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.

Is Jenny Really An Autism Mom? (Part 2)

A Look At Auditory Processing, Allergies, and Autism:

Aside from, or in addition to, the possibility of epilepsy being the cause of developmental delays (and hence leading to a wrong diagnosis of autism) in Jenny's son, we can also look at auditory processing symptoms being similar to those of autism. In addition, a child suffering from food intolerances and/or allergies can have behavioral issues (or what looks like behavioral problems, from pain, discomfort, etc.). In recent interviews, Jenny has said her son continues to have some "auditory processing" issues.

More on Central Auditory Processing Disorder:

Early Signs & Symptoms:

* Difficulty following verbal directions.
* Echolalia (repeating back words and phrases without comprehension).
* Re-auditorization (repeating back what was heard, and then showing comprehension).
* A child who says "huh" or "what" and requires more repetitions of verbal input messages.
* Speech sound discrimination difficulties, especially in noise.
* Highly distractible/active.
* Unintelligible speech, but with adequate vocal inflection and gestures.
* Difficulty with memorizing names and places.
* Difficulty repeating words or numbers in sequence.
* May have speech or language "delays."

Nearly all of the CAPD symptoms can be seen in autistic children (specifically those with speech delays or language impairments), but again, there is more to the diagnostic criteria for autism than the symptoms listed for CAPD. Doctors really need to use caution when they throw out an "autism" diagnosis, especially when language and speech disorders can mirror symptoms of ASD's. I've seen this type of "warning" on speech apraxia websites, cautioning that there are some similarities with autism. So, is it possible that Jenny's son's proper diagnosis could be CAPD, with epilepsy?

With regard to allergies or food intolerances causing or worsening behavioral or psychiatric issues, we can look at this study (Untreated Celiac Disease and Development of Mental Disorders in Children and Adolescents):

The two adolescents described in these cases had suffered from episodes of major depression and other mental disorders before receiving a diagnosis of CD. The subject in case 2 had severe psychiatric symptoms years before adolescence. Soon after commencement of a gluten-free diet, coinciding with a decrease in circulating IgA antiendomysium and IgA antitransglutaminase antibodies, both youngsters considerably improved without any specific psychiatric treatment, and both remained in remission for at least 1.5 years of follow-up. Although the possible role of unrecognized psychosocial factors in explaining the remission cannot be excluded, it seems likely that in these cases major depression and severe behavioral problems, along with their improvement, were causally related to CD and its treatment with a gluten-free diet.

Since unrecognized CD may predispose the sufferer to serious mental disorders and behavioral problems, it should be taken into account in differential diagnosis in all age groups. The mechanisms involved in the etiology and pathogenesis of mental and behavioral disorders related to CD, and even to celiac-type gluten sensitivity, remain unresolved.

Certainly not direct proof of food intolerances (or in this case specifically Celiac Disease) can lead to or cause psychiatric disorders, but enough information to consider the possibility. So, again, if Jenny's son is a child with epilepsy (and associated delays) along with CAPD and/or food intolerances, all of that could add up to what looks like autism. It also would further explain this so-called "recovery" and why such improvement (apparently in speech and behavior) supposedly followed a switch to the GFCF diet (keep in mind, it may have been the epilepsy treatment helping the speech).

JUST MORE HYPOTHETICAL FOOD FOR THOUGHT...


*Disclaimer: I do not have any personal knowledge of Jenny McCarthy or her son's medical history, other than that made available to the public (via media outlets, et al). These are simply questions I feel worth raising, and ideas worth investigating.

FYI: Jenny On Fox Tomorrow Night

Jenny McCarthy will be on Fox News' On The Record with Greta Van Susteren tomorrow night (10pm E/9pm C).

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.

The Whole Green Mess...

I've been busy lately. You can tell, as I've been absent from my blog. I had even forgotten what today was. We were headed to Speech Therapy when the ABC radio reporter issued a brief statement about the rally. I called my husband to see if he had seen any coverage on the T.V. This evening, I searched and searched, but could not find a single morsel. The majority of the coverage was on the presidential race.

This particular clip of the whole "rally" seemed utterly surreal (it's from ET Online, go figure). That's all I'll say, you judge for yourself.

What I heard Jenny say was how 10 vaccines still have mercury in them (in the guise of thimerosal, Big Bad Pharma at it again). She said how it's right there on the FDA website. I had to immediately check it out (TEN vaccines??!!??). Well, this is, I presume, the page she refers to. I'm baffled. It's late, so I could be wrong...but I don't get how it adds up to 10. Well, I take that back. Yes, there are several vaccines that contain trace amounts of thimerosal (which, would then contain trace amounts of mercury, so in the vaccine, you are getting trace amounts of trace amounts of a preservative). However, it's declared as if your child is getting TEN vaccines with mercury. No, that's not the case. If you look at Table I, you will see that of the "vaccines routinely recommended for children 6 years of age and younger," only one particular brand of DTaP (Tripedia) contains trace amounts (≤0.3 µg Hg/0.5mL dose) and that the other vaccine is for influenza (which, has thimerosal-free versions, FluZone thimerosal free and FluMist). Both vaccines are available in thimerosal-free formulations. There is a second table, with a list of additional vaccines, such as Japanese Encephalitis (containing 0.007%), that our children do not typically receive. On that table, the highest percentage of thimerosal content was 0.01%. Startling. I thank Jenny for sharing such a valuable resource with all of us.

There was also this picture, courtesy of the Chicago Tribune. Now, I'm all for showing affection for your sweetheart. And, I love my husband very much. But I can state with 99.9% certainty that if we were ever at a rally (say for funding for programs aimed toward autistic teens and adults), we would not be making out. Sure, we may hug, but a passionate kiss? Leave it at the hotel room people. This seem to be a theme for Jenny, being less than professional (ex. shouting bulls**t on Larry King Live) while on this "crusade." You are celebrities, people are taking your picture, act accordingly--if you want your message to get out. I wouldn't want an image like this to be one of the first few listings on Google (c'mon, Jenny, you have your Google degree, don't you?) for a rally that was of the utmost importance to me. Just my two cents, a little advice for Jim and Jenny.

It also appears that the turmoil is bubbling over with regard to Jenny's public messages on vaccines (that she is NOT anti-vaccine at all, just for safer, more spaced out, yada, yada, yada). The anti-vaxers are angry with her, and upset that the rally today was apparently not open to those preaching a total anti-vaccine message.

To be honest, the ABC link I mentioned previously is the only substantial mention or article I have found. For the most part, the media is clinging onto the celebrity factor (and even more, the celeb-couple factor). This may have been a big, fun story for ET and Extra!, but as for making a real impact and being treated as a serious issue, it seems to have missed its mark.

Apparently 8,000 people showed up today. I'm not sure if that is more or less than what anyone anticipated. I for one was a bit appalled at the message to parents about how to do whatever they can to get to D.C. Borrow from family, do fund raisers, etc. Here's the thing, the majority of us "autism families," don't have bundles of extra cash stowed away to fly to a rally (or for anything else!). I could never, would never, ask anyone for money so that I could attend a march (of any sort). My family would surely think I had gone over the edge entirely. Please give me money so I can fly to D.C. for a rally. Yes, I know I have medical bills. Yes, I know my child has therapy. Yes, I know we may need to hire an advocate to get better school services. But, this is really important! WHAT??? Outrageous! Again, I see a disconnect from celebrities and the rest of us. Flying or driving anywhere these days is awfully expensive, I can think of a hundred ways that money may be better spent for a family like ours (and, like many "autism families," I suspect).

Edited to add: From reports, it appears that 8,000 figure may have been rather inflated. It seems the numbers were more like 500-1,000 people in attendance (and, apparently, half of those were children).

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."

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.

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!

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.

Can We Agree On This: Your Child Does NOT Have Autism?

So, I've been milling over this for a few weeks now. I realize some of my friends may disagree with me on it. I wonder if we are able to get past this hurdle, that perhaps those who are working for adult services can move forward, with real change?

Can we agree that perhaps, there are forms of autism--or perhaps something completely else (not autism, but rather vaccine encephalopathy or something like that?), that are either caused by or worsened by vaccines? Perhaps there are a very small number of children who have something going on with their mitochondria or their immune system, and it makes them susceptible to autistic-like features post-vaccine (or illness, allergen exposure, etc.). For those whose doctors can prove their child is such a case, step aside. I am not for the rebranding of autism ala Kirby, but for cases like these, I say call what your child has something other than autism.

Step aside, stand on a soapbox with a name other than autism. I realize you parents are passionate about your children, and about how you feel your child "became" autistic. But, what you may not realize, is that all the time you are in the media, writing, and visiting message boards spreading stories of so-called recovery and cures for autism, you are taking away from our message. Those of us who have either tried biomed treatments and had no success, those of us who have been tested for and found a proven genetic link, and those of us who feel strongly our child was born autistic--we are fighting for rights and services for our children when they become adults and for the many adult autistics living in the world today.

Every time someone goes on television or writes an article, telling the world that autism is reversible, or that an autistic child can be recovered, you are telling the world that there is no need for adult programs. If the message is that autism can be "cured," then why would anyone want to support or create services for adult autistics? if we can make a distinction between what your child has (not autism) and what my child has (autism), we can all move along further toward our (very different) goals.

Ethically, I have many disagreements with how autistics are often referred to by those who are adamant about recovery. I am saddened that so many parents have great difficulty seeing the gifts that their children are, and I also fear that such beliefs can pull some over the edge. But, for the sake of my child's future and for the benefit of adult autistics, I would be willing to overlook this for now. Allow us to make real change for our children--those who won't recover, and who will need some type of support throughout their adult years.

I am so tired of trying to fight the massive media attacks on vaccines, the profiles of those who have "successfully recovered" their children, and all the viciousness I feel from those who disagree with me. I want to blog and discuss all areas related to autism. However, lately it is those who are attempting to rebrand autism and find blame that are consuming the autism world. I'd love to move past this. Changing the diagnosis is the only way I can think of to make progress.



This is what I wrote when I was feeling much more stressed (& and frustrated, among other emotions) the other day:


TO THOSE WHO FEEL THEIR CHILD'S "AUTISM" WAS CAUSED BY MERCURY, VACCINES, ENVIRONMENTAL TRIGGERS, AND SO ON:
CAN YOU START CALLING YOUR CHILD'S CONDITION MITO DYSFUNCTION OR VACCINE INJURY OR SOMETHING OTHER THAN AUTISM? THEN YOU CAN PACK YOUR BAGS AND LEAVE THE ISLAND. MY CHILD HAS AUTISM, NOT FROM VACCINES OR ANY OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL FACTOR. PERHAPS ONE DAY, IT WILL BE PROVEN THAT SOME CHILDREN HAVE AUTISTIC-LIKE FEATURES OR SYMPTOMS BECAUSE OF ALLERGIES OR SOMETHING ELSE. FINE. GET YOUR DAN TREATMENT AND 'HEAL' YOUR CHILD. BUT, DO NOT SPEAK FOR ME OR MY CHILD. DO NOT POUR MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO THIS VACCINE FAR-FETCHED THEORY. YOU ARE NOT HELPING US. YOU ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING FOR MY CHILD. WHEN MY CHILD BECOMES AN ADULT, YOU WILL HAVE DONE NOTHING TO HELP HER. YOU WILL NOT HAVE CREATED ANY NEW PROGRAMS OR SERVICES FOR ADULT AUTISTICS. MY CHILD WAS NOT HIT BY A BUS, SHE WAS NEVER MOWED OVER. SHE WAS BORN WITH AUTISM. SHE IS DOING WONDERFUL, AND I LOVE HER MORE THAN WORDS COULD EXPRESS. I NEED ASSURANCE THAT THE FUTURE WILL BE A HOPEFUL ONE. I WANT OPTIONS FOR HER, AND I WANT SOCIETY TO RESPECT HER AND SEE HOW TRULY AMAZING SHE IS. YOU DO NOT SPEAK FOR ME, I AM NOT PART OF THE SO-CALLED AUTISM COMMUNITY YOU CLAIM TO BE REPRESENTING. GO FIGHT YOUR FIGHT, BUT DO NOT CLAIM IT AS MY BATTLE TOO.

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.

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 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.

Seriously, Jenny

I just caught Jenny McCarthy's interview on E!'s Chelsea Lately show. Here is the link (bad language warning). Really now, it is frightening who we have speaking to the public about autism and supposedly representing "us."

She talks about how she asked Mormons to come pray for her "sick" son (and how when your child is sick you'll decapitate small animals, hmmm...). I wonder if this is before or after she discovered her child was a Crystal? To say that Ms. McCarthy was desperate for some type of hope for her and her son, is an understatement. I've never seen someone speak so frantically over their child's autism. No wonder she hopped onto the DAN bandwagon, and now is so 'into' TACA & Generation Rescue. One can only speculate what she may discover next, what group she'll become immersed in. Perhaps Dr. Carley will win her over?

We're not all screaming "HELP US!" At least we're not looking for the "help" you have been shoving down our throats for months. The help I want, is knowing that my school district has the proper resources and is giving my child all she needs to achieve her potential. The help I need is programs for my child and many others as they reach adulthood. I need help with transition from the school system, will my child have the opportunity to attend college? Will she be able to live independently, will there be housing options available to her? Is there vocational training available, and who will hire her? Will she be able to attain medical care, psychological services, etc. from reputable physicians? How will the world view an autistic adult in 10-15 years? If changes are not made, how many autistic children growing up today will be homeless in their 20's, 30's, or 40's?

She goes on to give the number to the White House, asking viewers to call and ask for the resignation of Julie Gerberding, CDC Director. Chelsea suggests telling the White House, "Julie Gerberding suck it hard!" and Jenny adds, "I was going to say aka the Devil." Nice. Later on, Jenny says she hopes "we create a major s**tstorm," over this issue. Lovely, now that's classy. I'm so glad that the public will look to Jenny and feel she represents all autism moms. I can only imagine what the media coverage will look like on that weekend in June when Jenny and her fellow Generation Rescue drones will descend upon the CDC. I wonder if their posters will have signs with the above mentioned quotes? Should be quite a circus.

The interview ends with Jenny stating that we (us autism moms) live in a kind of hell. Not me, no way, not by a long shot. Jenny, you want to know what hell feels like? For us, it was watching our child lay lifeless in the PICU. She had tubes coming and going, tests round the clock, she was essentially in a coma and no one knew why. We thought we were going to lose her. Jenny, that is hell, fearing that your child is going to die and you can do absolutely nothing about it, except pray every minute. Get some perspective. Life with autism is not this nightmare you are selling to whoever will listen to you. It's amazing that celebrities feel they can actually relate to moms in regular America. None of us can just go do a photo shoot to make some more money to cover our child's therapy. We don't have access to the press to speak up about our concerns and get funds raised toward what's really needed. You simply can't relate to us, and again, "we" don't live in a "kind of hell." And, besides, with your son "recovered," what exactly are you whining about?

In the very end, they both state that the government has said that vaccines can cause autism, as just decided in a recent court case. Really? Which court case was that, did I miss it?

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.