSMIV and ADI-R
criteria.The population profile studied is drawn as following : The sex
ratio was of 3/1, the average age was of 8 years+/-3 years. Parents were
related in 39.3% of cases. On the clinical plan, 51.2% of children with
autism studied did not have expressive speech. They presented a mental
retardation associated in 60.8% of cases.  Epilepsy was presented in 21
children out of 63. This profile links literature study except in 2 points:
- The rate of relatives with autism (8.6%) is superior to the rate found in
literature(3%).This result can be explained by the high rate of
consanguinity in the Tunisian studied population (39.3%)."

60.  "Evaluation of a Methodology For A Collaborative Multiple Source
Surveillance Network For Autism Spectrum Disorders--Autism and Developmental
Disabilities Monitoring Network" by Van Naarden Braun K, Pettygrove S,
Daniels J, et al. from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.

"PROBLEM: Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) encompass a spectrum of
conditions, including autistic disorder; pervasive developmental disorders,
not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS); and Asperger disorder. Impairments
associated with ASDs can range from mild to severe. In 2000, in response to
increasing public heath concern regarding ASDs, CDC established the Autism
and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. The primary
objective of this ongoing surveillance system is to track the prevalence and
characteristics of ASDs in the United States. ADDM data are useful to
understand the prevalence of ASDs and have implications for improved
identification, health and education service planning, and intervention for
children with ASDs. Because complete, valid, timely, and representative
prevalence estimates are essential to inform public health responses to
ASDs, evaluating the effectiveness and efficiency of the ADDM methodology is
needed to determine how well these methods meet the network's objective.
REPORTING PERIOD: 2002.
DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM: The ADDM Network is a multiple-source,
population-based, active system for monitoring ASDs and other developmental
disabilities. In 2002, data were collected from 14 collaborative sites. This
report describes an evaluation conducted using guidelines established by CDC
for evaluating public health surveillance systems and is based on
examination of the following characteristics of the ADDM Network
surveillance system: simplicity, flexibility, data quality, acceptability,
representativeness, sensitivity, predictive value positive (PVP),
timeliness, stability, data confidentiality and security, and sources of
variability.
RESULTS AND INTERPRETATION: Using multiple sources for case ascertainment
strengthens the system's representativeness, sensitivity, and flexibility,
and the clinician review process aims to bolster PVP.  Sensitivity and PVP
are difficult to measure, but the ADDM methodology provides the best
possible estimate currently available of prevalence of ASDs without
conducting complete population screening and diagnostic clinical case
confirmation. Although the system is dependent on the quality and
availability of information in evaluation records, extensive quality control
and data cleaning protocols and missing records assessments ensure the most
accurate reflection of the records reviewed.  Maintaining timeliness remains
a challenge with this complex methodology, and continuous effort is needed
to improve timeliness and simplicity without sacrificing data quality. The
most difficult influences to assess are the effects of changes in diagnostic
and treatment practices, service provision, and community awareness.
Information sharing through education and outreach with site-specific
stakeholders is the best mechanism for understanding the current climate in
the community with respect to changes in service provision and public policy
related to ASDs, which can affect prevalence estimates.
PUBLIC HEALTH ACTIONS: These evaluation results and descriptions can be used
to help interpret the ADDM Network 2002 surveillance year data and can serve
as a model for other public health surveillance systems, especially those
designed to monitor the prevalence of complex disorders."

61.  "Motor And Gestural Performance In Children With Autism Spectrum
Disorders, Developmental Coordination Disorder, And/or Attention Deficit
Hyperactivity Disorder" by Dewey D, Cantell M, Crawford SG. et al. from the
Departments of Pediatrics and Community Health Sciences, University of
Calgary, and the Behavioural Research Unit, Alberta Children's Hospital,
Canada.

"Motor and gestural skills of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD),
developmental coordination disorder (DCD), and/or attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) were investigated. A total of 49 children with
ASD, 46 children with DCD, 38 children with DCD+ADHD, 27 children with ADHD,
and 78 typically developing control children participated. Motor skills were
assessed with the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Short Form,
and gestural skills were assessed using a test that required children to
produce meaningful gestures to command and imitation.  Children with ASD,
DCD, and DCD+ADHD were significantly impaired on motor coordination skills;
however, only children with ASD showed a generalized impairment in gestural
performance. Examination of types of gestural errors revealed that children
with ASD made significantly more incorrect action and orientation errors to
command, and significantly more orientation and distortion errors to
imitation than children with DCD, DCD+ADHD, ADHD, and typically developing
control children. These DCD+findings suggest that gestural impairments
displayed by the children with ASD were not solely attributable to deficits
in motor coordination skills."

62.  "Parent Implemented Early Intervention For Young Children With Autism
Spectrum Disorder: A Systematic Review" by McConachie H, and Diggle T. from
the School of Clinical Medical Sciences, Child Health, University of
Newcastle, UK.

"Background Recent estimates concerning the prevalence of autism spectrum
disorder (ASD) suggest that at least one in 200 children is affected. This
group of children and families have important service needs.  The
involvement of parents in implementing intervention strategies designed to
help their autistic children has long been accepted as helpful. The
potential benefits are increased skills and reduced stress for parents as
well as children.

Methods.  This research review focused on interventions for children aged
1-6 years, and was carried out using systematic methodology: a comprehensive
search of psychological, educational and biomedical databases, as well as
bibliographies and reference lists of key articles, contact with experts in
the field, and hand search of key journals. Only studies which involved a
concurrent element of control were included.

Results.  The review found very few studies that had adequate research
design from which to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of
parent-implemented early intervention. Both randomized and controlled
studies tended to suggest that parent training leads to improved child
communicative behaviour, increased maternal knowledge of autism, enhanced
maternal communication style and parent child interaction, and reduced
maternal depression.

Conclusion.  It seems that parent training can successfully contribute to
intervention for young children with ASD. However, the review highlights the
need for improved research in this area."

63.  "Increasing Knowledge of PTEN Germline Mutations: Two Additional
Patients With Autism And Macrocephaly" by Herman GE, Butter E, Enrile B, et
al. from the Center for Molecular and Human Genetics, Columbus Children
Research Institute, The Ohio State University.

"Recently, Butler et al. [2005; J Med Genet 42:318-321] reported the
presence of heterozygous germline mutations in the PTEN tumor suppressor
gene in three children with autism and macrocephaly. Here, we report the
presence of PTEN mutations in two additional unrelated children with
macrocephaly and autism. Our findings extend those of Butler et al. and
suggest that PTEN gene sequencing should be included in the genetic
evaluation of this subset of autistic individuals."
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Free SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING GROUPS are available at the National Naval
Medical Center in Bethesda, MD.  Please contact them if you are interested.
Thanks!  Scott

-----Original Message-----
From: Farinas, Mark V CTR NNMC
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2007 3:21 PM
To: 'Campbell, Scott LTC AEC'
Cc: Williams, Stacey A CDR NNMC; Eckman, Barbara R CIV NNMC
Subject: SOCIAL SKILLS TRAINING GROUPS

The Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health Division and Developmental
Division of National Naval Medical Center is offering a new program for
children with diagnoses of Asperger's Disorder and high functioning autism.

Entitled "Smooth Sailing," the program is a series of social skills training
groups for children of various ages and their families.  The groups are
designed to teach children the essentials of successful interactions with
their peers including active listening, non-verbal communication, coping
with teasing, "conversational tennis," and recognizing feelings, among
others.  A concurrent support group for parents is conducted by a
professional mental health provider while their children are participating
in the group.

The groups will be conducted at National Naval Medical Center, located at
8901 Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda, Maryland.  All groups run for a 12-week
duration.   The program is available to military families and is free of
charge.

Registration is now being accepted for a social skills group for children
ages three and four. The group will begin on Wednesday, March 21st and will
be held from 10:00 to 11:00 am.

If you are interested in this and other social skills offerrings, please
contact Ms. Barbara Eckman, LCSW at (301)295-0576 for more information.


   Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Just a word of encouragement.  Hopefully things don't seem bleak for you and
your husband, I hope that you've found hope for your son, even in the initial
shock and grief.  Our son was dx at two and he is now almost six, doing
wonderful.  Just don't think that this is the end of the road for your son,
there is so much out there to help him.  We pursued ABA and it has really made
an impact.  It is good you are reaching out to a group and finding support. 
That is so crucial, I believe.  And that your son is so young and received an
early diagnosis is wonderful!  He is already on the road to recovery just
because you are on the other side of a diagnosis!!!
God bless your whole family in this journey.


Jennifer Clement



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Update on my previous email.

1.  For all active duty and retired military families to order your FREE
copy of ARI's book, "Recovering Autistic Children", please print, complete
and fax or mail in the form at the web link of
https://www.autismwebsite.com/ari/militarybookrequest.htm, along with a copy
of the front of your military ID card.  Please fill out all the blocks, so
we can start a database on what services military children with autism may
be getting from TRICARE.

2.  To request a military discount for an ARI DAN! conference, please email
Tanya from ARI at Tanya@....  She will then provide simple
instructions as to how to register online and receive the 25% discount.  You
will need to show your military ID when picking up your materials at the
on-site registration booth at the conference.

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD FAR AND WIDE ON ARI'S GRACIOUS OFFERS TO ALL ACTIVE
DUTY AND RETIRED MILITARY FAMILIES WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM AND SIMILAR
COGNITIVE DISABILITIES.  THANKS VERY MUCH!

If you have any questions, please contact Lisa, Tiffany, or me.  Scott

Office 703 681-9426
Home 703 241-2640

-----Original Message-----
From: Campbell, Scott LTC AEC
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 9:33 AM
To: 'STOMP@...'; 'TRI-FAT@...';
'militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com'; 'connections@...'
Cc: 'Lisa'; 'Tiffany Brassard'
Subject: FW: DAN! and the Military

Folks, Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D. is the new Director of the Autism Research
Institute (ARI).  He contacted a few military parents of kids with autism
last week, wanting to provide some specific support to that population.
They now graciously offer to ALL active-duty and retired military families:

1.  A FREE copy of ARI's book, "Recovering Autistic Children" to each
military family.  Military families should fax to 619-563-6840 a copy of
your military ID card along with your name and postal address, or mail it to
Autism Research Institute, 4182 Adams Avenue, San Diego, CA 92116.  There is
a strict limit of one copy per family.  Recovering Autistic Children, edited
by Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D. and Bernard Rimland, Ph.D. 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 468 page paperback book, which normally costs $24.00.
More info on this book and other ARI publications is at
https://www.autismwebsite.com/ari/pub/pubs.htm.

2.  A 25% discount on the three-day conference fee of $350 (or fewer days if
you like) for the ARI Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) conference on April 20th to
22nd 2007 at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Hotel and Conference Center,
Alexandria, VA by providing a copy of your military ID card.  More info on
this excellent conference is at http://www.danconference.com/ and
http://www.danconference.com/SpringConference/alexandria.html.  This is the
third DAN! conference for me, and I heartily recommend attending if you can.
These conferences played a big part in the autism recovery for our son.
This offer may be extended to all DAN! conferences around the country, so
please ask when you register if you want to attend one other than the one in
Washington, DC.

3.  At the ARI Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) conference on Friday, April 20th
from 7 to 10 pm at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Hotel and Conference
Center, I will be giving a presentation on "TRICARE and Other Benefits for
Military Parents of Children with Autism".  We have gotten a lot of support
from TRICARE for our son with autism, and I want to share how we got all of
that support with you.  Also, I will be presenting the latest info on the
efforts by military parents to expand the definition of an ABA provider, so
that more of our kids can hopefully get the ABA therapy that they are
entitled to.  This presentation may be filmed for web cast later on, for
those that cannot attend the conference.

4.  We will also be talking to them about setting up a military link on
their website.  More to come on that!

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD FAR AND WIDE ON ARI'S GRACIOUS OFFERS TO ALL ACTIVE
DUTY AND RETIRED MILITARY FAMILIES WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM AND SIMILAR
COGNITIVE DISABILITIES.  THANKS VERY MUCH!

If you have any questions, please contact Lisa, Tiffany, or me.  Scott

Office 703 681-9426
Home 703 241-2640
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Hi, my name is Robyn and we are Navy currently stationed at Little
Creek, VA. My 20-month old son, Riley was just diagnosed with Autism.
We are in the process of doing all the paperwork for EFMP and ECHO.
Everything is a little overwhelming and confusing right now so I might
have a few questions in this whole process. I look forward to speaking
with all of you! Thank you.
Robyn

Hi, My name is Angela, and we are stationed at Camp Lejeune. My husband
is a Marine. We have an 8 year old son with Asperger's Syndrome. We are
trying to learn about social stories right now. The base schools here
are wonderful. Our son has a problem with reading comprehension that we
are trying to address right now. We have 3 other children who do not
have Asperger's Syndrome. They are Patrick(7), Zoe(3), and Jacob(6
months).

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Robyn, I can explain all of this in a quick email.  Please call me when you
can.  Thanks!  Scott

Office 703 681-9426
Home 703 241-2640

-----Original Message-----
From: militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
VittoRobynAnn Iuliano
Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2007 7:49 AM
To: militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Military Families Autism Support] Re: CharlestonAFB/ECHO/ABA
/SCHOOL/new member (UNCLASSIFIED)

"Campbell, Scott LTC AEC" scott.alan.campbell@...
<mailto:scott.alan.campbell%40us.army.mil>  campbel32000 stated:"

"Our son gets about 15 hours a week of one-on-one ABA in his public school,
but he is still authorized 15 hours of ABA through TRICARE for over four
years."

How were you able to make this happen?

We get about 4 hours a month.....2 for sessions and 2 for paperwork they
need to create.

Also ABA, OT, PT, Speech/Language can be provided at the home and the PCM
will support but how do you go about this?

Robyn
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Folks, Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D. is the new Director of the Autism Research
Institute (ARI).  He contacted a few military parents of kids with autism
last week, wanting to provide some specific support to that population.
They now graciously offer to ALL active-duty and retired military families:

1.  A FREE copy of ARI's book, "Recovering Autistic Children" to each
military family.  Military families should fax to 619-563-6840 a copy of
your military ID card along with your name and postal address, or mail it to
Autism Research Institute, 4182 Adams Avenue, San Diego, CA 92116.  There is
a strict limit of one copy per family.  Recovering Autistic Children, edited
by Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D. and Bernard Rimland, Ph.D. 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 468 page paperback book, which normally costs $24.00.
More info on this book and other ARI publications is at
https://www.autismwebsite.com/ari/pub/pubs.htm.

2.  A 25% discount on the three-day conference fee of $350 (or fewer days if
you like) for the ARI Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) conference on April 20th to
22nd 2007 at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Hotel and Conference Center,
Alexandria, VA by providing a copy of your military ID card.  More info on
this excellent conference is at http://www.danconference.com/ and
http://www.danconference.com/SpringConference/alexandria.html.  This is the
third DAN! conference for me, and I heartily recommend attending if you can.
These conferences played a big part in the autism recovery for our son.
This offer may be extended to all DAN! conferences around the country, so
please ask when you register if you want to attend one other than the one in
Washington, DC.

3.  At the ARI Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!) conference on Friday, April 20th
from 7 to 10 pm at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center Hotel and Conference
Center, I will be giving a presentation on "TRICARE and Other Benefits for
Military Parents of Children with Autism".  We have gotten a lot of support
from TRICARE for our son with autism, and I want to share how we got all of
that support with you.  Also, I will be presenting the latest info on the
efforts by military parents to expand the definition of an ABA provider, so
that more of our kids can hopefully get the ABA therapy that they are
entitled to.  This presentation may be filmed for web cast later on, for
those that cannot attend the conference.

4.  We will also be talking to them about setting up a military link on
their website.  More to come on that!

PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD FAR AND WIDE ON ARI'S GRACIOUS OFFERS TO ALL ACTIVE
DUTY AND RETIRED MILITARY FAMILIES WITH INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM AND SIMILAR
COGNITIVE DISABILITIES.  THANKS VERY MUCH!

If you have any questions, please contact Lisa, Tiffany, or me.  Scott

Office 703 681-9426
Home 703 241-2640
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Christine, this is my standard testing answer.

Testing:  Any military pediatrician can order tests for kids with autism for
outside labs, but the military lab will probably insist that they can do
tests like them for free and just as well.  This is not quite true; we
recommend Great Plains Lab (GPL) or Doctors Data (DD) that do tests
specifically for autistic kids and are TRICARE-authorized.  I have had the
same test done by a military lab and GPL, with very different results.  The
one from the military lab was totally useless, while we got very useful
results from the GPL one.  Their office phone number is (913) 341-8949, or
their web site is http://www.greatplainslaboratory.com, or send an email to
gpl4u@....  The Doctors Data web site is http://www.doctorsdata.com, or
their office phone number is (800) 323-2784.  I believe that Great Smokies
Lab, Genova Diagnostics, Quest and Lab Corp are also TRICARE-authorized.
Metemetrix Lab is NOT.  Ultimately, I was reimbursed by TRICARE for all the
test costs by GPL when we were stationed overseas.

However, you can get these tests done without any payment from you at all.
First, you or your doctor order the appropriate test kits from the lab at no
cost to you using their web site or by phone.  Have a doctor, preferably a
military one, sign off on the test request form, and then you send the
sample to the lab using the express package service that they provide.  The
doctor will need to put the lab request into TRICARE through the military
referral system electronically and list the specific test and non-network
lab to be used, only if it is for Quest or Lab Corp.  A military lab will
take and process a blood sample if that is necessary, if you have a valid
test request form.  You should verify with TRICARE claims that they will pay
for these tests BEFORE you take the samples and send it to the lab, just to
be sure.  Then, complete the form for an insurance payment, which will have
to be backed up by a credit card entry by you in case TRICARE does not pay.
Do not worry about that, since TRICARE has paid for all testing for us in
the past four years.  Be sure to note that you want a copy of the test
results sent directly to you when you send back in the test kit and form, as
well as to the doctor.  TRICARE has paid for a comprehensive food allergy
test, two microbial organic acid tests, two comprehensive stool with yeast
sensitivity tests and a hair analysis test for my son.  We are about to
begin chelation, so we will be doing routine CBC (done by military lab),
metabolic profile (Quest or Labcorps), fecal metals (DD), RBC trace minerals
(DD) and fractionated urinary porphyrin (Quest or Labcorps) tests done on a
regular basis.

If you have more questions, please contact me directly.  Good luck!  Scott

Office 703 681-9426
Home 703 241-2640


-----Original Message-----
From: christine [mailto:christine@...]
Sent: Friday, February 09, 2007 7:41 PM
To: militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com; 'STOMP@...';
'TRI-FAT@...'
Subject: Oat test

I'm going to do the organic oat test for the first time to test of yeast.
Does anyone know if Tricare usually covered it?

Thanks,
Christine

PS- Sorry about your co-worker Scott
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

When we wanted to go I first called up the dr's office and spoke to
someone there and explained my son's problems.

They told me the doctor would call me and he did.  We spoke about
how he could help us figure out what is wrong with my son and I made
a routine appt with my son's PCM and explained this and asked for a
referral.  At the time he was not accepting Tricare but now I see he
does.

Robyn

--- In militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com, Juan Martinez
<mexicano1208@...> wrote:
>
> I am guessing that he orders blood labs to check for anything that
might be wrong, right?  Any ideas of what I should tell my PCM to
allow us to see this doctor?
>
> VittoRobynAnn Iuliano <vittorobyn@...> wrote:          You asked:
> Can you please tell me more about the social group that tricare
pays for? What exactly is this social group about? How often is it
offered? Where is it offered at?
>
> Our son goes to a social group at the psychologist office and she
is the one who conducts that meeting with kids around the same age
as my son. Ages 10-13 and he is 11.
>
> I was in Tucson AZ around the time I knew my son's disabilities
had alot to do with his physical conditions. Here is the doctor we
saw Dr Hunter Yost (Nutritional Medicine)......I got the referral
from the PCM to see him for my son and back then they reimbursed me
all the money I paid up front. This doctor is similar to the one we
see here for our son who found he has heavy metal toxicity and
vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Here is a link:
> http://www.hunteryostmd.com/
>
> Robyn
>
> ---------------------------------
> Finding fabulous fares is fun.
> Let Yahoo! FareChase search your favorite travel sites to find
flight and hotel bargains.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Access over 1 million songs - Yahoo! Music Unlimited.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

I am guessing that he orders blood labs to check for anything that might be
wrong, right?  Any ideas of what I should tell my PCM to allow us to see this
doctor?

VittoRobynAnn Iuliano <vittorobyn@...> wrote:          You asked:
Can you please tell me more about the social group that tricare pays for? What
exactly is this social group about? How often is it offered? Where is it offered
at?

Our son goes to a social group at the psychologist office and she is the one who
conducts that meeting with kids around the same age as my son. Ages 10-13 and he
is 11.

I was in Tucson AZ around the time I knew my son's disabilities had alot to do
with his physical conditions. Here is the doctor we saw Dr Hunter Yost
(Nutritional Medicine)......I got the referral from the PCM to see him for my
son and back then they reimbursed me all the money I paid up front. This doctor
is similar to the one we see here for our son who found he has heavy metal
toxicity and vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Here is a link:
http://www.hunteryostmd.com/

Robyn

---------------------------------
Finding fabulous fares is fun.
Let Yahoo! FareChase search your favorite travel sites to find flight and hotel
bargains.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]






---------------------------------
Access over 1 million songs - Yahoo! Music Unlimited.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

You asked:
   Can you please tell me more about the social group that tricare pays for? What
exactly is this social group about? How often is it offered? Where is it offered
at?

Our son goes to a social group at the psychologist office and she is the one who
conducts that meeting with kids around the same age as my son.  Ages 10-13 and
he is 11.

   I was in Tucson AZ around the time I knew my son's disabilities had alot to do
with his physical conditions.  Here is the doctor we saw  Dr Hunter Yost
(Nutritional Medicine)......I got the referral from the PCM to see him for my
son and back then they reimbursed me all the money I paid up front.  This doctor
is similar to the one we see here for our son who found he has heavy metal
toxicity and vitamin and mineral deficiencies.  Here is a link:
   http://www.hunteryostmd.com/

   Robyn


---------------------------------
Finding fabulous fares is fun.
Let Yahoo! FareChase search your favorite travel sites to find flight and hotel
bargains.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Dear Robyn,
      I have an autistic son who is 3 1/2 years old.  My family is currently in
Tucson, Arizona.  I did not want to move them for only 6 months.  I will be
going to Korea for a year and my family will remain in Arizona.  When I come
back I want to go to a place that offers good services for autistic children. 
From what I have seen this place is not that good.  Anyways, I have a few
question for you:
   1.  Can you please tell me more about the social group that tricare pays for? 
What exactly is this social group about?  How often is it offered?  Where is it
offered at?

   Hope to hear from you soon.



vittorobyn <vittorobyn@...> wrote:
           My son has numerous medical problems---major ones: Aspergers
Syndrome, with delays in fine and gross motor delays, visual-motor
delay, language processing disorder as well as 6 yr delay in social
and emotional areas.

1. Tricare pays for OT--1 hour a week.
Tricare also pays for social group.

2. ECHO has approved 4 hours ABA so we get 2 hours.

3. School District is providing nothing for us.

4. Waiting List with Tricare Approved places for
PT and Language processing

5. Tricare will not pay for the visual-motor theraphy.

I want to know what is the proper way to get the school to provide
what is he is missing? In a meeting? I have already tested him so
I dont want him tested again and certainly not by the school
district.

Robyn






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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I have been doing some research and have found that there are some school
districts that offer ABA.  Does anybody know if any of this school districts are
near military installations.  Hope to hear from you guys soon.

   Guillermo


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  Try the free Yahoo! Mail Beta.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

My son has numerous medical problems---major ones:  Aspergers
Syndrome, with delays in fine and gross motor delays, visual-motor
delay, language processing disorder as well as 6 yr delay in social
and emotional areas.

1.  Tricare pays for OT--1 hour a week.
Tricare also pays for social group.

2.  ECHO has approved 4 hours ABA so we get 2 hours.

3.  School District is providing nothing for us.

4.  Waiting List with Tricare Approved places for
PT and Language processing

5.  Tricare will not pay for the visual-motor theraphy.

I want to know what is the proper way to get the school to provide
what is he is missing?  In a meeting?  I have already tested him so
I dont want him tested again and certainly not by the school
district.

Robyn

"Campbell, Scott LTC AEC" scott.alan.campbell@...   campbel32000
   stated:"

   "Our son gets about 15 hours a week of one-on-one
ABA in his public school, but he is still authorized 15 hours of ABA through
TRICARE for over four years."

   How were you able to make this happen?

   We get about 4 hours a month.....2 for sessions and 2 for paperwork they need
to create.

   Also ABA, OT, PT, Speech/Language can be provided at the home and the PCM will
support but how do you go about this?

   Robyn


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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I�m going to do the organic oat test for the first time to test of yeast.
Does anyone know if Tricare usually covered it?

Thanks,
Christine

PS- Sorry about your co-worker Scott :(


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Sorry for the big email dump (128 items), but one of the three soldiers that
works for me died two weeks ago, and I personally took charge of getting
support for his family, including a 2-1/2 y.o. son and 9 month old daughter,
and coordinating his memorial ceremony and his funeral mass and burial.
After working through my accumulated 1000 plus emails, this is what I come
up with, not counting my 200 emails to get to.  So if you sent me an email
over the past two weeks, I may not have gotten to it yet; but I promise to
get to all of them by the end of next week.  Scott

Items 1 through 20 have been deleted, since they are primarily for families
living in Virginia and Maryland, and I did not want to send useless
information to the folks in the rest of the country. However, please let me
know if you live in Virginia, Maryland or DC; so that I can add you to my
private email distribution list for events in those states.


21.  Attitudes about Autism – Behaviors, Treatments, and Outcomes
Information Sheet.  You are invited to participate in a research study to
find out more about what parents and teachers are the most important
behaviors associated with autism, as well as views on treatments for autism.
This study is being conducted by a group of school psychology doctoral
students in the College of Education and Human Development at Texas A&M
University.  With the rates of autism steadily increasing, the purpose of
this study is to learn more about your perceptions of the various behaviors
and treatments of this disorder.
Completing the survey should take approximately 10-15 minutes of your time.
You may complete the survey on-line at
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=52442488413. If you prefer a
pencil-paper version, please send an email to criccio@... and one will
be sent to you with a business reply envelope.  For more info, contact
Cynthia A. Riccio, Ph.D., Department of Educational Psychology, Texas A & M
University at (979) 862-4906 or cyndi-riccio@....

22.  A mom recommends computer software at EducationMax.com.
EducationMax.com has a great selection, great prices (the best I found),
plus recommendations by age or subject matter.  They have popular characters
(Blues Clues, Scooby Doo etc) as well as the same software used by schools
that teach reading and math as well as other subjects.  My son loves to play
"Millie's Math House" at school and I found it on this site for $3.95 while
another site charged $19.95!  KidPix is another favorite with the kids at
school and I got it for $15.95 compared to $25.95.

23.  IOM WORKSHOP ON AUTISM AND THE ENVIRONMENT: CHALLENGES AND
OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEARCH on April 18th and 19th in Washington, DC.  This
workshop is being organized in response to a request from the U.S. Secretary
of Health and Human Services, and will be hosted in collaboration with the
IOM's Roundtable on Environmental Health Sciences, Research, and Medicine.
The workshop will feature presentations and discussions on strategies to
develop a framework for a broad research agenda focusing on the potential
relationship between autism and non-vaccine-related environmental exposures.
An ad hoc planning committee will organize a public workshop that will focus
on the following three questions:

1. What are the opportunities and challenges for improving the understanding
of potential environmental factors of autism?
2. What scientific tools and technologies are available, what
interdisciplinary research approaches are needed, and what further
infrastructure investments will be necessary in the short- and long-term to
be able to explore potential relationships between autism and environmental
factors?
3. What opportunities exist for public private partnerships in the support
and conduct of the research?

Public Input:  We welcome the variety of perspectives offered in order to
help make this a highly productive workshop and look forward to valuable
contributions and discussions. The workshop will be a public meeting with
opportunities for public input, both formal and informal. To provide
information to the planning committee in written form, please send an email
to neuroforum@... <mailto:neuroforum%40nas.edu> .

Registration for the workshop will be required. For more information about
this meeting and to register for the workshop please visit
http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3740/35684/39826.aspx.  The workshop will be webcast
live with interactive capabilities in its entirety and will be available to
watch after the workshop concludes, also at the above web address.

24.  "FDA's Gluten-Free Proposal Will Benefit Millions of Americans" in a
press release from the American Celiac Disease Coaliation at
http://www.americanceliac.org/news.htm.

"Under an FDA proposal published yesterday, food companies will have to meet
new standards before labeling their products as gluten-free.  It also
provided a new definition for 'gluten-free' which will give individuals with
celiac disease greater confidence that specially labeled foods are in fact,
safe for them to eat, according to the American Celiac Disease Alliance
(ACDA).  The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA)
passed by Congress in 2004, requires food manufacturers to clearly state if
a product contains any of the eight major food allergens: milk, eggs,
peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, wheat, and soy. It also required the
FDA to develop and implement rules for using the term ‘gluten-free’ on food
packaging.  Adhering to the gluten-free diet is the only course of treatment
for celiac disease, a genetic digestive disorder. The condition, triggered
by eating the protein gluten which is found in the grains wheat, rye, and
barley, and hybrids of these grains affects an estimated 2 to 3 million
Americans.  There is no single, world-wide accepted definition of
gluten-free labeling. The levels of acceptable gluten vary from country to
country, as do the symbols and terminology, permissible in the labeling.
Research establishing a safe threshold of gluten consumption for those with
celiac disease was recently published in the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition. The study, conducted by members of the ACDA at the University of
Maryland and referenced by the FDA, concludes that celiacs can safely
tolerate up to 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten a day.

“The FDA listened to patients, food manufacturers, and members of the
scientific community and came up with a well thought out proposal,” said
Andrea Levario, Executive Director of the ACDA.

     -- There is so little research about the gluten-free diet and safe
consumption levels that the agency is seeking comments on a number of
related issues including:
     -- The appropriateness of 20 ppm gluten as the proposed threshold level
as determined using an ELISA based testing method;
     -- The effect that adoption of a lower threshold level would have on
individuals with celiac disease and on industry;
     -- Whether a lower threshold level might effect (limit availability of)
commercially available foods labeled gluten-free in the United States;
     -- Whether a reduced availability would have a negative impact
individuals with celiac disease; and
     -- Whether oats should be included in the definition of prohibited
grains.

'In the absence of federal rules, food companies have been using a variety
of standards in manufacturing gluten-free products. This creates confusion
and skepticism among individuals whose health depends on clear, accurate
labeling. With only 90,000 out of an estimated 2 million celiacs diagnosed,
manufacturers know that uniformity and consistency will benefit them as well
consumers,' said Levario.  The FDA has prepared a series of questions and
answers to help consumers understand the provisions of the proposal.  For a
copy go to: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/glutqa.html ;  and for a copy of
the gluten-free labeling guidelines go to:
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~lrd/fr070123.html.

25.  "Year 2006 Tax Benefits for Parents of Children with Learning
Disabilities" by Michael O'Connor in a press release from Charles Schwab
Learning.org at http://www.schwablearning.org/articles.aspx?r=1130.

"If you have a child with a severe learning disability, you may qualify for
valuable tax benefits. If your child has AD/HD, or other physical, mental,
or emotional impairment, you may also qualify for tax benefits. Because tax
laws are complex, and many tax preparers often do not have occasion to use
these unique tax benefits, families are at risk of losing refunds worth many
thousands of dollars. It’s likely that 15-30 percent of families with a
disabled child have one or more unclaimed tax benefits.  This guide provides
a summary of the most significant federal income tax benefits and should not
be considered legal advice. Tax decisions should not be made simply on the
basis of the information provided here. You are advised to print out this
guide and give a copy to your tax advisor. You should also explore potential
state income tax benefits, which are too numerous for review in this guide.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) “Publications” represent the most accessible
form of guidance to the tax rules for the general public, and relevant IRS
publications are cited for each of the tax benefits listed below. The IRS
also issues interpretations of the code and regulations called “Revenue
Rulings.” These interpretations are formal, binding policy statements. Tax
professionals rely on revenue rulings in advising clients about tax
liabilities and tax benefits. For example, Revenue Ruling 78-340, discussed
later, authorizes a medical expense deduction for tuition or tutoring fees
paid for a child with a severe learning disability who is attending a
special school at the recommendation of the child’s doctor.  …"

26.  "Numbers Added To Flat Earth Theory of Autism" from an oped article by
Rick Rollens.

"I for one am really sick and tired of the current stock of "the world is
flat" thinkers who continue to spew the notion that there has been no real
increase in autism, that the prevalence and incidence of autism has remained
the same all these years, and in years past we simply over looked thousands
of persons with autism, and today we finally found them.  Bottom line: they
have always been here.  I believe that applying a little common sense and
facts provided by our California Department of Developmental Services (DDS)
we can once and for all drive the spike of fact and truth into the heart of
these modern day flat earth society members who may be living in our world,
but seem to be far removed from it's obvious realities.  Premise: If there
has not been a true, dramatic increase in the incidence of autism creating
an autism epidemic, then we should have among us a proportional and sizeable
number of adults with autism.  Since DDS's data only includes those persons
with autism who have a professional diagnoses of full syndrome (i.e. worst
form) of autism, we can assume that hiding, misplacing, loosing or not
recognizing thousands of adults with moderate to severe behavioral issues,
extremely apparent bazaar social behaviors, and moderate to severe language
deficits would be impossible. We are not talking about a person here who
melds into society and is not noticed and/or is not in need of major
supports and assistance.  They would have to be somewhere, and somewhere for
adults likes these in California would either be in the community or in an
institution. Now I guess it is possible that some could be homeless, but as
far as I know there has never been reports of large numbers of persons with
moderate to severe autism running amok through homeless shelters and soup
kitchens, if they were there, I am sure we would have heard about it by now.
California's developmental services system has been in place since 1969...38
years for adults with autism and their families to find their way into the
system.  Facts: According to the latest data from DDS, there are 32,809
persons with autism in California's DD system...16% or 5125 are adults over
22 years old. That means for the autism population that 84% are under the
age of 22, with 78% under the age of 18. It is a remarkable fact that adults
with autism make up only 16% of the autism population, while in the same DD
system 55% of the cerebral palsy population, 61% of the mental retardation
population, and 63% of the epilepsy population are adults over the age of 22
years old. Using an average of the CP, MR, and epilepsy populations, it is
safe to assume that adults over the age of 22 with moderate to severe autism
should constitute roughly 60% of the total autism population, not 16% as
they do and have for many years.  So, rather then having just 5125 adults
currently in our system with full syndrome autism, we should have somewhere
around 19,685 adults with full syndrome autism if you believe the flat earth
folks that there has been no real change in the incidence of autism. We do
know that there are a very small number of adults with autism in
California's five remaining state institutions... 358 to be precise.  So
doing the math leads me to these conclusions:Based on the fact that roughly
60% of adults with the three other conditions served by California's DD
system (MR, CP, and Epilepsy) are over the age of 22 years old, and
recognizing that we have only 5125 (16%) of the autism population over the
age 22, add in the 358 who currently reside in state run institutions, we
are short 14,202 adults with autism in our system that should be there! That
number represents 43% of the entire current autism population in
California's DD system.  43% of the population missing? Over 14,000 adults
in California suffering with full syndrome autism and no one has seen or
heard from them?  Is this possible, or is it that they simply do not or ever
existed. Is it also a fact that DDS has documented, in two separate Reports,
that California's autism epidemic began roughly 22 plus years ago.  Believe
me when I say....The world is round."

27.  "Region's schools want to leave this list behind- Albany, Schenectady,
Troy have kids failing to meet standards; suburbs like South Colonie,
Shenendehowa have problems, too" dated 11 January 2007 by Rick Karlin from
the Albany Times-Union at
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?newsdate=1/11/2007&navigation=nex
tprior&category=REGION&BCCode=HOME&storyID=552664.

"Several schools in the Capital Region plagued by persistently low scores in
English or math will be required to make significant changes that could
include a longer school year or staff changes.  Statewide, 699 schools were
cited as needing improvement federal or state guidelines. That includes 90
schools cited for the first time this year, according to a list issued
Wednesday by the state Education Department.  Under the federal No Child
Left Behind law, schools need to show consistent year-to-year improvement on
standardized test scores, and that they are testing the bulk of students who
normally may not do as well as others, such as those with disabilities.
Test results are also examined by race, so a district cannot, for example,
mask poor performance by disadvantaged minority students by folding their
results into an overall score.  As a result, it's easy to get on the list,
although some of the sanctions are relatively light.  A number of Capital
Region schools in Albany, Schenectady and Troy, in theory, face some of the
heaviest sanctions, which require restructuring their programs.  Albany's
Hackett and Livingston middle schools, as well as Schenectady's Mont
Pleasant and Oneida middle schools are in various phases of restructuring.
Troy's Doyle middle school also is in restructuring.  Restructuring is
required after several years of stagnant performance and can include
changing curriculum, instituting a longer school year or school day and even
removing key personnel who are responsible for the school's poor
performance.  It wasn't immediately clear, however, if local school leaders
or teachers have been transferred or fired due to poor test scores. Under
state labor laws, unionized school employees, including principals, are
extremely difficult to fire, although they can be transferred.  All the
sanctions announced Wednesday are based on performance during the 2005-06
school year and are based on English or math scores.  Also included on the
list were schools in South Colonie, Watervliet, East Greenbush,
Lansingburgh, South Glens Falls; Ballston Spa, Saratoga Springs High, and
Shenendehowa.  Some officials of those schools cited said it was expected
since it takes at least two years of improvements to get off the list.  The
information was "not a surprise," said Albany schools Superintendent Eva
Joseph. She said a middle school restructuring plan is employing tactics
like down-sized middle schools, a new English curriculum, and "pacing" maps
that aim to keep daily lessons pegged to learning standards on tests.
Schenectady was making similar moves, said Lori McKenna, director of the
district's federal and state programs.  "We need to continue doing what
we're doing, drilling down to the student level to look at students'
strength and weaknesses so students so they can perform well on these
assessments," she said. "It's a community effort. Certainly the school can't
do it alone and we need parental involvement."  …"

28.  "And Now For Something Completely Different: Special Ed Rates FALL
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/and-now-for-something-com_b_39075
.html> " dated 19 January 2007 by David Kirby in The Huffington Post blog at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/and-now-for-something-com_b_39075.
html.

"For the past several years, news from the nation's special education
program has been nearly as bleak as the headlines out of Baghdad: A litany
of rising casualty figures, increased hardship, soaring financial costs and
seemingly no end in sight.   But now it looks like Americans have genuine
reason to celebrate: For the first time since records were kept, our
youngest kids are showing up at school with fewer learning disabilities than
their older brothers and sisters.  And the rate of speech or language
impairment is falling fastest of all.  In 1990, Congress passed the
Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), to help schools provide better
services and early intervention for children and youth with disabilities.
Since then, data has been collected on the number and types of disabilities
in US schools, broken down by age groups.  By looking at the youngest
children (3-5 year olds) each year, we are offered a glimpse into what the
future might look like, if this welcomed rate of decrease in childhood
disabilities continues.  In 2003, the rate of enrollment among 3-5 year olds
in the US IDEA program was 587 per 10,000 kids, continuing a rising trend
each year for over a decade. In 2004, the rate went up again, to 594/10,000
children.  But then, in December, 2005 (last year's data will be out in
June) the rate fell, for the first time ever, to 580/10,000: a decline of
2.4%.  Even more extraordinary was the tumbling rate of 3-5 year olds
entering school with speech or language impairments, which make up nearly
half of ALL disabilities in the IDEA program.  In 2003 the rate was
286/10,000. In 2004 it fell to 282/10,000 and in 2005 it was 272/10,000 - a
nearly 5% decline in just two years.  In some states, the drops have been,
well, jaw-dropping.  In Maine, the Special Ed rate among 3-5 year olds fell
from 1,178/10,000 to 1,080/10,000 - down 3.3% in a single year.  In New
Jersey, services required for speech/language impairment among 3-5 year olds
fell by 8.1% between 2003 and 2005.   In Minnesota, state compiled figures
show that the number of S/L impairments among 0-2 year olds plummeted 25%
between 2003 and 2005.  Why is this happening now, and what does it all
mean?  A few caveats: These figures reflect kids largely enrolled in public
schools, and do not indicate actual incidence rates in the population. They
are useful, however, for looking at trends. And while it's a bit too early
to declare a "trend" here, it sure is interesting.  Could it be that more
parents are sending their disabled kids to private schools, or else home
schooling them? Perhaps, but that is not likely to explain the entire drop.
Are American pathologists getting SLOPPIER at diagnosing disabilities? I
don't think so.  Then there is the obvious question of funding, and new IDEA
criteria adopted in 2004 (though the Federal regulations did not take effect
until October, 2006). Maybe budget cuts and stingy case workers really are
responsible for ALL of the decrease. But if that is the case, then why are
we still spending more money each year on federal grants to states for
special education (about $10 billion in 2004 vs $11 billion in 2006)?  Or,
maybe, this has something to do with the gradual reduction in the mercury
content of childhood vaccines, which began around 2000?  Maybe it does.
Maybe.  …"

29.  "Dubious autism article retracted" dated 23 January 2007 from Consumer
Health Digest.

"The journal Autoimmunity Reviews has retracted a poorly reasoned article
which claimed that mercury toxicity can cause autism and that the
prescription drug Lupron may be useful in treating autistic children and
adolescents. The article was written by Mark R. Geier, M.D., and his son
David A. Geier, B.A., who have two patent applications pending for an autism
treatment using Lupron. The retraction occurred after a blogger complained
that the research described in the article violates internationally-
accepted standards for the protection of human research subjects and that
the authors had (a) insufficiently disclosed their conflicts of interest,
(b) relied on suspect sources, (c) misrepresented the work of other authors,
and (d) provided inadequate case documentation."

30.  "Vaccines with Mercury Discussed" dated 24 January 2007 from KOMU8 News
at
http://www.komu.com/satellite/SatelliteRender/KOMU.com/c261de75-c0a8-2f11-01
63-66f433d41528/5644bad0-c0a8-2f11-00d5-36b3995aabbe.

"Mid-Missourians showed up at the Capitol for a hearing held by the State
Health Department and State Senator John Loudon.  Vaccines with mercury may
be more common than you may think.  The hearing discussed the medical
concerns many have with mercury in vaccines. Lujene Clark is the president
of a group called "No Mercury."  She has a personal connection with the
fight.  "As the mother of a mercury-poisoned child, who reached his
toxic-tipping level at seven and a half, the risk of harming a child
outweighs cost to mothers every day of the week," Clark said.  Experts came
from across the country to speak about the effects of mercury on the body.
"We're finding that even tiny doses of mercury cause major immune effects to
the system," said MU professor, Dr. Al Barrier.  Thimerosal acts as a
preservative to prevent contamination in multiple vials. But opponents say
it all comes down to money.  "Well, I personally say that, our first and
highest priority from a public health stand point is to provide the safest
possible vaccine, not the most profitable," said Clark.  The FDA is working
to remove thimerosal from vaccines in the future. As of April first of this
year, Missouri Law will prohibit giving vaccines with more than trace
amounts of mercury to pregnant women and children under the age of three."

31.  "Autism father effect- Calcutta study finds possible cause" dated 24
January 2007 by G.S. MUDUR from The Calcutta Telegraph (India) at
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070125/asp/frontpage/story_7308461.asp.

"In the first study of the genetics of autism in India, scientists in
Calcutta have found that some fathers may transfer a version of a gene that
makes their children susceptible to autism.  The researchers at the
Manovikas Biomedical Research and Diagnostic Centre and other city
institutions have found what they describe as a “possible paternal effect”
that may underlie susceptibility to autism — a brain disorder marked by
unusual behaviour and lack of communication abilities.  The scientists
caution that their finding is based on a small sample of autistic children
and will need to be verified through larger studies. “We don’t want anyone
to jump to conclusions about a paternal role in autism, but this study
raises issues that need to be explored further,” said Swagata Sinha, a
psychiatrist at the Manovikas Centre and a member of the research team.
“We’re seeking clues to unravel the cause of autism — this is important
for
science and for parents with autistic children. Every parent wants to know
the exact cause. And, at the moment, we have no answer to give them,” Sinha
told The Telegraph.  The findings have been published this month in the
journal American Journal of Medical Genetics: Neuropsychiatric Genetics.
Medical researchers have long suspected that autism is a multiple gene
disorder with several genes and perhaps other unknown factors in the
environment leading to the disorder.   “But it is also a highly heritable
disorder — it can run in families,” said Usha Rajamma, a geneticist and
principal investigator in the study.  The Calcutta researchers analysed
sequences of a gene called reelin ina group of 73 autistic children and 80
children with no neurologicaldisorders as well as their parents who
volunteered for the study.  Six years ago, scientists in Italy had shown
that reelin may have a role in susceptibility to autism.  “The reelin gene
is known to play a role in the development of thebrain and has been
suspected to be a candidate gene involved inautism,” Rajamma said.  When
Rajamma and her colleagues analysed reelin sequences in a group of 58
autistic children and their parents, they detected what they have described
as “significant paternal transmission” of a particular variant of reelin.
“The reelin variant we’ve observed is very common in India, but byitself, it
does not lead to autism,” Rajamma said. Autism is a multi-factor disorder
and only when the right combination of all the susceptibility genes and the
environmental factors are present does a person get autism, she said.  While
there are no statistics from India, international studies suggest that 1 in
500 to 1 in 1,000 people have autism, indicating that India may have nearly
two million autistic persons."

32.  "Teen dies at Bowling Brook- Student in facility for youth offenders
collapsed as staff tried to restrain him" dated 24 January 2007 by Gadi
Dechter for the Baltimore Sun at
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/annearundel/bal-death0124,1,762499.st
ory?ctrack=1&cset=true.

"Sheriff's deputies and state police are investigating the death of a
17-year-old East Baltimore youth who collapsed Tuesday evening while being
restrained by staff at a privately run residential program for juvenile
offenders.  Isaiah Simmons III was pronounced dead at Carroll Hospital
Center after paramedics found him in cardiac arrest at the Bowling Brook
Preparatory School near Westminster, officials said.  Staff at the school
attempted to subdue the youth after an outburst in which he allegedly
threatened to harm other students and school personnel, according to the
Carroll County sheriff's office.  An autopsy will be performed, but a
preliminary investigation by the state medical examiner's office Wednesday
revealed no apparent trauma to Simmons' body, the sheriff's office said.
Still, his death has raised questions.  "Children in state custody should be
safe from harm, and last night's death reminds us of the work that needs to
be done to reform our Department of Juvenile Services," Gov. Martin O'Malley
said in a statement.  Simmons was sent to Bowling Brook after he was
effectively found guilty in juvenile court of armed robbery. In February, he
used a box cutter to rob another juvenile of a cell phone near the Inner
Harbor, according to police records.  This is the first death of a youth in
the custody of juvenile services since a girl committed suicide at the
state-run Waxter Children's Center in Laurel in 2001, a department spokesman
said.  Bowling Brook officials declined to comment Wednesday.  O'Malley
dispatched his chief of staff to Bowling Brook Wednesday morning and
directed juvenile services officials and state police to help sheriff's
deputies investigate the incident.  Simmons' grieving family and youth
advocates are also demanding an investigation.  "I'm trusting in the Lord
that the truth will come out," his mother, Felicia Wilson, said. "So it
won't happen to another child. They need to look over their policies. They
need to be retrained."  Among the 20 or so relatives gathered at Wilson's
Aisquith Street rowhouse Wednesday afternoon were Simmons' 22-month-old
daughter, Shakiya, and the child's mother, Quequerra Johnson, 15.  Johnson
said she was having a hard time acknowledging Simmons' death. "It isn't
true," said the New Era Academy tenth-grader. "He's still alive."  Relatives
described Simmons as a basketball and football fan with a gentle demeanor
who was excited about going to Bowling Brook.  The school's incorporation of
organized sports into its curriculum has drawn praise as a progressive
alternative to troubled state-run facilities.  After graduating from Bowling
Brook, Simmons hoped to attend Michigan State University, where his sister,
Danielle Wilson, is a graduate student, his family said.  "My impression of
Bowling Brook has been generally favorable, but I do know of some incidents
where kids had injuries," said Stacey Gurian-Sherman, who runs an advocacy
group in Montgomery County for families of delinquents.  "There should be a
thorough and independent investigation. We should not rely on [the
Department of Juvenile Services] to evaluate this."  Since September,
Bowling Brook has reported 22 incidents to the department in which staff
have used physical force to restrain a student, according to agency
spokesman Edward Hopkins.  Wednesday, several state police officers and
county sheriff's deputies guarded the long driveway to the school in rural
Keymar. The hum of bulldozers could be heard flattening earth around the
facility, which is expanding.  …"

33.  "Pinellas County School Board: body sock used correctly" dated 24
January 2007 from Bay News9 at
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2007/1/22/217390.html.

"The Pinellas County School Board has released the results of its
investigation into the use of a body sock on a 4-year-old boy.  The report,
released Monday, said a boy who was put into the body sock was out of
control and the body sock was the best way to calm him down.   Body sox are
meant for autistic children or for those with learning disabilities, but the
4-year-old is not learning disabled.  The boy's father, Patrick Holt, said a
body sock was used as punishment on his son without his permission.  "I
don't like it at all," Holt said. "I don't think it should be used on
anybody."  But the school board's investigation says the body sock was used
correctly.  "Teachers behaved in an appropriate manner in responding to a
situation where a student needed to be calmed down for the safety and
security of all the students in the classroom," said Pinellas County School
Board spokeswoman Andrea Zahn.  The district said it will continue to use
body sox on any child.  "By the manufacturer's own design they are a
multi-use type of instructional tool," Zahn said.  The Holts said they
strongly disagree with the board's findings and have hired an attorney. They
are considering suing the school board and the teachers.  The school board
said the parents were not aware that body sox could be used on their son,
but they plan to include the possible use of the device in orientation next
year."

34.  "Force Is Not the Only Way to Administer a Vaccine" dated 24 January
2007 by Courtland Milloy
<http://projects.washingtonpost.com/staff/email/courtland+milloy/>  from The
Washington Post at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/23/AR2007012301
502.html.

"Let's get something straight: I am not against a vaccine that prevents
strains of the human papillomavirus, as some readers have contended. Nor am
I for cervical cancer, which is caused by the sexually transmitted HPV.
However, as my previous column on this subject indicated, I am opposed to
the government mandating the vaccine. I say leave the role of strong-arm
drug pusher to the thugs on the street.  There is no reason that a voluntary
program, based on an informed and sensitive health education campaign, would
not work. New Hampshire, consistently one of the nation's healthiest states,
has a voluntary HPV vaccine program, with plans to vaccinate 63,000 girls
ages 11 to 18 over the next four years.  But wait, you say: Nearly 12,000
Maryland students could not go to school Monday because they failed to get
their required vaccinations for chickenpox and hepatitis. If a mandatory
program doesn't work, what chances does a voluntary plan have?  Here's the
deal: Running a government-funded, voluntary immunization program doesn't
mean doing nothing. It means getting serious about providing health
education and access to health care.  "Education is something that we do --
in the schools and, most importantly, in our communities and in the
pediatrician's office," said Greg Moore, a spokesman for the New Hampshire
Department of Health and Human Services. "How do we do it? Old-fashioned
legwork. We make sure the right people have the right information. We have
people who go out at the regional and local level, sit down and talk to
health-care providers and ask, 'What can we do for you?' Cervical cancer is
a huge issue for us, and now we have this tremendous opportunity to educate
and protect women even more."  The New Hampshire approach encourages
residents to take more responsibility for their lives. With the government
acting as partner -- instead of some antebellum massa -- parents are
encouraged to make choices that are in the best interest of their children.
And guess what? They usually do.  So far this month, about 3,300 doses of
the HPV vaccine have been made available to girls in New Hampshire. State
health officials say they are receiving feedback and determining where
demand is greatest and how soon to order more vaccine. "We are at the
beginning of the process, but from the anecdotal evidence, there appears to
be a great demand from parents," Moore said.  All child vaccinations in New
Hampshire are voluntary. The state doesn't kick girls out of school because
they didn't get a vaccine. It understands that parents can become
overwhelmed and need encouragement -- not just threats and kicks in the
butt. And as a result, the state has one of the highest rates of child
immunization in the nation.  "We know that there are parents who have
expressed concern about children and childhood vaccines," Moore said. "Our
program was designed with an emphasis on education and addressing whatever
concerns parents might have."  Legislation mandating the HPV vaccine for
pre-adolescent schoolgirls is pending in the District, Maryland and
Virginia. Those who advocate it are quick to note that parents can opt out
of the program. But few can say exactly how many bureaucratic hoops a parent
will have to jump through to do that. Besides, why should the onus be on the
parents to figure out how not to be in a government-mandated program? In New
Hampshire, parents opt in -- and the burden is on the government to show how
the vaccine can benefit their children.  The District does have more
poverty, but we also have more money to deal with it. D.C. public schools
get more than $1 billion a year to educate roughly 76,000 students. Use
those resources wisely. With all of the teaching hospitals in this region,
surely somebody can figure out a way to set up a realistic and relevant
health-education curriculum in our schools.  …"

35.  "Many fear special ed backlash" dated 25 January 2007 by Tyler B. Reed
from The Sudbury Town Crier at
http://www.townonline.com/sudbury/homepage/8998979969166082047.

"Parents of children with autism and other special needs said they fear the
fallout from last week's fatal stabbing at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High
School could spur backlash against special education students and the
educational programs that place them in mainstream public schools.  The
stabbing death on Friday of freshman James Alenson has focused the public's
attention on a neurobiological condition known as Asperger's syndrome, a
mild form of autism. The youth who stands accused of killing Alenson, John
Odgren, had been diagnosed with the condition and was reportedly taking
several medications.  Experts claim they have never linked violent behavior
to Asperger's, but some fear the incident could attach an added stigma to
students who are already perceived as different.  Rebecca Goniwich, who is
co-chairwoman of the Lincoln-Sudbury Special Education Advisory Council and
has a son with autism, said Tuesday she had received more than 100 e-mails
from parents worried about backlash.  "Everyone is worried about the
backlash," she said. "I think it's going to set back inclusion quite a ways,
where people are questioning people who are a little bit different. They may
not want their children to associate with them."  Autism experts said other
factors must have contributed to Odgren's alleged attack on Alenson.  "It's
no more or less surprising because it's a child with autism," said Vincent
Strully, executive director of the New England Center for Children in
Southborough. "I think it's an aberration whenever it occurs from whomever."
Asperger's syndrome affects about one out of 500 people and often causes
those with it to have trouble reading body language and other social cues
from people around them, according to the Asperger's Association of New
England Web site. Asperger's patients are also prone to clumsiness, often
obsess over certain topics and have trouble maintaining social
relationships.  "I've never in my 35 years of working with kids with autism
heard of a child with that diagnosis allegedly murdering somebody," Strully
said.  Pam Kaufmann, director of special education for the Framingham school
system, said she was disappointed to hear Odgren's attorney link him with
the condition in court on Friday.  "I don't feel that people should leap to
a conclusion, as seems to have happened by the attorney representing the
child that there is a relationship, a cause and effect relationship, between
the disability and the act," Kaufmann said.  She said any education
professional "should be concerned" by the effect the stabbing could have on
the perception of special education programs and students.  "We're all
concerned about what this may mean," said Cat Kaner, a leader of
Framingham's Special Education Parent Advisory Council. "We're also
concerned about misconceptions being bantered about."

36.  "When school days include dog days- Two educated Rottweilers use canine
therapy training and plain old friendliness to teach children new behaviors"
dated 25 January 2007 by MARYAN PELLAND from the St. Petersburg Times at
http://www.sptimes.com/2007/01/25/Hernando/When_school_days_incl.shtml.

"In most schools, it would be an unusual - even alarming - sight: two
100-pound Rottweilers in the hallways and classrooms.  But at Challenger
K-8, Zoie and Zeus are almost part of the population, thanks to counselor
Monica Lovett, who brings the trained, certified therapy dogs to work almost
every day.  Lovett says the canines are an invaluable part of the school's
team and have worked near miracles with kids.  The therapy dog story began
by accident when Lovett was at West Hernando Middle about six years ago.
Her Boston terrier, recovering from surgery for a brain tumor, needed
constant supervision. Principal Ken Pritz suggested that Lovett bring the
dog to school.  "A young boy with emotional issues took an interest. We let
him walk the dog, pet him, talk to him. Soon the student was having
conversations with his counselor, something that had never happened before,
and I knew. I knew this could be something," Lovett said.  Soon after,
Lovett got Zeus. She had him trained and, when he was a year old, she and
the dog enrolled in therapy dog certification school.  The six-week classes
included supervised visits to senior citizen facilities, where Zeus spent
time with patients. To be certified, he had to be calm and friendly, even
when touched by strangers, and even when Lovett was out of the room.  Lovett
says Zeus passed as if he were valedictorian. Off he went to work at
Challenger K-8, at the invitation of principal Sue Stoops. Meanwhile, Zoie,
still a baby, waited her turn for training - and then she became another
star student.  The dogs have worked at Challenger since it opened. When the
dogs skip school, people notice, and Lovett hears complaints.  "I have a
Dutch door on my office. People come by all the time to pat dogs' heads or
say hi. Some say their day isn't going so well and they need a dog-hug,"
Lovett explained.  Zoie and Zeus' therapy clients range in age from 5 to 13.
The canines teach positive behavior reinforcement, help reduce anxiety and
stress and teach responsibility. Students learn the value of the
animal-human bond.  The four-legged therapists are an inspiration in many
ways. Kids who might not like to read will actually volunteer to read to
Zeus or Zoie. Fifth-grader Sierra Ruiz painted a professional-looking
portrait of them, which hangs in the counseling office.  It's unusual for
anyone to be fearful of the dogs, but Lovett places herself between them and
a shy child or adult. She talks calmly, explaining the dogs' nature, their
training and their skills.  Before long, those who were slightly reticent
are hugging a Rottie or taking one for a walk.  Lovett and her husband,
Bobby, live in rural Brooksville with the Rotties, two Boston terriers and
horses, one of which Lovett has had since she was in the seventh grade.  She
hopes to put the terriers to work at school in the future.  If she could
find a way to get horses into school, she probably would do that, too."

37.  "Vigil Ups the Ante- Crowd Prays for Police Accountability" dated 25
January 2007 by Matt Davis from the Portland Mercury at
http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/Content?oid=110794&category=22101.

"A crowd of over 100 gathered to light candles, pray, and call for an end to
police violence on the corner of NW Hoyt and Broadway last Saturday—near the
spot where a 15-year-old autistic boy, Sir Millage, survived being Tasered
repeatedly and struck by Portland Police on December 5.  Police found
Millage—who at 240 pounds is described by his own mother, Grace Forbes, as
"big for his age"—wearing only shorts as he walked across the Broadway
Bridge in the early hours that morning. He'd escaped through the window of
his great grandmother's house in North Portland.  Officer Andrew Griggs, the
first to encounter Millage, wrote in his report he was struck by the
teenager's "fixed gaze" and refusal to comply with the officers' verbal
commands to stop. Griggs also wrote that Millage, who was holding a piece of
plastic from a chain-link fence, was "coming at me with the physical actions
of attack"—so he Tasered him 11 times, believing he was impervious to the
effects of the weapon because he might be high on drugs. It turns out the
Taser's probes did not make proper contact with Millage's skin.  Backup
Officer Michael Chapman then struck Millage seven times with his baton as
the boy tried to get up. Millage was then Tasered again—that officer's name
hasn't been released—before being taken into custody.  Millage's relatives,
including his great grandmother and legal guardian, Pastor Mary Overstreet
Smith of North Portland's Powerhouse Temple Church, say the cops should have
realized he was autistic and that they used "excessive force" in
apprehending him. Millage's name is even kept on file with the bureau as a
disabled teen.  "He made eye contact with the policeman. You just have to
look in his eyes and realize something is wrong," Overstreet Smith told the
Mercury. "This is not going to stop here."  Whether or not the officers used
excessive force will be decided by the police bureau's use-of-force board.
But the cops' spokesperson, Brian Schmautz, defends their actions. "You
can't just let a guy walking down the street in the middle of the night go
and get hit by a car," he says."

38.  "The Age of Autism: 'Unstrange Minds'" dated 25 January 2007 by Dan
Olmsted from United Press International at
http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/view.php?StoryID=20070123-015724-5447
r.

""You're going to hate my book," Roy Richard Grinker told me a few weeks ago
when I met him at George Washington University. Actually, I don't hate
"Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism," his newly published,
beautifully written look at autism through the lens of history and culture.
I just disagree with it.  Grinker -- an anthropology professor and father of
a teenage daughter, Isabel, who has autism -- sees a genetic brain-based
disorder that, contrary to widespread belief, has not truly increased.
Rather, he says, it's just better-recognized. Plus, the categories have
expanded to include a "spectrum" of related disorders including the milder
Asperger's. "Maybe we are finally diagnosing and counting autism correctly,"
he writes.  Grinker, who mentions my reporting in the book, marshals an
impressive body of research to support his contention. Time magazine gave it
a full-page review and found his argument "persuasive." Regardless of one's
point of view, it's good to have the case against an "autism epidemic"
spelled out as clearly and convincingly as possible.  That said, I do
suspect autism has exploded in ways that are not satisfactorily explained by
Grinker's argument -- and, therefore, that some new "environmental insult"
interacting with genetic susceptibility is behind the rise. My basis for
that is not solely the ten-fold increase in diagnoses in the past two
decades; it goes back much further.  Read the first words of the first
scientific paper written about autism in 1943 by Leo Kanner, the Johns
Hopkins University child psychiatrist who introduced the disorder to the
world: "Since 1938, there have come to our attention a number of children
whose condition differs so markedly and uniquely from anything reported so
far, that each case merits -- and, I hope, will eventually receive -- a
detailed consideration of its fascinating peculiarities."  Years later, he
called it "a behavior pattern not known to me or anyone else theretofore."
Does that sound like something that's been around for ages at the same
prevalence? Not to me. What gives Kanner's comments heft is that he had just
written the first comprehensive tome on child psychiatry ever published in
the United States -- aptly titled "Child Psychiatry."  Of the 11 initial
cases documented by Kanner, four of the fathers (accounting for more than
one-third of the cases) were psychiatrists. Grinker calls this referral bias
-- in other words, if you're a psychiatrist and you notice something wrong
with your own child, you're much likelier to avail yourself of the services
of an acknowledged leader in the field like Leo Kanner.  But, to my mind,
that raises another question about the "no epidemic" argument.  …"

39.  "The Asthma Epidemic- Asthma Cases Continue to Rise: Why?" dated 25
January 2007 by Eder W, Ege MJ, and von Mutius E N in Engl J Med. At
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/550780?src=mp.

"Summary: The study authors have written a very clear and helpful summary of
the current state of the asthma epidemic. Some of the trends in regard to
asthma have been disturbing. For example, they pointed out that the US
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted an increase in the
prevalence of asthma in children in the United States from 3.6% in 1980 to
5.8% in 2003. Only pneumonia and injuries are responsible for more
hospitalizations among those under 18 years of age in the United States.
More striking increases in the prevalence of asthma have been seen in other
countries. For example, approximately 1 in 5 children in Australia in 1964
were reported by their parents to have symptoms of asthma during their first
7 years of life; by 1990 that number had increased to nearly 1 in 2.[2] The
study authors also pointed out that no single instrument can be used to
reliably diagnose asthma in any given individual.  They noted that asthma is
a diagnosis made clinically by combining the patient history, physical
examination, and spirometry (including confirmation of reversible airway
obstruction). Atopy is strongly associated with asthma, and in some
countries the incidence of atopy is increasing; this may or may not be
accompanied by a concomitant increase in the incidence of asthma. The study
authors also noted that exposure to passive cigarette smoke has consistently
been shown to increase the incidence of asthma. Children whose parents smoke
are more likely to develop asthma compared with those whose parents do not
smoke."

40.  "Abuse trial's focus shifts to behavior of autistic" dated 25 January
2007 by Rene Stutzman from the Orlando Sentinel at
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/seminole/orl-garrett2507jan25,0,66
14822.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-seminole.

"Kathleen Garrett, the teacher charged with abusing autistic students in her
classroom, will try to win her acquittal today by calling to court the
teenagers she is accused of hurting.  One is the profoundly disabled boy she
is accused of "caging" by repeatedly placing him in a closed, dark closet.
The teenager is blind, cannot talk and is not mentally competent, but
defense attorney Tom Egan said it's important for jurors to see how he
behaves.  The boy, who lives in a group home, screams and hits himself in
the head when he gets upset, according to two classroom aides.  Teaching
assistant Jennifer Rodriguez told jurors Wednesday that Garrett ordered the
boy into the large closet -- a makeshift time-out room -- because he was
screaming or singing too loudly. Once, Garrett left him there for more than
an hour, Rodriguez said.  The boy is one of four students Garrett is charged
with abusing at South Seminole Middle School early in the 2004-05 school
year.  None was seriously injured. In fact, much of the abuse that Rodriguez
and another teacher's aide described could be considered relatively minor: a
head slap, a swat on the bottom, an ear flick.  She did not beat the
children, the aides said, but she did strike three of them.  She also
twisted backward the thumb of one of the boys, causing it to turn black and
blue, and spread one child across his desk, then lay on top of him until his
lips turned blue and his eyes bulged out, they said.  The swatting, the
slapping, "Is that child abuse?" asked Circuit Judge Clayton Simmons.  He
appeared to be on the verge of throwing out most of the charges Wednesday
afternoon, after prosecutors rested their case.  They had put on evidence
that Garrett violated Seminole County School Board policy, which bans
corporal punishment, but it's not clear they proved she committed felony
child abuse.  In the end, Simmons concluded that jurors should decide.
Garrett, who resigned shortly after her arrest, is not expected to testify.
For the three boys she is accused of striking, jurors must decide whether
she is not guilty; guilty of felony child abuse; or guilty of a far less
serious offense -- battery.  Then there is a fourth charge, involving the
boy Garrett is accused of "caging" in the closet. Egan asked the judge to
dismiss that charge, too.  Egan said Garrett made a decision "maybe
unnecessarily, maybe stupidly," to put the boy in the closet, but it is
larger than some jail cells and it is clearly no cage, he said.  The case is
expected to go to the jury Friday."

41.  "Teacher: Autistic Students Not Abused" dated 26 January 2007 from
Orlando Local 6 news at http://www.local6.com/news/10845819/detail.html.

"A former Central Florida teacher accused of torturing disabled students
admitted on the witness stand that she physically restrained the children
but said it was not abuse.  Kathleen Garrett, 50, has denied allegations
that she abused several students and said it was necessary discipline, Local
6 News reported.  Garrett showed defense attorneys how she restrained the
severely disabled children, who she said would not comply with verbal
commands.  "They were so agitated, they weren't responding to that, so the
best thing at that point was to take them down," Garrett said.  The state
said the physical restraint turned to abuse for four of Garrett's autistic
students at South Seminole Middle School.  "Did you ever abuse these
children?" an attorney asked.  "No," Garrett said.  Garrett also said she
was taught how combative students should be restrained.  "They taught me
that you take your hip and put it in to the student and you lower them to
the ground," Garrett said.  Also Thursday, a guidance counselor who worked
at South Seminole Middle School testified there was an occasion when a child
in Garrett's class showed evidence of abuse but it was Garrett who brought
it to her attention.  "If a child has a bruise or an injury of some kind or
is verbally abused or whatever, if I suspect there is some abuse going on, I
call the DCF," guidance counselor Joyce Carefoot said.  "Did you ever hear
any complaints concerning abuse about Kathy Garrett?" an attorney asked.
"No," Carefoot said.  Defense attorneys are also questioning the character
of the two teacher's aides who testified against Garrett earlier in the
week.  An attorney pointed out that the school district has a policy that if
anyone suspects abuse, it should be immediately reported to the Department
of Children and Families. The aides did not offer reports, Local 6's Louis
Bolden said.  If convicted, Garrett could be sentenced to 45 years in
prison.  Garrett rejected a plea deal last week that would have placed her
on five years of probation."

42.  "Fairfax Resists 'No Child' Provision- Immigrants' Tests In English at
Issue" dated 26 January 2007 by Maria Glod from The Washington Post at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/25/AR2007012502
327.html.

"The Fairfax County School Board last night defied the U.S. Department of
Education -- and challenged the No Child Left Behind Act -- by declining to
force thousands of immigrant students to take a federally mandated test
because local educators think it is unfair.  Fairfax school officials said
they will continue to test how well those students are learning to read,
speak and write English and will report those results. But this year they
will not, as the federal government requires, give the students reading
exams that cover the same grade-level material as tests taken by peers who
are native-English speakers.  "It is wrong for our students to take a test
they are predisposed to fail," said board member Phillip A.
Niedzielski-Eichner (Providence). "We will continue to test their
proficiency twice a year and continue to move them forward as quickly as
possible. This resolution is not, by any stretch, an attempt to shy away
from accountability."  The bold step taken in Fairfax, a highly regarded
school system that is also the nation's 13th-largest, puts Virginia at the
forefront of a growing debate over the best way to measure the progress of
millions of students across the country who are learning English as a second
language. The Harrisonburg school board passed a similar measure, and
Arlington County school officials are considering such a step.  "This will
help build political pressure to find a sensible solution where you keep
accountability, but you test kids fairly," said John F. Jennings, president
and chief executive of the District-based Center on Education Policy.
"Schools are saying it makes no sense to test kids who don't understand
English. The U.S. Department of Education is saying that they should be
tested the same way as other students. There has to be a third way."  The
Virginia Department of Education has asked the federal government to allow
use of the old test for another year, so there is time to develop an
alternative. The state is awaiting an answer. Fairfax and other localities
say that a deferral would be the best short-term solution. Across Virginia,
about 10,200 students are affected by the change, state education officials
said. About 4,000 are in Fairfax.  The dispute between Virginia and federal
officials, which comes as Congress prepares to debate renewal of the
five-year-old No Child law, began last summer when the U.S. Department of
Education found problems with the way Virginia and 17 other states test
students learning English. Often, they said, the exams were not demanding
enough.  Testing programs for English learners in Maryland and the District
have withstood federal scrutiny.  Federal officials say that all students in
a given state must be held to the same standards regardless of whether
English is their native language. An Education Department spokesman said
that its mandated test helps pinpoint areas where students are struggling
and identifies successful teaching methods. Federal officials also stress
that students can be allowed accommodations, such as extra time or the use
of a bilingual dictionary.  Supporters of the federal provision also say
that it forces school districts to focus on students who need extra help to
catch up with their classmates. "We don't want English-language learners to
be left out of education," said Peter Zamora, acting regional counsel for
the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. "If you remove this
set of standards from the No Child Left Behind accountability system, you
are removing the incentive to teach them."  …"

43.  "Play sheds light on 'cutting'- Self-mutilation by teens a
little-understood mental health issue" dated 26 January 2007 by BAO ONG from
the Twin Cities Pioneer Press at
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/16548160.htm.

"Teens who deliberately cut themselves with everything from razor blades to
their fingernails typically have one goal: to release tension or stress in
their lives they cannot resolve.  Steve Orth, a language arts teacher at
Metcalf Junior High School in Burnsville, has seen the growing mental health
problem firsthand.  A teacher at Metcalf for nine years, Orth said it's only
been in the last few that the disturbing trend of "cutting" has come up.
Students have approached him to confide about their addiction.  Although
many teens who cut are girls, it's a problem that includes boys and spans
races, ages and cultures.  So when Orth, who is also the school's drama
director, couldn't find a play addressing the trend, he wrote "Sliced," a
full-length production addressing the warning signs and dangers of cutting.
Orth and about 30 Metcalf students will perform the play through Saturday.
The goal, he said, is to educate audiences and create awareness of a problem
that can be difficult to identify.  Cutting, sometimes called the "new age
anorexia," is not new, but experts say the growing problem is a concern for
teens — including some of Orth's students. Committing suicide is often not
the intent, but death and infections always loom as possibilities.  In the
production, eighth-grader Katy Nelligan plays the main character, Lissy, who
is in denial about her cutting addiction and lands in a hospital bed next to
a girl who tries to help her.  At the final dress rehearsal the day before
Thursday's opening night, Nelligan delivered the opening monologue: Students
can blend in with their peers despite struggling with cutting.  Although
Nelligan does not have friends who cut, she said she's aware that it happens
at Metcalf. Castmate Sarah Strain said students hear about the dangers of
drugs and alcohol regularly, but "people forget this can still kill you."
Students said the topic has been an uneasy one for some staff members to
address because cutting is often viewed as a suicide attempt. Some teachers
avoided making an announcement about "Sliced" in class.  And only recently
have doctors and counselors started asking about cutting, said Donna
Miliotis, a child psychologist at Children's Hospital and Clinics of
Minnesota in Minneapolis. It is now common practice for her and other health
professionals to consider cutting when diagnosing adolescents.  The
incidence of cutting is difficult to pin down, but experts estimate at least
1 in 1,000 adolescents cut themselves. Depression is often attributed to the
disorder, and the treatment often requires therapy or counseling.  Students
do not always think about the long-term consequences of cutting. The
physical scars serve as reminders, said Miliotis, who recalls a patient with
a 22-inch scar on the inside of an arm.  The self-inflicted injury and
mutilation can be difficult to detect because students can wear clothing to
cover scars, said Metcalf counselor Lori Maidment. Part of teacher training
includes identifying students who practice cutting, she said.  At the
Wednesday rehearsal, Orth told his students they had an opportunity to make
an impact on people they have never met.  "Doing nothing wasn't an option,"
said Orth, who fears that one day a student of his will die from cutting.
"The students revel in doing something that matters, something that could
make a difference in the lives of their peers."

44.  "In wake of incident, autism expert, police give tips for safety" dated
26 January 2007 by MAXINE BERNSTEIN from The Oregonian at
http://www.oregonlive.com/metro/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1169794677212
540.xml&coll=7.

"A national expert on autism and parent of an autistic young man came to
Oregon on Thursday night to give other parents of autistic children tips to
keep them safe and avoid encounters with law enforcement.  The Autism
Society of Oregon and the Northwest Autism Foundation invited Dennis
Debbaudt of Florida in the wake of a police encounter last month with a
15-year-old autistic boy who had climbed out a window of his Northeast
Portland home.  Central Precinct Cmdr. Mike Reese and Officer Paul Ware, the
Portland Police Bureau's crisis intervention coordinator for the past four
years, joined Debbaudt in addressing about 40 parents of autistic children
as well as caretakers and educators in an Oregon City auditorium.  They
advised that families tell law enforcement about their child's developmental
disability. The information should be kept in a 9-1-1 emergency database
that flags a child's name and address, as well as behavioral and
communication characteristics, they said.  The Portland Police Bureau, for
example, maintains a disability accommodations registry, with information on
people with special needs. Updated information helps officers approach with
special care if they encounter an autistic child on the street, Ware said.
Also, because autistic children frequently wander away from home, families
should have their child wear a medical alert bracelet, carry a special
handout or have something sewn into a garment that would put police on
notice that they may be dealing with someone who doesn't understand commands
or can't communicate. And once a child wanders off, police urged families to
alert 9-1-1 right away, even before they conduct their own search.  "The
sooner you get the information out to us, the better it is for us and for
your child," Reese said.  Tom Kauffman, a Canby area parent, urged police to
go into schools and meet with autistic children so they recognize officers
as friends, not foes.  Debbaudt, now an author who trains law enforcement
workers on interacting with autistic people, has a 23-year-old son with
autism. At age 5, his son had a serious temper tantrum in a store in
Detroit, and Debbaudt had to carry him out of the mall. Debbaudt said he was
stopped in the parking lot by police who responded to a call of a possible
child abduction.  …"

45.  "Transition program helps students gain independence- Washington
Unified focuses on guiding 18- to 22-year-olds with developmental
disabilities" dated 26 January 2007 by Lakiesha McGhee from the Sacramento
Bee at http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/113843.html.

"Danielle Westervelt, 19, made a common mistake among her peers in budgeting
monthly expenses. She set aside too much money for entertainment.  "Instead
of spending $100 on movies and snacks, you can cut back so you can do your
laundry," advised Richard Greenbaum, a teacher in the Washington Unified
School District's Transition to Adult Living Program.  Westervelt quickly
re-examined her budget lesson for a better idea.  "Or I can go to my mom's
house and do my laundry there," she said.  Each week, Westervelt and her
classmates gather in a small West Sacramento home where they learn how to
become independent and overcome the challenges of being developmentally
disabled.  Balancing a budget is only part of their studies. The students --
age 18 to 22 -- also receive hands-on instruction with how to shop for and
prepare meals, maintain a household, take public transportation and create a
social life.  Twice weekly, they intern at Pride Industries, which provides
employment for people with disabilities and outsourcing solutions for
companies.  In November, the California Services for Technical Assistance
and Training recognized the West Sacramento program as a state leadership
site. The agency has conducted a competitive application process since 2004
to award special and general educational programs throughout the state
exemplifying excellence. The goal is to encourage educators to share their
efforts, brainstorm solutions and mentor others, CalSTAT Project Manager
Linda Blong said.  "They learn from each other and continue to develop their
programs across the board," Blong said, explaining that Washington Unified
will be among 32 leadership sites selected in the past three years for
federal funding. CalSTAT will have to reapply for the federal grant this
year to maintain the project.  Leadership sites receive $5,000 in cash to
improve their programs and help with professional development. An additional
$1,200 is awarded to provide at least three training workshops or visits to
their sites and a smaller stipend to promote their work online, Blong said.
Educators participate in a CalSTAT-sponsored State Leadership Institute.
Diana Blackmon, director of special services at Washington Unified School
District, said building its Transition to Adult Living Program has
translated into success for students.  "Students leave here with a concrete
plan for how they will live," Blackmon said.  School districts are required
under federal law to provide a free, appropriate public education for
students with developmental disabilities until they graduate with a general
diploma or reach age 22.  Historically, the outcome for such students has
not been good. Studies show that when compared to their non-disabled peers,
students with developmental disabilities nationwide are less likely to
receive a regular high school diploma, that they drop out twice as often,
and that they experience lower college entrance and graduation rates and
higher rates of poverty, according to the state Department of Education.
Until the West Sacramento program was created three years ago,
developmentally disabled students were bused 20 miles each day from their
community to participate in a county program, Blackmon said. They were
taught in a modular classroom and there was no opportunity for job training
or learning how to get around their city.  Now students like Lia Yang are
getting permanent jobs. Yang, who has cerebral palsy, works part time at a
local grocery store and is set to complete her probation period soon.  But
the program's success isn't measured only by the students' ability to
financially support themselves. They also support each other in daily
activities, such as riding public transportation and reaching destinations
safely and on time.  The Transition to Adult Living Program operates like a
family from a two-bedroom rental home. Photos of current and former students
line shelves and a fireplace. The rooms are furnished mostly with items the
students selected.  They prepare meals for each other and share them in a
dining room that's also used for instruction. They take field trips and run
daily errands together.  For Westervelt, support from her peers and teachers
is key to gaining independence. During her budget lesson, she recalled
shopping with her classmates for Christmas gifts.  "I like having my own
checkbook," Westervelt said. "It's fun."

46.  "Bill would ban mercury compounds in vaccines" dated 27 January 2007 by
JoANNE YOUNG from the Lincoln Journal Star at
http://journalstar.com/articles/2007/01/27/news/politics/doc45baaf3eec7a6847
459956.txt.

"By the time they are 5 years old, children can get 24 vaccines against
illness, some of them given in combination shots.  While many childhood
vaccines no longer contain thimerosal, a mercury compound, some brands still
contain a trace or more.  The preservative has been questioned as the cause
of autism and other neurological disorders.   Sen. Carol Hudkins of Malcolm
would like to see thimerosal banned from drugs and vaccines in Nebraska.
Her bill, LB49, would not allow even a trace of the preservative to be
administered without a written consent signed by a parent or legal guardian.
A vaccine could be exempt in case of a public health emergency.  Money is
one reason people oppose calling for a ban on mercury in vaccines, Hudkins
said. Mercury-free vaccines cost more.  “The studies are out there (about
the effects of mercury in vaccines) and there are more every day,” she said.
Everyone at the hearing agreed immunizations for children are good.  But
some just want them mercury-free.
And others testified against the bill, saying benefits of the vaccines far
outweigh any harm.  Vaccines that contain thimerosal are some
diphtheria-tetanus, meningitis, and influenza vaccines, and all tetanus.  In
addition, a number of drugs, some that can be bought without prescription,
contain the preservative.  Boyd Haley, chemistry professor at the University
Kentucky, testified Friday at a hearing on the bill that many children with
neurological disorders who are tested are found to be severely mercury
toxic.  “We ought to eliminate all the mercury exposure we can,” he said.
“We have a major problem … We are destroying families.”  “This is
something
that scares the daylight out of me.”  Linda Weinmaster, a Nebraskan who
moved out of the state in 1999, also testified in favor of the bill.  She
said her 15-year-old son was born with serious neurological problems because
she was given a thimerosal-containing Rhogam shot to protect her baby from a
blood disease which can result when a mother’s blood type is Rh-negative.
Although babies’ brains are especially sensitive to the effects of mercury,
her son was even more vulnerable because of his genetically higher levels of
testosterone, which his two older brothers also have. But they are healthy
because she did not have the Rhogam shot when pregnant with them.  Dr.
Steven Seifert, professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and
medical director of the Nebraska Regional Poison Center, said doctors and
scientists don’t know what causes autism.  Although mercury is potentially
toxic, acceptable exposure levels are based on science, federally regulated
and set below any level that would be unsafe.  Mercury in thimerosal, he
said, is less able to penetrate the brain and therefore less toxic.  He said
Hudkins’ bill has the potential to harm public health by creating an
irrational fear of vaccinations and reducing vaccination rates.  But Hudkins
said parents just want a safe vaccine.  The government has required lead be
taken out of paints and gasoline, she said. Why not take mercury out of
vaccines?"

47.  "Frederick family visits The View" dated 27 January 2007 by Pamela
Rigaux from the Frederick News-Post at
http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display_breakingDaily.htm?sto
ryid=56149 .

"Comedian and "The View" talk show co-host Rosie O'Donnell interviewed a
Frederick family last week about a growing problem in America: 500,000
children in the United States have autism, but after they graduate from high
school and turn 18, very few programs are available to help them as adults.
For years, Maria and Dean Calcagni have been worried about what they will do
when their daughter, Gina, who is now 17, becomes an adult next year.
They've re-mortgaged their house twice and have poured money into therapy
and services to supplement the public school programs their daughter
receives. But Gina is likely to need one-on-one supervision with highly
trustworthy adults for the rest of her life, Maria Calcagni said Saturday.
Gina has the trust level of a 5-year-old, Dean Calcagni said. She always
thinks the best of people, but in a real world environment, someone could
easily take advantage of her.  "That's part of her charm, she's so sweet,"
he said.  The Calcagni's appearance on "The View," which will air Monday at
11 a.m. on ABC, will take a close look at how autism affects different
families.  Autism varies depending on the person, but is generally defined
by three traits: difficulty with communication, impaired social skills and
rigid behavior, such as obsessive compulsive disorder, Maria Calcagni said.
O'Donnell wanted to know the Calcagnis' biggest fear and what they believed
might happen to their daughter next year. They told her they were facing
their worst fear every day -- they were about to go from receiving 70 hours
of support services a week to none.  "Eighty thousand people were on the
list (for residential facilities) in 2003," Maria Calcagni said. "Most have
been on it for 10 years."  In some cases, 80-year-old parents are taking
care of 60-year-old autistic children, and those are the lucky ones, Dean
Calcagni said.  They're the ones who, like Gina, are living with relatives
who have, or are trying to find, the means to support them.  "Without that,
they fall through the cracks," he said. "It's a hellish situation."
O'Donnell, live and in person, was compassionate and well-informed, Dean
Calcagni said.  "She immersed herself in the research. She knew what our
concerns were.  We were very, very impressed," he said.  Initially the talk
show crew had called a friend of the Calcagnis to be a guest, but the friend
had a prior engagement and suggested them.  Maria, Dean and Gina went to New
York City on Wednesday. They spent two days in the recording studio and were
shuffled back and forth from the hotel to the studio by a stretch limousine.
"It all happened in one week: the invitation, the pre-interview questions,
then the trip up," Maria Calcagni said.  The panel consisted of a few
families, all of them with younger children who seemed to have more upbeat
stories, Maria Calcagni recalled. Waiting to talk behind the bright lights
was nerve-racking.  "I worried my mind would go blank on air," she said.
Dean Calcagni said his wife's appearance was fabulous.  "See for yourself on
Monday," he said."

48.  "Florida Ex-Teacher Gambles And Loses- Guilty On 1 Count: Pinning
autistic boy to desk. Kathleen Garrett faces up to 5 years in prison" dated
27 January 2007 by Rene Stutzman from the Orlando Sentinel at
http://tinyurl.com/2gf4sf.

"Kathleen Garrett had gambled before and won. When the mother of an autistic
child complained seven years ago that Garrett was an abuser, she fought back
and kept her teaching job.  And earlier this month she rejected a plea deal,
gambling that she would beat a second round of child-abuse complaints.  But
on Friday, the gamble failed. Jurors convicted her of pinning a 60-pound boy
to the top of his desk, his head hanging off the edge, and staying on top of
him until his lips turned blue.  Photo gallery: Kathleen Garrett's trial
Kathleen Garrett Garrett, 50, who spent 26 years teaching disabled children
in Seminole County public schools, faces up to five years in prison. She is
to be sentenced March 7.  She left the courthouse late Friday afternoon
without comment, free on $7,000 bail. Her lawyer also would not comment.
Although now a felon, Garrett overcame four other counts of felony child
abuse that could have sent her to prison for up to 75 years.  Jurors
acquitted her on a charge of bending backward the thumb of an autistic boy.
A judge threw out two other counts and, just as the trial got under way,
prosecutors abandoned a fifth charge, the most serious.  Even so, the mother
of the boy with the bruised thumb said the one conviction was enough.  "I
was very happy," she said. "We got her on child abuse. . . .  Children are
safe."  The mother of a girl who accused Garrett of slamming her head onto
her desk seven years ago at a different school, though, had hoped for more.
"I'm happy for the one conviction, but I wish prosecutors could have brought
charges to defend every child that she has hurt," the woman said.  Carolyn
Tavel, past president of the Learning Disabilities Association of Florida,
said jurors never got to decide some of the more serious allegations against
Garrett.  "The individuals involved in this are still hurting," said Tavel,
who counseled several of the parents whose children were in Garrett's class
at South Seminole Middle School.  Garrett resigned shortly after her arrest
in November 2004. Her teaching certificate expired 18 months ago.  Garrett
took a chance two weeks ago when she rejected a plea deal that would have
placed her on five years of probation. She has maintained she did not abuse
any of the students.  Her trial began Monday, and for much of the week, it
appeared her gamble might pay off. Piece by piece, the case against her
crumbled.  On Monday, prosecutors dropped the first count, that she had
slammed a boy's head down on his desk, breaking two of his front teeth. No
one saw what happened. Then Friday morning, Circuit Judge Clayton Simmons
dismissed two other counts. One was an allegation that Garrett had lifted a
boy from his chair and flung him toward a cabinet.  The other was that she
had "caged" a blind, autistic student by placing him in a large closet.
Simmons wrote that the Florida Legislature did not intend for parents to
face a possible prison sentence every time they send a child to his room for
time-out.  In the end, jurors were left with just two incidents to judge.
Assistant State Attorney Donna Goerner told the panel of five men and one
woman, all parents, that there still was enough evidence to convict. Two
teacher aides testified they were in the classroom when both boys were hurt.
Jurors would not discuss the verdict.  None of the victims appeared in
court. None is mentally competent, and most cannot talk, witnesses
testified.  Autism is a developmental disorder with wide-ranging symptoms.
They are mild in some people but severe in others. Many lead normal lives.
Some symptoms include repetitive motion, such as swaying; repeating words;
and self-injury, such as a child hitting his head against his knee.  The
parents of some autistic children said they were horrified by what teacher
aides said went on in Garrett's classroom: swatting, punching, ear flicking.
"That is not how you discipline a child who is autistic," Tavel said.
Seminole School Superintendent Bill Vogel called the incident in Garrett's
classroom "extremely isolated."  Since her arrest, the School Board has
toughened its policy on the reporting of child abuse. It is also giving its
teachers assigned to autistic classes more training and moving their
classrooms into higher-traffic areas, Vogel said.  "These are children,"
Goerner said, "who cannot speak for themselves."

49.  "Youth describes struggle with staff- Judge orders 3 removed from
juvenile facility after teen being restrained dies" dated 27 January 2007 by
Gadi Dechter from the Baltimore Sun at
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.juvenile27jan27,1,5092417.stor
y?ctrack=1&cset=true.

"At least four youths at a private residential program for juvenile
offenders have independently told their lawyers that they witnessed staff
members sit on a struggling Isaiah Simmons for three hours Tuesday until he
passed out and died, Maryland's chief public defender said last night.  The
statement by Nancy Forster came after a Baltimore judge ordered three city
youths removed from the Bowling Brook Preparatory School in response to an
emergency request by public defenders. The emergency hearings will continue
next week across the state, Forster said, until all of her office's clients
at the school have had their cases reviewed by a juvenile court.  "We want
our children out of there," she said.  In three hearings that lasted until
7:30 p.m. yesterday, Baltimore Circuit Judge Edward R.K. Hargadon released
one youth, remanded one to house arrest and sent the third for a brief stay
at the Maryland Youth Residence Center, a juvenile shelter in Baltimore.
The youth who was released, Ronnell Williams, 18, told The Sun that he and
other students watched as "four or five guys" held Simmons to the ground for
more than two hours Tuesday. During that time, Williams said, Simmons cried
out several times that he couldn't breathe.  "We watched a guy die,"
Williams said after he was released into his mother's custody.  Hargadon,
who is in charge of the city's juvenile court, will hear removal petitions
Thursday on behalf of 13 other city youths at Bowling Brook, Forster said.
Of the 170 students at Bowling Brook on Tuesday, 74 were sent there by
Maryland's Department of Juvenile Services, which has a contract with the
private school in Carroll County, according to a department spokesman. The
spokesman, Edward Hopkins, said the department did not know where it could
place all those youngsters if they are ordered out of Bowling Brook.
Sheriff's deputies are continuing to investigate the death of Simmons, 17.
According to the Carroll County Sheriff's Office, staff at Bowling Brook
said Simmons collapsed Tuesday evening while being restrained after an
outburst in which he threatened to harm other students and school personnel.
It was the first death of a youth in the custody of juvenile services since
2001.  The Department of Juvenile Services has dispatched staff to provide
indefinite 24-hour supervision inside the school, Hopkins said yesterday.
Bowling Brook has been in operation for decades and has enjoyed a positive
reputation among youth advocates.  School officials did not respond to
requests for comment yesterday.  Williams said that Simmons was having a
hard time adjusting to the program, which he had entered two weeks before
his death. He was in the custody of the Department of Juvenile Services
after a juvenile court effectively found him guilty of armed robbery.
According to Williams' account, Simmons told him Tuesday afternoon, "I'm
gonna spaz out," and then had a disobedient outburst before school
counselors.  "He couldn't deal with the pressure," said Williams, who spent
about a year at Bowling Brook.  Simmons had been physically restrained by
staff once before, on Jan. 10, according to a "use of force" report provided
by Bowling Brook to the Department of Juvenile Services. Though the report
was not sent to the department until Jan. 16, it would not have caused alarm
among department officials, Hopkins said.  In 2006, school personnel made
nearly 50 such reports to juvenile services, according to records provided
by the department. Of those, three included "minor injuries" to the faces of
the restrained youths.  In the three emergency hearings yesterday,
prosecutors did not object to the removal of the students from the school,
and the death of Simmons was not explicitly mentioned.  …"

50.  "Couple seek answers in autistic son's treatment- Parents sue for data
they believe will reveal abuse" dated 28 January 2007 by MICHELE MORGAN
BOLTON </TUNews/author/AuthorPage.aspx?AuthorNum=20>  from the Albany Times
Union at
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=558018&category=REGIONOTH
ER&BCCode=&newsdate=1/28/2007.

"As Jonathan Carey presses his face into a horse's tangled mane, he inhales
the warm scent of leather and steamy animal breath sweetened by oats.  The
chestnut mare nuzzles the 13-year-old's cheek, and he is like any other boy.
His parents wonder: Does he remember what happened? There is no way to know.
Mike and Lisa Carey say they have worked since October 2004 to discover who
may have hurt their autistic and mentally retarded child while he was a
resident of the Anderson School in Dutchess County. The boy is nonverbal and
can't tell them himself.  The Glenmont couple want to expose what they call
a cover-up of abuse that hinges on 400 pages of documents that the state
Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities has refused to
disclose.  The Careys sued Anderson School in 2005 in state Supreme Court in
Albany, claiming the institution and its staff violated Jonathan's right to
safety and nourishment. And now that a new administration is in place, they
seek legislation that will force state agencies to disclose information they
said could prove the abuse.  Their efforts also come as parents of autistic
children confronted lawmakers at the Capitol on Tuesday, demanding changes
in insurance law that currently limits and denies treatment options.  For
Jonathan, treatment has meant living at the O.D. Heck Developmental Center
in Niskayuna since he was removed from Anderson.  He was removed after Mike
Carey made an unannounced Oct. 10, 2004, visit to the school for autistic
children in Staatsburg. Carey says he found his son naked, bruised and lying
in a bed soaked with his own urine. The boy had been isolated and denied
regular meals for weeks as a behavior modification therapy for his
compulsion to remove his clothes, his father said.  "No parent or guardian
should ever have to go through what Lisa and I have had to endure just to
get answers," Mike said. "We would have been arrested if what happened to
Jonathan had happened at home."  The Careys' case also comes at a time when
the state Board of Regents has banned controversial behavior modification
techniques, called aversives, after an inspection found a Canton, Mass.,
school that takes New York students had compromised "privacy and dignity" by
using the tactics.  A one-page summary of the investigation into Anderson by
the state Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities found
school administrators had been cited for one incident of withholding food.
The family's Freedom of Information Law request for the entire case file has
been denied under confidentiality clauses in state mental health law and the
federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA.
Anderson's attorney, Michael Murphy, said school officials continue to deny
the Careys' allegations but can't comment further because of confidentiality
laws and litigation.  OMRDD spokeswoman Deborah Sturm Rausch said that
although the agency is sensitive to the concerns of parents, it must abide
by confidentiality laws that preclude the release of certain documents.
"Denying the records does not help protect the most vulnerable," Mike Carey
said. "In fact, it's just the opposite."  …"

51.  "Autistic artist speaks in language of color- Autistic Cleveland Hts.
artist discovers voice' on canvas" dated 28 January 2007 by Karen Sandstrom
from The Cleveland Plain Dealer at
http://www.cleveland.com/living/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/living/116997749
635860.xml&coll=2.

"Seth Chwast pads around his Cleveland Heights home in a T-shirt and sweat
pants. He's 6 feet tall in his stocking feet, a dark-haired young man with a
faraway gaze. What he glimpses in that vague distance is a mystery. Seth,
who has autism, has few words for it.  But on this mild January morning, a
blank canvas nearly 6 feet tall and 7 feet wide stands in the studio he has
made in his mother's living room. Painting is how Seth, 23, shows the world
what he sees, and today he has a new vision in mind.  "Orange Fantasy
Horse," Seth says, his words sliding into each other as he announces the
subject and title of the painting he's about to begin.  Donna Rogers, a
photographer and Seth's full-time art coach, will lend emotional support and
encouragement and help him stay focused. Seth always chooses the subject
matter and the palette and does all the painting, of course. Today, Rogers
wonders whether Seth should try something a little different. Most artists
favor one side, and Seth's "fantasy horses" tend to face right.  Seth holds
a piece of charcoal, which he'll use to draw the shapes on the canvas before
he begins painting. With his free hand, he reaches out for Rogers, and she
returns his touch. They wiggle their fingertips together in a silent gesture
all their own.  Then Rogers asks Seth if he would consider making the orange
horse face left.  "Yes," he answers softly. "Grow your brain."  Seth
develops a bright visual style.  In less than four years, Seth Chwast
("kwahst") has filled his expansive Cleveland Heights home with canvas after
canvas. Paintings hang in spaces once reserved for other art. They stand on
easels. They line hallways. His mother, Debra Chwast, supports him in every
way, from hiring art mentors to investing in pricey art supplies to making
room to display his work as it practically tumbles into being.  …"

52.  "Parents defend medicines for children" dated 28 January 2007 by Peter
Reuell from The Sudbury Town Crier at
http://www.townonline.com/sudbury/homepage/8998973021133733887.

"Matthew was 3 when his mother, Helen Dawidczyk, began to realize there was
something different about him.  In the middle of the night, the toddler
would build ladders from stuffed animals, climb on kitchen counters and
remove knives from a butcher block, then arrange them under his bed.  During
kindergarten, he would wander around the room at inappropriate times, but
withdraw from other children during recess.  "We would drive by and see what
he would be doing - all these other kids would be playing, and Matthew would
be rocking on the steps," Dawidczyk said.  Years later, the family had an
answer for his behavior.  At 10, Matthew was diagnosed with Asperger's
syndrome, a form of autism marked by a lack of social interaction.  The
disorder, and the medication used to treat it, has gained national attention
in recent weeks, following the fatal stabbing of a Lincoln-Sudbury Regional
High School student, allegedly by a classmate with Asperger's.  Though the
attorney for John Odgren, the teen accused in the stabbing, and advocacy
groups say anti-depressants and other drugs often prescribed for people with
Asperger's can lead to violence, without them, Dawidczyk and other parents
say their children would never lead normal lives.  "These drugs are not a
cure, (but) I do know the difference between Matthew being on meds and not
being on meds. Matthew not on meds is out of control.  "You can't reach him,
you can't reason with him. I don't know if he would be here right now, to
tell you the truth."  Following his diagnosis with Asperger's, Matthew, who
has also been diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome, bipolar disorder and attention
deficit disorder, began talking about "going to meet God" so he could "ask
God why he made him this way."  Dawidczyk's story is familiar territory for
Keri and Marc Wang, Milford residents whose 9-year-old son Jared was
diagnosed with Asperger's two years ago.  "In the morning here, it can be
really horrible," said Keri Wang, who calls the medication Jared takes a
"wonder drug." "He's pushing and shoving. It's kind of scary the way he
behaves.  On the medication, though, things are a different story.  "He's
calm," she said. "He's able to sit. He's able to interact with the family.
He'll watch TV or he'll play games with us. It's a wonder drug."

53.  "HPV vaccine won’t be made mandatory" dated 28 January 2007 from the
Arkansas Democrat Gazette at http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/180156/.

"The state Health Division has decided not to request that the Board of
Health include a new vaccine guarding against human papillomavirus, or HPV,
in its list of required vaccines for children.  Parents currently can
request an exemption if they do not want their child immunized. Dr. Jim
Phillips, the division’s director of infectious disease, said officials
worry that requiring the HPV vaccine could cause more parents to refuse to
immunize their children.  “As you’re aware, parents taking the exemption
from immunizations has been skyrocketing over the last several years,” he
told members of the state Board of Health, “and with this vaccine, it’s
associated with the three-letter word ‘ sex. ’”  The vaccine, Gardasil,
protects against the four most common types of HPV, a sexually transmitted
virus that can cause cervical cancer, genital warts and genital lesions. The
U. S. Food and Drug Administration approved the vaccine in June, and an
advisory panel for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention quickly
followed with a recommendation that it be given to girls and women ages 9
through 26.  Earlier this week, however, the Arkansas Cervical Cancer Task
Force recommended that the HPV vaccination be required for all 9- to
12-year-olds. The task force was created by Act 1414 of 2005 to coordinate
statewide efforts to prevent and treat cervical cancer."

54.  "Secrets of the drug trials- Secret emails reveal that the UK's biggest
drug company distorted trial results of an anti-depressant, covering up a
link with suicide in teenagers" dated 29 January 2007 from BBC News (UK) at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/panorama/6291773.stm.

"Panorama reveals that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) attempted to show that Seroxat
worked for depressed children despite failed clinical trials.  And that
GSK-employed ghostwriters influenced 'independent' academics.  GSK told
Panorama: "GSK utterly rejects any suggestion that it has improperly
withheld drug trial information."  GSK faces action in the US where bereaved
families have joined together to sue the company.  As a result, GSK has been
forced to open its confidential internal archive.  Karen Barth Menzies is a
partner in one of the firms representing many of the families.  She has
examined thousands of the documents which are stored, box upon box, in an
apartment in Malibu, California.  She said: "Even when they have negative
studies that show that this drug Seroxat is going to harm some kids they
still spin that study as remarkably effective and safe for children."  GSK's
biggest clinical trial of Seroxat on children was held in the US in the
1990s and called Study 329.  Child psychiatrist Dr Neal Ryan of the
University of Pittsburgh was paid by GSK as a co-author of Study 329.  In
2002 he also gave a talk on childhood depression at a medical conference
sponsored by GSK.  He said that Seroxat could be a suitable treatment for
children and later told Panorama reporter Shelley Jofre that it probably
lowered rather than raised suicide rates.  In amongst the archive of emails
in Malibu, Shelley was surprised to find that her own emails to Dr Ryan from
2002 asking questions about the safety of Seroxat had been forwarded to GSK
asking for advice on how to respond to her.  She also found an email from a
public relations executive working for GSK which said: "Originally we had
planned to do extensive media relations surrounding this study until we
actually viewed the results.  "Essentially the study did not really show it
was effective in treating adolescent depression, which is not something we
want to publicise."  But the article was published in the Journal of the
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry which says it ranks as
number one in child mental health in the world.  The editor in chief of the
British Medical Journal, Fiona Godlee, said that what she calls the
"blind-eye culture of medicine" should be exposed by professionals.  She has
written in response to the Panorama film: "We shouldn't have to rely on
investigative journalists to ask the difficult questions.  "Reputations for
sale are reputations at risk. We need to make that risk so high it's not
worth taking."  The Medicine and Healthcare Products Regulatory Authority
(MHRA) began a criminal investigation into GSK three years ago but no action
has been taken yet.  A spokesperson told Panorama that the investigation has
been given substantial additional resources and remains a high priority.
Seroxat was banned for under 18s in 2003 after the MHRA, revealed that GSK's
own studies showed the drug actually trebles the risk of suicidal thoughts
and behaviour in depressed children."

55.  "Gene That May Indicate Predisposition To Schizophrenia Identified By
Scientists" dated 29 January 2007 in a press release from the The American
Journal of Human Genetics at
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=61545.

"In a new study from The American Journal of Human Genetics, a research team
lead by Xinzhi Zhao and Ruqi Tang (Shanghai Jiao Tong University) present
evidence that genetic variation may indicate predisposition to
schizophrenia. Specifically, their findings identify the chitinase 3-like 1
gene as a potential schizophrenia-susceptibility gene and suggest that the
genes involved in biological response to adverse conditions are likely
linked to schizophrenia.  Analyzing two separate cohorts of Chinese patients
with schizophrenia, the researchers observed a positive association between
schizophrenia and genetic variations in the promoter region of the chitinase
3-like 1 (CHI3L1) gene, an association that was significant in both
population-based and family-based investigations.  The CHI3L1 gene acts as a
survival factor in response to adverse environments, countering various
types of physiological stress, such as inflammation, nutrient deprivation,
and oxygen deficiency, all of which may induce high expression of CHI3L1.
The gene is located on chromosome 1q32.1, a region that has been previously
shown to have a weak correlation to schizophrenia.  A number of
environmental factors, including prenatal exposure to disease, have been
reported as risk factors of schizophrenia. However, the researchers argue
that sensitivity to environmental stressors varies widely among individuals,
and "at least part of this variation may be genetic in origin and/or involve
gene-environment factors," they write.  Genetic variations that change the
expression of CHI3L1 can influence key processes dependent on CHI3L1 levels,
knocking out portions of the AKT-mediated signal pathway. The AKT-mediated
signal pathway has been shown to be impaired in patients with schizophrenia,
and antipsychotic medication may induce AKT activation, to compensate for
the impairment. Additionally, activation of the inflammatory response has
been observed in those with schizophrenia and other affective disorders.
"In conclusion, our findings identify CHI3L1 as a potential
schizophrenia-susceptibility gene," write the authors. "Our results . . .
support the proposal that genes involved in biological response to adverse
environmental conditions play roles in the predisposition to schizophrenia."

56.  "Autoimmune Disease Breakthrough Gained By Identification Of 30 Errant
Genes" dated 29 January 2007 in a press release from the American Autoimmune
Related Diseases Association at
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=61810.

"A report in the January issue of Nature magazine announces that one more
step in understanding what may cause the body to attack itself in its war
against autoimmune disease has been discovered by researchers at the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Whitehead Institute, says the
Autoimmune Related Diseases Association (AARDA), a national nonprofit
patient advocacy organization.  What happens in certain cases to cause the
body's immune system to go wild with an over reaction when it encounters
invading viruses or bacteria, thus resulting in one or more autoimmune
diseases--such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, thyroid
disease (Graves', Hashimoto's), juvenile (type 1) diabetes?  Researchers
Richard Young and Alexander Marson, an M.D./Ph.D. student working in Young's
laboratory, have reported discovering 30 genes that go awry in autoimmune
diseases. According to Young, the regulatory T cells (called "T regs") that
normally control the immune system may have genetic defects. In that case,
the T regs protective powers are weakened.  The "brain" of the T regs is a
protein called Foxp3. It can send the message to increase or decrease the
production of other genes. Dr. Marson, study lead author, said, "We
identified a set of roughly 30 genes that are clearly regulated by Foxp3
and, surprisingly, a lot of them are suppressed by Foxp3." Mutation in more
of the genes, PTPN22, is associated with a number of autoimmune disorders.
It is speculated that altering the Foxp3 gene might be one way to reach a
cure of autoimmune diseases.  Two significant implications have emerged from
this research. Marson commented, "One is that we've identified this core set
of genes that are probably likely to play key roles in preventing autoimmune
more disease." He added, "The second implication, which is maybe more
long-term, is that we hope that identifying these targets will allow us to
screen for drugs to mimic the function of Foxp3 and, thus, treat autoimmune
disease."  Autoimmune disease pioneer Noel R. Rose, M.D., Director of the
Johns Hopkins Center for Autoimmune Disease Research, says that treating
autoimmune disorders will require enhancing either the number or
effectiveness of regulatory T cells. He remarked that the MIT study is
"certainly important in trying to understand how these regulatory T cells
work." He cautions, "Whether this will have important functional
implications, only time will tell."  Commenting on the study results,
Virginia Ladd, AARDA president and executive director, observes, "The
discovery adds weight to the reason why autoimmune diseases should be
considered a disease category similar to the way that cancer is viewed
rather than as singular diseases." She adds, "It also lends proof to the
genetic connection among these diseases and an understanding as to why these
diseases run in families."  Ms. Ladd points out that the public is unaware
of the genetic connection among various autoimmune diseases, and patients
are seldom queried by healthcare professionals regarding the family history
in autoimmune disease. AARDA is pressing for federal legislation that would
bring more awareness to autoimmune diseases and the fact that collectively
they affect millions of Americans."

57.  "Yale Child Study Center Receives NIH Grant for Autism Research" dated
29 January 2007 in a press release from The Yale Child Study Center at
http://www.medindia.net/news/view_news_main.asp?x=17901.

"The Yale Child Study Center has received a $3.5 million National Institute
of Child Health <\l >  and Human Development grant for an ongoing,
multidisciplinary research program on autism <\l >  and related
developmental disorders.   The five-year research program focuses on
developmental aspects and outcomes for affected patients. The project
includes a prospective study on the earliest manifestations of autism in
infants <\l >  at risk for the condition, and funds research on predictors
and determinants of subsequent functioning and communication skills.  Autism
is a developmental disorder that has a profound effect on socialization,
communication, learning <\l >  and other behaviors. In most cases, onset is
early in infancy. Information on the earliest development aspects of autism
in children has been limited even though three to four of every thousand
individuals are affected.  The interdisciplinary program brings together
existing and new expertise, infrastructure and resources focused on
diagnosis, early detection, causes and treatment of autism. It is led by
Yale Child Study Center Director Fred R. Volkmar, M.D., The Harris Professor
of Child Psychiatry, professor of pediatrics and psychology at Yale School
of Medicine <\l > .  “This invaluable support from the federal government
helps us understand how children with autism change over the course of
development and helps us clarify factors most important in determining
ultimate outcome,” said Volkmar.  Autism is a developmental disorder that
has a profound effect on socialization, communication, learning and other
behaviors. In most cases, onset is early in infancy. Information on the
earliest development aspects of autism in children has been limited even
though three to four of every thousand individuals are affected."

58.  "Neurological Diseases Prevalent In U.S." dated 29 January 2007 from
KERO23 News at http://www.turnto23.com/health/10873032/detail.html.

"A review study from the National Institutes of Health has revealed new
statistics on the number of people in the United States who are living with
diseases of the nervous system.  Most striking is the number of people
suffering with multiple sclerosis. Now at a rate of one person per thousand,
the disease is 50 percent more common than previously thought. The rate of
Alzheimer's disease is also up substantially. It is now estimated that 67
out of 1,000 elderly people in the U.S. have this disorder.  Strokes are
more common, too, though more people are surviving their injuries. Traumatic
injuries to the brain have actually decreased by 50 per cent since the last
count.  One in 100 of us has Parkinson's, and four of 100,000 has ALS or Lou
Gehrig's disease. In kids, autism is estimated to occur in six of every
1,000 children and cerebral palsy in two of every 1,000.  While some of
these numbers may seem alarming, the scientists point out that rising rates
do not always mean the disease is getting worse. It can also mean that
doctors are able to detect and diagnose the disease better, or that more
children and adults are living with the disease rather than dying from it."

59.  "'Bullying video' posted onto web- Pupils in Dorset have been suspended
amid claims they posted videos showing an autistic pupil being bullied at
school on the internet" dated 29 January 2007 from BBC News (UK) at
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/dorset/6311477.stm.

"Five pupils from Bournemouth and Poole College, Poole, were suspended by
the school after it received complaints.  The National Autistic Society was
alerted by an internet user who spotted the videos with a message which said
the victim was autistic.  A college spokesperson said the incident was being
investigated.  The videos are said to show the victim being taunted verbally
and physically.  Benet Middleton, of the National Autistic Society, told BBC
News: "Bullying is always bad but I think we can all agree that when the
bullying is based on someone's disability it is particularly disgusting
behaviour.  "It's reflective of a very worrying trend we're seeing.
"Research we've done recently shows children with autism are very, very,
highly likely to be bullied - rising to as many as six out of ten with
Asperger's, a high functioning form of autism."  The college said it had a
strict stance on bullying and would be interviewing the children involved."

60.   "Finally, a Topic Too Hot For The View
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/finally-a-topic-too-hot-_b_39877.
html> " dated 29 January 2007 by David Kirby in The Huffington Post blog at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/finally-a-topic-too-hot-_b_39877.h
tml.

"Daytime television has not been the same since Rosie O'Donnell took a
pugnacious seat at the talkative table known as The View. Rosie has pumped
more heat and energy into that show than a year's worth of colorful
coffee-filled mugs.  Love her or loathe her, Rosie O'Donnell has shown the
nerve to think out loud - a rare and valuable commodity in the overly
scripted world of television.  She has injected the show with some
Nielsen-loving controversy and ratcheted up revenues in the bargain.  So
when I heard that Rosie and The View were doing a one-hour special on autism
(airing Monday 1/29), I assumed the subject would be handled with the same
feisty, fearless, take-no-prisoners aplomb as usual.  After all, autism and
controversy are practically siblings. If ABC would let Rosie trash Trump,
bash Bush and oppose Oprah, surely they would let her wade into the burning
contretemps of why 1-in-166 American kids are struggling with autism today.
I was even more encouraged when a producer invited me to the show. They were
asking several experts to sit in the audience, who might be called upon to
answer questions. She couldn't guarantee that I would be called, but asked
if I could be there "in case the question of causation comes up," (My book
was about mercury, vaccines and autism).  "Causation," of course, is the
autism question of the century. Why do we have so many sick kids? Is this
all simply genetics? Then why is there so much more autism now? What
changed, and what are we doing to find out?  You won't find out on Monday's
program.  Instead, The View presented a respectful and sometimes teary
portrait of families living with autistic children-- their daily struggles
and special needs. Several kids were onstage, some verbal, some not, and
they handled themselves very well. It was a fine show about autism
awareness, and the producers are to be lauded for it, especially for asking
what will happen when so many disabled, dependent kids turn 21.  During the
breaks, however, I could hear women in the audience murmuring to each other:
"But what causes it? Why so many children? What about mercury? How can I get
more information?"  During the final break, I asked Rosie when the question
of causation would come up.  "We're not doing that," she said, bluntly.
"We're focusing on families and their kids."  "Rosie," I replied, "I think a
lot of people are wondering about what's causing this."  "We don't know what
causes it," she said. "You just want me to ask so you can talk about
mercury."  Stung, I explained that her audience members were asking, and
that production staff had also asked me about causation privately backstage.
"We're not doing causation," Rosie repeated. "In fact, I told them not to
book you."  So, a deliberate decision had been reached before the show to
avoid the elephant-in-the-room question. Then why did they book me, I
wondered?  As Rosie turned away, I blurted out: "Would you at least take a
look at my book?"  She spun around and met my eyes. "I read your book. I
thought it was very good."  This was encouraging, if a bit bewildering.  "I
think mercury may have something to do with it," she said. "I just can't say
that right here."  My head spun as the show wrapped up. Had The View finally
squelched Rosie O'Donnell? Did mercury trump Trump? Was this the heavy metal
that dare not speak its name, at least on a network flush with Pharma ads?
It's hard to say for sure. Last year, former host Star Jones posed the
vaccine-autism question on the air, (but then again, look what happened to
her).  After the show, Rosie approached me again, this time with the polite
tact of a Sunday school teacher.  She apologized. She said there had not
been enough time to cover the causation issue, and that the producers
decided to focus only on families.  Families, I said, want to know the
cause, too. The View could easily have done just one segment on it,
presenting all sides.  "I don't run this show," Rosie said with a soft
smile. She promised to try for a special on causation, perhaps later this
spring.  Again, I don't know why the decision was made. But I do know it was
a bit surreal to sit through an entire show dedicated to autism without
anyone asking why kids develop it.   I am not complaining because I wasn't
chosen to speak (I've been on TV before, including The View.) But I do know
this: You can't discuss causation without discussing the environment. You
can't talk about the environment without talking about mercury. And you
can't mention mercury without mentioning vaccines.  So for now at least, the
cause of autism is a topic too hot for The View to have a view.  …"

61.  "Media Coverage of Autism Differs Dramatically from Scientific Focus,
Stanford Study Finds" dated 30 January 2007 in a press release from the
Stanford University Medical Center at
http://digital50.com/news/items/BW/2001/07/14/20070129006452/media-coverage-
of-autism-differs-dramatically-from-scientific-focus-stanford-study.html.

"Sifting through the pages of newspapers, most people reading stories about
autism would think scientists are primarily grappling with understanding how
environmental factors, such as childhood vaccines, might contribute to the
condition.  But the truth is quite different. The efforts of the scientific
community to explore autism lie predominantly in brain and behavior
research.  This disconnect between the scientific community and the popular
media is starkly laid out in a study published in the February issue of
Nature Reviews Neuroscience by researchers at the Stanford University School
of Medicine.  The researchers found that while 41 percent of research
funding and published scientific papers on autism dealt with brain and
behavior research, only 11 percent of newspaper stories in the United
States, United Kingdom and Canada dealt with those issues. Instead, 48
percent of the media coverage dealt with environmental causes of autism,
particularly the childhood MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella that
was once linked with autism in a widely refuted study. Only 13 percent of
published research was about environmental triggers of autism.  "What was
very interesting is that media frequently reported being very skeptical of
the MMR evidence, as was scientific literature," said Judy Illes, PhD,
associate professor of pediatrics and senior author of the paper. The media
stories accurately reflected scientific thinking, but didn't reflect the
breadth of scientific research including the genetics, treatment and
epidemiology of autism.  Illes and her co-authors — Joachim Hallmayer, PhD,
associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and research
associate Jennifer Singh — conducted the study because they were interested
in exploring how people react to new scientific discoveries. In some cases,
these discoveries can lead to large-scale changes in the way people think or
behave. Likewise, shifts in public values can cause broad changes in the
direction of scientific thinking. The group dubbed this behavior "flocking."
"It characterizes the way people, scientists and organizations flock to and
from certain ideas, tools and, like birds, goals and destinations," said
Illes, who directs Stanford's Program in Neuroethics. In some cases, this
flocking may be caused by the way the media portrays an issue, the
researchers say.  One example of flocking came from a 1993 hypothesis that
listening to classical music could improve cognitive skills in infants. This
finding resulted in a flocking effect by toy manufacturers and parents, and
even sparked 1998 legislation in Georgia to distribute classical music CDs
to all expecting parents. All this despite the scientific community's
rejection of the concept. Other examples of flocking include the rush to
lobotomies during the late 19th century despite adverse effects on
personality and lack of widespread scientific support.  …"

62.  "The facts and myths of Asperger's disorder" dated 30 January 2007 by
Eileen Costello from The Boston Globe at
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/01/30/
the_facts_and_myths_of_aspergers_disorder/?p1=MEWell_Pos5.

"The recent fatal stabbing of James Alenson, allegedly by a teenager living
with Asperger's disorder, raises the issue of whether this tragedy is
related to Asperger's.  Those of us who work with children with Asperger's
worry that fingers will be pointed at individuals with the diagnosis.
According to Dr. Daniel Rosenn, a Wellesley psychiatrist and founding member
of the Asperger's Association of New England, no two children with this
diagnosis are alike, and generally speaking this is not a dangerously
violent group.  Asperger's disorder, a mild form of autism, entered the
American psychiatric nomenclature in 1994.  Current prevalence estimates
suggest that 1 in 166 children will have a diagnosis of an autistic spectrum
disorder, with four times more boys than girls being diagnosed. These
children have different learning styles and ways of social interaction. More
than half have difficulty responding to sensory input, which may manifest as
extreme sensitivity to sounds, touch, smells, and textures of food.  They
frequently over react to common inconveniences, such as being bumped in the
hallway at school, and may not understand the appropriate distance from
others in social situations.  Most take much longer to develop "theory of
mind," the ability to understand another person's perspective. They can
misinterpret nonverbal cues or body language in conversation. All need to
learn aspects of communication that come intuitively to their typically
developing peers. Some do beautifully with early intervention and continued
help with their social skills as they grow up. Most are of average or above
average intelligence, and some are brilliant. All are quirky, sometimes in
delightful ways, but often in ways that isolate them from their peers.
Individuals with Asperger's typically have intense "special interests" about
which they collect voluminous information and talk repetitively without
self-consciousness. For some children with the disorder, these are harmless
obsessions about obscure topics such as the Civil War, the Titanic or magic
cards. Like many teens, they can spend hours playing violent video games,
but a boy with Asperger's may become more fixated upon and have less
perspective about the games.  Today's teens with Asperger's are the first to
reach the high school years with this diagnosis. They are the first to have
reaped the benefits of the many therapies and interventions, including
medications designed to foster their development or alleviate disturbing
symptoms.  In her groups of young adults with Asperger's, most of whom were
diagnosed in late adolescence or in their early 20s, Dania Jekel of the
Asperger's Association of New England hears many stories of "overwhelming
rage" at the memories of isolation and victimization by bullies during the
middle and high school years.  Research shows that 3 out of 5 teens with
Asperger's report being bullied at school, while 90 percent of their parents
report that their children have been teased. Twenty percent of those studied
changed schools because of bullying and a majority of parents report that no
action was taken by school staff against the bully.  Adolescents with
Asperger's may have additional, co-morbid psychiatric diagnoses such as
Tourette's syndrome, bipolar disorder, attention deficit disorder, anxiety,
depression or eating disorders.  While aggression and physical violence have
not been considered hallmarks of Asperger's, we often hear from parents
about stubbornness, rigidity, and high levels of anxiety. A typical American
high school can be a stressful environment for someone with Asperger's. Many
teens are hostile or indifferent to odd, eccentric peers.  …"

63.  "Rise and rise of autism is a riddle the experts can't crack" dated 30
January 2007 by KEVIN SCHOFIELD from The Scotsman (UK) at
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=154472007.

"By any measure, the rise in autism rates in the past 20 years has been
astronomical. Pre-1990 estimates put the number at about four or five cases
per 10,000 people.  But a study published last year in the medical journal
the Lancet suggested that the condition now affects one person in every
hundred.  Such a huge surge has inevitably led to much speculation about the
cause, but there has not been a definitive answer.  Those in the
traditionalists' camp insist that autism is a genetic condition and that the
increase in cases is down to the fact that the medical profession has got
better at diagnosing it.  But others say that, while that may explain part
of the rise, there must be other reasons, given the enormous scale of the
increase.  Their argument appeared to be given some weight in 1998, when the
Lancet published research linking autism with the triple measles, mumps and
rubella (MMR) vaccine.  Although the paper, by Dr Andrew Wakefield, has
since been discredited, the effects of his claims are still felt today.
Many parents are still reluctant to have their children vaccinated with MMR,
with the result that cases of measles in Scotland are on the increase.  The
most recent figures show there were 26 in 2006 compared to just one the year
before.  The ongoing uncertainty even led to 28 UK paediatricians and
vaccination experts, including Neil McIntosh, a professor of child life and
health at Edinburgh University, to sign an open letter warning of "more
unnecessary deaths" unless the MMR fears were addressed.  Dr Iain McClure, a
consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist based at the Vale of Leven
hospital in Alexandria, is a specialist in autism assessment and
intervention and subscribes to the view that there is no evidence linking
MMR and autism.  He believes that improvements in diagnosis techniques are
behind the apparent rise in autism cases.  But that is not to say that he
has dismissed the suggestions that environmental factors may also have a
part to play, or that he does not believe that continued research is
essential to establish whether or not other factors may be at work.  He
said: "Autism is on the increase, but there are pretty good reasons why that
might be.  "For example, it is probably the case that we are getting better
at identifying autism spectrum problems and we are starting to identify the
more subtle cases.  "It's also the case that more and more people are
becoming autism aware and are referring cases in, so there is actually an
increasing waiting list in Scotland for autism assessments."  Dr McClure
went on: "It's important that we don't have a closed mind on this. It's
important for people to keep asking the questions and to keep doing the
research.  "Parents are worried about this, and if parents are worried,
scientists and clinicians need to pay attention to that worry and not be
seen as dismissing it, because then people start to suspect that there is
some kind of cover-up.  "The problem up until now is that there hasn't been
adequate evidence about other possible causes of autism and so it's about
waiting until that happens, if it ever happens."  One of those who have
questioned the extent to which environmental factors have contributed to the
rise in autism rates is Bill Welsh.  Mr Welsh set up Action Against Autism a
decade ago after his grandson was diagnosed with the condition.  He is
convinced that there is a link between MMR and autism, although he thinks
toxins and pollution in the atmosphere may also be to blame.  The only way
to end the uncertainty, he says, is for the government to launch a
nationwide investigation which would involve every autistic youngster being
tested.  Mr Welsh said: "The explosion of autism diagnosis throughout the
developed world continues to throw an uncomfortable spotlight on the
traditionalists within the autism community who maintain, against the
growing evidence, that the condition is solely genetic in origin. …"

64.  "Barnes and Noble CEO's child discusses her life with Down
syndromeChildren with the genetic, chromosomal disorder need to be included"
dated 30 January 2007 from the Midland Reporter-Telegram at
http://www.mywesttexas.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17781840&BRD=2288&PAG=461&d.

"Some might call 18-year-old Melissa Riggio, daughter of Barnes and Noble
CEO Steve Riggio, just a typical senior.   She often pens poetry. She rides
horses to unwind. And when she graduates, she hopes to be a famous singer.
Of course, to her dad, she's not one bit typical.  "There isn't a day that
goes by since my daughter was born 18 years ago that she doesn't surprise
and amaze me and exceed my expectations," he said.  Those who meet her might
agree she's not typical, but for a different reason.  "When I first started
to work on this story, I thought maybe I shouldn't do it," she explained
last year in a National Geographic Kids article. "I thought you might see
that I have Down syndrome, and that you wouldn't like me."  Down syndrome is
a genetic condition that causes delays in physical and intellectual
development, explains the National Association for Down Syndrome Web site.
It's caused by an extra chromosome, and is characterized by mild to severe
impairment.  Living with it, Melissa Riggio said, can be a challenge.  "I
just want to be like everyone else, so sometimes I wish I could give back
the extra chromosome," she said in the article. "But having Down syndrome is
what makes me 'me.'"  On Feb. 4, visitors to Barnes & Noble can hear about
her experiences with the condition during a special "story time" scheduled
for 4 p.m.  While Riggio won't be present, her words will; employees will
share the article and Charles Silverman, the school psychologist for Ector
County Independent School District, will share some insights.  The reading
will be one of 500 similar events planned at Barnes & Noble stores
throughout the month of February, according to Carolyn Brown, a spokeswoman
for Barnes & Noble.  These events are important, her dad said, because
children like Melissa, (and several in the Permian Basin), "have the same
hopes, dreams and aspirations," Steve Riggio said.  "The challenge comes in
breaking down the barriers that prevent them from reaching their dreams and
aspirations."  Silverman agreed with Riggio, saying incorporating Basin
children with Down syndrome into regular classrooms helps non-disabled
children as well.  "I very much support that; there is loads of research
that shows how positive it can be," he said. "It helps reduce the stigma of
disabilities, and the other kids are learning to help others because they
get into peer teaching, supporting."  The goal of telling Melissa's story
across the country, Steve Riggio said, is to advance inclusion of children
with Down syndrome into "normal" society.  "(Inclusion) begins principally
in education, in working with tools (in) preschool, elementary, middle
school and high school to make sure that our kids are offered the
opportunity for as inclusive an education as possible," he said.  "The
inclusion movement has made a great deal of progress since my daughter was
born 18 years ago," he said. However, he said, "... there is more work to be
done."

65.  "Microsoft previews new development tools- 'Grava' aims to simplify the
creation of educational software" dated 30 January 2007 by Justin Appel from
eSchool News at http://eschoolnews.org/news/showStoryts.cfm?ArticleID=6816.

"Microsoft is developing a new suite of tools that will allow developers and
publishers of educational software, as well as educators themselves, to
create their own instructional programs easily and intuitively, the company
says. Users would control these programs on their computer screens, using a
media player that Microsoft expects will ship with all Windows-based
computers in the near future. The entire software environment is code-named
"Grava."  The Grava development tools, which Microsoft previewed at the
British Education and Training Technology Conference in mid-January, are
meant to stand alone as separate applications. A Grava SDK (Software
Developer Kit) tool is designed for publishers and developers of educational
software, while a different authoring tool will give those with less
programming experience--such as many educators--the ability to create their
own media-rich content to be viewed with the Grava player, Microsoft says.
By introducing these new tools, Microsoft hopes to reduce the time and money
spent creating educational software for schools. Because developers won't
need high-level programming expertise to create Grava-based programs, the
tools could eliminate the common software development cycle in which a
subject-matter expert creates content, then hands it off to a programming
team to write code, which then returns it for more changes, and so on.
Using Grava, "developers can create very rich [educational materials] ... to
make learning much more fun and engaging," says Ravi Soin, product unit
manager for Microsoft's Education Products Group.  With the Grava player,
users reportedly will be able to customize the experiments, surveys, or
tests they are running. If a developer were to create a program
demonstrating a specific law of physics, for example, he or she could set
the features to be customized by educators. Teachers then would have the
ability to tailor the program to their own experiments.  As an incentive for
software developers and publishers to begin using Grava to create programs,
Microsoft has included the software needed to play Grava, the .Net 3.0
Framework, in its newly released Windows Vista operating system. Windows XP
users are able to download .Net 3.0 through Microsoft's web site, said Kapil
Thombare, product manager for the company's ducation Products Group.  In
addition to the developers' and publishers' tools, Grava provides educators
with an authoring tool that lets them create projects to be used on their
own computers, or published online as web applications.  "It's going to be
easy for educators to work with the tool," says Thombare. "Our plan is to
have a certain amount of information up front. Educators can use templates
that would make it much easier to come up with the end result they are
expecting to achieve."  This ease of use is something many believe could be
Grava's greatest attribute.  …"

66.  "CDC memo cites anger, frustration- Staff fears 'things spinning out of
control,' official says" dated 30 January 2007 by Alison Young from The
Atlanta Journal-Constitution at
http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2007/01/30/0130MeshMorale.htm
l?cxntnid=bn013007e.

"Scientists at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention responsible
for protecting Americans from animal- and food-borne diseases have told
agency officials there are "very serious issues" making it difficult to do
their work, according to an internal memo.  Problems cited by employees
include "dilution of our scientific capacities," a critical lack of
resources, systems that don't work well and issues of leadership
effectiveness, according a memo written last month by Lonnie King, director
of CDC's newly created National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and
Enteric Diseases.  In a memo, which reveals the results of interviews with
more than 100 of the center's 900 employees, King wrote: "There is
frustration, anger, and a sense of things spinning out of control ... The
intensity of emotions and commonality of experience across ZVED is both
profound and real."  The memo, which CDC provided at the AJC's request, is
the latest documentation of serious, ongoing problems at the public health
agency, public health and government experts and a U.S. senator said this
week.  Mission at risk?  It comes a year after five former CDC directors
sent a rare joint letter to current CDC Director Julie Gerberding, raising
concerns that turmoil in the agency — including an exodus of key staff
and
poor employee morale — was putting the CDC's scientific mission at risk.
"I think it's evidence that this is more than a morale problem and clearly a
situation that now is affecting the proper functioning of the agency," said
Jeff Levi, executive director of the Trust for America's Health, a
Washington-based watchdog group that evaluates whether state and federal
health agencies are prepared for emergencies.  Based in Atlanta, the CDC has
9,000 employees and about 5,000 contract workers. The employee concerns
detailed in King's memo were drawn from ZVED, one of the agency's major
scientific centers.  "What's particularly interesting is this is a
relatively new center director appointed by Dr. Gerberding and who is now
saying these things publicly," Levi said. "I think that creates some real
issues for Congress to want to look into."  King, former dean of Michigan
State University's College of Veterinary Medicine, became the CDC center's
director six months ago. In an interview Tuesday, King said it was important
to know what's on the minds of his staff so the center can take action to
fix the problems they have control over — and try to psychologically let
go of the things they can't.  "One of the things I learned from this process
is people expect leaders to be open, truthful and straightforward," King
said. "Basically, I shared the issues that were bothering all of us."  The
uncertainty over the agency's reorganization, tight financial resources, a
new and unwieldy government-wide travel system called GovTrip, and a slow
federal hiring process are among the employees' chief concerns, he said.
GovTrip and the hiring problems aren't things CDC can fix, he noted.
Gerberding was unavailable for an interview Tuesday, a spokesman said. In
the past, she has played down the significance of staff complaints as coming
from old-guard employees who have difficulty with change.  …"

67.  "Drugmaker wants law to require STD shot- Girls as young as 11 would
have to be immunized against cervical cancer" dated 30 January 2007 from the
Associated Press at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16891832/.

"Merck & Co. is helping bankroll efforts to pass state laws requiring girls
as young as 11 or 12 to receive the drugmaker’s new vaccine against the
sexually transmitted cervical-cancer virus.  Some conservatives and
parents’-rights groups say such a requirement would encourage premarital sex
and interfere with the way they raise their children, and they say Merck’s
push for such laws is underhanded. But the company said its lobbying efforts
have been above-board.  With at least 18 states debating whether to require
Merck’s Gardasil vaccine for schoolgirls, Merck has funneled money through
Women in Government, an advocacy group made up of female state legislators
around the country.  A top official from Merck’s vaccine division sits on
Women in Government’s business council, and many of the bills around the
country have been introduced by members of Women in Government.  “Cervical
cancer is of particular interest to our members because it represents the
first opportunity that we have to actually eliminate a cancer,” Women in
Government President Susan Crosby said.  Protection against HPV.  Gardasil,
approved by the federal government in June, protects girls and women against
strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV, that are responsible for most
cases of cervical cancer. A government advisory panel has recommended that
all girls get the shots at 11 and 12, before they are likely to be sexually
active.  But no state has yet to add Gardasil to the list of vaccinations
youngsters must have under law to be enrolled in school.  Merck spokeswoman
Janet Skidmore would not say how much the company is spending on lobbyists
or how much it has donated to Women in Government. Crosby also declined to
specify how much the drug company gave.  But Skidmore said: “We disclosed
the fact that we provide funding to this organization. We’re not in any way
trying to obscure that.”  Laws could mean billions in sales.  The New
Jersey-based drug company could generate billions in sales if Gardasil — at
$360 for the three-shot regimen — were made mandatory across the country.
Most insurance companies now cover the vaccine, which has been shown to have
no serious side effects.  Cathie Adams, president of the conservative
watchdog group Texas Eagle Forum, said the relationship between Merck and
Women in Government is too cozy.  “What it does is benefit the
pharmaceutical companies, and I don’t want pharmaceutical companies taking
precedence over the authorities of parents,” she said.  Adams said Merck’s
method of lobbying quietly through groups like Women in Government in
addition to meeting directly with legislators are common in state government
but still should raise eyebrows. “It’s corrupt as far as I’m concerned,”
she
said.  Parents' rights.  A mandatory vaccine against a sexually transmitted
disease could be a tough sell in the Lone Star State and other conservative
strongholds, where schools preach abstinence and parents’ rights are
sacrosanct.  But Merck has doubled its spending on lobbyists in Texas this
year, to between $150,000 and $250,000, as lawmakers consider the vaccine
bill for girls entering the sixth grade.  Also, the drugmaker has hired one
of the state’s most powerful lobbyists, Mike Toomey, who once served as
Republican Gov. Rick Perry’s chief of staff and can influence conservatives
who see him as one of their own.  …"

68.  "Ontario paramedics suspended for refusing flu shots" dated 30 January
2007 from CBC News (Canada) at
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/01/30/vaccine.html.

"Six paramedics in Kingston, Ont., have been suspended without pay for
refusing to accept flu vaccinations.  The County of Frontenac, which
operates ambulances in the region, requires all paramedics to get vaccinated
or take the anti-flu drug Tamiflu during an outbreak such as one currently
underway at a long-term care facility in the region.  The only exception is
for employees who can prove they suffer an allergic reaction from the
vaccine.  The suspended paramedics were unavailable for comment on Monday.
But their union spokesman Smokey Thomas and the region's chief medical
officer of health Dr. Ian Gemmill both said the suspended workers think the
policy is unfair because no other group of health employees are required to
take such measures.  The vaccinations are not required by law, but are
required by policies covering paramedics in most municipalities, said
Gemmill, who heads the Kingston, Frontenac, and Lennox and Addington public
health unit.  "It provides protection. The common side effects are mild and
the severe side effects basically are very uncommon," he said. "To say 'you
can't tell me what do' is not a very good reason when it comes to our
professional, ethical responsibility to our patients."  He added that he
wants Ontario to introduce a law making flu shots mandatory for everyone who
works in the health care field, even though an attempt several years ago to
introduce a similar law targeting paramedics failed due to fierce
opposition.  Meanwhile, chief paramedic Paul Charbonneau assured Kingston
residents that part-time staff, regular staff on overtime and even managers
will fill in for the missing paramedics if needed.  "We want to reassure the
public that we're giving the same level of service that we gave before the
influenza outbreak."

69.  "Sponsor to Pull Measure Mandating HPV Vaccine" dated 31 January 2007
by Ovetta Wiggins
<http://projects.washingtonpost.com/staff/email/ovetta+wiggins/>  from The
Washington Post at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/30/AR2007013001
611.html.

"A bill that would have required middle school girls in Maryland to be
vaccinated against the virus that can cause cervical cancer is being shelved
by its lead sponsor.  Sen. Delores G. Kelley (D-Baltimore County) said
yesterday that she plans today to withdraw legislation that would have
mandated that young girls be vaccinated against human papillomavirus, or
HPV, a sexually transmitted virus.  "It's a timing problem," Kelley said,
without providing more details about her decision to pull the bill.  Kelley
said she probably will reintroduce the bill next session.  The legislation
required sixth-grade girls to be vaccinated against HPV. The requirement
would have gone into effect in September 2008.  Similar measures requiring
the vaccination for girls as young as 11 and 12 are being considered in the
District, Virginia, New Jersey and California.  Maryland's bill offers an
exemption for religious, medical or philosophical reasons.  Kelley's bill
had widespread support in the Senate, with nearly half of the senators
signing on to the legislation. It had yet to be introduced in the House.
Yesterday, some of the co-sponsors said they were surprised to learn that
Kelley was pulling the measure, even though, they said, they could
understand her decision.  "There has been growing controversy about the
vaccine," said Sen. Gwendolyn T. Britt (D-Prince George's), one of 21
senators who signed on to the measures. "Not about what it will accomplish,
but the timeliness of it and the understanding of it being a mandate."
Britt said she received a couple of calls from parents and organizations
criticizing the legislation, raising concerns that the vaccine might
encourage promiscuity.  Cervical cancer afflicts almost 10,000 women a year
in the United States and more than a third of them die from the disease. HPV
affects 20 million Americans ages 15 to 49, but most people fight it off
without knowing they had it.  Britt said she thinks there needs to be more
public awareness about the vaccine.  "It did have support," Britt said of
the number of lawmakers who co-sponsored the legislation. "But I think the
[negative] reaction came unexpectedly. Now I see this as an opportunity to
do more education."  The decision to drop the measure comes as questions are
being raised about drugmaker Merck & Co.'s involvement in getting bills
introduced in Maryland and across the country.  The drug company is a donor
to Women in Government, an advocacy group made up of female state
legislators across the country, and many of the bills have been introduced
by members of Women in Government, the Baltimore Sun reported this week.
Merck has been pushing for state laws mandating the vaccine since the
federal government approved the drug eight months ago. No state has required
the vaccination."

70.  "Merck Lobbies States Over Cancer Vaccine" dated 31 January 2007 from
WFRV5 News at http://wfrv.com/health/health_story_031022103.html.

"Merck & Co. is helping bankroll efforts to pass state laws requiring girls
as young as 11 or 12 to receive the drugmaker's new vaccine against the
sexually transmitted cervical-cancer virus.  Some conservatives and
parents'-rights groups say such a requirement would encourage premarital sex
and interfere with the way they raise their children, and they say Merck's
push for such laws is underhanded. But the company said its lobbying efforts
have been above-board.  With at least 18 states debating whether to require
Merck's Gardasil vaccine for schoolgirls, Merck has funneled money through
Women in Government, an advocacy group made up of female state legislators
around the country.  A top official from Merck's vaccine division sits on
Women in Government's business council, and many of the bills around the
country have been introduced by members of Women in Government.  "Cervical
cancer is of particular interest to our members because it represents the
first opportunity that we have to actually eliminate a cancer," Women in
Government President Susan Crosby said.  Gardasil, approved by the federal
government in June, protects girls and women against strains of the human
papillomavirus, or HPV, that are responsible for most cases of cervical
cancer. A government advisory panel has recommended that all girls get the
shots at 11 and 12, before they are likely to be sexually active.  But no
state has yet to add Gardasil to the list of vaccinations youngsters must
have under law to be enrolled in school.  Merck spokeswoman Janet Skidmore
would not say how much the company is spending on lobbyists or how much it
has donated to Women in Government. Crosby also declined to specify how much
the drug company gave.  But Skidmore said: "We disclosed the fact that we
provide funding to this organization. We're not in any way trying to obscure
that."  The New Jersey-based drug company could generate billions in sales
if Gardasil — at $360 for the three-shot regimen — were made mandatory
across the country. Most insurance companies now cover the vaccine, which
has been shown to have no serious side effects.  Cathie Adams, president of
the conservative watchdog group Texas Eagle Forum, said the relationship
between Merck and Women in Government is too cozy.  "What it does is benefit
the pharmaceutical companies, and I don't want pharmaceutical companies
taking precedence over the authorities of parents," she said.  Adams said
Merck's method of lobbying quietly through groups like Women in Government
in addition to meeting directly with legislators are common in state
government but still should raise eyebrows. "It's corrupt as far as I'm
concerned," she said.  A mandatory vaccine against a sexually transmitted
disease could be a tough sell in the Lone Star State and other conservative
strongholds, where schools preach abstinence and parents' rights are
sacrosanct.  …"

71.  "Antipsychotic Drug Controls Some Symptoms In Autism Disorder" dated 31
January 2007 in a press release from Center for the Advancement of Health
<http://www.cfah.org>  at
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070130123241.htm.

"Risperidone, a drug used to control schizophrenia symptoms, may also help
treat behaviors found in autism spectrum disorder, according to a new review
of studies.  The reviewers looked at three randomized, placebo-controlled
studies of risperidone (Risperdal) involving 211 participants, including 31
adults.  "[We found] that risperidone may be beneficial for various aspects
of autism including irritability, repetition and hyperactivity," said
researchers led by Dr. Ora Jesner of the University of Bristol, in England.
But the drug's benefits may be offset by its side effects, with weight gain
the most prominent.  Often diagnosed within the first three years of life,
autism spectrum disorder leads to difficulties with social relationships,
language and communication skills. Symptoms include withdrawal from social
interactions, irritability, problems communicating and repetitive behaviors.
It is known as a "spectrum" disorder because there is a wide variation in
how it affects individuals. Figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention show that as many as 1.5 million Americans may have
some form of the disorder.  "Autism spectrum disorder affects many families
worldwide," Jesner said. "At present many of the interventions available are
not evidence-based." He said he and co-author Dr. Mehrnoosh Aref-Adib
"wanted to analyze the evidence for one important antipsychotic [drug] used
for the condition."  The review appears in the latest issue of The Cochrane
Library, a publication of The Cochrane Collaboration, an international
organization that evaluates medical research. Systematic reviews draw
evidence-based conclusions about medical practice after considering both the
content and quality of existing medical trials on a topic.  Because of the
small number of studies, wide range of different scales used to assess
outcomes and sizes of the trials themselves, the researchers were only able
to look at how well the patients responded for the three specific symptoms
of irritability, repetitive movement and social withdrawal.  In addition to
weight gain, significant side effects included involuntary muscle movements.
As the studies were of short duration, long-term side effects and usefulness
remain unknown. Since risperidone does not cure the disorder and may have to
be continued for a long period of time, this is an important missing piece.
Susan Levy, M.D., director of the Regional Autism Center at The Children's
Hospital of Philadelphia, said that the authors' weak support for the
medication in the conclusion surprised her.  "The researchers seemed to be
lukewarm towards their positive findings," said Levy, who was not involved
with the study. "From my personal experience, this medication can be quite
helpful for behavioral difficulties."  The Cochrane reviewers and Levy
stress that parents and caregivers should be careful about expecting too
much from the medication when talking about this treatment with their
doctors. Not all behavioral problems can be helped with risperidone and both
side effects and improvements from the drug should be considered.  "As ASD
is diagnosed at a young age and these short trials lack long-term data,
parents or caregivers need to be aware it is not known how long the
medication needs to be continued â€" potentially for a lifetime," the
researchers said. "This is particularly important given the side effects."
Levy termed risperidone "a more serious medication" that she would reserve
for more serious difficulties.  "It needs to be stressed to the parents and
others that this is not a cure for autism or for the core symptoms of ASD,"
Levy said. "But it works well for some of the associated problems."

72 . "CPR, 911 call for youth were delayed- Bowling Brook staff believed boy
feigned sleep while unconscious, school reports" dated 31 January 2007 by
Gadi Dechter and Greg Garland from the Baltimore Sun at
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.juvenile31jan31,0,5247654.s
tory.

"When a youth at the Bowling Brook Preparatory School lost consciousness
last week while being restrained by staff, workers delayed administering CPR
or calling for an ambulance because they believed he was pretending to be
asleep, according to a report sent by the school to the Maryland Department
of Juvenile Services.  When the paramedics were finally summoned,
17-year-old Isaiah Simmons was rushed to Carroll Hospital Center, where he
was pronounced dead.  Bowling Brook's account of the efforts by staff to
restrain Simmons for at least three hours is contained in a required report
to the juvenile services agency, which placed Simmons in the residential
program for juvenile offenders. The report, released yesterday, describes in
clinical terms the hours of restraint and what happened when Simmons lost
consciousness.  " [In] time, [Simmons] stopped struggling and became
nonresponsive," the report says. "The collective thinking of intervening
staff and students was that [Simmons] was feigning sleep.  "Simmons] was
then raised from the prone position to the seated and brought outside, for
staff to assess and check vital signs. Within minutes, [Simmons] was
returned back in to the house for staff to administer CPR as the ambulance
was simultaneously called."  Medical experts say it can be dangerous to
delay even for few minutes beginning cardiopulmonary resuscitation or
calling an ambulance.  "It's been well documented that the sooner you start
CPR, the better the chances are that patients will survive," Eric J.
Beauvois, an emergency room physician at St. Joseph Medical Center in
Baltimore, said yesterday. "The sooner you can get the paramedics involved
and the sooner you can get the patient in the hospital, the better. All
those will increase your chance of resuscitation. A matter of minutes can
make a difference."  Bowling Brook's report provides the first detailed
description by the school of the Jan. 23 incident that ended with Simmons'
death. It differs significantly in tone from the vivid account given by
Ronnell Williams, 18, one of at least six Bowling Brook students who
witnessed the incident.  "They grabbed [Simmons] and slammed his ass down,"
Williams said yesterday in an interview. "He was face down ... eagle-spread,
his arms was out and his legs, too," he said. "There were five staff. One on
each leg, one on each arm, and one had his knees on [Simmons'] back."  "He
told them he was hurting," Williams said. "He told them he couldn't breathe.
Nobody wanted to believe him."  At least three other student eyewitnesses
have given similar accounts to their lawyers, including statements that
staff "sat on" Simmons as they restrained him, according to the Maryland
public defender's office.  Bowling Brook, through its public relations
agency, released a statement last night expressing confidence that the
Carroll County sheriff's investigation into the death "will reveal that
Bowling Brook's procedures were appropriate, that our staff acted in
accordance with our procedures and in a manner consistent with Maryland
law."  In response to allegations that staff have restrained students by
sitting or kneeling on them, the school "categorically" denied that workers
ever sat or knelt on the "head or torso" of Isaiah Simmons. The statement
did not address allegations that staff sat on Simmons' back, as Williams and
others have claimed.  School officials said that their staff training
program meets or exceeds legal requirements in Maryland, including in the
use of physical restraint, and that the "vast majority" of staff have
four-year college degrees. The counselors involved in the incident with
Simmons were "senior staff of the highest caliber with advanced training,"
the statement said.  While the state medical examiner has not determined the
cause of Simmons' death, one medical authority says it appears to fit the
general pattern for what is known as "positional asphyxia."  That can occur
when a person is being restrained after a period of intense physical
exertion, and is positioned on his stomach with weight applied to the back,
said Harry J. MacDannald, a pulmonary and critical care physician at John
Muir Hospital in Walnut Creek, Calif.  "What happens is when individuals
struggle for long periods of time, their muscles become fatigued," said
MacDannald, who has studied positional asphyxia. "They get respiratory
muscle fatigue. If they are then placed face down, when the person breathes,
their chest is compressed. It takes even more work to breathe under those
circumstances. Eventually, they just stop breathing."  …"

73.  "IDEA Imposes Hefty Data Burden on States" dated 31 January 2007 by
Christina A. Samuels </ew/contributors/christina.samuels.html>  from
Education Week at
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2007/01/31/21speced.h26.html.

"In December 2005, a year after President Bush signed the latest version of
the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act into law, states were each
required to craft a self-evaluation framework of “measurable and rigorous”
targets for improving the academic progress of students with disabilities.
By this week, the states must submit a massive amount of data to the federal
government explaining how well they met the standards they set for
themselves—and continuing a process that has prompted major changes to the
way states monitor such students.  The Feb. 1 deadline is for annual
performance reports and state performance plans, both created under the 2004
reauthorization of the IDEA. The reports will include information on 20
different “indicator” areas for the part of the federal special education
law that focuses on 3- to 21-year-olds, also known as Part B of the IDEA.
The indicators cover such matters as graduation rates, dropout rates,
overrepresentation of minorities in special education, and postsecondary
outcomes for students with disabilities.  States must also submit data and
judge their performance on 14 indicators related to infants and toddlers
with disabilities, who are covered by Part C of the law.  In December 2005,
a year after President Bush signed the latest version of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act into law, states were each required to craft
a self-evaluation framework of “measurable and rigorous” targets for
improving the academic progress of students with disabilities.  By this
week, the states must submit a massive amount of data to the federal
government explaining how well they met the standards they set for
themselves—and continuing a process that has prompted major changes to the
way states monitor such students.  The Feb. 1 deadline is for annual
performance reports and state performance plans, both created under the 2004
reauthorization of the IDEA. The reports will include information on 20
different “indicator” areas for the part of the federal special education
law that focuses on 3- to 21-year-olds, also known as Part B of the IDEA.
The indicators cover such matters as graduation rates, dropout rates,
overrepresentation of minorities in special education, and postsecondary
outcomes for students with disabilities.  States must also submit data and
judge their performance on 14 indicators related to infants and toddlers
with disabilities, who are covered by Part C of the law.  Some of the
indicators are based on data states have had to collect for some time, like
graduation rates, though the format for reporting the data may have changed.
For those indicators, states will be submitting annual performance reports
showing their progress toward a target by Feb. 1.  In other cases, states
are reporting data for the first time, such as for postsecondary outcomes
for students with disabilities. In those cases, states are being asked to
submit their “state performance plans,” which will tell the Department of
Education how they plan to collect the data, and the targets they plan to
meet.  Some of the data-collection requirements have been carried forward
from the 1997 version of the special education law. But new methods of
analyzing the information have required a thorough overhaul of how states
collect, compile, and analyze data on students with disabilities.  The 2004
mandate “is so big, it has redefined part of the core work of the state
education agency,” said Jacquelyn J. Thompson, the state director of special
education in Michigan.  …"

74.  "Glaxo Changes Vaccine to Take Out a Controversial Preservative" dated
31 January 2007 by Catherine Larkin from Bloomberg.com at
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=a5J5f8OKMj1g&refer=uk.

"GlaxoSmithKline Plc, Europe's largest drugmaker, plans to begin selling a
new formula of its Pediarix vaccine for children that doesn't contain
preservatives that some parents fear may trigger autism.  The U.S. Food and
Drug Administration approved Glaxo's request to change labeling for the new
shot to say that it is free of preservatives, according to a letter posted
today on the agency's Web site. Some parents and advocacy groups have raised
concerns that thimerosal, a preservative containing mercury, may cause some
children who are vaccinated to develop autism.  The FDA has been working
with vaccine makers since at least 1999 to reduce or eliminate thimerosal,
although health officials maintain that a link to autism hasn't been
scientifically proven. Autism is an umbrella term for a range of
developmental and communications disorders that affect as many as six of
every 1,000 children in North America.  Glaxo removed trace amounts of the
preservative in its new Pediarix formula and plans to phase in the new
products ``in the near future,'' said Jennifer Armstrong, a spokeswoman for
the London-based company.  ``Our re-formulation has been made in response to
public concern,'' Armstrong said today in a telephone interview. ``It's a
very minor change.''  Pediarix is the only FDA-approved combination vaccine
to treat five childhood diseases. The vaccine is given in three doses and
protects infants from diphtheria, tetanus, polio, whooping cough and
hepatitis B. About 21 million doses of Pediarix have been given in the U.S.
since 2003.  Thimerosal has been used in drug products since the 1930s to
prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi, according to the FDA's Web site."

75.  "Looking for Danny DeVito: An Autism Mother's View of The View
<http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-fischkin/looking-for-danny-devito_b_4
0145.html> " dated 31 January 2007 by Barbara Fischkin in The Huffington
Post blog at
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/barbara-fischkin/looking-for-danny-devito_b_40
145.html.

"Our 19-year-old son, Daniel, is tall and handsome with a half smile like
Popeye. When he flashes it, people fall in love. Their hearts break, too.
Daniel suffers from Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, a rare form of
late-onset autism. But autism all the same. He's one of the many victims of
this current, devastating epidemic.  And his story is both eerily familiar
yet puzzlingly unusual in its specifics. This is not news. If autists were
all the same, autism might be easier to cure.  My husband and I used to be
foreign correspondents and so it made sense that at the age of three Daniel,
born in Mexico City and then transplanted with us 18 months later to Asia,
spoke English in a "communicative, appropriate" fashion, along with some
Spanish, Cantonese and Tagalog. But by three and a half he had lost all his
language. He has barely spoken a word since.  Perhaps not the worst thing in
the world.  Except that Dan was never able to replace speech with any other
form of communication, although we have tried, and are still trying, many
methods. Combine this with the fact that we believe he has retained or
re-discovered much of the basic intelligence he had as a toddler, and then
gained some and you have a recipe for some dreadful behaviors borne out of
frustration. No, not all the time. If a joke is made in the kitchen - and
our family does pride itself on sophisticated wit, some days we wonder if
that is all we have left - and Dan is upstairs in a faraway room, we hear
him laugh on cue. Often though, he has things he'd like to say, or worse,
needs to say, and cannot chime in. Wildly angry, he tries to hurt himself or
others. Or break something. Or he obsesses over ropes. And when it comes to
"ropes," our Dan is not particular. Electrical wiring, garden hoses, window
shade strings. They all are ropes.  It was for Dan that I watched The View
Monday morning, which devoted an entire hour program to autism.  As the show
began, I imagined what it would have been like if Dan and some of his
compadres were on as well. Yes, they would all react differently. But at
least one of them would scream because the lights made too much "noise."
Another would run into the audience, perhaps out the door. Yet another would
simply take off his clothes. And Dan? He'd probably dismantle a camera or
two, his television career be damned.  So when Rosie began to bring out
families and their kids with autism, one overriding thought ran though my
head.  At least one of these kids, I said to myself, is going to make Danny
DeVito look like a perfect angel.  But none of them did. They were, in fact,
the best behaved autistic kids I have seen this side of a
three-teachers-to-one-student-ratio-behavior-modification-geared classroom
overflowing with gallons of Skiddles and other "rewards."  "Rosie," I said
to the television set. "Did you glue those kids to their seats?"  She glared
out, as she sometimes does. "Only kidding, Rosie," I said. To be honest,
some of them looked like what we in the autism community call "pretty
involved," - a euphemism for the fact that they are, basically, screwed.
None of them, though, were out there long enough to do anything really
autistic.  …"

76.  "'We're all still traumatized'- Upland teenager's experience sheds
light on bullying today" dated 31 January 2007 by Lori Consalvo from the
Ontario Daily Bulletin (Canada) at
http://www.dailybulletin.com/sports/ci_5122890.

"The days of school bullies demanding milk money are long gone.  Instead,
students have to deal with insults, torment and even violence.  Sandra Gibbs
had to learn that the hard way.  On Nov. 1, her 15-year-old son Jason, who
has a high functioning form of autism, was brutally beaten in an Upland High
School boy's bathroom.  "We're all still traumatized, thinking about the
entrapment," Sandra Gibbs said.  The Gibbs' story is not unheard of. Bullies
continue to have an effect on school campuses and homes alike.  According to
a report by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, 28 percent of 12- to
18-year-old students reported having been bullied at school within a
six-month period in 2005.  Of these students, 58 percent said that the
bullying had happened once or twice during the six months; 25 percent had
experienced bullying once or twice a month; 11 percent reported having been
bullied once or twice a week; and 8 percent said they had been bullied
almost daily.  "This is not just an Upland problem," said Jason's father,
Tom Gibbs. "This is a nationwide problem."  The survey also reported that in
2005, of those students who said they were being bullied, 24 percent said
that they had sustained an injury as a result.  That is what happened in
Jason's situation three months ago.  The freshman said that four boys
approached him as he was leaving campus and threatened to fight him right
there. One of them, whom Jason considered a friend, convinced him to walk
back to the bathroom where he would be safe.  "He said, `Jason, let's talk
in the bathroom,' so I went with him," Jason said. "Stupid me."  When he got
into the bathroom, Jason says he was ambushed by 15 to 20 students. He said
one boy held him on the ground by his neck and hit him on his face and head
several times with a hand with a cast.  "Man, I thought they were going to
kill me," Jason said.  Jason spent that night in a hospital emergency room,
getting CT scans and neurological evaluations. He had a concussion, facial
contusions, a sprained neck and some hearing loss in his right ear.  Shortly
after the fight, the Gibbses were told about Upland High's policy in dealing
with bullies and fights on campus.  But the family does not believe the
proper procedures were followed in the case of their son.  "The schools are
so concerned with their image, they want this all to go away," Sandra Gibbs
said.  The Gibbses say they are considering legal action to cover costs of
medical bills.  The family says school officials ruled that the fight was
"mutual combat" because Jason accepted the invitation to the bathroom. Part
of the blame was placed on him and he was suspended for one day. Another
student was expelled.  "There are consequences (for fighting), including
suspension and Saturday school," said Patty Fraijo, director of discipline
and attendance at Upland High.  Prior to the fight, Jason said he was
harassed by the boys who ended up hurting him. Although he alerted his
teacher about the problem, he said no one was sent to talk it out.  Despite
the incident last year, Fraijo said size and demographics of the school are
under control.  "Even if you walk through our campus, you won't see kids
picking on kids," she said. "It's not to say it doesn't happen, but that's
just part of life - kids just being kids."  The Gibbs family said the school
is not admitting to the amount of violence that actually occurs.  "Kids at
school aren't safe," Jason said. "Every single day I would see at least
three fights, where at least one was big."  Since he was suspended, Jason
has not been back to school. Instead, a teacher from Upland High comes to
his home for a few hours daily.  "(Jason's) life has been interrupted," said
his mother. "(Jason) doesn't want to be at the mall or at school because he
is afraid of running into the boys."  The Gibbses are still concerned about
Upland High's policy on fighting and its effect on any other students.
"What's it going to take to get someone to do something?" Sandra Gibbs
said."

77.  "Life sentence for a teen killer?" dated 1 February 2007 in a Amesbury
News editorial at
http://www.townonline.com/amesbury/opinion/8998962072876220415.

"Lincoln and Sudbury are still coming to grips with a senseless act of
violence that has left two families reeling — and set many more to thinking
about juveniles and justice.  While the families of James Alenson and John
Odgren both command sympathy, there is no equivalence between victim and
perpetrator. Odgren, 16, has been charged with stabbing Alenson, 15, to
death in a bathroom at Lincoln-Sudbury High School, and he will be punished.
There has already been ample discussion about what motivated Odgren,
including the theory put forward by his defense attorney blaming the
outburst on Asperger’s syndrome, a type of autism, and the medication used
to treat it. The suggestion is offensive to many parents of special needs
children who pose no threat to their classmates, but, like many excuses put
forward by attorneys whose clients have been caught red-handed, this one
should not be taken too seriously.  What deserves serious discussion,
however, is the punishment Odgren faces. Under Massachusetts law, he must be
tried as an adult and, if convicted, imprisoned for a mandatory life
sentence.  Is life in prison a just punishment in this case? Might this
young man be better served by a shorter sentence, therapy and a second
chance? Under the law, those questions have no relevance.  It wasn’t always
the case. Up until 1991, juvenile killers were often released when they
turned 21. But the law was changed to provide a 20-year sentence for
juvenile homicide.  In the mid-1990s, the law was changed again, sparked by
warnings of a new generation of “superpredator” teen hitmen and the grisly
murder of a Somerville woman by Eddie O’Brien, her 15-year-old neighbor. The
superpredator teens criminologists predicted never appeared — violent crime
was already receding, it turns out — but the Legislature took discretion
away from judges anyway. Anyone over 14 charged with first- or second-degree
murder must be charged and sentenced as an adult.  But they aren’t adults.
Even teens who look fully grown lack the mental capacity of adults.
Neuro-science confirms it: Brain scans of teen-agers show that the parts of
the brain associated with understanding the consequences of their actions
simply don’t light up until they reach their 20s.  We have a separate
criminal code for juveniles for just that reason. Children who don’t know
better cannot be as culpable as adults, and young offenders have a good
chance of maturing into responsible adults. Treating them like hardened
criminals with no chance of rehabilitation makes no sense.  If convicted,
James Odgren should be punished and his mental problems treated. But he
isn’t a superpredator or a career criminal. Nor is he an adult, whatever the
law says. There is no justice in a law that prevents judges and juries from
determining an appropriate sentence for a crime such as this."

78.  "MMR doctor says: Treat autism with diet and drugs" dated 2 February
2007 from This Is London magazine (UK)  at
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23384181-details/MMR%20doctor%20s
ays:%20Treat%20autism%20with%20diet%20and%20drugs/article.do.

"The controversial doctor who started the MMR scare will return to Britain
this week to issue a stark new warning about autism and claim many child
victims don't need psychiatric help.  Dr Andrew Wakefield will claim that
thousands of children with autism should not be receiving psychiatric help,
but should be treated with drugs and a change in diet.  His assertion will
anger the Government and doctors, who are desperate to draw a line under
claims by Dr Wakefield in 1998 that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine
was linked to autism and bowel disease.  Dr Wakefield will tell a conference
on autism in Bournemouth that many children receive inappropriate care
because it is largely considered a neurological condition. He is convinced
that many are suffering from the bowel condition autistic enterocolitis and
could be relieved of their symptoms - both physical and behavioural - if
doctors were willing to treat it 'properly'.  He claims a climate of fear
among doctors after the MMR controversy means few are willing to consider a
link between autism and bowel disease.  The National Autistic Society says
that some doctors are unaware of the treatment options. But it warns there
is no established link between autism and bowel conditions.  "Most children
diagnosed with autism tend to receive a psychological or behavioural
programme because no other medical condition is indicated," said Richard
Mills, director of research at the charity.  Dr Wakefield's rare trip back
to Britain from America to speak at the Autism Is Treatable conference -
funded by the parents of autistic children - comes amid growing criticism of
his work.   At least 31 studies have found no association between MMR and
autism and he has been ostracised by the medical profession.  But Dr
Wakefield, who faces a General Medical Council hearing into his conduct this
year, remains convinced there is a link.  He said: "The view among the
medical profession is that autism is an incurable, untreatable problem,
which it is not. The treatment is largely in the domain of psychiatrists.
"But it is not a psychiatric disease and it is not just a neurological
disease. It is a disease that affects the brain rather than being simply a
brain disease.  "A lot of the children's behaviour is linked to the pain
they suffer. The children do something entirely appropriate for someone in
pain whose ability to communicate is impaired.  "The changes we found in the
intestines of some autistic children can be treated using diet or
conventional anti-inflammatory drugs. When they are treated, a lot of the
intestinal and behavioural problems are resolved.  "However, many children
diagnosed with autism are not getting the treatment they need and, if they
are, it is clandestine. There is a real fear among the medical profession
about becoming involved in this whole area."  …"

79.  "Restraint called common at school- Youths describe practices at
facility where boy died" dated 2 February 2007 by Greg Garland and Annie
Linskey from the Baltimore Sun at
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.juvenile02feb02,0,2093793.stor
y?coll=bal-local-headlines.

"As authorities continued to investigate the death of a youth who was being
restrained at the Bowling Brook Preparatory School, four young men held
there said the school's staff routinely restrained students - sometimes for
hours and for minor infractions.  The accounts by the four youths, all
juvenile offenders, describe practices that conflict with what state
policies and experts say are the proper and widely accepted methods of
physically controlling unruly youths. The use of physical restraint should
be brief and done only as a last resort to keep a youth from injuring
himself or someone else, state officials say.  In separate interviews with
The Sun, one youth said he was held to the ground by Bowling Brook staff for
four hours as punishment for talking during a meal.  Another said he was
restrained four times in his 18 months at the school. A third described the
restraint of students as "a regular occurrence" and estimated that he saw it
happen once a week.  Three of the four complained that when they were
restrained, they had had trouble breathing while being held down.  Officials
at Bowling Brook, a privately run residential program for juvenile
offenders, declined to comment yesterday on the youths' allegations. The
young men were interviewed outside Baltimore's juvenile court as they were
released to home detention.  The four were among at least 40 youths who have
been removed from Bowling Brook at the request of the Maryland public
defender's office since the death last week of Isaiah Simmons, 17, who lost
consciousness after being restrained by staff for more than three hours.  At
least four youths who witnessed the attack have said staff members "sat on"
Simmons while he was held facedown on the ground, according to the Maryland
public defender. Two witnesses have told The Sun that Simmons complained
during the incident that he couldn't breathe.  The school has said in a
written statement that its handling of Simmons was proper.  An expert who
teaches restraint techniques to state workers said the training emphasizes
that "no weight should be applied" to a youth held facedown in a prone
position. "No program will say sit or kneel on them," said Danny Martinez of
Jireh Consulting and Training in Albuquerque, N.M. He said most incidents of
restraint last one to five minutes.  His firm has been teaching the Maryland
Department of Juvenile Services employees who train workers at state-run
facilities for about five years but is not involved with any training
program at the privately run Bowling Brook.  Youths who were interviewed
yesterday described witnessing or being subjected to lengthy periods of
restraint.  Maurice Holmes, 18, said he was held to the ground for four
hours the first time he was restrained. "It felt like I was going to die,"
he said. "I'm blowing snot out my nose. I'm saying, 'I can't breathe, I
can't breathe.'"  Raymond Aur, 17, said he saw people restrained almost
every day during his 10 months at Bowling Brook.  He said he was restrained
in a seated position three times and on the ground four times. In July, he
said, he was restrained for four hours because he disobeyed orders and spoke
during a meal. He said workers took him outside and pressed his face into
fresh-cut grass. His face was covered with bruises and cuts, he said, and at
one point he urinated on himself.  Aur said that three staff members held
him down and that the men worked in shifts so that when one got tired,
another would take his place. After they released him, Aur said, the guards
told him that he had been restrained for four hours - and now "owed" the
school four hours of work.  He said he had pain in his arms that continued
until the next day, when the staff took him to the hospital. His mother,
Sheila Aur, showed a reporter a hospital bill for $386 that was sent to her.
The description is for "services for Raymond D. Aur rendered at Carroll
Hospital Center" on July 17.  Sheila Aur said that when she visited her son
that weekend, he "looked like he'd been beaten by 10 people. ... They said
that Ray had been restrained for a long time."  While the state Department
of Juvenile Services allows workers at its state-run facilities to use
facedown restraint, some programs prohibit that because of the potential to
cause harm.  …":

80.  "'Autistic diet' getting a closer look- Wheat-, dairy-free plan proving
successful for some" dated 3 February 2007 by Cherie Black from the Seattle
Post-Intelligencer at
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/health/302360_olympichouse03.html.

"When he was 3 years old, Matthew Sebastian was diagnosed with autism.  Four
years later, he began having seizures, which are much more common in
autistic children than in the broader population. Doctors told his parents
that by the time their son reached puberty, his seizures would get worse and
he would have to wear a helmet to protect his head.  High doses of two
prescription anti-seizure medications controlled the attacks, but the
effects of his autism still kept the small boy in constant motion. He slept
poorly and displayed multiple violent daily outbursts, which eventually made
him too dangerous to himself and his family to live at home.  Sebastian
moved from Federal Way to a home in Seattle, which cared for autistic
children in a residential setting. It was there, at the age of 10, that he
received what his mother calls the treatment that saved her son's life.
Dubbed by some as the "autism diet," it is a gluten- and casein-free way of
eating, often used by people diagnosed with the digestive disorder celiac
disease. Gluten products such as wheat, rye and barley are eliminated, as
are dairy products, which contain the protein casein.  For eight weeks,
Sebastian was weaned off of his anti-seizure medication and placed on the
diet. Now 20, he has been seizure-free and drug-free for the past 10 years.
His violent behavior stopped.  "Matthew is the complete opposite of what he
was before," said his mother Janet Sebastian. "That's why the diet works.
His behaviors decreased dramatically over the years and now he's positive
and happy."  Why the diet seems to work isn't completely understood. One
theory involves the "leaky gut syndrome," in which the autistic child's body
isn't able to process proteins found in wheat and dairy products, said Gary
Stobbe, medical director of Seattle's Autism Spectrum Treatment and Research
Center, a non-profit organization that diagnoses, treats and manages people
with autism. The undigested chunks of protein get into the bloodstream and
affect the brain. Another theory is the body's immune system is reacting to
the proteins in the body.  "Nothing is determined for certain, and there is
no set approach with the diet," he said. "In my practice, it is something we
encourage in younger kids or if we see a kid not making progress with more
conventional therapies."  …"

81.  "A mother's battle against mercury" dated 3 February 2007 by TONY HOLT
from Hernando Today at http://www.hernandotoday.com/MGBE2H8MQXE.html.

"Mikey was oblivious to the racket coming from the other side of the glass a
few inches from his face.  His mother, Barbara Lupo, had parked her car in
the parking lot of the Spring Hill Wal-Mart and had walked to the rear
passenger side door. She playfully tapped on the window to get Mikey to
laugh.  But Mikey did not react. He did not even turn his head. Lupo knocked
again and again, each time banging the glass harder with her knuckles while
screaming Mikey’s name.  She unbuckled her 15-month-old son, pulled him out
of the car, held him in her arms and tried to establish eye contact, but he
was unresponsive.  “I was a panicked wreck,” Lupo said. “It’s like he
had
lost his personality.”  The abrupt change in Mikey’s behavior, his mother
said, occurred less than 24 hours after he had been given his immunizations
for the measles, mumps, rubella and Hepatitis B.  At the time, she thought
something was wrong with his hearing. She called her husband and the two
decided he should go to a Tampa-area clinic for some tests.  “I thought, ‘Oh
my God, he is going to need a hearing aid for the rest of his life,’” Lupo
recalled. “Now I wish that was all he would have needed.”  After medical
specialists discovered nothing wrong with his hearing, Lupo took her son to
three different physicians seeking answers. Three months after his
vaccinations, he was diagnosed with autism and mental retardation.  Lupo
disputes the latter diagnosis, based on her son’s development. He is 10
years old and is functioning better than most expected, she said. He has an
acute sense of direction, can read at a rudimentary level and can safely
ride a bike.  Mikey is also drawn to more hands-on activities that require
tools. Earlier this week, his mother took him shopping at a local hardware
store. They walked out carrying nearly $70 worth of items.  “Trust me, it
wasn’t funny,” Lupo said with a heavy dose of dry humor. “My husband
wanted
to kill me afterwards.”  In spite of his improvements, Mikey’s autism
remains a significant handicap. The most obvious signs of his disorder occur
daily. His behavior can change in a matter of seconds, from mild-mannered to
ferocious.  His tantrums involve more than screaming and crying. Mikey is a
bulky child who could easily injure anyone who gets in the way of his
flailing arms and balled fists.  Lupo has suffered from dislocated
shoulders, a dislocated wrist and a dislocated hip while trying to calm her
son during his frenzies.  “He’s strong as an ox when he has those rages,”
she said.  One day last month, Lupo was in the front yard with Mikey trying
to keep him occupied with an outdoor light she had bought for him at the
Home Depot. He wanted to hang it in his room. His mother was tightening a
screw, trying to attach the base of the light to a small square of dry wall,
but was having difficulty.  Mikey grew impatient. He immediately snapped
into another tantrum, shaking his head back and forth and screaming at the
top of his lungs. Spittle was flying out of his mouth. He raised his hands
over his head and it looked like he was about to slam his fists downward,
but Lupo did not flinch.  She sat inches away from him, glared at him with a
stern look on her face said, “Listen to me. No, don’t do that. Daddy will be
home soon.  Mikey looked into his mother’s eyes and settled down. He still
had saliva on his chin.  “Wipe your mouth please,” Lupo said.  Mikey brought
his arm to his face and wiped his chin with the sleeve of his sweatshirt.
…"

82.  "Ups and downs just part of life with three autistic kids in family"
dated 3 February 2007 by Dave Deibert  from The StarPhoenix (Canada) at
http://www.canada.com/components/print.aspx?id=a19d1d41-96f6-42ad-99d6-316a9
dc761bb.

"There are times you would never know.  When Levi, 5, runs around the
basement laughing, playing and smiling, he looks like any kid his age. When
sister Lexi, soon to be four, tries to sing along as The Lion King plays on
the nearby television, or when Lucas, Lexi's twin brother, lets loose his
irresistible giggle, you question how they could be different from some
other children. But then there are those moments where it's impossible not
to see: Levi lines toy blocks perfectly straight throughout the house and
gets angry if anyone touches them; Lexi goes into an uncontrollable,
45-minute fit of rage that she doesn't remember mere seconds after; and
Lucas remains silent, yet to say a single word in nearly four years.  BJ and
Andy Diduck have learned to take the good with the bad. That's part of being
a parent under any circumstance. But their situation is vastly different
from most.  All three of their children are autistic.  Levi was slow to
develop, though not so much that Andy and BJ were pushing the panic button.
But when Levi was 18 months old and he still wasn't developing, they started
to worry. Levi was three when a child development psychologist finally
diagnosed him.  As Lucas got older, BJ and Andy noticed similarities between
him and Levi at the same age, so they had Lucas assessed. When he was
diagnosed as autistic, the doctors look at Lexi as well. The verdict was the
same.  "I had to take time off work to get my head around the fact this
journey we're on is so not what we had visualized in our head," said BJ.  At
first, the two went through an admitted "stage of mourning (for the kids')
futures." Soon, though, they came to grips, knowing that attitude wouldn't
benefit their kids. One thing that would help was knowledge.  Autism is a
neurological disorder that affects a person's development and the way the
brain processes information. According to the Autism Society of Canada,
roughly one in 200 children are born with autism. Typical characteristics
include problems with communication and social interaction, along with
unusual behaviour, activities and interests. Symptoms such as aggression,
extreme sensitivities or poor language development can range from mild to
severe.  Andy and BJ were able to get information from books. The real life
lessons, however, had to be learned first-hand.  After the kids had a
collective tantrum while grocery shopping, BJ started keeping bubbles in her
purse to keep them entertained in such situations.  Finding services wasn't
easy. It took more than year from the time Levi was first examined to when
he started to receive services. For a family desperate for help, it was a
long, frustrating wait.  "That's the main issue going on in Saskatchewan
right now. It affects everything," said Brenda Pedscalny, senior consultant
at Regina's Autism Resource Centre.  Andy and BJ discovered the importance
of having the kids on as much of a routine as possible; anything new or
drastic can set development back months.  They learned different ways of
communicating, including using sign language and hand signals.  They
uncovered an idea to help Lucas eat better. He used to shovel food into his
mouth but, because he had little use of his tongue, he couldn't move the
food around to chew. As a result, he'd chew as much as he could, reach into
his mouth to move the food around and then chew some more. To train him to
use his tongue, his parents would put a raisin in the corner of his mouth
and hold his hands, forcing him to move the raisin with his tongue.  Along
the way, they joined a study that has identified regions of DNA that could
be related to autism. As part of the study at Washington University School
of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., the research team is looking both at siblings
with autism and twins with autism.  The researchers are studying families
and looking for characteristics that normally aren't considered autistic but
have connections to autism risk. They have evidence showing that parents who
would not be diagnosed as autistic, or even be considered abnormal, can have
slight impairments and genetic tendencies that cause autism when occurring
in certain combinations.  Andy and BJ also found help from a group known as
Autism Times Three or More. They were only the 26th parents to sign up in
North America.  …"

83.  "HPV Vaccine Mandates Risky And Expensive" dated 3 February 2007 in a
press release from the National Vaccine Information Center at
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=62176.

"The National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC), the nation's leading
vaccine safety and informed consent advocacy organization, is urging state
legislatures to investigate the safety and cost of mandating Merck's HPV
vaccine (GARDASIL) for all pre- adolescent girls before introducing
legislation amending state vaccine laws. In an analysis of reports made to
the federal Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) since the CDC's
July 2006 universal use recommendation for all young girls, NVIC found
reports of loss of consciousness, seizures, joint pain and Guillain-Barre
Syndrome. In a separate evaluation of costs for young girls being vaccinated
in private pediatrician offices, NVIC discovered that parents living in the
Washington, D.C. area will be paying between $500 and $900 to have their
daughters receive three doses of GARDASIL.  "GARDASIL safety appears to have
been studied in fewer than 2,000 girls aged 9 to 15 years pre-licensure
clinical trials and it is unclear how long they were followed up. VAERS is
now receiving reports of loss of consciousness, seizures, arthritis and
other neurological problems in young girls who have received the shot," said
NVIC President Barbara Loe Fisher. "At the same time, parents who take their
daughters to private pediatricians are going to be shocked to find that they
will be paying two to three times the widely publicized $360 cost for the
three-dose series. The cost is going to break the pocketbooks of parents and
break the banks of both insurance companies and taxpayers, when the reality
is that almost all cases of HPV- associated cervical cancer can be prevented
with annual pap screening of girls who are sexually active."  Between July
2006 and January 2007, there have been 82 reports of adverse events filed
with VAERS following receipt of GARDASIL by girls and boys ranging in age
from 11 to 27 years. Reaction reports have come from 21 states, including
Virginia and the District of Columbia. All but three of the reports were for
adverse events which occurred within one week of vaccination and more than
60 percent occurred within 24 hours of vaccination.  "The most frequent
serious health events after GARDASIL shots are neurological symptoms," said
NVIC Health Policy Analyst Vicky Debold, RN, Ph.D. "These young girls are
experiencing severe headaches, dizziness, temporary loss of vision, slurred
speech, fainting, involuntary contraction of limbs (seizures), muscle
weakness, tingling and numbness in the hands and feet and joint pain. Some
of the girls have lost consciousness during what appears to be seizures."
Debold added "The manufacturer product insert should include mention of
syncopal episodes, seizures and Guillain-Barre Syndrome so doctors and
parents are aware these vaccine adverse responses have been associated with
the vaccine."  VAERS reports also indicate the doctors are administering
GARDASIL to girls and women at the same with Tdap, DT, meningococcal
(Menactra), hepatitis A, and other vaccines, even though the Merck product
insert states that, with the exception of hepatitis B vaccine,
"Co-administration of GARDASIL with other vaccines has not been studied."
There is no publicly available information about how many of the 9 to 15
year old girls in Merck's pre- licensure clinical trials received GARDASIL
simultaneously with hepatitis B vaccine.  …"

84.  "Hope in a soap for children with autism" dated 4 February 2007 by
JEREMY WATSON from The Scotsman (UK) at
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=183832007.

"It's a soap addict's dream come true - being prescribed a course of
EastEnders and Coronation Street by a doctor.  But in research that has at
last proved that soap operas have a use beyond the ability to boost national
TV ratings, they have been successfully deployed by doctors to improve the
life of a child with autism.  The research describes the case of a
14-year-old boy with the disorder who had to be referred to a child
psychiatrist after severely disruptive behaviour in class.  But after his
"soap-opera" therapy he is back at school and teachers have noted a
significant improvement in classroom participation.  The research was
outlined in the latest edition of the Psychiatric Bulletin, the journal of
the Royal College of Psychiatrists, by Dr Lynda Breen, a specialist
registrar at the Limetrees Child, Adolescent and Family Unit in York.  In
her paper, entitled 'Therapeutic Use of Soap Operas in Autistic-Spectrum
Disorders', she said soaps might be better than current computerised
techniques in triggering improvements and called for further research.
Autism is a life-long developmental disorder in which children have
difficulty in daily social interaction with others. The number of cases
being diagnosed is increasing and there are estimated to be at least 8,000
school-age children with autistic-spectrum disorder (ASD) in Scotland.
Around one in 100 Scots are believed to be on the autistic range.  The
disorder affects the ability of a child to make friends as it limits the
capacity to understand emotional expressions. It can leave the child
isolated and unwilling to communicate, except with close family. Breen said
there was an ongoing need to find new methods to help individuals with ASDs
to learn to recognise emotions in others.  "Since they fail to grasp that
others think differently, people with ASDs tend to encounter difficulties in
relating to, and anticipating the actions of, others. Consequently, they may
appear eccentric or self-centred, which further compounds their potential
social isolation.  "The popularity and frequent broadcasting of soap operas
might provide opportunities to develop therapeutic interventions without
incurring a lot of time and expense."  The 14-year-old boy sought help to
improve his "social skills" after repeatedly imitating other classmates at
school.  He appeared "extremely anxious, with skin-picking and
hand-flapping" and would only communicate with his mother in whispers. There
was no spontaneous speech or eye contact with his therapist.  In an attempt
to foster engagement and knowing that he was a soap opera fan, Breen said,
the therapist prescribed six sessions of watching recent episodes of
EastEnders and Coronation Street and then describing the emotions of key
characters.  "This boy could often become animated when discussing favourite
characters. His eye contact and spontaneous speech improved significantly,"
said Breen. "As a result, he became less isolated than before and his school
noted "improvements in his class participation and a significant reduction
in his imitative behaviours. Consequently, he was discharged from child
mental health services with mutual agreement of all parties."  Breen added
that the value of using soap operas in therapy had to be balanced against
the possible negative effects of excessive TV viewing. She advocated 90
minutes of "prescribed TV viewing" per week, which compared well with the
national daily average of 154 minutes viewing among six to 12-year-olds.
The National Autistic Society Scotland agreed that the "structured" use of
TV could help children with ASDs. …"

85.  "New Discoveries in Autism Research- Discovery of antibodies may be
key" dated 4 February 2007 by Joshua Philipp from The Epoch Times at
http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-2-4/51249.html.

"David Amaral, Ph,D., of the M.I.N.D. Institute at UC Davis, gave a
presentation on January 25 at Vista Hill where he discussed new discoveries
in autism research.  He was invited on the occasion of the 50th anniversary
of Vista Hill, a non-profit corporation dedicated to bringing psychiatric
services to San Diego and whose services include helping disabled children
and those diagnosed with autism.  Dr. Amaral is the Director of Research at
the M.I.N.D. (Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders)
Institute and he is involved in the largest and most comprehensive study of
autism called the Autism Phenome Project.  "We are really excited to pursue
this line of research, because frankly when we first started the M.I.N.D.
Institute 5 or 6 years ago, I thought it was going to be decades before we
could do anything practical. If this pans out, we might actually be
preventing kids from becoming autistic in the next decade." says Amaral.
"The quality of research is getting better, the tools are getting better,
and I think that within the next few years, perhaps even sooner, we will see
some really fundamental changes in our thinking about autism."  Autism is a
medical disorder which affects the brain and other systems of the body.
Nearly 1 in every 166 children born today has autism. To date, it's been
difficult for researchers to understand autism since it has many different
forms.  Some people have seizures, while others do not. Some have
gastrointestinal problems, some have severe developmental delays, and some
have normal or even advanced IQs, while others do not. Individuals with
autism typically have difficulty with social interaction, poor communication
skills, and exhibit repetitive behavior patterns.  Currently there is no
cure for autism, and it is still unclear what the exact cause is.  The
latest research at the M.I.N.D. Institute has been on a specific
auto-antibody. It is known that if a mother has one child with autism, the
likelihood of having a second child with autism goes way up. In a study done
with about 300 mothers, it was found that 23% of women who have 2 or more
children with autism have antibodies which are believed to be directed
against brain tissue and lock up brain development. These antibodies are not
found in mothers with the same number of typically developing children. It
is known that if the antibodies are in the mother's circulation, they can
cross the placenta and get into the babies brain.  In order to study this
field, purified antibodies were taken from mothers with children who have
autism and also samples from mothers who had the same number of children
without autism. They then injected the antibodies into pregnant Rhesus
Monkeys. The theory was that if these antibodies were the actual cause of
the pathology, then they should see some evidence in the offspring of the
monkeys.  After the animals were born, they observed their social behavior.
The monkeys with antibodies from the mothers without autistic children and
the monkeys with no antibodies were fine. When they analyzed the animals,
they showed no abnormalities in social behavior. However, the monkeys who
had received the antibodies from the mothers who had children with autism
began to exhibit whole body repetitive movements, a common symptom of
autism.  Some of the monkeys would do back flips repetitively for tens of
seconds and sometimes minutes on end. Others would start twirling
repetitively for several minutes. They had never seen this particular
behavior in the animals before. Many kids with autism also exhibit
repetitive behaviors, sometimes for minutes on end.  …"

86.  "Virginia, Standards Are Long Overdue" dated 4 February 2007 by
Margaret Spellings, U.S. Secretary of Education in The Washington Post at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/02/AR2007020201
363.html.

"English language learners make up the nation's fastest-growing student
population. By 2025, one in four students is expected to be
limited-English-proficient (LEP). If we want them to learn with their peers
and achieve the American dream, we have to pick up the pace.  Instead,
Virginia is dragging its feet.  Recently, Fairfax County and two other
school districts passed resolutions to exempt LEP students from reading
assessments. One Fairfax school board member said they were "predisposed to
fail." Meanwhile, the commonwealth insists on testing LEP students with an
exam that did not pass independent peer review.  At issue is Virginia's use
of the Stanford English Language Proficiency test (SELP) to assess reading
achievement. The test does not measure grade-level proficiency, creating an
incomplete picture of academic progress. In December, the commonwealth
stated that it would forgo the SELP in favor of a more comprehensive exam
tailored to the needs of LEP students. Last month, however, Virginia
reversed itself and asked for an extension for the SELP -- making it the
only state requesting not to use a standards-based exam to assess reading.
To help students achieve, we must first know how they're doing. The No Child
Left Behind (NCLB) Act calls for schools to help limited-English-proficient
children "meet the same challenging state academic content and student
academic achievement standards as all children are expected to meet."  Call
it the Standards Clause. It's a key tool in our effort to combat the "soft
bigotry of low expectations." And it's working.  Nationally, reading scores
for LEP fourth-graders increased by 20 points from 2000 to 2005, more than
three times better than their peers. Fourth- and eighth-graders achieved
higher math scores than in any previous year. Among Hispanic students, who
make up about 70 percent of LEP students, achievement gaps for 9-year-olds
in reading and math have shrunk to record lows.  These positive results are
dispelling several negative myths. One is that LEP students are at a
disadvantage because most are recent arrivals to the country. In fact, about
80 percent have resided here at least five years. Another is that
test-takers are not allowed reasonable accommodations. Not true -- under
NCLB, they may receive accommodations such as additional time, oral
translation or the use of a bilingual dictionary.  The Education Department
has been more than accommodating to Virginia. We permitted the use of the
SELP test until it could be peer-reviewed. We allowed LEP students to be
exempted if they had attended U.S. schools for less than 12 months. And
since 2001, we've provided Virginia with $42 million in federal funds to
develop quality assessments.  I speak not just as a policy wonk but as a mom
whose daughter attended a Fairfax County school. So I am strongly committed
to working with the commonwealth and its schools to help them fairly measure
English language learners.  It's time to remember that yes, Virginia, there
is a Standards Clause."

87.  "Dallas facility would let autistic adults live independently- Dallas:
Center director seeking land, grant for apartment community" dated 4
February 2007 by KARIN SHAW ANDERSON from The Dallas Morning News at
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/020407dnm
etautismcenter.180b511.html.

"Gina Martinez worries that her son's high school graduation will end his
best opportunities.  "It's the high-functioning autistic people that often
fall through the cracks," she said. "They're the ones that suffer the most,
because people ignore their disabilities."  Patrick Martinez doesn't have
the visible markers that people with more severe autism sometimes display.
The Dallas 18-year-old maintains eye contact when talking. He smiles readily
and behaves like those around him in most social situations.  And Mr.
Martinez shares many of the aspirations of others his age.  "I do want to
live on my own," he said.  But his part-time job as a busboy and an
internship at CipherLab, a high-tech firm in Plano, won't cover the cost of
living alone. And even if he could afford it, he'd be vulnerable to people
who might prey on his naiveté and generosity.  Carolyn Garver, director of
the Autism Treatment Center in far northeast Dallas, says she is an acre and
a half away from realizing a dream for Mr. Martinez and others like him.
She hopes to build a secure apartment community for high-functioning
autistic adults who can live independently with occasional assistance from
on-site staff members and support from the ATC. A federal grant would pay
for the facility's construction and subsidize the rent for residents with
low-paying or intermittent jobs.  "The normal thing is that you grow up, you
go to school, and you move out," Dr. Garver said. "This would afford them an
opportunity to do this."  Irving Statman, a former U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development employee, is volunteering to help with the
grant application.  "I think this is very important for people with autism,"
Mr. Statman said. "There's nothing more important than where you live, and
living independently helps you become more of a whole person."  Residential
centers for people on the severe end of the autism spectrum offer full-time
care, usually in group settings. But Dr. Garver knows of none that offer the
opportunity for high-functioning adults to live in their own individual
apartments in an enclosed community of buildings.  "I've been in this
business a long time – 30-plus years," Dr. Garver said. "A lot of the need
is in the adult population. Children have a lot of services. Parents may
debate that, but basically when a child goes through school, they have the
school-age services.  "But when they become adults, services start to drop
off. A lot of these kids live with their families, and they can't go out
into the communities because they can't afford it."  Even though they
initially blend well into groups, Dr. Garver said, some autistic adults have
trouble keeping jobs. Eventually, their differences pose barriers and make
them stand out.  "One of the most frustrating things was never being able to
get ahead in the job market," said Ken Kellam III, a 42-year-old recently
diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, a disorder on the highest-functioning
end of the autism spectrum. "I'd get a job and then lose it."  The Dallas
man's parents helped him make ends meet.  "I've learned to overcome a lot of
difficulties," said Mr. Kellam, who now works as a job coach at the Autism
Treatment Center. "But having someplace to be around people like me might
have helped."  …"

88.  "Scientists expose body toxin risks- Synthetic chemicals may affect two
generations' ability to have children" dated 4 February 2007 by Douglas
Fischer from Inside Bay Area at
http://www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_5156161.

"Your ability to reproduce — and the health of your child and even your
child's children — hinges on an exquisitely timed series of chemical
reactions controlled by infinitesimally tiny amounts of hormones.  You
scramble those reactions at your peril, in other words, and last week
hundreds of researchers gathered at the University of California, San
Francisco, warned society may be doing exactly that with synthetic
chemicals.  The chemicals, known as endocrine disruptors, are found
everywhere in our environment: food, lotions, shampoos, baby bottles, toys,
appliances, even casings for medicines. They mimic hormones at levels
scientists only recently have been able to measure, and some are active at
concentrations of a part-per-trillion or less — a speck of dirt sullying 55
tons of clean laundry.  Most worrisome to scientists: In many cases, the
effect of such pollution on our bodies remains as unknown and mysterious as
the processes they potentially disrupt.  "In the absence of concrete data
for many of these chemicals, the precautionary principle should be
exercised," said Dr. Linda Guidice, chairwoman of obstetrics, gynecology and
reproductive sciences at UCSF and the organizer of the reproductive health
conference that brought 500 scientists, clinicians and community activists
together.  "Just because we measure something doesn't mean it's harmful,"
she said. "But there may be harmful things out there that we don't even know
about."  The list of potential effects, scientists conclude, cover every
aspect of reproductive and sexual development — from preconception to
menopause.  Every key developmental stage is driven by a tightly
choreographed fluctuation in hormones. A flood of endocrine disruptors,
scientists fear, obviates that dance.  "It's a bit like holding the pedal
down on your car," said Cheryl Walker, a Carcinogenesis professor at
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. "All the genes are
activated. If you're looking at a window of time when gene expression is
rapidly happening, you might imagine you could wreak havoc."  For those
suffering from endometriosis, there's no need to imagine.  Wendy Botwin of
Oakland was 18 when she felt the first signs: mysterious sickness, massive
abdominal pain, irregular periods, crushing headaches, painful sex.
Two-and-a-half years passed before a doctor diagnosed her with
endometriosis, a debilitating disease where the tissue lining the uterus
appears outside the womb in other parts of the body.  …"

89.  "Gene found for rare disorder may reveal new pathway in mental
retardation" dated 5 February 2007 in a press release from Children's
Hospital of Philadelphia <http://www.chop.edu>  at
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-02/chop-gff020507.php.

"Studying mutations that give rise to a rare genetic disease, genetics
researchers have identified a novel biological pathway that may have a
broader role during human development, potentially in cases of mental
retardation and autism.  An international team of researchers identified two
genes that contribute to Cornelia deLange syndrome (CdLS), a multisystem
genetic disease that affects an estimated one in 10,000 children. The
disease varies from milder to more severe forms, but classically includes
mental retardation, impaired growth, heart defects, feeding problems,
deformed upper limbs and distinctive facial features.  In the current study,
mutations in two genes of interest cause mental retardation, but with less
pronounced facial features and none of the limb defects, such as missing
hands or fingers, that are hallmarks of classical cases of CdLS. The genes
play important roles in early development, and when mutated, cause brain
abnormalities.  "Our work suggests that a subset of patients with mental
retardation may have mutations in these genes, without showing the broader
range of symptoms identified in diseases such as Cornelia deLange syndrome,"
said study leader Ian D. Krantz, M.D., a specialist in pediatric genetics at
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Dr. Krantz and his co-author, Laird
S. Jackson, M.D., of Drexel University College of Medicine, led the study
team that announced the discovery of NIPBL, the first gene known to cause
CdLS, in 2004.  The current study appeared online Jan. 17 in the American
Journal of Human Genetics, in advance of print publication in March 2007.
In contrast to the NIPBL gene, in which mutations cause roughly half of
known CdLS cases, the researchers found that mutations in the new genes,
SMC3 and SMC1A, cause only about 5 percent of CdLS cases. All three genes
produce proteins called cohesin proteins. Cohesin proteins have long been
known to play an important role in many species in controlling the integrity
of chromosome pairs during cell division.  Recent research has unexpectedly
showed that mutated genes along the cohesin pathway also cause specific
abnormalities during human development. "In these cohesin complex proteins,
the strongest effect seems to be in brain development," said Dr. Krantz.
Drs. Krantz and Jackson together maintain the world's largest database of
patients with CdLS. The current study screened 115 patients who did not have
mutations in the NIPBL gene, but who were judged to have CdLS or a milder
variant of the disease, based on evaluations by clinical geneticists.   Of
the 115 patients, 11 had mutations in the SMC1A or SMC3 gene. All had some
degree of mental retardation, but none had limb abnormalities. Five of the
11 patients had normal height, whereas only 5 percent of patients with
classic CdLS achieve normal height. The patients with the SMCIA and SMC3
mutations had milder versions of the distinctive facial features found in
classical CdLS, such as thin eyebrows that join together, long eyelashes,
thin lips and excessive body hair.   "In many of these patients, an
experienced clinician might recognize their more subtle facial features as
suggestive of CdLS, but for the most part, they would only come to clinical
attention for having mild to moderate mental retardation," said Matthew A.
Deardorff, M.D., the first author of the study and a fellow in genetics at
Children's Hospital. "This study suggests there may be other, undiscovered
mutations along the cohesin pathway among patients thought to have isolated
mental retardation."  "This discovery will improve the diagnosis of Cornelia
deLange syndrome," added Dr. Krantz, "and also opens an avenue for
investigating genetic mechanisms in broader populations of patients with
abnormal brain development, in mental retardation and possibly autism as
well."

90.  "House budget would boost cash for disabled- Spending plan would also
raise pay 4 percent" dated 5 February 2007 from WFLS News at
http://fredericksburg.com/News/FLS/2007/022007/02052007/1170666619.

"House budget writers have proposed substantial boosts in funding for the
disabled and the elderly and raises for state employees.  In meetings today,
the House offered a budget that shifts millions in spending that Governor
Tim Kaine proposed for conservation and natural resources into nearly
doubling the number of slots for community-based treatment of the mentally
retarded. The budget also proposes 100 new slots for people with
developmental disabilities.  The House budget would boost Kaine's
recommended raises for state workers from three percent to four percent --
except for teachers.  The Senate's budget includes Kaine's proposed $500
million in general funds for transportation projects and maintenance, plus
an additional $161 million in revenue from a comprehensive transportation
plan backed by the Finance Committee last week."

91.  "More special-needs kids to go to regular classrooms" dated 5 February
2007 by Angela Mack from Star News Online at
http://www.starnewsonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070205/NEWS/70205
0374/1004.

"Karen Rectenwald wasn't sure what to think when she learned her son would
be placed in a regular fifth-grade classroom this school year.  John - who's
12 years old and has mental and physical disabilities - learns on a
third-grade level, according to his teachers. Basic math problems like
fractions can leave him confused and scratching his head. Taking
standardized tests required by No Child Left Behind is another obstacle he's
unable to get through.  "I was concerned at first because he's not able to
do fifth-grade work," Rectenwald said about John's placement in a general
education setting. "I was concerned that he was going to be wasting his time
in the classroom."  Months later, she's convinced the special education
reassignment is a benefit not only to John, but also to his classmates.  "He
gets both worlds," she said, adding that John receives one-on-one
instruction as well as exposure to other kids his age. "Seclusion is
probably not the best way to go in this day and age."  For the 2007-08
school year, New Hanover County Schools' special education department will
restructure how it delivers services to special-needs students in elementary
schools. The department reorganized the county into four regions and will
group students based on their needs and ensure that services are offered at
schools closest to home.  The new measure, which will require funding for 16
additional special education teachers, has been well-received by many who
have heard about it. But some parents aren't pleased with the district's
limited notice of the changes, and they're concerned about how it will
affect their children's education.  The district's recently approved
redistricting plan and poor test performances for students with disabilities
led to the elementary special education reassignment, said Bill Trant,
special education director.  Life Skills 1 and Transition K classes will
become an Intensive Academic Support program. Special-needs students who are
two to three years below grade level will be assigned to a general education
classroom with children their age to receive more intensive instruction in
reading and math. Autism services also will be strengthened to focus on
improving students' social and communication skills.  More than 3,000
special-needs students are enrolled in New Hanover County schools. About 270
are autistic. In the county's 24 elementary schools, 1,210 students are not
learning on grade level mainly because of disabilities. Districtwide,
elementary students with disabilities did not meet proficiency goals in
reading or math for the past two years.  "I want us to do better," Trant
said. "These data say we need to do something differently."  …"

92.  "Autism Speaks and Cure Autism Now Complete Merger- Combined Operations
of Leading Autism Organizations Will Lead to Enhanced Research, Treatment
and Advocacy Programs"  " dated 5 February 2007 in a press release from
Autism Speaks at
http://www.autismspeaks.org/press/autism_speaks_can_complete.php.

"Autism Speaks and Cure Autism Now (CAN) have completed their merger,
uniting the nation's two leading autism advocacy organizations and their
cutting-edge programs for research, treatment, and family services. Mark
Roithmayr, president of Autism Speaks, announced today that the Boards of
Directors of Autism Speaks and Cure Autism Now respectively had approved the
transaction. The groups first reported their intention to merge in November
2006. The combined entity will be known as Autism Speaks.  The consolidation
of the two organizations is based on their mutual commitment to accelerate
and fund biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments and
cure for autism spectrum disorders; to increase awareness of the nation's
fastest-growing developmental disorder; and to advocate for the needs of
affected individuals and families. Autism spectrum disorders are diagnosed
in one in 166 children, with four times as many boys as girls affected. The
diagnosis of autism has increased tenfold in the last decade, leading the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to call autism a national
public health crisis.  “The completion of this merger marks the tipping
point in the autism community, bringing together the best science,
collaborative minds and impassioned advocates,” said Bob Wright, chairman of
the board of Autism Speaks. “A unified autism community is better prepared
to ensure that the general public is aware of and responsive to this
national healthcare emergency.”  “Cure Autism Now created a network of
parents, bonded by hope, that partnered with scientists and accelerated
research into the causes of and biomedical treatments for autism,” said
Sallie Bernard, CAN's board chair. “Autism Speaks has demonstrated a
commitment to making autism a public concern and to expanding funding for
innovative programs.”  Cure Autism Now board members Sallie Bernard,
Jonathan Shestack, Craig Snyder and John Wilson will join the Autism Speaks
board of directors. CAN co-founder Shestack will also join the executive
committee of the board. Bob Wright
<http://www.autismspeaks.org/leadership.php>  will continue to serve as
chairman of the board of Autism Speaks and Suzanne Wright
<http://www.autismspeaks.org/leadership.php>  will continue to serve as vice
chair. Mark Roithmayr <http://www.autismspeaks.org/leadership.php>  will
remain as president of Autism Speaks. CAN president and CEO Peter Bell will
become an executive vice president of Autism Speaks and has been named staff
liaison to the board of directors.  The combined organization will maintain
both Cure Autism Now's and Autism Speaks' national walk programs and
professional staffs. The scientific research processes, advisory boards and
protocols of each entity have been integrated and flagship CAN programs,
including the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE), Autism Treatment
Network (ATN), Clinical Trials Network (CTN) and Innovative Technology for
Autism (ITA), will be expanded.  …"

93.  "Police Find Missing Autistic Woman" dated 5 February 2007 from WMAQ5
News at http://www.nbc5.com/news/10936752/detail.html.

"A 42-year-old autistic woman had been reported missing after leaving her
North Side home early Monday was found safe on Monday evening, police said.
Police said they found her on the Chicago Transit Authority's Blue Line near
O'Hare Airport.  Denira Reynard was seen leaving her home in the 4800 block
of North Sheridan Road about 4 a.m., according to a community alert from
Chicago police.  Reynard had been categorized as a high-risk missing person
because she is autistic and unable to communicate verbally, the alert
stated. Reynard has the mental capacity of a young child, and never went
missing before.  NBC5's Anna Davlantes reported that authorities said
earlier that they had feared that due to the bitterly cold temperatures,
Reynard would not be able to cope. Police said Reynard did not have any
money or identification with her, but did have a Chicago Transit Authority
card, and there was an unconfirmed sighting of her on the CTA's Blue Line at
O'Hare Airport.  Police said they had used all available resources to locate
Reynard.  "We had the helicopter unit looking for this poor young lady, the
marine unit, the K-9 unit," said Chicago Police Lt. Kevin Dillon.  She
disappeared after her mother put her to bed around 1 a.m. Reynard was caught
by the building security camera leaving her home."

94.  "Autism may not be the only childhood psychiatric disorder on the rise"
dated 5 February 2007 in a press release from Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. At
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-02/jaaj-amn020107.php.

"The incidence of three childhood neuropsychiatric disorders, including
autism, increased among Danish children between 1990 and 2004, according to
a report in the February issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent
Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. The findings suggest that
recent upward trends in reported autism diagnoses may be part of a broader
pattern in childhood mental illness.  Autism is characterized by social and
language abnormalities and repetitive patterns of behavior, according to
background information in the article. "A public health debate surrounding
the prevalence of autism has become a prominent feature in both the public
and professional autism literature in the United States and abroad," the
authors write. "The debate is fueled by numerous studies reporting marked
increases in recent years in the prevalence of autism or its proxy measure,
the prevalence of individuals receiving autism services."  Hjördís Ósk
Atladóttir, M.B., University of Aarhus, Denmark, and colleagues examined
trends in four childhood neuropsychiatric disorders among all 669,995
children born in Denmark between 1990 and 1999. The conditions were autism
spectrum disorder, which comprises autism and milder developmental
disorders; hyperkinetic disorder, marked by hyperactivity and a tendency to
move from one activity to the next without completing any one; Tourette
syndrome, characterized by uncontrollable vocal or motor behaviors known as
tics; and obsessive-compulsive disorder, in which an individual experiences
recurrent obsessive thoughts or performs compulsive acts. Denmark provides
free, universal health care coverage, and all psychiatric diagnoses
treatments are recorded in a national registry.  Through 2004, a total of
4,376 children were given 4,637 diagnoses for these disorders. The incidence
of hyperkinetic disorder, Tourette syndrome and autism spectrum disorders
all increased significantly over time, while obsessive-compulsive disorder
did not. "It is difficult to explain why obsessive-compulsive disorder was
the only disorder displaying another pattern; the reason may be etiologic,
due to nonetiologic diagnostic differences or due to the relatively short
follow-up," the authors write.  "Although the reasons for the observed
common pattern of change in reported cumulative incidence in Tourette
syndrome, hyperkinetic disorder and autism spectrum disorder cannot be
address with these data, it is clear that the number of children with
neuropsychiatric disorders and their families in need of support and
services has been growing in recent years," the authors conclude.
"Furthermore, while the search for causes should proceed unabated, the
ultimate value of these data are their contribution to the growing awareness
of child neurodevelopment problems in general and understanding of the
resources needed to ensure optimal development for all children."

95.  "School investigates its treatment of autistic student" dated 5
February 2007 by Bob Wheaton from The Flint Journal at
http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-41/1170688859274980
.xml&coll=5.

"A 5-year-old autistic boy was left to roll around on the floor in the hall
of Carpenter Road Elementary School for an hour, the child's mother said.
Debra Humphery said she was summoned to the school when her son refused to
go to class, and found her son, Elijah, unsupervised in the hall. But the
Flint School District's special needs coordinator said school officials were
keeping an eye on him.  The coordinator, Linda Burroughs, said, "He was
being supervised - not directly. There was no one standing over him."  She
said school officials didn't want to reinforce the child's inappropriate
behavior.  Humphery said she feared for the safety of Elijah, who is in
kindergarten, and has Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism.  "How is he
being protected in the hallway with all these hundreds of kids walking over
him and around him to get to class?" she said. "I'm thankful to God that
anything bad didn't happen, but who's to say it won't happen again?"  She
said she's held him out of school since the Jan. 19 incident.  Carpenter
Road Elementary School Principal Kimberly Cross couldn't be reached for
comment.  Burroughs declined to discuss specifics about the situation,
saying she couldn't breach the child's confidentiality.  "We are
investigating," Burroughs said. "I truly understand the mother's concerns,
but also understand that it is not good to reinforce inappropriate
behavior."  Humphery said a school secretary called her at about 9 a.m. to
tell her Elijah was "rolling up and down the hallway" and wouldn't get up.
She said her son was still in the hall when she arrived a half hour later,
and she assumed he had been there since about 8:15 a.m. because that's when
he arrives at school. Officials told her he didn't want to go to school, and
had to be forcibly removed from the bus, she said.  The head of an advocacy
group for autistic children said leaving an autistic child alone on the
floor in a school hall would be inappropriate.  "That's not acceptable, and
I don't think any educator should consider that to be an acceptable way of
learning," said Yvonne Fleener, executive director of the Autism Society of
Michigan. "I think we owe more to our students than having them do this."
Rather than ignoring the behavior, she said, school officials should try to
figure out the cause of it.  "What's he communicating to us about why he
doesn't want to go to school?" she said. "Is there something that can be
done in the classroom to accommodate his needs?"

96.  "Insurance companies ordered to tell customers about 'Timothy's Law'"
dated 5 February 2007 from The Albany Business Review at
http://washington.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2007/02/05/daily6.html.

"The New York state Insurance Department has issued regulations directing
insurance companies in the state to inform their customers that "Timothy's
Law" has been added to the books.  Acting Insurance Superintendent Eric
Dinallo issued the directive under his emergency rule-making authority. The
emergency regulation tells insurance companies to inform their customers by
Feb. 15, 2007, of the existence of the new law and that they will be sending
more detailed additions to their contracts soon afterward.  The law requires
all group insurance policies in New York state to offer basic coverage for
mental health services for people who are covered. The requirement also
extends to their dependents. It was approved in 2006 over the objections of
business groups, which said it adds another mandate on the list of required
coverage areas in the state. They also argued that the additional cost of
the coverage would cause some employers to drop some workers from coverage,
contrary to the state's policy of encouraging coverage by employers.  Though
the law technically went into effect Jan. 1, former Gov. George Pataki said
more time would have to be given to employers and insurers to comply with
the new requirement when he signed it into law in December."

97.  'The FDA: Mercury compound thimerosal safe? No connection to epidemic
of ASD" dated 5 February 2007 in an oped article by Alan E. Moses in the
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=20228.

"With the letter of September 06, 2006 by Dr. Jeffery Shuren for the FDA in
response to petitions for removal of thimerosal in all products attempts to
whitewash the truth.  There are facts that are being denied and truths that
are twisted with no winners in sight. This issue demands attention as our
society as a whole is losing. The FDA is a government agency that was
intended to protect us from harm now protects those that would harm us.  We
have a problem as this is what has been going on for too long. The claim
that Thimerosal has been found to be safe based on what was a flawed study
should heed warning. How can any medical professional be secure with the
knowledge that the safety issue on thimerosal was based on a study that
would be deemed inhumane by today’s standards?  The inventor of thimerosal
Morris S. Kharasch stated in his patent for his arsenic compound that “This
arsenic compound is less toxic than my prior one for [includes the mercury
compound] other metals.” Note toxicity is acknowledged.  In 1929 at
Indianapolis City Hospital a Dr. K. C. Smithburn intravenously injected 22
patients with thimerosal who were terminally ill with Meningoccial
Meningitis. No rashes or site reactions were observed as this appears to be
the only reaction looked for in this study. It is obvious that long term
physical or neurological reactions could not have been studied as all 22
people died from their illness.
[http://cnri.edu/drwilson/imva-paper-09-01-04.htm]  In January of 1931 The
American Journal of Hygiene published a paper submitted by H.M. Powell and
W.A. Jamieson sighting the Smithburn study. The claim was that this study
showed that thimerosal was safe as it shows only low does toxicity. Again
thimerosal is in fact toxic. This study was the basis for the FDA to okay
the use of Thimerosal.  And despite the claim by the FDA that Thimerosal is
not toxic to humans even the inventor and those that put forth this study
never made the claim that thimerosal was non-toxic. This of course beyond
reason as to how the FDA could come to the conclusion that it has.  Using
simple math you will find that many minimal exposures to mercury add up. You
will indeed create an overexposure in time. The Gihon Company from
Argentina, the world’s producer of thimerosal states on the paper work they
must file in Europe that Thimerosal is toxic and children and pregnant women
should avoid contact.  However our FDA claims that the use of this
preservative is safe in vaccines and other medical applications and
products.  And so it goes the cases of ASD continues to baffle us as this
one toxin continues to be used and injected into our children and pregnant
mothers."

98.  "A Small Part of the Brain, and Its Profound Effects" dated 6 February
2007 by Sandra Blakeslee from The New York Times at
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/06/health/psychology/06brain.html?_r=2&ref=he
alth&oref=slogin&oref=slogin'

"The recent news about smoking
<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics
/smoking/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier>  was sensational: some people
with damage to a prune-size slab of brain tissue called the insula were able
to give up cigarettes instantly.  Suppose scientists could figure out how to
tweak the insula without damaging it. They might be able to create that
famed and elusive free lunch — an effortless way to kick the cigarette
habit.  That dream, which may not be too far off, puts the insula in the
spotlight. What is the insula and how could it possibly exert such profound
effects on human behavior?  According to neuroscientists who study it, the
insula is a long-neglected brain region that has emerged as crucial to
understanding what it feels like to be human.  They say it is the wellspring
of social emotions, things like lust and disgust, pride and humiliation,
guilt and atonement. It helps give rise to moral intuition, empathy and the
capacity to respond emotionally to music.  Its anatomy and evolution shed
light on the profound differences between humans and other animals.  The
insula also reads body states like hunger and craving and helps push people
into reaching for the next sandwich, cigarette or line of cocaine. So insula
research offers new ways to think about treating drug addiction, alcoholism,
anxiety and eating disorders
<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics
/eatingdisorders/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier> .  Of course, so much
about the brain remains to be discovered that the insula’s role may be a
minor character in the play of the human mind. It is just now coming on
stage.  The activity of the insula in so many areas is something of a
puzzle. “People have had a hard time conceptualizing what the insula does,”
said Dr. Martin Paulus, a psychiatrist at the University of California
<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/u/univers
ity_of_california/index.html?inline=nyt-org> , San Diego.  If it does
everything, what exactly is it that it does?  For example, the insula
“lights up” in brain scans when people crave drugs, feel pain, anticipate
pain, empathize with others, listen to jokes, see disgust on someone’s face,
are shunned in a social settings, listen to music, decide not to buy an
item, see someone cheat and decide to punish them, and determine degrees of
preference while eating chocolate.  Damage to the insula can lead to apathy,
loss of libido and an inability to tell fresh food from rotten.  The bottom
line, according to Dr. Paulus and others, is that mind and body are
integrated in the insula. It provides unprecedented insight into the anatomy
of human emotions.  Of course, like every important brain structure, the
insula — there are actually two, one on each side of the brain — does not
act alone. It is part of multiple circuits.  The insula itself is a sort of
receiving zone that reads the physiological state of the entire body and
then generates subjective feelings that can bring about actions, like
eating, that keep the body in a state of internal balance. Information from
the insula is relayed to other brain structures that appear to be involved
in decision making, especially the anterior cingulate and prefrontal
cortices.  The insula was long ignored for two reasons, researchers said.
First, because it is folded and tucked deep within the brain, scientists
could not probe it with shallow electrodes. It took the invention of brain
imaging techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI,
to watch it in action.  Second, the insula was “assigned to the brain’s
netherworld,” said John Allman, a neuroscientist at the California Institute
of Technology
<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/c/califor
nia_institute_of_technology/index.html?inline=nyt-org> . It was mistakenly
defined as a primitive part of the brain involved only in functions like
eating and sex. Ambitious scientists studied higher, more rational parts of
the brain, he said.  The insula emerged from darkness a decade ago when
Antonio Damasio, a neuroscientist now at the University of Southern
California
<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/u/univers
ity_of_southern_california/index.html?inline=nyt-org> , developed the
so-called somatic marker hypothesis, the idea that rational thinking cannot
be separated from feelings and emotions. The insula, he said, plays a
starring role.  …"

99.  "Supervisors Step Up In 'No Child' Fight- Immigrant Testing Rule Called
Unfair" dated 6 February 2007 by Bill Turque The Washington Post at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/05/AR2007020501
359.html.

"The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors sided with school officials
yesterday in a showdown with the Bush administration over the federal No
Child Left Behind law, accusing the U.S. Department of Education of having a
"tin ear" in its policy toward testing immigrant students.  Supervisors
voted 8 to 1 to endorse the School Board's decision last month to defy a
Bush administration directive to give certain students still learning
English reading exams that cover the same grade-level material as those
taken by their peers who are native speakers. Instead, the school system
will continue to use tests it says are better tailored to those learning
English as a second language.  Federal officials have threatened to withhold
funds from the school system if it does not drop the old tests, which they
say are not rigorous enough.  The dispute turned political and a bit
personal at the supervisors' meeting yesterday. Board Chairman Gerald E.
Connolly (D) took exception to a letter from Education Secretary Margaret
Spellings, published in Sunday's Washington Post, accusing Fairfax and other
Virginia school systems of dragging their feet in meeting what she called
the "Standards Clause" of the law, requiring children with limited English
to meet the same standards as other students.  Spellings called the
provision a key tool in efforts to counter what President Bush has described
as "the soft bigotry of low expectations."  "I speak not just as a policy
wonk but as a mom whose daughter attended a Fairfax County school,"
Spellings wrote. "It's time to remember that yes, Virginia, there is a
Standards Clause."  Connolly wasn't amused.  The mandated test "is going to
hurt children in a school district that is a high-performing system, except
according to Margaret Spellings," he said. "We've been educating children
for a long time and doing a pretty credible job in Fairfax County."
Supervisor Lynda Q. Smyth (D-Providence), who has worked as a substitute
teacher in Fairfax schools, said the issue is more complex than a matter of
immigrant students learning English as a second language. Some children, she
said, come from war-ravaged countries and are barely literate.  In those
cases, she said, "we are starting from scratch, not with those who have been
through Head Start," she said.  Education Department officials wouldn't
address the specifics of the board's comments. Chad Colby, a department
spokesman, said: "We look forward to working with the commonwealth to
resolve this."  The dispute is part of a broad national debate about the
requirements of the five-year-old No Child Left Behind law, which is up for
congressional renewal this year. Educators agree that schools should be held
to high standards, but some question the wisdom of forcing children who
haven't mastered English to take exams that might include questions about
metaphors or poetic imagery.  Local officials also want Washington to pick
up more of the tab for the added expense of meeting the higher standards
mandated by the law.  A statement by Connolly and Smyth called No Child Left
Behind "a classic unfunded mandate," costing Fairfax taxpayers more than
$120 million to date, for which the school system has been reimbursed $16.6
million.  "The tin ear of the U.S. Department of Education with respect to
the application of testing on newly-arrived non-English speaking students
and the failure of the federal government to fully fund the [the law] raises
profound questions about the very validity of this legislation," they wrote.
Supervisor Michael Frey (Sully), one of three Republicans on the nine-member
board, was the dissenter. He said he supported the principle of not forcing
immigrant students to take tests they are not prepared for but called the
School Board's defiance "flamboyant" and said both sides should sit down and
talk.  "I don't think personalizing this toward Secretary Spellings is going
to help one iota," Frey said."

100.  "Low-level toxicants can harm brain" dated 6 February 2007 by JAMIE
TALAN from Newsday.com at
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hslead065082001feb06,0,489671.story.

"Low levels of mercury and lead exposure can damage developing brain cells -
a finding that might help explain how these toxicants can lead to a host of
mental and medical problems, a new study said.
"There is a huge problem in toxicology," said Mark Noble, a professor of
biomedical genetics and neurobiology at the University of Rochester and
senior author of the study in the journal PLoS Biology. "There are 80,000 to
150,000 environmental toxicants about which we know nothing. Nobody knows
how to screen for them or even where to start."  His study could be a major
step in identifying methods of prevention and treatment.  Noble and his
colleagues conducted their work in the laboratory, where they subjected
so-called glial progenitor stem cells in the brain to low levels of lead and
mercury. They found that these brain cells stopped dividing. They simply
shut down. The mercury levels previously were thought to be safe in humans,
Noble said. "It turns out they are not."  "These levels - 5 to 6 parts per
billion - have adverse effects on these progenitor stem cells," he said.
These cells are crucial in building the brain during infancy and beyond.
Noble said studies have shown that between 300,000 and 600,000 babies are
born each year with fetal mercury levels in cord blood that are 5 to 6 parts
per billion.  The researchers found that progenitor stem cells - the brain's
support cells that carry out a number of key housekeeping functions - are
extraordinarily vulnerable to low levels of toxicants. In the test tube, as
many as 25 percent of the progenitor cells obtained from rats shut down when
exposed to the low levels of lead or mercury.  When the researchers looked
at the cellular pathways affected by these exposures, they found the
toxicants were disrupting cell function by increasing oxidative stress. All
the toxicants they've studied led to the same oxidative stress-producing
pathway. If similar processes are taking place in the developing brain of
the fetus and child, "this could certainly have adverse effects," Noble
said.  Glial progenitor cells also are present in adult brains. Noble said
they have no idea what effects low level environmental toxicants are having
but he suspects they might be making these brain cells more vulnerable to
damage and disease.  "This needs to be taken very seriously," he said.
"Development is a cumulative process and the effects of even small changes
in progenitor cell division and differentiation over multiple generations
could have a substantial effect on an organism."  On the positive side,
finding one targeted pathway provides hope for identifying a single
treatment for many kinds of environmental exposures, he said. His laboratory
is studying a chemical called n-acetyl-cysteine, a potent antioxidant, that
works to protect this pathway and could prevent abnormal cell damage and its
consequences."

101.  "Autism tied to flawed cell armor" dated 7 February 2007 by LIDIA
WASOWICZ from United Press International at
http://www.upi.com/ConsumerHealthDaily/view.php?StoryID=20070202-043047-2685
r.

'While some researchers are looking inside the nerve-cell package in the
brain for clues to autism, others think it's all in the wrapping.  A novel
model of human brain development and degeneration proposed by scientists at
the University of California, Los Angeles, implicates chinks in the fatty
armor that coats the brain's internal wiring in such childhood developmental
disorders as autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.  From a
review of scanned and autopsied brain tissue, the investigators said they
unraveled the role of the insulation, called myelin, in these conditions.
Laden with more cholesterol than any other brain component, the sheet of fat
encases the spindly nerve-cell extensions called axons, permitting them to
carry messages to their neighbors in the safety and security of their
shield.  The thicker and heavier the cells' coat, the faster and more
effective their communication, said team leader Dr. George Bartzokis,
professor of neurology at the David Geffen School of Medicine and director
of the UCLA Memory Disorders and Alzheimer's Disease Clinic and the Clinical
Core of the UCLA Alzheimer's Disease Research Center.  The pioneering
neuroscientist said he discovered that myelin production continues unabated
throughout the first four decades of life before peaking and plummeting at
age 45.  His latest research portrays the protective shield as the neural
system's Achilles' heel, vulnerable to a host of environmental assaults.
"Myelination, a process uniquely elaborated in humans, arguably is the most
important and most vulnerable process of brain development as we mature and
age," Bartzokis said in an interview. "The effect of all toxins should be
examined in this context. At present, this is rarely done."  Without
adequate insulation, cells won't connect properly, he said. He came to that
conclusion after conducting a series of experiments that showed a breakdown
in the sheath can expose the naked wiring beneath and open the gates to an
array of neurological and behavioral problems.  Bartzokis's hypothesis holds
that humans "myelinate" different circuits at various points in life, which
could explain the sizeable differences between brain diseases of the young
and old.  An early disruption of the process, for instance, may throw for a
loop the development of the basic circuits that govern language and social
communication, two key impairments in autism, Bartzokis said.  A glitch
during the early school years could hamper the ability to process
information efficiently and effectively, leading to deficits in attention
that characterize ADHD, he said.  Later in life, the result of a malfunction
could be Alzheimer's disease, Bartzokis conjectured.  To Bartzokis, the
human brain is akin to the high-speed Internet.  "The speed, quality and
bandwidth of the connections determine the brain's ability to process
information, and all these depend in large part on the insulation that coats
the brain's connecting wires," he said.  The findings may explain why
developmental disorders leave no calling card in the brain, scientists said.
"There's no dead anything on autopsy," Bartzokis said. "Those brain
connections just never developed normally."  The good news about myelination
comes in feminine packages: Bartzokis's studies show female brains make
better myelin, which could explain why boys are at much greater risk for
autism, ADHD and other similarly routed problems.  On a similar front, U.S.
and French investigators conducting mouse experiments found the males had 20
percent to 40 percent more of the cells that form myelin in the brain and
spinal cord than did the females.  The females produced up to twice as many
of the cells, but twice as many of them died, making for a much higher
turnover rate in this group, the investigators reported in the Journal of
Neuroscience.  The discovery of the unexpectedly large gender gap may help
clear up some of the mystery of how male-female differences are generated in
the brain, which in turn may provide critical clues into why disorders such
as autism, ADHD, depression and multiple sclerosis are so uneven-handed in
their distribution between the sexes, the authors said."

102.  "Thousands at Capitol rally in support of school vouchers" dated 7
February 2007 by APRIL CASTRO from the Associated Press at
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/state/16646596.htm.

"Sandy Vidal believes that her nine-year-old son Alec is too kindhearted to
brave a rough and tumble public school.  "They'd tear him apart. Kids in our
neighborhood that attend public school, they come and play with him ... it's
just totally different," Vidal said of Alec, a shy and cherubic third-grader
at the private Christian Academy of San Antonio.  Alec is one of about 2,100
students that attend private schools in San Antonio courtesy of a voucher
program funded largely by controversial millionaire and voucher advocate
James Leininger. His $50 million Horizon Program is due to end in 2008 and
he doesn't plan to renew it.  The Vidals were among an estimated 2,000
parents, students and voucher advocates at the Texas Capitol Wednesday,
rallying to send a message to lawmakers: give Texas parents school choice.
"I know what's best for my child and I would like to make that choice, to
send him wherever I want to send him, not because I live in that district,"
Sandy Vidal said. "With school choice we'll be able to do that."  The issue
has been routinely rejected by the Texas Legislature amid ardent opposition
from public school advocates, who argue that such a program would drain
money from public schools and that taxpayer dollars shouldn't go to schools
that are not accountable to the state.  While Gov. Rick Perry supports
vouchers, a spokesman said this week that the issue would not be on the
governor's list of priorities because there is no momentum among lawmakers
for such a proposal.  "I think it'll be more difficult this time, no doubt
about it," Leininger said. "But, you know, if you got to meet the kids and
talk to them you would do anything you could for 'em, just like I would."
At least one voucher proposal has been filed in the House. A Houston senator
has vowed to make a proposal within the next couple of weeks. Another
lawmaker plans to offer a more narrowly tailored version, which would only
apply to children with autism.  Wednesday's rally, by far the largest at the
Capital since the Legislature went into session last month, took on a
circus-like atmosphere. Barbecue was served in a tent to shield the crowds
from the unseasonably hot Texas sun. Port-a-potties were positioned near the
Capitol grounds.  For many students attending the rally, the day was just a
field trip.  "It's better than being in school right now," said 17-year-old
Paul Calderon, a junior at an Austin charter school.  "I don't know any
thing about vouchers," said Lauren Eden, a 16-year old student the same
charter school.  Organizers chartered 77 buses, carrying charter and private
school students to Austin from around the state.  Public school advocates
attempted to counter the Capitol event with a "virtual lobby day." Educators
from around the state were encouraged to e-mail their lawmakers voicing
opposition to voucher legislation.  "Parents of our state's millions of
public school students couldn't afford to come to Austin today to insist
that tax dollars stay in public schools," said Kathy Miller, president of
the watchdog group Texas Freedom Network. "But they sent a clear message at
the polls last year that they don't want private school vouchers."  Though
his scholarship program will end, Leininger vowed Wednesday to continue his
efforts through other charities and through campaign donations.  "My heart
just goes out to those kids that in no way can defend themselves, frankly,"
Leininger said. "I just think that, I know that (wife) Cecilia agrees, that
this is the best thing we ever could have done with our lives and with the
money that we've been blessed with, because it has affected so many kids in
Texas."

103.  "Mercury theory advanced" dated 7 February 2007 by Gary Tanner from
the Chattanooga Times Free Press at
http://timesfreepress.com/absolutenm/templates/content.aspx?articleid=10452&
zoneid=83.

"Lawyer McCracken "Ken" Poston said he thinks he has the answer to the
nearly five-year-old mystery of why former Tri-State Crematory operator
Brent Marsh failed to cremate 334 bodies.  Mr. Poston said he believes his
client was suffering the effects of long-term exposure to mercury vapors
from a poorly built and maintained ventilation system that vented gas and
particles from cremations into the room where Mr. Marsh worked.  "Brent has
never been able to articulate a reason to himself, to me, or to anybody as
to why this happened," Mr. Poston said.  Chattanooga resident Joe Oden,
whose wife's body was found at the Noble, Ga., crematory, said he believes
Mr. Poston is trying to paint Mr. Marsh in a better light and gain his
parole.  "I just don't buy it," Mr. Oden said of the theory. "I think it's
hogwash."  On Feb. 15, 2002, acting on a tip from a propane delivery driver,
two Environmental Protection Agency agents found bodies strewn in the brush
outside the crematory and called in the Walker County Sheriff's Department.
The discovery brought hundreds of local, state and federal officials and
media personnel to rural Center Point Road and the wooded crematory
property. Over the next several weeks, 334 bodies were recovered from the
site, of which 110 never have been identified.  Mr. Marsh, now 33, was
charged with making false statements, miscellaneous fraud, mistreatment of
dead bodies and theft by taking. He accepted a plea deal in 2004 and is
serving a 12-year sentence at Wayne State Prison in Odum, Ga., in the
southeastern part of the state.  His scheduled release date is June 30,
2016. He is eligible for parole, and his case was considered last year but
denied, according to Kim Patton-Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Georgia
Department of Pardons and Parole.  She said Mr. Marsh's case could be
reconsidered in 2008.  ..."

104.  "Teenagers with disabled siblings has support network- Little Chute
teen arranges for speaker on Saturday" dated 7 February 2007 by J.E. Espino
from the Appleton Post- Crescent at
http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070207/APC0101/7020
7186/1979.

"It took a Florida trip for Tessa Van Stiphout to hear fellow Little Chute
native and Christian youth speaker Bob Lenz at a Lutheran camp.  The
presentation was four years ago. The message centered on his experience
growing up with a sister who has disabilities. Theirs was an instant
connection.  Van Stiphout, 18, has a younger sister, Lizzie, with autism and
cerebral palsy. And since that time, Tessa has been seeking for him to talk
to other teenagers like her.  “His whole story, it just hit me,” said Van
Stiphout of how Lenz initially denied his sister or told friends she was a
neighbor’s kid or a cousin.  Lenz will be sharing his personal story with 11
to 18 year olds wanting a little encouragement, Saturday, thanks in part to
some legwork by Van Stiphout and the Fox Valley Sibling Support Network.
Lenz wants to show participants through his story how to deal with some of
the guilt they may feel for loving their sibling but at times being
embarrassed.  “I’m going to be talking about… how that cycle plays out and
the lessons we’ve learned from them and the kind of people we can be in
finding value in this world,” Lenz said.  Volunteers say they are hopeful
for a turnout of 80 to 100 participants. Teens are welcome to bring a friend
to the three-hour program, said Wendy Weyenberg, a Sibshop program
facilitator.  Friends would get a better understanding of what it is like to
have a family member with a developmental disability, she said, while those
that do have family with special needs find that there is support.  It’s all
about respect and encouragement, Van Stiphout said.  “They should treat
their siblings with respect and encourage friends to befriend others with
special needs… and not treat them like children,” she said.  Sharon Van
Stiphout is proud to say that her daughter, Tessa, has taken on a large role
with the planning of the event without her help. Among the core lessons
taught at home are accepting others for who they are, and Tessa’s efforts
reflect that sentiment, she said.  Since childhood, she and Lizzie, 16, have
shared a bedroom, and it’s customary for her to tell others, her sister is a
big part of her.  “I’m very protective of her, outspoken and defensive,”
she
said. “Everyone of my friends accepts my sister and loves her.”

105.  "Discipline debate: Spanking gets a time-out- Proposed Calif. law
reignites battle over best way to deal with unruly tots" dated 7 February
2007 by Victoria Clayton from MSNBC at http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16929303.

"Of all the controversial issues in parenting perhaps none is more heated
than spanking. Most of us probably can recount seeing an out-of-control
parent in a parking lot or supermarket (if not in a home) smack a child. And
if you’ve seen it once, it likely left an indelible impression.  In
California, one lawmaker says she's had enough. Democratic assemblywoman
Sally Lieber has introduced a bill that would outlaw this behavior with
children under age 4. If the bill becomes law, that parent in the parking
lot could be charged with a misdemeanor punishable by a year in jail or a
fine of up to $1,000, making California the first state with such a law. The
use of physical punishment to discipline children is already illegal in
Austria, Finland, Germany and Sweden.  But should spanking be banned? Is it
wrong or even effective? What's really the best way to discipline unruly
tots?  “Education, not legislation, is the method of choice to improve
parenting practices, with the exception of clearly abusive practices,” says
Diana Baumrind, a research psychologist at the University of California at
Berkeley. Baumrind is one of the few experts who has been dubbed
“pro-spanking” in the media. “In my view, spanking…is no more or less
harmful than a mild scolding, time-out or other developmentally appropriate
level and kind of punishment.”  However, Baumrind also says that any form of
punishment by definition is aversive, and so, whether physical or
non-physical, punishment should be reserved for times when milder methods
such as persuasion or distraction have failed.  The majority of
psychologists, however, come down decidedly on the anti-spanking side. And
the American Academy of Pediatrics is firmly against spanking and hitting,
saying in a policy statement that “corporal punishment is of limited
effectiveness and has potentially deleterious side effects.” Researcher Paul
Frick of the University of New Orleans in Louisiana warns spanking and
hitting can lead to later emotional and behavioral problems. Even children
who are only smacked occasionally are more likely to show signs of
depression or lower self-esteem, he says.  Frick and his team, who studied
the impact of corporal punishment on 98 children and published their results
last month in the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, said they
couldn't find any positive effects for spanking. Children on the receiving
end of a slap can learn that when they are upset and angry they hit, he
says, rather than understanding their behavior was wrong and that they need
to do better.  “This is a small but significant sample,” says Frick. “We
don’t want to overstate the implications, though. The vast majority of kids
who are subject to mild corporal punishment will not suffer severe negative
effects. Our point, though, is that spanking and hitting are not effective
and may be dangerous.”  Parents at the end of their ropes.  Jane Tucker, a
parenting coach and mother of a 4-year-old son in Santa Monica, Calif.,
agrees. “I think parents only use it because they get to the end of their
ropes," she says. "Usually, the problem is that they haven’t set up
boundaries and clear limits. If there aren’t limits, kids will just push and
push parents as far as they can.”  For example, kids often have meltdowns in
the grocery store. Tucker says she conditioned her son early on to know that
when they go to the market he gets to select one of several items she
allows. “I look for ways to make win-win situations so we’re both happy and
there’s little need for discipline — physical or otherwise.”  Even when
discipline can’t be avoided, most parents have found ways to circumvent the
need to make it physical.   “We’ve started using time-outs on our 3-year-old
son," says Robin Cook, a marketing director and mother of 4-month-old and
3-year-old sons in Fayetteville, Ark. "First we give him a warning and a
choice, though. So we say, ‘Either you can listen to what mommy or daddy say
or you can have a time-out. What would you like to do?’ He had a few
time-outs in the beginning but after that it’s really worked well. He now
usually makes the right choice.”  …"

106.  "Pennsylvania Secretary of Public Welfare Announces New Office of
Developmental Programs" dated 7 February 2007 in a press release from the
Pennsylvania Governor's Office at
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/02-07
-2007/0004522984&EDATE=.

"In an effort to continue addressing the needs of Pennsylvanians with
disabilities, Department of Public Welfare Secretary Estelle B. Richman
today announced the creation of the Office of Developmental Programs.
Richman said the new office was created through a reorganization of the
Office of Mental Retardation and the establishment of the Bureau of Autism
Services. "Families have made great strides in the past few years in
alerting us to the growing number of children and adults being diagnosed
with autism and they have helped us to prepare a path in which to provide
for their unique needs," said Richman. "By establishing this new office,
we're taking an important step to help families access information and
supports that are so vital for their loved ones." Autism is a lifelong brain
disorder that affects as many as 1-of-every-166 children born in the U.S.,
or one child every 21 minutes. The number of people across the U.S.
diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder over the past 15 years has risen
by a staggering 2,000 percent. Creating the new Office of Developmental
Programs within DPW was one of the core recommendations of the Autism Task
Force, whose findings were released in December 2004. In its initial stages,
Office of Developmental Programs will house a Bureau of Mental Retardation
Services and a Bureau for Autism Services, as well as necessary support
bureaus. Kevin Casey, currently the deputy secretary for the Office of
Mental Retardation, will continue as the deputy secretary of the Office of
Developmental Programs. Nina Wall-Cote will serve as the director for the
Bureau of Autism Services, which will provide expertise and supports for all
state agencies which serve Pennsylvanians with autism. For more information
about the department or services available to Pennsylvanians with autism,
visit http://www.dpw.state.pa.us. The Department of Public Welfare helps
people meet their basic needs by providing health care and other critical
support services for children, the elderly, people with chronic diseases,
persons with disabilities and low income families and adults in
Pennsylvania. DPW is dedicated to promoting, improving, and sustaining the
quality of family life; breaking the cycle of dependency while protecting
and serving Pennsylvania's most vulnerable citizens. Visit DPW on the
Internet at: http://www.dpw.state.pa.us."

107.  "Reversal of symptoms in an autism spectrum disorder- Rett Syndrome is
reversed in genetic mouse model" dated 8 February 2007 in a press release
from the Rett Syndrome Research Foundation at
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-02/rsrf-ros020207.php.

"The Rett Syndrome Research Foundation (RSRF) announces results of a
landmark study reversing the symptoms of Rett Syndrome (RTT) in a genetic
mouse model. The findings, by Adrian Bird, Ph.D., of the University of
Edinburgh and Chairman of the RSRF Scientific Advisory Board, appear online
in Science Express on February 8, 2007. Rett Syndrome is a severe childhood
neurological disease that is the most physically disabling of the autism
spectrum disorders. The experiments were funded by the Rett Syndrome
Research Foundation (RSRF), the Wellcome Trust and the Rett Syndrome
U.K./Jeans for Genes.  Caused by mutations in the gene MECP2, RTT affects
primarily girls, striking at random in early childhood and destroying
speech, normal movement and functional hand use. Many children become
wheelchair bound; those who walk display an abnormal, stiff-legged gait.
Disordered breathing patterns and Parkinson-like tremors are common.
Restoration of fully functional MECP2 over a four week period eradicated
tremors and normalized breathing, mobility and gait in mice that had
previously been fully symptomatic and, in some cases, only days away from
death.  "Like many other people, we expected that giving MeCP2 to mice that
were already sick would not work," said Bird. "The idea that you could put
back an essential component after the damage to the brain is done and
recover an apparently normal mouse seemed farfetched, as nerve cells that
developed in the absence of a key component were assumed to be irrevocably
damaged. The results are gratifyingly clear, though, and must give hope to
those who are affected by this distressing disorder."  Bird is Buchanan
Professor of Genetics at University of Edinburgh and Director of the
Wellcome Trust Centre for Cell Biology. MeCP2, first identified by Bird in
1990, is considered to be a protein that regulates the expression of other
genes by turning them off at the appropriate time.  In 1999 Huda Zoghbi,
M.D., Professor, Departments of Molecular and Human Genetics, Pediatrics,
Neurology, and Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine discovered that
RTT is caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene. Mutations in MECP2 are now
being seen in some cases of childhood schizophrenia, classic autism and
learning disabilities.  "The findings are extraordinary, and are of
relevance not only to Rett Syndrome but to a much broader class of
disorders, including autism and schizophrenia. The successful restoration of
normal function demonstrated in the mouse models suggests that if we can
develop therapies to address the loss of MECP2 we may be able to reverse
neurological damage in children and adults with Rett, autism and related
neuropsychiatric disorders," commented Zoghbi.  The reversal experiments
were carried out in the Bird lab by research assistant Jacky Guy. Employing
technology known as Cre-lox recombination, she created mouse models in which
MECP2 was silenced by insertion of a Stop cassette into the gene, resulting
in the neurological deficits seen in RTT. Silencing could be reversed at
will by removing the Stop cassette, thereby reactivating the MECP2 gene.
This was achieved by treating the mice with a drug that caused the enzyme
Cre to enter the cell nucleus where it could splice out the cassette.  As
well as losing overt behavioral defects, the mice also recovered a key
electrophysiological function of the brain. This was determined by measuring
LTP (long-term potentiation) which provides a quantifiable measurement of
the ability of neurons to respond to stimulation. LTP has long been thought
to reflect the cellular basis of learning and memory. Though LTP in RTT mice
models was defective, it was restored to normal function by the reversal
experiments.  "The reversal of neurological defects, reported in the
remarkable article by Guy et al, is surprising because the cause of the
symptoms occurred early in development and was expected to be permanent. Of
particular note is the recovery of LTP, which is the best current
physiological correlate of learning and memory. These findings are very
encouraging for those searching for a treatment because they give hope that
the symptoms could not only be halted from progressing, but the course of
the disease itself may be able to be reversed," stated Fred Gage, Ph.D. of
the Salk Institute of Biological Studies.  "Dr. Bird's astonishing results
usher in a new era for Rett Syndrome and other autism spectrum disorders.
The reversal experiments provide justification for aggressive exploration of
next steps on all fronts, from drug discovery to gene correction. The Rett
Syndrome Research Foundation will be focused on a comprehensive effort to
identify and speed treatments to the children and adults in dire need of
them," commented Monica Coenraads, co-founder and Director of Research for
RSRF and mother of a young daughter with the disorder."

108.  "Autism Spectrum Disorders Far More Prevalent Than Thought" dated 8
February 2007 by Neil Osterweil from MedPage Today at
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Autism/tb/5027.

"Autism spectrum disorders are much more common than previously thought, and
could affect as many as one in 150 school-age children, CDC researchers
reported today.  "Autism is more common than we believed and is an urgent
public health problem," said Catherine Rice, Ph.D., a behavioral scientist
at the CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities, in a briefing.  Data from a nationwide surveillance program
conducted at sites in 14 states in 2002 suggest that the overall prevalence
of ASD is about 6.6 per 1,000 eight-year-old children, ranging from a low of
3.3 per 1,000 in Alabama to a high of 10.6 per 1,000 in New Jersey, CDC
investigators reported in the Feb. 9 issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report.  Even if the lowest prevalence estimates cited are closer to the
actual prevalence rates, they are considerably higher than previously
thought. Until this report, investigators have typically cited prevalence
rates of between four to five per 10,000 and two to three per 1,000, based
on the best available data.  Applying the estimates to the United States
population, approximately 560,000 children from the ages of birth to 21
years may be living with an autism spectrum disorder, the investigators
said.  The CDC investigators cautioned that the new estimates are accurate
for the areas studied, but do not represent a national sample. Until wider
studies are completed, it will be difficult to know whether there is an
upward trend in autism spectrum disorders prevalence, CDC director Julie
Gerberding, M.D., M.P.H., said in a statement.  "Our estimates are becoming
better and more consistent, though we can't yet tell if there is a true
increase in autism spectrum disorders or if the changes are the result of
our better studies," Dr. Gerberding said. "We do know, however, that these
disorders are affecting too many children."  The current MMWR published two
reports estimating the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders, a category
that includes autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, not
otherwise specified (PDD-NOS), and Asperger's syndrome. The reports were
conducted as part of the CDC's Autism and Developmental Disabilities
Monitoring Network.  The first report estimated prevalence at six
surveillance sites in Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, South
Carolina, and West Virginia. The investigators looked at data on eight-year
olds who were identified as having an autism spectrum disorders through
screening or other records as displaying behaviors consistent with one of
the three diagnoses under the autism spectrum disorders umbrella.  They
chose age eight because studies have consistently shown that nearly all
cases of autism spectrum disorders will have been detected by this age.
Clinicians reviewed the abstracted records to ensure that they met
diagnostic criteria according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR).  …"

109.  "Prevalence of Autism Now 1 in 150, According to New CDC Report" dated
8 February 2007 from the CDC in a press release from Autism Speaks at
http://www.autismspeaks.org/press/cdc_autism_prevalence.php.

"This morning, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
released, through its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), the
latest revised prevalence figures for autism. The report indicates that the
prevalence of autism is now 1 in 150, up from the 1 in 166 figure reported
by the CDC in January, 2004.  Today's report states, “Findings from this
first U.S. multi-site collaborative study to monitor ASD prevalence
demonstrated consistency across the majority of sites, with prevalence
statistically significantly (p<0.001) higher in New Jersey. Average ASD
prevalence across all six sites was 6.7 per 1,000 children aged 8 years.
These results indicate that ASDs are more common than was believed
previously.”  Speaking at a Capitol Hill briefing about the new data, Dr.
Gary Goldstein, Autism Speaks' Scientific Advisory Committee Chair and
President of the Kennedy Krieger Institute, said, "These new numbers provide
a much more accurate picture of a disorder that has undoubtedly become a
major national health crisis. Our dedication to finding critical answers
about autism -- potential causes, better treatments and, hopefully, a cure
-- must become that much more urgent today."  These new prevalence estimates
are the first to come from multiple sites utilizing the same methodology for
the same points in time. (Previous prevalence estimates have been from
single sites and have relied on differing methodologies). According to the
CDC, these data represent the most comprehensive effort to obtain accurate
prevalence figures for Autism Spectrum Disorders to date, and offer
important information about the prevalence of these conditions in multiple
parts of the U.S.  As part of this study, six ADDM sites evaluated the
prevalence of ASDs for children who were eight years old in 2000 (born in
1992): Arizona, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, South Carolina and West
Virginia.  An additional eight sites determined ASD prevalence for children
who were eight in 2002 (born in 1994): Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado,
Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Utah and Wisconsin.  To read the
full MMWR report, click here </docs/ADDM_ASD_MMWR_SS_Feb_2007.pdf>  (PDF)."

110.  "More Than Half-Million U.S. Children Autistic: CDC" dated 8 February
2007 by Steven Reinberg, from HealthDay at
http://health.msn.com/pregnancykids/kidshealth/articlepage.aspx?cp-documenti
d=100155150&GT1=9033&wa=wsignin1.0.

"One out of every 150 American eight-year-olds has some form of autism,
meaning that 560,000 children in the country have the disorder, the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Thursday.  That's a
higher prevalence than prior estimates, drawn from a number of countries,
that had pegged rates at between 1 in 500 and 1 in 166 children, according
to the CDC.  "Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a major public health
issue," Dr. Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, CDC's chief of the Developmental
Disabilities Branch, said during a teleconference about the figures.  The
full report is published in the Feb. 9 issue of the agency's journal
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.  Overall, some 17 percent of U.S.
children have some form of developmental disability, ranging from mild
disability, such as speech and language problems, to serious developmental
problems, such as intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy and autism,
Yeargin-Allsopp said.  The reasons for the increase in autism spectrum
disorders isn't clear, added Catherine Rice, a behavioral scientist at the
CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities. "It
is difficult to determine exactly what is going on," Rice said during the
teleconference. "Is this a change in the way ASDs are identified, or is
there an increase for the people at risk for ASDs, such that there is a real
increase in the conditions?" she asked.  Rice noted that the definition of
these disorders has changed over time. It now includes, in addition to
classic autism, Asperger syndrome and other pervasive developmental
disorders not otherwise specified.  The CDC data also suggest that there are
widespread delays in diagnosing autism spectrum disorders. "The majority of
children with an ASD had documented concerns by a parent or a professional
before three years of age," Rice noted. "But the median age of earliest ASD
diagnosis was approximately four and a half to five and a half years," she
said.  To establish the nationwide prevalence of autism spectrum disorders,
the CDC looked at school and medical records of children in 2000 and 2002.
In 2002, their survey included 10 percent of U.S. eight-year-old children
born in 1994 in 14 states, including Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado,
Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South
Carolina, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin. The researchers calculated that
a total of 2,685 eight-year-olds had autism or a related disorder.  There
was a difference in the prevalence of these conditions across states, Rice
noted. In 2000, the prevalence of autism spectrum disorders ranged from 4.5
per thousand in West Virginia to 9.9 per thousand in New Jersey, she said.
"Autism prevalence is higher in boys aged eight years than in girls the same
age," Rice added. The data indicate that for every girl with an autistic
condition, there are three to seven boys with such a disorder, she noted.
In addition, autism spectrum disorders are common among mentally retarded
children -- those with an IQ of 70 or less, Rice said. "Between 33 percent
and 62 percent of children with an ASD had cognitive impairment," she said.
…"

111.  "Autism rate about 1 in 150, higher than previous estimates" dated 8
February 2007 from the Associated Press at
http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/conditions/02/08/autism.prevalence.ap/index.h
tml,

"About one in 150 American children has autism, an urgent public health
concern, said U.S. health officials Thursday who reported on the largest
study done so far on the troubling disorder.  The new numbers, based on 2002
data from 14 states, are higher than previously reported.  Advocates said
the study provides a sad new understanding of how common autism is, and
should fuel efforts to get the government to spend hundreds of millions of
additional dollars for autism research and services.  "This data today shows
we're going to need more early intervention services and more therapists,
and we're going to need federal and state legislators to stand up for these
families," said Alison Singer, spokeswoman for Autism Speaks, the nation's
largest organization advocating more services for autistic children.  The
study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculated an
average autism rate 6.6 per 1,000. That compares with last year's estimated
rate of 5.5 in 1,000.  The research involved an intense review of medical
and school records for children in all or part of 14 states and gives the
clearest picture yet of how common autism is in some parts of the country,
CDC officials said.  However, those states are not demographically
representative of the nation as a whole, so officials cautioned against
using the results as a national average. The study doesn't include some of
the most populous states including California, Texas and Florida.  No
conclusions on a trend.  Also, the study does not answer whether autism is
increasing -- a controversial topic, driven in part by the contention by
some parents and advocates that autism is linked to a vaccine preservative.
The best scientific studies have not borne out that claim.  "We can't make
conclusions about trends yet," because the study's database is too new, said
Catherine Rice, a CDC behavioral scientist who was the study's lead author.
Autism is a complex disorder usually not diagnosed in children until after
age 3. It is characterized by a range of behaviors, including difficulty in
expressing needs and inability to socialize. The cause is not known.
Scientists have been revising how common they think the disorder is. Past
estimates from smaller studies have ranged from 1 out of every 10,000
children to nearly 1 in 100.  Last year's estimate of 5.5 out of every 1,000
U.S. children was based on national surveys of tens of thousands of families
with school-age kids. That fit into a prevalence range found in other recent
studies.  The CDC also has been developing an alternate way of measuring
autism prevalence, building a network of university and state health
departments for ongoing surveillance of autism and developmental
disabilities. The study released Thursday is one of the first scientific
papers to come out of that effort.  "This is a more accurate rate because of
the methods they used," said Dr. Eric Hollander, an autism expert at New
York's Mount Sinai School of Medicine.  The study involved 2002 data from
parts or all of 14 states -- Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia,
Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South
Carolina, Utah, West Virginia and Wisconsin.  Researchers looked
specifically at children who were 8 years old that year. They said most
children with autism are identified for medical or educational services by
that age.  The researchers checked health records in each area and school
records when they were made available, looking for children who met
diagnostic criteria for autism. They used those numbers to calculate a
prevalence rate for each study area.  The rates varied from 3.3 per 1,000 in
the study site in Alabama, which was made up of the state's 32 northernmost
counties, to 10.6 in the site in New Jersey, which involved four counties,
including metropolitan Newark.  Researchers say they don't know why the rate
was so high in New Jersey. They think the Alabama rate was low at least
partly because researchers had limited access to special education records
there."

112.  "Warnings on abuse of the disabled ignored" dated 8 February 2007 by
YVETTE CABRERA from the Orange County Register at
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/columns/article_1567889.php.

"It's "despicable."  "Sad," "sick," "incredible," "horrific."  If one thing
is clear, it's that Orange County is not at a loss to describe its horror at
discovering that at least one employee at the Jossen Vocational Academy in
Anaheim allegedly abused two developmentally disabled men in the facility's
restroom last year.  The outcry is not surprising. We're disgusted at the
actions and the treatment of the two clients, but the question is, what will
the community do now?  Last November, I attended an Orange County Human
Relations Commission meeting focused on hate crimes against people with
disabilities. One of the most talked-about issues that day was the lack of
crime data available despite the pervasiveness of abuse against people with
disabilities.  One of the biggest obstacles to obtaining this data is that
we lack a universally accepted definition of what language is considered
hateful against people with disabilities, said Bill Chrisner, executive
director of the Dayle McIntosh Center, a disability, resources and advocacy
group in Garden Grove.  "We are so used to using categorical, stereotypic,
devaluing, dehumanizing language in everyday speech when it comes to people
with disabilities that it doesn't feel like hate, when it is," said Chrisner
at the November meeting. "…Here we are today, people with disabilities are
being victimized daily, routinely and people aren't getting that. It's not
just a crime of opportunity, it's motivated by hate."  Orange County
district attorney spokeswoman Susan Kang Schroeder confirmed that the
District Attorney's Office is investigating a possible hate crime charge
among other charges against former Jossen caregiver Patrick Solis, who was
arrested in connection to the incident.  This news heartened Chrisner, who I
spoke to this week, but he was concerned that prosecutors might not consider
other factors, aside from language, when determining whether this incident
was a hate crime.  "We have to look at other ways to identify the motivation
of a hate crime and I think in these kinds of cases we have look for
patterned attacks," said Chrisner.  Last year, the District Attorney's
Office prosecuted the highest number of cases involving crimes against
individuals with disabilities or the elderly in the last five years: a total
of 96 in 2006 – a 50 percent increase from the previous year's 64 cases.
These numbers, however, don't tell us the whole story. Experts agree that
crimes against people with disabilities are underreported.
Three-and-a-half years ago, Leslie Morrison co-authored a report titled
"Abuse and Neglect of Adults with Developmental Disabilities: A Public
Health Priority for the State of California."   Morrison is a supervising
attorney for the investigations unit of Protection & Advocacy Inc., a
disability advocacy agency, www.pai-ca.org, that will be investigating the
Jossen Vocational Academy.  The report found that people with developmental
disabilities remain at "disproportionately high risk for violent
victimization, abuse and neglect," and experts conservatively estimate that
they are "at least four times more likely to be victimized than people
without disabilities."  Getting accurate data is difficult for many reasons.
Among them the report found that current reporting laws lead to inconsistent
outcomes and inadequate protections for victims; many investigators lack
expertise in conducting investigations; and California has no coordinated
database that documents the extent and severity of abuse, neglect and
victimization.  …"

113.  "U.S. Says 1 in 150 Children Have Autism" dated 9 February 2007 by
MIKE STOBBE from the Associated Press at
http://www.wtop.com/?nid=106&sid=1057245 and
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/living/health/16655981.htm.

"The largest U.S. study of autism has found that the troubling condition is
more common than previously understood.  About one in 150 American children
has autism, U.S. health officials said Thursday, calling the troubling
disorder an urgent public health concern that is more common than they once
thought.  The new numbers are based on the largest, most convincing study
done so far in the United States, and trump previous estimates that placed
the prevalence at 1 in 166.  The difference means roughly 50,000 more
children and young adults may have autism and related disorders than was
previously thought.  Government scientists declined to call the results a
complete surprise: The new estimate is on the high end of a prevalence range
identified in other recent studies, they said.  But one advocate said the
study should cause policy-makers and the public to revise how they think of
autism.  "This is a greater national health care crisis than we thought even
yesterday," said Alison Singer, spokeswoman for Autism Speaks, the nation's
largest organization advocating services for autistic children.  The study
should fuel efforts to get the government to spend hundreds of millions of
additional dollars for autism research and services.  "This data today show
we're going to need more early intervention services and more therapists,
and we're going to need federal and state legislators to stand up for these
families," Singer said.  The study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention was based on 2002 data from 14 states. It calculated an
average autism rate 6.6 per 1,000, compared to an estimate last year of 5.5
in 1,000.  The new research involved an intense review of medical and school
records for children and gives the clearest picture yet of how common autism
is in some parts of the country, CDC officials said.  The results suggest
560,000 children and young adults have the condition.  However, the study
population is not demographically representative of the nation as a whole,
so officials cautioned against using the results as a national average. The
study doesn't include some of the most populous states, like California,
Texas and Florida.  Also, the study does not answer whether autism has
recently been on the rise _ a controversial topic, driven in part by the
contention of some parents and advocates that it is linked to a vaccine
preservative. The best scientific studies have not borne out that claim.
"We can't make conclusions about trends yet," because the study's database
is too new, said Catherine Rice, a CDC behavioral scientist who was the
study's lead author.  Autism is a complex disorder usually not diagnosed in
children until after age 3. It is characterized by a range of behaviors,
including difficulty in expressing needs and inability to socialize. The
cause is not known. …"

114.  "Autism Findings Little Surprise to Parents" dated 9 February 2007 by
DAN CHILDS from ABC News at
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=2861470&page=1.

"More than half a million children in the United States have an autism
spectrum disorder.  This was the finding reported Thursday by the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which also views the new data as
"confirming the upper end of estimates" from recent U.S. and non-U.S.
studies.  In short, the findings from the Autism and Developmental
Disabilities Monitoring study suggest roughly one in 150 American children
have autism — many more than previously thought.  But some parents of
autistic children say the finding of an increased prevalence is no surprise.
Jeff Sell, who lives in Texas, is a 45-year-old father of two children with
autism. Both of his children were born in 1994, but were diagnosed at
different times in 1996.  "From a certain perspective, this is big news, but
it is something that parents of these children have already known," Sell
says. "But for a few years, everybody has been going through these more or
less academic-type arguments [about the prevalence rate].   "Call it what it
is, I have two autistic children in my house, and at the neighborhood school
there are also very many."  Catriona Johnson, 43, of Columbia, Md., has a
son with autism who was diagnosed in 1995 at the age of 2. "This didn't
surprise me, particularly in terms of where I come from in my state because
our numbers are consistent with this," she says.  A True Increase?  The
higher prevalence in these latest findings begs another question: Is the
number of autism cases growing, or are more existing cases simply being
detected?   "That's one of the challenging questions, and there is no way to
answer this for sure, for the time being," says Catherine Rice, a behavioral
scientist with the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental
Disabilities and a leader of the study. "That's one of the reasons that we
developed the network, so we can answer this."  The true answer may lie
somewhere in between better detection and an actual increase. There is
little doubt that detection of existing cases of autism has improved.  …"

115.  "Confronting Ableism- Negative cultural attitudes toward disability
can undermine opportunities for all students to participate fully in school
and society" by Thomas Hehir in the February 2007 edition of Educational
Leadership at
http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.c00a836e7622
024fb85516f762108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0c_ws
_MX&javax.portlet.prp_818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0c_viewID=article_view&j
avax.portlet.prp_818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0c_journalmoid=a53b1caee83901
10VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD&javax.portlet.prp_818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0
c_articlemoid=ae5b1caee8390110VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD&javax.portlet.begCach
eTok=token&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=token.

"When Ricky was born deaf, his parents were determined to raise him to
function in the “normal” world. Ricky learned to read lips and was not
taught American Sign Language. He felt comfortable within the secure world
of his family, but when he entered his neighborhood school, he grew less
confident as he struggled to understand what his classmates seemed to grasp
so easily.  Susan, a child with dyslexia, entered kindergarten with
curiosity about the world around her, a lively imagination, and a love of
picture books. Although her school provided her with individual tutoring and
other special education services, it also expected her to read grade-level
texts at the same speed as her nondisabled peers. Susan fell further and
further behind. By 6th grade, she hated school and avoided reading.  These
two examples illustrate how society's pervasive negative attitude about
disability—which I term ableism—often makes the world unwelcoming and
inaccessible for people with disabilities. An ableist perspective asserts
that it is preferable for a child to read print rather than Braille, walk
rather than use a wheelchair, spell independently rather than use a
spell-checker, read written text rather than listen to a book on tape, and
hang out with nondisabled kids rather than with other disabled kids.
Certainly, given a human-made world designed with the nondisabled in mind,
children with disabilities gain an advantage if they can perform like their
nondisabled peers. A physically disabled child who receives the help he or
she needs to walk can move more easily in a barrier-filled environment. A
child with a mild hearing loss who has been given the amplification and
speech therapy he or she needs may function well in a regular classroom.
But ableist assumptions become dysfunctional when the education and
development services provided to disabled children focus on their disability
to the exclusion of all else. From an early age, many people with
disabilities encounter the view that disability is negative and tragic and
that “overcoming” disability is the only valued result (Ferguson & Asch,
1989; Rousso, 1984).  In education, considerable evidence shows that
unquestioned ableist assumptions are harming disabled students and
contributing to unequal outcomes (see Allington & McGill-Franzen, 1989; Lyon
et al., 2001). School time devoted to activities that focus on changing
disability may take away from the time needed to learn academic material. In
addition, academic deficits may be exacerbated by the ingrained prejudice
against performing activities in “different” ways that might be more
efficient for disabled people—such as reading Braille, using sign language,
or using text-to-speech software to read.  …"

116.  "Discarding the Deficit Model- Ambiguity and subjectivity contribute
to the disproportionate placement of minorities in special education" by
Beth Harry and Janette Klingner in the February 2007 edition of Educational
Leadership at
http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.c00a836e7622
024fb85516f762108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0c_ws
_MX&javax.portlet.prp_818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0c_viewID=article_view&j
avax.portlet.prp_818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0c_journalmoid=a53b1caee83901
10VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD&javax.portlet.prp_818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0
c_articlemoid=1f6b1caee8390110VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD&javax.portlet.begCach
eTok=token&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=token.

"Many authors in this issue of Educational Leadership describe students as
having “learning needs” and “learning challenges.” How we wish this
language
truly reflected the common approach to students who have difficulty
mastering the information and skills that schools value! Many students have
special learning needs, and many experience challenges learning school
material. But does this mean they have disabilities? Can we help students
without undermining their self-confidence and stigmatizing them with a
label? Does it matter whether we use the word disability instead of need and
challenge?  Language in itself is not the problem. What is problematic is
the belief system that this language represents. The provision of special
education services under U.S. law—the Education for All Handicapped Children
Act in 1975 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
in 2004—ensured that schools could no longer turn away students on the basis
of perceived developmental, sensory, physical, or cognitive limitations.
However, the downside of the law is that it has historically relied on
identifying a disability thought to exist within a child. The main criterion
for eligibility for special education services, then, has been proof of
intrinsic deficit. There are two problems with this focus: First, defining
and identifying high-incidence disabilities are ambiguous and subjective
processes. Second, the focus on disability has become so intertwined with
the historical devaluing of minorities in the United States that these two
deficit lenses now deeply influence the special education placement process.
We recently completed a three-year study that throws some light on the issue
(Harry & Klingner, 2006). We looked at the special education placement
process for black and Hispanic students in a large urban school district in
a southeastern U.S. state. The 12 elementary schools involved represented a
range of ethnicities, socioeconomic statuses, and rates of special education
placement. On the basis of data we gathered from classroom observations,
school-based conferences, interviews with school personnel and family
members, and examination of student documents (such as individualized
education programs, behavioral referrals, and evaluation reports), we found
that several conditions seriously marred the placement process. These
included lack of adequate classroom instruction prior to the student's
referral, inconsistencies in policy implementation, and arbitrary referrals
and assessment decisions. It was also clear that students in poor
neighborhoods were at risk of receiving poor schooling, which increased
their risk of failing and of being placed in special education.  …"

117.  "A Model for Collaboration- A field-tested professional development
program tightens teamwork in teaching math" by Amy Brodesky, Fred Gross,
Anna McTigue and Allysen Palmer Beth Harry and Janette Klingner in the
February 2007 edition of Educational Leadership at
http://www.ascd.org/portal/site/ascd/template.MAXIMIZE/menuitem.c00a836e7622
024fb85516f762108a0c/?javax.portlet.tpst=818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0c_ws
_MX&javax.portlet.prp_818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0c_viewID=article_view&j
avax.portlet.prp_818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0c_journalmoid=a53b1caee83901
10VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD&javax.portlet.prp_818d37ec925d82800173fc1062108a0
c_articlemoid=67ac1caee8390110VgnVCM1000003d01a8c0RCRD&javax.portlet.begCach
eTok=token&javax.portlet.endCacheTok=token.

"If you are grappling with how to improve math achievement for students with
disabilities, you're not alone. In response to NCLB and the 1997 Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act, schools are now including more students
with special needs in regular education mathematics classes. Many of these
students are scoring below required levels on standardized assessments in
mathematics (National Center for Education Statistics, 2004; Thurlow, Moen,
& Altman, 2006), putting their schools in jeopardy of not meeting NCLB's
Adequate Yearly Progress requirements.  As most educators have found,
placing students with disabilities in mainstream math classes is not enough
to ensure their success. In addition to having a solid grasp of content and
setting high expectations, those who teach math to students with learning
needs must also choose effective instructional strategies and make
accommodations for learner differences. This is a tall order.  Through our
work with teachers over the past six years, we have come to see how tall
this order is. With funding from the National Science Foundation, we created
and field-tested a professional development program to help middle school
math and special education teachers provide the instruction students with
disabilities need. Our two-year field test involved 102 teachers from five
urban and suburban districts in Massachusetts (with slight variation in
teachers from year to year). The percentage of students with identified
disabilities in these schools ranged from 13 percent to 23 percent. The
schools had different approaches to serving students with special needs, but
all shared a need to improve math learning.  …"

118.  "Hair Mercury in Breast-Fed Infants Exposed to Thimerosal-Perserved
Vaccines" by Rejane C. Marques & José G. Dórea & Márlon F. Fonseca &
Wanderley R. Bastos and Olaf Malmat from the Fundação Universidade Federal
de Rondônia, the Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, the
Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, and the Universidade de Brasília in
the Spring 2007 edition of Eur J Pediatr at
http://www.sarnet.org/lib/VaxHgBrazil1.pdf.

"Abstract. Because of uncertainties associated with a possible rise in
neuro-developmental deficits among vaccinated children, thimerosal-preserved
vaccines have not been used since 2004 in the USA (with the exception of
thimerosalcontaining influenza vaccines which are routinely recommended for
administration to pregnant women and children), and the EU but are widely
produced and used in other countries. We investigated the impact of
thimerosal on the total Hg in hair of 82 breast-fed infants during the first
6 months of life.  The infants received three doses of the hepatitis-B
vaccine (at birth, 1 and 6 months) and three DTP (diphtheria, tetanus, and
pertussis) doses at 2, 4 and 6 months, according to the immunization
schedule recommended by the Ministry of Health of Brazil. The thimerosal in
vaccines provided an ethylmercury (EtHg) exposure of 25 µgHg at birth, 30,
60 and 120 days, and 50 µgHg at 180 days. The exposure to vaccine-EtHg
represents 80% of that expected from total breast milk-Hg in the first month
but only 40% of the expected exposure integrated in the 6 months of
breastfeeding. However, the Hg exposure corrected for body weight at the day
of immunization was much higher from thimerosal- EtHg (5.7 to 11.3 µgHg/kg
b.w.) than from breastfeeding (0.266 µgHg/kg b.w.).  While mothers showed a
relative decrease (−57%) in total hair-Hg during the 6 months lactation
there was substantial increase in the infant's hair-Hg (446%). We speculate
that dose and parenteral mode of thimerosal-EtHg exposure modulated the
relative increase in hair-Hg of breast-fed infants at 6 months of age."

119.  "Decreased Serum Levels of Transforming Growth Factor-Beta1 In
Patients With Autism" by Okada K, Hashimoto K, Iwata Y, Nakamura K, Tsujii
M, Tsuchiya KJ, Sekine Y, Suda S, Suzuki K, Sugihara G, Matsuzaki H,
Sugiyama T, Kawai M, Minabe Y, Takei N, and Mori N. from the Department of
Psychiatry and Neurology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Japan in
the 30 January 2007 edition of Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry.

"BACKGROUND: The neurobiological basis for autism remains poorly understood.
Given the key role of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) in brain
development, we hypothesized that TGF-beta1 plays a role in the
pathophysiology of autism. In this study, we studied whether serum levels of
TGF-beta1 are altered in patients with autism. METHODS: We measured serum
levels of TGF-beta1 in 19 male adult patients with autism and 21 age-matched
male healthy subjects using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
RESULTS: The serum levels (7.34+/-5.21 ng/mL (mean+/-S.D.)) of TGF-beta1 in
the patients with autism were significantly (z=-5.106, p<0.001) lower than
those (14.48+/-1.64 ng/mL (mean+/-S.D.)) of normal controls. However, there
were no marked or significant correlations between serum TGF-beta1 levels
and other clinical variables, including Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised
(ADI-R) scores, Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), aggression,
Theory of Mind, and Intellectual Quotient (IQ) in patients.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that decreased levels of TGF-beta1 may
be implicated in the pathophysiology of autism."

120.  "Volumetric Alterations of The Orbitofrontal Cortex In Autism" by
Girgis RR, Minshew NJ, Melhem NM, Nutche JJ, Keshavan MS, and Hardan AY.
From the Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons,
Columbia University, and New York State Psychiatric Institute in the 30
January 2007 edition of Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry.

"Recent evidence has implicated the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in the
pathophysiology of social deficits in autism. An MRI-based morphometric
study of the OFC was conducted involving 11 children with autism (age range
8.1-12.7 years) and 18 healthy, age-matched controls (age range
8.9-12.8years).  Decreased grey matter volume in the right lateral OFC in
the patient group was found, and correlations were observed between social
deficits and white, but not grey, matter structures of the OFC. These
findings support the role of OFC in autism and warrant further
investigations of this structure using structural and functional
methodologies."

121.  "Association of GABRB3 Polymorphisms with Autism Spectrum Disorders in
Korean Trios" by Kim SA, Kim JH, Park M, Cho IH, and Yoo HJ. From the
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Eulji University, South
Korea.

"Background/Aims: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex
neuropsychiatric disorders having a genetic risk factor. The association and
linkage study for the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor beta3 subunit
gene (GABRB3), located within the chromosome 15q11-q13 autism candidate
region, and ASD have been evaluated. The aim of this study was to
investigate the association between GABRB3 and ASD in the Korean population.
Methods: The present study was conducted with the detection of four
single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs1426217, rs2081648, rs890317, rs981778)
in GABRB3 and association analysis in 104 Korean ASD trios using the
transmission disequilibrium test. Results: The transmission disequilibrium
test demonstrated that an allele at rs2081648 showed preferential
transmission (p = 0.027). One haplotype, including all examined markers in
GABRB3, demonstrated significant association (p = 0.043), but the global
chi(2) test for haplotype transmission did not reveal an association between
GABRB3 and ASD (chi(2) = 15.516, d.f. = 15). Conclusion: Our finding
suggested that single-nucleotide polymorphisms in GABRB3 may play a
significant role in the genetic predisposition to ASD in the Korean
population."

122.  "Federal Lawsuit Claims Abuse of Autistic Student" by Aaron Swarts
from Inside Bay Area at
http://www.insidebayarea.com/trivalleyherald/localnews/ci_5078687.

"The parents of an 8-year-old autistic boy who was placed in a tent in the
school cafeteria and heckled by his classmates and have filed a federal
lawsuit against the Tracy Unified School District.  According to the
lawsuit, which also names the San Joaquin County Office of Education and
other service providers, the first grade student from Bohn Elementary School
was the ongoing victim of abuse and negligence by a number of professionals
trained to work with special needs students.  The suit claims he was
traumatized by an incident that occurred in the Bohn multi-purpose room last
year.  Tracy Unified Communications Specialist Jessica Wakefield declined to
comment on the case, citing the district's long-standing policy not to
discuss pending litigation.  Court papers filed on behalf of the student
describe a number of instances of alleged neglect, including the student
being allowed to repeatedly "bang his head against the ground" eventually
giving himself a serious concussion.  Up until the 2005-06 school year the
boy had been educated at home, but was placed in a first-grade class at Bohn
after it was determined he would be "better served by modeling his
interactions and behaviors after typical peers in a general education
environment," the suit stated.  During his time at Bohn, the plaintiffs say
the boy was "met with seclusion, inappropriate restraints, resistance,
exclusion, humiliation, hostility and willful ignorance and indifference."
The situation came to a head on April 3, 2006, when the boy was removed from
his class and placed inside a tent in a "barricaded area" in the school's
cafeteria.  "The barricaded area was created by three office partitions that
were held together with duct tape," the lawsuit claims. "The area was
further sequestered by cafeteria tables that were placed on their side"
along with "garbage cans that were seeping with wet and noxious scents of
garbage and waste from the school cafeteria."  The suit also states that his
classmates "saw him and heckled at him as if he were a circus side show."
In court papers, the district is quoted as describing the situation in the
Bohn cafeteria as a "soothing sensory environment" for the student.  The
lawsuit alleges that the boy was so traumatized by the events that he
currently has trouble leaving the house and often refuses to change out of
his pajamas.  The plaintiffs are seeking a jury trial and unspecified
damages."

123.  "Special-Ed Parents Seek Alternatives To Suspensions" by Amy
Renczkowski from the Connecticut Day at
http://www.theday.com/re_txt.aspx?re=96da21e1-46fb-4900-a3f7-33417803365b.

"One of the alternatives to out-of-school suspensions at Leonard J. Tyl
Middle School discussed Tuesday night is giving a student an in-school
suspension.  This was the worst alternative for Sharon Brennan's son, she
said.  At a forum hosted by the state Department of Education at the Mohegan
Fire House Tuesday, other parents of special-needs students communicated
their concerns and disappointments with the approach taken by administrators
and staff when disciplining their children.  Brennan said administrators
disciplined her son, who is both autistic and bipolar, without taking in
consideration his needs — and that he struggles to stay seated and remain in
the classroom for extended periods of time without being allowed to move
frequently and take breaks.  Brennan's son was told he could not leave the
room during his inside suspension. Brennan said that after sitting still for
hours, he became frustrated and told the monitor that he was leaving.
Administrators found him outside the school, patiently sitting on a bench,
Brennan said.  The school then gave him an out-of-school suspension for
three days.  "They were just setting him up for failure," Brennan said.  The
forum was for parents of special education students to address the large
percentage of suspensions and expulsions.  Nine parents attended. Parents
had students who were suspended for a varied number of days, depending on
the offense, but all were in agreement that there are better alternatives to
suspensions.  "I don't know why we're suspending special-needs students.
It's not like it's a vacation for them," parent Colleen Reid said. "It only
hurts them."  They stressed the importance of positive reinforcement and the
need for educators to re-direct students after they've been suspended. Most
of the parents said their child had been suspended a number of times.  "They
just can't see the good in these kids," Brennan said. "(Students are)
supposed to change with no help?"  Parents also wanted to become better
informed about their child's behavior and cited a lack of communication and
administrators notifying parents several days after their student had been
suspended. This leaves no room for appeal, parents said.  Parents agreed
that there is a push from administrators for special-needs students to
transfer to the Montville Alternative High School, where students who are
considered to be "high risk" are placed in a flexible environment to focus
on academics while working on behavior.  "My son, who isn't a bad kid, is
coming home and telling me that maybe he should be at the alternative high
school," parent Susan Roeder said.  Information gathered at the forum will
be used by the state Department of Education and the Bureau of Special
Education while conducting a monitoring visit in Montville next week.  The
team will then issue a report on June 5 that will identify the school
system's strengths and areas that need improvement."

124.  "Time Trends In Reported Diagnoses Of Childhood Neuropsychiatric
Disorders: A Danish Cohort Study" by Atladottir HO, Parner ET, Schendel D,
et al. from the North Atlantic Neuro-Epidemiology Alliances at Department of
Epidemiology and Department of Biostatistics, Institute of Public Health,
University of Aarhus, Denmark and Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, Atlanta.

"OBJECTIVES: To examine trends in autism (autism spectrum disorder and
childhood autism) in the context of 3 additional childhood neuropsychiatric
disorders: hyperkinetic disorder, Tourette syndrome, and
obsessive-compulsive disorder.
DESIGN: Population-based cohort study.
SETTING: Children were identified in the Danish Medical Birth Registry.
Relevant outcomes were obtained via linkage with the Danish National
Psychiatric Register, which included reported diagnoses through 2004 by
psychiatrists using diagnostic criteria from the International Statistical
Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision.
PARTICIPANTS: All children born in Denmark from 1990 through 1999, a total
of 669 995 children.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cumulative incidence proportion by age, stratified by
year of birth, for each disorder. RESULTS: Statistically significant
increases were found in cumulative incidence across specific birth years for
autism spectrum disorder, childhood autism, hyperkinetic disorder, and
Tourette syndrome. No significant change in cumulative incidence was
observed for obsessive-compulsive disorder.
CONCLUSIONS: Recent increases in reported autism diagnoses might not be
unique among childhood neuropsychiatric disorders and might be part of a
more widespread epidemiologic phenomenon. The reasons for the observed
common pattern of change in reported cumulative incidence could not be
determined in this study, but the data underscore the growing awareness of
and demand for services for children with neurodevelopmental disorders in
general."

125.  "Positive Effects of Methylphenidate On Inattention And Hyperactivity
In Pervasive Developmental Disorders: An Analysis Of Secondary Measures" by
Posey DJ, Aman MG, McCracken JT, et al. from the Department of Psychiatry,
Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.

"BACKGROUND: Methylphenidate has been shown elsewhere to improve
hyperactivity in about half of treated children who have pervasive
developmental disorders (PDD) and significant hyperactive-inattentive
symptoms. We present secondary analyses to better define the scope of
effects of methylphenidate on symptoms that define
attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and oppositional defiant
disorder (ODD), as well as the core autistic symptom domain of repetitive
behavior. METHODS: Sixty-six children (mean age 7.5 y) with autistic
disorder, Asperger's disorder, and PDD not otherwise specified, were
randomized to varying sequences of placebo and three different doses of
methylphenidate during a 4-week blinded, crossover study. Methylphenidate
doses used approximated .125, .25, and .5 mg/kg per dose, twice daily, with
an additional half-dose in the late afternoon. Outcome measures included the
Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Questionnaire revised for DSM-IV (ADHD and ODD
scales) and the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scales for PDD.
RESULTS: Methylphenidate was associated with significant improvement that
was most evident at the .25- and .5-mg/kg doses. Hyperactivity and
impulsivity improved more than inattention. There were not significant
effects on ODD or stereotyped and repetitive behavior.
CONCLUSIONS: Convergent evidence from different assessments and raters
confirms methylphenidate's efficacy in relieving ADHD symptoms in some
children with PDD. Optimal dose analyses suggested significant
interindividual variability in dose response.

126.  "Study of 99mTc-TRODAT-1 Imaging On Human Brain With Children Autism
By Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography" by Xiao-Mian S, Jing Y,
Chongxuna Z, et al. from the Key Lab of Education Ministry Institute of
biomedical engineering , College of Life Sciences and Technology, China.

"To evaluate the application values of<sup>99m</sup>Tc-2 &#946; [N, N&#8242;
, - bis (2-mercaptoethy1) ethylenediamino] methyl, 3 &#946;
-(4-chlorophenyl) tropane (TRODAT-1) dopamine transporter (DAT) SPECT
imaging in children autism, and offer the academic foundation to etiology,
mechanism and clinical therapy of autism. Ten autistic children and ten
healthy controls were examined with 99mTc-TRODAT-1 DAT SPECT imaging.
Striatal specific uptake of 99mTc-TRODAT-1 was calculated with region of
interest analysis according to the ratios between striatum and cerebellum
[(STR-BKG)/BKG]. There was no difference in semiquantitative dopamine
transporter between bilateral striatum in autistic children (p=0.562) and in
normal controls (p=0.573); Dopamine transporter in brain of patients with
autism increased significantly than that in normal controls (p=0.017).
Dopaminergic nervous system is dysfunction in human brain with children
autism, and DAT 99mTc-TRODAT-1 SPECT imaging on human brain will help the
imaging diagnosis of children autism."

127.  "Texas Gov., Lawmakers in Vaccine Dispute" by Liz Austin Peterson from
the Associated Press at http://tinyurl.com/2jzyo8.

"Gov. Rick Perry's office challenged lawmakers Wednesday to override his
order that schoolgirls be inoculated against the virus that causes cervical
cancer, acknowledging for the first time that the Legislature holds that
power.  Opponents of the order have argued that legislators should have
heard from doctors, scientists and patients before the state implemented the
requirement, and some Republican lawmakers have already filed bills to
override the order.  Lawmakers are welcome to try to bar the requirement,
said Perry spokesman Robert Black. Some lawmakers have said that any
legislation they pass on the issue would trump the governor's order - an
argument Black agreed with.  "If the Legislature feels strongly one way or
another about preventing cancer in young women ... they should act on it,"
Black said.  Perry's order Friday required the Texas Health and Human
Services Commission to adopt rules requiring the Merck & Co. (MRK)'s new
Gardasil vaccine for girls entering the sixth grade as of September 2008.
The vaccine protects girls against strains of the human papillomavirus, or
HPV, that cause most cases of cervical cancer.  Conservatives say the order
contradicts Texas' abstinence-only sex education policies and intrudes on
families. They also balk at the $360 cost for the three-shot series and said
Gardasil is too new to force on girls as young as 11 and 12.  Parents can
elect to avoid the vaccine by filing an affidavit outlining their religious
or philosophical objections. But several lawmakers said they would prefer a
program in which parents opt in instead of opting out.  Perry firmly
defended his actions in his State of the State speech on Tuesday, saying "If
I err, I will err on the side of protecting life."  State Sen. Jane Nelson
asked Attorney General Greg Abbott on Wednesday for a ruling on the order's
legality and guidance on legislative recourse.  She did not immediately
return a call seeking comment.  Merck is bankrolling efforts to pass state
laws requiring the Gardasil vaccine for girls across the country, funneling
money through Women in Government, an advocacy group made up of female state
legislators nationwide. Perry has ties to both.  One of the drug company's
three lobbyists in Texas is Mike Toomey, Perry's former chief of staff. His
current chief of staff's mother-in-law, Texas Republican state Rep. Dianne
White Delisi, is a state director of Women in Government."

128.  "School District To Pay $80,000 To Parents Of Autistic Student A
California judge orders that the details be made public in a settlement
where parents claimed teachers solicited gifts. The family gets $80,000 plus
$75,000 in education services" by Jorge Barrientos and Fermin Leal from The
Orange County Register.

"The school district here will reimburse $80,000 and provide about $75,000
for special education services to the parents of an autistic student,
according to details ordered released by a judge Thursday.  Thomas and Liya
Lin had filed a claim in November stating that Irvine Unified School
District employees "coerced" the couple into giving more than $100,000 in
gifts so their child could receive proper care.  The couple claimed that
they had to provide teachers, aides and an administrator at Canyon View
Elementary with gifts that included jewelry, gift certificates, rent-free
housing and a family heirloom in a two-year span.  District officials and
the Lin family settled the claim in December after dropping their gift claim
and agreeing for the cash payout and special education services for their
child, Jonathan.  Paul Roberts, attorney for the Lin family, said the couple
wanted the records made public all along. District spokesman Ian Hanigan
said it was district officials who originally wanted the settlement details
released, but agreed to keep the amount confidential until judge's order
Thursday.  Still, Roberts said the family was very pleased with the
settlement.  "We are happy that Jonathan will now receive quality care and a
good education," Roberts said.  The Lins enrolled their son at Canyon View
in 2004. At the time, Jonathan could not speak and could not be toilet
trained.  The district will pay an estimated maximum amount of $75,000 to
provide the special education services for Jonathan, Hanigan said.  The
district agreed, among other things, to fund 35 hours per week of in-home
behavior analysis for 48 weeks. It will also reimburse the parents for three
hours per week of speech therapy to the student at $135 per hour for 48
weeks.  No district employees have been disciplined. The Lins' could not be
reached for comment.  The district last month decided to establish a
committee to set guidelines for teachers who are offered gifts on the job. A
deadline has not been set for a policy decision."

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Catrina, to reiterate Kay's words, the educational ABA that your child gets
in public school really has no bearing on getting medical ABA through the
ECHO program from TRICARE.  Our son gets about 15 hours a week of one-on-one
ABA in his public school, but he is still authorized 15 hours of ABA through
TRICARE for over four years.  The public availablity statement can also be
signed by a local health official or the local MTF commander, besides being
signed by the local special education director.  It does not matter who
signs it.  Most public schools will not agree to a specific instructional
methodology, but that does not mean that you cannot ask for it.  If you or
anyone else on this list serv has any questions at all about ABA and ECHO,
please send me your daytime phone number and I will call you.  I have been
helping military families this way for over four years, and do not intend to
stop.  So, please contact me directly if you or your doctor needs help toget
through the process.  Good luck!  Scott

Office 703 681-9426
Home 703 241-2640

-----Original Message-----
From: militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Kay ~
Your AVON Representative
Sent: Sunday, January 28, 2007 6:43 PM
To: militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Military Families Autism Support] Re:
CharlestonAFB/ECHO/ABA/SCHOOL/new member

Catrina,

It does not matter whether your son receives ABA services outside of school
or not, the school still cannot deny those services to him if he needs them.
My son was attending Lambs Elementary for a few years and now we have him
enrolled at North Charleston Elementary in a class for children with autism.
He currently receives 2 hours a day of ABA in school and the $2500 from ECHO
only covers 17 hours with the company that we are using (SC Early Autism
Project). Your hours will be based on what the "company" charges. I'm not
sure what the rate is for others out there but we've stuck with this company
because they have really helped our son academically. You and your husband
are at a time where a lot of parents would love to go back to. Your son is
still very young and could benefit greatly from an intense ABA program,
don't back down from getting it for him.

Take the ECHO form with you and have it filled out at soon as you can. If
your meeting is this upcoming week, take it then. Please don't let them tell
you that your son doesn't require those services and you simply accept
because they may seem to know best. Have them explain to you why and if you
don't agree, fight it! If necessary tell them at least provide the services
on a trial basis and you all can meet again at the end of a set time to
evaluate his progress with the services or lack thereof. If he's making good
progress, even if it's slow keep pushing for it. If he isn't showing any
signs of improvement, don't get rid of it because they will try to make it
hard to get it back, simply adjust the plan to fit his needs and go from
there. The decision has to be made as a team, nothing unilaterally. The ABA
services at school will be able to address some issues at home but primarily
will be focused on him adapting to his environment at school...the services
you receive at ho me can address issues for both environments, so one won't
completely cover what the other can do, so don't believe that they can just
tell you that since he qualifies for services via ECHO that they won't
provide it at school.

Please let me know if I can do anything else for you and your family. My
husband is assigned to APS squadron and we live on the main base side. I'm
definitely here to support you in whatever I can do.

Kay
Classification:  UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

We see Dr Mary Megson in Richmond Va.

Tricare Prime does not cover all the costs for this appt but she
will make a plan for your child on the first visit and I can tell
you if I could choose out of all the doctors we see she is the top
one.  She had the nurses conduct labs right there and looked at all
the info I brought to the appt as well as ordered supplements at
that moment.  She understood about the feingold diet he was on and
why and knew he what was wrong with him based on the lab results I
brought her.

http://www.megson.com/

--- In militaryfamiliesautismsupport@yahoogroups.com, "Kay ~ Your
AVON Representative" <kay4avon@...> wrote:
>
> Sunflower
>
>
> There are a few of you on the board that are seeing doctors that
treat children with autism (DAN doctors, etc.)...can someone post a
list of those that are TRICARE Prime approved or share your
experiences with the one you go to? Our son's pediatrician is
willing to give us a referral but we would like to get an idea of
our options so that we can provide our doctor with some names and
get our son in as soon as possible.
>
> Thanks to everyone in advance,
>
> Kay McFadden
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>