Scientific American - Investigating the Environmental Origins of Autism

In Investigating the Environmental Origins of Autism Scientific American discusses whether environmental factors might be contributing factors involved in the soaring rates of autism. While the DSM diagnostic definition changes in 1994 obviously play a significant role in increasing the number of autism diagnoses it is far from accepted that they account for all or most of the incredible rise. Not everyone is prepared to acceptl without questioning; the soothing words of anthropologist Roy Grinker that there is no autism epidemic; that definition changes and social factors offer a complete explanation for the incredible rise in autism diagnoses.

Scientific American reviews, without offering conclusions, the various environmental factors that might contribute to cases of autism from the ever contentious vaccine issue to environmental mercury, pesticides, flame retardants, chemicals in common cleaning products and even greater reliance on anti-biotics. The increased attention of researchers to possible environmental causes of autism is noted. The article mentions the possibility that autism and other conditions present in children today might be a result of "environmental assault":

“Whatever triggered this current autism epidemic...autistic kids clearly need extra protection from further environmental assault,”

- nonprofit group Healthy Child Healthy World

For far too long proponents of theories of global warming were mocked even while people like US Vice President Dick Cheney were editing out of government health agency statements scientific testimony of the health effects of global warming.

It is time we investigated possible environmental causes of autism and other possible harm to our children arising from environmental decay.

autism

The Challenge of Autism: Hope Tempered With Reality

Noah Gates works with Paula Williams, an in-home therapist
who helps to reinforce what Noah has learned in school.

(Photo and caption from the Dickinson Press)

The MSM and the internet are rife with hope filled autism stories and neurodiversity blogs about the joy and beauty of autism. If you read enough of the "Autism" Hub bloggers you could come to forget that Autistic Disorder is a serious neurological disorder. Hope and joy are powerful sales tools. Everyone, including parents of children with autistic disorders, needs hope. A problem arises though when hope obscures or even displaces reality.

You can, and should, temper hope with awareness of the challenges that your autistic child faces. You should seek, to the fullest extent possible, and with the assistance of responsible, well informed professional advisers, to obtain treatment, therapy and education to help your autistic children overcome the deficits of their autism disorder.

In The Challenge of Autism The Dickinson Press tells the stories of Nick and Kari Gates and their sons, Noah, 5, and Benjamin, 3. The article tells of Noah's strengths AND his challenges. The Gates are an excellent example of well grounded parents, loving both of their children, who don' t hesitate to help their autistic son. Noah has a number of deficits such as public tantrums, noise and taste sensitivities. The Gates do not give up. They obtain therapy for Noah, including paying for a therapist Paula Williams, to come to their home to provide Applied Behavior Analysis . As for parents who might have read some of the misleading descriptions of ABA floating around the internet you can see that Ms William is not a stern looking task master and Noah does not appear to be suffering any discomfort. And as Nick Gates said in the The Challenge of Autism "When he’s with Paula, he knows its time to work. He does very well with her.”

autism

The Two Autism Faces of Greg Thompson

When it comes to federal financing of autism treatment for Canadians with autism Conservative MP Greg Thompson, Southwest, New Brunswick has presented two decidedly different faces.

FACE # 1 - Opposition MP Greg Thompson

House of Commons, Hansard, Wed. Sept. 28, 2005.

Statement by Members

Autism

Mr. Greg Thompson (New Brunswick Southwest, CPC):

Mr.Speaker, today along with other members of the House and parents of autistic children, I attended a rally on Parliament Hill urging the federal government to provide financial support to cover the cost of treatment for every child diagnosed with autism.

Autism rates are on the rise in Canada. This neurological disorder affects 1 in every 195 of our children.

Therapy which has been credited in helping children overcome the effects of autism can cost a family up to $60,000 a year. These families and children need our support and I urge the federal government to take the steps necessary to address this important issue.


FACE # 2 - Government MP & Cabinet Minister Greg Thompson

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA 39th PARLIAMENT, 1st SESSION No. 115 (Unrevised) Wednesday, February 21, 2007 1:00 p.m.

Private Members' Business

Pursuant to Standing Order 93(1), the House proceeded to the taking of the deferred recorded division on the motion of Mr. Murphy (Charlottetown), seconded by Mr. Szabo (Mississauga South), — That Bill C-304, An Act to provide for the development of a national strategy for the treatment of autism and to amend the Canada Health Act, be now read a second time and referred to the Standing Committee on Health.

YEAS: 113, NAYS: 155


NAYS -- CONTRE

Thompson (New Brunswick Southwest)

There it is. On September 28 2005 Greg Thompson, wearing Autism Face # 1, sitting as an opposition MP, rose in the House of Commons, not at a local backyard Bar-B-Q or in a beer drenched tavern, but in the House of Commons, to urge the federal government to address the important issue of financing treatment for autistic children in Canada. Then 15 months later, on February 21, 2007, wearing Autism Face # 2, now sitting as a MP and Cabinet Minister of the governing Conservative Party he voted NAY , he voted against, the Private Members' bill of MP Shawn Murphy which, if passed, would have required the federal government to do exactly what Mr. Thompson had previously urged a different federal government to do?

How to explain the Two Autism Faces of Conservative MP Southwest, New Brunswick, Greg Thompson? Was he being shallow and insincere when he wore Autism Face # 1, using the plight of autistic children and their families for political purposes? Or did he simply lack the courage of his convictions; was he afraid to stand up to Conservative Prime Minister Harper when he donned Autism Face #2 and voted against Bill C-304 which would have provided for federal government funding of autism treatment?

Only Greg Thompson knows for sure.

autism

Ottawa's Unfinished Autism Business

Autism should not be a partisan issue.

Here in New Brunswick progress has been made under the former Conservative government of Bernard Lord and the current Liberal government of Shawn Graham. It is more difficult to say the same of the situation in Ottawa where the separatist Bloc Québécois and the Conservative government of Stephen Harper combined to defeat Charlottetown Liberal MP Shawn Murphy's Private Members Bill C-304 which would have provided a real National Autism Treatment Strategy to ensure adequate financing and ABA/IEBI treatment for Canada's autistic children whether they had the good fortune to reside in a province sitting on large oil reserves or not.

The rationale for defeating Bill C-304 offered by the Harper Conservative party - that health care is a matter within provincial legislative jurisdiction - ignores the reality that we already have federal health care legislation - the very Canada Health Act that Bill C-304 would have amended. If the Canada Health Act itself can exist, whether by some constitutional basis for federal health care competency; or by the cooperation, compassion and common sense of Canadians then so too can an amendment to that Act.

Even weaker is the argument, often advanced by the Harper government's offical autism dad, Mike Lake, that:

If this Bill were to pass, autism would be the one and only disorder or disease named in the Canada Health Act. Cancer is not named. Neither is diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Why autism and not these? Why not Down Syndrome? Why not Schizophrenia?

Under the Canada Health Act, the provinces are clearly responsible for decisions on which medical treatments they will fund. If we are to maintain the integrity of the Act, only the provinces can make those decisions.

To answer the first question the fact that autism would be the first to be named should be irrelevant. The need for a national effort to address Canada's autism crisis is clear. The Conservative government acknowledged that fact when it adopted Fredericton MP Andy Scott' s motion calling for a National Autism Strategy. While recognizing the need for such a strategy the Harper government has steadfastly refused to put any teeth in it. If the need for a National Strategy exists to address other disorders and diseases they can be looked at on case by case basis. There is no reason not to name autism now because other disorders and diseases may also have to be considered. Each can be examined on a case by case basis as required.

Provinces across Canada have begun financing, to the extent they are capable, the ABA that has been acknowledged, most recently (October 29, 2007) by the American Academy of Pediatrics, as the most evidence based effective treatment for autism:

The effectiveness of ABA-based intervention in ASDs has been well documented through 5 decades of research by using single-subject methodology21,25,27,28 and in controlled studies of comprehensive early intensive behavioral intervention programs in university and community settings.29–40 Children who receive early intensive behavioral treatment have been shown to make substantial, sustained gains in IQ, language, academic performance, and adaptive behavior as well as some measures of social behavior, and their outcomes have been significantly better than those of children in control groups.31–40

Even Mr Lake has acknowledged the effectiveness of ABA in treating autism; he just doesn't seem to understand that not all provinces have the finances to properly fund ABA for all autistic children:

In my opinion, it is completely unacceptable for any province not to fund Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) for those who need it. If voters feel as strongly as I do about this, they must let their provincial governments know and then hold them accountable at election time.

As for the integrity of the Act what is that? An Act is established to give effect to the will of the people through their elected representatives on a given matter. They can change the scheme, structure, or "integrity" of the Act if that reflects the will of the people at that time. If Canadians want to provide financing for ABA treatment for autism, and judging by the number of provinces that provide some level of ABA treatment funding they do, then the only challenge for those provinces not as well off, is to find the money to adequately fund the treatment.

The last I checked the federal government has no qualms about taking money, in the form of taxes, from the pockets of Canadian families wherever they live. They should have no qualms about spending some of that money to help provide effective ABA treatment for persons with autism.

Mike Lake's autistic son deserves the opportunity to access the ABA treatment funded by oil rich Alberta. So too does Joe Smith's son in PEI, Jacques LeBlanc's son in Quebec and Joe Kowalchuck's son in Saskatchewan. It is long past time that the Harper government ceased making a mockery of its commitment to a National Autism Strategy and amended the Canada Health Act as set out in Shawn Murphy's Bill C-304. There is no good reason not to.

C-304

First Session, Thirty-ninth Parliament,
55 Elizabeth II, 2006

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA

BILL C-304

_____________________________________________

FIRST READING, MAY 17, 2006

_____________________________________________

MR. MURPHY (Charlottetown)

1st Session, 39th Parliament,
55 Elizabeth II, 2006

HOUSE OF COMMONS OF CANADA

BILL C-304

An Act to provide for the development of a
national strategy for the treatment of
autism and to amend the Canada Health
Act

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate and House of Commons
of Canada, enacts as follows:

SHORT TITLE

1. This Act may be cited as the National
Strategy for the Treatment of Autism Act.


NATIONAL CONFERENCE

2. The Minister of Health shall, before
December 31, 2006, convene a conference of
all provincial and territorial ministers responsible
for health for the purpose of working
together to develop a national strategy for the
treatment of autism. The Minister shall, before
December 31, 2007, table a report in both
Houses of Parliament specifying a plan of action
developed in collaboration with the provincial
and territorial ministers for the purpose of
implementing that strategy.

AMENDMENTS TO THE CANADA
HEALTH ACT

3. Section 2 of the Canada Health Act is
renumbered as subsection 2(1) and is
amended by adding the following:

(2) For the purposes of this Act, services
that are medically necessary or required under
this Act include Applied Behavioural Analysis
(ABA) and Intensive Behavioural Intervention
(IBI) for persons suffering from Autism Spectrum
Disorder.

autism

Jonathan Howard Runs The Dream and Raises Autism Awareness in Ottawa

Jonathan Howard Meets Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion
Photo from Run the Dream - Jonathan's Blog

Jonathan Howard Runs the Dream across Canada to raise funds to support people with autism and raise autism awareness. He began in March in St. John's, Newfoundland and hit Fredericton, New Brunswick where I met him on June 5. I had the opportunity to talk with Jonathan at that time and I was very impressed. He is a sincere and dedicated young man of 24 who has committed the better part of a year of his life to help people with autism.

Jonathan has met, and raised autism awareness, with provincial premiers along the way. This week, as detailed in his hometown journal, The Mississauga News, Jonathan arrived at Ottawa where he was joined on his run by Kathleen Provost, executive director, Autism Society Canada, and Senator Jim Munson. Jonathan also met with federal Liberal Leader Stéphane Dion. Jonathan reports on his blog that he had extended an invitation to meet with Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Jonathan, very diplomatically, states:

For those wondering- What about the Prime Minister Stephen Harper? The invitation was sent a week ago and I am still awaiting a response. Lets Hope!

Far be it from me to challenge Jonathan in the Hope department. If anyone can get Mr. Harper to wake up to the realities of autism in Canada it just might be him.

Keep up the good work Jonathan!

autism

Autistic Children Grow Up

Autistic children grow up.

They get taller, bigger, stronger. And like other parents we must adapt as they do, both to continue to enjoy their presence in our lives and to help them develop to their fullest potential. For some parents of autistic children the physical growth of their children also represents a point of departure; they must part company with their autistic children whose behavioral challeges can no longer be accommodated coming from the large, powerful frame of an adult. The brutal reality is that some parents (particularly mothers) and siblings are physically attacked by the autistic children, brother or sister for whom they care so deeply.

I have read on the internet heart wrenching stories of parents who have had to make the agonizing decision to send their autistic child/adult to live in residential or institutional care. As a lawyer I have provided some pro bono legal services to parents struggling with the challenges of caring for autistic children who have been aggressive to them and had become a risk to family members. Such realities are not the usual autism fare of CNN, New York Magazine or Good Morning America. They are real none the less for the parents who care for these children and mourn, (yes Jim Sinclair MOURN), the premature loss of their children.

Above are pictures of our son Conor, 12, with his mother, Heather (also author of Goody Bledsoe, see right side of page). Conor, diagnosed with Autistic Disorder, is now slightly taller than his mother. He grew like a weed this past year, with the usual changes that accompany that stage of life. When Conor is outside the house by himself, in the yard or on one of the steps, we check constantly. Sometimes visually, sometimes by asking him to say "Hi". On one such occasion I was startled by the deep man's voice that answered. It was Conor's voice, no longer the voice of a boy.

Conor is aggressive on occasion. We have "managed" the aggressive aspects of his behavior, thanks in large part to Applied Behavior Analysis therapy which has also helped Conor with so many areas of life. But there are still times when it is difficult. And we know that a day will likely be coming when we will no longer be able to have him with us in our home. As Conor grows bigger and stronger and we grow older and weaker.

In the meantime though we enjoy Conor and all that he has brought to our lives. We do not subscribe to the misguided "autism is beautiful" ideology that urges people to find joy in their child's neurological disorder. We accept the realities of Conor's autism, we face those realities and we try to do something about them, to help Conor overcome them to the fullest extent possible. We do so with great joy, the joy of Conor, a fun loving, affectionate but challenging blessing in our lives. For as long as we can.

autism

7 Year Old Autistic Boy Wanders Away From Camp And Into Traffic

Not long after autistic adult Keith Kennedy wandered away from a camp in Wisconsin 7 year old autistic boy Colin Hays wandered away from camp in Maryland - where he was spotted by his mother a short time after she had dropped him off for the day wandering the shoulder of a busy highway. As reported by myfox washington d.c.:

"he ... crossed over busy Montgomery Road and walked over a highway bridge. Then, he climbed down and wound up walking on a highway on ramp shoulder .... The posted speed limit on the ramp is 40 miles an hour, but traffic routinely travels at speeds of 50 or faster.

Colin's mother says she was walking about four feet from the whizzing cars when she happened to drive by. "My heart stopped, I slammed on the brakes," said Kristen Detwiler, the boy's mom. "I stopped my car, left the car on the middle of 100. I ran out in a skirt and heels and started chasing him screaming, "Colin, stop! It's Mommy! Stop!'" Detwiler was able to successfully rescue her son from the dangerous situation. "

I can imagine the fear felt by Kristen Detwiler when she saw her son in danger.

I admire her courageous action in rescuing him.

autism

The Adult Autism Crisis

In What Happens When They Grow Up, Newsweek, to its credit, focuses on the very real adult autism residential care crisis which exists in the United States (and in Canada). Newsweek is unable to provide any real solutions but hopefully the article will help focus the public discussion of autism on the very serious crisis confronting adults with autism disorders who can not care for themselves.

Not all "autistics" grow up to become researchers, Supreme Court of Canada litigants and college students, appear repeatedly on CNN with Dr. Gupta, or start "Autistic"rights movements. Some are more severely impaired, lacking basic communication skills and an understanding of the world and how to function in it.

Here in New Brunswick we have much to be proud of in terms of autism service delivery for autistic pre-schoolers and our schools are rapidly becoming a model second to none in North America for educating autistic students. But our autistic adult services are abysmal.

In New Brunswick our autistic adults in need of residential care are placed in privately operated group homes. The homes are not set up specifically for autistic adults and the staff are not trained to deal with autistic adults. The more severely autistic adults and older autistic youths in New Brunswick have been kept on the grounds of a correctional facility, on the ward of a general hospital, left with overwhelmed parents or exported to facilities elsewhere in Canada and the United States.

The adult autism crisis is not unique to New Brunswick but, unlike our services for preschool and school age autistic children, the adult care autism crisis here in New Brunswick is amongst the serious in North America. By literally exporting our autistic adults we are admitting that we have failed some of our most vulnerable New Brunswickers.

autism

Is Fragile X the Treatable Type of Autism?

In The Fragile X Factor TIME in partnership with CNN examines Fragile X in the family of Cari and Andrew Wheeler of Madera Ranchos, California including son Max, 7 , who is mildly autistic and mildly retarded. In addition to Max his mother is experiencing premature menopause and his grandfather is suffering from neurological decline. The conditions of all three are impacted by the Fragile X syndrome and the defective X chromosome gene they carry. All three are featured and their common Fragile X syndrome described.

The article also focuses on fenobam, a potential drug treatment for FXS and other types of autism. Pediatrician Randi Hagerman, medical director of the MIND Institute, and a team at Chicago's Rush University Medical Center have begun trials with fenobam. Neuroscientist Mark Bear of MIT is expected to begin trials with two other drugs in 2008. Hagerman is particularly optimistic:

"We're looking at a medication to reverse the retardation and I think we can achieve it."

Hagerman's husband Paul also studies Fragile X and urges parents with an autistic child to consider testing for Fragile X. In his opinion autism caused by Fragile X will be known as the "treatable type".

If the drugs fulfil their potential and are indeed found to be an effective treatment for Fragile X related autism some neurodiversity oriented parents may have to reconsider their "Autism is Beautiful" hostility toward autism cures. It is one thing to oppose a hypothetical treatment or cure. It would be something altogether different for parents to refuse actual proven treatments that could cure their autistic children and give them a chance at a richer life.

autism

Washington Post Omits Historic Date, Important Information, From Autism Key Dates List

The Washington Post has published a list of Some Key Dates in Autism History. The list has an important omission and is inaccurate or misleading on some controversial assertions. The article also repeats, without qualification, some oft repeated official positions that are not entirely accurate or are subject to serious dispute.

1) 1987 Lovaas Study On Effectiveness of ABA

The article, by Brittney Johnson, makes no mention of the publication in 1987 of the Lovaas study indicating that 90% of children substantially improved when utilizing Applied Behavior Analysis, compared to a control group with close to half attaining normal IQ and testing within the normal range on adaptive and social skills.


2) Alleged Thimerosal Removal

2000 In response to broad government concerns, vaccine makers remove thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative, from all routinely given childhood vaccines.

That statement is not entirely accurate. As stated by Dr. Robert Schecter, lead author of the recent California epidemiological study on rising autism incidence:

"Autism rates increased consistently ... throughout this period, despite the exclusion of mercury from nearly all childhood vaccines,"[Bold highlighting added -HLD]

As for Haley's argument that some children still might be getting some mercury from vaccines, Schechter said that could be true.

"I would not claim that children are getting no mercury from vaccines," Schechter said."

- Lexington Herald Leader, February 4, 2008


3) 2004 IOM Report - No credible evidence of a link between thimerosal and autism . . . or between the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and autism.


2004: The Institute of Medicine, which advises the government on scientific matters, finds no credible evidence of a link between thimerosal and autism . . . or between the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and autism.

The 2004 IOM report and the processes used in preparing it have been criticized; including recently by former NIH Head Dr. Bernadine Healy who stated that the IOM expressly discouraged research and investigation of a possible vaccine/thimerosal link to autism and that the IOM report authors did so because of fear of vaccination rejection by the general population. Dr. Healy's contentions appear to be supported by some of the IOM report statements at page 152.

4) Autism Spike

2007: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports autism affects 1 in 150 children. Medical experts say the changed number reflects better detection, broader diagnostic criteria and increased public awareness -- not a spike in the disease.

Some medical experts attribute the spike entirely to diagnostic criteria change and increased public awareness ...... and some do not. Research is continuing into possible environmental causes of autism and their potential contribution to current rates of autism diagnosis.

5) Bettelheim's Refrigerator Mother Theory

1971: Eminent psychologist Bruno Bettelheim promotes the "refrigerator mother" theory, which holds that "cold," unurturing parents, especially moms, are to blame for autism.

The article describes Bettelheim as an eminent psychologist and makes no mention of the fact that his "theory" is totally discredited today .... or to the harm that it caused to families.

All in all, a less than sterling effort by Brittney Johnson and the Washington Post.

autism

Happy Birthday Dad

Today is my birthday.

Conor approached me several times late this afternoon to say "Happy Birthday Dad". And I can assure you he had no ulterior motives at all.

Nope, no ulterior motives, none at all.

autism

Early Stem Cell Mutation Linked to Rett Syndrome

A communication release by the Burnham Institute for Medical Research claims that a study by Burnham scientists shows that neural stem cell development may be linked to Rett Syndrome. The study published today in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reports that mice lacking the myocyte enhancer factor 2C (MEF2C) protein in neural stem cells had smaller brains, fewer nerve cells and showed behaviors similar to those seen in humans with Rett Syndrome. The communique claims that the study represents the first direct link between a developmental disorder of neural stem cells and the subsequent onset of autism.

The research team was led by Stuart A. Lipton, M.D., Ph.D., a clinical neurologist and Professor and Director of the Del E. Webb Neuroscience, Aging and Stem Cell Research Center at Burnham who expressed optimism that the results of the study could lead to correction of the mutation in mice and ultimately in humans:

"These results give us a good hint of how to look at Rett Syndrome and potentially other forms of autism in humans," said Dr. Lipton. "Having identified a mutation that causes this defect, we can track what happens. Perhaps we can correct it in a mouse, and if so, eventually correct it in humans."

autism

Environmental Causes of Autism and the Existence of an Autism Epidemic

If you can believe some professors of cultural anthropology and classical literature there are no environmental causes of autism and there is no autism epidemic. ALL of the dramatic increases in the numbers of autistic children and adults are due ENTIRELY to the definition changes in the DSM and to diagnostic substitution. Bringing their powers of personal opinion, societal observation and literary analysis to bare on the subject they have concluded that there is no autism epidemic.

We can all rest easy now that the rumor of an autism epidemic has been thoroughly discredited by these uh .... giants of science. No need at all for parents to worry about mercury, lead, pesticides and other harmless substances to which we as DNA bearing parents or our children themselves might be exposed. We can all rest assured that autism is purely genetic. Any and all increases in cases of autism must be due entirely to definition change, diagnostic substitution, increased awareness etc. According to the true believers autism has only genetic causes and there is nothing we can do to treat or cure our autistic children. Que Será Será.

Of course there are heretics out there, unbelievers who have not yet seen the light, people who actually give credence to theories about global warming. People who are concerned generally about the increasingly toxic bath into which each new generation is born. I must confess to being one of those heretics. While the genetic bases of autism are becoming known with increasing specificity the role of possible environmental cause or triggers of autism has not been eliminated. Far from it.

Studies of twins have established that it is not 100 per cent genetic, since even among identical twins, when one has autism, the likelihood of both twins having autism is only about 60 per cent. This means there must also be an environmental component, but what it is remains unknown.

Simon Baron-Cohen, Freedom of Expression, TimesOnLine, December 14, 2007

A recent article in Pediatrics, Official Journal of the American Academy of
Pediatrics, by authors Bruce M. Altevogt, PhD, Sarah L. Hanson, BA and Alan I. Leshner, PhD also addresses the mix of genetic, biological and environmental stressors. All three authors are members of the Forum on Neuroscience & Nervous System Disorders, Institute of Medicine, Washington, DC. Dr. Leshner is also associated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington, DC. In the abstract for Autism and the Environment: Challenges and Opportunities for Research, PEDIATRICS Vol. 121 No. 6 June 2008, pp. 1225-1229 (doi:10.1542/peds.2007-3000) , it was stated that:

Autism spectrum disorder is a complex developmental disorder that dramatically affects the lives of patients and their families and the broader community. The causes of autism are unknown; however, evidence increasingly suggests that a complex interplay among environmental stressors, genetic mutations, and other biological factors likely plays a significant role in the development and/or progression of autism spectrum disorder. [bold highlighting added - HLD]

In Environmental Factors and Limbic Vulnerability in Childhood Autism American Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology 4 (2): 183-197, 2008 Dr.Richard Lathe of Pieta Research, Edinbugh, expressly argues against diagnostic substitution as a complete explanation for the current prevalance of autism spectrum disorders and stresses the likelihood of substantial environmental contributions:

The rise in prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is suggestive of a
new etiology. Diagnostic substitution alone is unlikely to account for the increase, while genetic association with detoxification gene alleles points to an environmental contribution. Subtle structural anomalies in the ASD brain are widespread but limbic damage seems important for the development of behaviors diagnostic of ASD. The limbic brain is especially susceptible to environmental challenge: internal sensing, physiological feedback and neuroinflammatory processes may underlie this sensitivity to insult. Primary damage leading to ASD in later life is likely to take place in utero and/or in the immediate postnatal period. Despite evidence of heavy metal involvement, a causal connection may not yet be concluded because subjects exposed to metals tend to be exposed to other environmental agents. Because maternal minerals and lipids are supplied to the unborn child, historic toxic exposure of the mother may be pivotal. A two-hit combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental challenge is argued to underlie the rise in ASD.

Personally, I believe that we are in the midst of an Autism Knowledge Revolution in which science, not the ancient Greeks, or superficial and irrelevant cultural comparisons, will determine with increasing certainty the causes of autism, be they genetic, environmental or some combination of factors. As that knowledge increases debates about whether we are living in an autism epidemic should also be decided with greater certainty.

autism

Autism's Neurotypical Heroes

"Neurotypical" is a term used by some persons with high functioning autism and Aspergers to describe persons who do not have an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Wikipedia entries claim that

"While originally coined among the autistic community as a label for non-autistic persons,^[2] the concept was later adopted by both the neurodiversity movement and the scientific community."

One of the points not often stressed in the heated and sometimes angry world of internet autism "discussions" is the heroism of the "neurotypicals" from parents who sacrifice and struggle to raise their autistic children and care for them to the teachers, aides and other educators who try to educate autistic children, accommodate the diverse challeges they present, and in some cases deal with physical harm inflicted by those they try to help. These are real, every day, "neurotypical" heroes.

There are also professional neurotypical heroes like Dr. Paul McDonnell, professor emeritus (psychology), clinical psychologist and the mentor behind New Brunswick's (New Brunswick, Canada) evidence based autism service delivery system. Dr. Mickey Keenan in Northern Ireland and Dr. Doreen Granpeesheh in the United States. These are but a few of the many dedicated neurotyical professionals who use their education, experience, time and effort to actually help persons with autism.

I was very impressed recently with the heroic efforts of the neurotypical volunteers who worked for a week to ultimately find ,and deliver to safety, Keith Kennedy the autistic gentleman from Minnesota who wandered off and was lost in the Wisconsin woods near the camp he was staying at. These people sacrificed a lot of their time and comfort to help this autistic man they did not know.

As a neurotypical father of a severely autistic 12 year old boy I give thanks today, not because it is a "thanksgiving holiday" but because I choose to do so, to the many "neurotypical" fellow parents, professionals, educators, therapists, politicians and civil servants who have helped to make life better for my son.

You are all heroes, each and every one.

autism

Missing California Autistic Boy Found Safe 12 Miles From Home

Andre Hsu
Photo - Orange County Register

Andre Hsu, a 12 year old autistic boy with limited speech, was found safe and unharmed in Norwalk 12 miles from his home. The boy, who has been returned to his family, went missing after school and was found after calls to police in Norwalk. The Orange County Register reports police believe he probably got on the wrong bus.

His family is undoubtedly ecstatic to have their son home safe and sound.

autism

Autism and MicroRNAs

The Autism Knowledge Revolution continues with publication of a paper by University of California, Santa Barbara professor Kenneth S. Kosik "Heterogeneous Dysregulation of microRNAs across the Autism Spectrum” in the journal Neurogenetics. In addition to Koskik, senior author, other authors are Kawther Abu-Elnee, Tsunglin Liu, Francesca S. Gazzaniga, Yuhei Nishimura, Dennis P. Wall, Daniel H. Geschwind and Kaiqin Lao. The paper reports results of a study which found that "altered miRNA expression levels are observed in postmortem cerebellar cortex from autism patients, a finding which suggests that dysregulation of miRNAs may contribute to autism spectrum phenotype".

The University of California communications release MicroRNAs provide new insight in study of autism explains:

Ribonucleic acid, or RNA, is a link between DNA and protein. Some RNAs, according to Kosik, do not make a protein. One such type of RNA is called a microRNA because it’s very short. While there are 23,000 genes in the human body, there are about 1,000 different microRNAs.

The short RNA sequences can bind to many different, longer RNAs and inhibit them from making the protein, Kosik’s study found. “In this manner, they exert a broad regulatory control over the expression of many different proteins,” he said. And many of the genes they control are involved in brain development.

“It was of interest to find that various members of the microRNA family are frequently dysregulated in autism,” Kosik said. “This result points to a single control layer in the cell that can change in quite different ways with autism as the end result.”

Kosik indicates that, like recent studies showing mutations among small numbers of autism patients, this study also suggests there is a broad spectrum of diverse autism disorders:

“We can’t continue to look at this as a monolithic entity. This is not a single disease.”


autism

Autistic Man Keith Kennedy's Survival Story Won't Be Told

Keith Kennedy Transported On Stretcher
(AP Photo/Inter-County Leader, Priscilla Bauer)

AP reports that Keith Kennedy, who is autistic and is also a kidney transplant recipient, had only hours to live after being lost in the woods of Wisconsin for 7 days. Doctors say he is in stable and improving condition. How he survived is, and probably will remain, a mystery. Mr Kennedy has very limited language skills:

"How did he survive? He's a very lucky young man," said Dr. Timothy Whelan of the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview.

Even though he hadn't taken anti-rejection drug for a 1995 transplant since he disappeared, Whelan said he was optimistic that the kidney Kennedy received from his father would recover.

Bruce and Linda Kennedy also wonder how their son managed to survive a week in the woods without the skills to fend for himself.

They'll probably never know the answer because Keith Kennedy can speak only four words.

"We're not anticipating him communicating anything about this," Bruce Kennedy said. "He's never spoken in the past tense in his life."

autism

"He's Right Here", Missing Autistic Man, Keith Kennedy, Found Alive In Wisconsin

Keith Kennedy, the missing autistic man from Minnesota, has been found alive a mile from the Wisconsin camp from which he went missing a week ago. Mr. Kennedy was found, curled in a fetal position, severely dehydrated and covered with sores and ticks, just before searchers were to decide whether to start scaling back on search efforts according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. It was the fourth sweep of that area by searchers who were amazed to find him:

"We were yelling for the other guys because [the woods were] so thick," he said. "Suddenly we came to a clearing and Jim said, 'He's right here.' I said, 'Who?' and Jim said, 'No, he's right here, the one we're looking for. He's right here.'"

Congratulations to all the searchers who made such a determined effort to find Keith Kennedy. Incredibly, and thankfully, this has ended well for Keith Kennedy and his family.

autism

Just Another Conor Sunday Fun Day

autism

Desperate Search Continues For Missing Autistic Man Keith Kennedy

Keith Kennedy, a 25 year old autistic man from Minnesota, has now been missing a week from Trade Lake Camp, a camp for developmentally disabled adults in Wisconsin. The search area has been expanded. With the passage of a week, and Mr. Kennedy's need for medication for his kidney, WCCO Minnesapolis reports that the search has become desperate and that his family is praying for a miracle. "It's especially challenging since Keith can be scared off by loud sounds and probably will not respond to his name."

autism