"Healing Autism: No Finer a Cause on the Planet" ________________________________________________________________

RESEARCH

* Autism Research Centers Of Excellence "STAARTs" Second Phase

* Something New: Research That Helps Families Today

AWARENESS

* Autism Society of America Launches Vague Advocacy Drive

* Brief Commentary

EDUCATION

* Wearable Computers Enter The Classroom

PUBLIC HEALTH

* I'm Still Glad My Son Had Single Measles Jab

CARE

* First Boy Scout Troop for Autistic Children

* Reader's Ads

Autism Research Centers Of Excellence "STAARTs" Second Phase

The National Institutes of Health Autism Coordinating Committee

The primary goal of the STAART initiative is to establish several research centers, each of which will bring together expertise, infrastructure and resources focused on major questions about autism. The research issues to be addressed will include causes, diagnosis, early detection, prevention, and treatment, with approaches such as developmental neurobiology, genetics, and psychopharmacology being represented. Centers should use innovative research designs and state-of-the-art technologies. Centers should draw upon established basic and clinical scientists to form unique collaborations optimally suited to address the research questions posed. Achieving high levels of expertise and resources may require multi-institutional consortia to be formed.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

Background

o The STAART Program, funded through the U54 mechanism, supports major multidisciplinary research programs, consisting of interdependent and interrelated subprojects, cores, and infrastructure. "Multidisciplinary" is defined as having subprojects representing different disciplines, approaches, and expertise exploring a common or unifying theme.

Goals of the STAART Centers Program

Even given the promising growth of the clinical and basic research fields relevant to autism, and the interaction among investigators in the field that has been cultivated by sustained NIH support of the Network on the Neurobiology and Genetics of Autism, 10 Collaborative Programs of Excellence in Autism (CPEA) program, the STAART Centers Program will represent a substantial increase in the scope of the scientific enterprise related to this disorder, particularly as it provides a specific emphasis on and direct funding for treatment research. An application for STAART support must include at least one proposed treatment project, and to be funded a STAART Center must include at least one fundable treatment project.

The primary goal of the present initiative is to support cohesive teams of accomplished investigators focused on basic and clinical issues related to autism. STAART support will provide investigators within each center the opportunity to pursue common goals and objectives, work as an integrated, interactive research team, and develop the resources, equipment, or administrative support needed to operate an interdisciplinary center. This type of multidisciplinary, multi-faceted research is of paramount importance in elucidating the etiology, pathophysiology, and evidence-based treatment of autism. It is expected that the STAART Centers will produce innovative, potentially high-impact approaches to fundamental research problems. It is also anticipated that STAART Centers will attract outstanding investigators who have not been part of the autism field.

Examples of scientific areas that could be appropriate foci for STAART Centers activities are:

o development of new or improved treatments, in behavioral/psychosocial, pharmacological, and other biological modalities

- testing safety & efficacy of treatments now used

- translation of basic research into novel therapies

- pharmacogenetics

- pharmacokinetics

- development of new outcome measures

o development of methods for early diagnosis and screening, including biological and behavioral indices for early detection

o investigation of neural bases and pathways for abnormal behaviors

o investigation of potential environmental etiologies and risk factors including

- prenatal

- infectious

- toxic

- immunizations

o description and characterization of co-morbidities, and how they relate to etiology, pathology, and prevention: for example, brain - gut connection, gastrointestinal abnormalities, epilepsy, obsessive-compulsive disorder

o neuroimaging investigations using functional magnetic resonance imaging, brain mapping, other new technologies to determine neuroanatomic and localized functional abnormalities and how they change over time

o genetic studies including gene-environment interactions, candidate genes, and genotype-phenotype correlations

o studies of language and disorders of communication

o interventional, descriptive, and neuroimaging studies which utilize a related comparison group such as fragile X, obsessive-compulsive disorder, mental retardation, tuberous sclerosis, Williams syndrome

o development of novel animal models

These are examples and by no means all inclusive. There are many other potential areas of study that applicants might choose to emphasize.

The Children's Health Act. As noted above, the Children's Health Act contains specific provisions regarding the centers it mandates. All of these will be considered in the review of the Centers applications. The relevant text of the Act is as follows:

"(1) IN GENERAL.— The Director [of NIH] shall under subsection (a)(1) make awards of grants and contracts to public or nonprofit private entities to pay all or part of the cost of planning, establishing, improving, and providing basic operating support for centers of excellence regarding research on autism.

"(2) RESEARCH.— Each center under paragraph (1) shall conduct basic and clinical research into autism. Such research should include investigations into the cause, diagnosis, early detection, prevention, control, and treatment of autism. The centers, as a group, shall conduct research including the fields of developmental neurobiology, genetics, and psychopharmacology.

"(3) SERVICES FOR PATIENTS.-

"(A) IN GENERAL.— A center under paragraph (1) may expend amounts provided under such paragraph to carry out a program to make individuals aware of opportunities to participate as subjects in research conducted by the centers.

"(B) REFERRALS AND COSTS.— A program under subparagraph (A) may, in accordance with such criteria as the Director may establish, provide to the subjects described in such subparagraph, referrals for health and other services, and such patient care costs as are required for research.

"(C) AVAILABILITY AND ACCESS.— The extent to which a center can demonstrate availability and access to clinical services shall be considered by the Director in decisions about awarding grants to applicants which meet the scientific criteria for funding under this section.

"(4) COORDINATION OF CENTERS; REPORTS.- The Director shall, as appropriate, provide for the coordination of information among centers under paragraph (1) and ensure regular communication between such centers, and may require the periodic preparation of reports on the activities of the centers and the submission of the reports to the Director.

"(5) ORGANIZATION OF CENTERS.- Each center under paragraph (1) shall use the facilities of a single institution, or be formed from a consortium of cooperating institutions, meeting such requirements as may be prescribed by the Director.

o Collaborative studies. In addition to these issues that are focused on individual centers, a major goal of the STAART Centers Program is to establish a major research network that, as a whole, will be capable of implementing large treatment, diagnostic, genetic, neuroscientific and other studies, which are not currently feasible. To accomplish this, the U54 mechanism is being used to support the centers, and there will be active involvement of NIH staff in coordinating collaborative studies that will be defined and implemented after the initial centers are funded. Also, there will be funds from the overall funding pool that will be designated for collaborative studies so that appropriate budget supplements and/or increases can be distributed to the participating centers. However, it is expected that each center will contribute reasonable subject recruitment and follow-up functions to these collaborative studies without budget supplementation.

+ Document continues at:

This is only excerpts of the document introduction. Some materials were deleted. The entire commumique is available at this website.

_______________________________________________________

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* * *

Something New: Research That Helps Families Today

Newest Parent Driven Research Organization

“OAR will focus on the children, adults, and families living with

autism today.” With that clear purpose, Jim Sack, President of the

Organization for Autism Research (OAR) and six other parents or grandparents of children and adults with autism created a new foundation in December 2001. OAR’s mission is to use applied research as the vehicle to answer the questions that parents, families, teachers, individuals with autism, and caregivers ask every day. OAR will attempt to demystify autism and provide practical information by taking on difficult questions like: What are the components of effective education for persons with autism? and How do we best prepare adults with autism to live and work in their communities?

“No one in the autism community, especially parents with loved ones on the autism spectrum, questions the importance of biomedical research. It’s the only research that will tell us what causes autism and then offer a whole new range of treatment possibilities.” said Sack, father of four, two with autism. “Practically speaking, however, biomedical research doesn’t address the issues that we face at home or that our children and their

teachers encounter at school. It offers no insights into matters of daily

parental concern: socialization, social life, and the potential to enjoy

friendship. And, as federal funding for biomedical research has risen, NIH

funding for applied research has fallen to the point that in 2001 it failed

to fund a single, new behavioral or educational project in autism. We

intend to address this collapse of support for applied research by funding studies that will improve the lives of people with autism at every age.

Parents, teachers, and those who treat or work with our kids and adults face challenges daily that relate to the social and behavioral effects of autism. They don’t need theory. They need practical answers to the questions that begin, ‘How do I…?’ as it relates to teaching a child with autism and preparing that person for life’s later challenges. The pursuit and dissemination of this practical knowledge are the essence of OAR ’s mission.”

OAR has crafted a research strategy that considers the total population as well as both the social issues and societal effects of autism across the lifespan. Using five areas of focus: diagnosis, treatment, education, work, and housing, OAR’s approach strikes a balance between the importance of early diagnosis, intervention, and treatment for children with autism and the recognition that autism as a life-long challenge presents a different set of social, vocational, and educational issues for those living with autism, their families, and the communities in which they live.

Supported by generous, lead gifts from its Board of Directors, OAR began operating from its office in Arlington, VA, in January. Its priorities in the first six months of 2002 are to introduce OAR to the autism community, establish its Scientific Council, and lay the foundation for a long-term fundraising effort consistent with OAR’s mission and vision. In support of these purposes, OAR will seek broad-based support across America through alliances with other autism organizations and its own network of volunteers committed to autism research. That work has already begun.

The Scientific Council will be a cross-disciplinary group comprised of leading authorities in applied autism research. The Council will assess the State of the Science in applied research, identify gaps, and set OAR’s

corresponding research priorities and direction. Dr. Peter Gerhardt,

formerly at Rutgers University and now Executive Director of the Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism/The Martin C. Barell School in Levittown, NY, has volunteered to serve as chairman of the Scientific Council. “OAR’s focus and purpose are unique among parent-led organizations. I expect that OAR will ultimately bring much-needed attention and funds to applied research in the same way that other parent-led organizations like The Autism Coalition, Cure Autism Now, and the National Alliance for Autism Research have successfully done for biomedical research.”

the year. The site will feature articles of practical interest written in

layman’s terms and a forum in which leading names in applied autism research

respond to questions from the community. The Parent’s Guide, is intended

as a reliable, first source of information for parents of children just diagnosed.

The studies OAR will fund will focus on lifespan and life care issues identified in part through a Scientific Roundtable drawn from individuals with autism, parents, educators, and caregivers in addition to scientific, health, and medical professionals. The studies ultimately funded will be selected through a phased solicitation and evaluation process conducted under the auspices of the Scientific Council.

OAR will raise funds for its programs through a variety of methods to include donations, special events, and grants. “It’s going to take $250,000 for OAR to accomplish its first year’s goals.” stated Mike Maloney, OAR’s Vice President & Executive Director. “Through commitments from our Board leaders and the events we have planned, we already have that goal in reach. Should we enjoy even greater success, OAR has a contingency plan to increase funding for research and add information modules to the web site.”

One of OAR’s fundamental objectives is to provide open access to its information programs and resources, and OAR expects to be successful enough in raising funds to do that. While OAR anticipates receiving support from the community, it isn’t going to be a traditional membership organization.

“Autism is a lifelong challenge for the individual and the family.

That’s enough for life membership in OAR. The same goes for those having

the commitment to serve the community as a teacher, caregiver, or other supportive manner.” said Sack. “OAR isn’t going to have a dues structure, membership cards, and annual renewals. That costs money that we can use for programs, and we won’t impose a cost barrier that might exclude some. We will ask for support once a year, and let our ‘Life Members’ place their own value on what OAR does.”

For more information, please contact Ellen Maidman-Tanner, Director of Programs and Development at 703-351-5031.

* * *

Something New: Research That Helps Families Today

Newest Parent Driven Research Organization

“OAR will focus on the children, adults, and families living with

autism today.” With that clear purpose, Jim Sack, President of the

Organization for Autism Research (OAR) and six other parents or grandparents of children and adults with autism created a new foundation in December 2001. OAR’s mission is to use applied research as the vehicle to answer the questions that parents, families, teachers, individuals with autism, and caregivers ask every day. OAR will attempt to demystify autism and provide practical information by taking on difficult questions like: What are the components of effective education for persons with autism? and How do we best prepare adults with autism to live and work in their communities?

“No one in the autism community, especially parents with loved ones on the autism spectrum, questions the importance of biomedical research. It’s the only research that will tell us what causes autism and then offer a whole new range of treatment possibilities.” said Sack, father of four, two with autism. “Practically speaking, however, biomedical research doesn’t address the issues that we face at home or that our children and their

teachers encounter at school. It offers no insights into matters of daily

parental concern: socialization, social life, and the potential to enjoy

friendship. And, as federal funding for biomedical research has risen, NIH

funding for applied research has fallen to the point that in 2001 it failed

to fund a single, new behavioral or educational project in autism. We

intend to address this collapse of support for applied research by funding studies that will improve the lives of people with autism at every age.

Parents, teachers, and those who treat or work with our kids and adults face challenges daily that relate to the social and behavioral effects of autism. They don’t need theory. They need practical answers to the questions that begin, ‘How do I…?’ as it relates to teaching a child with autism and preparing that person for life’s later challenges. The pursuit and dissemination of this practical knowledge are the essence of OAR ’s mission.”

OAR has crafted a research strategy that considers the total population as well as both the social issues and societal effects of autism across the lifespan. Using five areas of focus: diagnosis, treatment, education, work, and housing, OAR’s approach strikes a balance between the importance of early diagnosis, intervention, and treatment for children with autism and the recognition that autism as a life-long challenge presents a different set of social, vocational, and educational issues for those living with autism, their families, and the communities in which they live.

Supported by generous, lead gifts from its Board of Directors, OAR began operating from its office in Arlington, VA, in January. Its priorities in the first six months of 2002 are to introduce OAR to the autism community, establish its Scientific Council, and lay the foundation for a long-term fundraising effort consistent with OAR’s mission and vision. In support of these purposes, OAR will seek broad-based support across America through alliances with other autism organizations and its own network of volunteers committed to autism research. That work has already begun.

The Scientific Council will be a cross-disciplinary group comprised of leading authorities in applied autism research. The Council will assess the State of the Science in applied research, identify gaps, and set OAR’s

corresponding research priorities and direction. Dr. Peter Gerhardt,

formerly at Rutgers University and now Executive Director of the Nassau Suffolk Services for Autism/The Martin C. Barell School in Levittown, NY, has volunteered to serve as chairman of the Scientific Council. “OAR’s focus and purpose are unique among parent-led organizations. I expect that OAR will ultimately bring much-needed attention and funds to applied research in the same way that other parent-led organizations like The Autism Coalition, Cure Autism Now, and the National Alliance for Autism Research have successfully done for biomedical research.”

the year. The site will feature articles of practical interest written in

layman’s terms and a forum in which leading names in applied autism research

respond to questions from the community. The Parent’s Guide, is intended

as a reliable, first source of information for parents of children just diagnosed.

The studies OAR will fund will focus on lifespan and life care issues identified in part through a Scientific Roundtable drawn from individuals with autism, parents, educators, and caregivers in addition to scientific, health, and medical professionals. The studies ultimately funded will be selected through a phased solicitation and evaluation process conducted under the auspices of the Scientific Council.

OAR will raise funds for its programs through a variety of methods to include donations, special events, and grants. “It’s going to take $250,000 for OAR to accomplish its first year’s goals.” stated Mike Maloney, OAR’s Vice President & Executive Director. “Through commitments from our Board leaders and the events we have planned, we already have that goal in reach. Should we enjoy even greater success, OAR has a contingency plan to increase funding for research and add information modules to the web site.”

One of OAR’s fundamental objectives is to provide open access to its information programs and resources, and OAR expects to be successful enough in raising funds to do that. While OAR anticipates receiving support from the community, it isn’t going to be a traditional membership organization.

“Autism is a lifelong challenge for the individual and the family.

That’s enough for life membership in OAR. The same goes for those having

the commitment to serve the community as a teacher, caregiver, or other supportive manner.” said Sack. “OAR isn’t going to have a dues structure, membership cards, and annual renewals. That costs money that we can use for programs, and we won’t impose a cost barrier that might exclude some. We will ask for support once a year, and let our ‘Life Members’ place their own value on what OAR does.”

For more information, please contact Ellen Maidman-Tanner, Director of Programs and Development at 703-351-5031.

* * *

Autism Society of America Launches Vague Advocacy Drive

[The following is a press announcement from the Autism Society of America.]

April is National Autism Awareness Month, the autism community’s spotlight on autism awareness. ASA has been celebrating autism awareness with special events since 1972 when we first asked Congress to set aside a special time to recognize autism. Since that time, autism awareness has grown from a week-long to a month-long observance.

Join us in Washington, DC April 18-21, 2002

(unlockingautism.org) We hope to see you there!

Be an Autism Advocate Today!

Kicking off with National Autism Awareness Month the ASA is setting a goal of recruiting 25,000 advocates to help be our voice. Last year, through its leadership and volunteers, ASA was the voice of the autism community on Capital Hill and with Federal Agencies. We accomplished so much and yet so much needs to be done - so we need you to be an autism advocate - a person who wants to promote lifelong access and opportunities for all individuals with autism.

* * *

Brief Commentary

Lenny Schafer

But to advocate for what exactly the ASA hasn't said, yet. It's hard to sell tickets for a bus ride without telling the people what direction you're headed first. What's the point here? Is it to fix some specific pressing problems facing the autism community or to sign up 25,000 names for a flagging national organization?

There are already 25,000 autism advocates who read this newsletter daily right here for the ASA to sign up. But first they must tell us what it is the ASA is going to do and what it is they want us to do. The end of this decade long devastating autism epidemic we are in the midst of is still nowhere in sight. We still don't know very much about autism and treatment resources are becoming ever more strained and mediocre. What's the plan? We're listening and we're still waiting.]

* * *

Wearable Computers Enter The Classroom

Special education teacher Lisa Zverloff says giving one of her six disabled students a wireless wearable computer has been like night turning into day.

"I haven't been bitten since he got his wearable computer," she said Tuesday at the 7th annual International Conference on Wearable Computing. Zverloff, who teaches learning challenged children in the Coventry Local School District near Akron, Ohio, has six students from first to fifth-grade that have six totally different disabilities.

Keith, 9, is severely disabled with cerebral palsy and confined to a wheelchair, Jamie is autistic and Jeremy was non-verbal and violent, until he got his wearable computer.

Zverloff said Jeremy now talks in complete sentences.

"He has improved to first-grade level comprehension," she said. "He began to learn how to read. He knew how to speak." She said the kicking, biting, scratching and yelling stopped when the devices arrived and within 90 days Jeremy was no longer a discipline problem.

"The wearable computer has changed the life of this student," she told United Press International.

The $4,995 MA V device, made by Xybernaut Corp. of Fairfax, Va., consists of a module containing a 500 MHz Intel Celeron processor, with 256 MB SDRAM and a 5 GB harddrive, attached to a paperback book-sized, flat panel, touchpad display with built-in handwriting recognition. The device is carried in a sturdy nylon backpack.

Programs allow teachers to develop simple lessons that integrate speech with objects like rocks and trees.

Click on an image of a rock, then click the move arrow, and a computer voice says, "The rock hops." Click dissolve, and the rock says, "Help me I'm melting." Teachers can cut and paste pictures to create user-friendly lessons using numbers, size and color.

The entertaining lessons created such positive feedback for Jeremy that one of his first sentences was, "I want Xybernaut."

Xybernaut introduced the education market program, called Xyberkids, at Comdex Chicago.

Eric Van Raepenbusch, a fourth-grade special-ed teacher, said he had been successful in getting more than $50,000 in grants to obtain 14 MA V wearable computers for Turkey Foot Elementary School since January.

"Coventry Local School District has already achieved tremendous results by utilizing the Xyberkids wearable computers during a six month test deployment," said Jeanne Gides, director of special services with the Coventry Local School District.

Kevin now can point to a picture of himself and the computer says, "My name is Kevin." He also can tell the teacher when he is hungry and when to turn the page of a book. Jamie has learned to spell on a touchscreen with a voice output.

"The wearable computer has given them the little help that they need," said Zverloff. "Even quiet kids are excited by this."

Professor Davina Preuitt-Mentle of the Institute of Advanced Computer Studies, Human Computer Interaction Laboratory at the University of Maryland College of Education, said assistive technology like wearable computers with the power of a desktop can help many of the nation's 6 million disabled students.

But the devices also can empower non-disabled students, giving them independence and stronger academic, cognitive and communications skills, developers said.

Since 1999, Alexandria County Day School in Virginia has used Internet-linked wireless wearable computers in a collaborative distance learning program called "FieldQuestLive." Teams of middle-school students go to historical and cultural sites -- like Lincoln's box at Ford's Theater or the FDR Memorial in Washington -- and broadcast around the world via live Webcasts.

Alexandria Country Day School Director of Technology Sherry Ward said the technology has turned introverted eighth-grade geeks, wise guys and insecure girls into confident digital mavens.

* * *

I'm Still Glad My Son Had Single Measles Jab

As the disease sweeps Bavaria, our correspondent warns that it clouds the MMR debate here

It is reassuring, in a way, to be reminded that the inventors of vorsprung durch technic, the linear-minded intellectual heirs of Kant, can be so muddle-headed about their own healthcare.

And yet I do not envy them their measles outbreaks one bit. The good people of Coburg in Bavaria have let dozens of their children become infected with measles because a couple of influential homoeopaths there have been advising parents against inoculations — not just MMR, the triple jab that defends against measles, mumps and rubella, but any measles jabs. This is utter folly. I believe — and I have a some pricey Eurostar receipts to prove it — that the responsible course of action for parents with concerns about MMR is not to leave their children unvaccinated but to do whatever it takes to obtain the single measles vaccine that our Government has effectively outlawed. In our case it took a day trip to Paris.

Measles is serious. It can, if untreated, lead to bronchitis, pneumonia and, in rare cases, inflammation of the brain and spinal cord. It can even kill. It is also avoidable. The measles vaccine is one of those planks of modern medicine that is not only an undoubted good but is also comprehensible in broad terms to the grateful parent in the street.

Even I think I understand how it works: You inject a small amount of live but attenuated (non disease-causing) virus into your child’s pink thigh. He screams, but the vaccine triggers production of natural antibodies that make him safe from something that used to bring misery to millions.

Coburg looks like a pleasant place to live. It sits on the Itz under a magnificent medieval schloss amid ancient forests, and we all know how prosperous Bavaria can be.

Well, the combination seems to have lulled the Coburgers into a dangerous sense of invulnerability. They should start using the measles vaccine now, not only for its children’s sake but also for the rest of us. The risk if it doesn’t — and if its resident homoeopaths continue to persuade parents that “classical child diseases . . . aid progress in the development of the child” — is that this country’s MMR evangelists will point to the Coburg outbreak and, with a chorus of told-you-sos, obscure the real point of the MMR debate just as completely as the Coburgers have missed it.

The point is that British parents, unlike those in Coburg and most of the rest of Europe, are being denied a choice between two vaccination alternatives that are both much safer than no vaccination at all.

MMR is controversial not because it is a live virus but because it is a cocktail of live viruses whose long-term side-effects remain a legitimate subject for scientific debate, and an inevitable one for parental worry.

Dr Andrew Wakefield, probably the most talked-about British physician since Jekyll, posited a link between MMR and some very distressing cases of autism in a small number of children brought to him as patients. That link may or may not exist. The Government insists that there is no hard science to support the view that it does, and anyway it is notoriously hard to prove a negative.

As a parent of two boys under two I didn’t have time to wait for the glacial march of science to resolve this either way. But I did note that there was an alternative to the MMR that seemed to give nearly as much protection against measles without the potential complications of a viral cocktail; the single measles jab.

It was bafflingly simple, and impossible to get in Britain, which is why we went to France and got it there. I wrote an article about the trip and received, as a result, a long and heartfelt letter from Dr Elizabeth Miller, head of the Immunisation Division of Britain’s Public Health Laboratory Service.

She wrote about the flimsiness of Dr Wakefield’s findings, protested at Panorama’s treatment of the MMR issue and warned that she felt that I had not acted in my child’s best interests.

I accept that Dr Wakefield’s science may be unclear. I accept that Dr Miller and her arguments may have been ill-served by Panorama, and I know that my older son is not yet immunised against mumps or rubella. But that is a risk I am willing to take as long as I have a shred of doubt about the safety of MMR. I am glad we took him to Paris, and at this rate we’ll be taking his brother too.

_______________________________________________________

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* * *

First Boy Scout Troop for Autistic Children

The creation of the first ever Boy Scout troop for autistic children has been announced by the GRACE Foundation of New York. This idea was initiated in conjunction with Harvey Liebowotz, District Executive of the Staten Island Boy Scout Council. Pack 888 will be headed up by Guy Morvillo, a GRACE Foundation member, former Eagle Scout and father of an autistic child. Over 20 children have begun their scout training, which has been modified to meet the needs of foundation children. Many have already committed the scout pledge to memory. Among the activities planned by the pack leadership will be a swim program, nature walks, camping, gym recreation, day trips and specialized scout training.

Executive Director Joe Gambale indicated that the Foundation is embarking on a very aggressive recreation program to support the over 300 ASD children in its foundation, and scouting will be one important option for parents, along with its bowling, little league, soccer, swim and fun & frolic programs.

The GRACE Foundation was formed in 2000 and in the past twelve months has tripled its membership, mainly because of its successful focus on educational workshops and seminars, parent support services, special events and recreation. It also initiated a poster program to raise awareness of autism with distribution to hundreds of businesses in New York.

The Foundation also announced the first Autism Awareness Walk in Brooklyn, New York to be held in May. Board members Susan Esposito and Phyllis Pearlmutter, who created the first Autism March on Staten Island in 1998, will be coordinating this event. Joe Gambale 917-416-3206

* * *

Reader's Posts

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Looking for anyone with experience with AIT...goood and bad. What was your child like before and what were the results after. How did you get them to keep the ear phones on their heads? Please send info to Rolex20032@aol.com

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Our 4yr. old PDD son complains of stomach pain after eating. Pediatrician diagnosed ulcers and said it was from recent stomach flu bug. Has anyone experienced stomach ulcers in their autistic spectrum children? Thank you so much. mhoffman@freeway.net

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I posted asking for help with good public school systems in the LA area for HFA 3 1/2 year-old boy. I typed in my address wrong! It is amylynnpigott@attbi.com. Could still use some help!

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Family moving back to North Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, PA (We are currently in California). We have a HFA child who should be mainstreamed -- also interested in behavioral therapy services provided through the state. If you are a parent from the Pittsburgh area, please tell us your experiences in receiving services through the state. krisschlepp@aol.com

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Suburban Phila Pa family needs floortime assistance for adorable 3 year old. flex hours. jeffb@netreach.net

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Registration for AYSO VIP soccer on April 20, 23, and May 4. There is no geographic limitations, but practices and games will be held in the central Contra Costa County area. Families with kids who have autism or ASD from ages 4-18 are encouraged to sign up. Children will be assigned to teams based on age, skill, and experience. No prior experience is necessary. Uniforms and equipment are provided. Coaches, Assistant Coaches, and buddies are also needed. David LaDue, Director of the VIP program, dladue@astound.net

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Allergy problems: I desperately need to find an allergist who understands the role of food reactions in autism (and asthma). My child has recovered tremendously via dietary measures without medical help but now I need an allergist to convince her father. Would prefer someone who does ELISA testing, preferably on the East coast. Heather Booth, booth@cs.utk.edu

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Interested in any information or experiences with chelation therapy. Is it effective only at an early age or can it be beneficial at any age? Are there experts in this field and are they medically trained? We live in the Tidewater Va. area. forrestann@earthlink.net

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Does anyone know any web sites that an adult with Asperger can try to chat with other AS adults? A young man in his early 20's would like to explore this. Bernice Polinsky bernicep@optonline.net

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Does anyone know of a special needs dentist in the Greensboro or Winston-Salem, NC areas? My daughter is very afraid of doctors and dentists and she needs special treatment to have dental work. Kathy Hudson jhud2@earthlink.net

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_______________________________________________________

APRIL 21, 2002 - 12 Noon to 5pm

THIRD NATIONAL AUTISM AWARENESS RALLY:

"The Power of ONE! I.D.E.A."

FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

_______________________________________________________

FEAT'S "Night of Caring" April 27

Sacramento FEAT is holding its' 9th Annual "Night of Caring" Dinner and Auction fundraiser on April 27, 2002. If you have been helped by the FEAT and the Daily Newsletter and would like to show your appreciation you can by supporting our fundraiser. Make an auction contribution or sponsorship donation. Please call 916-843-1536 for more information. Thank you.

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