Autism

[GhostGirl]

QUOTE (Rolinda Bonz @ Apr 30 2009, 09:21 PM)

QUOTE (GhostGirl @ Apr 30 2009, 08:36 AM) QUOTE (Mrs. Huck Rogers @ Apr 30 2009, 07:37 AM) I'm sorry I posted this article then. I was only trying to help. If I had time and more knowledge of the subject, I'd hunt it down for you. My son is doing quite well with his Aspergers in most respects, but I do feel empathy for people who struggle with low performance autism; hence the desire to post news on this. I'm sorry you don't think so. The genetic links are complex - the very nature of DNA assures that...   This is a real link that could account for 15% of cases - that is significant.   I've been a victim of the snake oil salesmen more times that I can count, and I know the pain false hope causes (anyone who reads my blog knows that).   But this IS real. This, unlike some of the "treatments" out there, is real science, and I'm thrilled.   Thank you, P. you're both right, and i'm sorry for raining on the parade.   Tim had a bad day at school yesterday and worse day today. He doesn't freak out like that at home, and I've lost a lot of confidence in his teacher and the para-professionals that work with him.   It's time for a change. I totally understand, although we have the OPPOSITE problem with Stephen. He does perfectly at school and acts pretty awful at home.   Damned autism. I wish I could choke somebody over it. I hate it so much.   Last night Stephen found an ad in a magazine for a local bowling alley (where he's been on field trips) and he kept saying, "Bowl shoes. Bowl shoes. Ball."   Trying to get him to understand I couldn't stop cooking and take him bowling was impossible. He cried and kicked in his room for 45 minutes.   Damned f***ing autism.

[Prime Mover and Shaker]

 

An article from cnn.com today:

 

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/04/autis...dala/index.html

 

 

 

The size of a specific part of the brain may help experts pinpoint when autism could first develop, University of North Carolina researchers report.

 

 

The amygdala helps individuals process faces and emotions.

 

Using MRI brain scans, researchers found that the area of the brain called the amygdala was, on average, 13 percent larger in young children with autism, compared with control group of children without autism. In the study, published in the latest Archives of General Psychiatry, researchers scanned 50 toddlers with autism and 33 children without autism at age 2 and again at age 4. The study adjusted for age, sex and IQ.

 

"We believe that children with autism have normal-sized brains at birth but at some point, in the latter part of the first year of life, it [the amygdala] begins to grow in kids with autism. And this study gives us insight inside the underlying brain mechanism so we can design more rational interventions," said lead study author Dr. Joseph Piven.

 

A normal-sized amygdala helps a person process faces and emotions, behavior commonly known as joint attention.

 

"When you see a face, you scan it, identify if it's friend or foe and make a decision about whether to move forward or avoid it," said Dr. Barry Kosofsky, chief of neurology at Cornell Medical Center, who was not affiliated with the study.

 

UNC researchers conducted diagnostic assessments, in addition to the MRI scans, to monitor the children's behavior. They found toddlers with a large amygdala also had joint attention problems.

 

"We would basically try to get the child to look one way, we'd turn and point to a clock and see whether or not the child would notice it," explained Piven. "The 2-year-olds without autism would see your face, see where you are looking and join you but the children with autism, with large amygdalas, would not."

 

 

Autism experts agree joint attention difficulty is a key characteristic of autism. It also is the only behavior linked to an large amygdala, according to the study. Researchers found no association between repetitive behavior or other social behaviors and a large amygdala.

 

"This is a core feature of autism, and it raises a very provocative possibility that if they [joint attention problems] aren't caused by changes in the amygdala, they are certainly associated with it," said Kosofsky.

 

Autism experts say such findings are critical in developing new ways to treat and diagnose autism earlier.

 

"Many studies have observed the brain grows too big in kids with autism, but this study finds that by age 2, the amygdala is already bigger and stops growing," said Kosofsky. "So it tells us the critical difference has already developed. It now poses the question: Are children born with autism or does it develop in the first two years of life?"

 

Parents cannot run out and ask their doctor to check the size of their child's amygdala to determine their child's autism risk, but researchers hope over time, it can be used as a clinical tool to diagnose the mysterious developmental condition, which affects as many as 1 in 150 children.

 

"Once we understand the neurological circuits, we may be able to detect if a child has problems in those circuits as early as 6 months of age," said Piven. "If we are able to combine those things, we can better predict and guide interventions. We need to let the pattern of early brain development guide us to predict who is at higher risk and who would benefit from early intervention."

 

 

UNC researchers are conducting a follow-up to their initial findings. They're recruiting 500 infants who are also siblings of children with autism for national infant brain imaging study.

 

"By tracking the behaviors and brain volume growth from birth in high-risk babies, we can pinpoint when the brain first begins to grow larger than normal and provide therapy or medications to limit the growth or symptoms a lot earlier than we are doing now," said Piven.

 

Autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the United States. It's newly diagnosed in 67 children every day. The average age for diagnosis 3.

 

[Rushman14]

QUOTE (Mrs. Huck Rogers @ Apr 29 2009, 06:27 AM)

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/4/20090429/twl-au...ed-41f21e0.html Autism's DNA jigsaw unravelled Scientists are hailing a major breakthrough in autism research, saying the finding has pinpointed its genetic causes. Skip related content The breakthrough could be the key to unravelling the condition and therefore identifying possible treatments. Researchers are likening the finding to a similar breakthrough in the understanding of cancer 30 years ago and have called it a "monumental achievement". Autism covers a group of conditions, marked by an impaired ability to communicate and interact socially and repetitive behaviour, which affect about one in 150 mostly male children. Now, three major studies have for the first time identified the jigsaw pieces that cause the condition. Dr Margaret Pericak-Vance, director of the Miami Institute for Human Genomics, who also took part in the US research, said: "Until now, no common genetic variant has been identified with such overwhelming evidence to support its role in autism spectrum disorders. "The identification of a common variant for autism is a monumental achievement." Dr Philip Johnson, chief scientific officer at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said: "This comprehensive research opens the door to more focused investigations into the causes of autism disorders. "It moves the field of autism research significantly ahead, similar to the way oncology research progressed a few decades ago with the discovery of specific genes that give rise to cancers." Two of the new studies were American-led and reported in an early online edition of the journal Nature. The third was conducted by British scientists at Oxford University and appears in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. yes!

this is the best news ive heard in months.

[Queen of Megadon]

QUOTE (GhostGirl @ May 1 2009, 11:49 AM)

I totally understand, although we have the OPPOSITE problem with Stephen.  He does perfectly at school and acts pretty awful at home. Damned autism.  I wish I could choke somebody over it.  I hate it so much. Last night Stephen found an ad in a magazine for a local bowling alley (where he's been on field trips) and he kept saying, "Bowl shoes.  Bowl shoes.  Ball." Trying to get him to understand I couldn't stop cooking and take him bowling was impossible.  He cried and kicked in his room for 45 minutes. Damned f***ing autism.

GG-

 

I've had the same issue with my son...good at school, not so great at home. But that's actually "normal" behavior. A kid, typical or not, can and should let loose at home, because it's a safe place to behave that way.

 

sucks for us but eh, whatcha gonna do right?

 

I have found, and this is just something that works for me, the less I talk, the less frustrated we both get. I remember very well how much of a kicker, screamer, runner, tantrum throwing boy my son used to be. It will get better, not easier, but better.

 

I obviously understand the frustration of having a child with autism, and it gets to me too. I'm no saint, but I never cursed the diagnosis, never hated it...oh I resent it from time to time...but I made peace with it, because this is what I have to live with. Its just me and him, so I gotta stare it right in the face and go..COME ON, Give me your best shot!

 

and then laugh if I can

 

glass of wine if I cant.

 

Hang in there GG

[Queen of Megadon]

QUOTE (Rolinda Bonz @ Apr 30 2009, 10:21 PM)

you're both right, and i'm sorry for raining on the parade. Tim had a bad day at school yesterday and worse day today. He doesn't freak out like that at home, and I've lost a lot of confidence in his teacher and the para-professionals that work with him. It's time for a change.

RB-

 

You should definitely check out what is going on with the teacher and para...

 

the problem is that you cant always just switch the team that works with him, unless you switch schools, and that's quite a monster to do.

 

I wish you luck!

[Mara]

When in the name of all that is and ain't holy did Jim Carrey, of all people , become the latest celebrity expert on autism?

 

I swear, it's as if some of these people think their Hollywood status automatically qualifies them with more knowledge and expertise than so-called "regular folks" like GG, or Roli, or Cygnus. Like they think it's given them the equivalent of a pH.D in autism. Sheesh.

[Queen of Megadon]

QUOTE (Mara @ May 5 2009, 02:27 PM)

When in the name of all that is and ain't holy did Jim Carrey, of all people , become the latest celebrity expert on autism? I swear, it's as if some of these people think their Hollywood status automatically qualifies them with more knowledge and expertise than so-called "regular folks" like GG, or Roli, or Cygnus. Like they think it's given them the equivalent of a pH.D in autism. Sheesh.

Because his girlfriend is Jenny McCarthy, and her son has autism, and she thinks she is the expert cause she wrote a book.

 

 

I commend their efforts of course, but Jenny touts "cure", and I'm not sure I buy that.

 

 

[Rushman14]

QUOTE (Queen of Megadon @ May 5 2009, 01:13 PM)

QUOTE (Mara @ May 5 2009, 02:27 PM) When in the name of all that is and ain't holy did Jim Carrey, of all people , become the latest celebrity expert on autism? I swear, it's as if some of these people think their Hollywood status automatically qualifies them with more knowledge and expertise than so-called "regular folks" like GG, or Roli, or Cygnus.  Like they think it's given them the equivalent of a pH.D in autism.  Sheesh. Because his girlfriend is Jenny McCarthy, and her son has autism, and she thinks she is the expert cause she wrote a book.     I commend their efforts of course, but Jenny touts "cure", and I'm not sure I buy that. Jenny detoxed her son after believing he was injured from a vaccination, and apparently it worked. I believe my daughter was born autistic and don't think putting her through a detox program would make any difference.

[Janie]

I think this latest finding is fantastic news! It could just be *that* breakthrough. It seems to me this would lead to a lot more continued research. If anything it gives people hope. I had a brief panic a few months ago when my son's Speech Therapist suggested I have him screened for autism so all of a sudden it was on my brain and I tried doing as much research as possible. It is overwhelming and saddening to have such an epidemic out there involving our children and there is/was no or very little hope. So I welcome this new research and will pay close attention to what comes of it.

[1-0-0-1-0-0-1]

QUOTE (Rushman14 @ May 5 2009, 04:50 PM)

QUOTE (Queen of Megadon @ May 5 2009, 01:13 PM) QUOTE (Mara @ May 5 2009, 02:27 PM) When in the name of all that is and ain't holy did Jim Carrey, of all people , become the latest celebrity expert on autism? I swear, it's as if some of these people think their Hollywood status automatically qualifies them with more knowledge and expertise than so-called "regular folks" like GG, or Roli, or Cygnus.  Like they think it's given them the equivalent of a pH.D in autism.  Sheesh. Because his girlfriend is Jenny McCarthy, and her son has autism, and she thinks she is the expert cause she wrote a book.     I commend their efforts of course, but Jenny touts "cure", and I'm not sure I buy that. Jenny detoxed her son after believing he was injured from a vaccination, and apparently it worked. I believe my daughter was born autistic and don't think putting her through a detox program would make any difference. Anyone here read Jenny's book? How high- or low-functioning was her son before these "miracle cures" of hers were implemented? Maybe her son really has Aspergers and it was misdiagnosed as full-blown autism at first. I know someone who was diagnosed with Aspergers but it turns out he was misdiagnosed.

[RushFanForever]

Here is an interesting article:

 

The best medicine is good nutrition, walk in the woods

 

There is a book that is similar to the above article:

 

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

[Queen of Megadon]

QUOTE (RushFanForever @ May 18 2009, 12:48 AM)

Here is an interesting article: The best medicine is good nutrition, walk in the woods There is a book that is similar to the above article: Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder

this doesnt really surprise me...and honestly, its not a new idea. Being outside is therapeutic to us all and I know it certainly helps my son.

 

We have therapy swim every week, and I often say "water calms the savage beast" lol Honestly, even when he was little I'd put him in the shower if he was on a tear.

 

He loves to walk too, doesnt have to be a destination...just around the track at school, in the park, by the lake, just loves being out there...its very soothing.

 

Used to be a time when we'd leave our houses as kids and not come home til dinner. The world is different now, and we've surely lost something for it.

[GhostGirl]

QUOTE (Queen of Megadon @ May 18 2009, 08:23 AM)

Used to be a time when we'd leave our houses as kids and not come home til dinner. The world is different now, and we've surely lost something for it.

That is absolutely right. I hate that my children haven't had the freedom and the time outdoors that I had as a kid.

[Natch]

QUOTE (GhostGirl @ May 18 2009, 09:57 AM)

QUOTE (Queen of Megadon @ May 18 2009, 08:23 AM) Used to be a time when we'd leave our houses as kids and not come home til dinner.  The world is different now, and we've surely lost something for it. That is absolutely right. I hate that my children haven't had the freedom and the time outdoors that I had as a kid. We were told to come home when the street lights came on...

[Queen of Megadon]

QUOTE (Natch @ May 18 2009, 03:52 PM)

QUOTE (GhostGirl @ May 18 2009, 09:57 AM) QUOTE (Queen of Megadon @ May 18 2009, 08:23 AM) Used to be a time when we'd leave our houses as kids and not come home til dinner.  The world is different now, and we've surely lost something for it. That is absolutely right. I hate that my children haven't had the freedom and the time outdoors that I had as a kid. We were told to come home when the street lights came on... yep     I was about to jump into all kinds of "when I was a kid..." but I dont want to be that person just yet! LOL   suffice to say, I'm glad I had the freedom I did then, and I'm sorry that our kids dont have that same kind of freedom.

[Natch]

QUOTE (Queen of Megadon @ May 19 2009, 08:53 AM)

QUOTE (Natch @ May 18 2009, 03:52 PM) QUOTE (GhostGirl @ May 18 2009, 09:57 AM) QUOTE (Queen of Megadon @ May 18 2009, 08:23 AM) Used to be a time when we'd leave our houses as kids and not come home til dinner.  The world is different now, and we've surely lost something for it. That is absolutely right. I hate that my children haven't had the freedom and the time outdoors that I had as a kid. We were told to come home when the street lights came on... yep     I was about to jump into all kinds of "when I was a kid..." but I dont want to be that person just yet! LOL   suffice to say, I'm glad I had the freedom I did then, and I'm sorry that our kids dont have that same kind of freedom. My kids don't even want to go outside. All the kids are plugged into their XBOX or PS3 games, playing online. There are a lot of kids in my neighborhood, but I very rarely see any of them outside playing.

[Mara]

QUOTE (Natch @ May 19 2009, 03:21 PM)

QUOTE (Queen of Megadon @ May 19 2009, 08:53 AM) QUOTE (Natch @ May 18 2009, 03:52 PM) QUOTE (GhostGirl @ May 18 2009, 09:57 AM) QUOTE (Queen of Megadon @ May 18 2009, 08:23 AM) Used to be a time when we'd leave our houses as kids and not come home til dinner.  The world is different now, and we've surely lost something for it. That is absolutely right. I hate that my children haven't had the freedom and the time outdoors that I had as a kid. We were told to come home when the street lights came on... yep     I was about to jump into all kinds of "when I was a kid..." but I dont want to be that person just yet! LOL   suffice to say, I'm glad I had the freedom I did then, and I'm sorry that our kids dont have that same kind of freedom. My kids don't even want to go outside. All the kids are plugged into their XBOX or PS3 games, playing online. There are a lot of kids in my neighborhood, but I very rarely see any of them outside playing. I'm gonna be a little non-PC here. . .   I think part of the reason you don't see kids outside playing as much is that it's more common to have both parents working outside the home. In the summers kids end up spending the bulk of their daylight hours at various camps and the like, where there is supervision.   I didn't appreciate the freedom of choice I had as a youngun until I dated a man who had an elementary school-aged kid. The only choice Manny had as to how he spent his summers was which day camp he wanted to attend. In contrast, I would wake up and go to swim team practice, and then it was up to me if I wanted to spend the rest of the day at the neighborhood pool, or riding my bike, or at the barn with the horses, or just chilling out at home reading in the hammock. My choice, for the most part, of a nice variety of summer kid activities.   I realize lots of families have to have two working parents - there is no other option. I was fortunate enough that Mom could stay home until we were old enough (8th grade on) to be trusted to stay at home by ourselves during the day. And yes, I have since thanked her for it!

[Lerxster]

 

By Cynthia Henry

 

Inquirer Staff Writer

 

TRENTON - After testimony from parents who had depleted their savings to provide treatment for their autistic children, New Jersey Senate and Assembly committees yesterday advanced a bill that would require insurers to cover screening and therapies related to the disorder.

 

"If my child had cancer, diabetes or fetal alcohol syndrome, she would be covered," testified a tearful Hilary Downing of Readington, Hunterdon County. "The college savings of my older daughter is gone."

 

Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by repetitive movement and severe deficits in communication and social interaction. Researchers have found New Jersey to have a high prevalence of autism, for which there is no known cure.

 

"I don't know of any parent who wouldn't do everything in their power to give their autistic or developmentally disabled child every chance to excel," said Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D., Bergen), a bill sponsor. "However, the enormous cost of behavior intervention . . . makes it out of the realm of possibility for many families."

 

The Assembly may vote as early as Thursday. The Senate bill has moved to the Appropriations Committee.

 

Ten states, including Pennsylvania, have enacted legislation requiring coverage of autism treatment. Most of the laws cap benefits and the age of those covered.

 

Similar to Pennsylvania's law, which goes into effect July 1, New Jersey's bill would provide developmentally disabled patients under 21 with insurance benefits of up to $36,000 a year for diagnostic services and behavioral early intervention, as well as occupational, physical, and speech therapy.

 

"In this economy, every New Jersey resident is struggling, but families with kids with special needs are struggling even more," said Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts Jr. (D., Camden), who also sponsored the bill. "They're maxing out their credit cards and taking out second mortgages" to cover gaps in insurance.

 

Holly Masclans broke into tears as she testified that she had mortgaged her Haddonfield home three times and drained her older daughter's college fund to obtain $750,000 in behavioral and other therapies for two children with autism. "The only thing left that hasn't been treated is their stuttering, but we're broke," she said.

 

Roberts called expanding insurance coverage the "most significant piece of unfinished business" after passage of seven autism bills since 2007. New Jersey has improved early detection, increased research funding, studied needs of adults with autism, and created training programs for teachers and first responders.

 

The Legislature acted after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2007 that New Jersey had the highest autism rate among 14 states it was studying. Researchers found autism symptoms in one in 94 New Jersey children, compared with 1 in 150 in the other states, including Pennsylvania. Roberts and other witnesses yesterday attributed the state's rate, in part, to better diagnosis.

 

U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez (D., N.J.) and Bob Casey (D., Pa.) and Rep. Chris Smith (R., N.J.) are sponsoring federal legislation to expand autism insurance coverage.

 

No member of either New Jersey state committee objected to the measure. Two Assembly members abstained.

 

The New Jersey Business and Industry Association and New Jersey Association of Health Plans opposed the bill because of cost concerns.

 

As employers' insurance plans become more expensive, workers lose coverage, Christine Stearns, the business association's vice president for health and legal affairs, said in an interview. "How, who, and what is part of a basic health plan is all part of that," she said.

 

Stearns said that the bill was an improvement to previous versions because it required services to be medically necessary and prescribed; included a reasonable price cap; and ensured that the cost of educational services provided by schools would not be not shifted to insurers.

 

Roberts said improved coverage would enable earlier treatment and prevent costlier problems later. He referenced a University of California, Los Angeles, study that showed that 47 percent of autistic children who received early behavioral treatment went on to be "indistinguishable from their peers" and started elementary school in mainstream classes.

 

The annual cost difference between special education and regular-classroom instruction in New Jersey is nearly $37,000, he said. In the long term, he said, the state also would save on adult and institutional care.

 

The lifetime cost of caring for a person with autism is about $3.2 million, Harvard psychologist Michael Ganz estimated in 2006. In his study, the first to document the societal price of autism, Ganz suspected that parents' out-of-pocket expenses were underestimated.

 

Lisa Bilsky of Princeton said she spends hours on the telephone arguing about coverage for her 10-year-old son. Last week, she said, a claim was denied for a developmental pediatric visit. Even for benefits her insurance provides - such as occupational therapy - her son must frequently be recertified as needing treatment.

 

Autism is "not like you sprained your ankle. It's not going away," she said.

 

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jers...t_coverage.html

[GhostGirl]

QUOTE (Lerxster @ May 19 2009, 05:50 PM)

"If my child had cancer, diabetes or fetal alcohol syndrome, she would be covered," testified a tearful Hilary Downing of Readington, Hunterdon County.

I've been saying that for 7 years now.

[Rolinda Bonz]

Way to go, PA!

Go NJ!

 

1 in 94 in NJ!

why so much lower than 150?

 

i'm glad more states are starting to get their shit together.

dayam!

 

[Mara]

Well, thank goodness! ^^^ Time someone finally pulled its collective head from its collective fundament.

[liquidcrystalcompass]

[Der Trommler]

QUOTE (Mara @ May 19 2009, 03:59 PM)

QUOTE (Natch @ May 19 2009, 03:21 PM) QUOTE (Queen of Megadon @ May 19 2009, 08:53 AM) QUOTE (Natch @ May 18 2009, 03:52 PM) QUOTE (GhostGirl @ May 18 2009, 09:57 AM) QUOTE (Queen of Megadon @ May 18 2009, 08:23 AM) Used to be a time when we'd leave our houses as kids and not come home til dinner.  The world is different now, and we've surely lost something for it. That is absolutely right. I hate that my children haven't had the freedom and the time outdoors that I had as a kid. We were told to come home when the street lights came on... yep     I was about to jump into all kinds of "when I was a kid..." but I dont want to be that person just yet! LOL   suffice to say, I'm glad I had the freedom I did then, and I'm sorry that our kids dont have that same kind of freedom. My kids don't even want to go outside. All the kids are plugged into their XBOX or PS3 games, playing online. There are a lot of kids in my neighborhood, but I very rarely see any of them outside playing. I'm gonna be a little non-PC here. . .   I think part of the reason you don't see kids outside playing as much is that it's more common to have both parents working outside the home. In the summers kids end up spending the bulk of their daylight hours at various camps and the like, where there is supervision.   I didn't appreciate the freedom of choice I had as a youngun until I dated a man who had an elementary school-aged kid. The only choice Manny had as to how he spent his summers was which day camp he wanted to attend. In contrast, I would wake up and go to swim team practice, and then it was up to me if I wanted to spend the rest of the day at the neighborhood pool, or riding my bike, or at the barn with the horses, or just chilling out at home reading in the hammock. My choice, for the most part, of a nice variety of summer kid activities.   I realize lots of families have to have two working parents - there is no other option. I was fortunate enough that Mom could stay home until we were old enough (8th grade on) to be trusted to stay at home by ourselves during the day. And yes, I have since thanked her for it! The way this economy is there's no way both parents can not work. The pay sucks & they work you to the bone.   The rich get richer while the poor suffer. I like the idea of stay at home parents. I think it's important too but won't happen. Not until one company starts caring about their employees or the cost of living goes down.

[Der Trommler]

I just read this:

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/0859918997560...97GVccBeeiCfNdF

[Queen of Megadon]

QUOTE (Rolinda Bonz @ May 19 2009, 11:13 PM)

Way to go, PA! Go NJ! 1 in 94 in NJ! why so much lower than 150? i'm glad more states are starting to get their shit together. dayam!

NJ signed I hear. good news!