SCHAFER AUTISM REPORT "Healing Autism:

No Finer a Cause on the Planet" ________________________________________________________________

January 12 & 13, 2004 Double Issue Vol. 8 Nos. 9 & 10

NOTE: New Updated-Monday Calendar of Events:

RESEARCH

* Bowel Virus Found In Autistic Children Who Had MMR Jab

* 'The Lights Went Out' (Sidebar)

* Intestinal Lymphocyte Populations in Children with Regressive

Autism: Evidence for Extensive Mucosal Immunopathology

* Science Getting To Roots Of Autism

TREATMENT

* Alternative Medicine Use Common With Autism

CARE

* Two Autistic Teens Die In Indiana House Fire

PUBLIC HEALTH

* Pre-war Jabs For British Troops Cause Health Problems: Doctor

AWARENESS

* Do You Know a Hero?

RESEARCH

Bowel Virus Found In Autistic Children Who Had MMR Jab

[New Wakefield study. See abstract below. By Beezy Marsh for the Daily Mail, UK. Not available online at press time.]

Saftey fears over MMR have been increased still further by a study which detected signs of a chronic viral infection in the bowels of children who became autistic after the jab.

The virus — feared to come from the measles component of the injection —appears to have sparked an abnormal response of the immune system similar to that in patients with HIV The discovery by researchers at, the Royal Free Hospital in London comes as uptake of the measles, mumps and rubella jab has fallen to an all-time low of 78 per cent. Parents are not convinced it is safe despite official assurances that it does not cause autism or bowel disease.

The latest findings, published in the Journal of Clinical Immunology, follow studies carried out by gastroenterologist Dr Andrew Wakefield who raised concerns about MMR in 1998.

The specialist was forced out of his job at the Royal Free in 2001 amid claims that his research had proved too unpopular among the med-cal community.

In October last year his former colleague Dr Simon Murch insisted that he had always supported the vaccine. However, he is a co-author with Dr Wakefield of the latest paper which concludes there is further evidence of a new form of bowel disease in children with regressive autism — losing the power of speech and becoming autistic.

Another common complaint among children alleged to have been harmed by MMR is a painful inflammatory gut disorder.

Dr Wakefield and Dr Murch examined bowel tissue from 52 children showing signs of autism alter the MMR jab. They found widespread inflammation throughout the bowel and evidence of an unusual immune system response. The intestinal lining contained large numbers of a particular type of white blood cell — lymphocytes — which fight viral infection. This study did not show whether the virus concerned was measles.

But other tests by pathologists have found the measles virus In the bowel tissue and spinal fluid of autistic children alleged to he harmed by MMR.

Dr Wakefield said: This paper not only confirms the presence of

disease distinct from other inflammatory bowel diseases in these children but the, findings are also consistent with a viral cause.

‘What we saw was a response not dissimilar to that seen in some patients with HJV Clearly these kids don’t have Aids but the response fits the pathology consistent with chronic viral disease. That is a most valuable finding.'

A Department of Health spokesman said MMR remained the safest way to vaccinate children against serious childhood diseases.

"This is not a study about MMR and therefore makes no contribution to the already published literature on the vaccine."

* * *

'The Lights Went Out'

[This is a sidebar report to the above Bowel Virus article in the Daily Mail. Richard Miles, the parent mentioned below, is a regular gatherer of UK autism news for the Schafer Autism Report.]

The parents of Robert Miles recall the exact date that their 14-month-old son had the MMR jab because of the devastating effects that followed. He became drowsy, lost his sense of balance and stopped speaking after the jab on December 5, 1989. Within months he also started to suffer from bowel problems.

His father Richard, from West London, said: It was as if the lights went out when he had the MMR jab. He regressed and was later diagnosed as suffering autism.

He also had gut trouble which was not immediately obvious to us, but eventually we took him to the Royal Free Hospital.’ Robert was diagnosed as suffering an unusual form of inflammatory bowel disease. Further tests carried out for a compensation claim against vaccine manufacturers — which is on hold pending an appeal for legal aid — revealed he had the measles virus in his blood and gut.

Furthermore, the virus strain was identified as identical to that found in the MMR jab.

We believe my son’s autism is due to MMR and I know several cases where children are suffering extreme pain due to gut problems, which their parents believe are caused by the triple vaccine,’ said Mr Miles.

This latest research is very interesting because they have discovered further immunological evidence that something is going on in the gut of children with this particular form of autism.

* * *

Intestinal Lymphocyte Populations in Children with Regressive Autism: Evidence for Extensive Mucosal Immunopathology

doi:10.1023/B:JOCI.0000010427.05143.bb

Journal of Clinical Immunology 23 (6): 504-517, November 2003 Copyright © 2003 Plenum Publishing Corporation All rights reserved

Paul Ashwood, The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Study Group, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, United Kingdom. Centre for Paediatrie Gastroenterology, Royal Free and University College, Medical School, London, United Kingdom; p.ashwood@rfc.ucl.ac.uk; Simon H. Murch, Centre for Paediatrie Gastroenterology, Royal Free and University College, Medical School, London, United Kingdom; Andrew Anthony, The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Study Group, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, United Kingdom. Department of Histopathology, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, United Kingdom; Alicia A. Pellicer, Centre for Paediatrie Gastroenterology, Royal Free and University College, Medical School, London, United Kingdom; Franco Torrente, Centre for Paediatrie Gastroenterology, Royal Free and University College, Medical School, London, United Kingdom. Gaslini Institute, Genoa, Italy; Michael A. Thomson, Centre for Paediatrie Gastroenterology, Royal Free and University College, Medical School, London, United Kingdom; John A. Walker-Smith, Centre for Paediatrie Gastroenterology, Royal Free and University College, Medical School, London, United Kingdom; Andrew J. Wakefield, The Inflammatory Bowel Disease Study Group, Royal Free and University College Medical School, London, United Kingdom. The International Child Development Resource Center, Florida

Abstract

Inflammatory intestinal pathology has been reported in children with regressive autism (affected children). Detailed analysis of intestinal biopsies in these children indicates a novel lymphocytic enterocolitis with autoimmune features; however, links with cognitive function remain unclear.

To characterize further, the nature and extent of this disease we examined the mucosal infiltrate using flow cytometry. Duodenal, ileal, and colonic biopsies were obtained from 52 affected children, 25 histologically normal, and 54 histologically inflamed, developmentally normal controls.

Epithelial and lamina propria lymphocyte populations were isolated and examined by multicolor flow cytometry. Adjacent biopsies were assessed by semiquantitative histopathology. At all sites, CD3+ and CD3+CD8+ IEL as well as CD3+ LPL were significantly increased in affected children compared with developmentally normal noninflamed control groups (p<0.01) reaching levels similar to inflamed controls.

In addition, two populations—CD3+CD4+ IEL and LP CD19+ B cells—were significantly increased in affected children compared with both noninflamed and inflamed control groups including IBD, at all sites examined (p<0.01). Histologically there was a prominent mucosal eosinophil infiltrate in affected children that was significantly lower in those on a gluten- and casein-free diet, although lymphocyte populations were not influenced by diet.The data provide further evidence of a pan-enteric mucosal immunopathology in children with regressive autism that is apparently distinct from other inflammatory bowel diseases.

Keywords: Inflammation, mucosa, T lymphocyte, B lymphocyte, human

Article ID: 474304

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* * *

Science Getting To Roots Of Autism

When Blake Draut was 2½ years old, a specialist told his parents that their son's speech delays and odd habits, his fears of dirty hands and grassy feet, were part of a bigger problem: autism. When the specialist learned that Blake was part of a set of fraternal triplets, all with developmental quirks, "she wanted to see all three," recalls Blake's mother, Danielle Draut.

Several months and several evaluations later, the Anaheim, Calif., family had the news: Two of the three boys were autistic. The third, who turned out to have a hearing problem, didn't qualify for an autism diagnosis but did show some of the rigid behaviors associated with the disorder.

What might sound like an extraordinary run of bad luck was actually nothing of the sort: Scientists have known for some time that autism often runs in families. Studies suggest that if one child is autistic, there's a 5% to 10% chance that any sibling will be autistic, and a 30% to 40% chance that the sibling will have milder, but related, problems. If the sibling is an identical twin, the risk for autism shoots to between 60% and 90%, says Andy Shih, research director of the National Alliance for Autism Research.

Although environmental factors clearly play a role, "autism is the most genetic of neuropsychiatric syndromes," more strongly linked to genes than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, says Dan Geschwind, a genetics researcher at the University of California-Los Angeles.

And now researchers are poised to learn which genes are involved in autism, how they work and how their effects might be blunted. It's all part of a new push for autism answers, fueled by new technology, new funding and, perhaps most important, a heightened public awareness of an increasingly diagnosed disorder.

"It's a very exciting time," Geschwind says.

Geschwind was among autism researchers who spoke recently at a summit in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the federal government. At the meeting, government officials laid out a 10-year plan for improving services for autistic people and for studying its causes and possible treatments.

High on the list of priorities is finding the genes associated with autism. At the meeting, the private autism research alliance and the public National Institutes of Health announced a partnership to do just that. The NIH is contributing $2.5 million, and the alliance is contributing $2 million to start the project, which will help to link the work of 170 researchers around the world, Shih says.

Actually running it over the next five years will cost up to $25 million, money that has not yet been committed, Shih says.

And finding the genes will be a complex task.

Preliminary research suggests that 15 to 20 different genes may contribute to autism susceptibility — and that different combinations of those genes may cause different variations in different people.

"In child A, it may be genes number 2, 4 and 6; child B may have 1, 3 and 6 interacting," Shih says. "Ideally, this project should be able to identify all of the possible combinations."

Finding so many genes in so many combinations will require many DNA samples from affected families, experts say. "The power is in the numbers," says Thomas Insel, director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Genetic resource exchange That's where families like the Drauts come in. About a month ago, Danielle, her husband, Jon, and the boys got a visit from a medical technician who took several tubes of blood from each family member. Sometime soon, specialists will visit the family home to observe the boys, who are now almost 5, and take detailed histories of their development.

They also will interview Danielle and Jon about their family histories, looking not only for a history of autism, but also for a history of related disorders and traits — everything from language delays to obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The project in which the family is participating is called the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange. It started in the late 1990s as a private effort financed by the Cure Autism Now Foundation. At that time, the Los Angeles advocacy group was begging scientists to do more research on autism genes and was finding that a major obstacle was a lack of genetic samples, says foundation founder Jon Shestack. "There wasn't much of it, and most of it was in the hands of scientists who didn't necessarily want to share," says Shestack, himself the father of an autistic boy.

Over five years, the project collected blood samples and histories from 450 families with multiple cases of autism or other disorders on the so-called autism spectrum. The blood has been turned into renewable cell lines, available for research for a small fee. A few months ago, the project got a $3.9 million NIMH grant to recruit 400 more families by 2007. And the private group has agreed to pool its samples with others available for free from the federal agency.

"The numbers of samples in (the repository) will increase dramatically over the next few years," says Steve Foote, who directs neuroscience and basic behavioral science at the institute.

Researchers are fairly confident that with enough genetic material, money and manpower, they will find the most important autism genes in the next few years, UCLA's Geschwind says.

But finding the genes won't mean instantly understanding autism. Scientists will have to learn what the culprit genes do and how they can go wrong.

Then they'll need to learn how environmental factors, before or after birth, interact with genes to produce autistic traits. "It could be as simple as a hormonal imbalance, something about the womb environment," Shih says. Vaccines, suspected by some, have not been shown to be a factor in several large studies, he says. Infections or toxins might play roles. But, Shih says, "the bottom line is that we just don't know."

More scientists needed Learning more will mean bringing in more scientists with expertise in brain development, Foote says. "Right now, there is a shortage of investigators" to do that kind of work, he says. "They are largely busy with normative developmental issues, just understanding the basics of how any brain gets put together."

But if the pieces do ever come together, some researchers and advocates envision a day when fetuses or babies could be tested for autism risks and treated before the damage was done. The treatments might include drugs, diets or more refined versions of the teaching methods already helping many autistic children.

While the work goes on, families hit hard by autism will struggle on.

Jean and James Yates of Westchester County, N.Y., gave blood for the autism project several years ago and remain hopeful that their contribution will help someone, maybe even their own two severely autistic sons. Dylan, almost 12, does not speak and communicates little, except with tantrums. Brother Robert, 10, can read and speaks a little, but mostly just to show off his arcane knowledge of geography.

"If you ask Robert 'What is the capital of South Africa?' he'll tell you," his mother says. "If he goes to the dentist and he's desperate, he'll yell 'Fire!' But he cannot say to you, 'I want to leave the dentist's office.' "

Maybe the research will help the boys' older brother or their four half-siblings, none of whom has children yet. If the family does carry autism susceptibility genes, "I'd like for them to know about it," Jean says.

In any case, she says, "when you are a parent of children like this, there are so many ways you feel helpless. But this is empowering. You know that somewhere down the line this is going to help someone."

Says Geschwind: "We are going to find the major pathways that cause the disease. ... The bridge to treatment may be hard to cross. But you can't get there without the genes."

* * *

TREATMENT

Alternative Medicine Use Common With Autism

1 in 3 Autistic Children Use Alternative Treatments

[By Jennifer Warner WebMD Medical News. Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD.]

BC77-4056-A91C-9531713CA348}

Up to one-third of autistic children may have received complimentary or alternative medicine treatments, and a new study shows that nearly one in 10 may have used a potentially harmful type.

Researchers say the increasing number of children with autism has sparked interest in new services and treatments to care for them. There is no cure for autism, and experts say the best treatment includes intensive use of behavioral and educational methods.

But the study shows that parents of autistic children are also turning to complimentary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments in hopes of alleviating some of the symptoms of the condition, such as gastrointestinal and sleep disorders.

Alternative Autism Treatments Popular

In the study, which appears in the December issue of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, researchers reviewed the charts of 284 children recently diagnosed with autism at the Regional Autism Center of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia to see how often use of complimentary or alternative treatments was reported.

Researchers divided the nontraditional treatment approaches into four main categories: Unproven, but harmless biological treatments that have no scientific basis, such as vitamin supplements including B6 and magnesium, gastrointestinal medications, and antifungal agents.

Unproven, but harmless biological treatments that have some scientific basis, such as gluten-free diets, vitamin C, and hormones.

Unproven, potentially harmful biological treatments, such as chelation, antibiotics, high-dose vitamin A, immunoglobin, or withholding immunizations.

Nonbiological treatments, such as animal therapy, auditory integration training, and others.

Overall, the study showed that more than 30% of the children were using some CAM, and 9% were using a potentially harmful type.

Researchers found that children who had other medical ailments or were mentally retarded were also less likely to use complimentary or alternative therapies than others. Having to wait longer for an appointment at an autism center also seemed to increase the likelihood of CAM use.

Researchers say that previous studies have shown that about 2% of all children use some type of complementary or alternative medicine and that number is higher among those with specific health conditions.

In addition, Latinos were seven times more likely to use CAM, but researchers say there were too few Latinos enrolled in this study to make any firm conclusions.

Alternative Autism Treatments Not Always Complimentary

The study shows that frustration may drive many parents of autistic children to seek alternative treatments as evidenced by the fact that older children, those who had been seen by a previous health care provider, and those who had to wait longer to get an appointment with the autism center were more likely to have used CAM.

Researchers say the goal of many of these treatments is usually not to treat autism per se, but to address some of the problems faced by children with autism, and healthcare providers should address those issues.

"If parents believe that clinicians do not respect their beliefs and decisions or are unwilling to negotiate around the use of additional treatment strategies, these strategies may become alternative rather than complimentary," writes researcher Susan Levy, MD, director of the Regional Autism Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, and colleagues.

Sources: Levy, S. Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, December 2003; vol 24: pp 1-6. News release, Health Behavior News Service.

© 2003 WebMD Inc. All rights reserved.

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CARE

Two Autistic Teens Die In Indiana House Fire

Muncie - Two autistic children died in a house fire Monday afternoon even after their mother desperately tried to quench the blaze with pitchers of water, a blanket and a frozen garden hose.

Only after Melissa Bridges' attempts were unsuccessful were firefighters called to the house at 1424 E. Highland Ave.

And by that time, Joshua J. Jenkins, 15, and Corey B. Jenkins, 14, had disappeared upstairs to their bedroom, where their mother couldn't reach them and where firefighters later found them.

The two children, students at Southside High and Wilson Middle schools respectively, were taken to Ball Memorial Hospital, where they were pronounced dead shortly after they arrived.

"This is all a shame," Delaware County Coroner Jim Clevenger said. "If we can do anything positive with losing two children in a house fire is to tell people not to fight fires when they happen. Instead get out and call 911."

The fire was eventually reported at 4:07 p.m., after Bridges stopped a passing motorist.

When firefighters arrived, Bridges was in the front yard screaming "My baby, my baby," said Muncie Fire Battalion Chief Tommy Crawford.

Firefighters immediately tried "to push heat, fire and smoke" back into the small two-story home in an attempt to find Bridges' children.

Using thermal cameras, Muncie firefighters eventually found the boys lying unconscious on the floor of their upstairs bedroom.

They carried the children outside, performed cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and rushed them to the hospital. But within minutes of arriving, both boys were pronounced dead.

"We just couldn't do it," Crawford said. "It's a shame. That fire had a jump on us and was in its advanced stages."

Bridges, who suffered burns to her hands, face and arms, told investigators that she was in the living room when the fire broke out. One of her sons was with her and she didn't know where the other was.

While she tried to fight the blaze, Bridges lost track of her son, she told police. The fire eventually got out control and forced her outside, where she then tried to fight it with a garden hose, Crawford said.

About the same time, 14-year-old James Campbell was running down Highland Avenue to help.

Campbell saw smoke and flames while he was sitting in a city bus that was stopped about two blocks from the house. He and three other passengers got out of the bus, ran to the house, heard Bridges screaming and ran to the back door.

When the group kicked in the rear door, flames and smoke shot out.

"Right now I am angry," Campbell said. "I don't like to see people die. No matter what we did we just couldn't do anything."

Based on what Bridges told them, investigators said they knew what caused the blaze, but declined to release the cause until they "get a few loose ends together," Muncie fire investigator David Miller said.

Investigators did say the fire started in the living room and they didn't suspect foul play.

Clevenger said an autopsy would be conducted today on both boys. Joshua and Corey Jenkins suffered from smoke inhalation and had second-degree burns all over their bodies.

Family members told The Star Press that both boys had several disabilities, including autism. Both were enrolled in the special education programs at their schools.

The boys lived at the Highland Avenue home with their mother, stepfather and two other siblings. The family had just moved into the house in June.

"They were wonderful kids that liked to play and enjoy life," said their uncle Terry Jenkins. "They had a heart of gold."

Wilson teacher's aide Tara Gudger had just seen Corey Jenkins a few hours before he died.

He was playing on a scooter in gym class Monday before he leaving for home.

"They were wonderful kids who were always happy and loved to play," Gudger said. "They didn't deserve to die like this."

* * *

PUBLIC HEALTH

Pre-war Jabs For British Troops Cause Health Problems: Doctor

A senior British medical expert has concluded that the inoculations given to a British soldier prior to the first Gulf War caused severe health problems.

The findings are significant, because the soldier concerned was never actually deployed to the Gulf.

Suffering from crippling osteoporosis and depression that he says are a result of pre-Gulf War deployment vaccinations, former Lance Corporal Alex Izett applied for a war pension in 2002.

Last year the war pension office commissioned Army psychiatrist Lieutenant-Colonel Graham Howe to assess the complaint.

His confidential report, just released by Mr Izett, concluded that "classified secret injections prior to his expected deployment have most probably led to the development of osteoporosis".

The report, from the British Army's own doctor, is being hailed by British Gulf War veterans as a breakthrough, which they say proves the link between the injections they received as protection against biological warfare and the illnesses almost 10,000 of them are suffering from today.

© 2003 Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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AWARENESS

Do You Know a Hero?

Do you know a hero - someone in your community seeking to improve the quality of life, safety and/or environment of others? If you do, you have 3 days left to nominate your hero for the Volvo for Life Awards. It only takes a few minutes online to nominate your hero.

Now in its second year, the Volvo for Life Awards seeks ordinary people who are doing extraordinary things such as building a neighborhood center for needy kids, developing recycling programs for their schools, or helping save the life of a perfect stranger.

Following is more information about the program, including how you can be involved: The Volvo for Life Awards is an annual public service program that invites people nationwide to nominate an individual they know who is making a difference in their community in the area of either safety, environment or quality of life. Volvo honors and celebrates heroes with more than $1 million in financial contributions.

What You Can Do: It's simple.

Each and every one of you is a hero and has a story to tell. I encourage you to take part in this unique opportunity.

Forward this email to anyone you think might be interested in nominating a hero.

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