Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder likely have normal mercury levels, at least that is what the below research indicates. Parents, teachers, and caregivers should read the below article about this new study.

Exposure to high levels of mercury can cause brain damage, and many have tried to establish a link between mercury and the development of autism and other persistent developmental disorders in toddlers and preschoolers.

New research, however, has revealed that young children who test normal for mental and social development tend to have equivalent or higher levels of mercury in the bodies than do children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome or another developmental disorder.

Analyses of blood samples drawn from 452 children between the ages of 2 years and 5 years reported in the online version of the journal Environmental Health Perspectives showed that “blood mercury levels had similar means and overall distributions across diagnostic groups. The geometric mean for typically developing children, 0.28 mcg/L, was significantly higher than for autism/autism spectrum disorder (0.19 mcg/L) or developmentally delayed (0.17 mcg/L) children; after adjustment for demographic factors and mercury sources and application of weights, the geometric means for autism/autism spectrum disorder, developmentally delayed and typically developing children were 0.26, 0.16, and 0.24 mcg/L, respectively,”

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A tale of two sons

The Mackintoshes were told not to worry about their older boy’s development — until he was diagnosed as autistic. A new research project targeting early detection and at-home therapy has made all the difference to their second child’s progress. Doug Fischer explains.

OTTAWA — When Jennifer Mackintosh looks back at family videos, sometimes her heart breaks.

“At first I see a little boy who was smiling, who was perfectly happy to cuddle up, who was looking right at us,” she says quietly, her hands clasped on the kitchen table.

“Then time goes by and you see that little boy gradually withdrawing into himself, looking more unhappy, sometimes looking a little confused.”

And as she watches those videos, Jennifer says, she finds herself wishing she knew then about her oldest boy what she knows today.

Jennifer and her husband, David, have two young sons, Alex, five, and Nathan, two. Both boys are autistic.

That in itself is not so unusual. When one child is autistic, chances are about one in 20 that a younger sibling will be diagnosed with autism or a related condition, known under the catch-all term autism spectrum disorders. What makes the Mackintoshes somewhat unique is the striking difference in the way their sons have responded to therapy — in large part, they believe, because Nathan was so much younger when they realized he was autistic.

“We caught Nathan before he could start that retreat into himself,” Jennifer says. “I’m convinced it made a big difference.”

Despite their suspicions that there was something wrong with Alex when he wasn’t talking at one and was only babbling at 18 months, doctors told the Mackintoshes he would outgrow the problem. It wasn’t until Alex was two-and-a-half that they got a diagnosis of autism. And even then there was nowhere for them to turn for help.

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You can also make extra money to help pay for treatment and training by telling people about this helpful resource. You earn $26.30 for each book sold, so start making money by clicking Autism Symptoms Affiliates

By PHIL WRIGHT
The East Oregonian

LA GRANDE – This year’s brain awareness workshop for K-12 teachers, health professionals and community members will feature the autism work of Dr. Garet Lahvis, assistant professor at Oregon Health & Science University’s Department of Behavioral Neuroscience.

The Northeast Oregon Area Health Education Center and OSHU will hold the workshop Friday, March 7, from 8:30 am to noon at Eastern Oregon University, Inlow Hall 013. The workshop costs $15 and requires advanced registration. To register, contact Brenna Hines, education coordinator at 962-3801 or bhines@eou.edu.

Wondering if your child has the symptoms of autism? What Autism treatments Work Best? Save your child from a challenged future by spotting the signs of autism early and learn the therapies that can dramatically improve your child’s quality of life at Autism Symptoms & Treatments

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Parents, teachers of kids also can receive training

By Elaine Marsilio (Contact)
Originally published 12:00 a.m., February 8, 2009
Updated 12:43 a.m., February 8, 200

CORPUS CHRISTI — Zoe knew the routine. The 5-year-old autistic girl needed to communicate what she wanted, but had difficulty saying she wanted to look inside her plastic backpack toy.

Jamie Hughes, her therapist and the executive director of Autism Consulting Services, took the child’s hands at a session last month and placed them over each other.

Zoe, who was diagnosed with autism at 22 months old, needed to focus and make eye contact.

“Come on, let’s try again,” Hughes said. “O … pen.”

Zoe puckered her tiny lips and attempted to make out the last part as she mimicked the hand motion, “Pah.”

“Good try,” Hughes said, smiling.

Zoe is one of about 430 children younger than 14 living with autism in Corpus Christi, Hughes said.

Autism is a developmental disability usually causing delays in speech and socialization. According to 2008 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 150 people younger than 21 nationwide has autism spectrum disorder.

Autism Consulting Services opened in October to work with autistic children and adults up to 21 years old, by helping them improve their behavioral skills and giving them a unique setting in which to receive therapy. People with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities also can use the service.

The service has helped a total of 90 children and an equal number of parents in about 15 counties, mostly in South Texas. Hughes also visits families in counties such as Hidalgo and El Paso.

The new service helps to meet their patients’ needs through consultations, trainings and one-on-one therapy sessions for clients. Parents and teachers also can receive training on how to implement children’s therapy skills into everyday life.

Marsha Coulter, executive director and volunteer at Hannah’s Hope, said Autism Consulting will be beneficial to people with higher functioning disabilities because they wouldn’t need full-day programs like those offered at her establishment, which also caters to autism patients.

Coulter said Hannah’s Hope can work with the new service by referring older children there, as Hannah’s Hope only serves 3- to 9-year-olds.

Wondering if your child has the symptoms of autism? What Autism treatments Work Best? Save your child from a challenged future by spotting the signs of autism early and learn the therapies that can dramatically improve your child’s quality of life at Autism Symptoms & Treatments

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Autism: Growing challenge
‘It’s time that people learn about it’ — mother

By KIM BARTO – Bulletin Staff Writer

Sharon Mullen wears a T-shirt that reads “1 in 150 American children” on the front.

The back of the shirt says, “If 1 in 150 American children were being kidnapped, we would have a national emergency. WE DO. It’s autism.”

Mullen, who lives in the Carver area, wants to increase awareness about the neurological disorder that affects her 5-year-old daughter, Emily. Her T-shirt reflects the growing number of children diagnosed with autism.

Autism is a complex developmental disability that affects the normal functioning of the brain, impairing a person’s ability to communicate and interact with other people.

No two people with autism have the exact same symptoms, and they range from mild to disabling. There is no cure, only therapies that, when started at a young age, can help a child reach his or her full potential.

Evidence is everywhere that the disorder is becoming more widespread. The waiting lists to see autism specialists in Richmond and Charlottesville are several months long. This year, the New College Institute and Averett University both launched series of classes to help teachers and school administrators educate students with autism. Legislation was presented to a state House subcommittee last week that would have mandated health insurance coverage for certain autism treatments.

But although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that more and more cases of autism spectrum disorders are being recognized, public awareness has yet to catch up. Mullen and other parents say they face constant misunderstandings about their children who have autism and the daily challenges that face them.

“Most people just don’t understand, and I think it’s time that people learn about it,” Mullen said.

EARLY SIGNS

From day one, Sharon Mullen knew Emily was different.

When her son, Wesley, was born, he cried all the time. But when Emily arrived two years later, she was quiet and did not cry much.

“I thought maybe it was just a difference between boys and girls,” Mullen said, but then other red flags appeared.

“When she started sitting up, I’d say something to her, and she’d keep playing like she didn’t hear me,” she said. “She wasn’t making any sounds.”

Thinking it could be a hearing problem, a doctor checked Emily’s hearing and eyesight when she was 18 months old, but the diagnosis turned out to be a developmental delay.

The family was living in Texas at the time. At age 2, Emily was referred to the school system there and set up with a speech therapist. Meanwhile, a committee of 12 people from different disciplines assessed her for autism.

“She was in this big room playing as people walked around taking notes. We met with a speech therapist, speech pathologist, did hearing tests,” Mullen said.

“I kept thinking, ‘How many of these assessments do we have to do before we know what’s going on?’” she said. “I was just kind of spinning around, not knowing what to do.”

When doctors told Mullen her daughter showed nine out of 10 signs of an autism spectrum disorder, “I was kind of relieved,” she said. “A lot of people are devastated (at the diagnosis), but I never went through that.”

Children with autism often keep the “developmentally delayed” label until age 9, and although doctors at the University of Virginia confirmed Emily has autism, her diagnosis has not officially been changed to reflect this. Her school Individual Education Plan (IEP) classifies her as “developmentally disabled — speech and language delay,” her mother said, and so far this has entitled her to get the services she needs.

Wondering if your child has the symptoms of autism? What Autism treatments Work Best? Save your child from a challenged future by spotting the signs of autism early and learn the therapies that can dramatically improve your child’s quality of life at Autism Symptoms & Treatments

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Nevada lawmakers had an emotional day of testimony Friday, as families affected by autism pleaded with legislators to continue funding treatment for the developmental disease.

Last session, the legislature allocated $2 million to treat children with autism. One hundred children have benefited from that treatment, but 200 more are still waiting for treatment due to lack of funding. The money allocated for autism treatment will run out all together on June 30, 2009.

“We didn’t think we’d be back here begging for money,” Jan Crandy of the Autism Coalition of Nevada (ACON) said. “We thought we’d be asking for case growth at this point, so we could serve some more kids. We’ve seen IQ gains. Some of the kids have made such a significant difference, that they’re on the road to not needing services in the future.”

Parents testified Friday before a joint committee meeting concerning the state’s health and human services budget. Some thanked legislators for the funding they’ve already provided, saying it has helped change their children. Others stood up and told lawmakers that funding for autism to be permanent.

One of the most powerful testimonials came in the form of a letter from a nine-year old girl named Cierra. She wrote to lawmakers about her three-year old brother who has autism. She said he’s gotten better because of the treatment.

At least one lawmaker promised to work to get funds to treat children with autism.

“It’s such a sad thing to know that over 200 kids are on the waiting list and not even getting the services the need, and knowing that they’re not going to get better,” Assemblywoman Shelia Leslie said. “As a parent I cannot imagine what those families must be feeling. So it’s not just kicking off the kids who are getting the services now, it’s all the kids who are on the waiting list. So we’re going to work very hard. I thought the testimony today was very to the point, and we’ll be working on this all session.”

Legislators are facing many tough budget decisions this session, with the state of Nevada facing drastically declining revenues. The estimate for revenues for fiscal 2009-2010 is $5.8 billion. Governor Jim Gibbons, factoring in some new revenue, will propose spending just over $6 billion. That’s much less than the $6.8 billion approved in 2007 for the current two-year budget period.

Wondering if your child has the symptoms of autism? What Autism treatments Work Best? Save your child from a challenged future by spotting the signs of autism early and learn the therapies that can dramatically improve your child’s quality of life at Autism Symptoms & Treatments

Original article here.

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) – One out of every 133 Utah children is Autistic. Utah ranks third in the nation for the number of families living with Autism. There are several forms of therapy available; the most common is Applied Behavioral Analysis, or ABA. Barbara Kalmanson, a Clinical Psychologist says “The goal of ABA is to get the child to comply with adults’ wishes or adults’ demands.”

Kalmanson is proponent of a different approach called DIR, which stands for developmental individual difference relationship based treatment. “In the DIR approach we are interested in the internal capacity of the child. This treatment is focused very much on work with the child and helping the parents to understand the child’s individual developmental profile”. She says each child with autism has different needs, and any treatment program should be geared toward that individuality. “Some children with autism need and alternative form of communication like sign, or a device. Other children can speak very well; some of them can talk to you till the cows come home, but what they say is not meaningful in a back and forth interaction”. Once the child’s strengths and needs are determined parents are taught how to interact with their children in floor-time exercises. It’s essentially purposeful, meaningful playtime.

Maquel Evans has learned the art of that kind of play with her son Stockton. Stockton was diagnosed with autism a year ago, at the age of two. At that time, he was unable to communicate verbally, and was not interested in imaginary play. Maquel was concerned about his developmental delays and devastated by the diagnosis. “The last year has been emotional. I always assume the worst. I had to come to terms with the idea that he might never go to college, might never get married that he might be dependent on his parents for the rest of his life.” Maquel looked into ABA treatment, but it was costly, tens of thousands of dollars a year. It was also too regimented approach for Maquel. DIR was a good fit. She was trained by a therapist at The Children’s Center. She learned how to read her sons’ cues so that she would know when she was facilitating learning, and when she was creating barriers because of her son’s unique disabilities.

Wondering if your child has the symptoms of autism? What Autism treatments Work Best? Save your child from a challenged future by spotting the signs of autism early and learn the therapies that can dramatically improve your child’s quality of life at Autism Symptoms & Treatments

Original article here.

By Dan Olmsted

I had a strange reaction to this week’s story about the high school basketball team manager in Maine. As USA Today reported: “Patrick Thibodeau, who has Down Syndrome, trotted onto the floor Tuesday night for the team’s final home game of the season. When the time came to shoot, he nailed a 3-pointer for the second basket of the game. He hit another at the final buzzer.”

This reminds us of the awesome J-Mac, Jason McElwain, the team manager with autism who when he finally got the chance scored 6 three pointers in the last 4 minutes of the last game of his senior year. But here’s my question: Let’s say a third-string player on one of these teams hadn’t been in a game all year — or ever. Coach puts him in the last game. Just so mom and dad can cheer. Kid goes wild! Hits from DOWNTOWN!!! Is un-CON-scious! … all those sportscaster phrases.

Wouldn’t people say, What was this coach thinking? He had one of his best players sitting at the other end of the bench for four long years and didn’t know it? Aren’t we trying to win here? (We sure were back at Danville High School in Illinois.)

Maybe I’m missing something — some health concern, some Title IX thing, some nuance. If so, tell me. But geez, if the kid can play, let him play, not pick up sweaty towels. Don’t make inclusion on the court or on the field a “very special,” made-for-TV story. Make it typical.

Wondering if your child has the symptoms of autism? What Autism treatments Work Best? Save your child from a challenged future by spotting the signs of autism early and learn the therapies that can dramatically improve your child’s quality of life at Autism Symptoms & Treatments

Original article here.

After a one-week applied-behavior-analysis intervention that normally costs up to $20,000 but was free because CNN was permitted to film it, autistic 13-year-old Marissa Bilson has improved dramatically, her mother says, although the family must continue to apply the rules established for Marissa.

“It’s all about the teaching,” said behavioral therapist Rick Schroeder, who administered the intervention. “With a child like Marissa, we can’t sit down and discuss it with her — she’s just not going to get that. So we have to take it in small steps. Make them understandable and move on, one step at a time.”

Wondering if your child has the symptoms of autism? What Autism treatments Work Best? Save your child from a challenged future by spotting the signs of autism early and learn the therapies that can dramatically improve your child’s quality of life at Autism Symptoms & Treatments

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The odds of being diagnosed with autism are one in 150. Here in Connecticut, the number of cases grows each year.

Due to the high need for services for autistic children, a Hartford school launched a unique program for kids with autism nine years ago called the River Street School.

Aiden Millen, a student there, was born the perfect baby, his parents said. He had big blue eyes and a giant smile to match, but as time passed, Aiden’s parents noticed he wasn’t quite connecting with them.

“The biggest thing is, he would get frustrated and he would tantrum because he couldn’t tell us what he wanted,” his mom, Cristin Millen, said.

At 20 months, a doctor diagnosed Aiden with autism.

“He had no words. We used picture cards with him. So, if it was snack time, we showed him a picture of logos and goldfish and crackers and he would give us the picture,” Millen said.

However, now, at nearly 4 years old, Aiden has made incredible strides.

Mom, Cristin said it’s all thanks to his new school, the River Street autism program at Coltsville.

Clinical director Dr. Kathy Dyer said many school districts don’t have the capacity to work with autistic children, but their program is different.

“The staff members are comprehensively trained. They go through an intensive series of courses and they have to take examinations. They need to know the child’s strengths and interests and preferences and then they need to integrate those preferences into the learning activity for the children,” Dyer said.

Speech pathologists work individually with the kids to teach them language and motor skills. When it’s time to let off some steam, students can even visit the sensory room, where they’re able to swing and run around.

But by far, the biggest emphasis is on communication and socialization. Aiden no longer needs picture cards to express his needs.

“He was in his room this morning playing and he came in my room and said, ‘Help please,’ and it’s just so comforting for him knowing he can get what he needs by using his words. It’s just a huge accomplishment,” Millen said.

Aiden’s mom said River Street has done wonders for her son and has improved the quality of life for their family as well.

“I’m happiest when a family says I had a vacation this year, or a mom says to me, now I can go to the gym,” Dyer said.

“The social aspect of meeting other parents, the speech, having the behaviors under control, potty training, it’s just all a huge source of support. It’s life changing, it’s absolutely life changing when you have a good program,” said Millen.

Wondering if your child has the symptoms of autism? What Autism treatments Work Best? Save your child from a challenged future by spotting the signs of autism early and learn the therapies that can dramatically improve your child’s quality of life at Autism Symptoms & Treatments

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