Autism Spectrum Disorders A Focus Of HBO Special

According to the Center for Disease Control in 2007, autism affects 1 out of every 150 children, up from 1 out of every 10,000 in 1980. Even if you account for over-diagnoses and other factors, the increase and current rate is terrifying, afflicting children with a single or multitude of issues such as limited speech, decreased cognitive ability and social interaction, sensory issues, ticks, seizures, lack of eye contact, digestive problems, and many more characteristics are Autism Spectrum Disorders. Symptoms vary significantly with some children being slightly affected while others are painfully debilitated. From Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) to Autism, there is an epidemic affecting our children, with boys four times more likely to be afflicted than girls, and there is just a whisper of an outcry, no preventive programs and up until now no cure.

Part of the problem is that no one knows for certain why or who can be afflicted. One theory gaining interest is that the child will have a genetic predisposition, which is then exasperated by environmental factors. The medical community is starting to scratch the surface and recently, the prestigious English medical journal, The Lancet, reported that artificial food colors and additives in food have a significant affect in fueling hyperactive behaviors in children at least through middle childhood. There are other medical journals that speculate that the chemicals in air, water, food, and even some medicines negatively affect our bodies and to small children the impact is greater due to their developing bodies and its inability to process this over saturation. While there is no cure, some parents, scientists and doctors believe that an organic diet, restricted diets such as gluten and casein-free, spacing out vaccinations, limiting exposure to chemicals and unnatural items, getting therapies such as state-run early intervention programs, can help to minimize and improve symptoms.

While Autism initially conjures up stereotypical images of Dustin Hoffman in the movie Rain Man, or an incoherent child sitting alone in their own world, Autism can no longer be stereotyped. While there are children who are profoundly affected, there are many more who go on to enjoy full, wonderful lives compensating for their deficits, as we all do. There are people who are on the Autism spectrum all around you.

In an attempt to break the myths of autism and allow you to see just how beautiful and capable these children are, there is an excellent HBO documentary called the Autism: The Musical (themiracleproject.com), that premiered on March 25 and available now on HBO on Demand. Following five special needs children all with varying degrees of affliction, you see the effect it has on them and their parents as they are honestly presented in their struggles and joy as the children, guided by Elaine Hall, its founder, realize their theatrical goal with support, trust, confidence, and respect. It covered profound issues such as the daily constant struggle, prohibitive costs and lack of options for therapies and schools, and the daily strain on both the children and their parents. The lyrics and music are thoughtfully written in part by Stephen Stills and Neil Young, both champions of children's health causes, and are clearly relatable to daily issues facing the children. This program helps to build self-esteem and challenge these children to look beyond their current capabilities and achieve new unprecedented goals as they redefine the world of Autism. Other charities also help afflicted children such as, Autism Speaks, 4-A Healing.com, the Bridge School Foundation and the National Autistic Society to name a few.

Autism research is one of the most under-funded disorders in the United States yet it will eventually touch us all unless we can start to address it now.

Comments

[ArtCritic]

Thank you for your article. I have a child on the spectrum and hopefully it will help parents be more mindful as I have no doubt that my son’s symptoms were brought about by the environment. It is people like Drdoctor and his limited thinking that keeps our kids from being well. For his edification I relay the following info: Thelancet.com – vol. 370, issue 9598, 3 November 2007, pgs. 1560-1567. Funding statistics: According to the TACA website Leukemia affects 1 in 25,000 kids and gets $300 million/year; Muscular Dystrophy affects 1 in 20,000 and gets $160 million/year; autism affects 1 on every 150 children and receives $15 million/year. One disease is not worse than another and no amount of money is too little when talking about curing our children (and adults) but for something that affects so many and comparatively speaking – definitely under funded!! There are many probable causes of autism such as vaccinations (Hanah Polings recent monetary award by the US government for the permanent austistic-like symptoms she suffers with every day from the vaccinations she received), chemicals i.e. phthalates (European Union, Argentina, Mexico, etc. have restricted use of phthalates in children’s toys yet our government does not), food additives and chemicals (Lancet), to heredity. Until we know for sure we need to be open minded. Instead of being proactive our country is being shamefully reactive. So Drdoctor surely it is you who needs to reconsider your conclusion.

[usna73]

Doc, I didn't need any more "speculative adjectives" in order to reach my conclusions.

Before autism was part of everyday lingo, I studied and researched every available document on the subject of Thimerosal, vaccines and mercury's role in brain damage. I began in 1997. I'm well into ten thousand pages of raw scientific data today.

It makes no difference to me if we argue about "better diagnoses", as I would agree that the autism numbers may in fact be increasing, becuase the "spectrum" of disorder allows for so many possibilites for labeling kids with perhaps vague and otherwise not able to be characterized behaviors. That doesn't make that true either.

But, I can assure you that my son was mercury poisoned. Call it anything you like. It came from having received every one of his vaccinations from multi-dose vials, containg the maximum micrograms of Thimerosal. We can and will prove in a Court of Equity and/or Law these facts.

My son has an IQ under 40 and will not survive without 24/7 supervision. He is my concern. Not studies, nor public health, nor new levels of funding.

[Positanor]

I appreciate your comments. You should be commended for the things you are doing for your son. Don't give up on him !!!!
Best,
Dr. Rock

[drdoctor]

my comment was actually directed at the article, i just clicked reply because the post a comment link was not working.

[Jmulvaney]

Bone Doctor Right one:
I approached Dr. Positano's column on autism with great care. So often medical professionals can opine foolishly outside their area of expertise. Dr. Rock got it absolutely right. Autism is misunderstood, not sufficently studied and heart breaking.
thanks doc

[WUC]

Thank you for your work-

We have little understanding of how the synergy of interacting chemicals blend and what those outcomes are to human health.

When we are dealing with children for me "suspected" harm is good enough when making choices for my own family especially when it comes to the unnecessary exposures such as lawn and garden pesticides, a choice of toys and or some types of foods that are known and or suspected of posing a risk to human health.

If there is an opportunity to reduce the unnecessary and preventable environmental exposures that may be suspected of doing harm to human health..as parents we should take precautionary steps if we can and especially when it comes to children.

Children are different from adults. Pound for pound, children eat more food, drink more water, and breathe more air than adults. Thus, they are likely to be exposed to substances in their environment at higher levels than are adults. Exposure to toxicants may result in irreversible damage, even though the same exposure to a mature system may result in little or no damage.

While sounds science is critical when working to reduce the environmental exposures that are both "suspected" and or "known" to cause harm to human health; in the case of children we need to be especially sensitive to how these exposures may impact children.

Bill Couzens, Founder Lesscancer.org

[usna73]

Dr. Rock, thanks for your post. Every bit of awareness may help families impacted by autism.

I'm worried that the HBO special, and to some degree your synopsis posted may serve up the "sanitized" version of a different "show": "Autism: The Spectrum." This may do more harm than good.

While 5,000 families await hearing in administrative Court under the NVICP, and perhaps 10,000 more with little or no standing lanquish in the shadows, suffering unbelievable duress for lack of resources to cope with the debilitating impact of autism, the perpetrators of a massive crime go on wth business as usual. The pharmaceutical industry and the federal bureacrats who protect and shill for them are delighted when the clearly articulated finger pointing at them is deflected.

Chilhood immunizations laced with mercury in the form of Thimerosal has poisoned kids, at the very least triggered the series of reactions that sent the child into the abyss of brain damage and autism. I know it when I see it. We have lived it. We were present at the scene of the crime. Our son is totally disabled and cannot function independently past the ability of a 3 year old. He is 15.

Yes, my fear is that the deflection from severely damaging incisions from vaccine makers, anxious to blame a myriad of sources of environmental pollution, will use this as another tactic to avoid their responsibility.

The American people must force themselves to see what has been done to kids like mine.

[drdoctor]

That was quite a shallow and misinformed post. You claim "Even if you account for over-diagnoses and other factors, the increase and current rate is terrifying" although you provide no evidence for this. In fact, the evidence supports that the increase is simply due to better diagnoses (not "over-diagnoses). You mention a recent article in lancet with no reference (I am having trouble finding it). You claim "Autism research is one of the most under-funded disorders in the United States." What is the current amount of funding towards autism related research and would an appropriate amount be? I would have to guess some of the most rare disorders are "under-funded," a term used by you that seems to be almost impossible to define. Yet you throw speculative adjectives into the fire and cause parents, such as usna73, to confirm their beliefs that vaccines are to blame for their child's disorder.
Unbelievable coming from a medical doctor. It seems a lot of people these days are looking to blame "unnatural toxins" in the food or environment, which sounds like the easy and quick scape goat, again with no evidence. Please study the data and I'm sure you will reach the same conclusion that I have.