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Claire Spencer
MemberSorry – the whole link didn't appear in my first message. It should read:
http://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/story.asp?id=BB9E8714-F6E3-44C4-8AF5-119E21364FCE
Claire
MemberThere's an article in today's Victoria Times Colonist regarding the inadequate $11 million in funding. Check out http://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/story.asp?id=BB9E8714-F6E3-44C4-8AF5-119E21364FCE
Claire (Trevor's Mom)MemberHere's a link to info on the 60 minutes piece.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/01/14/60II/main536416.shtml
MemberRegarding the Denmark study of MMR/Autism link. In a nutshell, the kids in Denmark didn't have the same exposure to Thimerosal (a preservative found in DPT vaccines, flu shots, etc., as children in the USA and presumably Canada. Denmark also has a lower rate of autism that North America. Coincidence?
Claire (Trevor's Mom)
[From SafeMinds.]
Denmark Study on Autism and MMR Vaccine Shows Need for Biological Research
Cranford, NJ – The newly released study on autism and the
measles-mumps-rubella vaccine ("A Population Based Study of Measles, Mumps
and Rubella Vaccination and Autism." New England Journal of Medicine, Vol
347, No 19; Nov 7, 2002: 1477-1483, by Kreesten Meldgaard,et al) is a
welcome addition to autism epidemiology. Unfortunately, the study
conclusions appear overreaching, claiming that this analysis is the final
word on autism and vaccines and implying that more research on the topic is
unnecessary. Safe Minds asserts that other vaccines besides MMR may be
involved in autism, and that only biological research, not epidemiology, can
answer the question of whether the MMR vaccine plays a role in autism.
"It is important to note that the study only focused on the MMR
vaccine, and not vaccines also implicated in autism which contain the
mercury preservative thimerosal," explains Sallie Bernard, executive
director of Safe Minds. "The study also failed to investigate whether the
MMR vaccine might be interacting with the thimerosal from other vaccines to
increase the severity of symptoms in children who already have autism.
Finally, the study did not differentiate between regressive autism, which is
the type being linked to MMR vaccine, and the more prevalent early onset
autism, which is the type being linked to thimerosal."
Safe Minds is an advocacy organization which focuses on the role of
mercury in neurodevelopmental disrorders, including autism. It was founded
by parents of autistic children. Thimerosal contains 50% ethylmercury and
has been used in most recommended childhood vaccines, including the
Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis (DTP), Haemophilus influenzae type B (HiB), and
Hepatitis B (Hep B) vaccines.
Research studies have shown that mercury exposure in utero or during
early postnatal life – the time when thimerosal vaccines are being given –
can cause immune system abnormalities which predispose the child to ongoing
viral infections. It is biologically plausible that this immune disruption
may have allowed the live measles virus component in the MMR vaccine to
persist in susceptible autistic children, making the symptoms of the
disorder worse. This connection would not be detected through an
epidemiology study like the Denmark one. Nor does the Denmark study have the
power to detect differences in rates of regressive autism between vaccinated
and unvaccinated children, since the number of regressive cases – estimated
to be 10%-20% of all autism cases – would be too small.
"The overreaching conclusion of the study should not obscure other
important findings from this extensive and well planned analysis from
Denmark," continued Ms. Bernard. "The authors report an increased
prevalence of autism in that country, and thus it supports other recent
studies that are also showing increases. This rise tells us that an
environmental agent is at work worldwide that is driving this trend. We
believe that thimerosal and environmental mercury – which are worldwide
pollutants – are behind the surge. Also, Denmark has had lower and later
exposures to thimerosal in vaccines, and the report shows that their rate of
autism is lower than in the US, which is also consistent with a thimerosal
connection."
Safe Minds is encouraged that the Centers for Disease Control
sponsored such an extensive study on autism, which shows that this terrible
disease is finally getting the attention of public health officials. Safe
Minds looks forward to increased support for autism research, especially at
the biological level.
For more information, contact:
Sallie Bernard Executive Director Safe Minds 970 429-1460
sbernard@nac.netMemberOops – sorry for the duplicate postings. The first has an error in the links – please disregard.
Trevor's Mom, Claire (over, and over again…)
MemberHi. This isn't ABA related, but thought you might be interested to know about. It is from a Nancale (Unlocking Autism) email.
On Monday, September 30, on public radio, WHYY FM 91.0, (also broadcast live on the Internet at
http://www.whyy.org/91FM/live.html and available later in the archives of http://www.whyy.org/91FM/Voices.html)Dr. Dan
Gottlieb, the host of "Voices in the Family," presents a special program on Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Autism.
Guests include:Susan Levy, M.D., the Director of the Regional Autism Center of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Stanley Greenspan, M.D., child psychiatrist, well-known author, and spokesperson for the "Floortime" method.
Stephen Shore, the author of Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome, and
Robert Naseef, Ph.D., psychologist, author, and parent.
MemberHi. This isn't ABA related, but thought you might be interested to know about. It is from a Nancale (Unlocking Autism) email.
On Monday, September 30, on public radio, WHYY FM 91.0, (also broadcast live on the Internet at
http://www.whyy.org/91FM/live.html and available later in the archives of http://www.whyy.org/91FM/Voices.html)Dr. Dan
Gottlieb, the host of "Voices in the Family," presents a special program on Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Autism.
Guests include:Susan Levy, M.D., the Director of the Regional Autism Center of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Stanley Greenspan, M.D., child psychiatrist, well-known author, and spokesperson for the "Floortime" method.
Stephen Shore, the author of Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome, and
Robert Naseef, Ph.D., psychologist, author, and parent.
MemberHi. This isn't ABA related, but thought you might be interested to know about. It is from a Nancale (Unlocking Autism) email.
On Monday, September 30, on public radio, WHYY FM 91.0, (also broadcast live on the Internet at
{http://www.whyy.org/91FM/live.html,http://www.whyy.org/91FM/live.html} and available later in the archives of http://www.whyy.org/91FM/Voices.html,http://www.whyy.org/91FM/Voices.html})Dr. Dan
Gottlieb, the host of "Voices in the Family," presents a special program on Pervasive Developmental Disorder and Autism.
Guests include:Susan Levy, M.D., the Director of the Regional Autism Center of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Stanley Greenspan, M.D., child psychiatrist, well-known author, and spokesperson for the "Floortime" method.
Stephen Shore, the author of Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome, and
Robert Naseef, Ph.D., psychologist, author, and parent.
MemberHi. I'm a Discovery Toys consultant and a mother of a 5-year-old boy with autism. I live on the Island, but you can shop from home on my website: http://www.discoverytoyslink.com/claire_spencer. Please email me if you have any questions.
Thanks!
Claire Spencer (Trevor's Mom)
MemberHi. We live in Cowichan Bay on the Island and our son, who is 4 1/2, is on the School Transition Year Plan (formerly the Kindergarten Transition Plan). It was funding in the amount of $7,500/fiscal year. We have the option of staying on that plan by itself, staying and topping up to the magical $1,667/month, or switching to the new plan (deposit of up to $1,667 to an account set up in trust in our son's name). Personally, I like the top up option as there is less restriction as to "eligible expenses" in the STY Plan. For example, we could spend up to 10% ($750) on equipment, as well as fund therapies such as music therapy, therapeutic riding, etc. The new plan doesn't look as flexible – at least as it stands now. The way things change, who knows what it will be like a few months down the road.
I'd really like to know what they are planning on doing after March/03.
Claire Spencer (Trevor's Mom)
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