Here are a couple of links to articles that you may find interesting and helpful.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090401145312.htm

Commentary: I was the 'queen of denial' on autism - CNN.com

Tips On Understanding And Living With A Child Who Has Autism

G­r­o­w­in­g­ u­p w­ith a f­r­ien­d o­r­ a sib­lin­g­ w­ho­ has au­tism can­ b­e f­r­u­str­atin­g­ if­ y­o­u­ do­n­?t u­n­der­stan­d w­hat havin­g­ au­tism is all ab­o­u­t f­o­r­ that f­r­ien­d o­r­ sib­lin­g­.

Childre­n­ with au­tism so­me­time­s have­ a difficu­lt time­ u­n­de­rstan­din­g­ what we­ say o­r what o­u­r facial an­d b­o­dy e­x­p­re­ssio­n­s me­an­. Yo­u­ sho­u­ld n­o­t j­u­st sto­p­ tryin­g­ to­ co­mmu­n­icate­ with the­m b­e­cau­se­ o­f this. Try sho­win­g­ the­m a p­ictu­re­ o­r an­ o­b­j­e­ct to­ he­lp­ the­m u­n­de­rstan­d thin­g­s b­e­tte­r. Fo­r e­x­amp­le­, if yo­u­ are­ talkin­g­ ab­o­u­t the­ mo­st re­ce­n­t b­aske­tb­all g­ame­ at scho­o­l, sho­w the­m a b­aske­tb­all o­r a p­ictu­re­ o­f the­ e­n­tire­ b­aske­tb­all te­am to­ he­lp­ the­m u­n­de­rstan­d what yo­u­ are­ talkin­g­ ab­o­u­t.

To help y­ou­ u­n­der­stan­d som­e of­ the behav­i­or­s c­om­m­on­ to ki­ds wi­th au­ti­sm­ r­ev­i­ew the f­ollowi­n­g li­st:

? S­om­e ki­ds­ wi­th a­uti­s­m­ m­a­y ha­v­e troubl­e ta­l­ki­n­g a­n­d m­a­y m­a­ke s­tra­n­ge s­oun­ds­, or they m­a­y n­ot ta­l­k a­t a­l­l­
? S­o­­me­ k­ids­ with­ a­utis­m ma­y fla­p­ th­e­ir h­a­nds­, s­p­in, o­­r la­ugh­ a­ lo­­t
? S­ome ki­ds­ w­i­th auti­s­m w­i­ll b­ehave or p­lay i­n­­ un­­us­ual w­ays­
? They may be very ac­tive o­­r be very q­uiet and l­ike to­­ s­pend time al­o­­ne
? T­h­ey may h­ave t­r­o­ub­le lo­o­k­in­g dir­ect­ly at­ yo­u
? So­m­e ki­d­s wi­t­h a­ut­i­sm­ m­a­y sa­y t­he sa­m­e t­hi­ngs o­ver a­nd­ o­ver

K­i­ds wi­th au­ti­sm, li­k­e all peo­ple, c­an­ get f­r­u­str­ated an­d an­gr­y­. The di­f­f­er­en­c­e i­s mo­st o­f­ten­ they­ c­an­n­o­t tell u­s why­ they­ ar­e f­r­u­str­ated o­r­ an­gr­y­. They­ may­ u­se ac­ti­o­n­s i­n­stead o­f­ wo­r­ds to­ expr­ess thei­r­ f­eeli­n­gs.

A c­hil­d with autis­m­­ m­­ay m­­ake­ nois­e­s­ or s­pin around whe­n he­ or s­he­ be­c­om­­e­s­ ups­e­t, c­onfus­e­d, or bore­d. Whe­n the­y are­ e­xc­ite­d or happy the­y m­­ay fl­ap the­ir hands­, jum­­p up and down, or run in c­irc­l­e­s­.

W­h­e­n­­ s­ur­r­oun­­din­­gs­ or­ s­c­h­e­dule­s­ c­h­an­­ge­ an­­d/or­ th­in­­gs­ be­c­ome­ diffe­r­e­n­­t, man­­y c­h­ildr­e­n­­ w­ith­ autis­m ge­t ups­e­t. Th­e­y may s­tar­t to c­r­y, h­old th­e­ir­ h­an­­ds­ ove­r­ th­e­ir­ e­ar­s­ or­ r­un­­ aw­ay. Th­e­ r­e­as­on­­ c­h­ildr­e­n­­ w­ith­ autis­m r­e­ac­t s­o diffe­r­e­n­­tly to th­in­­gs­ th­at mos­t of us­ do n­­ot e­ve­n­­ n­­otic­e­ is­ be­c­aus­e­ th­e­y h­ave­ diffic­ulty un­­de­r­s­tan­­din­­g or­ de­alin­­g w­ith­ th­e­ w­or­ld ar­oun­­d th­e­m.

N­o on­e kn­ows why­ som­e people ha­v­e a­u­tism­. There m­a­y­ be m­a­n­y­ d­ifferen­t ca­u­ses. Resea­rchers con­tin­u­e to stu­d­y­ a­n­d­ try­ to fin­d­ ou­t j­u­st wha­t the ca­u­ses of a­u­tism­ a­re a­n­d­ how best to help people with a­u­tism­.

K­i­ds wi­t­h aut­i­sm may­ b­e a memb­er o­f­ y­o­ur class o­r may­ b­e i­n­ a classro­o­m t­hat­ was set­ up­ esp­eci­ally­ f­o­r t­hem. So­me chi­ldren­ wi­t­h aut­i­sm go­ t­o­ di­f­f­eren­t­ scho­o­ls; ho­wever, mo­re an­d mo­re chi­ldren­ wi­t­h aut­i­sm t­o­day­ can­ go­ t­o­ regular scho­o­ls an­d p­art­i­ci­p­at­e i­n­ af­t­er-scho­o­l act­i­vi­t­i­es wi­t­h classmat­es, f­ri­en­ds an­d n­ei­ghb­o­rs. T­hi­s i­s so­ much b­et­t­er f­o­r t­he chi­ld wi­t­h aut­i­sm rat­her t­han­ co­n­t­i­n­ui­n­g t­o­ sep­arat­e t­hem f­ro­m t­he rest­ o­f­ t­he wo­rld.

Special ar­r­ang­ements may b­e u­sed in classr­o­­o­­ms to­­ help a classmate w­ith au­tism par­ticipate in the class. He o­­r­ she may even have a special co­­ach sit at their­ desk o­­r­ tab­le. He o­­r­ she may u­se pictu­r­e symb­o­­ls to­­ co­­mmu­nicate w­ith classmates and the teacher­. Ther­e is special co­­mpu­ter­ so­­f­tw­ar­e that can ?talk? f­o­­r­ a child w­ith au­tism. The ab­so­­lu­te b­est w­ay f­o­­r­ yo­­u­ to­­ deal w­ith a classmate, a f­r­iend o­­r­ sib­ling­ w­ith au­tism is to­­ r­emain ?f­r­iendly.?

A­u­tism­ is no­t a­ d­isea­se tha­t is co­nta­g­io­u­s. O­thers ca­nno­t ca­tch a­u­tism­ fro­m­ a­ cla­ssm­a­te, friend­ o­r sibling­.

Be­c­o­m­i­ng a fri­e­nd to­ a c­hi­ld wi­th auti­s­m­ c­an be­ a re­wardi­ng and le­arni­ng e­x­p­e­ri­e­nc­e­ fo­r e­ve­ry­o­ne­ i­nvo­lve­d. Re­vi­e­w the­ fo­llo­wi­ng i­de­as­ to­ he­lp­ y­o­u be­ a fri­e­nd to­ a c­hi­ld wi­th auti­s­m­:

? A­cce­p­t­ t­h­e­ diffe­re­nce­s
? P­rot­ect­ y­our fri­end­ from­­ t­hi­ngs t­hat­ b­ot­her hi­m­­ or her
? T­alk­ t­o a c­h­ild w­it­h­ aut­ism­ in­ sm­all se­n­t­e­n­c­e­s an­d use­ sim­p­le­ w­ords w­it­h­ lot­s of ge­st­ure­s
? U­se­ p­i­ctu­re­s o­r wri­te­ do­wn wha­t yo­u­ wa­nt to­ sa­y to­ yo­u­r fri­e­nd who­ ha­s a­u­ti­sm­ to­ he­lp­ hi­m­ o­r he­r u­nde­rsta­nd yo­u­ be­tte­r
? Jo­in yo­ur friend­ w­h­o­ h­as­ autis­m­ in ac­tivities­ th­at interes­t h­im­ o­r h­er
? Be p­a­ti­ent a­nd­ u­nd­ersta­nd­ tha­t y­ou­r fri­end­ d­oes not m­­ea­n to bother y­ou­ or others
? In­v­ite y­our­ fr­ien­d­ wh­o h­as­ autis­m­ to play­ with­ y­ou an­d­ to join­ y­ou in­ gr­oup ac­tiv­ities­
? Si­t near­ y­o­u­r­ f­r­i­end who­ has au­ti­sm­, and help hi­m­ o­r­ her­ do­ thi­ngs i­f­ they­ want y­o­u­ to­
? Hel­p o­ther­ ki­d­s­ l­ear­n­ abo­ut auti­s­m by­ tel­l­i­n­g them abo­ut y­o­ur­ fr­i­en­d­

So­­urce: A­ut­ism So­­ciet­y­ o­­f A­merica­

D­isclaim­­er: T­h­is art­icle is for ed­ucat­ional p­urp­oses only. It­ is not­ int­end­ed­ t­o b­e a sub­st­it­ut­e for inform­­ed­ m­­ed­ical ad­vice or care. You sh­ould­ not­ use t­h­e inform­­at­ion in t­h­is art­icle t­o d­iagnose or t­reat­ any h­ealt­h­ p­rob­lem­­s or illnesses wit­h­out­ consult­ing your p­ed­iat­rician or fam­­ily d­oct­or. P­lease consult­ a d­oct­or wit­h­ any quest­ions or concerns you m­­igh­t­ h­ave regard­ing your or your ch­ild­?s cond­it­ion.

 "

Here is a list of celebrities who have children with Autism. You might be surprised at some of the names on the list.

Ed Asner (actor Lou Grand, Mary Tyler Moore Show) - son

Gary Cole (actor) -daughter

Aiden Quinn (actor) - daughter

Joe Montagna (actor) - daughter

Jenny McCarthy (actress) - son

Holly Robinson Peete (actress) - son

Toni Braxton (singer) - son

Ernie Els (Pro Golfer) - son 

William Christopher (actor MASH) - son

Marlon Brando (actor) - son

Richard Burton (actor) - daughter

Dan Marino (football player) - son

Doug Flutie (football player) - son

Wynton and Bradford Marsailies (musicians) - brother

Beverly Sills (opera singer) - son

Sylvester Stallone (actor) - son

Will Clark (baseball player) - son

Hermie Sadler (NASCAR) - daughter

Didi Conn (actress movie GREASE, TV show Benson) - son

'Leaky Gut' and the Gluten- / Casein-Free Diet

Written by Stephen M. Edelson, Ph.D.

Another popular intervention for autism is the gluten-/casein-free diet. Thousands of parents throughout the world have placed their children on this restricted diet and have observed dramatic improvements. As a result, many recipes have been published in specialized cook-books, newsletters, and on the Internet.

Leaky gut.: Many autistic individuals have permeable intestinal tracts, and this is often referred to as ‘leaky gut.’ There appears to be many reasons for the problem of ‘leaky gut’ in autistic individuals, such as a viral infection (e.g., measles), yeast infection (i.e., an overgrowth of candida albicans), and a reduction in phenol sulfur transferase (PST; which lines the intestinal tract and protects it from leakiness). There is also some speculation that heavy metals in the intestinal tract can weaken membranes; and this, in turn, can cause ‘leaky gut.’

As far as treating these potential causes of ‘leaky gut’:

• Viral -- There are no drugs that can destroy viruses in the body but there are anti-viral drugs that can 'slow down' the virus.
• Candida albicans -- Many children have tested positive to candida albicans overgrowth and have been treated with anti-fungal medications (see section on candida albicans in this issue).
• Low levels of PST -- Some parents give their children Epson salt baths to increase levels of PST.
• Children are also receiving metal detoxification procedures to rid their body of excess heavy metals.

Gluten and casein. Gluten is a protein and is contained in foods, such as wheat, barley, rye and oats. Casein is also a protein and is found in dairy products such as milk, ice cream, cheese and yogurt. In the intestinal tract, gluten and casein breakdown into peptides; and these peptides then breakdown into amino acids.

At the present time, we do not know why the gluten-/ casein-free diet helps many autistic individuals. One popular theory is that when gluten and casein are broken down into peptides, they may pass through imperfections in the intestinal tract. These peptides are termed gliadinomorphin (breakdown of the gluten protein) and casomorphin (breakdown of the casein protein). Both peptides act like morphine in the body. They can also pass through the blood-brain barrier and have a negative impact on brain development.

As stated earlier, the most helpful treatment for this problem is to place the child on a gluten- and/or casein-free diet. When placed on a diet, children, especially under 5 years of age, should not go ‘cold turkey.’ That is, if all gluten/casein food ingredients are suddenly removed from the child’s diet, this could lead to ‘withdrawal’ symptoms, i.e., a worsening of the condition. Lisa Lewis, Ph.D., a parent of an autistic child who is actively involved in disseminating information on the gluten- and casein-free diet, suggests that young children under age six years should be placed on a trial diet for three months to see if there are any improvements; and children who are six years and older should be placed on a trial diet for six months.

Some people suggest that the health status of the child’s intestinal tract should be examined first; and if there is evidence of a ‘leaky gut,’ then the child should be placed on a gluten- and/or casein-free diet. The intestinal permeability test is one way to determine whether a child has a ‘leaky gut.’ This test involves drinking a sweet-tasting solution and then collecting urine samples afterwards. Most physicians can administer this test. Parents have also sent their child’s urine samples to laboratories to test for the presence of abnormal peptides associated with gluten and casein in the urine. However, many people feel that these tests are not necessary and suggest that one should simply place the child on a restricted diet and then observe whether or not there are any improvements in the child.

Resources:

• Special Diets for Special Kids (1998) by Lisa S. Lewis
• Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder (2000) by Karyn Seroussi
• Autism Network for Dietary Intervention (ANDI): www.AutismNDI.com

REFRIGERATOR MOTHERS

I read this when Lori and I decided to start the chapter last November. It reminded me of a conversation I had with my sister-in-law around the same time. She had an autistic son in the early 1960's and was forced to place him in a home because very little was known about Autism. Fortunately, we have come a long way over the last three decades, and together we are clearing up the myths about Autism.

Cindy        

The "Refrigerator Mother" Hypothesis of Autism    

James R. Laidler, MD                                                


Although it is hard to find the specific instance when the “refrigerator mother” hypothesis of autism was first used, it is not difficult to find who first proposed it. As early as his 1943 paper, Leo Kanner was calling attention to what he saw as a lack of parental warmth and attachment to their autistic children. In his 1949 paper, he attributed autism to a “genuine lack of maternal warmth” and the “Refrigerator Mother” theory of autism was born.
In retrospect, it would appear that Kanner was confusing cause and effect. It is more likely that any lack of attachment he saw between the parents and their autistic children was due to the lack of social reciprocity in the children. He consistently ignored the fact that the affected children in his 1943 paper had unaffected siblings who were, presumably, exposed to the same parents and their warmth or lack of it. In a 1960 Time Magazine interview, Kanner described the mothers of autistic children as “just happening to defrost enough to produce a child.”
As instrumental as Kanner was in forming the “Refrigerator Mother” hypothesis, it was Bruno Bettleheim who gave it widespread popularity. His articles, primarily in the 1950s and 1960s, popularized the idea that autism was caused by maternal coldness toward their children—ignoring, as Kanner did, that these same mothers had other children who were not autistic. This was, without a doubt, the low ebb of professional opinion about the parents (especially the mothers) of autistic children.
Despite a number of articles and books published during the 1950’s and 1960’s that blamed autism an a maternal lack of affection, there was a growing sense in the medical community that this did not explain autism as it was seen in the community. In 1964, Bernard Rimland, a psychologist with an autistic son, produced the book Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior, which attacked the “Refrigerator Mother” hypothesis directly.
In what appears to be a direct response to Rimland’s book, Bettleheim wrote The Empty Fortress: Infantile Autism and the Birth of the Self, in which he compared the autistic child to a prisoner in a concentration camp (casting the parents as the SS guards). He states:
The difference between the plight of prisoners in a concentration camp and the conditions which lead to autism and schizophrenia in children is, of course, that the child has never had a previous chance to develop much of a personality.
As it later turned out, Bettleheim’s book was one of the last gasps of the “refrigerator mother “ hypothesis. Although many other authors subsequently argued that is was valid to blame parents (especially the mother) for autism, it was a doomed cause. Although a few people, and even a few medical professionals, still blame autism on maternal lack of affection, the growing volume of data supporting a biological cause clearly refutes this. However, other potentially dangerous "blame-the-parent" notions have arisen. According to these, parents are responsible for their children’s autism in two ways:
Causing the autism (through ignorance or willfully disregarding warnings) by allowing their child to receive routine vaccinations with products that contain thimerosal (a mercury-containing preservative) preservative or a combination measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines.
Allowing the autism to persist by not administering all of the therapies recommended by a burgeoning number of “experts” and healers. This is evidenced by repeated references to “the window of opportunity” in treating autism.
Many of the leaders in the autism recovery movement are very active in opposing any hypothesis (or, in fact, any research) of the genetic component of autism, fearing that it will undermine their assertion that all cases are caused by external, controllable (and, therefore, preventable or treatable) factors. Although it is probably not their intention, this has the effect of blaming the parents for their children’s autism.
This article was revised on September 15, 2004.

Campaign Tackles Autism Ignorance

A campaign aimed at increasing public awareness of autism has been launched after research showed widespread misconceptions about the condition.

An estimated 50,000 people in Scotland have autism, which can affect how they communicate with and relate to others.

A survey by the National Autistic Society found many people were unaware of the severity of the condition, or believed it affected only children.

The society hopes its Think Differently campaign will increase understanding.

The survey found that 92% of people were unaware of how common autism and the related Asperger syndrome are, while a third of those questioned believed that all autistic people had special gifts, like Dustin Hoffman's character in the movie Rainman, when it is actually only one in every 200.

A third of people surveyed also said they believed the life-long developmental disability only affects children.

We find that parents are often subjected to hostility from the general public simply because of a lack of understanding
Robert Moffat
National Autistic Society

Robert Moffat, a regional officer with the National Autistic Society in Scotland, said ignorance about autism often devastated the lives of those born with the condition and their carers.

He added: "We find that parents are often subjected to hostility from the general public simply because of a lack of understanding. I know of parents who have been on the receiving end of this hostile reaction in supermarkets.

"What we find is that people will look at a child who is perhaps having some difficulties or a tantrum in a supermarket and they will act in an extremely judgemental and negative way towards this.

"We have found that there are a number of misconceptions out there so the campaign is aimed at trying to rebut these misconceptions."

Mr Moffat said part of the problem was the wide spectrum of different conditions linked to autism, which means each individual autistic person's condition is different.

Support quest

Parent Norman Gray said his 28-year-old son Andrew's life had been a "misery" until he was eventually diagnosed with autism nine years ago.

Mr Gray added: "When Andrew was very young they said there was something wrong with him but they didn't know what it was.

"He was then treated as a person with learning difficulties but not specifically autism and therefore there was no means of gearing any education towards his needs."

He was spat upon and pushed and jostled. If that didn't happen he was shunned by others
Norman Gray
Parent

Mr Gray said Andrew started off in mainstream schooling, where he was subjected to constant bullying, before being moved into special units which were not dedicated to autism itself.

He recalled: "Andrew had a miserable life in terms of his peers. For example, we would put him to school for 8.30 in the morning and we got punishment exercises back home for him being late into registration.

"What had been happening was Andrew had been bullied and was taking alternative routes to get to registration or wasn't even going to registration to avoid the bullies.

"He was spat upon and pushed and jostled. If that didn't happen he was shunned by others because he was odd and different and they wouldn't relate and play with him in the normal way."

Mr Gray said his son's life had been transformed when he was finally diagnosed with autism at the age of 19.

"When he was diagnosed we were then able to able to access the support of the National Autistic Society itself," Mr Gray said.

"He was also then able to join a local disabled swimming club, the Discovery swimming club, and that opened a whole new life up for him."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/7067517.stm

(CNN) -- The size of a specific part of the brain may help experts pinpoint when autism could first develop, University of North Carolina researchers report.

The amygdala helps individuals process faces and emotions.

Using MRI brain scans, researchers found that the area of the brain called the amygdala was, on average, 13 percent larger in young children with autism, compared with control group of children without autism. In the study, published in the latest Archives of General Psychiatry, researchers scanned 50 toddlers with autism and 33 children without autism at age 2 and again at age 4. The study adjusted for age, sex and IQ.

"We believe that children with autism have normal-sized brains at birth but at some point, in the latter part of the first year of life, it [the amygdala] begins to grow in kids with autism. And this study gives us insight inside the underlying brain mechanism so we can design more rational interventions," said lead study author Dr. Joseph Piven.

A normal-sized amygdala helps a person process faces and emotions, behavior commonly known as joint attention.

"When you see a face, you scan it, identify if it's friend or foe and make a decision about whether to move forward or avoid it," said Dr. Barry Kosofsky, chief of neurology at Cornell Medical Center, who was not affiliated with the study.

UNC researchers conducted diagnostic assessments, in addition to the MRI scans, to monitor the children's behavior. They found toddlers with a large amygdala also had joint attention problems. Watch Dr. Gupta explain the findings »

"We would basically try to get the child to look one way, we'd turn and point to a clock and see whether or not the child would notice it," explained Piven. "The 2-year-olds without autism would see your face, see where you are looking and join you but the children with autism, with large amygdalas, would not."

Autism experts agree joint attention difficulty is a key characteristic of autism. It also is the only behavior linked to a large amygdala, according to the study. Researchers found no association between repetitive behavior or other social behaviors and a large amygdala.

"This is a core feature of autism, and it raises a very provocative possibility that if they [joint attention problems] aren't caused by changes in the amygdala, they are certainly associated with it," said Kosofsky.

Autism experts say such findings are critical in developing new ways to treat and diagnose autism earlier.

"Many studies have observed the brain grows too big in kids with autism, but this study finds that by age 2, the amygdala is already bigger and stops growing," said Kosofsky. "So it tells us the critical difference has already developed. It now poses the question: Are children born with autism or does it develop in the first two years of life?"

Parents cannot run out and ask their doctor to check the size of their child's amygdala to determine their child's autism risk, but researchers hope over time, it can be used as a clinical tool to diagnose the mysterious developmental condition, which affects as many as 1 in 150 children.

"Once we understand the neurological circuits, we may be able to detect if a child has problems in those circuits as early as 6 months of age," said Piven. "If we are able to combine those things, we can better predict and guide interventions. We need to let the pattern of early brain development guide us to predict who is at higher risk and who would benefit from early intervention."

UNC researchers are conducting a follow-up to their initial findings. They're recruiting 500 infants who are also siblings of children with autism for national infant brain imaging study.

"By tracking the behaviors and brain volume growth from birth in high-risk babies, we can pinpoint when the brain first begins to grow larger than normal and provide therapy or medications to limit the growth or symptoms a lot earlier than we are doing now," said Piven.

Kate Winslet to narrate autism documentary

The Autism News | English

By Contact Music

Oscar-winner KATE WINSLET has signed up to narrate a heartbreaking new documentary about an Icelandic mother trying to come to terms with her son’s autism.

The actress was compelled to be a part of director Fridrik Thor Fridriksson’s The Sunshine Boy after watching footage he sent her.

The film chronicles film producer Margret Dagmar Ericsdottir as she struggles to understand her severely autistic son Keli.

The star of the film says, “I am delighted and honoured that Kate agreed to do the narration. Her contribution plays an instrumental role in increasing awareness for autism, which many claim is the world’s fastest-growing epidemic.”

The Sunshine Boy is expected to receive rave reviews when it debuts as part of the Real to Reel section of the Toronto International Film Festival on 12 September (09). It features musical contributions from Icelandic stars Bjork and Sigur Ros.

Source: http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/winslet-to-narrate-autism-documentary_1114105

Please share this news with friends, family and also with your contact list on Twitter, Facebook and MySpace.

District explains appeal over service dog

By JENNIFER A. BOWEN | News-Democrat

Columbia School District attorneys released a statement Wednesday explaining the district has appealed a Monroe County judge’s decision to allow a service dog into school with an autistic 5-year-old boy because of children in the school who are allergic to animals.

Monroe County Circuit Judge Dennis Doyle entered a preliminary injunction Friday to allow Carter Kalbfleisch to bring his autism service dog, Corbin, into his pre-kindergarten education classes. Doyle’s order would take effect on Sept. 14, meaning Carter could attend classes before then but without the dog.

“The district’s compliance with the preliminary injunction will have a direct and negative impact on a least one other student who attends the early childhood program,” said the released statement by attorneys Barney R. Mundorf and Christi Flaherty.

“Specifically, the district is aware of at least one child who will suffer serious physical harm if he is exposed to animal hair. Additionally, the district is aware of multiple children with medical conditions which may be impacted by the presence of a dog at school.”

Doyle cited Illinois state law when he made his decision to allow the dog into the classroom with Carter and stated during his decision that the law is not vague.

Carter’s parents, Chris and Melissa Kalbfleisch, filed a suit in Monroe County Court seeking an injunction in accordance with state and federal law. Their motion cites state law 105 ILCS 5/14-6.02, which reads, “… service animals such as guide dogs, signal dogs, or any other service animal individually trained to perform tasks for the benefit of a student with a disability shall be permitted to accompany that student at all school functions, whether in or outside the classroom.”

School district attorneys disagree with the judge’s ruling and said Doyle has misinterpreted the law and the dog doesn’t serve any kind of educational purpose.

“The district acknowledges that the school code does allow for a ’service dog’ at school, but exercising this right requires meeting certain legal and educational standards that the district does not believe have been met in this case,” read the district’s statement. “The district maintains its commitment to providing all students of Columbia Community Unit School District No. 4 with a free appropriate public education.”

The school district appealed the decision to the 5th District Appellate Court in Mount Vernon and is seeking to have the injunction put on hold or extended.

“While the district recognizes the student’s desire to have his dog at school, it must weigh that desire with the rights of other district children to a safe and healthy learning environment,” the statement from the district’s attorney said. “It is not a simple matter of moving students from one room to another, or even one building to another. The district has obligations under both state and federal laws which govern the education of children with disabilities. Those laws contain certain procedural safeguards which must be observed before educational services can be changed.”

Carter was diagnosed with autism at 18 months, Melissa Kalbfleisch said. He is prone to severe outbursts, anxiety attacks, violent reactions and running away. He is compelled to eat inappropriate things like mulch and rocks, and he doesn’t speak. Two specialists at Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center in St. Louis prescribed the autism service dog for Carter.

Since Corbin became Carter’s companion in mid-July, the family has been able to take Carter shopping and on a family vacation. They got to hear him speak his first meaningful words, commanding Corbin to “wait” and to “hold.” And because Corbin relieves his fear and anxiety, Carter has begun interacting with people.

Melissa Kalbfleisch testified the dog is able to calm her son more quickly and efficiently than the teachers and aides. Tantrums, anxiety, incessant hand-flapping and breakdowns that took teachers 30 minutes or more to stop take just a few minutes with Corbin intervening.

Every public place, store and restaurant has welcomed Corbin as a service dog without issue, Chris Kalbfleisch said.

Melissa Kalbfleisch testified she has become a certified dog handler and is required, by law, to be in attendance in public places where Carter and Corbin are. She would be on hand for any issues that should arise at school, she said.

“I did not purchase this animal for Carter’s education, I bought this dog to aid him in his disability,” she said. “I quit my job when Corbin came to our house so I could dedicate my life to making this work for my son.”

The parents of an eight-year-old autistic boy are demanding to know why a Metro Transit driver kicked their screaming son off a bus.

Izaak Croft was riding down Halifax’s Spring Garden Road Wednesday when he began to scream and cry. He was with a dozen other autistic children, having just left the Discovery Centre on a summer camp excursion with Autism Society Nova Scotia.

David Croft said a camp counsellor told him that the driver ordered his son off the bus.

“I thought it was a display of intolerance,” Croft told CBC News. “To me it was as if a crying baby was being told to get off.”

Croft said his son often has a difficult time dealing with sensory overload. Although the outbursts can be unsettling and disruptive, he said, that’s no reason to kick him off.

Izaak should have been left alone, Croft said.

Walked off bus

“Izaak was just responding to those environmental stimulus just like that baby would be, and to me it was no different and the driver went way, way beyond the pale,” he said.

Croft said the entire group walked off the bus, and then camp counsellors were refused transfers. The group waited for another bus and eventually made its way back to camp headquarters on Joseph Howe Drive.

Croft said he and his wife called the Metro Transit call centre to complain and were told that someone would get back to them within a week.

Lori Patterson, spokeswoman for Metro Transit, refused to comment on Izaak’s case, saying she needed more time to hear both sides of the story.

Though Croft said he’s pleased with the service that Metro Transit provides to autistic children in Halifax, he expects drivers to adapt more quickly to their needs.

He said children with autism don’t qualify to take the Access-A-Bus, a door-to-door bus service for people with physical or cognitive disabilities.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/nova-scotia/story/2009/08/27/ns-autism-bus-driver.html

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This is an article that Dr. Yeager sent to me recently. There has been much debate of the use of the word autistic. I hope this helps clear up any questions any of you may have had. Thank you.

   The autistic self-advocacy community as a body prefers autistic-first or identity-first language (ex. autistic persons, persons on the autism spectrum, autistic adolescents, adolescents on the autism spectrum) over people-first language (ex. persons with autism, teens with autism).  

     Many other disability self-advocacy communities have likewise adopted identity-first language (ex. the blind, deaf, and dyslexic communities). At the same time, some disability self-advocacy communities choose to use  person-first language, which we respect.  

      The autistic self-advocacy community's usage of autistic-first/identity-first language stems from our shared belief that the autistic neurology is not separable from the autistic person. It is a  response in part to people who contended that autism is something separable that can be fixed or "cured". It is an effort to take reclaim ownership of the term autistic, which was widely dismissed without much  justification for its discontinuance. 

     There is a growing movement within the autism spectrum community to move  away from efforts specific to the Asperger's autism diagnosis. It's felt by many in the autistic self-advocacy community that Asperger's-specific  initiatives are divisive in not permitting individuals who have a PDD-NOS  or Kanner's autism diagnosis to participate.  

     This is because the only major distinction between an Asperger's autism diagnosis and a Kanner's autism diagnosis is a perceived lack of an early speech delay. 

     This distinction is often not significant when a person has reached their adolescent and adult years. Additionally, the lack of a speech delay in the Asperger's autism diagnosis is highly controversial because there were  cases of persons with speech delays among Hans Asperger's original cases  studies in the 1940s.  

     Further, memories of what was delayed and what was not may be fleeting. There are many cases where a person seeking a diagnosis from three  clinicians is given three different diagnoses (Asperger's autism, PDD-NOS,  Kanner's autism) depending on the clinician's interpretation. 

     An example of the movement toward inclusive autism spectrum terms is The Association on Higher Education & Disability's recent change of the name  of its Asperger's Syndrome special interest group to the Autism/Asperger's  special interest group.  

     Likewise, the large online community wrongplanet.net recently changed its masthead from "the online community for Asperger's Syndrome" to "the  online community for autism and Asperger's".

Conflicts Abound In The Vaccine Debate - Is Your Child Safe From The Scoundrels Of Medicine?

In response to a court case regarding Michelle Cedillo (one of thousands of families attempting to establish the connection between vaccines and their child's autism), Dr. Paul Offit, chief of infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania claims the apparent connection between vaccines and autism is "nothing more than a sad coincidence". Imagine being the parent (and there are many!) who watched their child's fast retreat into silence and disability following a round of vaccinations upon hearing this incomprehensible dismissal!

Should all parents of children, believed to be vaccine damaged, accept that this remarkable timing is a mere coincidence? Should they stop sifting through the thousands of pages of research by reputable doctors and scientists exploring the topic of vaccines and its potential connection to autism and other diseases simply because Dr. Offit declared this epidemic to be nothing more than a SAD COINCIDENCE?

So who is Dr. Offit? As a parent who has been researching vaccine damage for years, I say let's look at the man, Dr. Offit, chief of infectious diseases at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. We know by his title that his credentials are exceptional but is he to be trusted?

Well, we know that he is someone to make outlandish statements on the issue of vaccine safety in order to make parents feel small and silly for questioning safety. In addition to the "sad coincidence" statement, Dr. Offit once stated that "an infant can safely receive up to 10,000 vaccines at once". I, for one, would like Dr. Offit to prove his theory by allowing himself to be injected with 10,000 vaccines! In fact, line all the scoundrels up who wish to play Russian roulette with our children's health and give them a dose of their own medicine.

Here's just a little professional background on Dr. Offit. He is not just a doctor who firmly believes vaccines save lives and will stand by medicine no matter how much conflicting evidence gets in the way. No, Dr. Offit is actually one of the patent holders of the rotavirus vaccine (Patent Application number 353547) and the recipient of a $350,000 grant from Merck for its development. Additionally, he is a consultant to Merck Pharmaceuticals.

Additionally, he is a member of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) which is comprised by a 15 member panel of "immunization experts" (so knowledgeable on the subject of vaccine safety as to have concluded that your infant would be safe receiving 10,000 vaccines at one time!). The ACIP is responsible for providing advice and guidelines to the Secretary for Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on vaccine-preventable diseases. Would you have imagined that an individual who profits from vaccines is one of 15 who will vote on vaccine safety? Nothing should surprise us anymore.

As a member of the ACIP, starting in 1998, Dr. Offit voted "yes" three times out of four on issues pertaining to the ACIP's rotavirus statement, including a vote for his own vaccine to be included in the immunization schedule. I would call that a conflict of interest and a moral individual would excuse himself from voting on a vaccine from which they are to receive financial benefit. But then again we are talking about pharmaceutical drug profit here so morality does not play a role in the decision making process.

When presented with information regarding safety of vaccines, it would be nice if we could trust and believe the medical profession. Unfortunately, Dr. Offit is not just an exception to the rule but the standard bearer. Conflicts are everywhere you look in this hotly debated topic, as profits are quite extraordinary.

In the meantime, thousands of parents each year will continue to experience the "sad coincidence" of witnessing their child's health dramatically deteriorate following a "wellness visit" at their pediatrician's office.

As parents it is acceptable and encouraged that we research the safety of all products that our children are to use, car seat safety, food they will be eating, chemicals used in our homes, etc., etc., but dare we question the safety of a vaccine schedule that inflicts over 20 injections in the first two years of their lives - at a time when their immune system is the most vulnerable - we are expected to just show up at the pediatrician's office and not question authority, regardless of mounting evidence that vaccines damage children in a multitude of ways.

Paula Rothstein is the author of numerous articles on the topic of natural health, offering clients and customers solutions for recovery from toxic lifestyle choices, diet, and environment. For more information, please visit http://medicinefreeliving.googlepages.com/home

May 14, 2008 -- Contrary to media reports, a U.S. court has not yet issued any decisions on whether vaccines cause autism.

It's an important issue: About 5,000 cases remain in limbo -- at the parents' request -- as the so-called Omnibus Autism Proceeding grinds on.

This week, public hearings in the case resumed as parents of two 10-year-old boys asked the court to rule that thimerosal, a mercury-based vaccine preservative, triggered the boys' autism.

Media interest in the case has skyrocketed since one of the parents of Hannah Poling -- one of the families involved in the case -- last March announced that they'd won.

Indeed, in November 2007 the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) conceded that vaccination could have aggravated Hannah's underlying mitochondrial disorder and caused her autism symptoms. The HHS Division of Vaccine Injury Compensation will compensate the Polings out of its $2.7 billion trust fund, built up from surcharges paid for every vaccination covered by the program.

So why is the court case still going on? What's at stake? Here are WebMD's answers to these and other frequently asked questions:

• Isn't the case over? Doesn't the concession in the Poling case mean the court already has ruled?
• Why does the federal government pay vaccine claims? Aren't vaccine companies responsible?
• What is the vaccine court?
• What does this have to do with autism?
• How do the Omnibus Autism Proceedings work?
• If the Special Masters rule that these people with autism likely suffered vaccine injury, does it mean that vaccines cause autism?
• When will there be rulings in the cases?

Isn't the case over? Doesn't the concession in the Poling case mean the court already has ruled?

No. "We reiterate that this court has issued no decision on the issue of vaccine causation of autism," the case's three "Special Masters" italicized in their March 27 update on the ongoing proceedings.

Exactly why the government decided to concede the Poling's case isn't clear. The Special Masters -- the federal judges hearing the cases -- say they "cannot provide any details concerning this matter" until the entire case is decided.

In documents leaked to the press, government lawyers wrote that the HHS Division of Vaccine Injury Compensation "has concluded that the vaccinations [Hannah Poling received] significantly aggravated an underlying mitochondrial disorder, which predisposed her to deficits in cellular energy metabolism, and manifested as a regressive encephalopathy with features of autism spectrum disorder."

Government health officials -- such as CDC Director Julie Gerberding, MD, MPH -- say the concession in the Poling case is not an official admission that vaccines can cause autism.

The Omnibus Autism Proceeding, which began in 2002, continues. This series of three hearings, each including three "test cases," will decide whether there's sufficient evidence that vaccines can cause autism.

The first hearings concluded in November 2007. However, attorneys for the claimants have asked for extra time to get new information from sealed U.K. court records, so no final rulings have been made. The second set of hearings began on May 12, and is scheduled to run through May 30, 2008. A third set of hearings is scheduled for mid-September 2008, although they may not be necessary (see below).

There has not yet been a decision in any of these cases.

Stress. Day to day routines bringing on stress, are very familiar to parents. There is the physical stress from daily routines such as preparing meals, bathing, homework, and shopping. This is compounded by such psychological stressors as parent-child conflicts, not having enough time to complete responsibilities and concern regarding a child's well-being. When a family has a child on the autism spectrum, unique stressors are added.

Sources of Stress for Parents

Research indicates that parents of children with autism experience greater stress than parents of children with intellectual disabilities and Down Syndrome. (Holroyd & McArthur, 1976; Donovan, 1988). An individual with autism may not express their basic wants or needs in a manner that we would expect. Therefore, parents are left playing a guessing game. Is the child crying because he/she is thirsty, hungry, or sick? When parents cannot determine their child's needs, both are left feeling frustrated. The child's frustration can lead to aggressive or self-injurious behaviors that threaten their safety and the safety of other family member . Stereotypic and compulsive behaviors concern parents since they appear peculiar and interfere with functioning and learning. If a child has deficits in social skills, such as the lack of appropriate play, stress may be increased for families. Individuals lacking appropriate leisure skills often require constant structure of their time, a task not feasible to accomplish in the home environment.

Finally, many families struggle with the additional challenges of getting their child to sleep through the night or eat a wider variety of foods. All of these issues and behaviors are physically exhausting for families and emotionally draining. For families of children on the autism spectrum this can be a particular challenge. Scheduled dinner times may not be successful due to the child's inability to sit appropriately for extended periods of time. Bedtime routines can be interrupted by difficulties sleeping. Maladaptive behaviors may prevent families from attending events together. For example, Mom might have to stay home while Dad takes the sibling to his/her soccer game. Not being able to do things as a family can impact the marital relationship. In addition, spouses often cannot spend time alone due to their extreme parenting demands and the lack of qualified staff to watch a child with autism in their absence.

Reactions from Society and Feelings of Isolation

Taking an individual with autism out into the community can be a source of stress for parents. People may stare, make comments or fail to understand any mishaps or behaviors that may occur. For example, individuals with autism have been seen taking a stranger's food right off his/her plate. As a result of these potential experiences, families often feel uncomfortable taking their child to the homes of friends or relatives. This makes holidays an especially difficult time for these families. Feeling like they cannot socialize or relate to others, parents of children on the autism spectrum may experience a sense of isolation from their friends, relatives and community.

Caregiving 

One of the most significant sources of stress is the concern regarding future caregiving. Parents know that they provide their child with exceptional care; they fear that no one will take care of their child like they do. There may also be no other family members willing or capable of accomplishing this task. Even though parents try to fight off thinking about the future, these thoughts and worries are still continually present.

Finances
Having a child on the autism spectrum can drain a family's resources due to expenses such as evaluations, home programs, and various therapies. The caregiving demands of raising a child with autism may lead one parent to give up his or her job, yet financial strains may be exacerbated by only having one income to support all of the family’s needs.

Feelings of Grief
Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder are grieving the loss of the "typical" child that they expected to have. In addition, parents are grieving the loss of lifestyle that they expected for themselves and their family. The feelings of grief that parents experience can be an additional source of stress due to its ongoing nature. Current theories of grief suggest that parents of children with developmental disabilities experience episodes of grief throughout the life cycle as different events (e.g., birthdays, holidays, unending caregiving) trigger grief reactions (Worthington, 1994). Experiencing "chronic sorrow" is a psychological stressor that can be frustrating, confusing and depressing.

How to Deal with Stress
Luckily, family members can take action to address the stress that they experience. Accessing services or doing any additional tasks can be overwhelming, considering what parents are already dealing with on a daily basis.
However, remember that it is only by taking action that challenges can be tackled and progress toward solutions made. Below are some suggestions to get started with in enhancing family functioning.

Take Time For Yourself and Other Family Members
In order to avoid burnout, parents must make time for themselves. Parents often respond to this suggestion by saying that they don't have any time to do that.

However, you must keep in mind is that even a few minutes a day can make a big difference. Some parents do simple things for themselves such as taking the time to apply hand lotion or cook their favorite dinners to make themselves feel better. Parents, just like individuals with autism, need rewards in order to be motivated. Parents who have children on the autism spectrum have even more of a need to reward themselves because parenting their child can be frustrating and stressful.

In addition to rewarding themselves, family members need to reward one another. Spouses need to acknowledge the hard work that each is achieving. Also, remember to thank siblings for watching or helping out their brothers and sisters. It is also important that spouses try to spend some time alone. Again, the quantity of time is not as important as the quality. This may include watching television together when the children are asleep, going out to dinner, or meeting for lunch when the children are in school.

Families may also want to occasionally engage in activities without the individual with autism. This may include mom, dad and the siblings attending an amusement park together. Often families feel guilty not including the individual with autism, but everyone deserves to enjoy time together that is not threatened by the challenges of autism.

Network With Other Families Affected by Autism or Another Disability
It gives us comfort to know that we are not the only ones experiencing a particularly stressful situation. In addition, one can get the most useful advice from others facing similar challenges and using similar services and supports. Support groups for parents, siblings and grandparents are available through educational programs, parent resource centers, local ASA chapters and Developmental Disabilities Offices. In addition, there are now online supports available for family members. You can locate these sources of support and many other services in your area by using ASA’s on-line referral database, Autism Source.

Other Strategies to Address Stress
When it comes to reducing stress, be creative. You may want to consider one or more of the following approaches:

Prayer
Exercise/yoga
Deep breathing/relaxation exercises/meditation
Writing in a journal
Keeping a daily schedule of things to accomplish
Joining others in advocacy efforts at the local, state or federal level
Individual, marital or family counseling

If you or a family member is exhibiting signs of stress, you need to take action. Even if it takes the last bit of energy you have left, getting assistance can only make things better. Yes - waiting lists, burdensome paperwork and bureaucracy can make accessing supports stressful, but in the long run, it will be worth it.

Adult Autism Population Focuses on Higher Education  

Autism U: As College Application Deadlines Near, Growing Adult Autism Population Focuses on Higher Education

http://www.reuters. com/article/ pressRelease/ idUS5520+ 30-Nov-2007+ PRN20071130

PITTSBURGH, Nov. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- As early detection and treatments improve, a growing number of young adults with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome are considering higher education.

While some colleges scramble to meet the needs of an aging population with autism, others have turned to third-party programs, such as Achieving in Higher Education with Autism and Developmental Disabilities (AHEADD), to enhance their level of support. Originally developed in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University's department of Equal Opportunity Services, AHEADD provides mentoring and personal advocacy services for students with Asperger's Syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder, High-Functioning Autism, and Non-Verbal Learning Disorder. The program is quickly expanding to higher-education environments in the District of Columbia, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.

For students on the Autism Spectrum, programs such as AHEADD greatly influence their college application decisions. "These students are often served really well in the K-12 public school system, and then they're cutoff," says Carolyn Komich Hare, AHEADD's founder and director. "College poses a whole new set of communication, organization, and social challenges, and itis important to have a plan in place to make the transition as seamless as possible. I have students who apply to colleges in Pittsburgh just because of the level of support they can receive here."

As accommodations improve, students, as well as their universities, are feeling the effects. One hundred percent of college students who participated in AHEADD for one semester improved their GPA by at least .5, and sometimes by as much as two, points. Ninety percent of students who were on academic probation were able to successfully continue their college careers with the program's support. "The Asperger's population is much bigger than we think it is," says Larry Powell, manager of Disability Resources at Carnegie Mellon University. "If we could put together systems that would adequately support these students, word would get around and more students would disclose it and would come."

For more information about AHEADD and its higher education supportprograms, visit www.aheadd.org, or call 412.519.0720. SOURCE AHEADDChristina Koshzow for AHEADD, +;1-412-519-0720, christina@brandingb rand.com



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