Autism: Legislation to Study Vax vs. UnVax Populations

July 1st, 2009 by Paul | Posted in autism | No Comments »

Rep. Carolyn Maloney has sponsored legislation to require a study of vaccinated vs. unvaccinated populations.  You can read more at Age of Autism.

As I’ve written before, this is a well overdue study.  Is the prevalence of autism higher in fully vaccinated children compared to unvaccinated children?   How about to a statistically significant degree.

Awhile back when I was getting a medical exemption for my daughter to attend school, I was chatting with my doctor.  He understood my concerns and I plainly told him that vaccines won’t be considered safe until they are proven safe.  He stated that if would be nice to study vaccinated vs. unvaccinated children, but no one is going to intentionally not vaccinate a population of children large enough to study.  There are unvaccinated populations out there to study.  Maybe one day will get a study of vaccinated vs. unvaccinated populations, I hope it is soon.

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Autism: Karl Taro Greenfeld "Boy Alone"

May 27th, 2009 by Paul | Posted in autism | No Comments »

Kim Stagliano of Age of Autism had a post today about a new book by Karl Taro Greenfeld.  "Boy Alone: A Brother’s Memoir" details growing up with an autistic brother.

Here is a report printed in the New York Time that Karl wrote while in 7th grade about his brother.  This was written back in 1978 when autism was rare.  It is remarkably insightful and honest look at the life of a 7th grader living with a brother with autism.  Karl’s report is a must read.

I spend quite a bit of time thinking and lamenting about my daughter’s life now and in the future with her brother.  How will this impact her?  Will she be resentful?  Will she feel responsibility to protect him?  When will she notice?  When will the questions come?

There is certainly a feeling of unfairness for parent’s of children with autism, but it is nothing like the crushing unfairness of siblings of children with autism. 

To my daughter:  I’m sorry.

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Autism: Flu Vaccine Increases Risk of Hospitalization

May 21st, 2009 by Paul | Posted in autism | No Comments »

Kent Heckenlively has an article on Age of Autism entitled "Flu Vaccine Triples Child Hospitalizations, but Won’t Turn Them into Horned, Hairy Apes, say Experts!"

From the article:

According to new research to be presented at the 105th International Conference of the American Thoracic Society on May 19th in San Diego, CA, researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota “found that children who had received the flu vaccine had three times the risk of hospitalization, as compared to children who had not received the vaccine.”  (“Children Who Get Flu Vaccine Have Three Times Risk of Hospitalization For Flu, Study Suggests”, Science Daily, May 20, 2009)

This study will probably be swept under the rug or explained away as the most susceptible patients get the flu vaccine, etc. 

I’m honestly surprised that the flu vaccine machine would let this type of research be done.  Good for the Mayo Clinic, now research environmental causes for autism.  I’ll give you a good starting point mitochondrial dysfunction and heavy metal poisoning.

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Autism: Merck being shady…

May 5th, 2009 by Paul | Posted in autism | No Comments »

Merck being shady is a shocker!  Yes that is sarcasm.

Merck created a phony peer-review journal to publish favorable marketing, err science, studies.  As long as they pump money into the government, they’ll continue to get questionable products approved by the FDA.  Vioxx anyone.  Gardasil.  Shady business seems to be business as usual for Merck.

Here is an article about the fake journal:  http://blog.bioethics.net/2009/05/merck-makes-phony-peerreview-journal/

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Autism: Autism Yesterday Web Premiere

April 3rd, 2009 by Paul | Posted in autism | No Comments »

You can now watch the documentary Autism Yesterday on Age of Autism.

I have previously written about Autism Yesterday here and here.

Please watch.

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Autism: Newsweek Article

March 31st, 2009 by Paul | Posted in autism | No Comments »

There is a good, emotional rebuttal from a parent about Sharon Begley’s Newsweek article entitled Anatomy of a Scare.  The complete rebuttal can be found here, The Miseducation of Sharon Begley: One Parent’s Reaction to Irresponsible Journalism.

The rebuttal is excellent and the author is alright in my book based on the passage below.

Mind you, I’m a Christian, albeit of the drinking and swearing variety.  I’m also Irish, and from Detroit.  You would think given the historical implications I would be quite a scrapper, but the reverse is true. Most in my circle would say I am genuinely peaceable and when I override my own lowly, egomaniacal opinions, I find great solace in praying for the powers that be, and even for Mr. Offit on occasion.

I am strangely possessed by Ms. Begley’s work though, and for this reason I feel compelled to action.  I’m angered and annoyed and I can’t move on.  I am not a paid journalist, fact checker, scientist, doctor, researcher, or lobbyist.  I am a mom. That said I would like to get this over with so I can get back to my job.  Therefore, Ms. Begley, I kindly request your presence in the ring. This is an official invitation to fight.  The rest of you, please settle in.  Pull up a chair. Grab a soda.  I am lacing up my gloves at this very moment. 

I think I can speak for most parents of autistic children in that we are bombarded with autism news which is often easy to brush off.  Every once in a while a news story will stick with us and is hard to shake.  This rebuttal is a great display of how one parent dealt with the unshakeable.

Please take a moment and read the complete rebuttal article at Age of Autism.

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Autism: Dr. Jon Poling Editorial

March 13th, 2009 by Paul | Posted in autism | No Comments »

Dr. Jon Poling wrote an excellent editorial for the Atlanta Journal Constitution which you can find reprinted at ageofautism.com entitled "I Cannot Fathom Turning My Back on a Child Nor Science to Avoid Inconvenient Questions".

Here is the most powerful section of Dr. Poling’s editorial.

Because purely genetic diseases do not rise precipitously, the corollary to a true autism increase is clear — genes only load the gun and it is the environment that pulls the trigger. Autism is best redefined as an environmental disease with genetic susceptibilities.

We should be investing our research dollars into discovering environmental factors that we can change, not more poorly targeted genetic studies that offer no hope of early intervention. Pesticides, mercury, aluminum, several drugs, dietary factors, infectious agents and yes — vaccines — are all in the research agenda.

The above is one of the most direct, simple explanations for autism.  It is not a looney, uneducated, radical theory.  It is the truth as seen by Dr. Jon Poling and countless other experts. 

If we are serious about helping the autism generation, then we need to work tirelessly to target (research) the potential triggers so that we can counteract the damage and hopefully make the next generation the non-autism generation.

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Autism: Play Date Revisited

March 6th, 2009 by Paul | Posted in autism | No Comments »

I had written earlier about my son’s play date that got canceled.  Well earlier this week my son got a call from his classmate asking him if he could come over to play after school.  He was so excited as he asked us if it was alright.

Again, as "good" parents we badgered him about being a good friend, etc.  When he returned home, he was quite sad and grumpy.  Fortunately, the reason for his sadness was he had so much fun that he didn’t want to come home.  It was a success.  The kids had a good time playing together and the classmate’s mother said they had a fun time and that my son was really good, but sad to leave.

Now my son desperately wants to invite his classmate to his birthday party.  The only problem is his birthday is 9 months away! 

With social/interpersonal growth being the focal issue of struggle for my son, this has been a great experience. 

We had parent-teacher conferences this week and his teacher said there are 3 or 4 children that my son has a genuine relationship with.  At the beginning of the year when they had to pick partners in class, my son didn’t have any idea who to choose.  Now he singles out those that he enjoys being with.

(I’m just trying to enjoy the journey).

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Autism: Faculty in Pharma’s pocket

March 4th, 2009 by Paul | Posted in autism | No Comments »

Read this article in the New York Times entitled Harvard Medical School Ethics Quandary.  Harvard Medical School students are questioning the conflicts of interest of the faculty and how these conflicts bias what is being taught.

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Autism: Some Things Shock Me - Update

February 24th, 2009 by Paul | Posted in autism | 1 Comment »

My son has been really struggling with school this year.  His struggle isn’t academic, but social.  I think he is really lonely in his not knowing how to make friends. 

There is one kid in his class that loves to be around my son, but my son runs from him as he is a “copycat”.  This particular kid has been in special ed classes with my son since they were both 3 years old and I think my son is just tired of him.  That is fine, but who else is there to play with?

There are the older kids that play “push me down”.  That sounds like a group to avoid.  There are his little sisters group of friends, but that isn’t fair to her.  She has enough responsibilities for a six year old.

His lack of friends is a concern for me which brings me to being shocked.  Last night a parent called and asked if my son could come over and play after school today.  The parent has a daughter in my son’s class and wants him to come over.  No one has ever wanted our son to come over and play.  Yup, I’m shocked!

My wife and I thoroughly badgered/prepared our son for his afternoon out.  I’m sure he was sick of us telling him to “play what she wants to play, be a good friend and don’t just play their video games”.  Yes, it is sad, but I’m nervous for my eight year old’s play date.  So is the life of an autistic parent.

I guess this is another milestone in our journey.

UPDATE:  Sadly, my son’s friend got sick and had to go home early:(.  My son was a little disappointed, but quickly recovered.  Hopefully some other time will work.

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