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AUTISM FIRST STEPS
AUTISM DAILY NEWSLETTER
Monday January 7, 2002
INDEX:
* Autism figures soar in
America
* Crystal is carrying the Olympic Torch for autism:
* ADA Symposium 2002
* The Autism Family Fundraiser
* A LINE ACROSS HIS HAND POEM
* ATTENTION: NEW PEORIA ASPERGER’S PARENTS group
* CAUCUS for Autism Meeting
* Child Development Resource Centre in Florida, Invites Dr
Andrew J. Wakefield, MB, BS., FRCS., FRCPath, and his
team to join their
faculty.
******************************
Autism figures soar in America
Increase blamed on vaccination
programme
Pressure grows for British register of autistic children
The number of children diagnosed with autism in America is continuing to
increase at a rate of more than 20% a year, according to the latest figures
published by the US Department of Health.The figures show that in the year
1999/2000 the number of schoolchildren in America with autism was 65,396
compared with 53,576 the previous year. Figures have risen steeply since the
reporting of autism became mandatory in American schools in 1991. At first the
increase was attributed to better reporting of the condition but after nine
years some experts argue that the consistent rise must demonstrate an actual
rise in autism rates.The availability of the figures, published has prompted
calls from campaigners in Scotland for a national autism register in this
country. There is no national register in the UK detailing the number of
children affected with the condition. Parents argue that this makes it
difficult to provide adequate services and monitor increases.It is estimated that
up to one in 175 primary school children are autistic. Bill Welsh, chairman of
Action Against Autism, said: 'The USA statistics are incontrovertible proof of
the autism epidemic which is sweeping the Western world. An epidemic which the
health authorities are shamefully trying to cover up. 'A request to the
Scottish Executive, made almost two years ago, to establish a register, by year
of birth, of autistics, would have confirmed that this tragic condition had
gone from rare to common since 1990.'Dr Ed Yazbak, a retired American
paediatrician, insists that the increase is real and argues that this can only
be attributed to environmental factors. He says vaccination may not be the only
cause but is convinced that it plays a part.He said: 'These statistics tell us,
not only that there has been a huge increase in autism rates in the last 20
years, but also that this increase is not stopping.'He also argues that the
increase cannot just be the result of better diagnosis because the same
diagnostic techniques have been used since 1994.'The criteria for diagnosing
children has not changed and the people giving the diagnosis have not changed
therefore this must be an increase in numbers and this must be due to
environmental factors. We may find that this is being caused by something other
than vaccination but it is certainly not genetic because this happens in the
second year of life.'The US has an extensive vaccination programme, with babies
given their first vaccine against Hepatitis B in the first two days of life and
another two doses before they are 18 months old. Children also have five doses
of diphtheria and tetanus, two doses of MMR, four of the Hib, (for meningitis),
one of chickenpox, four of the polio vaccine and now four doses of a vaccine to
prevent ear infections before they go to school.'There are definitely too many
vaccines,' said Yazbak. 'I don't think it is just vaccines but it is pretty
crazy to give vaccines on the first day of life when the child doesn't
need.'Raymond Gallup, president of the Autism Auto-immunity Project, a US
campaign group, said: 'I attribute this increase to over-vaccination. There is
no doubt about it and MMR is the most problematic one. Children are definitely
getting too many vaccines too early in life.'Last week the Scottish Executive
announced that children are to receive a booster shot of whooping cough vaccine
in the year before they start school. On Monday the whooping cough vaccine will
be added to the combined diphtheria and tetanus booster given to children in
their pre-school year. But Professor David Goldberg, deputy director, the
Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health, believes the increase
is due to better recording and diagnosis of autism. He said: 'The increases are
likely to be due to greatly improved case ascertainment.'Massachusetts is known
to have had the best health, social and educational provision for autism, of
any state in the USA; it has recognised autism for longer than any other state
and therefore its figures are likely to be most reliable. Interestingly, the
increase in the number of recorded cases in Massachusetts was only 10%.
http://www.sundayherald.com/21347
******************************
Crystal is carrying the Olympic Torch for autism:
I received my package including my
uniform and details
for the torch relay(!)
The uniform is very nice! It includes a white fleece
hat, white fleece gloves, a long sleeve T-shirt, wind
jacket and wind pants. All have the insignia and
designs of the Winter Olympics.
The location of my segment is in the city of Jacumba,
in the county of San Diego. It is 65 miles east on
Hwy 8 from the 15. It is about 8 miles west of El
Centro, south of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.
It is amid several Indian Reservations, if you know
the general area.
I am supposed to be at the Jacumba Elementary School,
44343 Old Hwy 80 at 6:52am for orientation and then my
segment begins at 8:54am on 1/14/02. I think I am one
of the first torchbearers in California as it travels
from Arizona.
FYI: the Autism Society of America is the official
charity for the San Diego Marathon (in Carlsbad) going
on the following weekend, so we are going to have a
booth on that Saturday for people to come see and hold
the torch and have their picture taken with it. The
money for the picture will all go to the Autism
Society of America.
Thanks,
Crystal
******************************
ADA Symposium 2002
Experience IT!!
May 7-9 at the Kansas City Hyatt Regency
The ADA Project announces a
three day conference that will bring together presenters from the EEOC, Dept of
Justice, the U.S. Access Board and many other agencies that regulate and
enforce the ADA. . The conference will cover a wide array of topics
related to the ADA including employment, court cases, accessible information
technology, recreation and accessibility and building guidelines. This year,
the ADA Project will offer its first EXPO along with the conference.
Don't miss the opportunity
to attend this comprehensive and dynamic conference. Call 1-800-949-4232 for
more information and registration materials. If your business or agency would
like to be included in the EXPO, call us today to reserve a booth.
Cherie Clark
empoweria@home.com
******************************
www.CasiQuest.org
******************************
A LINE ACROSS HIS HAND
by Deborah L. Sardone
Copyright 2000
ALINEACROSS@AOL.com
In memory of Rene and Rita Marcott
The day my son was born the sun shone in the sky
My life would change forever and here's the reason why
You see my son is different, things did not go as we planned
For my son was born with a line across his hand
A line across his hand
A line across his hand
Things did not go as we planned
Because of the line across his hand.
They said that he would be slow too learn and never read or write.
But when he took his first steps it was a special night.
They said he'd never be a man and always be a burden
But he'd show them wrong, it was the one thing I was certain
A line across his hand
A line across his hand
When his hand's held in mine
I can't see that line across his hand
Oh how very hard it was to learn to tie his shoe
There were days we thought it was something he'd never ever do
But then one day he made the bow up right and neat
Oh, his life ain't always easy but his victories are sweet
A line across his hand
A line across his hand
That shoe lace didn't care
there was a line across his hand
I always dreamed we'd play with a baseball and a bat
but in our life together we jog the High School track.
There are many things that he can do and things that he can not.
He's much more than the sum total of the syndrome that he's got.
A line across his hand
A line across his hand
Don't judge who he is by
that line across his hand.
If I had the power to change his life I'm not sure what I'd do
But his life has been a blessing 'tho I've shed a tear or two
I love my son more then I believed all those years ago
I guess in this life we do reap what we do sow
A line across his hand
A line across his hand
Doesn't change the love you feel in side
that line across his hand
Now my son is grown and holds a job and has a lady friend
He is proud and kind this message I will send
A line across his hand
A line across his hand
They were wrong, I know that now
this boy of mine's a man
******************************
ATTENTION: NEW PEORIA ASPERGER’S PARENTS group
For parents of children diagnosed with aspergers to share
concerns with
each other.
Where: Easter Seals 507 E. Armstrong Peoria, IL 61603
When: January 16, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
Contact : Lisa Bowe @ 309-697-0880 - Jpbowe@juno.com with any
questions
and if you plan on attending.
(Childcare may be provided)
February : we will have a representative from the Holland
Foundation
speaking to our group.
The Holland Foundation is a grassroots organization made up of
parents of
children with special needs ranging in age from birth to 21
years old.
Our staff and Board of Directors have or 40 years combined experience
advocating for their children and the children of others within the
Special Education system. They are available to parents via the
telephone, E-Mail, or in person to assist in the preparation for I.F.S.P
and I.E.Ps, as well as, mediations and due process hearings.
They also
provide training to parents and interested parties about the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act, IDEA, 504 Plans , ands the
American with
Disabilities Act, ADA. They can be contacted at 1-877-452-6194, fax,
1-309-888-4403, email,
hollandfoundation@hotmail.com. Ask for Kim Tarkowski or Gary Michaels.
They are non-for-profit and do not charge for their services.
March : Alyson Beytein, LASDE .La Grange Area Dept of Special Education
Illinois Autism/PDD: Training and Technical Assistance Project.
Alyson is in charge of coordinating and/or creating more
effective parent
training - Alyson has 3 children - (Spencer 10, Joshua 9, and
Zachary 7
1/2) - on the ASD spectrum.
She will be coming to our meeting to get our input as to what trainings
should consist of .
April: Our focus of our April meeting will be that April is Autism
Awareness month. We will blitzing the community and media with
as much
information as possible. We will need lots of volunteers for many
different jobs this month.
Are you willing to help? Contact Sue Grimm , PO Box 61
Whispering Oaks, Groveland, Il 61535 309-387-6610
marknsue@heart.net
May : we are hoping to have : Carol McCullough, Education
Organizer -
P.A.C.E., Parents Alliance for Compliance in Special Education -
P.A.C.E.'s goals include getting parents direct involvement with the
monitoring process for Illinois school districts, in addition to
procedural changes (reviewing districts more often than every 6 years,
doing more aggressive follow up on districts not in compliance, etc.).
Conferences:
PECS: Rosemont, Illinois – Holiday Inn, Chicago O’Hare International
January 17,
18 and October 8,9 , 2002
Indianapolis,
Indiana – Crown Plaza Hotel at Union Station
July 11
&12, 2002
Des Moines,
IA – Holiday Inn Select – September
5&6, 2002
1-800-732-7462
or 1-302-368-2516
www.PECS.com
January 10-12, 2002 – Orlando , Florida
Open Windows – Intensive Behavior Therapy Program
Opening Windows of Help for Children with Developmental Disorders
ICDRC – International Child Development Resource Center
1663 Georgia Street , Suite 700
Palm
Bay, Fl. 32907 USA
Dr's Bradstreet and Kartzinel Combine Behavioral/Medical/Nutri.
Program &
Training. Dr. Jeff Bradstreet and Dr. Jerry Kartzinel introduce
comprehensive training for treating children with autism.
Dr. Bradstreet was the buzz of the DAN! Conference in San Diego, and
before that, at a presentation to parents in Sacramento earlier this
month, where he outlined his innovative approach to treating children
with autism and his plan to have his organization take it all on
the road
for parent training workshops for home programs.
A state-of-the-art integrated program that scientifically combines
behavioral therapy with medical and nutritional treatment has become
available to train parents to provide intensive and integrated early
intervention for their autism spectrum child right in their own
home. The
innovative program called Open Windows Essential Training, is the
creation of the renowned Drs. Jeff Bradstreet and Jerry
Kartzinel who
currently treat 1400 children with autism world-wide through their
International Child Development Resource Center (ICDRC) in Palm Bay,
Florida
Looking for effective treatment options for children with developmental
disorders has often meant laborious searches, frustrating trials with
ineffective treatments and therapies and, in some cases, frightening
experiences for parents. The ICDRC however, is looking to change
all that
with this unprecedented collaboration of professionals dedicated to
treating children with developmental disorders.
The Open Windows Essential Training program will travel from
city to city
training parents and their physicians on the essential elements of
beginning a comprehensive and integrated treatment program for children
with autism. Historically, treatment options have been promoted and
implemented independently of one another. The ICDRC is the first to
combine medical, nutritional and behavioral therapies and
treatments into
one integrated program. “Open Windows Essential Training goes
well beyond
typical conferences and is designed to educate and equip parents and
physicians to provide comprehensive and integrated treatments and
therapies for their child,” said Dr. Bradstreet.
The first Open Windows Essential Training session will be held
at the
Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California on January 10-11, 2002.
Registration for the event can be completed by calling the ICDRC toll
free at (866) ICDRC-4U or (321) 953-0278, or through their web
site at
www.icdrc.org. Speakers planned for the event include Dr.
Bradstreet and
Dr. Kartzinel of the ICDRC and Dr. Andrew Wakefield, who leads a
team of
eight medical and scientific researchers in London, England. Also
scheduled to speak are June Hoefling, B.C.B.A and Lisa McDonald, C.B.A.,
both Certified Behavior Analysts, also of the ICDRC.
Ultimately, the ICDRC wants to establish a campus located on several
acres in Central Florida that would serve as their headquarters
and as a
comprehensive one-stop resource complex for families faced with
developmental disorders. The Center would have three main components:
research, treatment, and education. The vision for the ICDRC campus
includes:
• Comprehensive Integrated Treatments & Therapies
• School for Children with Developmental Disorders
• Research and Diagnostics Facilities/Services
• Medical Facilities/Services
• Behavior Therapy Facilities/Services
• Nutrition Center • Speech/Auditory Therapy Facilities/Services
• Physical/Occupational Therapy Facilities/Services
• Book Store/Resource Center
• Long-term Care Facilities/Services
• Internet Community
For more information go to www.gnd.org
MCA – Mid Central Association & Region #3 Special Education Leadership
Academy
Friday , February 8 , 2002 – 8 am – 4 pm Weaver Ridge Golf Course
Advanced
PECS – Anne Hoffman – senior trainer with PECS
Free
for those whose schools are in the Mid Central
Association.
Questions
call 309-672-6715 talk to Karen Orendorff
Registration
due by January 25, 2002
Friday, April 19 and 20th – 8 am - 4pm Weaver Ridge Golf Course
Sensory Intergration Intervention and Strategies by
Stacey
Szklut, MS,OTR/L – Stacey is the Director
for OT
Associates in
Watertown,
MS. She is also the publisher and nationally
know instructor on
Sensory
integration with expertise in autism and
Fragile X
syndromes.
Free
for those whose schools are in the Mid Central
Associations.
Questions
call 309-672-6715 – talk to Karen Orendorff
Registration
due by April 5, 2003
April
20th for therapist only.
Not a conference, but a recommended medical doctor to help
with your
child’s biomedical needs:
Hick, John , M.D.
Medical Interventions for Autism
Functional Medical Consulting
15 Commerce Dr., Ste 109
Grayslake, Il 60030
847-548-3441
847-548-3459 - fax
Dr John H. Hicks, M.D., F.A.A.P. received his Medical Degree
from the
University of Louisville, School of Medicine; and took his Pediatric
Internship and Residency at the Lutheran General Hospital in Park
Ridge,Illinois.
Dr. Hicks has work extensively with developmentally delayed individuals
for the past 12 years. He is DAN (Defeat Autism Now) Certified and
believes that autism is a metabolically and neurologically based
condition
with other manifestations.
******************************
CAUCUS for Autism Meeting
Date: Monday, January 7, 2002
Time: 7:00PM - 9:00PM EST (GMT-05:00)
Location: Upper Main Line YMCA (directions www.UMLY.org)
1416 Berwyn-Paoli Road, Berwyn, PA. Room 1.
******************************
Child
Development Resource Centre in Florida, Invites Dr
Andrew J. Wakefield, MB, BS., FRCS., FRCPath, and his team to join their
faculty.
Drs
Bradstreet & Wakefield - To: London Times
This was featured in the January 6, 2002 Sunday Times
Controversy over the vaccine-autism connection hasn't scared off the
medical group at the International Child Development Resource Centre, (ICDRC),
a
childrens research and treatment centre in Florida, from inviting Dr
Andrew J. Wakefield, MB, BS., FRCS., FRCPath, and his team to join their
faculty.
ICDRC currently treats over 1700 children with autism spectrum
disorders, and the children come from every continent to be evaluated. On this
past
Wednesday, Dr. Wakefield agreed to join the ICDRC team as its Director
of Research and continue his efforts to solve the possible autism-vaccine
link, the role of the intestine in childhood developmental disorders and the
cause of inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohns disease and ulcerative
colitis. Wakefield is expected to continue his collaborations with
colleagues in the UK, Ireland, Japan and Sweden, making ICDRC truly
international.
The cost of developing and initiating research at the new centre is
estimated at $25,000,000 over three years. Robert Sawyer, Chief Executive of
Visceral, the UK based charity that supports much of the research conducted by
Dr
Wakefield and colleagues states. "The cost of lifetime care for a single
child with autism was estimated by independent US and UK assessments as
being between $2m and $4m per child. The US Department of Education
recorded
65,000 diagnoses of autism spectrum disorders in 1999-2000, up from
12,000 in 1992-93. Seen in that context the cost of developing the proposed
facilities at ICDRC is a drop in the ocean".
And the news for the autism world got another boost when ICDRC announced
that it had received the initial investments to start building a new campus
in South Florida. Dr. Jeff Bradstreet, Director of ICDRC, also stated this
past Thursday that negotiations are underway with The Centre for Complex
Systems and Brain Sciences at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), to develop a
collaboration for sharing resources and furthering the research efforts
of ICDRC. The FAU centre is one of Americas top brain imaging
facilities, so Dr Wakefields new found freedom from The Royal Free Hospital
winds up being a windfall for the ICDRC and FAU efforts to help children.
Dr Wakefield stated "the autism world is in crisis with the numbers of
affected children skyrocketing. Not only does the medical establishment
have no answers it appears that it doesnt even want to ask the right
questions. ICDRC breaks this mould. It holds tremendous potential and it will
be an
honour for my team and I to help realise that potential.
"The creation of a truly independent centre, combining research with
clinical facilities for investigation, treatment and evaluation of potential
therapies offers a unique opportunity to increase our understanding and develop
new service models. The overall aim is to deliver the benefits that we see
as increasingly possible for affected children and young people
everywhere."
This means that Wakefield will spend the greater part of his time in the
United States over the coming months, in order to seize this opportunity
to expedite the research by bringing the power and energy of the American
people to help resolve this issue as soon as possible.
******************************
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