Warning: This Is Nothing To Laugh At

If someone feels they are an Indigo and they believe in this concept, that is one thing. I don't agree, but who am I to judge? However, if your beliefs are in any way detrimental to children, I take issue. Major issue. Here is the start of my concerns over the Indigo concept.

From here, it is suggested that "vibrations" will interrupt seizures, among other startling claims:

From vibrations sounded mentally that will interrupt seizures and stabilize brain function to attitude adjustments which free mind and body from long-standing, stagnation-producing concepts to the mental and emotional state of the comatose, the research is astounding and deserves to be noted, explored, and utilized more widely.

This site offers ill-advice for a febrile seizure:

If a seizure occurs, keep your child upright if possible and make sure she is breathing well. Reassure her. If she vomits, turn her on her side.

As a mother of a child who has seizures, this is awful advice. We have always been told to immediately put our child on a safe, flat surface (it would be impossible, at least during my child's grand-mal/tonic-clonic seizures to sit her up). If she begins to vomit, we turn her slightly on her side so she doesn't choke. Here is what NINDS advises:

To prevent accidental injury, the child should be placed on a protected surface such as the floor or ground. The child should not be held or restrained during a convulsion. To prevent choking, the child should be placed on his or her side or stomach.

I fear that there may be children out there who are not being properly treated for seizures (thankfully, it seems Jenny does take her son's seizures seriously and he is treated medically for them, but others may not be so wise). It seems likely that a child diagnosed with ADHD, autism bipolar, etc. whose parents feel s/he is a Crystal, may not be afforded all available help or treatments. There are people who, despite the best efforts (at alternatives like talk therapy), they need antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications. Without, they can be at risk for suicide or other negative outcomes.

As I read more into the Indigo concept, I couldn't help but draw even more similarities to Scientology. The dangers that have come from Scientology's stance against all things psychiatric have been widely, and tragically, documented. I came upon this, and it would seem that New Earth Magazine looks highly upon L. Ron Hubbard (founder of Scientology):

As an aside, L.Ron Hubbard of Scientology says that the more they can avoid the indoctrination of the school system, the better off they are in this world.

I think extreme caution has to be used when a group disregards medically-accepted diagnoses and treatments. They continually dispute scientific studies, promote conspiracy theories, and regurgitate the same information and sound bites over and over again. When this group storms Washington, D.C. and promotes an ongoing campaign to alter the (historically substantial and successful) vaccine system in the U.S., it is concerning. When this same group and its bombshell messenger employs tactics in an attempt to oust a government official, we need to take note. When they are given nearly free range on the media, to push their propaganda, we cannot sit idly by.

I've mentioned my concerns previously with regard to Ms. McCarthy and her message. Personally, I have nothing against her as a human being. I can relate to her, when she speaks of her son's seizures. However, the reality I face is that there is a startling lack of services for teen and adult autistics. My daughter is still rather young, and I do have time. However, I know plenty of other families and individuals who are in great need of those lacking services NOW. And, it's clear that unless major initiatives are made soon, we'll face the same issues with our daughter in a few years.

Jenny, despite what some will claim, has done nothing to further this effort. She continues the stigma that autistics have been "kidnapped" or her personal favorite, "hit by a bus." She focuses on recovery, telling the world she doesn't know of any adult autistics (so why bother creating any new programs?). Her loud cries that she would never vaccinate a child again and that she feels you should alter a proven vaccine program, is risky.

I worry for what the future will bring my child--will she have proper assistance? paths to independence? acceptance? And now I fear if I can protect her from outbreaks of whooping cough, measles, and the like. It's clear that this disturbing message will sink even further from my goals. We have no time to waste, to get programs created and funded for teen and adult autistics. This is all a huge distraction, one that unfortunately, all of the public is listening to.

You now know where this is headed. There is nothing funny here at all.

Whooping Cough, Again...

Whooping cough has again made the news in recent weeks. The subject has hit closer to home for me, as there have been cases in an elementary school not far from where I live. I have contacted that county's Department of Health--as thus far the media nor the county's website have spoken of these. I do have confirmation (letters from the school officials) however that there are indeed cases. Will update as I receive more information.

So often, people who are anti-vaccine tout that measles and whooping cough really aren't that bad. They tend to cite a child they knew who got one of the diseases and is fine. As I've mentioned before, whooping cough nor measles are anything to take lightly. And, certainly for the parents who have lost a child due to either of these diseases, these diseases are an absolute nightmare.

Last month, the East Bay Waldorf School in El Sobrante, California closed down due to a whooping cough outbreak. As the writer, Matt Keller, notes in his article, this entire event, and the whooping cough is "easy to avoid with a simple vaccine." An unknown writer at the San Francisco Chronicle ends his May 28 (2008, on page B-8 of the newspaper) editorial with this,

The Waldorf school closure offers some perspective: There is a risk in any medical decision - including the decision not to act. In this case, the choice of each parent became the shared infection of an entirely preventable disease.

There's also this report out today, that reminds us of the importance of booster shots. And, at the very least, of ensuring those who work with the youngest in our population are immunized against these diseases (and, also trained to realize symptoms and to not continue work when symptoms may be related to whooping cough or other serious, fatal diseases):

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Public health officials investigating a 2004 outbreak of whooping cough, or pertussis, among newborns in Texas identified the source as a health-care worker where the babies were born.

Staff members at a children's hospital in Texas noticed that six infants admitted with whooping cough had been born during the first half of June at the same general hospital.

A review of records uncovered a total of 11 such infants, on average about a month old, whose symptoms included cough, congestion, vomiting and arrested breathing. Nine infants had to be admitted to the hospital, including five treated in the intensive care unit.

According to their report in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, J. L. Hood and colleagues identified a 24-year-old health-care worker who had symptoms of cough, which brought on vomiting, and difficulty breathing while working in the newborn nursery from early June until mid July.

During that time she directly cared for 113 infants, including the 11 who came down with whooping cough.

All the babies recovered after treatment.

The health-care worker in this case had been fully immunized against pertussis during childhood. However, the CDC points out in an editorial note that the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends that health-care workers with direct patient contact and adults who have close contact with infants should be given the Tdap (tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid and acellular pertussis) vaccine.

SOURCE: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, June 6, 2008.

I wrote yesterday about "Do Vaccines Cause That?" One of the sections that really stood out was regarding pertussis (whooping cough) and outbreaks that occurred following concerns over the vaccines. It is startling. And one can only wonder, when will we learn from history?

Because of the concerns about whole-cell pertussis vaccine, immunization rates had dropped in 1978 from 80% to 30% in the United Kingdom—and whooping cough epidemics soon followed. Indeed, between 1977 and 1979 the United Kingdom experienced 102,500 cases of whooping cough with 36 deaths...

Bold for emphasis by me, of course. Does that register with anyone who doesn't give their child the pertussis vaccine? 102,500 cases in 2 years, 36 deaths. Are you really willing to gamble your child's life?

In Japan a national debate resulted in the Ministry of Health and Welfare changing the recommended age for immunization because of concerns about the whole-cell pertussis vaccine’s safety and claims that it was no longer necessary to immunize because pertussis was not present in the community any more. Vaccine coverage for infants fell from about 85% in 1974 to 14% in 1976.4 Then, in 1979, a whooping cough epidemic resulted in 13,105 cases and 41 deaths. In the early 1980s Japan re-introduced pertussis-containing vaccines—using the newer acellular pertussis vaccines that cause less fever and local reactions—and the number of cases of whooping cough went down.8

Sweden had a similar experience. After discontinuing pertussis vaccine, rates of whooping cough returned to the levels seen in the prevaccine era. Of 2,282 who were hospitalized for whooping cough in 1981–1983, 4% had brain injury from the illness.4

Again, figures put in bold by me. 13,105 cases in one year, with 41 deaths in Japan. In Sweden, you have 2,282 children hospitalized, 4% of those have brain injury. Again, I ask--are you willing to gamble your child's life? To hold onto a belief that cannot be supported by any scientific data (that vaccines cause autism), and make serious (possibly life or death) decisions regarding your child's health is at best utter ignorance and selfishness, at worst, child endangerment.

Still feel whooping cough is no big deal? Watch this. And don't turn it off after 2 seconds, thinking your unvaccinated child is somehow "immune" from this. Watch the entire video. This is what whooping cough is. This is what a non-immunized child could sound and look like if they catch this horrible disease.

EDITED: I altered the time on this, as I wanted it to be the lead story for the day (not Jenny on TV)

The Autism Whisperer Cometh

From Jim Carrey's speech during the "Green Our Vaccines" really.

Autism is everywhere. It's on every street, in every town. It's a warning from the universe that there is a serious imbalance in our environment and that immediate changes must be made.

Woah--almost sounds like some of that new-age Indigo type of talk. I wonder if he is a crystal? He continues on,

To quote Burton Goldberg, an expert on the new age of medicine, 'autism is the canary in the coal mine.'

Bev at Asperger Square 8 has a different take on the canary metaphor (which apparently is also popular with a one Dr. Bryan Jepson). Dr. Burton Goldberg, I feel it should be noted (since we are referencing autistic children, vaccines, and other medical-related issues) received his Doctor of Humanities Hon. from a Capital University of Integrated Medicine (it may also be of interest that this school closed down in June 2006). He is a publisher, and the self-proclaimed "Voice of Alternative Medicine." That's right--he is not a medical physician.

Mr. Carrey continued on with the importance of trusting a mother's instinct, not trusting the government, and bashing the drug companies. He then adds, in reference to the pharmaceutical companies:

...they are far too busy fighting the scourge of restless leg syndrome.

Roars of laughter, hollering, and applause. He continues,

Also known as lazy ass disease.

This also is met with screams and yelps and more laughter. I loved it the one time when I was at a fund-raiser for cancer research, the speaker cracked a joke about people with diabetes. It was hysterical! Oh, wait, that never happened. That would never happen--would it? No, I think only people with the mindset that autistic individuals (along with any person with a neurological or mental difference, disability, or disorder) are not afforded the same respect or rights as others would say such a thing.

There is making light of one's differences, and then there is outright bashing. This was not funny (although it appears the audience was rather entertained), and certainly not amusing to the people who really do suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome. My mother has it. She is not on one of the new medications for it, but on some nights she does take Ambien. It is something that has plagued her for as long as I can remember. She simply has had an official name for it in recent years; but she stayed awake many a night well before a name existed for this condition. I simply can't imagine making fun of someone else in such a manner, at such an event. But, then again, we are speaking of the same group of people who time and time again present themselves as less than professional (see below for more on that!).

Jim Carrey does actually say that "these children have a purpose" at the end of the speech. However, the tape shifts to Jenny's speech. So, I'm unsure what he perceives as the purpose of "these" children. Is it to be a part of society, respected and welcomed? Or is it to make some great change via the "greening" of vaccines?

Jenny goes on to speak, and describes herself as a mom of a child "who had autism." I wonder if she's changed her mantra--which used to be that he'd never be "cured" of autism. In every article, they define her as the mother of an autistic child. I believe my favorite Jennyism from that day was this:

"...and the ingredients like the freakin' mercury..."

What class. Once again, please don't group me in with the "autism community" and the "autism moms" you, Jenny, claim to represent.

Can someone who has watched the YouTube video posted here, please explain what the headless child sculptures are at the end? Please, please, tell me that is in no way related to this rally or to autistic people.

Maybe It IS Easy To Be Green?

As Kristina at Autism Vox points out, the message of "change the schedule!" is rather diluted, and fairly innocuous. We never saw a difference post-vaccines with our child. She was diagnosed with developmental delays by 6 months of age, likewise she had issues at birth. So, we would opt to have our child get fewer pokes. Also, as Dr. Chew points out, this also amounts to less doctor visits and fewer co-pays as well.

That being said, anyone who opts to space them out (vaccines), I don't have much issue over that. I would feel rather different, however, if this "spacing out" of immunizations included complete avoidance of any specific vaccines currently available for our children. This is often the rallying cry, to not "expose" your child to the MMR (although let's all remember that the MMR never contained thimerosal, and I'm unsure what they believe is truly achieved by splitting it up). I'm fairly certain Ms. McCarthy has said publicly if she had to do it again, she would not vaccinate her child (or at the least, she'd avoid the "autism shot" as she refers to it; she'd prefer measles to autism remember).

Perhaps further down the road, we'll get a more accurate definition of "Green Vaccines" by Jenny, Generation Rescue, TACA, or others. At this stage, it sure sounds like amongst the antivaxxers, this term means many different things to many different people.

Ramblings this week...

The other day, I was flipping through the channels. I missed most of the interview (which, I can't say I was upset about!) with Deirdre Imus on Fox News. The banner on the bottom of the screen read, "Parents trace link between mercury in vaccines & autism." What they fail to mention in that headline, is that this link has no scientific basis. Once again, Mrs. Imus, just like Jenny and others, denies the possibility of a genetic link to autism. This perspective is somehow held onto by these people, despite real, hard evidence of various genes related to autism. Twin studies are very interesting to review. Here's what Deirdre had to say:

"...no such thing as a genetic epidemic & autism is an epidemic."

It was a brief piece, at least what I caught of it. What's unfortunate, is that Deirdre's irrational points, along with that ridiculous headline about a "link" between vaccines and autism, all got the last word. I was surprised the phone wasn't ringing, family and friends asking "did you see Don Imus' wife on T.V.?" Questions about the Omnibus cases, and also, I imagine, why the heck Mrs. Imus was involved with this debate. No one did call, so I assume they all, like I almost did, missed this brief snippet. One thing is for sure, the anti-vax message is spreading. For a while, it was found only on MSNBC, and then CNN, and now Fox. It's clear to see who has all the money--and what they are doing with it. Why ever would this elite bunch, with their cash cow organizations, want to actually help autistic people with the money they raise?

Something I found strangely ironic, was a while after this autism-vaccine piece, the show featured a comedy troupe in the U.K. (doing a Facebook sketch). This troupe is called "Idiots of Ants," which when pronounced aloud is, "Idiot Savants." I imagine that no one at Fox News understands the irony. Well, based on statistics, perhaps at least one person on the production crew, in the back office, or in the studio got it, if their child is also autistic. The term "idiot savant" is no longer used, but was once how autistic savants (and in general, most savants) were referred to. Webster's defines "idiot savant" as

"a person affected with a mental disability (as autism or mental retardation) who exhibits exceptional skill or brilliance in some limited field (as mathematics or music) —called also savant"

This thought came to me tonight, amidst all this autism-vaccine hubbub. What do the anti-vaxers have to say about Childhood Disintegrative Disorder? It was first documented in 1908. The fact that the symptoms and onset of CDD is very similar to regressive autism (age being the main differential), would make one wonder if they both have the same cause. Recently, there has been some written on autoimmune and environmental factors in CDD. However, since it has been affecting children since at least 1908 (and surely prior to a doctor identifying and naming it), one has to wonder if a vaccine link to CDD is truly feasible. Surely the children with CDD in the early 20th century were not vaccinated. Curious...to me at least.

Too Many Masters of Illusions...

"The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance -- it is the illusion of knowledge." ~ Daniel Boorstin

Thanks to the misrepresentation of facts and out of control spinning by many out there, most have not a clue about Hannah Poling's disease, its origins, and its significance. I have tried to explain it, to the best of my knowledge, having read multiple studies, having friends whose children have mitochondrial disease, and even having gone through the process of mito evaluation for my child, with Dr. Shoffner. Many bloggers have written on this, some have also written articles for various new organizations. The authors include other parents, both fathers and mothers ,(one of those moms also happens to have her PhD.), along with neurologists, scientists, and other physicians.

Despite that, people are opting to look past the facts and embrace half-truths and all-out lies. They prefer the sensationalist value of conspiracy theories and blaming the government for "injuring" our children. There are far too many masters of illusions weaving webs and indoctrinating parents into their beliefs, all for their own fame and fortune. To say that it's now been proven that vaccines cause autism (or mitochondrial disease), is beyond ignorant. Who cares if I don't have a clue about what disease Hannah Poling has? What difference does it make if she was born with this condition? I still blame the government!

The realization that Hannah Poling has a disease, one that was not caused by vaccines, and one that doesn't change anything for your own child or court case might be very upsetting to you. I get it. You were exhilarated by the Poling case (especially by those that hyped it to no end), feeling you too would be awarded money for your child's autism. Then you come to find out that Hannah, is in fact, not like your child--how disappointing for your case. I understand that. I realize it may feel better to hang onto something you have believed for so long--even when there is no solid proof or evidence to support those views. To think in new terms, acknowledge that all you had come to believe was all wrong, can be very difficult. But please, I urge you, look at the facts. Look at what the real science shows and proves, with regard to Hannah's condition. See what the real scientists, not a journalist, a lawyer, or other spin "doctors" are saying.

READ THIS, from Scientific American author Nikhil Swaminathan on what Dr. John Shoffner (a mitochondrial disease expert) has to say:

He notes that the route from the vaccine to the child's autism was by no means direct. Hannah's mitochondria were already underperforming, so when she developed a fever from her vaccine, the increased energy requirements likely pushed them past their thresholds. A fever caused by an ear infection or the flu would likely have triggered the autism symptoms if they occurred before or between the ages of 24 and 36 months, he says, which is when classic, regressive autism, which affects one third of sufferers, usually appears.

Shoffner notes that parents and advocates looking to impugn vaccines as triggers for autism—or mitochondrial disease—need direct, not just circumstantial, evidence. "If you were sitting in a waiting room full of people and one person suddenly fell ill or died or something," he says, "would you arrest the person sitting right next to them?"

Jon Poling, says Shoffner, has been "muddying the waters" with some of his comments. "There is no precedent for that type of thinking and no data for that type of thinking," Shoffner says.

So, now you know what a mito expert has to say. Not just any mito expert, but THE one who was involved in a study with Dr. Poling, and MOST significantly, the ONE who diagnosed Hannah Poling with mitochondrial disease. Now what say you?


Illusion

Pronunciation:

\i-ˈlü-zhən\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin illusion-, illusio, from Latin, action of mocking, from illudere to mock at, from in- + ludere to play, mock

1 aobsolete : the action of deceiving b (1): the state or fact of being intellectually deceived or misled

a (1): a misleading image presented to the vision (2): something that deceives or misleads intellectually b (1): perception of something objectively existing in such a way as to cause misinterpretation of its actual nature

synonyms see delusion

This is an illusion:



This is not:



In the first picture the dots don't really exist, they are all an illusion. In the second, the dots are really there, a fact that is easily proven. Illusions are all around us. They are fun and novel, when they come in forms of art and imagery. However, they are dangerous when they stem from issues of medicine and science.

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?

Is It Fever? Mercury? Thimerosal?

Pick a cause, any cause. The growing list of possible causes of autism continues to grow. It could be mercury, thimerosal, ultrasound, french fries, the television, excessive hygiene, and we can't forget "refrigerator moms." Now, is fever the new cause du jour of autism?

An idea being tossed around by people commenting on this piece, is now that it's the "vaccine-induced" fever that is affecting these children with "mitochondrial dysfunction." Is this becoming an idea that is adopted by Mr. Kirby and others?

Are we to blame fever now for autism (ala mitochondrial dysfunction)? How shall we go about "greening" fever or banning it? One can easily predict that even if we "green our vaccines," fever would still be a common side-effect. Likewise, splitting up vaccines does not lessen the chance of fever post-immunization. The fever is due to our immune system's response to the microorganisms in the vaccine. So, is this idea of the "vaccine-induced" fever just another stepping stone to banning vaccines altogether?

Is it fever or is it mercury or is it thimerosal or is it vaccines altogether that are to blame? I wait with bated breath for the next autism "cause" that will be "uncovered."

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!

Subpoena: QUASHED!

My congratulations to Kathleen Seidel. Here are the details of the "Endorsed Order granting Motion to Quash Subpoena."

The Absurdity Continues...

Another ridiculous "subpoena" (in quotes, because they are not the subpoenas most of us would think of, these are an abuse of the legal system) has been handed down. Kathleen Seidel from Neurodiversity.com writes today about a Dr. Marie McCormick. She too has received a subpoena courtesy of Clifford Shoemaker. The only question I have, is when will this utter absurdity will end?

From the neurodiversity weblog:

Yesterday I learned that on March 26, 2008 — the same afternoon that I was greeted at my doorstep with a demand for access to virtually the entire documentary record of my intellectual and financial life over the past four years — Dr. Marie McCormick, Sumner and Esther Feldberg Professor of Maternal and Child Health at the Harvard School of Public Health, and Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, was subjected to a similar experience at her Massachusetts home.

Kathleen titles her piece "In Distinguished Company." I couldn't agree more. I want Dr. McCormick to know that there are many of us standing behind her, just as we do Kathleen Seidel.

Mito-Autism Study

Okay, I'm a couple of days late on this, but seeing as I've written quite a bit on mito, figured I must add it to the list. I've included the parts which I feel have been overlooked by many who have jumped on this study, declaring that MANY autistic children MUST have mito.

Again, the whole fuzzy math thing--read each word and realize when the statistic of 74% and 78% are concluded, that is among 41 children who were SUSPECTED of having mitochondrial disease. These were not just a random sampling of autistic children. These were children who more than likely had other health issues, along with abnormal lab results (which led them to Shoffner and these further studies).


Mitochondrial Dysfunction May Play a Role in Autism Spectrum Disorders Etiology

The statistics many are reading and running with:

Here at the American Academy of Neurology 60th Annual Meeting, a retrospective analysis of 41 children with ASD who were being evaluated for suspected mitochondrial disease showed that 32 (78%) had defects in skeletal muscle oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) enzyme function and 29 of 39 (74%) harbored abnormalities in the OXPHOS proteins.

Again, I can't state it enough: this is NOT a random sample of autistic individuals. These are children who were already suspected of having a mitochondrial disorder.

More:

"Obviously, autism is not a single condition but a true spectrum of disorders. There are many ways in which the genes can go awry, and our hope is that this study will open the door to a greater understanding of at least 1 subset of this patient population with metabolic and enzymologist changes," he said.

I'm curious to see if Dr. Shoffner feels that such changes in genes comes from the parents, or via vaccines, environmental toxins, etc. as Dr. Poling & Kirby promote. His point of autism being "a true spectrum of disorders," and that this is only "1 subset" of patients, would lead one to believe he is not ruling out genetic factors (ala Jenny, who seems to feel there are zero genetic causes for autism). So, again, for the anti-vax group, this is not a definitive finding in their favor. Not by a long shot.

However, he added, further research in unselected populations of autistic patients is needed to confirm these findings.

Exactly.

Lisa Jo Rudy makes some great points on the significance, if any, of this study.

I Am Also Kathleen

I haven't had the proper amount of time needed to truly digest the subpoena of Kathleen Seidel at Neurodiversity.com. Many others have written incredibly about it, and I have linked to them below. What I have been able to conclude about the subpoena, is that some people enjoy wasting paper, and worse, wasting the time of free citizens as well as judges. I have the utmost respect for what our founding fathers fought for--our freedoms, and I hold them dearly. I detest frivolous lawsuits, and I can now add ridiculous subpoenas (Kathleen is NOT being sued) in addition to that. Aside from seeking to silence and intimidate Kathleen (along with the long list of Autism Hubbers mentioned in paragraph #5), this subpoena also attempts to threaten her freedom of religion.

This subpoena is so far-fetched and has utter disregard to an American citizen's rights (freedom of speech, freedom of religion, to name two!), and is truly a fishing expedition, that at first glance one would assume it was a joke. Sadly, it is not a joke. Kathleen is having to take time out of her life, time better spent with family, friends, a hobby--whatever she chooses. She is forced to respond to the subpoena, and then wait to see what comes of it. There is a possibility she could incur major expenses as a result of this subpoena. This is very real, and the requests that Mr. Shoemaker makes are very absurd. I often felt that at least some on the DAN! side of things had a touch of conspiracy theorist in them. One needs only glance at a biomed message board to pick up on that. Lately, it becomes more obvious that the vast majority of them do, and it's not just a touch. So many appear to be full-fledged conspiracy theorists, having zero trust in any government agency or pharmaceutical company. They freely (without subpoenas) author blogs, books, and articles in newspapers and magazines. They are seen on various talk shows to speak on this distrust, promote their beliefs, speak out against vaccines, and increasingly appear in mainstream media's news coverage.

Somehow, they've connected the dots, and decided that we on the Autism Hub are all covert agents of the government, pharmaceutical companies, et al. They so hate that we are speaking out, that our children are thriving, and that we are finding joy in our life (autism and all!). They don't understand us parents, our autistic children, or the many autistic adults who are blogging. I imagine it is mostly fear over the dollars they are not getting from parents like me who have never been to a DAN! doctor. When we speak out, they may fear, perhaps others will follow suit, and that means dollars lost to the biomed industry. I can't think of any other reason for the complete paranoia they have over the Autism Hub, other than money. Especially when you consider that none of us have had the press (see above) that David Kirby, Jenny McCarthy, the Polings, and others have had. The one thing I keep wondering about is this: if they really are making such progress, in proving that the CDC is pure evil and vaccines are giving all our kids autism, then why the need for a subpoena like this? If "the tide is turning," then why are they all still so indignant, irrational, and suspicious?

Here's some wonderful writings I came across.

I took the "I Am Kathleen" from Stranger Than You Can Imagine. I think it's brilliant.

Orac has An open letter David Kirby and Dan Olmsted about the Kathleen Seidel subpoena, which I too would like to see Kirby & Olmsted's response. But, I won't hold my breath...

The Voyage has it ALL covered, nearly all the blogs that are talking about this are listed here.

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...

Jim Carrey--Autism Expert??

Larry King read a message from Jenny's "mate" on his show:

"Vaccines are more of a profit engine than a means of prevention. And that's why there are so many vaccines."

Since when did Jim Carrey become an expert on anything in the medical world? On vaccines? On Autism? I realize he is the "Autism Whisperer," but wow, never realized he had received his PhD. To that point, why is anyone listening to a ditsy Playboy model? And, David Kirby, a PR person, again, not a physician or scientist. Really makes you wonder...

Jenny herself may need some medication (or perhaps she should try the GFCF diet, chelation, HBOT??). You don't go on Larry King, scream "bulls**t" to respected physicians, ranting and raving. Her voice is shaky, she really needs to sip some water and take a deep breath. I too get very emotional over my child. I have to really prepare myself prior to her IEP meetings. I bring a bottle of water, take slow deep breaths, read some inspirational quotes I have written in my notebook, and look at her picture I bring in with me. I remind myself continually to remain calm, regardless. I realize I will look like a raving lunatic if I lose my cool. I also am aware that if I get emotional and go off-course, nothing will get accomplished.

She wants measles over autism, any day??? Wow, is all I can say. She's been brainwashed by the conspiracy theorists, she is insisting that all the multiple studies on vaccines are whack, demanding an independent study.

Jim & Jenny are marching on June 4 for Generation Rescue/TACA Now, in Washington D.C. Joy. Gives new meaning to Dumb and Dumber. I'm curious if the walk in Atlanta, against the CDC is still on? I hope so, otherwise my plane ticket will go to waste (sarcasm!).

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.

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.

Enough With All The Causes, Causes, Causes

People have often asked me how I think my daughter "got" autism. At Bloomingdales may be my answer to the next person who asks! Kind people will send me articles, with the best intentions, of the latest & greatest quack-cause du jour. I believe my daughter was born autistic. I have no evidence to prove otherwise. I'm at total peace with that, I accept autism, I accept my daughter. I have moved on from scratching my head, trying to figure out what and why. I have the what, the why has been answered, at least for me (genetics).

I suppose if I had an extra, say 15 hours a day or so, I might give more thought to french fries or air pollution. But, I doubt it. I'd more than likely opt to sleep (or eat the french fries), or do something more beneficial than endless searching for a possible cause that more than likely I would never find (unless I was staring at my and my husband's DNA). I prefer to live in the moment, embrace my life, and go with it. My heart really does go out to families who are so consumed in finding the cause of their child's autism. I know they spend countless time, money, and energy on it. It must be extremely tiring and stressful, and I often wonder about the effect of it all on their child.

Mercury, Lyme's, environmental triggers, viruses, cigarette smoke, air pollution, prenatal aspartame consumption, maternal stress, folic acid, ultrasound, excessive hygiene, television, french fries...

For each supposed "cause" of autism, people claim there are studies that have been done to prove them. Granted, the study may be some quack-pseudo-scientist talking to 3 families who all ate glazed donuts on a Wednesday, and they all had autistic children. Yes, that's a bit exaggerated and comical, but it's not too too far off from how a lot of these "studies" are done (and then presented in a scientific manner). Typically, people who passionately believe in the cause of their child's autism, will say that studies have been hidden by the government.

The conspiracy theorists are alive and well in "causes of autism" world. They say that the government (think Men In Black), is intentionally keeping us, the public, uninformed. They (the Men In Black) continue "poisoning" our children, mostly so that "big pharma" can keep ringing in the big money. And, that they (the Men In Black again) are hiding these mountains of studies. I wonder how many of the autism conspiracy theory folks carry around their own copy of Catcher In The Rye (which, I have to add: it was my most beloved book in my teen years, and second, I do believe true government conspiracies exist, just not about autism!).

Anyway, it always goes back to "big pharma," whether you are talking about vaccines or "autism fries." Most who believe these various conspiracies, which at last check seem to be more of them that here are of Grimm's Fairy Tales, feel that the government and others have kept things hidden for one reason: money. They often state that doctors, therapists, pharmaceutical companies, and many others, are making big money on autism. So, they'd not want to find a "cause."

Apparently with all the diseases, psychological disorders, traumatic-brain/car-accident/work-related/sport injuries, birth defects, organ transplants, plastic surgery, viral and bacterial infections, genetic disorders, etc., doctors simply weren't making enough money. No, hospitals, drug companies, therapists, and physicians wanted more. So when they discovered that x, y, or z was causing Autism, they quickly hid that "fact," for the sake of making bigger bucks.

Yeah, because diabetes, heart disease, cancer, epilepsy, stroke, and whatever other assorted health issues you'll encounter at the doctor's office just wasn't cutting it. They needed something more, and apparently were so desperate for cold cash, they didn't care about the individuals or families involved. They didn't give a rat's arse about how "giving" Autism to all these kids would affect society, our school systems, government programs, etc. Nah, it was all about making that precious dollar. And, what's even more interesting, is that apparently doctors from all over the world were in on this. There must have been secret meetings--perhaps held at U.N. Headquarters? So that in every country, every nation, autism would be "dispensed" in whichever method one is arguing for (vaccines, pollution, etc.).

Um, yeah...that makes perfect sense to me.