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Autism: State of the Union 2008 by Dan Olmsted

Paul — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:59:14 +0000

Dan Olmsted looks at the state of the union 2008 in his article Olmsted on Autism: The Decline and Fall of (Almost) Everything.

Olmsted’s article includes a powerful quote.

As Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel economist writing in the new Vanity Fair, puts it in discussing the roots of the financial disaster: “Behind the debates over future policy is a debate over history — a debate over the causes of our current situation. The battle for the past will determine the battle for the present. So it’s crucial to get the history straight.”

In all of the failings of the US government (financial, FDA, CDC, Iraq, Afghanistan, corruption, etc.) who wins the history battle matters as it will determine who is involved with the fixes (or first shot at cover up) along with the obligatory ass covering that is so important in government.

Autism: Department of Defense

Paul — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 15:34:05 +0000

I wrote recently about Why Don’t They Care referring to the government and medical agencies disregard for autism study and treatment. David Kirby writes about a government agency that might be starting to care, the Pentagon. His article The Pentagon — A Voice of Reason on Vaccines and Autism is a must read.

From Kirby’s article.

Autism and the military have a deep history together. Children of service members are reportedly almost twice as likely to have autism (1-in-88) than those in the general population (1-in-150). Meanwhile, the Department of Defense quietly spends millions in taxpayer dollars researching the possible causes of autism at far-from-the-spotlight centers around the country.

Recently, several documents have been brought to my attention which, when viewed together, suggest that the Department of Defense has legitimate concerns about vaccine injuries and their possible connection to autism, perhaps more so than other branches of the Federal Government.

Why is the Department of Defense more interested than other areas of government or medical agencies?

I think Ginger Taylor has the answer from her post The DOD Acknowledges Autism as a Vaccine Injury:

But I suspect that it is because, unlike civilian medical authorities and private practices, the military cannot jettison their vaccine injured personnel and dependents. They will have to care for these people, sometimes for the rest of their lives.

So unlike Medicine/Pharma/Federal Government, vaccine injury effects the DOD bottom line, and their actual reason for existing… military readiness.

Autism: Hooray Breakfast!!!

Paul — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 00:42:26 +0000

My son made breakfast for himself today. Big whoop, you might say. Most kids at the age of 7 can get bread, put it in the toaster, get a plate from the cupboard, remove toast from the toaster, get butter out of the refrigerator, get a knife, spread butter on their toast, get jelly out of the refrigerator, and spread jelly on their toast. But if you are the parent of an autistic child, having your child do the above by themselves makes you cry.

Life is good!

Days like today, I find my mind wandering dangerously into the “good” what ifs. What if my son makes a friend. What if he doesn’t need supports at school. What if he learns to drive. What if he goes to college. What if he finds love.

Barbara Fischkin writes about her encounter with one of my “what ifs” in her article Sex and the Single Young Man With Autism.

For now, I’ll rejoice over breakfast. I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself.

Test Drive a Habit - Daily Writing

Paul — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 15:56:22 +0000

My final Test Drive a Habit of the year, is to write every day. My plan is to write out scripture for 20 to 30 minutes everyday. I have a small notebook that I plan to use this month for my writing.

Today, for example, I wrote out Isaiah 59. I chose Isaiah 59 because I love verse 1. It makes me chuckle as we often shrink God down to our usable terms.

1 Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save,
nor his ear too dull to hear. Isaiah 59:1 (NIV)

Other Test Drive a Habit challenges:

Autism: High Rate of Autism Among Somali Immigrants

Paul — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:14:04 +0000

From Mark Blaxill’s article Out of Africa and Into Autism: More Evidence Illuminates the Somali Anomaly in Minnesota.

1) Autism has always been rare in Africa, with low rates that have surprised researchers.

2) Most autism in Africa occurred in elite families with access to Western health services.

3) Among Africans who migrate to Western countries, autism rates are remarkably high. These immigrants face unusual risks of over vaccination.

What does it take to connect the dots here? But let me take you all through a quick tour of the evidence base on autism in Africa (see a short list of references at the end of this essay). It’s deeper and more conclusive than most of you might know.

Click here to read about the three points above.

For more about the Somali children in Minnesota, read Nancy Hokkanen’s article Autism Strikes 1 in 28 Somali Children in Minnesota.

Autism: Chemical Exposures May Be the Cause

Paul — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:01:12 +0000

David Kirby’s article entitled Autism May Be Caused By “Chemical Exposures” uncovers a shocking statement from the CDC.

From the article:

Here is the question I posed to CDC:

“If it is determined that Somali children in Minnesota do in fact have higher rates of autism than non-Somali children in Minnesota, and that they also have higher rates than Somali children in Somalia, will CDC officially concur that autism, at least in these cases, must necessarily have an environmental component?”

And here is part of the reply:

“While it is important to understand if autism is affecting any group of children disproportionately, it is also important to keep in mind that there are likely multiple causes of the autism spectrum of disorders. Most scientists agree that today’s research will show that a person’s genetic profile may make them more or less susceptible to ASDs as a result of any number of factors such as infections, the physical environment, chemical exposures, or psychosocial components.”

This is a great, surprising admission. Environmental factors are at play instead of the ludicrous notion of a genetic epidemic.

Now, CDC, hone in on those environmental triggers.

Click here to read the entire response from the CDC and Minnesota Department of Health.

Once again, THANK YOU DAVID KIRBY!

Autism: Gulf War Illness

Paul — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:07:45 +0000

Kent Heckenlively writes about the correlation found in the number of vaccines given and the incidence of Gulf War Illness in his article If You Let the Idiots Talk They’ll Tell You What You Want to Know.

From the article:

The congressionally mandated report entitled “Gulf War Illness and the Health of Gulf War Veterans” is devastating in its findings. As reported in the November 17, 2008 of USA Today (“Gulf War Syndrome is a Real Illness, Study Finds”), “The illness resulted from exposure to chemicals and anti-nerve-gas vaccinations received, and no effective treatment has been found. It affects 25% of the 695,000 U.S. Gulf War vets (author’s note - approximately 173,000 service members) and perhaps 55,000 British veterans.”

1 in 4.

25% of our soldiers.

Heckenlively goes on to report that two British studies found that the number of inoculations was significantly correlated to symptom severity.

The truth about Gulf War illness has finally come out. Our Gulf War army suffered a casualty rate of 25% without even taking the field of battle. If a general had suffered such a loss he would’ve been brought up on charges of incompetence.

Perhaps it was best expressed by Anthony Hardie, a Gulf War veteran from Madison, Wisconsin, quoted in the Reuters article. He said, “Today’s report brings to a close one of the darkest chapters of the 1991 Gulf War, and that is the legacy of Gulf War illness. For those who ever doubted that Gulf War veterans are ill, this report is definitive, and exhaustive.”

I pray the day soon comes when we can close the dark chapter on the cause of autism, and get the best minds working on treatments which help every child.

Please read Kent Heckenlively’s article.

How we have treated or sadly used our armed forces members is scary stuff. I’ve written earlier about the results of vaccines in the armed forces here.

Autism: Why Don’t They Care?

Paul — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:04:03 +0000

I’m not angry. I’m not surprised. I’m just kind of numb.

Why doesn’t the US government and medical establishment care?

Are we throwing a generation of children away? Seriously, is that the outcome here in the United States? Autism is more prevalent today than Polio was in 1952?

If the government and medical establishment cared, they would look at those awarded compensation in “Vaccine Court” for autistic like reactions to vaccines. They would study these cases with zeal.

If the government and medical establishment cared, they would fund a vaccinated vs. unvaccinated autism study.

If the government and medical establishment cared, they would track and verify parental and doctor claims of biomedical treatment successes.

If the government and medical establishment cared, they would have experts on the ground in Minneapolis immediately studying the Somali immigrant population whose children born in the United States have a 1 in 28 rate of autism!!!

Somalis in Minneapolis: http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/11/on-autism-somal.html

My heart goes out to the Somali community. I pray that people come along side of them to fight unrelentingly for them, care for them and love them.

In the United States, THEY unfortunately don’t care.

As “crazy” parents we are left to ourselves to flail away at helping our children.

TDAH - Playing Games - Post Habit Update

Paul — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:28:10 +0000

I just wanted to write a quick update about the results of last month’s Test Drive a Habit challenge of playing games with the kids everyday. There have been two great consequences from the habit.

The first thing is my daughter’s complete enjoyment of playing mancala. At the end of the month, mancala was by far the game of choice for her. She still plays everyday and is virtually unbeatable. She easily beats me 2 times out of every 3 games we play. Often I’m lucky to just get a tie or a close game. Her math and reasoning skills are definitely growing.

The second item of note is my son’s new found interest in playing Othello. For the first time he has taken an active interest in a non-electronic game. With his struggles socially, it is extremely exciting that he enjoys a group activity. This morning before school he was asking (yes asking!) everyone to play Othello with him. This is a first and very exciting for us!

Test Drive a Habit - Eating a Salad

Paul — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 14:11:58 +0000

I am way, way late with announcing this month’s Test Drive a Habit challenge. It isn’t because I don’t have a habit this month. I have just been incredibly busy and haven’t posted an update.

The habit this month is to eat a green salad everyday. I chose this because I wanted another eating habit and I need more vegetables in my diet. So far there have been three days that I haven’t had a salad. Those days were all on weekends when I’m out of my routine.

I’ve only encountered mild ridicule from my friends for my salad eating ways.

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