Coleen Boyle on Minneapolis autism research presented at IACC meeting on 1/14/14.

[proverbialwisdom]

Last edited Mon Sep 8, 2014, 12:28 AM - Edit history (2)

http://videocast.nih.gov/Summary.asp?File=18236&bhcp=1

(~4:15 pm)

BASED ON CHILDREN WHO WERE 7-9 YEARS OLD AND LIVING IN MINNEAPOLIS IN 2010

Overall: 1 in 48
Somali: 1 in 32
White: 1 in 36
Black (excl Somali): 1 in 62
Hispanic: 1 in 80

3 year study
12,000 children studied
Somali rate similar to rates in NJ and Utah.

Technical report to be presented in peer-reviewed literature in next several months.
More: http://iacc.hhs.gov/events/2014/full-committee-mtg-announcement-jan14.shtml

[Common Sense Party]

1. Very interesting. I'd love to see what connection they can find.

Living in Utah, and having a severely autistic 20-year old, I want to know why it's so prevalent here. I didn't realize NJ also had such high rates, and the Somali population is very surprising.

[proverbialwisdom]

3. A brief discussion followed Dr. Boyle's presentation. Video/transcript recommended when available.

Last edited Wed Jan 15, 2014, 02:35 PM - Edit history (1)

...including Insel's quip about a 'rubber ruler' being a false explanation for the autism data given the severity of the diagnoses.

[proverbialwisdom]

2. "So what was Coleen Boyle’s role in Agent Orange?" And who was Admiral Zumwalt?

Last edited Wed Jan 15, 2014, 01:07 PM - Edit history (2)

Best case interpretation: "LESSONS LEARNED." (That is, leadership may be enhanced by the firsthand experience that eventually errors are exposed.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elmo_Zumwalt

In his eulogy President Bill Clinton called Zumwalt "the conscience of the United States Navy"[6]

6. "William J. Clinton: "Remarks at Funeral Services for Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., in Annapolis, Maryland," January 10, 2000". The American Presidency Project. Retrieved November 28, 2013.

http://www.ageofautism.com/2013/09/agent-orange-corporatism-government-coleen-boyle-and-autism.html

September 24, 2013
Agent Orange, Corporatism, Government, Coleen Boyle…. and Autism?
By Dawn Loughborough

“What’s past is prologue.”

<>

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in 1983 became responsible for the prevalence counting for Viet Nam veterans exposed to Agent Orange, a jungle defoliant chemical, made by Monsanto and Dow chemical companies, associated with causing complex multi-system diseases.

Viet Nam Veterans were denied acknowledgment of and compensation for debilitating illnesses after they were exposed to Agent Orange in the jungles of Viet Nam. In fact, it was not until an Admiral Zumwalt testified via classified hearings in Congress in 1990 that Veterans started to see scientific studies confirming their illnesses and compensation relief from the health outcome atrocities they experienced through exposure to this chemical.

<>

The CDC was asked to report on prevalence numbers. The process the CDC went through was to determine who had been exposed and when. Later these studies were used to determine those who would be compensated for health related issues caused by exposure to Agent Orange.

According to Admiral Zumwalt’s 1990 testimony, which is now unclassified, the studies were abysmal. Admiral Zumwalt’s testimony stated that the CDC diluted results to deny claims of veterans and the Agent Orange prevalence method was manipulative against Viet Nam Veterans seeking justice. He stated:

“After reviewing the scientific literature related to the health effects of Vietnam Veterans exposed to Agent Orange … I conclude that there is adequate evidence for the Secretary to reasonably conclude that … there is a relationship between exposure to Agent Orange and the following health problems: non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, … bone cancer, soft tissue sarcoma, birth defects, skin cancer, porphyria cutanea tarda and other liver disorders, Hodgkin’s disease, hematopoietic diseases, multiple myeloma, neurological defects, auto-immune diseases and disorders, leukemia, lung cancer, kidney cancer, malignant melanoma, pancreatic cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer, nasal/pharyngeal/esophageal cancers, prostate cancer, testicular cancer, liver cancer, brain cancer, psychosocial effects and gastrointestinal diseases.

I further conclude that the Veterans’ Advisory Committee on Environmental Hazards has not acted with impartiality in its review and assessment of the scientific evidence related to the association of adverse health effects and exposure to Agent Orange.”

<>

The admiral continued:

“Unfortunately, as hearings before the Human Resources and Intergovernmental Relations Subcommittee on July 11, 1989 revealed, the design, implementation and conclusions of the CDC study were so ill conceived as to suggest that political pressures once again interfered with the kind of professional, unbiased review Congress had sought to obtain.”

He went on to describe how the prevalence counting methods were changed and re-issued, how veterans were re-grouped creating further delays and confusion around identifying prevalence and how the numbers were manipulated to describe specific outcomes. The CDC said the company-specific records were unreliable, however, military records and peer reviewed data by the American Legion showed a reliable exposure classification system essential to epidemiologic studies of Vietnam Veterans.

The CDC studies protected the industry over the veterans and up until Admiral Zumwalt’s testimony negated compensation and health justice for our veterans.

<>

So what was Coleen Boyle’s role in Agent Orange? In 1984 she joined the CDC as part of the prevalence reporting team for Agent Orange on the VES Mortality Study Staff. In 1987, this study staff said that there was not a causal connection between Agent Orange exposure and health outcomes of veterans.

“As part of the Agent Orange staff, Dr. Boyle served as the principal investigator for the Vietnam Experience mortality studies and as senior epidemiologist for a large, multi-centered cancer case-control study.”

After the date of the congressional hearing with Admiral Zumwalt, Coleen Boyle was listed as part of a study that looked at the prevalence of Viet Nam veterans who had children with spina bifida called “The Embryo Study”. The study showed that those men who had reported a higher exposure to Agent Orange had a higher than normal likelihood of fathering children with spina bifida.

In 2001, Dr. Boyle transferred from Viet Nam Veterans to Children. She was named the Associate Director for Science and Public Health for the then newly created National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) at CDC. In October 2004, Dr. Boyle was appointed the Director of the Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, NCBDDD. Dr. Jose Cordero, director of CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disability, announced that Dr. Coleen Boyle had accepted the position of director. Dr. Boyle joined the Interagency Autism Coordinating Council (IACC) as a Federal member in 2010.

[proverbialwisdom]

15. In his eulogy President Bill Clinton called Zumwalt "the conscience of the United States Navy."

Below, maybe it's a manifestation of moral courage again, or maybe it's only another "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: The Kevin Bacon Game," whichever remains to be seen but it sure upset Gorski enough for him to rally his skeptics. Only he reported on the DC trip described in the tweets by Dr. Hyman, as far as I know.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/13/fashion/dr-mark-hyman-clintons-health.html

He Tells the Clintons How to Lose a Little
Dr. Mark Hyman: Advising the Clintons on Their Health
By AMY CHOZICKAPRIL 11, 2014

markhymanmd
2 weeks ago
With my friend @robertkennedyjr on our way to DC to meet with policy makers to get mercury out flu of vaccines & child po vaccines we export the 137 million kids around the world every year.

http://instagram.com/p/mqQ-LJAbWS/

ScienceBasedMed ?@ScienceBasedMed Apr 14
David Gorski (@Gorskon): Bill and Hillary Clinton go woo with Mark Hyman and “functional medicine”

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/bill-and-hillary-clinton-go-woo-with-mark-hyman-and-functional-medicine/

Mark Hyman, M.D. ?@markhymanmd Apr 18
With @robertkennedyjr at dept of health & human services meeting about how to get #mercury out of…

http://instagram.com/p/m79lyDgbWb/

[proverbialwisdom]

19. No shunning here either. Let's hope it bodes well for the future.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2616512/Hey-baby-RFK-Jr-poses-pregnant-Chelsea-Clinton-two-weeks-former-daughter-announced-expecting-child.html

By ASHLEY COLLMAN
PUBLISHED: 00:37 EST, 30 April 2014 | UPDATED: 00:38 EST, 30 April 2014

[proverbialwisdom]

21. New book, check it out.

Facebook Page Cache: http://goo.gl/ARqbTy

Thimerosal: Let the Science Speak
Mercury Toxicity in Vaccines and the Political, Regulatory, and Media Failures That Continue to Threaten Public Health

by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Author), Mark Hyman M.D. (Preface)

...In this groundbreaking book, authors Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., and Dr. Mark Hyman examine the research literature on Thimerosal and make a very clear statement about its potentially dangerous effects. In the past, the CDC, FDA, NIH, and AAP, as well as the US Congress, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the US Department of Agriculture, the European Medicines Agency, and the California Environmental Protection Agency have expressed concerns over the use of Thimerosal in vaccines. But despite the many voices calling for action, the media and policy makers have repeatedly failed to adequately address the issue.

Now, with "Thimerosal: Let the Science Speak, " the goal is to educate parents, doctors, and health policy makers, to eliminate this toxic chemical from the world's vaccine supplies, to move toward safer alternatives, and to maintain or increase vaccination rates critical to the United States and developing nations. With safer options available, parents shouldn't have to worry about the devastating effects of vaccinating their children.

Hardcover – July 21, 2014

http://goo.gl/J3Vo3q

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., is senior attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council, chief prosecuting attorney for the Hudson Riverkeeper, and president of Waterkeeper Alliance. He was named one of Time magazine’s “Heroes for the Planet” for his success in helping restore the Hudson River, and he continues to fight for environmental issues across the Americas. He is the bestselling author of Crimes Against Nature.

Mark Hyman, MD, is chairman of the board of the Institute for Functional Medicine. In addition to being a practicing family physician, he has worked with the Clinton Global Initiative, the World Economic Forum, and many other organizations on global health issues. He is the author of several New York Times bestsellers including The Blood Sugar Solution and Ultrametabolism.

Info from Anne Dachel.

[proverbialwisdom]

22. Promising.

http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/05/19/why-current-thinking-about-autism-is-completely-wrong/

[proverbialwisdom]

4. Tuned in late and apparently missed a lot. Many autism research scientists must be appalled.

The VICP and VAERS programs are completely at odds with this development. Maybe it's to provoke a public outcry?

http://www.ageofautism.com/2014/01/babies-respond-to-tom-insel-and-iaccs-decision-to-abandon-them.html#comments

January 15, 2014

MUST READ

...IACC voted AGAINST including the words immunizations or vaccines in the strategic plan despite the link to immune response in ASD.

Related: http://www.democraticunderground.com/101682381

[proverbialwisdom]

5. More.

http://www.insightnews.com/health/11716-cdc-study-says-children-with-autism-could-be-diagnosed-earlier

CDC study says children with autism could be diagnosed earlier
MONDAY, 30 DECEMBER 2013 16:53

Washington, DC – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released new project findings on the prevalence rate of 1 in 32 Somali children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in Minneapolis. While the report says that Somali children with ASD are more likely to have cognitive disabilities and more significant disabilities than all other racial groups, the data say that the rate of autism in the Somali population is about the same as in the white population (1 in 32 vs. 1 in 36). The report also states that children who have autism aren't identified as early as they could be.

"This new data from the CDC indicate potentially higher rates of autism spectrum disorders in distinct populations than the national numbers, clearly show that more research is needed to better understand autism, and again makes the case that additional funds must be made available for services and supports for children with autism and their families.

"The CDC continues to do important work in this area, shining a bright light on what families associated with The Arc and our chapters experience everyday – autism spectrum disorders touch so many people, of all cultures and backgrounds, and we must do more to support them to achieve their goals and to foster an inclusive society. The Arc is committed to families of all backgrounds in our efforts to serve and support people with disabilities, through our network of 700 chapters across the country," said Peter Berns, CEO of The Arc.

"About a third of individuals and families using advocacy services from The Arc Greater Twin Cities are from multicultural families," said Kim Keprios, The Arc Greater Twin Cities' chief executive officer. "We have been working hard to make connections in the Somali community because we know Somali children who have autism are not being diagnosed as early as they could be and therefore not getting critical services. Anyone who might benefit from The Arc's assistance in getting a diagnosis, receiving help with special education issues and more, is encouraged to call us at 952-920-0855 or visit www.arcgreatertwincities.org."

<>

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/features/keyfinding-somali.html

New Project Findings: Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Somali and Non-Somali Children in Minneapolis

The University of Minnesota was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Autism Speaks, and the National Institutes of Health through a cooperative agreement with the Association of University Centers on Disabilities to answer questions about the number of Somali and non-Somali children with autism spectrum disorder in Minneapolis. According to new data from the University of Minnesota, autism spectrum disorder is more common among Somali and White children than it is among other children in Minneapolis. Somali children are more likely to have both autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability than children with autism spectrum disorder in all other racial and ethnic groups in Minneapolis. Most children with autism spectrum disorder in Minneapolis are not diagnosed as early as they could be. These new data can be used to understand how autism spectrum disorder affects children differently. The data can also be used to understand where improvements can be made so that all children in Minneapolis are identified and connected to services and supports as soon as possible.

<>

To learn more about the Minneapolis Autism Spectrum Disorder Somali Prevalence Project and to access project resources, including materials in Somali, please visit http://rtc.umn.edu/autism/.

[proverbialwisdom]

6. AUTISM FACT: In the US "67 children will be diagnosed today, that's nearly 1 child every 20 minutes"

Watch this film, STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/oscars-voters-guide-151-long-659051

Oscars Voter's Guide: 151 Long-Listed Docs by Subject Matter
10:40 AM PST 11/22/2013 by Scott Feinberg

HEALTH/HEALTHCARE
The United States of Autism

http://usofautism.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-United-States-of-Autism/225733958739

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/09/movies/richard-evertss-united-states-of-autism.html?smid=tw-share&_r=1&

August 8, 2013
MOVIE REVIEW
Journey Across a Wide Spectrum

By DAVID DeWITT

The spectrum of autism is wide, as the low-budget documentary “The United States of Autism” shows. Its host, Richard Everts (also the director and the father of an autistic son), introduces 20 families dealing with the disorder, visited during 40 days of road travel across the country. He meets the highly verbal, troubled only in social situations. He meets the nonverbal, whose physical struggles exhaust financial and emotional resources. He meets parents displaying pain or pride, or both, about their children.

The networks of such families, which rely heavily on one another for advice and comfort, should search out this modest film. But all should be prepared to forgive the fakey vibe of an HGTV fix-up show, with the happy-faced Mr. Everts being greeted with cheery bonhomie at stop after stop — so many that the movie is concerned with breadth, not depth. And Mr. Everts gives precious time to an anxious personal reconciliation with his estranged father, which is underexplored or overexplored and, at any rate, doesn’t fit.

Many scenes, though, are moving: A nonverbal teenager withholding eye contact slowly, gently touches his guest in trust and affection. Mr. Everts meets Puerto Ricans and Korean-Americans, Christians and Muslims, those with low incomes and high. All the while, passionate disputes about causes, treatment and possible recovery are noted but not refereed.

That pluralism is the point. Yes, the animated opening sequence has a professional polish that the rest of the film lacks, but the documentary’s chosen angle is meaningful: The world of autism is as diverse as the nation.

[proverbialwisdom]

7. Dr Bob Sears: "So Autism Is Even MORE Common Than Last Year. Who Cares?"

Last edited Sun Mar 9, 2014, 04:59 PM - Edit history (3)

http://tacanowblog.com/2014/01/27/so-autism-is-even-more-common-than-last-year-who-cares/

So Autism Is Even MORE Common Than Last Year. Who Cares?

JANUARY 27, 2014
By Dr Bob Sears

I was really hoping that my latest blog would be entitled “Finally, Someone Cares About the Autism Epidemic!” But alas, it is not to be. The word “epidemic” is being reserved for the hundred or so cases of measles we see in the U.S. each year (no fatalities), or the very tragic twenty to thirty annual deaths from whooping cough. But autism? Don’t worry, it’s NOT an epidemic, because the government continues to reassure us it’s not an epidemic (Past blogs have been featured here 1.)

Tell that to the one million or more children currently affected (2.)

Remember back when autism was 1 in 10,000 and eventually 1 in 1000? Then 1 in 150 came along, and some of us got worried. Last year we were told it had jumped to 1 in 50. So, I was certain that “the powers that be” would finally step up and declare an emergency. Either that, or show us research that demonstrates autism is on the decline. But silence? SILENCE? What’s up with THAT?

What got my blood boiling again was the latest news (which I didn’t actually see on the NEWS): 1 in 48 Minneapolis children ages 7 to 9 have autism (3.) For Somali children in the city, the number is 1 in 32. We’d heard about the Somali problem a few years ago, and the government figured the Somali issue was due to some sort of genetic factor. The rest of our children in the area, whose parents were voting constituents, were safe. Not so. This latest study shows that Caucasian children in the city have an autism rate of 1 in 36. In other ethnicities, it’s less-commonly identified, thus diluting the total number down to 1 in 48. So, it’s not just some genetic factor unique to certain populations.

<>

I’m tired of getting my weekly “Eye on Influenza” newsletter from the public health department. Where’s my “Eye on Autism” weekly update? If 1 in 48 of my infant patients is going to develop a disorder, I want to know that the government is on top of it. I want to know that someone, anyone, cares.

Dr. Bob Sears
Pediatrician, TACA Physician Advisor, and author of The Autism Book

References:

1) Past Dr Sears previous “Who Cares” Blogs:
http://tacanowblog.com/2012/04/10/so-autism-is-common-who-cares/
http://tacanowblog.com/2013/03/20/so-autism-is-now-even-more-common-anybody-care-yet/

2) Autism Statistics http://www.tacanow.org/family-resources/latest-autism-statistics-2/

3) Minneapolis Somali Autism Spectrum Disorder Prevalence Project 2013 http://rtc.umn.edu/autism/doc/Autism_report.pdf

http://tacanowblog.com/2014/01/27/so-autism-is-even-more-common-than-last-year-who-cares/#comment-3888

RECOMMENDED COMMENT:

Kendra
January 28, 2014 3:10 pm

George,

Let us look at my state alone. 25 years agao there were SIX children in Oregon known to have Autism and receiving services, special education, therapies. Now, let’s say there was a sudden recognition that autism might be an under-diagnosed – under-recognized disorder that might be affecting some of our children that we were labeling as something else. They often refer to this as “diagnostic substitution”. I would expect that number of SIX children to go up some, let’s say a few percentage points. How about to 50 kids in Oregon with Autism. I still would find that jump alarming, wouldn’t you. And let’s say this newfound awareness swept in some kids with NO previous diagnosis before….”increased awareness”, I would gladly and generously give you another 50 children, though again alarming, so now we would have 100 kids in the state of Oregon, diagnosed with Autism and receiving services.

Now i have to admit that even this gives me pause as i personally do not believe that 25 years ago, 50 years ago that parents, teachers, daycare providers, sunday school teachers simply didn’t notice or recognized the distinct aspects of autism and report that they had children that didn’t simply have retardation or other obvious developmental delays but children who toe-walked, flapped their hands, screeched, smeared feces, couldn’t talk, couldn’t sit still in class, had to have one-on-one educational paras shadow them throughout their day, were prone to elopement, self-injury, lashing out at others, were not just socially awkward but seemed to find it painful to interact with other children and/or adults. I just can’t seem to wrap my brain around the idea that these things would have been missed and that schools should not be going broke and screaming about the costs of these record numbers of children if we simply called them something else, because no matter what we called them, the schools would still have had to deal with them, spend on them, etc. No these number are new and costing billions of dollars, so it simply cannot be diagnostic substituion. Plus the numbers of all other disabilities have held steady in my state based on population percentages.

So, the question is George, what is the number today vs. the SIX children known over 20 years ago. Taking into account the possible 100 I have given you as possible if it is simply better diagnosis, recognition, or diagnostic substitution. Well it is over 8,000, yes approaching 9,000….over EIGHT THOUSAND children in Oregon now diagnosed with Autism and receiving services, special education, therapies, etc. Over 8,000 children who will not likely go to college, join the military, get a job, get married, get a driver’s license, who will need care or supervision for the rest of their lives. Over 8,000 children in one small state alone, that didn’t exist a little over 20 years ago, but do now, who will cost us even more billions to house, feed, assist, care for…well, for a lifetime. These are not simply socially awkward people with quirks, those we used to call geeks. These are children with a profound and devastating developmental disorder, not easily overlooked or missed.

I hope you will rethink your theory!

Link from Twitter last week,

http://www.ocweekly.com/2012-08-09/news/doctor-robert-sears-vaccine-debate/full/

Dr. Robert Sears Takes on Both Sides of the Great Vaccination Divide
By MICHELLE WOO Thursday, Aug 9 2012

This article appeared in print as "The Needle Doctor: OC's Dr. Robert Sears, author of The Vaccine Book, finds the middle ground in America's war on vaccinations."

[proverbialwisdom]

8. Wholly unsustainable (kindest adjective I can imagine) plan.

SEE: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4486462

HERE'S WHY, CHECK IT OUT:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1059&pid=2579

http://www.democraticunderground.com/101678544
http://adventuresinautism.blogspot.com/2013/07/welcome-ernest-hancock-listeners.html

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=659007

[proverbialwisdom]

9. This just in..."sending ripples throughout the autism community and elsewhere."

http://www.safeminds.org/blog/2014/01/23/new-disclosures-vaccine-safety-datalink-vsd/

New disclosures on Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) may help bring answers to questions raised over a decade ago

Date: 23 Jan 2014
By Lyn Redwood

...The announcement of yet another thimerosal paper that was written by CDC officials, but not publicly made available until now, is sending ripples throughout the autism community and elsewhere.

Above link from: https://www.facebook.com/thinkingmomsrevolution

http://thinkingmomsrevolution.com/tmr-turns-two/

TMR turns two
Posted on February 11, 2014

When I look back at the little spark of an idea we had two years ago and see what it has become, I am so proud and humbled. We wanted other parents to know that what they saw happen did indeed happen. We wanted to empower them to step up and be the change in their hometown, for their children, and for other children whose parents need to know that autism is indeed a treatable medical condition. What we have found, though, is that WE have changed. A great deal. We have become more confident. We have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge — often from the people we intended to help — and we have opened up and learned lessons from our children that truly are life altering.

<>

[proverbialwisdom]

10. Top of homepage, today, and related video with compelling historical perspective on Vivian Murdock.

http://www.ageofautism.com/2013/03/from-the-editor.html

Really, Really Recent

How recent is autism? So recent that all these people are older -- older! -- than the first person ever diagnosed: Sean Connery, Clint Eastwood, Angela Lansbury, Roger Moore, Bob Newhart -- anyone born before August 29, 1931, when Vivian Murdock, the oldest child in the landmark first report on autism, was born. Thanks to Huffington Post for this reminder of how many people today are living vibrant lives in their 80s -- which also serves as a reminder of how recent the rise of autism is. It can only be manmade, which means it can be ended if we face up to the cause...

Posted by Age of Autism at March 09, 2013
Reposted February 13, 2014

More on Vivian Murdock starting @ 2:10. Alternatively, start video at 0:44 (variable accuracy of intro clip due to dynamic nature of field, eg. NY usage ban for under 3 and pregnant women).

[center]

[/center]

http://www.ageofautism.com/2013/04/her-name-was-vivian-clues-from-the-age-of-autisms-first-born-child.html

AOA EXCLUSIVE -- Her Name Was Vivian: Clues From the Age of Autism’s First-Born Child
By Teresa Conrick, Dan Olmsted and Mark Blaxill

We found her.

Eight years after setting out to identify the 11 children in the first medical report of autism, we have found “Virginia S.”, the eldest child in that landmark paper -- and thus the first-born child of the Age of Autism.

Her real name: Vivian Ann Murdock. Born in 1931, Vivian was placed in a Maryland institution at age 6 and died in a state-run home in 1987, age 56. She was the daughter of a prominent Baltimore psychiatrist, Harry M. Murdock, and his wife, Margaret.

The key to finding her real name was the recent online publication of the 1940 U.S. Census – allowing one of us (Teresa) to test her hunch about the institution to which"Virginia" had been committed as a child: The Rosewood School in Owings Mills. The hunch was correct; the Census listed an "Inmate" there named Vivian Murdock, age 8 in 1940, who we conclusively identified as "Virginia S."

<>

Posted by Age of Autism at April 29, 2013

[proverbialwisdom]

11. New CDC Numbers Coming Tomorrow

http://www.ageofautism.com/2014/03/new-cdc-numbers-coming-tomorrow.html

New CDC Numbers Coming Tomorrow

by Kim Stagliano from a FB post

... and the rates are continuing to rise.

How many more American children will have their lives - their families' lives radically changed by autism? Autism is a tough road - no matter how "affected." It changes everything in the same way that Alzheimer's does - think I'm kidding? I'm not. We need TREATMENT, LIFE CARE for those here and PREVENTION for those to follow. We can NOT have American children taken out of the employment pool and thrust into the social services pool at the continually growing rate. The umemployment rate for Asperger's is dangerously high too - don't be lulled into a false sense of security by anecdotes. By one or two celebs. It's DAMN HARD to navigate the neurotypical world for a person on the spectrum - and I say that NOT to denigrate for a moment. All the BLUE LIGHTS in the world mean nothing. We need ACTION. Not awareness. God help us all.

- Kim - exhausted beyond human endurance by autism.

Posted by Age of Autism at March 26, 2014 at 6:24 PM in Kim Stagliano | Permalink | Comments (0)

[proverbialwisdom]

12. The prevalence measured in NJ is the worst anywhere, 1 in 45 overall and 1 in 28 boys.

Last edited Fri Mar 28, 2014, 12:18 PM - Edit history (3)

[img][/img]

Related: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014766480

[proverbialwisdom]

13. Children 8-years old in 2010 comprise those studied.

http://www.ageofautism.com/2014/03/autism-organizations-demand-cdc-accountability-following-autism-rate-rise-announcement.html#more

Autism Organizations Demand CDC Accountability Following Autism Rate Rise to 1 in 68

<>

In 1981, Dr. Yeargin-Allsopp joined the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The autism rate then was 1 in 10,000. Under her watch, the rate of autism prevalence has gone from 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 68 --- increasing 1470% while Dr. Yeargin-Allsopp has been counting. Despite this precipitous rise, she can’t be sure if it’s a real increase. For the past twenty years the increase has been attributed to changes in diagnostic definition and better case finding by the CDC despite the lack of data to confirm those comforting suppositions. Even worse the CDC has never conducted, or ever even proposed doing, the basic epidemiology that could determine definitively the extent of the increase. (1) Rice CE, et al., Evaluating Changes in the Prevalence of the Autism Spectrum Disorders (2012), http://www.publichealthreviews.eu/upload/pdf_files/12/00_Rice.pdf , at 12.

While Dr. Yeargin-Allsopp should have been sounding the alarm for the past 20 years, instead the best she can say is “a true increase cannot be ruled out". (1) Dr. Yeargin-Allsopp also counts the autism rate unbelievably slowly. Using 21st century technology, the CDC can find tainted eggs, spinach or cantaloupes within a matter of hours or days. How is it acceptable for the autism rate to be counted at age eight with a four-year time lag to process the data her agency collects? It takes twelve years for her to come up with a current autism rate, which is simply unacceptable. Dr. Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp is not up to the job of supervising the autism count honestly. We demand that you fire or reassign her to a position where she can do less harm.

<>

MORE: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014766480

[proverbialwisdom]

17. Related.

http://www.safeminds.org/blog/2014/04/13/1-68-part-autism-story-cdc-didnt-report/

1 in 68 is Only Part of the Autism Story — What the CDC Didn’t Report
Date: 13 Apr 2014
By: Katie Weisman

<>

Even given the 1 in 68 prevalence just reported, there is no urgency around finding out what is happening in the other 38 states. See page 370 for the CDC’s current plan to maintain only 12 ADDM sites for fiscal 2015.

See page 9 for the flat 2015 budget request for autism.

Considering the Costs:

The costs associated with a child with autism average $17,000 per year in excess of a typical child. That increases to $21,000 excess for a child with severe autism. Overall, the estimated societal cost of caring for children with autism was over $9 billion dollars in 2011 (Lavalle et al. Pediatrics, 2014).

The lifetime cost of care for an individual on the spectrum is 3.2 million dollars (Ganz, 2007).

In 2005, the average annual medical costs of a Medicaid -enrolled child with autism were $10,709 – about 6 times higher than a child without autism (Peacock, et al. J. of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, 2012).

In addition to medical costs, behavioral intervention for a child with autism can cost $40,000-$60,000 per year (Amendah, et al., Autism Spectrum Disorders, Oxford University Press 2011).

To put this whole thing in perspective, the cost of monitoring the other 36 states that have never been monitored should be about quadruple the current CDC budget or $92 million dollars. That would cost about $76 per individual under 21. However, if you use the Ganz number multiplied by 1.2 million children (not counting adults) then the overall lifetime cost to society of those children is $3,840,000,000,000 – 3.84 trillion dollars. It seems like a small price to pay to get a handle on the problem.

http://www.ageofautism.com/2014/01/media-bullies-can-suck-it.html

[proverbialwisdom]

14. Say what?

http://pic.twitter.com/yiHBv7yDCa

"...the burden of proof is upon anybody who feels that there is NOT a real increase here in the number of kids affected."
- Dr. Thomas Insel, Director of National Institute of Mental Health and head of Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)

http://www.northjersey.com/news/report-new-jersey-s-autism-rate-is-the-highest-in-the-u-s-1.752693#sthash.XyuaB0ms.dpuf

“The increase could be a growing number of children with autism or better screening or a combination of both,” said Dr. Coleen Boyle, the CDC’s director of the national center of birth defects and developmental disabilities.

[proverbialwisdom]

16. IACC Full Committee Meeting: April 8, 2014. Mito disease discussed + plans for follow-up, July 2014.

If you missed it, I strongly urge you to watch the entire session.

http://videocast.nih.gov/summary.asp?Live=13929&bhcp=1

IACC Full Committee Meeting, April 2014 Video

Air date: Tuesday, April 08, 2014, 8:45:00 AM
Views: Total views: 477, (471 Live, 6 On-demand)
Runtime: 06:48:21

Category: Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee

Description: The IACC will meet to discuss ASD research and services activities.
Author: Dr. Thomas Insel

Overview page: https://iacc.hhs.gov/events/index.shtml

[proverbialwisdom]

18. RECENT: Mitochondrial Dysfunction as a Neurobiological Subtype of Autism Spectrum Disorder

http://archpsyc.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1859135

JAMA Psychiatry

Original Investigation | April 09, 2014

Mitochondrial Dysfunction as a Neurobiological Subtype of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Evidence From Brain Imaging

Suzanne Goh, MD1; Zhengchao Dong, PhD1,3; Yudong Zhang, PhD1,2; Salvatore DiMauro, MD3; Bradley S. Peterson, MD1

[-] Author Affiliations
1Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
2New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York
3Department of Neurology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York

JAMA Psychiatry. Published online April 09, 2014. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2014.179

Link from Generation Rescue Twitter.

[proverbialwisdom]

20. Dr. Tom Insel contrasts autism and AIDS research funding here.

In case you missed the live stream, here's the archived video link: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/47795646

(although I can't seem to actually view the video there yet). OTOH, the full video is embedded in this TACA tweet and it plays:

https://twitter.com/TACAfoundation/status/468790197870542848

TACA ?@TACAfoundation May 20



Committee on Oversight & Government Reform had an #autism hearing... recording starts at 26 mins.
FULL VIDEO HERE

START @ ~01:18:25

"I THINK IT'S REALLY HELPFUL TO PUT ALL OF THIS IN SOME CONTEXT, AND THE REASON WHY I KEEP HARPING ON THIS BEING THE WRONG RABBIT GOING DOWN THE WRONG HOLE IS THAT WHEN YOU COMPARE AUTISM TO AIDS, IT'S REALLY QUITE EXTRAORDINARY.

SO AS YOU SAID, CHAIRMAN MICA, $160M IS BEING SPENT IN 2012, IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT, BUT THAT'S BASICALLY THE AUTISM FIGURE, AND YOU ALSO, BOTH OF YOU, CITED THE ENORMOUS PUBLIC HEALTH COST AND ECONOMIC COST.

AIDS AFFECTS ABOUT A MILLION PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES. DO YOU WANT TO GUESS WHAT THE AIDS BUDGET IS FOR RESEARCH AT THE NIH?

IT'S 3 BILLION DOLLARS.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT 160 MILLION DOLLARS FOR A DISORDER (AUTISM) THAT AFFECTS AT LEAST AS MANY CHILDREN AS ARE AFFECTED BY, AS ARE AFFECTED WITH AIDS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE COUNTRY."