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

PUBLIC HEALTH

* Hidden Rise In Autism Fuels Fears Over MMR – 1:86 in UK, 1:121 Scotland

* Teachers Point To Autism Increase

EDUCATION/ADVOCACY

* Parents Guiding Peers Through Special Ed Maze

CARE

* A Baby Boom Under Stress

Hidden Rise In Autism Fuels Fears Over MMR – 1:86 in UK, 1:121 Scotland

More Scottish children have autism than was previously thought, according to a new report. One in 121 children in Scottish schools now has autism, significantly more than estimates of one in 166 recently made by the Medical Research Council.

Yet the Scottish figure is still lower than that for England and Wales, where the rate is one in 86, and since there are no reasons for a disparity across the UK, it is believed that Scotland is behind in diagnosis . The new figure comes from a survey of Scottish schools by the National Autistic Society.

Robert McKay, national co- ordinator for Scotland at the NAS said: 'Autism is a significant problem for schools and numbers appear to be rising. However, there is an issue over diagnosis and assessment as it would seem we are not picking up the numbers of children we should.

'Nonetheless, with numbers at such a high level, we need the Executive and local authorities to recognise this and take appropriate action to ensure that all children with autism spectrum disorder are given full support to reach their potential.' The study also found that 89% of schools surveyed are dissatisfied with the extent of their teachers' training in autism. One-third of schools with children with autism have no access to speech and language therapy.

But parents of autistic children last night said they were not surprised by the findings and called for earlier diagnosis and better research into the causes of the condition.

Scott and Jill Guild from Edinburgh have an autistic son, Jack, who they believe developed the condition after receiving the MMR vaccine at 15 months.

'I am not surprised that the statistics are starting to confirm what we thought for a long time -- that there is an increase in the number of autistic children. In my opinion the diagnostic process is not what it should be, it's not made early enough,' Scott said.

David Thrower, also father of an autistic child, added: 'The NAS's finding that there are such high rates of autism amongst mainstream primary-age schoolchildren, quite apart from those autistic children in special schools, should be a wake-up call to health professionals in Scotland. Such a rate is vastly higher than figures previously released. These increases cannot possibly be fully explained by better diagnosis and greater awareness alone.

'Something is clearly going wrong. It is vital that the Medical Research Council commissions urgent clinical research into the children affected, particularly in view of the recent findings by Andrew Wakefield, John O'Leary, Vijendra Singh and others suggesting a link with the MMR vaccine. We have to find out what is damaging these children, notably those who acquired autism later in their childhood.' The figures have prompted renewed calls for the Scottish Executive to revise its immunisation policy. Nicola Sturgeon, shadow health minister, said: 'The figures are alarming. This underlines the need for more research into the causes of autism and undermines public confidence in the MMR vaccine. The current government policy of refusing to offer single vaccines threatens to further reduce vaccination uptake which will present increasing danger to children.' Mary Scanlon, Conservative health spokeswoman, who is also calling for single vaccines to be made available as an alternative to the MMR vaccine,

added: 'The main point is that autism figures are increasing and continuing to increase at an alarming rate. It is time that we made serious efforts to find out the causes of autism.' Last month an expert group set up by the Scottish Executive ruled that there should be no change to the vaccination policy to allow parents concerned about the MMR jag to request single vaccines for their children. A Scottish Executive health spokeswoman said: 'This is an interesting, if small, questionnaire study of 169 schools in two authorities in Scotland. A number of the points raised in the report are already being taken forward by the Executive.

'Ministers have already announced that they are providing almost £700,000 through a grant programme to improve services for children with autism and their families. Included within this is funding to the NAS to improve training for professionals working in the field of autism spectrum disorders.'

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Teachers Point To Autism Increase

Two thirds of teachers in England and Wales think there are more autistic children in primary schools than there were five years ago, according to a report. And the teachers surveyed believe the rate is three times higher in primary than secondary schools. The poll by the National Autistic Society (NAS) also suggests three-quarters of the profession feel there is not enough training offered to teachers in how to deal with autistic needs. The findings, published on the eve of Autism Awareness Week, echo wider public fears that autism cases are on the rise.

Dept for Education and Skills

Concern over suggestions it was linked to the MMR combined measles, mumps and rubella injection have resulted in declining take-up of the jab, despite government reassurance. The NAS report suggests teachers believe one in 86 primary schoolchildren in England and Wales is autistic. The number in Scotland was much lower - one in 121. In special schools, as many as one child in three has particular needs related to autism, the society says. Autism is an umbrella term for a large number of similar "developmental disorders". There are an estimated 500,000 people in the UK suffering from autism, which can cause difficulties in talking and relating to other people, depending on the severity. Training call NAS director of policy and public affairs Judith Barnard said: "It is clear from these findings that central government and local authorities must invest more to meet the needs of children with autism spectrum disorders in all schools. "These children desperately need the support of relevant professionals who in turn require adequate training in order to understand autism." Autism Report

1 in 86 pupils diagnosed in Eng & Wales

1 in 121 diagnosed in Scotland

NAS figures

Primary school age

A spokesman for the Department for Education and Skills said £25m was being invested in the next three years into improved training so the special educational needs of a child would be identified earlier. He said: "It is still unclear whether the rise in the numbers of children being identified with autistic spectrum disorder is due to greater awareness or a real rise in numbers. "Either way, greater identification provides the opportunity for the early, focused interventions which benefit these children." Autism Awareness Week runs from Monday, 14 May to Sunday, 20 May.

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Parents Guiding Peers Through Special Ed Maze

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They know the difference between IEP and IDEA. They understand the language and can translate it into plain English.

They are the parents of school-age children with disabilities who have figured out the complexities of special education. Now, they are helping other parents get through the maze.

These self-made special education experts have been hired for a new Georgia program that extends a helping hand to other parents.

The Georgia Parent Mentor Program began in February with six parents in five school districts --- two in Fulton and one each in DeKalb and Fayette counties, Catoosa County near Chattanooga and Grady County in South Georgia.

"Raising a child is hard --- period," said Patti Solomon, Georgia Parent Mentor liaison. Her middle daughter, Jessie, a freshman at Centennial High School in Roswell, is autistic.

"But when you have extra responsibility, in that a child has additional problems in learning, there are a lot of issues and a lot to understand,"

Solomon said. "The parent mentor gives parents a way to have their voice heard in the school and a listening ear, someone who will help them understand the law and how it works so they can function in a more productive way."

Solomon, who is chairwoman of the Georgia Advisory Council for Special Education, encouraged Phil Pickens, director for the Georgia Division for Exceptional Children, to start the program. She had been a parent mentor in two Dayton, Ohio, area school systems. Georgia's program is modeled after Ohio's, where the state program has operated for 11 years.

Georgia's parent mentors are part-time employees of the school system. So far, they have spent most of their time meeting with groups, fielding phone calls and crafting surveys to find out what parents in each county need.

The programs are funded with $10,000 from the state, plus local funds, Pickens said. There are 170,000 Georgia students in special education programs, he said.

It takes special skills to be a parent mentor, participants said.

Take Nick Harris, Fayette County's parent mentor. He holds the part-time position while serving as an Army major stationed at Fort McPherson.

Harris soaked up most of his knowledge as the father of Ethan, 12, his middle child, who has Down syndrome.

"When Ethan was born, it became a calling," Harris said. "I bring to this a more personal level of understanding."

Harris has been active in the world of exceptional children. As chairman of the Peachtree City Commission on Children and Youth, he spearheaded a program to educate students and teachers about kids with disabilities. As Peachtree City's Challenger Baseball League commissioner, he headed an effort to raise $600,000 for a baseball diamond for disabled children. And he just completed a master's degree in special education.

School systems are getting involved in the program because they say the child benefits when the parent is knowledgeable and involved.

Parental involvement is one of the most effective ways to improve how students learn, and experts say the same is true in special education. But many of those parents don't get involved.

Because their child is different, the parents often don't feel as if they are part of the school family. Just dealing with the disability can overwhelm many parents.

The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a federal law governing special education, is lengthy and confusing. Besides the annual Individual Educational Program (IEP) meeting, special education teachers don't see some parents unless something is wrong.

DeKalb school system officials were so excited about parent mentors that they decided to offer the state's fifth pilot program, even though state funding had run out. DeKalb is paying for it out of its own funds, said Barbara Robinson, assistant director of the system's exceptional students program.

"When a parent has a child that's identified with special needs, they want all the help they can get, and they have lots of questions," Robinson said.

"We have social workers that work with the parents, then we have lead teachers for special ed and they work with parents, but this is just another helping hand."

Solomon has been driving across Georgia talking about the parent mentor program. A lot of systems are listening. Solomon thinks she'll have 20 additional pilots in the fall.

Kathy Thompson, assistant director of Dougherty County schools' Exceptional Students Program in Albany and president of the Georgia Federation Council for Exceptional Children, is waiting for results from the pilots. She wants to see whether more parents get involved before her school system signs up.

But she said she can't see a reason the program won't help parents.

"I just see it as a cherry on top of the sundae," Robinson said. "This is an extra thing we can provide that will further enhance what we are doing."

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A Baby Boom Under Stress

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As the warm weather arrives, more than tulips may start to bloom. Experts say a baby boom is on the way and, as surprising as it may seem, the Sept. 11 tragedy is one of the primary reasons why.

Whether it be to cement immortality or simply stop putting off for tomorrow what can be done today, there seems to be no question that, beginning in July, more babies will be born.

However, while world leaders continue to urge people to resume their normal lives, medical experts warn that any newfound desire to create or expand a family comes with a price in these troubled times.

That price is increased stress, a particular problem for pregnant women.

Among it's most detrimental effects: an increased risk of premature labor and premature birth.

"These are real and credible threats that have been linked to stress. For some pregnant women, stress can cause a variety of concerns, particularly increasing their risk of premature birth," says Dr. Michael Paidas, director of Maternal Fetal Medicine at New York University Medical Center.

Indeed, a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that both anxiety and depression can increase a mother's risk of premature labor. This, say a group of French researchers, is particularly true if the woman also experiences physical problems during her pregnancy, such as vaginal bleeding, or if she fails to gain enough weight during pregnancy.

This new study underscores earlier findings from the University of California, where researchers learned that women who experience any type of extreme psychological stress during the early part of their pregnancy were up to three times more likely to deliver prematurely.

Experts warn that premature birth is not only associated with a higher risk of infant mortality, but, should the child survive, an increased risk of delayed motor development, cognitive impairment and emotional and social problems for the child.

In addition, "premature babies are often low birth weight," says Dr. Stephen Chasin, director of High Risk Pregnancy at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. This, he says, can be another factor that contributes to developmental delays.

Studies have also shown that even when babies are born on schedule, they can still be dramatically underweight if the mother experiences significant stress during the pregnancy.

Just because you sail through your first three months without problems, experts say you're still not safe. Among the very latest research: Studies that link high anxiety during the third trimester of pregnancy with an increased risk of autism, a serious neurological disorder that can affect a child's ability to communicate and learn.

For Dr. David Beversdorf, who published the new research, the most dangerous time to experience stress appears to be between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy.

"Perhaps not coincidentally, this coincides with a period of time when a particular area of the brain known as the cerebellum is developing -- an area that has been shown to be structurally different in children with autism," says Beversdorf, an assistant professor of neurology at Ohio State University Medical Center.

However, the baby isn't the only one who can suffer as a result of high anxiety. A group of Finnish researchers found that stress in early pregnancy may increase a mother's risk of preeclampsia, a potentially life-threatening form of high blood pressure considered dangerous for mother and child alike.

While doctors still aren't certain why or even how stress affects pregnancy, Paidas believes a series of hormones may hold the key. Among the most important is corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH).

Produced by the brain and the placenta, CRH prompts the body to release prostaglandin, a second hormone that triggers uterine contractions and ultimately starts the labor process.

"When levels of CRH go up as a result of stress, labor can begin long before baby is due," Paidas says.

Indeed, a 1999 study conducted by the University of California at Los Angeles School of Medicine found that women who experienced high levels of stress during certain periods of their pregnancy were also likely to have high levels of CRH.

What To Do

While it's clear that stress can influence pregnancy, doctors say it's vital to remember no two women experience stressful events in the same way.

"How a woman reacts is highly individualized, so it is definitely not fair or correct to say that all women who experience stress during their pregnancy will affect the health of their baby, because this just isn't true," Paidas says.

More important, experts say, is that even women who experience extremely stressful reactions during pregnancy can offset the threat of problems by taking a few simple steps to reduce their anxiety.

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