Jenny McCarthy Tackles Autism Head-On

By CBS NEWS

Actress With Son Once Diagnosed With Austism Claims The Disease Can Be Prevented & Healed

CBS) Actress/autism activist Jenny McCarthy has already written two best-selling books, now she is advocating the controversial idea that autism can be prevented or healed in her latest book, "Healing and Preventing Autism: A Complete Guide".

In conjunction with World Autism Awareness Day, McCarthy and co-author Dr. Jerry Kartzinel shared their perspective on the often touchy subject with Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith.

Although the topic may draw the ire of some, McCarthy welcomes the challenge and hopes to create more dialogue about the issue.

McCarthy professes to be a true believer that autism can be healed and prevented.

"Without a doubt, I know that it can," she said. "I am witness to my own child being fully recovered from autism. He's 6 years old now -- he completely lost his diagnosis."

Kartzinel adopted a child and says that after the mumps, measles and rubella vaccine, his son developed symptoms.

"I did research. The child had a lot of diarrhea. So I was wondering 'I wonder if gluten, like Celiac's disease is causing this diarrhea,'" Kartzinel said. "Remove gluten, which is that elastic protein. And his diarrhea improved. I removed dairy and all of a sudden I had a child who was sleeping through the night. I started cod liver oil and all of a sudden I had a child making eye contact again."

Many parents out there with autistic children may be skeptical of these claims and may say that these suggestions have not worked.

"Definitely parents have said this has not worked. And I say to those people, 'You can't give up. The window is not closed,'" McCarthy said. "You have to constantly go back and see what the latest development is with autism treatment. And, you know, for some children, as Dr. Jerry sees, they're just -- they can't come out of it. But for some that can -- why would we stop the ones that can because it didn't work for another family?"

"How rigorous do you have to be if you're going to try and go down some of the guidelines that are in the book?" Smith asked.

"For women that want to get pregnant and are worried about autism, that's why we wrote about things you can do as a woman preparing her body for pregnancy to help prevent autism," she said.

With so many families out there struggling with autism, Smith wondered if these claims would give a false hope.

McCarthy doesn't think that false hope exists. "I think hope is hope," she said.

The actress pointed out that Kartzinel has witnessed firsthand the results from his 10-year-old son.

"He has witnessed children speaking for the first time at age 10," McCarthy said. "So it's very real. Like I said, it's not for everyone. But for some, and isn't that enough?"

Watch video: http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4913094n

Source: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/...n4913043.shtml

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Autism parents' plea: Understand kids' meltdowns

By Madison Park
CNN

(CNN) -- Heather Moores and her 4-year-old son, Julian, sat in a waiting room at a pediatrician's office.

Julian, who has autism, was goose-stepping and counting every coat hook on the wall aloud. He started roaring like a lion. Moores smiled at her son, then noticed the horrified looks on other people's faces.

"People do not understand," she said. "To them, as bizarre as his actions might look, for us, they're a blessing. For us, it means he's enjoying himself and happy. No one understands that. They just see an out-of-control child. They don't understand this is a good day, when there isn't screams upon screams."

On the second World Autism Awareness Day, the search for a cure continues, and major court decisions have helped sort out the theories connected to the mysterious developmental disorders. Public knowledge and acceptance of autism and the difficulties the families face may be growing, as some iReporters told CNN.

But that's little comfort to a parent whose child's behavior can range from quirky to violent.

Children with autism have unexplainable breakdowns -- their outbursts are often loud, aggressive and disturbing. Julian slams himself against the ground or wall while he screams, flailing his limbs. Julian's younger brother, Marcus, 3, squirms away from his parents and runs into the street to oncoming cars because he is fascinated by them. He also screams with such ferocity that his face turns purple and mucus bubbles from his nostrils. Their youngest brother, Aric, also has autism and just turned 1 year old. Photo gallery from iReporters about autism. »

Heather Moores remembers that the stares in the waiting room were full of contempt. Onlookers shook their head in disgust and glared, making her feel like the "world's worst mother." This happens every time they go out to the doctor's office, the barber shop or anywhere in public.

"You'll hear people talking, 'If it was my kid, he wouldn't behave like that. These parents don't know how to discipline their children. Why don't you shut that kid up?' said Alexandre Moores, Heather's husband. "It makes going out unpleasant. I don't know if you ever get used to it."

Autism spectrum disorders affect the ability to communicate and interact. Many with autism have repetitive movements like rocking or hand-flapping and become set in their daily routines. Anything unexpected -- even a sound -- can result in major meltdowns.

"The reason why toddlers have tantrums is they don't have verbal or cognitive skills yet," said Dr. Lisa Shulman, an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York. "They have no control to navigate difficult situations using their social and communication skills. That inability to communicate can set off such behaviors in toddlers."

Their odd behavior draws unwanted attention. Marcus walks on his tiptoes and amuses himself by dumping liquid from sippy cups and containers. Julian counts everything aloud, over and over again.

"People are always staring and because the children don't show any type of physical abnormality, like someone with Down syndrome would show; people kind of assume that you're a bad parent," said Alexandre Moores

When the staring and critical comments become too overwhelming, Julian's mother tells the onlookers that the children have autism.

"You're in a situation you have to explain your kids, because you can't take the looks," she said. "It gets really, really hard. No one seems to understand where you're coming from." Read Moores' iReport submission.

To prepare for outings, parents should bring a favorite toy or plan ahead to reduce waiting time. But don't avoid going out, Shulman said.

Parents should have a pat answer to say to a nasty face maker, she said. "It should be something they feel comfortable with, about this invisible disorder. 'This is what autism looks like. My child has disability.' They're not obliged to engage in conversation. Make a statement that's heard and move on."

Moores said the most helpful thing the public can do is withhold the judgmental looks and reassure the parent with a smile when they encounter a child having a public meltdown. Critical comments are "very, very painful and very depressing," she said.

"Please try to understand parents of special children are going through living hell 24 hours a day," she said. "Even if you are confused and you don't know what to do, give that parent a reassuring smile. That's the absolute best thing you could do."

It's a familiar experience for Laura Shumaker who remembered the scorn of strangers whenever her son had a public meltdown. Autism was not well-known when her son, Matthew, now 22, was growing up.

"When I look back, there are people who judged me," she said. "There were just as many that were compassionate, who could see I was trying my best."

Four years ago, she and her son were flying home to Northern California from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the airport, Matthew learned they would be flying on US Airways instead of their usual United Airlines.

This greatly distressed Matthew, who started hyperventilating.

Shumaker walked to the U.S. Airway ticket counter as Matthew rocked behind her nervously, mumbling, "United is friendly. US Air is not."

Under her breath, Shumaker whispered to the ticketing agent that Matthew had autism. Then in a louder voice, she said, "We'd just like to trade these in for United tickets," and winked.

The agent paused for a moment, glanced at Matthew and said: "Oh! Well, don't worry, because US Air and United are the same now...really. We merged. We're the same airline now."

Strangers in line chimed in. "That's right," said a man standing behind them in line. "And the skies are still friendly."

Hearing those reassurances, Matthew stopped hyperventilating and began breathing normally. Before leaving for the US Airways gate, Shumaker hugged the ticketing agent in gratitude. Read Shumaker's iReport submission.

"So many children are diagnosed, there is an awareness now," she said.

But it's still difficult to explain to others, Shumaker said, when Matthew comments at the supermarket that a person standing in front of them at the check-out line is too fat to buy ice cream.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/31/irpt.autism/

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World Autism Day raises awareness, but what is the cause?

BY Rosemary Black
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

It’s a devastating diagnosis for any parent to hear. And more parents than ever are learning that their child has autism: it now afflicts about 1 in 150 children, according to the Centers for Disease Control. It’s four times more prevalent in boys than in girls.

As World Autism Awareness Day - designated by the United Nations as Tuesday, April 2 - winds down, the spotlight is on why the disorder is on the increase, why the causes still elude researchers, and why early diagnosis is so important.

“We know autism is on the rise and we know there is a genetic predisposition,” says Dr. Cathy Pratt, board chairperson for the Autism Society of America (www.autism-society.org). “The controversy is over what is the trigger that actually causes it to occur. A lot of research is on what triggers it. I think that we will find that there are multiple causes. It’s not like a broken arm.”

A diagnosis of autism can be a parent’s greatest fear, says Dr. Pio Andreotti, Psy. D., a neuropsychologist at Long Island College Hospital. “Autism seems to strike without any warning,” he says. “A parent goes through a typical pregnancy and a typical delivery and then finds out two years later that their child is not who they thought she was. The parent’s world changes and they have to adapt to what those changes are.”

With no genetic testing or blood testing available, it can seem like a long wait to see if a child will be autistic or not. Early treatment makes a big difference, says Andreotti, and there are varying degrees of severity of autism.

Diagnosis focuses on a variety of behavioral characteristics in the child: challenges in the area of social skills, communication problems, and having a very focused interest or a fixation on certain objects - like ceiling fans or refrigerators, Pratt says.

A diagnosis of autism is typically made at around the age of two, although some researchers claim that they can detect symptoms in babies as young as 10 months, Andreotti says. “A child can have a very mild autistic syndrome and be fairly high functioning or can have profound autism.”

Risk factors that may increase the chances of having an autistic child include parental age. “The older the parents are at the time of conception, the more likely that the child will have autism,” says Andreotti. “If you already have a child with autism, you’re at a higher risk of having aother child with autism. And there’s also a high correlation between autism and seizure disorders.”

Fortunately, early intervention (before the age of three) can make a huge impact, Pratt says, and parents need support, too.

“Regardless of the cause of autism, what we have to remember is that these are very challenging children and that the parents can have an incredibly challenging time living with them,” Pratt says. “Clearly there is a real need for services.”

Source: http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle...ss_but_wh.html

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Judge upholds Alex Barton teacher's suspension, loss of tenure

By Colleen Wixon

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — The teacher who orchestrated a vote to oust 5-year-old Alex Barton from his kindergarten classroom lost her appeal for reinstatement.

Administrative law judge Claude Arrington upheld the St. Lucie School Board’s decision to suspend Wendy Portillo for a year without pay and remove her tenure.

Schools Superintendent Michael Lannon, who testified at the hearing that he would not recommend she be allowed to teach in a district elementary school, said he had not yet read through the order and declined to comment.

Portillo’s attorney, David Walker of Stuart, also said he had no comment at this time.

The school district proved Portillo violated the state’s code of ethics for teachers and school board rules in the May 21 incident, in which she asked students to say whether Alex should be in the classroom while she tallied the votes on a board, Arrington said in his order.

The judge also sided with the district’s assertion that Portillo exposed Alex and the other students to "unnecessary embarrassment or disparagement" and used an inappropriate method of discipline, Arrington said in his order. She also failed to exercise the best professional judgment and failed to make a reasonable effort to protect Alex from harassment, he said.

Arrington said in his order that, except for last year’s incident, Portillo was a dedicated and excellent teacher over her 12-year career in St. Lucie County. Many of Morningside’s teachers and parents support her and her reputation remains intact despite the negative publicity of the voting incident, the judge wrote in the order.

"There can be little doubt that (Portillo) has been traumatized by the negative reactions to her misconduct. (Portillo) and her family have suffered economically as a result of her suspension," Arrington wrote in the order.

Wendy Portillo testifies in hearing (video): http://www.tcpalm.com/videos/detail/...ifies-hearing/

Wendy Portillo describes "vote-out" incident (video): http://www.tcpalm.com/videos/detail/...-out-incident/

Source: http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2009/mar/...spension-loss/

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Growing up with Asperger’s: 10-year-old adapting to his world

By Erin Pustay - GateHouse News Service

Inside and out, Brandon’s world looks and feels different.

Whimsy doesn’t exist. It’s just facts, figures, rules and structure. Little things get to him: Changes in temperature, the sensation of the silverware on his tongue, the sounds of the furnace kicking on.

Many of the things that we barely notice, 10-year-old Perry Township resident Brandon Wise hears, feels and sees with incredible clarity.

His world is exactly like ours, except that he is more attuned to it, more engaged in it. His mind is always working – he can’t turn it off – even at night when he pulls the covers up over his head and tries to sleep.

“Everything is literally different for Brandon,” said his mother, Melissa Wise. “He perceives the world differently. Some of the things he talks about and does are different. He is eccentric.”

Eccentric is only part of the diagnosis. Brandon lives every day with Asperger’s syndrome – a form of autism.

Like Brandon, the syndrome is unique. Autism, though still highly misunderstood, is slowly being better defined through studies and research, according to Dr. Mike McCabe, a pediatrician with Aultman Hospital.

What has been discovered is that no form of autism is ever the same. Children and adults who live with autism vary in their abilities to function on sociological levels.

Asperger’s is considered “high-functioning” autism.

“When people think of autism they picture kids flapping their hands or rocking in the corner of the room,” McCabe said. “Asperger’s is a form of autism because it is a developmental disorder, but it separates itself because the amount of developmental delays or problems are less.”

In other words, McCabe said, children who are diagnosed with Asperger’s will grow and develop and communicate in ways that are only subtly different than other children their age. Asperger’s children are simply more socially awkward.

With age, those traits that make them more socially awkward – traits that have them breaking social paradigms and norms every day – will stand out more and more.

“They are not developmentally aware of the social norms,” McCabe said. “They have a desire – they want to be social – but they don’t always understand how to (act in social situations).”

For Brandon, those actions are subtle: Blurting out the answer without raising his hand. Interrupting a conversation to offer his input. Not making eye contact when talking with someone. Focusing on his hand-held video game system instead of talking with friends on the bus or before wrestling practice.

Dr. Melanie Mirande, a family practitioner in North Canton, is the Wise family’s doctor. She’s seen Brandon for regular checkups since he was a tot and has gotten to know all about those things that make him unique and “different.”

“He calls ’em like he sees ’em,” Mirande said. “Don’cha my man?”

Brandon nods.

In his world, there is no mincing words. He’ll tell you exactly what he thinks, even if it may be considered rude.

“Kids think he is weird … but they have gotten used to him,” Melissa said. “They know how to handle him and how to help him handle stuff so he doesn’t have a meltdown.”

That’s the other thing: The “meltdowns.” Brandon lives by rules, structure and routine. Straying from that routine, even in the slightest sense, throws his entire world off kilter.

“If people played a game incorrectly, he had a meltdown. We were at a friend’s house one night, and he spent 45 minutes reading the directions to the game,” Melissa recalled. “You know kids, they just wanted to play and they did. They made up their own rules. He took the game and walked out because they weren’t playing it correctly and that upset him.”

In time, though, with patience, guidance and therapy, Brandon has been able to better adapt to his world. That doesn’t mean that he isn’t still talking out of turn, offering his opinion, not making eye contact or having a meltdown when his routine is upset. It just means that he is slowly making progress.

And that isn’t easy for anyone. Especially a kid.

“Growing up,” Mirande said, “is hard enough without the added stigma of your problem.”

But Brandon is doing well in school and making friends and learning how to interact with others because he has a strong support system around him, she said.

“He does well because of Mom and Dad. They have him plugged in,” Mirande said. “He has a great family. Nobody treats him any differently and I think that’s the key.

“I wish I could lie to you. I wish I could sit here and tell you that medicine could solve all his problems or has answers to all of his questions,” Mirande said. “When you live with Asperger’s, it’s about getting through every day. Family and friends are key. … He’s got two fantastic parents who love him and support him and that is most important.”

Did Einstein have Asperger's?

Although there is no hard evidence to prove the diagnosis, some famous names have been connected to autism and Asperger’s syndrome.

Professor Michael Fitzgerald, of Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, published a book in 2004 titled “Autism and Creativity.” Through it he examines some of the world’s most-beloved historical figures who may also have shown signs of autism and/or Asperger’s Syndrome. Some of those historical figures include Socrates, Charles Darwin, Andy Warhol, Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Lewis Carroll and W.B. Yeats.

'A dash of autism'

Asperger’s syndrome was discovered by pediatrician Hans Asperger in the 1940s. The syndrome was discovered as Asperger studied the awkward social behavior of boys who were otherwise “normal” in their development. Since that time, children with the syndrome have been described as having “a dash of autism.” Although the syndrome was discovered in the 1940s. it was not officially recognized as a disorder until 1994.

Symptoms of Asperger's

Asperger’s syndrome, a form of high-functioning autism, manifests itself in a number of ways in both children and adults. Symptoms of the syndrome include:

- Lacks a natural ability to pick up on social cues. Children with Asperger’s may not be able to read body language, start or maintain a conversation or may not understand how to take turns in a conversation.

- Routines mean everything. Changes to routines are not easily handled by the child.

- The child may appear to lack empathy.

- Changes in tone, speech, pitch or accent are not easily recognized. Children with Asperger’s may not understand sarcasm or emotion because the changes in speech are unrecognizable.

- The speaking style of the child may seem advanced for his or her age.

- Avoids eye contact or stares at others.

- Few things may become obsessions for the child. He or she may become extremely knowledgeable about a certain topic or item.

- Conversation is important to the child, but the conversations are one-sided. The child will engage in long-winded talks, usually about a single, favorite – but narrow – topic such as snakes, baseball statistics or weather patterns. Often, Asperger’s children verbalize internal thoughts, even if doing so may be considered “rude.”

- Delayed motor development is common. Children with Asperger’s have low muscle tone and often have trouble with simple tasks such as catching a ball, picking up a fork or even walking.

- Extreme sensitivity to noises, sounds and touch is common.

The Independent

Source: http://www.norwichbulletin.com/lifes...g-to-his-world

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Video helps officers better understand autism

By Amanda Butterfield

SALT LAKE CITY -- A new video has just come out that every Salt Lake City police officer must watch. It's about autism.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

According to the Autism Society of America, autism is the fastest growing developmental disability, affecting up to 1.5 million Americans. Those are facts the Salt Lake City Police Department could not ignore, so it co-produced a video to show its officers how to properly deal with someone with autism.

The video starts out with a scenario that was in the news just two weeks ago. A 20-year-old autistic man wandered from his home and was missing for the second time. The first time Justin Bailey went missing was last summer for three days. Bailey has the mental capacity of a 7-year-old.

It's cases like this that the Salt Lake City Police Department wants its officers to be ready for, and that's why it released a new public service announcement, in partnership with SaharaCares, about autism that is required for all to watch.

In the video, a doctor tells the viewer, "Autism is a developmental disorder that affects an individual's ability to communicate and interact."

Salt Lake City police Detective Dennis McGowan said, "Because of the prevalence of autism in the community, it's important for officers to recognize the signs of autism and not otherwise mistake those signs for aggression and non-compliance."

McGowan has watched the 25-minute video and says he's learned a lot about how to recognize an autistic individual. He said, "They sometimes don't establish eye contact. They look away. They can get scared, nervous, run away. Do you have a phone number? Have phone number, repetitive behavior or saying repeating things."

The video goes through several scenarios involving autistic individuals, young and old, explaining how to best deal with the situation.

But that's not all this video has taught Detective McGowan. He said the video taught him, "perhaps to be a little more sensitive and recognize the signs more quickly."

The video wasn't just made for law enforcement. You too can learn about autism. For more information, CLICK HERE.

Source: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=6011576

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Autism teacher celebrates every gain

By Judy Fortin
CNN Medical Correspondent

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- A group of seven preschoolers gathered at a small table in the center of a brightly lit classroom and started playing with plastic blocks.

Their teacher, 27-year-old Stefanie Waldrop, sat in the middle of the group. She periodically asked the students what they were making. Some were unable to speak, others were squirming in their tiny chairs; several interrupted the playtime to use the bathroom.

The children, ages 2 to 5, have one thing in common: They all have autism.

"We come in here in the morning not knowing what the day's going to hold," said Waldrop, who teaches at the Marcus Autism Center in Atlanta. "We have to be really flexible about the stuff we do in the classroom."

Waldrop, who's been on the job for five years, is one of three certified special education teachers in the Center's Early Intervention Program.

Along with a group of assistants, the teachers spend the seven-hour school day moving from classroom to playroom to playground with 22 students who fall somewhere along the autism spectrum.

The American Academy of Pediatrics describes the autism spectrum as "a group of brain-based disorders that affect a child's behavior, social and communication skills."

The students at the Marcus Center are grouped not by age, but by their level of function. Waldrop is paired with children who have never received educational intervention before and have no readiness skills to transition to a public school. VideoWatch more on teaching children with autism »

In addition to helping the students learn to communicate, it's Waldrop's job to teach some of the basics, such as "going to the bathroom, washing hands...putting on their own socks and shoes, sitting in a chair without jumping up, and making eye contact." iReport.com: Have attitudes changed towards autism? Tell us about your experience

The job can be physically and emotionally demanding with a high burnout rate, according to Dr. Catherine Trapani, director of the education program at the Marcus Autism Center.

Waldrop used to work with older children who were profoundly and cognitively disabled, some of whom had serious aggression and behavior problems, Trapani said. "Stefanie was hurt. She was beaten up in the process of delivering her lessons and still came to work," said Trapani.

It helps that Waldrop loves children, but the right teacher for this job also has to be "reflective, outgoing, serious and silly," Trapani said.

"When you have to do the same thing 5,000 times and you're still not getting the response that you're looking for, if you can't see the humor in that or if you can't have a lighthearted moment, then you're going to be a very unhappy person," she said.

Waldrop admitted there are times when she gets frustrated. "There are lots of days that are very stressful and some days we come in first thing in the morning and we're not quite sure how we're going to make it to 3 o'clock," she said. Visit CNNhealth.com, your connection for better living

It helps to have three assistants in the classroom. "We play off of each other and can tell when someone is starting to get stressed out," she said. At that point, Waldrop said, it is time to take a break outside the classroom.

Waldrop doesn't use a lesson plan; rather, the work is organized in units. This month she's trying to teach the alphabet.

Trapani asks all the teachers she employs to focus on achieving one primary goal: "To develop skills to get children out of this setting and into community-based settings."

Waldrop said she worries that, in general, the public doesn't set very high expectations for children with autism. "People don't expect the kids to be able to do certain things," she said. "But if you work with them, most of our kids do pretty much anything that you can put in front of them."

But, she conceded, even conquering the basic milestones can take time. "When our kids learn how to do things that most people think are really easy -- like washing your hands -- that's exciting," Waldrop said. "It might take months for them to get it, but when they finally do, it is really exciting."

"We have kids who come in that are not able to talk at all and now can hold simple conversations," she said. "Knowing that you'll get there eventually is really gratifying."

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/03/30/hm.autism.teacher/

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