High Functioning? Then Shut Up!

That's the message sent loud and clear by nearly every autism organization (in the media spotlight: TACA, Autism Speaks, et al.) these days. They don't care what you were like as a child, what your struggles were, or the issues you face now. If you are able to speak to reporters or blog or live independently or hold down a job, they don't need you. Rather, they'd prefer you just shut up and go away.

Oh, but wait...but they do need you. Sometimes, at least.

A lot of the comments from the ABC piece were, as expected, the same regurgitated message we hear lately. The idea that those with Asperger's (or that are "high/er functioning" as they put it) can't possibly be on the same journey as those with classic autism. Don't listen to them. That's not the autism my child has! Those people have no right to speak for the autism community! And yet, it's amazing who they do want to represent the "autism moms" of the world. It's also interesting to see how these people determine what "high functioning" is and what it isn't. It's also curious to learn their criteria, if they have any, for "Autism Recovery."

This group (typically the anti-vaccine and pro-cure folks) presumes that an individual living with Asperger's has not faced any struggles. That they don't have sensory issues, meltdowns, social or communication issues. Basically, in their eyes, they have no business being on the autism spectrum (hello?!). They apparently have never been bullied, don't have problems at school, have no trouble living independently, and all can easily find jobs. Anyone who knows an Aspie or someone who is (as others would classify as being) "higher functioning," can attest, this is not the case. Not to mention, the now-Aspie adults who were previously diagnosed with classic autism as a child. Unless those individuals can be used to further sell their "cures" and you agree to be exploited, labeled "recovered," they don't want to hear from you.

They treat us parents who find joy in our autistic children in the same manner. We are crazy, foolish, and even sometimes seen as harming our children. Really--harming them by not injecting them and not forcing supplements down their throats. Harming them by not subjecting our children to needless and harmful chelation and a myriad of other "treatments." Harming our kids by letting them know we respect and love them? We parents who are not suffering, we are a major inconvenience for these organizations. The parents and autistics who believe in and promote neurodiversity, are even described as being "radical."

Neurodiversity is about real civil (and human) rights. People all along the spectrum are being abused, discriminated against, and are not given equal protection. Many have to fight (and sometimes lose) in order to get the right to an education, to work, and even to participate in our culture--and that is the entire spectrum.

It's interesting to me--those who are seeking a cure (and are disgusted by acceptance or "neurodiversity"), are very quick to use the "1 in 150" stats, and employ them to make a case that there is indeed an "autism epidemic." Yet, they continually discredit adult autistics. When autistics speak, they are the first people to dispute what is being said.

The "1 in 150" includes the entire spectrum. You can't pick and choose how you interpret that number (the one that points to an "epidemic"). You can't use a certain subset of autistics only when they, as a number or statistic, suit your needs.



I had drafted this last week just following the Neurodiversity segment on TV. I read Joy of Autism last night, where this myth along with others are brought to our attention:

4. Biomed autism advocates like Jenny McCarthy's TACA group need and use "higher-functioning" autistic people in their statistics to try to prove there is an "epidemic" on the one hand, while stating on the other that they are not "severe" enough to speak for autistic people.

These myths really need to be addressed by all of us, and especially by groups like TACA, Autism Speaks, and so forth.

If you read nothing else today...

It should be this! Kev (LeftBrain/RightBrain) continues to do an outstanding job reporting on the Autism Omnibus hearings. Specifically today on Elizabeth Mumper's (medical director for DAN/ARI and founder of the Rimland Centre) testimony.

Some highlights: If you are testifying & referencing a study for a statistic (to support your beliefs), make sure those statistics are actually in the study! How accurate is the Porphyrin test (especially with regard to results in both autistic and non-autistic children), and does it detect mercury in the brain? Do not miss this!

Something interesting I came across was this: Dr. Mumper states she has never treated a child for mercury poisoning. Which, is somewhat startling to me, seeing as she is a DAN! doctor. I came across a few things that made her statement all the more puzzling. Here, from a vaccinetruth.org:

Chelation Use in Autism Spectrum Disorders

The role of heavy metals such as mercury in autism has been heavily debated, and many parents are turning to chelation as a potential treatment. Dr. Elizabeth Mumper presented her findings from treating children at the Advocates for Children Pediatric Clinic in Virginia.

She reports that she has treated 280 children with autism who showed altered metabolism of porphyrins in blood and urine. She uses this disruption in porphyrin levels as an indirect marker for heavy metal exposure, and in addition noted that these patients show a disruption in the methionine synthase pathway, also measured in urine and blood. In addition to chelation therapy, children receive vitamin supplementation to compensate for possible loss of essential metals lost during succimer treatment.

Although no statistical analyses were conducted on the effectiveness of chelation therapy in children with autism, Dr. Mumper has cited positive responses from parents who report an improvement of symptoms following oral succimer chelation therapy as part of the DAN! protocol.

And then here, on the DAN/ARI website, scroll down to the box at the bottom and read the "Treatment Options for Mercury/Metal Toxicity in Autism and Related Developmental Disabilities: Consensus Position Paper." You will see that Dr. Mumper was one of the signed physicians on this paper.

So, let's see--it would appear she believes in Mercury/Metal Toxicity, has treated 280 children who she claims had markers for "heavy metal exposure," and that these children's parents have "cited positive responses" from her treatment. I'm curious if all of those parents realize that Dr. Mumper was treating their child for a "diagnosis" (heavy metal exposure) based on a test that she now states does not provide any evidence that mercury is in the brain.

I also wonder if all of those 280 sets of parents (or the many more that have been "treated" since) believed their children were not being treated for mercury poisoning. This idea, of mercury poisoning, is plastered throughout the DAN/ARI and Generation Rescue websites. In fact, many of the parents and activists affiliated with DAN, Generation Rescue, et al refer to autism as "mercury poisoning."

Questions for David Kirby

I read this quote on Left Brain Right Brain, it is from David Kirby's blog on the Huffington Post. I have a few questions for Mr. Kirby. Here is the quote:

"But I have personally identified at least a dozen (and there are reports of many more) children with cases in the court who meet the exact same medical criteria as Hannah, and whose cases will almost surely be compensated as well—each time with the attendant media fanfare."

I'm curious, how did he go about "personally identifying" these "dozen" children? Can Mr. Kirby offer any documentation of these children? Are parents whose court cases are pending in vaccine court consulting with him? Exactly what criteria is Mr. Kirby using, and what records does he have access to in order to "identify" these children?

Lastly, and most interesting to me, are the children that "meet the exact same medical criteria as Hannah." I am assuming these children have had muscle biopsies and diagnoses of mitochondrial disease, exactly like Hannah. Otherwise, they could not be categorized as having the "exact same medical criteria" as Hannah. So, I would be curious to know--have these children undergone mitochondrial and genetic testing? What were those results? How did Mr. Kirby gain access to those medical records?

More Mito Docs Speak...

Finally. More mito docs are coming out of the woodwork (please read Mitochondra and vaccines - the science), and speaking out about the Poling case (even those directly involved in it). And, let me back that up by saying these physicians are highly-respected, very intelligent, experts in their fields. They spend their days and nights caring for patients with mitochondrial disease or evaluating people for possible mito abnormalities, performing studies, reading other physician's reports, and researching, researching, researching. These doctors eat, sleep, and breathe mito.

Why any parent would prefer to try and gain understanding of the complexities of mitochondrial disease (something which is a difficult task for most pediatricians and other docs to do even) from a P.R. guy, or a lawyer, or anyone other than the mito experts is beyond me. If your child has a broken bone, would you take medical advice from your stock broker? Now, your stock broker is probably very intelligent, nicely groomed, and well-spoken, but again, wouldn't you rather ask his opinion on the markets than medicine? So, why are so many parents listening to David Kirby and others like it's the gospel?

Make an appointment with Dr. John Shoffner, or Dr. Salvatore DiMauro, or Bruce Cohen, to name a couple. Let them explain the ins and outs of mitochondrial disease. Ask them if vaccines cause it. Ask them what they think of the outcries from those on the anti-vax side. Then, and only then, can real discussion on this topic begin. When you have THE experts on mitochondrial disease, saying that vaccines didn't cause mitochondrial defects in Hannah Poling, what is there to question?

I suppose the anti-vax brigade will claim that "well, they are doctors on the CDC's payroll" or some such nonsense. Take your head out of your asinine conspiracy theory for just a moment. If the running idea is that all these docs are corrupt, out to make a buck, and covert agents for the government--wouldn't they be the ones saying, "yes, kids with autism probably all have mito disease, come get tested by me."

Talk about rolling in the dough. To get a good and thorough evaluation of mitochondrial diseases and other genetic abnormalities, you are easily looking at $20,000 - 40,000. That is PER patient. If every child involved in the omnibus gets such thorough evaluations, these doctors will be millionaires in no time. So, why would these doctors state that vaccines don't cause mitochondrial disease, and therefore, vaccines do not cause the autism (or autistic features) that can sometimes occur along with mitochondrial disease?

They aren't doling out shots in their clinics, so they're not getting paid by Big-Bad-Pharma to be spokespeople for the vaccines. Why would they "cover up" a link between mito and vaccines? For no reason, that's why. There is no link. These physicians have high ethical standards, and if it was found that vaccines indeed caused mitochondrial disease, they would be the first to say it. They are striving to find a cure for mitochondrial disease. There is no reason for them to deny a possible cause to a disease they are fighting to get rid of.



**Hats off to Kristina & Kevin for their coverage on this ever-developing story!

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due...

I can't believe I'd ever be applauding an act by either of these two gentlemen, but alas, here I am. David Kirby and Dan Olmsted don't agree with Kathleen Seidel's subpoena, and apparently have even urged Mr. Shoemaker to drop it. The two clearly support Ms. Seidel's First Amendment Rights, and I applaud them for coming forward and speaking out. You can read their entire reply on Respectful Insolence, following Orac's Open Letter to David Kirby and Dan Olmsted.

Left Brain/Right Brain and Natural Variation have posts on this as well.

What Is Autism Awareness?

I wonder this, seeing as we are now about a week into "Autism Awareness Month," and a couple of days following "World Autism Day." How will such awareness affect my child, and other autistic children and adults throughout the world? Will new support services, better educational and vocational programs, beneficial extracurricular activities or anything else of real benefit come to this population of individuals? Will a day of special programming on CNN, fund-raisers at Toys R Us, etc. truly educate the public and make others "aware" of autism (and more importantly of autistic adults and their needs)? Will other parents be more understanding when my child has a meltdown in the grocery store? Will children be more likely to engage with their autistic peer? Will anyone gain anything from all this supposed awareness?

AutismVox has a wonderful post entitled, "Vaccine Awareness from David Kirby," in which Dr. Kristina Chew ends with this:

If we’re going to be “aware” of autism, it’s not vaccines that should be focused on, but on autistic children and autistic adults themselves and their needs, and how we can best teach, help, and understand them.

I couldn't agree more.

In Kirby's piece, he speaks out against the CDC, as well as pediatricians in general. Blaming your physician for giving your child vaccines is like blaming the McDonald's cashier for your being overweight. You have the right to educate yourself on the fat content in a Big Mac, just as you have the free right to investigate vaccines. You can easily opt to not go to the drive-thru, just as you have the right to discuss your concerns over vaccines with your physician. You have the right to opt for your own "vaccine schedule." If your child's doctor disagrees, or will not support your preference, simply switch doctors. I've had to switch doctors once for my daughter. Her first G.I. doctor was just not clicking with us, I felt like he wasn't hearing us out and preferred a lot of invasive testing over more obvious issues. So, we switched, and found a fabulous stomach doc for my daughter. It was my right.

Our pediatrician is nothing like those that Kirby says have emailed him, irate over having to take more time to discuss vaccines with their parents. I remember very clearly, my daughter's 18 month well-visit. At that point, my daughter had been diagnosed as "developmentally delayed" for a year, she had been in therapy for nearly that long as well. By 18 months, she had several diagnoses, both neurological and physical, as well as the description of "autistic features." I had read tons of information on autism by that point.

Once the exam was done, we had our questions and concerns discussion with our doctor. Then, came shot time. My physician presented me with a choice, "Do you want to go ahead and have her receive the MMR shot today? I'm going to give you a choice, given all that is going on. I feel she should receive it, but it is up to you." I told her I had read about shots, autism, etc. and felt that for my child, receiving measles would be a real risk. Maybe I am a rare case, and just lucky to have a fabulous doctor. There's a reason why we drive nearly 40 minutes for her. The bottom line is that we do have the option of picking new doctors, of driving distances to find people we trust to care for our children.

There are plenty of physicians who do not bully their patients' parents into getting vaccines. And, ultimately, it is our responsibility as a parent to do what we feel is best for our children. And, how we come to that position, of what we feel is right for our kids, should come from factual, scientific evidence. We shouldn't be basing our decision on vaccinating our children on a journalist's or actor's point of view.

The Worst of CNN's Coverage...

Plenty to choose from, here is what I jotted down today, bits and pieces that made me cringe (or at times, laugh even):

• Lou Dobbs referring to autism as a "rapidly advancing and spreading disease." Was he confused, perhaps he thought it was the eighties and the topic was A.I.D.S.? Autism isn't spread, Mr. Dobbs, it is not contagious.

• On their commercial for today's programming, that families (with autistic children) wonder if friends will ever think we are normal. I've never worried if anyone thought I was normal, and surely these days, I don't have much time to be concerned with what people are thinking about me.

• That autism "tears families apart" from Larry King's intro.

• Autism referred to as a "dreadful disease" by Larry King

• "This debate is over. Vaccines can trigger autism." David Kirby says he's confirmed it, so it MUST be true.

• "The tide has come in." From Jenny, claiming the CDC is "softening" and realizing that vaccines do cause autism. Can we say reaching?

• Viruses & environmental triggers cause autism, with vaccines most to blame, according to Jenny. Um, so no genetic cases? I'm scratching my head, trying to figure this one out. She essentially denied any genetic instances of autism occurring. I'd love to send her my child's medical records, and perhaps she can tell me what trigger "gave" my child autism.
  

• Jenny suggests immune tests. Test infants for immune system issues? Would most of these actually show up at birth? Would any of this actually do anything to prevent autism?
  

• Jim Carrey adding anything to this discussion.

• Jenny bringing up the Amish. Perhaps she should look here, here or here, and realize that autism is in the Amish community, or here where a genetic link has been found, in the Amish community. This disorder features seizures followed by regression, with onset at 14-16 months. Oh, wait, it sounds like Jenny is trying to say that autism is never genetic. So perhaps these Amish children, and my child don't have autism?

• Jenny raising her voice, cursing at, and interrupting two respected physicians.

• Dr. Jay Gordon insisting that the vaccines "disordered" Hanna Poling's mitochondria. Funny that I don't recall the government ever stating that, nor is is there any proven evidence to support such a statement.

• Jenny repeatedly bashing the CDC, saying that Julie Gerberding will "eat her words," and soon admit that the government is poisoning children via vaccines.
  

• Kirby going silent once the doctors joined the group. Hmm...

The Kirton Family RULES!

After several tense moments on Larry King (mostly Jenny, interrupting the sane members of the panel, yeah, she's a great public speaker), they introduced the Kirton family. They have 6 children who are all on the autism spectrum. Larry seemed disturbed by the fact that this couple continued to have children, he even asked that very question. He even seemed to throw in a little jab at Mormons.

They "keep having children" Larry King, because they LOVE children. They LOVE being parents. They LOVE their autistic children. That may be appalling or confusing to people who feel their autistic child kicked their butts, but indeed, this family actually loves having all of their beautiful, autistic children. Certainly, no one would tell this family to deny their deep-rooted religious beliefs. This, obviously, has been an important aspect for this family. We have freedom of religion in this country, and surely we can all agree that the Kirton family is afforded this freedom like the rest of us. It is cruel for any of us to judge this family.

Mom26children and her family have been subject to similar finger-wagging by those who feel they know better. Both families, by all accounts I have seen, genuinely love their children, acknowledge the challenges, battle through some tough times, and through it all they find happiness in their lives. I think this is why they are the focus of criticism. If the story was presented as these sad families, with multiple children on the spectrum, parents crying and pleading for help, lives out of control, I don't think there would be as much negativity. But when the media shows us a family who is making the best of things, with 5 or 6 autistic children, some groups shudder. It's awfully hard to argue how miserable your life is with your one autistic child, when a prime-time show has just profiled one of these families.

If one's main concern over the fact that either of these families has multiple children with autism is that they are a burden on society, that argument is off base too. Shall we put limits on how many children you may have based on income? Some families would struggle with 3 neurotypical children. Do we force them to be sterilized then, or have abortions should they become pregnant a fourth time? When it comes to families with autism, do we set a cap? Perhaps they can only have one subsequent child? What if that second child ends up not having autism, is this family allowed to have a third? What about families whose children have diseases, genetic disorders, etc? Shall we tell them also if and when they are allowed to get pregnant?

None of us have any right to judge these families or question their decisions. Personally, both are inspirations to me. I'm quick to say I "can't imagine how they do it." Yet at the same time, I know precisely how (some possible answers: love, acceptance, prayer). I applaud the Kirton family for stepping into the spotlight and telling the world their story (or, shall I say their 6 stories?). It was a nice contrast to have their video clips played during Larry King tonight.

The Kirtons are starting a foundation called AutismBites:

We are forming a non-profit, The AutismBites Foundation. We will be raising needed funds and passing them directly into the hands of Autistic parents for basic needs, home renovations to keep their children safe, for treatments and interventions to improve their children’s lives, etc... without a lot of red tape and hoops to jump through.

On causes, Mr. Kirton added that he feels there is a spectrum of causes, just as autism itself is a spectrum. Bravo to you!

**edited to add several paragraphs after I accidentally published this before I was finished. Also, I want to say the title for this, was because of how this family presented themselves on Larry King. They RULE because of the love they show their children, and how they move forward every day (doesn't appear to be many pity parties going on there).

ALSO...
Applause to the doctors (Drs. Harvey Karp & David Tayloe ) who are also on the show, trying their best to reiterate that the REAL science, real data, shows not vaccine-autism connection. If I didn't think that Kirby & Jenny could cause real harm to families, this would be comical. Between their lack of understanding for autistic adults, mantra of "you can recover your child/vaccines are horrible" (I loved when the doctor asked Jenny which disease she'd like her son to have!!!), and their abuse of the public forum for what is really needed for autistics (ADULTS services!!!!), they irk me beyond belief.

Say WHAT Dr. Poling????

Dr. Gupta just interviewed Dr. Poling on CNN (will link to clip once its available online). Dr. Poling seemed to say that Hannah has mitochondrial DYSFUNCTION not disease. This is utterly confusing. Based on the court documents, which gives the biopsy results, I am unsure how Hannah is thought to have only mitochondrial dysfunction. She was diagnosed with oxidative phosphorylation disease (see below), which is classified as mitochondrial disease (or disorder, depending on your source, but for this sake disease and disorder are synonymous, however dysfunction is much different), certainly NOT dysfunction. Just a few weeks ago, on Larry King Live, Dr. Poling was referring to Hannah as having mitochondrial disorder (again, not dysfunction).

On Age of Autism (to read copy & paste this: http://www.ageofautism.com/2008/03/dr-jon-poling-o.html), Dr. Poling then said this:

"Thus, I will refer to Hannah’s metabolic condition as a mitochondrial dysfunction, not a mitochondrial disease."

So, is he "opting" for dysfunction instead of disease? One can only wonder why. Compare that to what is in the court documents (available here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/the-vaccineautism-court-_b_88558.html):

On October 4, 2001, Dr. John Schoffner, at Horizon Molecular Medicine in Norcross, Georgia, examined CHILD to assess whether her clinical manifestations were related to a defect in cellular energetics. Pet. Ex. 16 at 26. After reviewing her history, Dr. Schoffner agreed that the previous metabolic testing was "suggestive of a defect in cellular energetics." Id. Dr. Schoffner recommended a muscle biopsy, genetic testing, metabolic testing, and cell culture based testing. Id. at 36.

FYI: This (above) refers to the signs mitochondrial dysfunction (similar to what my own daughter has). Those results, prompted this testing:

A CSF organic acids test, on January 8, 2002, displayed an increased lactate to pyruvate ratio of 28,1 which can be seen in disorders of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Id. at 22. A muscle biopsy test for oxidative phosphorylation disease revealed abnormal results for Type One and Three. Id. at 3. The most prominent findings were scattered atrophic myofibers that were mostly type one oxidative phosphorylation dependent myofibers, mild increase in lipid in selected myofibers, and occasional myofiber with reduced cytochrome c oxidase activity. Id. at 7. After reviewing these laboratory results, Dr. Schoffner diagnosed CHILD with oxidative phosphorylation disease. Id. at 3. In February 2004, a mitochondrial DNA ("mtDNA") point mutation analysis revealed a single nucleotide change in the 16S ribosomal RNA gene (T2387C). Id. at 11.

Hannah showed signs of mitochondrial dysfunction, which led to the biopsy and other testing. Those results showed that she had oxidative phosphorylation disease.

I'm not being stubborn about semantics here. There is a BIG difference between DYSFUNCTION and DISEASE. So, Dr. Poling, what exactly does Hannah have--according to her test results? It is deceiving to say she has dysfunction when, it appears, that is not the case. Dr. Poling can call whatever his daughter has, whatever he wants. However, if he is going to be the spokesperson for autism-vaccines-mitochondria business, he needs to not blur the truth.

I think it's very possible that some children with regressive autism could have a form of mitochondrial disease, and certainly more would be found to have mitochondrial dysfunction (as it is found in many neurological conditions, see here, here, here, and in other studies available online). But to point fingers at vaccines, with zero scientific evidence, is shameful. Obviously, it won't hurt for scientists to look into any possible mitochondrial-autism connection, and if it means anything.
In our case, our daughter's irregular test results are all related to her static encephalopathy and autism, just like her seizures, and other health issues are all related. My daughter was born this way, vaccines did not effect her negatively at all. I am grateful to the vaccines, as they have prevented additional hospitalizations when she contracted chicken pox and the flu. Had she not been inoculated for those, her illness would have been prolonged and more severe. Instead, we were able to care for her at home, and she was sick for a couple of days with each.

One last note, this study showed that intense exercise can cause mitochondrial dysfunction. What doesn't cause mitochondrial dysfunction? And, can we really draw any conclusions from mitochondrial dysfunction, what it means to autistics, how it truly affects humans, and what (if anything) could be done to prevent it? Certainly not yet, and maybe we'll never know. There is a possibility that mitochondrial dysfunction means very little, when it comes to autism and treatment, and also possible that the majority of us would be diagnosed with it in the future (so then, are we all at risk of getting autism from vaccines????).


Interesting enough, Jenny McCarthy, David Kirby, and Dr. Poling will all be on Larry King Live tonight. Should be one heck of a time.

More on my take on the whole mito-autism thing here.

The Parents

My first inclination was to be harsh on the Polings, especially when they practically whispered "mitochondrial" in their public appearances. They wore outrageously huge Autism puzzle bows, I wondered where their mito pins were. I was rather confused, why would they not use a public forum for a disease that needs more resources for a treatment? You see, unlike Autism Speaks, U.M.D.F. doesn't have a flock of fancy celebrities as their spokespeople, they don't have comics and musicians plugging their cause, and they haven't had a film premiere at Sundance. There is a great need for money and resources to continue the studies into mitochondrial disease. All of this, in hopes of saving lives. That's why I was upset. I've known children who have died from mitochondrial disease. Why weren't we hearing about how serious it is, and where the public may donate to such a cause?

Well, I watched the Larry King Live interview with the Poling family. At first, I felt maybe they were tired from a long day. Perhaps the stress and excitement over the media blitz was getting to them. The first segment went by, and there was zero mention of mitochondrial disease. It was all about autism. Let's just say I was doing my own commentary for the show! After the commercial break, at some point, finally the "M" word was said. With each question asked during the interview, Mr. and Mrs. Poling seemed to get a little frazzled. They looked lost. I again figured it was exhaustion.

At the very end of the their appearance, this transpired:

J. POLING: I would agree with almost every word in that statement. In terms of vaccinations, I'm certainly not anti-vaccine. I think vaccines are one of the most important medical developments within the past century-plus.

What we're trying to say, and the theory of what we felt happened to our daughter Hannah, is that she has a susceptibility to injury from stress of vaccination or potentially stress with the mitochondrial disorder of other potential insults. But clearly, what happened with our daughter was following a series of vaccinations that occurred in July.

Later on...

KING: Terry, should a parent watching the show tonight, when the pediatrician says, come in for the vaccinations, should they bring them?

T. POLING: Oh, yes, definitely. There is no evidence that children are like Hannah. We don't know -- we didn't know, actually. I don't know that she had a mitochondrial disorder prior to July 19th of 2000. I had no evidence of it in any biological tests. I don't know if it was the vaccines, getting nine at one time, that caused it.

I'm sure she has a genetic predisposition for this. I don't think that every family member has that. I don't think that every family does. And as everybody knows, there's a lot of children out there that do no not --

SHOEMAKER: Thank you, Larry. I might add that one of the theories we were prepared to present in this case is the fact that mercury in the vaccine that were given back at that time can also lead to Mitochondrial dysfunction. In this case, we do not believe it was a genetic cause. We do not believe it was a cause.

Wait a minute. The lawyer just completely disputed what the parents were saying. Also, it struck me as odd that they are "pro-vaccine." The majority of families in the vaccine cases feel strongly that the shots poisoned their child. Some are for "greening" vaccines, others are flat-out against any and all vaccinations. And, it seemed strange that a family who had gone to court, to blame vaccines, is recommending getting your child vaccinated. I think something significant happened from the time this family sought out DAN doctors to the last few years living with their child's mitochondrial disease.

Something else also dawned on me. Could it be that the Polings have signed agreements with this vaccine-hating injury lawyer? Exactly how many other clients does he have? One look at his website is quite telling (just Google Cliff Shoemaker). If he presents the public with a victory against "big pharma" and "big brother," why he'd have thousands cheering and declaring victory. But, if a term like "mitchondrial disease" were to take center-stage, this concession would mean little to the others wanting their day in court. I just wonder, if there isn't an agreement between this lawyer and his clients.

I've been given information on Mrs. Poling, she was an avid DAN believer. I have nothing to show that she remains one, or that her husband is or was ever. It appears, according to message boards, that her involvement in chelation and DAN supplements began when their child was just 2 1/2. She does state that her child was diagnosed with "mitochondrial PDD" at Hopkins and lists off her abnormal lab results (these are the blood tests that will eventually lead the family to see Dr. Shoffner for biopsy & other tests). She adds how in a mercury article, abnormal lab findings are seen with heavy metal poisoning. She describes the "biological intervention meds" her daughter takes, along with some for her "metabolic problem." Again, this is all before the Mito Complex I & III diagnosis. She lists off the meds, pretty much the mito cocktail (the docs she saw suspected mito, most docs will put a child at-risk on the cocktail prior to testing). They are already doing chelation (at 2 1/2 years of age!) at this point. She was trying to get the Lovaas ABA covered through Early Intervention or the school district as well.

It also looks like when the muscle biopsy results and diagnosis of mitochondrial disease came in, her visits to the boards stopped (last post is 11/26/01, biopsy was done on or after 10/4/01, results generally take 12 weeks). Granted, there are other message board and offline support groups, so they very well might have continued at least some DAN methods. Honestly, if my child had such a debilitating regression (loss of skills, inability to walk, feeding difficulties, etc.), which we know Hannah did, I would be devastated. If the only answers I had were "regressive encephalopathy" and "autism features" from experts, I'd probably buy into the DAN way. How could my child go from one level of functioning, and then within months be so very different? It's also important to remember how convincing DAN doctors are, how their test results appear to connect the dots, and how they very easily sink their claws into people who feel desperate.

One can assume that, after receiving the mito diagnosis, at least some changes have been made to their DAN protocol. The use of chelation no doubt stopped, it's possible her diet had to be altered as well, but the "biomedical medicine" aka mito cocktail certainly continued. So, I am going to be easy on the Polings. I do not agree with the DAN protocol, but I can see how in desperation one would seek them out. I also realize that it's highly likely they have been given a script from their lawyer. It is my hope that sometime down the road, the family will speak out--on mitochondrial disease.

I wish this family the best. I hope that Hannah continues to make progress and grow, and that the physical symptoms of her Mitochondrial Disease do not affect her deeply. I assume at some point David Kirby and others will review the details of the case--both the medical and the legal facts. Hopefully, they'll understand that autism is not mitochondrial disease, and mitochondrial disease is NOT mitochondrial dysfunction. Perhaps in time, they'll clarify that while mitochondrial disease is a debilitating, often fatal disease, autism surely is not.

At some point, they will realize this case is not a victory for them, in fact it's a victory for no one. There are no winners here--not the lawyers, not the anti-vaxers, not Hannah. The Poling family has received money from this case, but their child will always have mitochondrial disease. And that, quite frankly, is nothing to celebrate.

The Holocaust & 9/11

That is what a "Dr." Rebecca Carley uses to compare vaccinations. She uses language like "holocaust of autoimmune diseases," calling vaccines the "true weapons of mass destruction," and ends her letter with, "Let's roll..."

To show such utter disrespect to the countless victims of the holocaust and of the September 11th terrorist attacks, how absolutely tasteless and unforgivable. For one, comparing autism to anything close to what those victims suffered is absurd. And for two, attempting to create the same passion one would have regarding the violence brought upon by extremists, to the autism-vaccine debate is appalling.

After reading her "theory," I have to say Kirby's fuzzy numbers don't look quite so bad. Seriously, though, she can't stand Kirby and is very fueled right now due to the "concession case." She, or her cohort(s), is posting messages on "recovery" boards, with that disturbing language referencing the holocaust and 9/11. It is a long, drawn-out manifesto, dropping plenty of scientific terms to almost sound legit. But, anyone with their head screwed on properly is quick to realize these are merely conspiracy-charged, senseless rantings.

She claims to have "reversed" all autoimmune diseases (including autism) and cancer in over 2,000 clients over the pas 9 years. This number includes pets. Although, it's not clear what percentage were animals who were "cured." It's scary to think she is posting her propaganda on these message boards. It appears to me, the parents there, may not have their heads quite screwed on. I wonder how many phone calls or emails she actually receives? The only hope may be that most of these parents worship David Kirby so much, they won't be swayed to try her "Hippocrates Protocol." Granted, I can't really say her methods are any worse than that of DAN!

She has a statement on her site, declaring she is NOT licensed to practice medicine and can never be licensed. The reason she gives? If she were to be licensed, it would be a "conflict of interest," and she would be forced to "promote" vaccinations. She further states she is not board certified. Why? A trend is appearing; she is not board certified because she is "developing the specialty" of "vaccine induced diseases, she refers to them as VIDS). She explains that "VIDS" is THE "umbrella under which...internal medicine, pediatrics,...psychiatry actually reside." Huh? At this point, is anyone really still calling and having this woman evaluate their child, or even their pet?

On this "doctor's" website, which is so very professional looking (sarcasm), she also detail the bizarre goings-on, in her words, about losing custody of her son. She has her story, and then there are the legal documents I have seen about this case. Let's just say they don't quite match up. She does, however, divulge that at the NYS medical board hearings, she was charged with having a "delusion of conspiracy." The list of folks I'd like to see charged with that seems to grow each day...

This is the first I have heard of this woman. Figured they were others who also had never come across her. The more you read from those "crusading" to rid the world of vaccines, the more your realize how lacking in scientific data and how nutty is. If you are interested, here's some more, on this "doctor":

http://quackfiles.blogspot.com/2005/04/rebecca-carley-md-disgrace-to-medicine.html
http://www.quackwatch.com/11Ind/carley1.html
http://www.neurodiversity.com/conspiracism.html

"Evidence of Mitochondrial Dysfunction In Autism and Implications for Treatment"

That caught your eye, huh? Please read this publication: www.scipub.org/fulltext/ajbb/ajbb42208-217.pdf

Sounds rather startling at first. But then, when you dig a bit further, the reality of it all gets much clearer.

First of all, having mitochondrial dysfunction is NOT the same as having mitochondrial disease. It is not surprising that people with various neurological disorders would have abnormal lab results for these various markers. But it is a big leap to take those irregularities to mean someone has a mitochondrial disease. Or, to make an ever bigger leap to assume that those "cases," are those in which toxins played a role. This article wants you to assume that your child is not born with autism.

Then you come to the part where the "treatment" for these autistic children with "mitochondrial dysfunction" is, guess what? The DAN! Protocol, followed by supposed evidence of the benefits of HBOT. OH BOY! So, I do a few checks, and the two authors of this "piece" (it's not a study, merely a 4 3/4 page article, with 5 pages of references) are, no shock here, DAN! doctors. They have a facility in Melbourne, FL. They encourage IV chelation, HBOT, etc. to "treat" autism. They have now put a big fancy new label of "MtD" on autism, perhaps to convince more parents to "treat" their child?

The label and use of "MtD" instead of autism suggests that autism is in fact a physical disease, an illness, which requires treatment or a cure. This is precisely what TACA, DAN!, and others who view and depict autistics as less than human, that is what they would like you to believe. That also inflates their already fat pockets. This is all a disgusting ploy to get more money. And, we've all seen how parents struggling to "cure" their autistic child instead of love and accept them, we've seen the damage that can result in. I now see exactly where Mr. Kirby was going with his article. I'm fairly certain I have tracked down all of these so-called studies he is referring to and where his "fuzzy" statistics (depicted as fact, backed by scientific evidence & studies) came from.

I think I am more appalled then ever. I see now why this frenzy was started, and the vaccine lawsuits are the tip of the iceberg. It goes way beyond those court cases. I realize now that it is indeed all about money for the DAN! doctors and treatment centers and spreading their hurtful message. This furthers their agenda, that we should not accept autism or autistics.

The Mother Factor

CONFIRMED HERE:

Jon Poling said Hannah, like her mother, has a rare inherited mitochondrial disorder. Mitochondria are the "power batteries" inside every cell of the body and supply the cell with energy.

And here it is:

Ultimately Hannah was diagnosed with mitochondrial disorder, where not enough energy is produced for cells and muscles. Her mother also has been diagnosed with the disorder...

And then they get it wrong:

...yet she shows no signs of autism. That suggests Hannah's autism symptoms are not caused by genetics, but exacerbated by the childhood shots which then triggered her autism.

No, what it suggests is that Hannah's mito is more severe than her mother's (this is common). If one reads more than a paragraph or two on mitochondrial disease, they'll plainly read that autistic features can be a symptom of mito. Just because I am not autistic, doesn't mean my daughter's autism isn't genetic. I see autistic traits in myself and my husband, as well as other family members.

Also, I'd say this very clearly proves that Hannah's mitochondria wasn't somehow "injured" by those vaccines. This is clear evidence that Hannah was born with a mitochondrial disease, and that vaccines most certainly did not cause it.

I still wonder why this wasn't mentioned during the Larry King Live show? There is also at least one false statement in this article, should you read it in its entirety, I want to clarify:

In a 2005 study, 60 Portuguese children with autism also had mitochondrial abnormalities.

The actual figure is 5 of 69 of those children with autism also had mitochondrial abnormalities.

Autism & Mitochondrial Disease: Investigating Mortality Rates

What's curious, if this 'pool' of people with mitochondrial disease (with autism or autistic features) does exist, how is their health? Their mortality rate hasn't been altered, even a little? Even if the argument is made that this 'pool' of people would have a less severe form of mitochondrial, it would generally accepted that a person with mild mitochondrial disease would still be at a greater risk of associated diseases, raising the mortality rate.

A study done by Baylor College of Medicine, Texas Children's Hospital, State University of New York, Georgetown University, and Stanford University concluded this:

Patients with cardiomyopathy had an 18% survival rate at 16 years of age. Patients with neuromuscular features but no cardiomyopathy had a 95% survival at the same age. Conclusions. This study gives strong support to the view that in patients with RC defects, cardiomyopathy is more common than previously thought and tends to follow a different and more severe clinical course. Although with a greater frequency than previously reported, mitochondrial DNA mutations were found in a minority of patients, emphasizing that most mitochondrial disorders of childhood follow a Mendelian pattern of inheritance.

According to documented studies, the mortality rate amongst autistic individual is 3.4% (about double the expected rate). It must be noted that the deaths were attributed to choking (while unattended), pneumonia, and meningitis for institutionalized individuals. Those living independently or with their parents, one died following an epileptic attack, two others were from drug overdoses.

Another study, the largest ever done on autism and mortality, also concluded the mortality rate to be about double that of the general population. One could possibly draw the conclusion that the individuals who died while institutionalized, might have had a mitochondrial disorder. Perhaps that is why there were at risk and subsequently died from lung and breathing issues. That would still be a very small percentage--roughly 1.7%--of autistic people who might have an underlying mitochondrial disease. That is a fairly baseless conclusion, though, given that the same study concluded that individuals with more severe mental retardation had a three-fold increase in deaths from all causes (except cancer). So, no one is to say whether those 4 people died simply as a result of poor care or treatment in an institution or by an undiagnosed mitochondrial disease. There are too many variables. Either way, we are still looking at a relatively low rate of mortality, as opposed to the rate for individauls with mitochondrial disease (as high as 10-50%, depending on diagnosis, see below).

If 10-20% of autistic children (2,667-5,333), were to have mitochondrial disease, how is it that their mortality is absolutely unaffected. Apparently all have milder forms of mito? That none of them have died as a result of their mitochondrial disease? What is the hospitalization rate for autistic children? What is the same rate for children with mitochondrial disease (even mildly affected)?

We can see a trend from this study done by Joseph L. Edmonds, MD; Daniel J. Kirse, MD; Donald Kearns, MD; Reena Deutsch, PhD; Liesbeth Spruijt, MD; Robert K. Naviaux, MD, PhD

Mitochondrial disease followed an episodic course, with periods of stasis or slow developmental progress, punctuated by neurodegenerative events in 18 (60%) of 30 patients. Intercurrent infection was recognized as a precipitant of neurodegenerative events in 13 (72%) of 18 patients with a history of episodic degeneration.

Conclusions Children and adults with mitochondrial disorders are at high risk for hearing loss and life-threatening complications of intercurrent infections. A constellation of audiologic abnormalities, multiorgan system involvement, and history of neuromuscular setbacks with infection strongly suggests mitochondrial disease. Knowledge of these features can lead to more rapid diagnosis and improved medical and surgical management for this special group of patients with fundamental defects in bioenergy metabolism.

I've yet to read about all these autistic children who have lost their hearing or have life-threatening, recurrent infections. So, we are to assume that every single child currently diagnosed with autism but who really has mito, somehow continually dodges the typical symptoms and health issues clearly marked by mitochondrial disease?

Is this worth studying? Yes. Scientists have done some preliminary studies, and they all conclude that further investigations are warranted. I don't think anyone is denying that a small percentage of children currently diagnosed with autism may eventually be diagnosed with mitochondrial disease. But, we must use caution and be careful when people begin to inflate those numbers, and misquote study findings.

Chain of Events: The "Concession Case," Kirby on Imus, and More...

Hmm...been a busy morning. Can't wait to see what the afternoon brings.

Well, the media is getting a hold of the "concession case," of which I hate to even refer to it as such. The mito-vaccine case would be more apropos, however no one would know what I was talking about. it's been neatly spun to be the "government admits vaccines cause autism" case. Here is the link to the fair and balance (that would be sarcasm!) report on this case:
http://www.newsmax.com/health/vaccines_cause_autism/2008/03/03/77315.html

The celebration continues for Kirby and others. He was on Imus, want a brief summary?

K: It's like Groundhog Day, talking about the same thing over and over, and never getting anywhere. We know what's really going on. Heck, even John McCain knows what's up.
I: I've got my own suspicions.
K: The government conceded, it was proven that vaccines gave this girl full-blown autism.
I: Is there any scientific evidence?
K: Well, there are studies, and if you mash them all together, in a certain way, on could possibly create some sort of link. I understand why people would think this was all made up. Vaccines, vaccines, mito, mito, government conspiracy...
I: David Kirby on Imus, trying to convince many to jump off a roof.
K: People think we're crazy.
I: Yes, mostly they think you and my wife are crazy.
K: They need to read the studies we read. It's all a government conspiracy, man!
I: What did the vaccine court decide?
K: This child had mito which was aggravated by vaccines.
I: Okay, we're outta time! Thanks, pal, kiss, kiss.

The transcript is available online (no links from my blog to this one, thanks!), if you are curious. It's quite humorous at times.

Anyway, that led me to a message board somewhere, that was chatting about all this. Some people, thankfully, had insightful things to say, regarding the mito-vaccine, I mean "concession" case. Some were excited about a supposed upcoming press conference with this girl's family and more media coverage on this. They celebrated that this was about to "blow up" and that whoever has been lying this whole time better head South. There was some mito chat as well. And then, someone asked about Lyme Disease, and how studies have shown it to be the cause of autism. Apparently the board was aflutter over that cause before the "concession."

All of this made my head spin, which led to my ranting below.

And It Begins...

Someone warned me this wasn't going to go away, and that I'd surely be writing about it again. They were right. By the end of this, I'm not sure if I'll have any hair left to pull out. I figured it was only a matter of time before some of the big groups ran with this. However, I really hoped that at the very least, organizations would read the facts of the case and realize it has nothing to do with their "cause."

The National Autism Association (by the way, isn't this a sports league?) has announced that the ruling in the now infamous case (you know, the one that is really about mito and vaccines, not autism and vaccines, that one) confirms what all those parents have known all along: Vaccines cause autism. And now, they delight, the government is finally admitting it.

You know, it's one thing for a handful of people to skim through the case documents and conclude something like that. It's quite another to have person upon person, and now organization, to declare some sort of warped victory in all of this. It's really upsetting to me how many people will simply take someone else's word. It's the Operator Game theory--some of the case papers are released, a couple of anti-vaxers write on it (in their opinion), and next thing you know, the headline reads: "Government Finally Admits Vaccines Are Bad," or "Government Finally Comes Clean, They've Been Giving Autism To Generations," and so on!

The National Autism Association (NAA) sees the ruling as confirmation of what so many parents have been saying for years. "This case echoes the stories of thousands of children across the country. With almost 5,000 similar cases pending in vaccine court, we are confident that this is just the first of many that will confirm what we have believed for so long, vaccines can and do cause children to regress into autism," says Wendy Fournier, parent and president of NAA. "We call on the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to acknowledge that the current vaccine schedule is not safe for every child and as with the administration of any medicine, individual risks and susceptibilities must be considered for each patient."

This may come as a shock to some...but I am actually speechless after that!

More Questions for David Kirby--More thoughts too...

Added this, from my comments in reply to Leila, but felt it was worthwhile to paste it here:

...you are born with a mitochondrial disorder (it's passed genetically from mother to child). Most people get diagnosed in childhood, others not until they are adults. Often, if a child is more affected, they'll be diagnosed & subsequently other family members, siblings, mother, etc. are then diagnosed (& may be asymptomatic).

It varies as to when the disease may "show its face." For some, it's apparent at birth that something is wrong, but often the accurate diagnosis isn't made for months to years. For others, the affects of the disease worsen with time, and others it remains "dormant," if you will, until older childhood. The pattern that is described in this particular case, a child with chronic ear infections who then develops neurological symptoms, would fit the mito mold. Regression, and/or addition of symptoms is not uncommon in mito. Sometimes, it is an illness that puts the disease in the spotlight. For my child, it was a liver enzyme test result and lactic acidosis (plus history of neurological issues, delays, physical defects, etc.) the led them to suspect mito and send us for testing. Our case was fairly typical, among other families I have met who have mito.

I really don't know how or who could point right to the vaccine, and say that's what aggravated or worsened her mito. Yes, people with mito can have immune reactions, etc. But, was it the vaccine? A virus? It could have been any number of "triggers" OR simply the disease escalating on its own.

I really, really would love to read more as to why the gov't conceded. I have a strong feeling it was due to lack of understanding of mito and/or assuming the vaccine was the only possible agitator. How strong does the burden of proof need to be in a case like this? I assume if there's the slightest chance that a vaccine could have negatively affected this child, then they had to concede. But, again, this does not set a precedence for the majority of vaccine-autism cases, as it has nothing to do with those.



So, I read more into this case, regarding the "Government Concedes Vaccine-Autism Case In Federal Court - Now What?" article by David Kirby. And, I'm throwing some questions back at him.

This is my reply to Kirby's piece. The link I refer to is this (please read!!).

Please go to the link above and READ THE FACTS:

This child has a mitonchondrial disorder, as diagnosed by one of the foremost experts in the field. Learn & understand mito, and realize this case has NOTHING to do with the views you have regarding autism & vaccines.

I know most here are energized by this case's decision, but there is no connection whatsoever to this child's case and the majority of you here. Furthermore, if you read the case information and educate yourself on mitochondrial disorder, it becomes apparent that solely blaming vaccines, even in this case, is utterly inappropriate. I am dumbfounded by the decision made here. With all that is known about mitochondrial diseases, its symptoms and patterns, it cannot be said whether this child would not have had a regression without the vaccines. Additionally, who is supposed to be held accountable here? This child has a DISEASE that affects every organ in her body, no one knew that when she had her vaccines. Whose fault, exactly, is that?

After reading the additional information for this case, I am even more enraged. What is extremely interesting is that NO WHERE in the case documentation does it state this child was ever diagnosed with Autism. I'll repeat, despite the title of Kirby's article, and his own claim that the "girl also met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) official criteria for autism," this child was not diagnosed officially with autism (unless that one key point was left out of the now-open records). Instead, the child was given labels like "with autistic features," etc. Furthermore, this child had a history of ear infections, requiring tubes, prior to the last dose of vaccines and subsequent regression. Also, once tests were begun on this child, abnormalities were apparent:

In his assessment, Dr. Kelley affirmed that CHILD’s history and lab results were consistent with “an etiologically unexplained metabolic disorder that appear[ed] to be a common cause of developmental regression.” Id. at 7. He continued to note that children with biochemical profiles similar to CHILD’s develop normally until sometime between the first and second year of life when their metabolic pattern becomes apparent, at which time they developmentally regress. Id. Dr. Kelley described this condition as “mitochondrial PPD.” Id.

This led the family to Dr. Shoffner in Atlanta (the same physician we in fact saw for our daughter), he is an expert in the field and highly respected. He ran the same tests on this child as our daughter, and several irregularities were found:

A CSF organic acids test, on January 8, 2002, displayed an increased lactate to pyruvate ratio of 28,1 which can be seen in disorders of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. Id. at 22. A muscle biopsy test for oxidative phosphorylation disease revealed abnormal results for Type One and Three. Id. at 3. The most prominent findings were scattered atrophic myofibers that were mostly type one oxidative phosphorylation dependent myofibers, mild increase in lipid in selected myofibers, and occasional myofiber with reduced cytochrome c oxidase activity. Id. at 7. After reviewing these laboratory results, Dr. Schoffner diagnosed CHILD with oxidative phosphorylation disease. Id. at 3. In February 2004, a mitochondrial DNA (“mtDNA”) point mutation analysis revealed a single nucleotide change in the 16S ribosomal RNA gene (T2387C).

How and when vaccines came into this, I have no idea. Again, as a parent who at one time feared my child had mitochondrial disorder, one of the things I feared most was regression, loss of skills, etc. How and who actually proved it was the vaccines at fault, and not the mitochondrial dysfunction? And, once again, if it was indeed the vaccines that affected or worsened this child's condition, who really is to blame? Her mother for giving her affected mitochondria? The doctors for not being psychic and testing her at birth for this disease? The vaccine companies, for not knowing that a pediatrician was going to inject vaccines, as a safeguard from illnesses like mumps, rubella, and pertussis, into a child whose body may not be able to handle it like the majority of the population?

Kirby tries to make some point here:

When a kid with peanut allergy eats a peanut and dies, we don't say "his underlying metabolic condition was significantly aggravated to the extent of manifesting as an anaphylactic shock with features of death."

No, we say the peanut killed the poor boy. Remove the peanut from the equation, and he would still be with us today.

Okay, Mr. Kirby, so then do we sue Planters & all the other peanut companies out there? Do we sue the grocery store for selling them? Do we ban peanuts completely? Do we hold someone accountable, if no one was even aware that the child had a peanut allergy and died or became very ill from ingesting a peanut????

Seriously, can anyone explain how the Division of Vaccine Injury Compensation, Department of Health and Human Services (DVIC) came to this conclusion? I'll be scratching my head for a good, long time on this one.


Bolds & large fonts added for emphasis by author!

David Kirby Asks Now What?? I'll Tell You...

Nothing, Mr. Kirby, now nothing. This case has done nothing for your "cause." This will not change nor does it declare that vaccines somehow cause autism. Read the facts! Perhaps educate yourself on mitochondrial disease. Oh, and Mr. Kirby--it is Rett Syndrome not Rhett (it was not named after Gone With The Wind), once again, get your facts straight!

Once again, he's at it, and he's pretending to be a balanced journalist by blurring all the facts. He almost entirely dismissed the MAJOR fact here that this child had a mitochondrial disorder (verified by a test, a gene identified). Having been through mito testing for my own child, and having a few friends whose children have a mito disorder, it's comparing apples to oranges (autistic children to those who have a mitochondrial disorder, along with or presenting as ASD). A child with mito cannot handle certain vaccinations, or need to use extreme caution with them. Likewise, these children have fragile immune systems, and often will be hospitalized for illnesses (ones that most children would never be so sick or be in the hospital).

Our daughter has several physical & developmental diagnoses. For some time, the basket of names included "autism-like symptoms" or "atypical autism." After age 3, she received the diagnosis of autism. This was after all (for the most part) genetic and mitochondrial disorders were ruled out. There are MANY disorders that can either have autism as part of it or in which the child's symptoms are similar to ASD. Children who are "mildly" affected by their genetic or mitochondrial disorder can sometimes go years before diagnosis. Because of my daughter's many physical health issues, the doctors still feel we have eventually have an "umbrella" diagnosis (i.e. genetic, mito, or metabolic identified disorder) in which all of her symptoms fall under.

If my child was found to have a mitochondrial disorder, there would be several immediate changes:
*Review of vaccine schedule, depending on the disorder, she may not have been able to receive further shots or have a unique shot schedule with multiple precautions
*Extreme precautions with anesthesia
*A letter outlying the steps for emergency personnel to manage the child's health during illness and/or emergencies
*A "mito cocktail" would be started, things like CoQ10 & L-Carnitine have been found to help those with mito disease
*We would have seen multiple specialists to rule out other signs or problems related to mito (a cardiologist, endocrinologist, nutritionist, etc.)

From the U.M.D.F.'s website:

Diseases of the mitochondria appear to cause the most damage to cells of the brain, heart, liver, skeletal muscles, kidney and the endocrine and respiratory systems.

Depending on which cells are affected, symptoms may include loss of motor control, muscle weakness and pain, gastro-intestinal disorders and swallowing difficulties, poor growth, cardiac disease, liver disease, diabetes, respiratory complications, seizures, visual/hearing problems, lactic acidosis, developmental delays and susceptibility to infection.

Also from their site, the U.M.D.F. lists these symptoms: developmental delays, seizures, mental retardation, neuro-psychiatric disturbances, migraines, (OH AND) autistic features. So, if David Kirby took anytime to read up on mito, he'd be well aware that is nothing new. Many children either first diagnosed with mito go on to present with autistic features or that children diagnosed with autism may then go on to be found to have a mitochondrial disorder. This is true for other diagnoses too--how many kids are first diagnosed with speech delay, sensory processing disorder, atypical cerebral palsy, seizures, or static encephalopathy who go on to receive an autism diagnosis? I know of many.

There's this KEY piece of Mr. Kirby's "article" in which he, again, adds his own two-cents as fact:

Seven months after vaccination, the patient was diagnosed by Dr. Andrew Zimmerman, a leading neurologist at the Kennedy Krieger Children’s Hospital Neurology Clinic, with ‘regressive encephalopathy (brain disease) with features consistent with autistic spectrum disorder, following normal development.’ The girl also met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) official criteria for autism.

Yes, that last sentence is Mr. Kirby's own. My child had the diagnosis of "static encephalopathy with features consistent with autism spectrum disorder" for a time. At that point, the doctors were quick to point out that didn't necessarily mean she had autism, or that in time, she would still exhibit those features. Of course, in time, she was diagnosed with Autism officially. If you were to research "encephalopathy" one would see that there again, PDD is a feature of, along with seizures, sensory issues, etc. Static Encephalopathy is my daughter's umbrella neurological diagnosis, encompassing her many neurological symptoms.

It is a shame that in this particular case, the child was not earlier diagnosed with mito, so that precautions could have been taken. However, I don't see anyone being at fault here. The only reason why I would think someone would be held accountable here would be if a doctor determined this child had mito disease, but failed to let the parents know (& then the child went on to have vaccines, bringing on more severe autistic features). The fact is, while it may be likely these vaccines affected this child and brought on the autistic features, children with mitochondrial disorder can often suffer regressions. Simple colds for you or I can land these children in the ICU. Illness can also cause them to lose previously achieved skills. So, even in this case and with the court's judgement, I do not think it can be said 100% that is was solely the vaccine at fault.

The silver lining is that the form of mito that she has, is one that does not immediately threaten to shorten her life. There are children with mitochondrial disease, who if they make it to their eighth birthday, it would be a miracle. A close friend lost their child at 2 years of age from mito. There are children who are never able to walk, to attend school, etc.

The real tragedy here has nothing to do with vaccines, mercury, thimerosal, or even autism. No, the tragedy is that this child has mitochondrial disease, and that it is something she'll have to deal with for the rest of her life. The silver lining is that the form of mito that she has, is one that does not immediately threaten to shorten her life. There are children with mitochondrial disease, who if they make it to their eighth birthday, it would be a miracle. A close friend lost their child at 2 years of age from mito. This child is now receiving the medical care she needs and will need for the rest of her life. Someone left this comment for Mr. Kirby's article, I have not verified it:

Now 6 years old, our patient has been treated with vitamin supplements since 2�����years of age. Even before starting supplementation, the patient began speaking again at 23 months old and had a four-word vocabulary of "bubbles," "ball," "drink," and "cracker." Levocarnitine 250 mg and thiamine 50 mg three times per day were initiated when the patient was 29 months old. Coenzyme Q 10 was added at age 33 months. Although she still exhibits mild autistic behaviors, our patient has continued to improve in language functions and sociability such that she now attends a regular kindergarten with an aide. There have been slow yet steady improvements in muscle tone, motor coordination, and gastrointestinal symptoms with occupational therapy, applied behavioral analysis interventions, and mitochondrial enzyme cofactor supplements. After the age of 2 years, growth trajectory has continued along the 75th percentile for both height and weight. Laboratory tests were repeated at ages 2 years and 10 months (aspartate aminotransferase 47 IU/L, normal <>

So, essentially this child no longer has the "Autism" diagnosis. But rather, she requires help for manifestations of her mitochondrial disease. So, once again, Mr. Kirby--what does this have to do with your "followers" whose (as far as they know) children do NOT have mitochondrial disease? Nothing.

If you read the facts, Mr. Kirby, it should be clear to even you that this case stands alone. I would perhaps suggest that if a child has autism or "autistic features," along with any physical issues, that the parents ask their pediatrician or neurologist about mitochondrial or genetic disorders. The treatments that may be available for those diagnoses, may help their child. Aside from that, there is nothing in this case to help "your side" or your ongoing anti-science declaration that vaccines cause autism.

To ready Kirby's "article," go here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-kirby/government-concedes-vacci_b_88323.html#postComment