NO SHOTS, NO SCHOOL...NOT TRUE!!!

Welcome to 4allofyou.

This is an information resource for parents who are concerned about their children's health. It is also a resource to learn more about vaccinations, environmental toxins, special diets, autism, ADHD and other neurodevelopmental disabilities.

I am not a physician. All information provided in this cite is for educational purposes.

If you are concerned about the safety and efficacy of vaccines, please visit the National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC).

To learn more about whether or not your child is healthy enough to be vaccinated click here.
To learn how to recognize an adverse vaccine reaction click here.

If you are seeking information about the laws regarding your child's attendance in public school in Indiana, please click here.

If you are seeking information about the laws regarding your child's attendance in public school in Illinois, please click here.

If you are seeking information about the laws regarding your child's attendance in public school in Kentucky, please click here.

For more information about your legal right to make decisions about vaccination of your children, please click here.

If you are visiting this blog because you saw a billboard advertisement and you want to know what this is all about, please read my blogpost: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAX. HERE'S YOUR SIGN.

If you want to know our personal motivation behind this movement, please click here to read WE ARE ANTI-VACCINE WACKOS. IT'S JUST WHAT WE DO.

To read my post: VACCINES DO NOT CAUSE AUTISM please click here.

IT'S MINDBODY, NOT MIND-BODY

Last week I was interviewed by Steve Higgs of The Bloomington Alternative. We met for about three hours and talked about Biomedical Interventions for Autism, and about environmental toxins. Mr. Higgs is especially interested in the role of toxins here in the state of Indiana, and how our unique environment impacts the children in this state (and those beyond our borders).

Last night I couldn't sleep. So I got up and fired off a few emails to Mr. Higgs, including copies of some PowerPoint Presentations I gave in April of this year. Among them was a presentation I put together in which I researched some of the specific toxins we have in abundance, here in Southwestern Indiana.

This morning I received an email from Mr. Higgs, with a few questions. Among them was the question of what to call those who seek out my services. Patients? Clients? and how to refer to their diagnoses: ASD?

The result of that email turned into a lengthy response, which I think makes a good blog post, so here it is:

As far as what to call those who seek my services...clients is more appropriate, I think. I wish I had given you one of my business cards. The tag I use on them (and my "letterhead") is "Family Coaching for Fragile Children." I work with kids (and adults) who have received any number of diagnoses, from chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia in adults to autism, bipolar disorder, ADHD, and Learning Disabilities in kids.

I was thinking about this a lot last night/this morning, and feeling so discouraged because there is SO MUCH to do and often feels like only me to do it.

I had another parent email and call yesterday, with questions about how to get her physician to order the labs we need. This is a 17 year-old with chronic GI pain, upper respiratory infections, strep, bronchitis, etc. (immune system dysfunction) since infancy. At 17, he now has pre-cancerous lesions in his gastroinstinal tract and the parents have been told that things will probably not ever get better for him; he'll just have to learn to live with the pain. The primary care physician has seen this kid probably 100 times in the last 12-13 years and has made numerous referrals to other specialists (GI docs, allergists, therapists, etc.). He has also collected many thousands of dollars from the family and their insurance company over that time. I saw this kid and spent more than 50 hours going over his medical records, abstracting them, putting everything in chronological order, researching and documenting everything that had happened to him since conception. I also spent about 5 hours with the family (and drove almost four hours round-trip to do so). When I wrote up the report, I did it in such a way that everything flowed and made sense. It was this kid's life story. The reason I did this was to be sure to make the case for the doctor, so he would understand the rationale behind what I was asking him to do. He had no problem with it. Said he would order the tests. However, he will not take the time to pick up the phone and call (or have his staff call) the labs to request the test kits. I even provided interactive links and telephone numbers at the end of the report, to make things as simple as possible. All it would take is five minutes and unfortunately, that's something he or his staff has to do. I can't order the kits and neither can the parents. (There are some labs - Great Plains, for example, that make this process much easier by allowing parents to order kits and take them to the doctor for his/her signature. Others are not as user-friendly, but the information provided by the labs is worth the effort, in my opinion.)

This is the most frustrating thing for me. Even when they finally begin to see why this makes sense, it's like pulling teeth to get physicians to change the way they do things. I don't think I explained this blatantly in my powerpoint about Biomedical Interventions, but this is why I talked about the two doctors (Marshall & Warren) who discovered H. pylori bacteria and its role in ulcers. They made the discovery in 1982 and it wasn't until 1995 that "Standard Medical Practice" finally changed from the mantra of "stress causes ulcers" to recognizing that if a bacterial infection was the cause, then it makes sense to treat with an antibiotic. As a result of the extremely slow awakening of the medical community, hundreds of thousands (millions?) of people suffered with ulcers that could have easily been treated. It took 13 years for them to wake up. How many children will we lose in 13 years? (This may be a good time to read the first post on my blog: AUTISM IS TREATABLE)

When we talk about biomedical interventions for autism and other "spectrum disorders" like ADHD, Learning Disabilities, Asperger's, PDD-NOS, bipolar disorder, etc., we are talking about a "whole-body" affliction. That's the major problem with why the medical community is not "on-board." This is completely the opposite of what medical schools have taught for the last few generations, at least. The medical system has moved almost exclusively to specialty care, where you see one doctor for your feet, another doctor for your gut, another doctor for your ears, another doctor for the fungus under your nails, and another doctor for your "mental" or "cognitive" difficulties. Each one sees only a part of the patient, rather than looking at the entire person. The biomedical approach to autism (and other whole-body afflictions) is a systems approach that emphasizes the fact that there is no such thing as mind-body. It's mindbody. All one child; all one word. There is nothing physicially separating the mind from the rest of the body and we need to stop treating our children as if they have been decapitated. What happens in the body affects the brain and vice-versa. This is another reason why the impact of environmental toxins is so important to consider. Lead, mercury, and other heavy metals negatively impact the entire body by damaging enzymatic processes. They cause disruption everywhere. Until we start assessing and addressing the damage caused by environmental toxins, everything else we do is just bandaids.

Marci

Preparing Your Body for Pregnancy; Preparing Your Child for Vaccination

If you have read much about biomedical interventions and recovery from autism, you may be familiar with the analogy of being hit by a bus. As Stan Kurtz writes, “You cannot be cured of being hit by a bus, but you can recover from it. You might even be able to recover enough that you do not need to park in special parking spaces when you go shopping. If you are fortunate enough you might recover well enough that you gain back so much of your functioning such that no one would know you were ever in an accident.” This is a great analogy, especially for those children who have already received a diagnosis of autism. In many cases, while we may not be able to “cure” the autism, if we address the underlying conditions through appropriated testing and treatment, we may be able to recover the child to the point where he or she no longer meets the diagnostic criteria for autism. In many cases, no one would ever guess the child had been “hit by the bus” in the first place.

But wait…

What if we could prevent your child from being hit by the bus in the first place?

Let’s think about pregnancy. When a fetus is growing in the womb, it is incubating. We have been told for some time now that pregnant women should not smoke and should not drink alcohol, because these behaviors are known to be damaging to a developing fetus. The peer-reviewed medical literature is bursting at the seams with paper after paper, documenting the research findings about the teratologic effects of tobacco and alcohol.

Teratologic: the scientific study of visible conditions caused by the interruption or alteration of normal development

Marci’s note: Teratological effects may well include effects that are not “visible” and which may not become known for a long time after the exposure that caused the damage. Examples:

• Babies who were fed soy formula. Soy is a source of estrogen. When fed as the sole source of nutrition, the amount of estrogen taken in can disrupt the balance between hormones, and may contribute to the early onset of puberty in girls, and delayed onset of puberty in boys.
  
• Terbutaline administration. Terbutaline is a medication given to women to stop preterm labor. It has been linked to later onset of learning disabilities and social deficits in children whose mothers took the drug during pregnancy.
  

By now, everyone has heard that there is an epidemic of autism in this country. There are some people who still want to deny this fact, but the evidence is overwhelming, and it is real. It’s not just because of more inclusive diagnostic criteria. It’s also not purely genetic. There is no such thing as a genetic epidemic. So what’s going on? And why can’t the researchers figure out the cause of autism?

The clue is in the previous question. As long as researchers are looking for “the cause” of autism, they are not going to find it. Why? Because multiple factors working together synergistically is the source of the epidemic. There is no single “smoking gun.” If you are not familiar with the concept of synergism, you need to understand this key concept. Here is the definition:

Synergism: the phenomenon in which the combined action of two things such as drugs or muscles is greater than the sum of their effects individually. In the case of drugs, the result may be dangerous to the patient.

Marci’s note: in the case of toxins (heavy metals, toxic chemicals, pesticides, organophosphates, food additives), the combined action of two (or more) things is greater than the sum of their effects individually. The result may be dangerous to the patient. Alternatively, the synergistic effect of a genetic predisposition and an environmental exposure (to metals, pesticides, medications, etc…) will be more damaging than the effects of either situation (genetic or environmental) alone. The result may be dangerous to the patient. (Remember that in this case, the patient is the infant in the incubator.)

Synergy is an extremely important concept when it comes to autism and other neurodevelopmental disabilities. The concept of synergy is precisely why families who have sought relief through “The Vaccine Court” have not been successful in establishing that their children’s regressive autism was caused by the combination of thimerosal (mercury) and the MMR vaccine. (Note: the basic premise of the argument is that the child’s immune system is compromised by mercury (a heavy metal, which damages multiple systems in the body, including the enzymatic processes, and detoxification pathways), predisposing the child to be more vulnerable to the effects of the MMR vaccine (a vaccination which simultaneously injects three separate viruses into the blood stream, bypassing the body’s primary immune defense mechanisms (gastrointestinal and respiratory), ultimately resulting in a situation which overwhelms the body’s defenses and leads to chronic illness (fever, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, ear infections, respiratory infections, chronic tonsillitis, strep, bronchitis, allergies, asthma, & seizures), which later results in the behavioral and cognitive symptoms that lead to an “autism spectrum disorder” diagnosis.

Please remember that the fever, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, seizures, etc… tend to occur prior to the behaviors that lead, ultimately, to the “autism” diagnosis. This is an important piece of information, especially since most parents I have spoken with report that the “experts” who diagnosed their children with “autism” often state (with considerable authority) that the physical symptoms (diarrhea, constipation, vomiting) the parents are reporting are “just part of autism.” The physical symptoms are therefore ignored. This is PRECISELY why professionals who do not look further than the obvious behavioral and cognitive presentations, can and do state (with considerable authority), that “Autism is a lifelong condition and there is nothing you can do about it.” From where I sit, it looks like the authorities have it backwards. The physical symptoms happen first and the behavioral and cognitive symptoms happen as a result of the physical symptoms. Therefore, the lack of eye-contact, reduced awareness of the environment, inattention, aggression, and poor social skills are “just part of the gastro-intestinal disease” and if we do something to fix the GI problems, the symptoms associated with the child’s “autism” diagnosis will improve. If this sounds like voodoo science to you, let me phrase it differently.

Consider, for a moment, symptoms that you yourself might have had. Have you ever had a migraine? Have you ever had a “stomach virus” with nausea, pain in your gut, diarrhea, constipation, achy joints, headache and ‘brain-fog?’ If you have, please try to recall at this moment what it felt like. Now, imagine you are in a room full of four year-olds – a preschool environment. Do you feel “social?” Can you concentrate? Are you likely to learn and “achieve on par with your potential?”

If you only consider “autism” – which is a behavioral and cognitive-based diagnosis – and do not look further, the professionals who tell you with so much authority, “There is nothing you can do” are probably correct. If you don’t look beyond the behaviors and the label, it is likely that you are facing a lifelong diagnosis, for which you will not see significant improvement. In other words, your child will most likely never get married or have children, will probably not be able to live independently, will most likely not be able to support himself or herself, and will require full-time support from you until the day you die – which will probably happen prematurely due to all the stress you will endure in the interim. And your marriage? Statistics indicate that the divorce rate among couples with autistic children is 85%. Is this a good time to talk about the economy and the difficulties of single parents raising a child with autism?

I realize I am being brutal. I apologize for that, but not for the need to be honest. Grab a tissue, have a good cry, and suck it up because this discussion is relevant to your life. It is especially relevant if you are considering having children in the future.

“Current Events” time!

On February 12, 2009, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (Vaccine Court) Special Masters ruled against three families of autistic children, whose histories were chosen as “test cases” in the plaintiffs’ efforts to legally establish causality between thimerosal, MMR, and the children’s regression into autistic symptoms, which happened to occur shortly after receiving the vaccinations.

It was reported that one factor which helped sway the decision against the families is that they claimed their children were “developing normally” prior to the administration of the MMR vaccine. The Masters, upon review of photographs, videos, and medical records of the children in question, concluded that the parents’ claim that their children were “developing normally” was untrue. As I recall, the opinion of the special masters cited things like videos and photographs showing inconsistent eye-contact prior to the MMR administration. This concept of “normal development” hit me like a ton of bricks when I read it.

What does this statement mean, “Developing Normally?”

When I think about this question, the first thing that comes to mind is how shocked I have been and continue to be, when I ask parents the following question, “Did your child have a lot of ear infections during the first four years of life?”

The answer I frequently receive is, “Not a lot. No more than any other children.”
My response: “How many ear infections does your child typically have in a year?”
Typical response: “Three or four.”

What is important about the conversation, as reported above, is that most parents I interview report that their child is having three or four ear infections per year (which are treated with antibiotics) and the parents are also reporting that their child is no different from other children who are “developing normally.”

This is a problem.

Another area where I see a problem involves constipation. My developmental history form specifically asks about constipation and the majority of children I see have had significant problems with the frequency of bowel movements. Several have had to go to the hospital multiple times because their bowels have become impacted. Many parents have told me that they have expressed concerns to their pediatricians or family doctors, regarding their children’s infrequent bowel movements (often once a week or less), only to be told by their trusted physician, “In some children, that’s normal.”

Bowel movements are the body’s way of clearing toxins. (The body also clears toxins through urination and sweating.) Some toxins will ONLY clear the body through bowel movements. If you have toxins building up in the body and the half-life of that toxin is, let’s say 3 days, and the child in question is only having a bowel movement every 7 days, then if that toxin is taken into the body (perhaps through vaccination) and the child does not have a bowel movement for four or five days after taking the toxin it, where do you suppose the toxin goes? It gets stored in the body. Some of it goes into the soft tissues like kidneys and bone marrow. Some of it goes into the brain. Once it’s stored, it’s hard to get it out.

The gist of this is that our children are NOT developing normally if they are having chronic constipation (or diarrhea), or if they are having chronic bacterial and viral infections, upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, tonsillitis, strep, allergies, and asthma. We have an entire generation of children who are more prone to illness than children who are truly “developing normally.” The problem is, we have become so accustomed to this that we now accept this situation as “normal.” This needs to change. (Note: The generation of children who are so prone to infections and gastrointestinal problems coincides with the administration of the Hepatitis B vaccination at birth. For more on this topic, please read the post Vaccines and Autism - Your Child vs. The Greater Good.)

So, going back to the concept of teratology – things that disrupt normal development … In order to prevent more children from being “hit by the bus,” we need to pay closer attention to the things that may disrupt “normal development,” starting before conception even occurs. We need to prepare the incubator. For those children who are already here, we need to assess the status of their overall health and development BEFORE we inject them with multiple viruses simultaneously, and BEFORE we allow anyone to inject them with substances (thimerosal, aluminum, formaldehyde, etc.) that are KNOWN to have teratologic effects. Remember, the first rule of vaccinations is “do not vaccinate a sick child.” The problem is that when we view children with chronic conditions (viruses, bacterial infections, etc.) as “normal,” our perception of what constitutes “a sick child” has been skewed. Those are the children who are being “thrown in front of the bus.” My point: If we identify (accurately) those children who ARE sick, and get them healthy BEFORE administering vaccinations, we are likely to decrease the numbers of children who subsequently regress and end up receiving an autism diagnosis.

Back to the main question at hand – what do you need to do to increase your chances of having a healthy baby – one who stays healthy and does not become part of the estimated 1 in 67 American children with an autism spectrum disorder?

1. Don’t wait until you are pregnant to start preparing your body. Remember, you are the incubator. Imagine for a moment that you have just delivered a baby that was born premature, and had to be placed in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) of the hospital. When your precious infant is taken from your womb and placed in the incubator in the NICU, you expect that the incubator will be a healthy environment for your fragile infant. By healthy, I mean, you expect that the incubator is free from bacteria (strep, staph, clostridia), viruses (Herpes, Measles, Varicella [Chickenpox], Human Papilloma Virus, Epstein-Barr, Cytomegalovirus), yeast (candida albicans and others), and parasites. You also expect that the incubator your infant is placed in will not be contaminated with heavy metals (lead, mercury, antimony, arsenic, cadmium, aluminum [not technically a ‘heavy metal’]), and that the incubator will not be sprayed with pesticides or contaminated with organophosphates. In essence, what you expect, is that your precious baby will be placed in a pristine environment, in which he or she will be able to develop, to his or her full potential.
   

If you expect strangers to care for your baby this way, shouldn’t you do everything you can to care for your future child with the same concern?

This entire thought process should start at least one to two years before you become pregnant.
If you live in the Tri-state (Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois), you should know that you live in the coal-burning power plant capitol of the world. If you have lived here for any length of time, you have been exposed to heavy metals (from coal-burning power plants), pesticides and organophosphates (from farming). If you get annual flu shots and have not specified that you want thimerosal-free flu shots, you have had a yearly dose of mercury injected directly into your bloodstream.

If you live in an area where you are regularly exposed to heavy metals and other environmental toxins, you owe it to your future children to find out what toxins have built up in your system, before you make it an incubator for your future child. You would not want your child to be placed in a hospital incubator contaminated with bacteria, viruses, and toxins (metals, pesticides, organophosphates), so why would you allow your child to spend the most important growing stage in just such an environment. If you do not pursue primary intervention that assesses your own body stores of these toxins, that is exactly what you are doing. The incubator is contaminated.

Clean it up before you trust it with the future of your precious baby.

2. If you are the parent of a young child and you are concerned about whether or not to vaccinate him or her, you need to become informed about your options as a parent. One of those options I would encourage is to have your child evaluated first to determine if there are physical problems that should be addressed, prior to vaccination. This may be especially important if your child has gastrointestinal problems, or recurrent viral and/or bacterial infections.

To learn more about assessment for genetic vulnerability and toxic exposures before you get pregnant, or before vaccinating your child, contact Marcella Piper-Terry, M.S.; Biomedical Consultant; marcellaterry@hotmail.com

The Flu Vaccine - Is It Worth It? A Cost-Benefit Analysis

A few weeks ago I posted an article on this blog entitled, "Is There Thimerosal in the Flu Vaccine." At that time, it had just been announced in the media that the CDC was stepping up efforts this year "like never before" to ensure that every man, woman, and child (including babies and the as-yet unborn) receive the flu vaccine. As I wrote then, this is extremely concerning, especially when it comes to vaccinating pregnant women in the second trimester, and vaccinating babies and children with something that contains mercury. I cannot understand why, after the CDC finally agreed to remove thimerosal from the childhood vaccine schedule, they would now recommend vaccinations for babies and children that still contain this extremely toxic heavy metal.

I know this is a topic I already covered, but it is one that is so important it's worth expanding on.

Today was one of those rare days when, having attended the Health Fair at USI, I found myself at home with my feet up when the news came on. One of the stories covered by Ann Komas, anchor for WFIE News, reported on a "Drive-In Flu Clinic" that took place today in Indianapolis. People are lining up in their cars, simultaneously rolling down their windows and rolling up their sleeves to get the flu vaccines they have been so fervently advised to receive.

I wonder how many of them know about the thimerosal.

As my 8 year-old watched the news report she screwed up her face and said, "EEEWWWW! Gross!!!" I was very relieved to be able to tell her that she didn't have to worry about that because she is not getting a flu shot.

The government has GREATLY over-stated both the severity of the threat to healthy individuals from the flu, and the efficacy of the flu vaccine in preventing flu-related deaths. If you would like to read a fascinating article, written by research-physicians that will help you to make an informed decision about whether or not to submit to the government's push, click here.
If you don't care to read the entire article, here are some things to consider:

This information is taken directly from the article, "A Shot of Fear," written by By Steven Woloshin, Lisa M. Schwartz and H. Gilbert Welch, published in 2005 in The Washington Post.

• According to the CDC, 90 percent of flu-related deaths occur among people age 65 years and older. Based on this information and the age distribution of the population, the chance of a flu-related death for people in that age group is about one in 1,000. Another way of saying this is that the chance of not dying from flu for those 65 and older is about 999 out of 1,000. (For context, the chance of a flu-related death is slightly lower than the chance of dying from a fall or other accident.)
• For people younger than 65 (including children), the chance of a flu-related death is much smaller -- about one in 100,000.

The authors of the above-reference article point out that the wording of papers published in some highly-regarded, peer-reviewed, medical journals is misleading and overstates the effectiveness of the flu vaccination.

• For example, a 2003 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine observed that the flu vaccine was associated with a 50 percent reduction in the overall death rate (that is, death from heart disease, stroke, cancer and all other causes combined). To attribute an effect of this magnitude solely to the flu vaccine is ludicrous: Flu-related deaths make up less than 2 percent of all deaths. If the claim were accurate, the vaccine's power would dwarf that of any other medical intervention.

The authors go on to point out that for some, it is not necessarily the concern of death from the flu that drives them (now, literally) to get the vaccination. Many Americans roll up their sleeves and hold their screaming children down to receive the flu shot because they don't want to be sick and don't want to miss work or school.

• The authors write, "Many may get flu shots simply to avoid getting sick. The Cochrane Collaboration identified more than 20 randomized trials addressing this question. The overall chance of developing "clinical" flu was 19 percent in those chosen, again by chance, to receive the recommended flu vaccine vs. 23 percent in the control groups."

If I'm interpreting this correctly, having received the flu vaccine conferred a 4% advantage when it came to actually getting sick, when compared to those who did not receive the flu vaccine.

Read on:

• Studies have also measured another outcome: how vaccination affects days lost from work. On average, there are about 0.16 fewer days lost from work per person vaccinated. Another way of saying this is that about 5 percent of those vaccinated avoid missing about three days of work because of the flu. (That is, 0.16 days divided by the 5 percent who benefited from vaccination equals 3.2 days.) The other 95 percent vaccinated got no benefit.

For anyone who is concerned about injecting mercury into yourself or your child, PLEASE ask yourself, "Is it worth it?" before obediently and blindly rolling up your sleeves. For pregnant women and parents of small children, PLEASE, JUST SAY "NO."

Marcella Piper-Terry, M.S.

An Open Letter to Governor Mitch Daniels Regarding Thimerosal and Environmental Mercury

AN OPEN LETTER TO MITCH DANIELS, GOVERNOR OF INDIANA:

Governor Daniels:

I have lived in the state of Indiana for seven years. There are a few questions I, as one of your constituents, would like for you to address.

First, I would like to know why Indiana, and particularly Southwestern Indiana, needs more coal burning power plants, and please do not tell me it's because it's good for our economy.

• With the majority of counties in SW Indiana out-of-compliance with the EPA's Clean Air Act our economy and infrastructure is no doubt on the losing end due to loss of federal funding.
• The cost of lost work days by our citizens who are too sick to work, due to the effects of heavy metal poisoning and cardiopulmonary damage from particulate matter surely cannot be good for our economy.
• The increase in the incidence of autism, which has been shown to be related to the proximity to coal-burning power plants, cannot be good for our economy, especially when you consider that there are no daycare facilities who will accept children with "behavioral problems." Mothers of sick children frequently have no other option but to withdraw from the workforce and stay at home to care for their child. Statistics reveal an 85% divorce rate in families of children with autism - they succumb to the unrelenting stress, which encompasses EVERY aspect of EVERY hour of EVERY DAY. There are no state provisions for respite care, and no state funded programs for adolescents and adults with autism who age out of the system at eighteen. Families are left holding the bag and footing the bill. Surely this is not good for our economy in the state of Indiana.

And, speaking of sick children, I for one do not think it is coincidental that the top five agricultural crops grown in Indiana (and exported all over the world) are the same top five foods that have been demonstrated to cause intestinal problems, including colic, chronic constipation, and diarrhea in children with autism. It is also not coincidental that when these five foods (wheat, dairy, corn, soy, and eggs) are removed from the diets of children with autism, more than 65% of those children improve significantly, some to the point where they actually LOSE their autism diagnosis. Do you really believe this is a coincidence? What is going to happen to the economy in Indiana when the rest of the world realizes that it may not just be the food that's making them sick, but the poisons that are in the food? SURELY THAT'S NOT GOING TO BE GOOD FOR OUR ECONOMY!

As I am sure you know, the heavy metals that go into our air and water also go into our soil and from there, into the food we grow. As the photographs above clearly show, there has been no effort in this state to ensure that our food supply is spared from the toxic plumes being spewed from the coal-burning power plants. There has also apparently been no concern about locating power plants within spitting distance of elementary schools where our children are required by state law to spend a certain amount of time outdoors, running, playing and practicing sports and other activities. Isn't this inconsistent with your push for Healthy Hoosiers?

With the ever-increasing frequency of Ozone and PPM days, during which "sensitive groups," including children, are advised to stay indoors, it's no wonder Indiana ranks at the top of the charts for citizens who qualify as morbidly obese. With the serious health problems associated with that condition, I can't fathom how this outcome could contribute to a strong economy for the state.

With the neurological damage caused by heavy metals, including the loss of IQ points associated with even minute exposure to lead, we are spending increasing amounts of our tax dollars on special education programs, to remediate the damage done by the power-plants and their toxins. How is that good for our economy?

In Vanderburgh County, we are currently on target to surpass last year's suicide rate, and once again reclaim our title as the county with the highest suicide rate in the nation. Two years ago, the rate was four times the national average - AND the rate in Vanderburgh County was four times the rate of the state of Indiana. Of course, many of those people who killed themselves may have been on the public assistance roles, due to physical and mental health problems, so I guess their deaths could conceivably be good for the economy on some level, but I sincerely hope this is not one of the areas you would consider a "positive" outcome of increased coal production.

A related issue is the extreme amount of Vanadium introduced into our environment as a result of coal production. With excess vanadium resulting in the depletion of lithium, this is a very likely contributor to the suicide rate, as depletion of lithium is associated with bipolar disorder. Of course, you may not be aware, or may have forgotten the outcries for more psychiatric facilities after the suicide death of 10 year-old DeTwain Barnett in May 2007. Unfortunately, until the environmental poisoning is decreased, the suicide rate is not likely to decrease, nor is the shortage of mental health providers in this area.

A second question I have is related to your former position as Senior Vice President of Marketing Strategy for Eli Lily, and your subsequent position as Budget Director for the Bush White House. In my attempt to understand the Lily Rider, which was sneaked into the Homeland Security Act, I did find a newspaper article that printed your adamant denial regarding any knowledge or responsibility for this rider, which was meant to deny families of children poisoned by thimerosal (mercury) in vaccines their right to due process in a Court of Law. My understanding of this rider is that it is called "The Lily Rider" because Eli Lily was the developer of thimerosal and so by denying families their day in court, the rider protected the pharmaceutical giant, which just happened to be your former employer.

Two questions:

1. If not you, then who?

2. Do you own stock in Eli Lily?

One final question I'm pondering is this: Given the obvious health problems and associated economic costs to a state from being the "coal-burning power plant capital of the world," and, given the documented association between mercury and coal-burning power plants AND autism, WHY WOULD THE GOVERNOR OF ANY STATE WANT TO INCREASE MERCURY IN THE ENVIRONMENT OF HIS OR HER CONSTITUENTS?

Of course, I could understand why, if the governor in question had reason to confound the evidence regarding whether or not thimerosal (mercury) in vaccines had anything to do with the epidemic of autism in America's children.

If not you, then who?

Looking forward to your assistance in sorting out this confusion.

Sincerely yours,
Marcella Piper-Terry

Diet and Autism, the GFCF Cult

The photos above show the corn, soybean, and wheat fields located between Marr's Elementary School and the smokestacks belonging to Vectren Energy's Brown Power Station located on the west side of Evansville, Indiana. These photos were taken in July 2008.

Today's post:

This post addresses some questions people have been asking about the Gluten-Free/Casein-Free Diet and why it is so important in recovering kids diagnosed with Autism. By the way, all of this information also applies to ADHD, ADD, Asperger's Syndrome, and other forms of Pervasive Developmental Disabilities Diagnoses.

When Jenny McArthy first came out publicly with her son’s story, she took a huge personal risk, braving all sorts of criticism from mainstream medicine and groups who believe that by improving a child’s state of wellness, we are somehow saying that we do not accept our children’s individuality. While I applaud Ms. McCarthy’s willingness to make herself a target for all kinds of backlash, one concern I have is the extreme emphasis on GFCF (Gluten-Free, Casein-Free), or for that matter SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet), LOD (Low Oxylate Diet), etc., as THE DOCTRINE everyone must follow. It's not that simple. If you start removing things because of sensitivities, without also focusing on improving digestion, clearing constipation, and healing the lining of the intestinal tract, eventually you end up with an even more limited list of foods because the child will keep developing new sensitivities.

DAN! has been hesitant (in my opinion) to recommend the use of digestive enzymes, which seems to be because they do not want people to use the enzymes as a "lazy" alternative to cleaning up the diet. Cleaning up the diet is a very important thing to do - by getting rid of artificial dyes, artificial preservatives, white flour and sugar, artificial sweeteners, fermented foods, yeasty foods, and basically eliminating things your child is obviously addicted to (this often means wheat and cow's milk), allergic or highly sensitive to (frequently, soy, corn, & eggs).

Personally, as a resident of the Midwest who drives by multiple corn, soy, and wheat fields, as well as coal-burning power plants on a daily basis, I have strong suspicions that the extremely frequent "food allergies" and "food sensitivities" to these five foods in particular, may have more to do with where they are grown and the environmental toxins, than with the food itself. Our food is being grown in soil that is polluted with heavy metals. The corn being grown in this region is fed to the cows and chickens from which our milk and eggs are derived.

Back to today's question and why Dietary Interventions are so important:

Many children with autism self-limit their diets to the point where the only foods they will accept are wheat and dairy-based. The problem is that with a leaky gut - caused by candida overgrowth - among other things, gluten and dairy are not broken down effectively and they are misidentified by the body as opiates. In combination with the alcohol produced by the yeast, you get a kid who is mixing drugs and alcohol and no wonder they're spaced out! And no wonder they have such high pain tolerance. Opiates are what we give to adults after back surgery!

The GFCF diet works so well because it removes the sources of opiates. This is why you may initially see an increase in negative behavior and hyperactivity when removing wheat and dairy from the diet. They are going through withdrawal - aka "cleansing." This is also why the diet is so difficult to stick to because like all addicts, when the kid is not closely supervised, he or she is going to "drug-seek." Lock your cabinets and put a chain on the freezer door!

Many children, especially those who are further to the right on the continuum between autism and ADHD, will benefit significantly from the addition of digestive enzymes, which help to break down particular offending proteins (in most cases, gluten & casein). Others, who are facing more significant challenges, will need to be completely free of dietary sources of gluten and casein. For some, even a minute amount can be problematic and the negative effects can last for several weeks after a single dietary infraction. The only way to know where a child falls on the continuum is through thorough examination of the developmental history and by gathering objective data through laboratory testing.

Many older children, and especially those who are high-functioning, make the connection between how good they feel when they abstain from problematic foods and take digestive enzymes, versus how bad they feel when they don't. As a result, they are much more likely (at least in my house) to be the ones to say, "Mom, I need an enzyme!" Does that make me lazy? Okay. It also helps to keep me - and my kids - closer to the "sane" area on the continuum.

BALANCE is the key! Not rabid adherence to any particular diet just because that's what worked for someone else's child. In most children I have seen, once yeast is eradicated and constipation and/or diarrhea are under control, you can often re-introduce foods, especially if you are supplementing with enzymes to break them down. My kids have been taking enzymes with every meal and snack for the last few years, along with probiotics, CLO, and full-spectrum vitamin/mineral/amino acid supplements. As a result, they CAN eat cake and ice cream at parties. The only time we really have problems with dietary infractions is if we run out of enzymes! Then there was the time my husband bought a package of those frozen "cherry" slushy things - even enzymes couldn't handle that one. He has learned his lesson about red dye, believe me!

Being a mom (or dad) of a sick kid makes you nuts. Accept it and roll with it. You don't have to necessarily join the GFCF or SCD cult in order to be successful at motherhood (parenthood) - even if your kid happens to have autism. The best dietary advice (in my opinion and experience) is to stick to the outer aisles of the grocery store. Shun anything in a cardboard box. You may as well feed them the box; it has more nutrition and fewer preservatives and neurotoxins. Avoid cans as much as possible. Read labels. The more ingredients something has in it, the less you want it. If you can't pronounce it your body probably can't recognize it and won't know what to do with it. When your body can't figure out what to do with it, valuable energy is wasted trying to get rid of it and it gets lumped in with all the other toxins in the heap.

When you have a child with autism, "Diet" is about controlling that which is possible for us to control. "Perfection" and "Diet" only belong in the same sentence when you're talking about anorexia and bulimia. We're all too obsessive-compulsive already. Where do you think our kids got it from?

If your child does not respond to the more general dietary interventions, then you probably need to consider formal laboratory testing for food allergies (IgG – not IgE) and enlist the help of medical professionals to eliminate problematic foods while ensuring your child receives the proper nutritional supplementation for optimal wellness.

In the meantime, give yourself a break as a parent. Congratulate yourself for being proactive regarding your child’s healthcare! To celebrate, have a piece of fruit - just be sure to peel it if it's not organic.

Marci Terry

Is There Thimerosal In the Flu Vaccine?

Yesterday I spoke at a local private school, where I talked about Executive Dysfunction and the change in what is considered "normal" as our society moves along the continuum in response to changes in our environment.

After my presentation, there were a few educators present who had some questions regarding my work as a Defeat Autism Now! provider. One of those questions was regarding the flu vaccine and if there is thimerosal in it. The woman who asked the question reported to me that her daughter had asked her pediatrician about the safety of the flu vaccine because she was considering whether or not to give it to her child. The woman before me (the grandmother of said child) indicated that the pediatrician in question responded to the concerned mother, "Of course the flu vaccine is safe! There hasn't been thimerosal in vaccines for six years!"

This is an outright lie.

Thimerosal was taken out of the CHILDHOOD vaccine schedule in 2004. The huge numbers of vaccines that were already stockpiled in pediatricians' and family practice docs' offices were NOT discarded - this means that unless a parent SPECIFICALLY REQUESTED their child be given INDIVIDUAL DOSE vaccines without preservatives, YOU DON'T KNOW if the vaccines given during and after 2004 were thimerosal-free or not. (You can research the vaccines yourself if you obtain a copy of your child's shot records and look up the particular vaccinations your child received.)

Of HUGE concern at this time is that the CDC and Pharmaceutical companies who develop the vaccines are pushing for ALL children, including infants and those yet unborn, be vaccinated against the flu. (Recommendations include vaccinating pregnant women during the second trimester of gestation.) A news story yesterday announced that flu vaccines have been produced and are being distributed in record numbers this year in the attempt to vaccinate every man, woman, child, and infant in the U.S.
THE FLU VACCINE DOES CONTAIN THIMEROSAL.

For those nay-sayers who believe this is misinformation reported by some radical wacko with an agenda or crazy conspiracy theory, here is the link to the CDC article declaring that yes, the flu vaccine contains mercury. Please read this very carefully and with the same skepticism I would hope you apply to everything you read online (including this blog):
http://www.cdc.gov/FLU/ABOUT/QA/thimerosal.htm

Note that the CDC uses terminology indicating that even in the vaccines that are labeled "preservative-free" THIMEROSAL IS USED IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. The CDC states that the amount is so small and by the time the process is finished, it is untraceable. This is different from stating that IT IS NOT THERE. This is the same type of semantic trickery that has been played for years. Nothing has changed.

Please take the responsibility upon yourself as a parent to do your own research and find out the truth before you allow anyone to inject ANYTHING into your child. I don't know if the pediatrician mentioned above actually knows he is lying to the concerned parents of his young patients. If he does not realize this, it is his responsibility as a professional to research more closely the products he is declaring as safe. I encourage all parents reading this to ask your pediatrician about thimerosal in flu vaccines before having your child (or yourself) vaccinated. If your physician tells you there is no thimerosal in the vaccine, I suggest you find another physician. If he or she doesn't know about thimerosal, with all the media coverage on this issue, what is the likelihood that he or she researches any of the other drugs before writing out prescriptions?

Who is educating our doctors?
The pharmaceutical reps who peddle the prescriptions. The effectiveness of the sales pitch may be the determining factor as to which drugs a doctor prescribes. That's not about healing. That's about money.

As a Defeat Autism Now! provider, I am not taking the position (at this time) that you should not vaccinate your child at all. I am, however, suggesting that you become more proactive in the well-being of the children you have been blessed with and do not blindly follow advice just because the person dispensing it has the letters M.D. behind his or her name.

Posted below is a suggested schedule, for those who make the decision to vaccinate their children. This schedule includes the vaccinations that are protective against CHILDHOOD illnesses and is less likely to overwhelm their immune systems by greatly decreasing the number of antigens introduced into the body simultaneously. This allows the body to respond more appropriately to the invading antigen, and should decrease the likelihood of immune system confusion (which is related to auto-immune response).

Birth
Hepatitis B if mom is Hep. B Positive, otherwise wait
4 months
Hib, IPV
5 months
DTaP
6 months
Hib, IPV
7 months
DTaP
8 months
Hib
9 months
DTaP
15 months
Measles
17 months
Hib, IPV
18 months
DTaP
21 months
Rubella
24 months
Prevnar 1 dose
30 months
Mumps
4-5 years
Varicella (if not immune already)
4-5 years
Hepatitis B series
4-5 years
DTaP, IPV boosters
4-5 years
test titers for MMR and do not give unless not immune.

Please note that the above recommendations include not vaccinating a newborn against Hepatitis B unless the mother is positive. Hepatitis B is a sexually-transmitted disease. It is NOT typically a disease of childhood and should therefore NOT be given to all children as part of the CHILDHOOD vaccine schedule. Please also note that it is recommended that you NOT give a second round of vaccines for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella unless the child is not already immune. The reason the "Booster" vaccine was recommended in the first place is because 10% of children failed to establish immunity after the first vaccine. (I would argue this is a failure in the vaccine, rather than in the children themselves.) Rather than recommend testing for immunity to determine WHICH 10% of children actually NEEDED another dose of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella into their systems, the CDC recommended re-vaccinating ALL children, to be sure we catch the 10% still at risk. Ask yourself who benefits from that decision: Answer: The pharmaceutical industry and the companies who develop the vaccine.

Okay. Rant over for today.
Educate yourselves. We are humans - not sheep.

Marci

AUTISM IS TREATABLE

AUTISM IS TREATABLE

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “STANDARD MEDICAL PRACTICE” AND

THE BIOMEDICAL APPROACH

I think the major difference between the more traditional medical point of view and those of us who employ biomedical treatments for children with autism is hope, coupled with our acceptance of the belief that we do not know if a child can be helped until we learn more about that particular child.

There are clues in every developmental and family history that guide the most important decision for your child, and that is, “Where do we start?” Once we know where to start, the process is one of growth and learning. We learn what the next step is, based on your child’s response to diagnostic trials and results of laboratory tests. In the case of regressive autism, because the diagnosis does not usually happen overnight, it is unrealistic to expect that the child you recognized previously will magically reappear as a result of a single intervention. It often takes considerable time and numerous steps to reverse the process that has resulted in the child who is presented to us at the initial appointment.

“Follow those who seek the truth but flee from those who have found it.” This quote from Vaclav Havel was shared with the room full of clinicians at the DAN! Physician’s Intensive Training I attended in April of 2007. I think this quote resonated with me personally for many reasons, not the least of which is my own stubborn resistance to accepting the status quo just because someone tells me to. (If my mother were still living she would readily attest to this aspect of my personality, which has been part of my makeup since early childhood.)

With regard to the diagnosis of autism, what this statement means to me is that if an “expert” tells you there is nothing that can be done for your child, before anything is even tried, you need to question where the “expert” came up with this information. In my opinion and experience, just because something has always been accepted as true does not necessarily mean it is true. Certain previously accepted “truths” come to mind, including those who “knew” the world was flat.

Within the world of medicine, for most of the 20th century it was “known” that ulcers were caused by stress and a hectic executive lifestyle. The medical mantra was, “No acid, No Ulcer.” In 1982, Australian gastroenterologist Barry Marshall, M.D., and pathologist Robin Warren, M.D., refuted the accepted “truth” when they showed that gastritis and ulcers were the result of a bacterial infection (Helicobacter pylori). The idea that a bacterial infection could be responsible for ulcers was heretical!

“Truth” changes very slowly; in the case of ulcers, it took 13 years before antibiotic treatment was accepted by the medical community as standard treatment for H. Pylori induced ulcers, something that was finally accomplished in 1995. (Drs. Marshall and Warren were awarded the Nobel Prize in 2005 for their discovery). I wonder how many people suffered needlessly from the pain caused by bacterial infection and inflammation during those 13 years while waiting for mainstream medicine to catch up to the science.

The “truth” about autism, according to mainstream medicine has been “There is no treatment.” I cannot tell you how many times I have seen the pain on the faces of parents as they relate their memories of how they received their child’s diagnosis. I have witnessed the tears falling down parents’ faces as they recall being told in the same breath, “Your child has autism. There is no treatment. I suggest you start thinking about institutionalizing him.” This “truth” is most often spoken by “experts” who have evaluated the child using standardized psychometric tests and questionnaires that were developed to measure intelligence, educational achievement, behavior, social skills, and developmental motor and speech milestones. All of these observations and impressions are important and they tell us a lot about how the child is functioning (or not) in his or her current environment and in response to particular situations. They do NOT, however, tell us ANYTHING about WHY the child is behaving in a particular way, or WHY the child is not growing properly, or WHY the child is not learning on par with his or her same-aged peers.

Dr. Sidney McDonald Baker has developed what he calls “The First Tacks Law,” which states, “If you are sitting on a tack it takes a lot of Risperdal to make it feel good. The appropriate treatment for tack sitting is tack removal.” Translation: If a child is in pain (due to bacterial infection, gastro-intestinal inflammation, or other systemic physical problems caused by exposure to toxins or from food allergies), the child may show a response to medication prescribed to decrease the behaviors, but that medication is not going to address the underlying issues, which will continue to get worse and require more and more medication to suppress the resulting symptomatic behaviors. Going back to the history of ulcers, stress, and H. Pylori bacteria, an analogous statement might be, “If you have an active bacterial infection in your gut, it takes a lot of antacids and pain medication to make it feel good.” It seems to me that a more appropriate way of addressing the pain is to do the laboratory tests that are most likely to determine WHY you have pain in your gut so we can figure out if there IS something that can be done about it. In the case of the ulcer, H. Pylori is the tack and antibiotic treatment is what is necessary to remove it.

Dr. Sid Baker has also developed what he calls “The Second Tacks Law,” which states, “If you are sitting on two tacks, removing one does not produce a fifty-percent improvement. Chronic illness is, or becomes, multi-factorial.”

Let’s talk again about our hypothetical adult with the ulcer. Let’s imagine that prior to developing his ulcer he was a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist whose life’s work was devoted to discovering a cure for cancer (or autism, or figuring out how to solve global warming, etc.) During the 13 years he was waiting for mainstream medicine to change the “standard of care” for his bacteria-related stomach inflammation, he was being “treated” with pain medications and antacids. He became addicted to opiates and developed chronic constipation and memory problems. As his overall health continued to deteriorate he decreased his social contacts and became basically house-bound; a shell of his former self. The antacids, which are high in aluminum, further contributed to his social and cognitive difficulties (he had trouble thinking straight) and his family members have now become concerned that he may have early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. An additional complication is that because his stomach hurts so much of the time, he has severely limited his diet and is only eating a small number of foods, which are poorly absorbed, resulting in significant nutritional deficiencies and a weakened immune system. He feels so bad most of the time that he lashes out verbally (and at times physically) at his wife and children, who have become convinced that he is suffering from not only Alzheimer’s disease, but depression and possibly a host of other psychiatric problems. When he is finally seen by a psychiatrist or psychologist, he is evaluated on the basis of his behavior and current cognitive functioning, and guess what? He may need to be institutionalized. What are the chances that anyone who “treats” this gentleman will understand the role his ulcer played in the process that led to his ultimate regression into the childlike state of dementia and accompanying social withdrawal and problematic behaviors?

The hypothetical story of the adult whose entire life course was changed as a result of his untreated ulcer is presented to give an idea of how we look at the treatment of autism from a biomedical perspective. If the gentleman in the story had received the appropriate treatment for his bacterial infection in the first place, the ensuing “train wreck” may have been avoided. Think about what could have been different for this man and his family. Think about how his life may have made a difference in his community and beyond. Now think about the fact that according to CDC reports (2007), 1 in 150 children in the United States meets the diagnostic criteria for autism. The cost of raising one child with autism is estimated to be in the range of $3 million over the lifespan. Much of the burden is borne by families with additional costs to society in general. Given what’s at stake, I cannot simply accept the “standard medical truth” that there is nothing that can be done. We owe it to our children and to our nation to do our very best to uncover the biological bases for the outward manifestations that lead to the diagnosis of autism. The only way to do that is on an individual basis, learning from one child at a time. Each child is different and there is no one-size-fits-all treatment for “Autism.” When we think about where to start, we have to learn as much as possible about the child in question: Your child.

Before I see your child for the first time, I will ask you to answer a LOT of questions. I want to know about the pregnancy. I want to know about your previous pregnancies and miscarriages. I want to know your blood type and if you have the Rh-factor. I want to know if you had the flu or took antibiotics during the pregnancy. Did you have dental work done? Did you crave particular foods, or crushed ice? Were you nauseous in the first three months, or did you throw-up every day from conception to delivery? I want to know about your family, particularly with regard to family medical history and previous history of exposures to environmental toxins. Did you grow up on a farm? Did your father own a gas station? Did you have recurrent bouts of strep or bronchitis as a child? Is there a high prevalence of thyroid disease, bipolar disorder, anxiety, or diabetes in your family? All of these questions are my way of fishing for clues about where to start when looking for the underlying issues that may need to be addressed with YOUR PARTICULAR CHILD.

I will ask you to tell me about your child – not just his or her current behavior and functioning, but EVERYTHING you can tell me about your child. I want to know if your child had reactions to vaccinations, and if so, what kind of reactions and to which vaccines. (NOTE: thimerosal (ethyl-mercury) is not the only issue with vaccines, and vaccines are not the only issue in autism. The information about vaccinations is important as ONE component of a VERY thorough investigation of your child’s lifetime experiences and medical history.)

I want to know if you notice behavior changes or if your child tends to get sick at certain times of the year. I will ask you to tell me about your child’s diet and what foods he or she tends to crave. Did he or she have problems with milk as an infant? Was soy formula used? Did he or she have trouble with constipation and/or diarrhea? Are those problems ongoing? I’ll also ask about things that you may think are totally unrelated – things like your child’s fingernails, number of cowlicks, and if he or she has little white bumps on the upper arms and legs. Again, these are all clues about where to look for further information through targeted laboratory tests for nutritional deficiencies and imbalances, which are often an essential component of biomedical treatment for Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, ADHD, and Pervasive Developmental Delay (PDD).

With regard to the environment, I will ask where you live now and where you lived prior to the conception of the child. The age and composition of your home is important information as certain types of homes are more likely to be sources of toxin exposure than others. For example, a child who lives in an older home may need to be checked for lead exposure and a child who lives in a home with a basement that floods may be exposed to toxins from mold. Children who spend a lot of time in wooded areas may need to be checked for Lyme Disease or other tick-borne diseases. Other sensitivities to environmental toxins include exposures from parental occupations (uniforms being washed with children’s clothing, residue tracked in onto carpets, etc.), or geographic proximity to certain businesses and industrial sources of pollution (power plants, plastics, and by-products from manufacturing).

As you can probably tell, I like to be thorough. My greatest concern is not whether you will tire of answering questions; it’s whether I will miss something important because I failed to ask.

It may seem that there are so many possible factors involved here that we will never be able to determine a particular treatment for your child. Remember, the most important first question is, “Where do we start?”

While the overall number of possible factors to consider is vast, there are several issues that tend to be common among children with autism, regardless of the particular triggers involved. Among these commonalities, Gut Dysfunction (gastrointestinal problems or problems related to eating and pooping) are probably the most significant. The great majority of children diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder have significant histories of diarrhea, constipation, or other “poop-related” anomalies such as grainy stools, undigested food in stools, extremely stinky stools, floaters, or a combination of some or all of the above.

Another common finding in the histories of children with ASDs is previous administration of multiple rounds of antibiotics (and steroids), which are prescribed to treat their frequent bacterial infections (ears, strep, bronchitis, tonsillitis, pneumonia, etc.). In children with a history of antibiotic treatment we frequently find clues suggesting we should check for Yeast Overgrowth (candidiasis) that may need to be addressed with antifungal medications. Some indications that yeast may be an issue include: frequent rashes, peeling feet, ridged, discolored nails, inflamed cheeks, red ring around the anus, and history of thrush, ringworm, and cradle cap.

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders frequently exhibit physical symptoms indicating Immune System Dysregulation, including eczema, allergic rhinitis, asthma, warts, viral skin infections, herpes, chicken pox, (and as noted previously) strep, bronchitis, tonsillitis, and recurrent ear infections. However, the opposite may also be true, where the child with autism seems to “never get sick.” Researchers are finding that in some cases, the child does not respond to viral or bacterial invaders appropriately because of underlying immune system dysfunction. Parental response to questions about the child’s health and medical history provides us with clues as to which laboratory tests may provide further information about what’s going on inside the child’s body.

In addition to common findings in the child’s medical history, there are a number of common Nutritional Deficiencies that are often present in children with ASDs. Among the most common are deficiencies in zinc, magnesium, essential fatty acids, and B-vitamins. It is important to note that when you think about treating a child (or adult) with chronic medical conditions, you need to be careful about vitamin therapy. This is why we use specific laboratory tests to gather the hard data before recommending high doses of a handful of supplements. Each vitamin, nutrient, mineral, amino acid, enzyme, and co-factor has a particular set of purposes it serves within the body and they are all inter-related. If one is not careful with supplementation, it is easy to induce a deficiency where one may not have previously existed. Given the complexity of issues involved in these children, it is my opinion that supplementation should be based on clinical impressions and in many cases, based on the results of laboratory analysis of the individual child. This is one example of the rationale behind the statement that There is no single Biomedical or DAN! Protocol for the treatment of autism (or any other neurodevelopmental disorder). The treatment is guided by the child and the information the practitioner learns from the child, the parents, and the data from labs.

The kinds of Laboratory Tests we order will depend on the information gathered from investigation into the child’s history and from the family history. That said, there are some labs that are almost always warranted, and these include urinalysis, CBC, liver and kidney function tests, tests to measure thyroid function, and assessment of minerals (iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium). We will also often want to check levels of B-12 and Vitamin A (retinol) and to assess viral titers and look for markers of autoimmunity and inflammation.

Some of the most common findings from laboratory analysis include mineral imbalances (high copper, low zinc, magnesium, calcium, and iron), deficiencies of Vitamins A and B-12, and increased markers for inflammation.

In addition to the more traditional labs, we will frequently order laboratory tests that are less commonly employed by “mainstream medicine” but which are very helpful in determining what’s going on inside the body, from a cellular perspective. These “Functional Medicine” tests include Urine Metabolic Analysis/Organic Acids, Comprehensive Digestive Stool Analysis, IgG Food Antibodies including antigliadin antibodies, Neopterin (Urine Immune Marker), and Porphyrin (Urine physiologic burden of metals).

Additional laboratory analysis very often includes tests to evaluate for Heavy Metal Exposure (urine, hair, & fecal tests), elemental nutrient analysis, plasma amino acids and fatty acids, and genetic testing.

With all of this information, the next important question involves Treatment and “Where do we begin?” The basis of the treatment plan is the foundation. In building the foundation we talk about “The Three R’s” – Remove, Replenish, & Repair.

Remove what?
Think back to Dr. Baker’s “First Tacks Law,” which can be restated with the following question, “Is there something within this child or to which this child is being exposed, that if removed, would result in improvement in functioning?”

When you have a child with chronic illness and ongoing environmental exposure to multiple toxins from air, water, preservatives, dyes, and other sources, it is important to get rid of as many sources of exposure as possible. I ask parents to consider, “What is it that you have control of?”

Dietary Changes are often one of the most important first steps to improving a child’s overall physical status. We begin by “cleaning up the diet” – removing sugars, junk foods, preservatives and dyes. By the way, there is no such thing as “junk food” – it’s either junk or it’s food. When I talk to parents about cleaning up the diet, I ask them to remember a couple of basic things. First, when you go to the grocery store, stick to the outer aisles. Stay away from things in cans and boxes. Second, read labels: The fewer ingredients something has, the easier it is for the body to break down and utilize (generally). Third, if you can’t pronounce it, don’t put it in your body (or in your child’s body).

While we are removing things, we want to think about environmental exposures and ongoing sources of toxic exposure. If you are investing all this time, money, effort, and emotional resources, you want to simultaneously eliminate toxins from the environment wherever possible. This might mean installing water and air filters, or it might mean tearing up carpet and ripping out moldy building materials in the basement. Again, the steps you take will be based on your own situation and information about your child.

In addition to these measures we often must remove specific foods from the child’s diet, in order to address food allergies, and in many cases to help promote healing of the gastrointestinal tract (regardless of allergy status). That does not always mean that the child has to be on such a strict diet forever! However, there are particular proteins that tend to be most problematic for children on the spectrum and these will need to be avoided, at least during the initial phase of treatment.

The second of the Three R’s is “Replenish.” This issue can be assessed by asking the question, “Is there something this child is missing, that if provided, would result in an improvement in function?” The answer to this question often comes from the results of laboratory testing. The most frequent recommendations involve supplementation with probiotics (to replace the “good” bacteria in the GI tract), digestive enzymes (to help break down certain foods and assist in supplying essential nutrients), supplemental nutrients (vitamins and minerals) and essential fatty acids.

The last of the Three R’s is “Repair.” This aspect of treatment is also based largely on the results of laboratory testing. Depending on the data gathered for a particular child, the reparation process may involve the administration of antimicrobials, antifungals, antivirals, antibacterials, Immunotherapy, and detoxification (naturally or with prescription medications).

As you can probably see, there are many different questions to be addressed in the Biomedical Treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorders and other neurodevelopmental disorders. I hope this information is helpful to you as you determine the appropriate course of action for your individual child. If nothing else, my fervent prayer is that after reading this article, you will at the very least begin to question the wisdom of accepting the standard medical “truth” about Autism. Don’t believe it. Autism IS TREATABLE. Recovery is POSSIBLE and it is happening every day. The most important first step for you is to choose whether or not to find out if it is possible for YOUR CHILD. I hope this article assists you in making that decision.

Marcella Piper-Terry, M.S.

Environmental Toxins and Autism in Indiana

Here we go again. Today is the third day in a row that the Evansville and Southwestern Indiana are are under Ozone and Particulate Matter alerts. Our air is unsafe for sensitive populations including children, senior citizens, those with asthma, and other health conditions.

I just finished responding to an article in today's Courier & Press Newspaper, regarding the surplus in Indiana's budget as a result of Governor Mitch Daniel's fiscal policies. http://tinyurl.com/5l6r4j

Another article in today's paper indicates that Governor Daniels has slated that a considerable amount of money from the surplus will be available to the educational system for their "rainy day fund." http://tinyurl.com/5swvwz

As far as autism is concerned, it's raining.

Governor Daniels, in his push to move Indiana's bank account to the black, has accomplished many things, including pushing for the establishment of more coal-burning power plants and more industry to exploit our natural coal reserves, comparing Indiana to the Middle East and its oil fields.

Unfortunately, the increase in pollution resulting from these actions is likely to not only negate any positive financial gains, but has to potential to impact the entire United States (and beyond) as Indiana's crops (wheat, corn, soy, milk, and eggs) are polluted with environmental toxins as a result of increased mercury, lead, antimony, cadmium, and bismuth from the power-plants.

This is nothing new. What follows is the text of a post from last year, on this same blog:

To Whom it may concern:

I moved to Indiana four years ago from Washington D.C. I have worked for ten years as an educational consultant and advocate and conduct neuropsychological evaluations of adults and children - something I did in D.C. for three years prior to moving here. The children in Indiana are different from the children in D.C. or those I evaluated in Mississippi and Alabama years ago. When there are differences among peer-groups from one geographic location to another, we need to look at environmental influences as a contributing factor.

I was born in California. I have lived in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, and Washington D.C. I looked forward to moving to Indiana, especially after living through 9/11 and the Sniper incidents. I expected the midwest to be clean and quiet. It is quiet, but it is not clean. The air here is the worst I have ever seen at the surface level (the air be breathe). The incidence of asthma, emphysema, allergies, and cancer is staggering. During the first several months following my relocation, I worked as a school psychologist for the EVSC - Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation - doing evaluations of children with developmental disabilities. I was heart-sick at the number and severity of problems in the children here. These are the sickest children I have ever seen.

With the recent increase in suicides, everyone is scratching their heads and asking themselves, "How can this be happening?" "What's going on in the mental and emotional lives of these people?"This is not a "mental health" problem, it is a HEALTH problem! What is the common factor? We all breathe the same poisoned air.

Indiana's state government entices big business to locate here so the economy can "boom" and people will have more money in their pockets when they die. The counties of southwestern Indiana (Vanderburgh, Warrick, Spencer, Pike, and Posey) are targets for big business and big polluters. In 2004, Alcoa and Sigeco (both in counties neighboring Vanderburgh) were listed in the top five nation-wide for the amount of toxins (sulfur-dioxide, nitrogen-dioxide, lead, mercury, tin, aluminum, cadmium, and arsenic, etc.) spewed into the air. Things have not changed for the better since 2004.

I recently spent the day visiting the EPA website and looking at the data from the latest Toxic Release Information (TRI, 2005). Looking at the information for Warrick County (Alcoa, Sigeco, and VIGO Coal), one can see that the amount of toxins going into our air is rising, not declining. Of particular concern are levels of barium, lead, manganese, mercury, and vanadium.

The following information is from: EPA TRI Explorer Report (COFA)

Releases: Facility Report

ALCOA INC WARRICK OPERATIONS, NEWBURGH
BARIUM COMPOUNDS 374,487 (pounds)
LEAD COMPOUNDS 84,770
MANGANESE COMPOUNDS 137,868
MERCURY COMPOUNDS 438
VANADIUM COMPOUNDS 242,754

SIGECO GENERATING STATION, NEWBURGH
BARIUM COMPOUNDS 241,245 (pounds)
LEAD COMPOUNDS 52,708
MANGANESE COMPOUNDS 172,820
MERCURY COMPOUNDS 205
VANADIUM COMPOUNDS 331,500

VIGO COAL OPERATING CO, BOONVILLE
BARIUM COMPOUNDS 329,005 (pounds)
LEAD COMPOUNDS 58,187
MANGANESE COMPOUNDS 274,255
MERCURY COMPOUNDS 429
VANADIUM COMPOUNDS 493,005

There are many other toxins of concern, including high levels of copper, nickel, bismuth, and cadmium. However, for the question regarding the increase in suicides, I believe these are especially relevant. I have provided information regarding the physiological effects of these compounds, as well as symptoms of toxicity.

The following information is taken from the Toxic and Nutrient Elements Chart (Genova Diagnostics):

Barium 944,737 pounds released into air, water, soil, by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo Coal in 2005: Displaces potassium and increases stress hormone (catecholamines). High levels may trigger ventricular fibrillation, broncho-constriction, and brain swelling.

Symptoms of toxicity: Difficulties in breathing, increased blood pressure, changes in heart rhythm, stomach irritation, brain swelling, muscle tingling/weakness. May damage heart, liver, kidneys and spleen.

Lead 195,665 pounds released into air, water, ground by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo in 2005: Lead binds to hemoglobin, deposits in bone, aorta, kidney tubules, brain, adrenal, thyroid, liver. Inhibits heme synthesis, may depress mitochondrial respiratory chain. ATP-ases also affected.

Symptoms of toxicity: Microcytic anemia, glycosuria, cognitive dysfunction, anorexia, metallic taste, insomnia, reticulocytosis. Target organs include the brain, bone, blood, kidneys, and thyroid gland.

Mercury 1072 pounds released into air, water, soil by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo in 2005: The organic form is readily absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract (90-100%); lesser but still significant amounts of inorganic mercury are absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract (7-15%). Organic mercury has a half-life of 2 months & binds to enzymes, proteins, and glutathione. MAO, catalase, P-450, and mitochondrial functions are affected. Accumulates also in the liver and kidneys.

Symptoms of toxicity: Headache, fine tremor, increased salivation, excitability, hypertension, skin rash, poor mental concentration, metallic taste. Target organs are the brain and kidneys.

Manganese 484,943 pounds released into air, water, soil by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo Coal in 2005: Key in mitochondrial superoxide dismutase. cAMP and intracellular calcium levels are modified with manganese. Deficiency results in abnormal arginase and Krebs cycle conversion of pyruvate to oxaloacetate. Also crucial for bone and connective tissue.

Symptoms of toxicity: (Rare), by inhalation or mining activities. Poor bone/connective tissue growth. Impaired glucose tolerance and lipid metabolism, skin dryness, hair changes, allergies, behavioral problems.

Vanadium 1,067,259 pounds released into air, water, & soil by Alcoa, Sigeco, & Vigo Coal in 2005: Quite active in physiologic systems, with three main types of actions. Competes with phosphate and other metals for binding sites on proteins. Shows insulin-like effects and increases cAMP formation thus accounting for its enhancement of cellular phosphorylation. Studies show high levels associated with bipolar disorder in some cases.

Symptoms of toxicity: Toxicity at high levels is reported and can occur via inhaled vapors as products of combustion. Symptoms can include; arthritis, aching bones, jaw, teeth, tonsils, ears, weakened immune system, chronic colds, gastrointestinal problems, trabecular bone loss, green tongue coloration.

Obviously there are multiple factors involved in the breakdown of our health system (mental and physical). The shortage of inpatient psychiatric beds has received a lot of press recently. I agree, there is a pressing need for more psychiatrists and more facilities, both inpatient and outpatient. However, unless we start looking at the causes of the increase in mental and physical illness, we are likely to find ourselves in an endless cycle of adding more facilities and more beds with the outcome being the same: It will never be enough.

Marci