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After the alleged cover-up, National Vaccine Info Center calls for removal of vaccine safety oversight from US Dept of HHS. Read more:

WASHINGTON–(EON: Enhanced Online News)–The non-profit National Vaccine Information Center (NVIC) is renewing its call for oversight of vaccine safety to be removed from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), which is responsible for vaccine development, regulation, policymaking, promotion and serves as a legal respondent and administrator for the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). NVIC’s call comes after a senior scientist at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a public statement on Aug. 27, 2014 admitting that he and other CDC officials, including the current CDC Director of Immunization Safety, published an MMR vaccine safety study in 2004 that “omitted statistically significant information” and “relevant findings” and that “the final study protocol was not followed.”

“Congress needs to act now to eliminate conflicts of interest within the nation’s vaccination system. The health of our children is at stake”

“The latest statements made by a CDC senior scientist confirming that vaccine risk data was withheld from the public is more evidence that parents’ concerns about vaccine safety are legitimate,” said Barbara Loe Fisher, NVIC co-founder and president. “It is a conflict of interest for DHHS to be in charge of vaccine safety and also license vaccines, and take money from drug companies to fast track vaccines, and partner with drug companies to develop and share profits from vaccine sales, and make national vaccine policies that get turned into state vaccine laws, while also deciding which children will and will not get a vaccine injury compensation award. That is too much power for one federal agency,” she said.

Since the first vaccines for smallpox and rabies, vaccination has been known to cause brain inflammation and chronic brain dysfunction (encephalopathy). In 1991 and 1994, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) acknowledged that vaccination can cause brain inflammation and encephalopathy and, in 2012 and 2013, affirmed that some individuals are more susceptible to suffering brain injury from vaccination and that there are significant knowledge gaps in vaccine safety science. Symptoms of brain injury include developmental delays and disabilities.

“DHHS has a long history of limiting transparency and being less than honest with the American people about what it does and does not know about which individuals are at greater risk for suffering vaccine reactions,” said Fisher. “Last July, a RAND Corporation-conducted vaccine risk assessment study commissioned and funded by DHHS proclaimed that vaccines are ‘very safe’ but what was not made clear to the public is that the study was designed and peer reviewed by high-level CDC officials, including the CDC’s Director of Immunization Safety.”

In 2011, NVIC called for the creation of an independent vaccine safety monitoring agency modeled after the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) and has also called for independent vaccine research into health outcome differences between children who are and are not vaccinated according to the federally recommended vaccine schedule. Since its founding in 1982, NVIC has advocated for informed consent protections in U.S. vaccine policies and laws, including flexible medical, religious and conscientious belief exemptions.

Congress needs to act now to eliminate conflicts of interest within the nation’s vaccination system. The health of our children is at stake,” said Fisher.

NVIC is a non-profit charity founded in 1982 and is dedicated to preventing vaccine injuries and deaths through public education and protecting the informed consent ethic. NVIC encourages well-informed vaccine decision-making and does not advocate for or against vaccination or make vaccine use recommendations. For more information, visit NVIC.org.

CDC Whistleblower, Vaccines, and Autism. Check-out the latest:

NEWS RELEASE: A Study by Focus Autism Foundation Finds: CDC Whistleblower Reveals Widespread Manipulation of Scientific Data and Top-Down Pressure on CDC Scientists to Support the Fraudulent Application of Government Policies on Vaccine Safety

Whistleblower Says CDC Knew in 2003 of Higher Autism Rate Among African-American Boys Receiving MMR Shot Earlier Than 36 Months

WATCHUNG, NJ–(Marketwired – August 18, 2014) – A top research scientist working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) played a key role in helping Dr. Brian Hooker of the Focus Autism Foundation uncover data manipulation by the CDC that obscured a higher incidence of autism in African-American boys. The whistleblower came to the attention of Hooker, a PhD in biochemical engineering, after he had made a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for original data on the DeStefano et al MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and autism study.

Dr. Hooker’s study, published August 8 in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Translational Neurodegeneration, shows that African-American boys receiving their first MMR vaccine before 36 months of age are 3.4 times more likely to develop autism vs. after 36 months.

According to Dr. Hooker, the CDC whistleblower informant — who wishes to remain anonymous — guided him to evidence that a statistically significant relationship between the age the MMR vaccine was first given and autism incidence in African-American boys was hidden by CDC researchers. After data were gathered on 2,583 children living in Atlanta, Georgia who were born between 1986 and 1993, CDC researchers excluded children that did not have a valid State of Georgia birth certificate — reducing the sample size being studied by 41%. Hooker explains that by introducing this arbitrary criteria into the analysis, the cohort size was sharply reduced, eliminating the statistical power of the findings and negating the strong MMR-autism link in African American boys.

Dr. Hooker has worked closely with the CDC whistleblower, and he viewed highly sensitive documents related to the study via Congressional request from U.S. Representative Darrell Issa, Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee. The CDC documents from Congress and discussions that Hooker had with the whistleblower reveal widespread manipulation of scientific data and top-down pressure on CDC scientists to support fraudulent application of government policies on vaccine safety. Based on raw data used in the 2004 DeStefano et al study obtained under FOIA, Dr. Hooker found that the link between MMR vaccination and autism in African-American boys was obscured by the introduction of irrelevant and unnecessary birth certificate criteria — ostensibly to reduce the size of the study.

The results of the original study first appeared in the journal Pediatrics which receives financial support from vaccine makers via advertising and direct donations, according to a CBS News report. The DeStefano et al study is widely used by the CDC and other public health organizations to dismiss any link between vaccines and autism — a neurological disorder on the rise.

Dr. Hooker stated:

The CDC knew about the relationship between the age of first MMR vaccine and autism incidence in African-American boys as early as 2003, but chose to cover it up.”

The whistleblower confirmed this.

When asked if there could be any scientific basis for excluding children born outside of Georgia, Hooker responded,

I know of none, and none has been provided by the authors of the DeStefano study.” He added, “The exclusion is reminiscent of tactics historically used to deprive African-Americans of the vote by requiring valid birth certificates.”

Dr. Hooker concluded further study is needed to determine why this specific effect (3.4-fold increase when MMR is administered prior to 36 months) is seen exclusively in African-American males, and determine whether delaying the first MMR vaccination should be advised for this population. A link between the MMR vaccine and autism has been conceded in cases compensated by the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program.

The CDC whistleblower informant, who has worked for the government agency for over a decade, remarked to Dr. Hooker in phone calls:

We’ve missed ten years of research because the CDC is so paralyzed right now by anything related to autism. They’re not doing what they should be doing because they’re afraid to look for things that might be associated.” 

The whistleblower alleges criminal wrongdoing of his supervisors, and he expressed deep regret about his role in helping the CDC hide data.

According to David Lewis, PhD, former senior-level microbiologist with the U.S. EPA’s Office of Research & Development, skewing scientific data to support government policies is a major problem at federal agencies, including EPA, CDC, and USDA. Lewis, who was terminated by EPA for publishing papers in Nature that questioned the science the agency uses to support certain regulations, believes top-down pressure on federal scientists and researchers working on government-funded projects in academia is jeopardizing public health.

Working for the government is no different than working for corporations. You either toe the line or find yourself looking for another way to make a living,” Lewis says. “No one would be surprised if Merck published unreliable data supporting the safety of its products. Why would anyone be surprised that the CDC is publishing skewed data to conclude that the vaccines it recommends are safe? We need a better system, where scientists are free to be honest.”

The Focus Autism Foundation is dedicated to providing information to the public that exposes the cause or causes of the autism epidemic and the rise of chronic illness — focusing on the role of vaccinations. Learn more at www.Focusautism.org

CDC Whistleblower Exposes Cover-Up: Read More

(NaturalNews) The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been engaged in a massive campaign of deception concerning the alleged safety of the combination measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, also known as MMR. A top-level scientist from the agency, who recently came forward as an anonymous whistleblower, confessed that the CDC deliberately concealed data showing that MMR can cause autism, particularly in African American boys who are vaccinated before the age of three.

Speaking to Dr. Brian Hooker from the Focus Autism Foundation (FAF), the whistleblower reportedly filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking original data on a study that the CDC routinely cites as evidence of MMR’s safety. Dr. Hooker and the whistleblower crossed paths not long after, together uncovering a dirty little secret about this prominent study that was never disclosed to the public — that MMR is linked to a 340 percent increased risk of autism in black boys.

Publishing this bombshell in a recent issue of the peer-reviewed scientific journal Translational Neurodegeneration, Dr. Hooker discovered, with the guidance of the whistleblower, that MMR tests conducted on young, African American boys born between 1986 and 1993 were intentionally manipulated after the fact to cover up the link between MMR and autism. This manipulation involved excluding a significant percentage of the study’s participants from the final sample size.

“After data were gathered on 2,583 children living in Atlanta, Georgia who were born between 1986 and 1993, CDC researchers excluded children [who] did not have a valid State of Georgia birth certificate — reducing the sample size being studied by 41%,” explains an FAF press release. “[B]y introducing this arbitrary criteria into the analysis, the cohort size was sharply reduced, eliminating the statistical power of the findings and negating the strong MMR-autism link in African American boys.”

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/046595_CDC_whistleblower_autism_MMR_vaccine.html#ixzz3BWseQ9HS

Antibiotic Augmentin Linked to Autism?

In a study released this week, the antibiotic Augmentin TM has been implicated in the formation of autism. The study published in Medical Hypotheses strongly suggests the possibility of ammonia poisoning as a result of young children taking Augmentin.

Yonkers, NY (PRWEB) January 5, 2005

In a study released this week, the antibiotic Augmentin TM has been implicated in the formation of autism. The study strongly suggests the possibility of ammonia poisoning as a result of young children taking Augmentin. Augmentin has been given to children since the late 1980’s for bacterial infections. Composed of amoxicillin and clavulanate potassium, Augmentin has proven a potent antibacterial, especially for ear infections which quickly become resistant to amoxicillin alone.

The manufacture of AugmentinTM involves the fermentation of clavulanic acid. The fermentation process involves large amounts of urea/ammonia. Ingested ammonia can potentially injure the intestines of small children as well as brain and nervous tissue. Even a small residue of urea/ammonia can potentially induce a substantial brain inflammation or abnormality.

The study, published in Medical Hypotheses, (2005 64, 312–315) examines 206 children under the age of 3 diagnosed with autism. These children were found to have a significantly higher number of ear infections than the general pediatric population. These same children received, on average, 12 courses of antibiotics representing a sum total number of 2480. Of the 2480, 893 of these courses were Augmentin with 362 of those given under the age of 1 year.

Dr. Joan Fallon, scientist, autism researcher and author of the study, states that, “Augmentin is one of the most widely prescribed drugs for children. Its introduction into the marketplace for use in the treatment of childhood illnesses corresponds with the significant increase in the incidence of autism. It is possible that some children, especially those with immaturity, or others at risk for developmental disorders can be injured by taking this drug. It is imperative that further research be undertaken to determine if a subset of children are at risk for neurotoxicity due to the use of clavulanate or clavulanic acid in pharmaceutical preparations – especially Augmentin.”

More Support for the Benefits of Early Intervention:

Autism Study Confirms Value Of Early Intervention

April 15, 2014 | Letter to the editor

Regarding the article “Autism Treatment For Under-Threes Is Key, But Diagnosis Is Tough” [April 14, courant.com]:

Although autism spectrum disorder detection in infancy is the ultimate goal, currently detection is difficult before 18 months. UConn research has resulted in a screening tool for autism, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (the M-CHAT), and a recent revision (the M-CHAT-R), which many pediatricians in Connecticut and nationally are using. It screens for autism in toddlers ages 16-30 months.

It can pick up many, although not all, children at risk for autism. Those who screen positive should then go on to receive a developmental and diagnostic evaluation.

Ample research has shown that most children who receive an ASD diagnosis as early as 18 months have this diagnosis confirmed later, at 3 or 4 years old, but in the meantime, they have hopefully had an opportunity to receive intervention.

A study from our UConn group, about to be published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, also looked at the intervention histories of children who had early diagnoses of ASD but went on to have excellent outcomes. A much higher percent of the excellent outcome children received Applied Behavior AnalysisZ treatment, and that intervention started earlier.

This finding serves to reinforce the importance of early diagnosis and access to early intervention.

Deborah Fein, Mansfield
The writer is a UConn psychology professor.

Blaming Shootings On Autism Huge Mistake; Experts Reveal All

Dr. John Carosso

“I’ve written extensively on this topic through the Autism Center of Pittsburgh and my blog at http://helpforyourchild.com, and clearly demonstrated that individuals with autism are no more violent than the general population and, in reality, are far more often on the receiving end of bullying and aggression.”

You can read more below or visit: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/blaming-shootings-on-autism-a-mistake-experts-2014-05-25

LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch)—With two mass shootings allegedly committed by young men diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, the temptation may be for the public to blame the autistic condition for the crimes, but experts and observers say that would be a mistake.

Gunman shared plans in video

Gunman Elliot Rodger detailed his plans in a YouTube video posted online before the rampage in Isla Vista, Calif.

A weekend massacre of seven people in Santa Barbara, Calif., follows the December 2012 mass shooting of 28 people, mostly school children, in Newtown, Conn., at the Sandy Hook Elementary School. In each case, the alleged shooter was diagnosed with Asperger’s, which now is simply just considered to be a form of autism.

Elliot Rodger, 22, has been identified as the shooter in the weekend incident near the University of California, Santa Barbara, while 20-year-old Adam Lanza was the perpetrator at Sandy Hook, where 20 small school children and six teachers were killed.

Rodger and Lanza were children of divorce and grew up privileged. They also had trouble socializing with their peers, reports say. Rodger complained in a number of self-made tapes of his inability to attract women.

Sheriff details rampage

At a news conference, authorities identified Elliot Rodger as the man who allegedly stabbed three people to death and shot and killed several more in a rampage near the University of California at Santa Barbara Friday night.

Dr. Daniel Son, a Los Angeles psychiatrist, says Asperger’s actually does not exist as an official diagnosis among mental health professionals anymore, though it still is a commonly used term. He says as of a year ago, it now is simply considered part of the autism spectrum, and most who had been diagnosed with Asperger’s are thought to be high functioning and able to live relatively normal lives.

Son, who treats a number of young autism patients, says that obsessive behavior can result from the disease and patients can become fixated on certain issues. But other factors usually come into play when behavior becomes overwhelmingly violent.

“It’s really more associated with a troubled upbringing rather than the autism,” Son said.

Rodger’s parents split when Elliot was young and his father, Peter, in the film business and an assistant director on “The Hunger Games,” traveled extensively as part of his career.

Meanwhile, Lanza is thought to have possibly suffered from schizophrenia in addition to his Asperger’s. Academics said at the time that Lanza’s condition probably did not lead to his violent behavior, and Lanza’s father told Time Magazine that it shouldn’t be blamed for his son’s actions.

Lanza’s parents split when he was a teenager and his mother was a gun aficionado, who had a number of weapons at her home where Adam lived. Lanza’s father is a corporate executive.

But a life of privilege may not be to blame either, according to one professor at the University of Southern California who was diagnosed with Asperger’s, Lars Perner. Perner told a USC publication recently that his well-to-do family may have had more members with autism, but it was hard to tell because many could afford to be eccentric. He wasn’t diagnosed until he was 31, he said.

“Where I come from, you could afford to be strange,” Perner told the publication. “I shudder to think what would have happened to me if I had come from a less privileged background.”

Rodger has been identified as the lone gunman in the series of shootings that occurred Friday night around 9:30 p.m. in the Isla Vista section of Santa Barbara County. He reportedly stabbed three roommates to death before taking his BMW on a shooting spree throughout the tony seaside town.

During the rampage, he shot two women—sorority sisters Katherine Cooper, 22, and Veronica Weiss, 19—as well as Christopher Michael-Martinez, 20. Thirteen others were injured. Rodger later was found dead in his car, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said.

Russ Britt is the Los Angeles bureau chief for MarketWatch. Follow him on Twitter @russbrittmktw.

Is It Autism, ADHD, or Both?

You may be familiar with the term ‘autism’ – a word commonly thrown around in relation to childhood developmental disorders. But do you know exactly what autism is, and how you can tell if your child is affected by it? Many people have heard the term yet aren’t aware of exactly what it means. Do you know that there are actually three different types of autism, and that they all fall under a big umbrella category of autistic spectrum disorder? And what about ADHD? How do the symptoms of ADHD and autism relate to one another, can the two be present at the same time, and why are they so commonly misdiagnosed? You’re about to learn the answers to these questions and so many more.

If you want a more in-depth look at autism and the different forms of treatment, Udemy has a course that will remove any remaining mystery behind the disorder.

All About Autism

There are a wide variety of autistic symptoms, and it’s important to understand the different types of autism before attempting to determine the diagnosis. The three main types of autism are Asperger’s syndrome, autistic disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder – not otherwise specified.

  • Asperger’s Syndrome: Asperger’s is the most common and mildest form of autism. It is commonly referred to as “high functioning autism”, due to the fact that most children with Asperger’s have normal to above average intelligence levels. Those who are affected with this type of autism tend to become obsessed with a single topic or subject, and aim to learn everything they possibly can about that subject. Once they have learned everything they can, they want to share their knowledge with others. Although they do enjoy talking to others about their favorite subject, they end to be uncoordinated and awkward in social situations. While they can speak about their knowledge without problem, they tend to falter in casual conversations. Those suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome also tend to be more physically clumsy than those with other subtypes of autistic spectrum disorder. As children with Asperger’s begin to transition into adulthood, they are at risk for a higher level of anxiety or depression than their peers.
  • Autistic Disorder: Autistic disorder is classified by more severe symptoms than Asperger’s Syndrome. Children with autistic disorder tend to experience extreme difficulty interacting with others no matter what the subject of conversation. They do not understand how to relate to or interact with others, and tend to follow a very rigid routine. If anything in their routine gets thrown out of whack, they become very upset. Those with autistic disorder are extremely repetitive, such as having to eat the same food at the same time every day or ensuring that they are in bed at the exact same time every night. Those with autistic disorder are also more likely to suffer from mental retardation and seizures. They tend to be overly sensitive to loud noises, bright lights and intense smells.
  • Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified: PDD-NOS is more severe than Asperger’s, yet less severe than autistic disorder. Most children who are diagnosed with this subtype experience symptoms of both other subtypes, yet not enough on either side of the spectrum to be diagnosed with one particular disorder.

What About ADHD?

adhd and autismAttention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder has two distinct subtypes – inattentive and hyperactive-impulsive.

  • Inattentive ADHD: Inattentive ADHD is characterized with the inability to focus on any one particular thing. Children with this subtype may drift off while a teacher is giving instructions for a particular task, leading to careless mistakes and the inability to finish the task at all. They tend to be very disorganized and forgetful, misplacing important items over and over again.
  • Hyperactive-Impulsive ADHD: Those with hyperactive-impulsive ADHD tend to be the fidgety ones. Instead of sitting in a seat drifting in and out of paying attention to instructions, they are the children up running around the classroom causing a ruckus. They find it very difficult to wait their turn and often get frustrated if they have to remain seated or quiet for extended periods of time.

You may be thinking, “yes, my child does have some of these symptoms!” It’s important to note that most developing children tend to show disinterest in subjects that they aren’t particularly fond of, and most are excited to get up and explore the world. In order to be diagnosed with a type of ADHD, the child must exhibit these symptoms throughout many different scenarios, both at school and at home.

How Are the Two Linked?

It is estimated that approximately 2/3 of children affected with ADHD also have some sort of other underlying condition, whether it be anxiety, autism or bipolar. However, there are some symptoms of both ADHD and autism that tend to overlap, making an accurate diagnosis difficult to come to.

Children who are affected by ADHD may be so restless that they don’t have time to sit down and interact with their peers. While they may not show much interest in holding conversations, they understand how to hold a conversation. This is a key difference between ADHD and autism; those with an autistic spectrum disorder avoid conversations due to their inability to hold a conversation and relate to others.

It can be hard to tell the symptoms apart, especially since symptoms of ADD or ADHD can appear in many different mental and developmental disorders. Accurate diagnosis requires long-term evaluation by a certified professional, who can determine the strengths and weaknesses of the child in all aspects of their life – from school, to home to general social interactions. The child may be put into behavioral therapy, which helps ease them on in the developmental process and understand the different types of social interactions they experience on a daily basis. Behavioral therapy also helps to reinforce positive behaviors and get rid of negative ones.

While children diagnosed with ADHD are commonly given a stimulant to help even out the chemicals in the brain and help the mind stay focused, those with an autistic spectrum disorder may not respond well to these types of medication. If a child is suspected to have one or the other, often a doctor will prescribe a type of medicine known as an atypical neuralptic, which is known to lessen the severity of autistic symptoms.

While those with autism may show signs of ADHD and those with ADHD may show signs of autism, usually one or the other is causing most of the problems. While determining which disorder is causing the most distress may take a bit of trial and error, a combination of prescription medicine and other therapy can help relieve the child of many negative symptoms.

Are Too Many People Diagnosed?

adhd and autismThis is a difficult question to answer. How many people do you know what have been prescribed medication for ADD or ADHD (does the word ‘Adderall’ ring a bell)? It can be far too simple to tell a doctor that yes, you have above average difficulty in focusing and yes, a stimulant will help you succeed in school. While there are certainly people that suffer from one or both of these disorders, and autism has more direct symptoms, the amount of prescription medications for mental and behavioral disorders has continued to rise. Does this mean that more and more people are developing the disorder, or more and more people are refusing to believe that they can cure some of their symptoms on their own?

While there is no direct answer to this question, you do have the power to regain focus and get rid of any fears you have about social interactions. If you have found yourself unable to concentrate on the task in front of you, yet you do not have any of the other symptoms of either of these disorders, Udemy has a course that can help. Sign up for our course on quick mediation and learn how you can bring peace and clarity back into your life!

You can also check out my video here to learn more.

Autism Tied to Increased Connectivity in Brain Networks

Autism tied to increased connectivity in the ‘mirror’ and ‘theory of mind’ neuronal systems of the brain, both of which are integral to imitating, and understanding other’s perspectives. Clearly, these researchers are onto something:

– Dr. John Carosso

Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder show atypically increased functional connectivity involving the mentalizing and mirror neuron brain networks, according to a study published online April 16 in JAMA Psychiatry.

FRIDAY, April 18, 2014 (HealthDay News) — Adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) show atypically increased functional connectivity involving the mentalizing and mirror neuron brain networks, according to a study published online April 16 in JAMA Psychiatry.

Inna Fishman, Ph.D., from San Diego State University, and colleagues used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to compare brain networks in 25 adolescents with ASD (aged 11 to 18 years) and 25 typically developing adolescents. Participants were matched for age, handedness, and nonverbal IQ.

The researchers found that participants with ASD showed a mixed pattern of both over- and underconnectivity in the theory of mind (ToM) network, which is associated with greater social impairment, compared to the controls. This increased connectivity was seen primarily between the regions of the mirror neuron system (MNS) and ToM. The connectivity increase was correlated with sociocommunicative measures, suggesting that excessive ToM-MNS cross talk might be associated with social impairment. A subset of the 15 participants with ASD with the most severe symptomology showed exclusive overconnectivity effects in both ToM and MNS networks, which were also associated with greater social dysfunction compared to a tightly matched subset of 15 typically developing controls.

“This excess ToM-MNS connectivity may reflect immature or aberrant developmental processes in two brain networks involved in understanding of others, a domain of impairment in ASD,” the authors write.

New Screening Method Could Detect Autism In 9 Month Old Infants

Dr John Carosso states that actually, testing primitive reflexes has been used for decades to assess for any number of developmental conditions. See the article for yourself:

The identification of two new biomarkers could help medical researchers identify autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in children as young as nine months old – one year earlier than the average screening age.

According to lead author Carole A. Samango-Sprouse, an associate clinical professor of pediatrics at George Washington University, head circumference and head tilting reflex are reliable ways to determine whether or not children between the ages of 9 and 12 months could be autistic.

While the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that ASD can be identified in youngsters who are at least two years old, most children are not diagnosed until the age of four. While multiple research papers claim parents of autistic children have anecdotally noticed developmental problems during the first year of life, the investigators point out there has been no official diagnostic method to identify those children.

“While the ‘gold standard’ screening tool is the M-CHAT questionnaire, it must be read and completed by parents and then interpreted by a health care provider,” said Samango-Sprouse.

“What physicians are missing is a quick and effective screening measure that can easily be given to all infants regardless of background and identify ASD before 12 months. This screening is also helpful in identifying those babies who may not initially appear to be at risk and would otherwise be missed until much later in life,” she added.

The authors looked at the use of head circumference and head tilting reflex as biomarkers that could potentially be used during non-illness-related primary care providers. Nearly 1,000 patients underwent both screenings during their four, six, and nine-month well-baby visits, and evaluated at the end of nine months, they explained.

Infants with head circumferences at or above the 75th percentile, those with a head circumference discrepancy of at least 10 percent in comparison to the baby’s height, or those who did not pass a head tilting reflex test were deemed to be at-risk for ASD or a developmental language delay. A neurodevelopmental specialist and pediatric neurologist were then brought in to evaluate those children and differentiate between the two disorders.

Forty-nine infants displayed abnormal results without previous diagnosis. Of those, 15 were identified as at-risk for autism and 34 were at-risk for developmental language delay. Furthermore, 14 of the 15 children who were at-risk for ASD were clinically diagnosed with the disorder when they turned three years old.

“We will continue looking at the efficacy of the head circumference and head tilting reflex as a screening tool for these disorders,” said Dr. Andrea Gropman, a contributor to the study and division chief of neurogenetics at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC.

“As with all developmental delays, especially ASD, the sooner we can identify those children who are at risk, the sooner we can intervene and provide appropriate treatment. In other words, the sooner we identify these delays, the better the outcome for those affected,” she added.

In related news, research published earlier this month in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing found that children suffering from ASD could benefit from interacting with dogs. According to the authors, those pets could provide the youngsters with unconditional love, companionship, stress relief and opportunities to learn responsibility.

Gretchen Carlisle, a research fellow at the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine’s Research Center for Human-Animal Interaction, and her co-authors interviewed 70 parents with autistic children and found that nearly two-thirds of those families had pet dogs. Of those families, 94 percent said that the kids had bonded with their pets, and even 70 percent of non-dog owners said that their children liked dogs.

Source: redOrbit Staff & Wire Reports – Your Universe Online

Read more at redOrbit