• Increased funding for research, treatment, screenings, public awareness, and support services for those suffering from autism spectrum disorders.
• He wants to offer life-long services for children and adults with autism spectrum disorders. Young children often have difficulty getting the support they need, but it is even more difficult for adult patients.
• Obama wants to increase funding for the 2006 Combating Autism Act, in addition to increasing state and federal funding for programs.
• The President also wants universal screening for all infants for autism disorders, as well as re-screening for all two-year olds. Currently children are screened only if parents or doctors express concern.

It is hoped this push will help those families who struggle to afford care for their autistic children. Almost 52% of families with autistic children were surveyed and said that finances were drained trying to afford treatment. This is compared to 13% of typical families.

In looking at the 2006 Combating Autism Act, $1 billion was promised over five years for autism related research and development, but Congress has failed to appropriate the funds. Obama seems determined to not let the current economic turmoil affect autism funding. This is a big win for all of those families affected by autism.

The Ferrari family had asked the Court to rule that the vaccine maker, American Home Products Corp. (now Wyeth), was liable for damages involving their son, Stefan. Their son was a talkative toddler, and after he received a round of shots at the age of 18 months, that all changed. The boy is now 10 years old, and has not spoken since receiving the shots.

Vaccine manufacturers are up in arms about the decision. The main argument is that seven other state courts have ruled that federal laws pre-empt state laws giving families the right to fight vaccine companies. The Georgia Court of Appeals is the first appellate court to rule that federal law does not take precedence over state tort rules, claiming that the law is unclear.

Vaccine manufacturers have the protection of the federal law so that they are not subjected to a wide variety of state mandates. The vaccine company plans on appealing the decision, stating that the Georgia Court’s decision does not allow for a “uniform procedure to handle claims.” The attorney for the Ferrari family contends that federal law is in place to supplement state law, not replace it. The ruling in favor of the Ferrari family upholds the idea that vaccine manufacturers must prove on a case-by-case basis that vaccines are not responsible for severe side effects in children.

This is a victory for families who firmly believe that, despite claims by the Centers for Disease Control, the thimerosal in vaccines is linked to autism.

Chelation Study

The National Institute of Mental Health abandoned the study on chelation due to safety concerns. Chelation therapy is a process used to remove heavy metals from the body. A drug used in the treatment was found previously to cause brain damage in rats, prompting researchers to discontinue its use in their study. The study’s proposal involved using 120 autistic children, ranging in age from 4 to 10. Half would be given a chelation drug and the other half a placebo. Then, before and after mercury levels would be measured as well as autism symptoms.

The group has decided to instead put their efforts toward studying other potential therapies for treating autism.

The Battleground

Autism advocates want to see more states follow the example set forth in Indiana, which requires insurance companies to cover costly behavior therapy for autism. Since 2002, six states — Texas, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Arizona, Florida, Louisiana — passed laws requiring this type of coverage. In some cases, it saves families up to $50,000 a year. Parents have shared stories of how the behavior therapy has helped their autistic children. Arzu Forough’s son, from Washington, was taught, at the age of 3, to make a sound when he wanted a drink of water.. Now, at 12, he is learning to share his feelings instead of throwing tantrums. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) often uses a reward system to help autistic children learn new communication and behavioral skills, and parents see positive results.

In 2008, Autism Speaks endorsed bills in New Jersey, Virginia, and Michigan to ensure this coverage is available. In 2009, it hopes to back similar bills in Ohio, New  York, and California. Lawmakers find themselves in a difficult position since voting against these bills is a vote against families. In the financial bailout plan passed in October 2008, a measure was tacked on to the bill requiring insurers to make coverage for mental health patients equitable with other health coverage. Advocates with Autism Speaks applaud the additive measure, but state that it does not benefit autism patients since autism is not a psychological condition and it is not covered under mental health services.

• Perception and Cognition
• Screening and Diagnosis
• Intervention
• Hormones
• Genetics and Proteomics
• Neuroscience

Currently, they are running the following projects:

Brain Scan Project

Researchers are currently looking for volunteers for a new study that will investigate brain structure and connections in those with high functioning autism. The process involves filling out questionnaires, completing tasks, and MRI, and a DNA test. The researchers are also requesting DNA samples from the parents and want to know more about their development as a child.

Toddler Projects

Parents of autistic children between the ages of 18 and 36 months also have a study available. Researchers are looking to develop a new questionnaire to help screen for Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) in order to lower the age at which autism is actually diagnosed.

Another toddler project involves toddlers who have older siblings who have been diagnosed with autism. Researchers want to study how children develop throughout their early childhood and is focused on those between 12 and 24 months. The children will be observed at play and while participating in age-appropriate activities.

For more information on these particular studies, visit the Autism Research Centre. In addition, there is a new study on the connection between the measles vaccine and autism.

You first need to evaluate your needs. There are two main situations where a family may seek guidance from an attorney when autism is involved. The first situation may involve a child who does not receive the proper type of educational services. In many cases, you can file appeals with your State Board of Education to appeal any decisions you find unfair. This can be done without the help of an attorney, but if you feel that your child’s needs still aren’t being met and your appeals are not producing the desired result, an attorney who specializes in special education rights and advocacy may be able to provide you with some firepower.

If a family believes that vaccines have caused their child to develop autism, they can file a claim under the National Vaccination Injury Compensation Program (VICP). Often though, families are bypassing this step and are filing lawsuits. Under the current system, vaccine injury claims need to be evaluated by the federal compensation program before they go to trial. If a family is denied their claim or is not satisfied with the award, then they may choose to take their case to court, as Hannah Poling’s family did.

Statute of Limitations

Currently, claims for vaccine-related injuries must be filed within three years. If a vaccination is linked to the death of a child, the statute of limitations is only two years. This is not a well known fact, and many are pushing for change. Families with autistic children are pressuring Congress to extend the statute of limitations to allow children affected by vaccine-induced autism to have lawsuits filed on their behalf until they reach adulthood. Often, it takes a long time for these families to obtain a proper diagnosis, and then to find the money to file claims and hire the experts necessary to achieve the proper documentation. If you have concerns or questions, you need to seek legal guidance immediately to protect both you and your autistic child.

If you would like assistance finding a competent attorney in your area to help you with your child’s health concerns, please fill in the form at the upper right to contact us for a referral.

Released on September 3, 2008, a new study reports that no connection can be made between the measles vaccine and autism.  Dr. W. Ian Lipkin of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons led the study and reported that the new study focused on children with autism and gastrointestinal (GI) complications.

It was believed that the virus in the Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine lodged in the intestines, causing inflammation. This allowed waste products to escape into the body and into the nervous system. The research set out to find which came first, the autism, GI complications, or the vaccinations.

There were 25 children involved in the study that had autism and GI disorders, in addition to another 13 children with the GI disorder, but no diagnosis of autism. Traces of the measles virus were found in one child with autism and one without. Ultimately, out of the 25 children, only 5 had the MMR before GI concerns and autism symptoms.

Statistics show that parents are no longer choosing to vaccinate their children. Out of 131 measles cases from a January 2008-August 2008 time frame, the Center for Disease Control reported that half chose not to give their child the vaccine. Researchers still believe that although this study does shed light on the connections between the measles vaccine and GI disorders, there is still much work to be done when it comes to other vaccinations and their link with autism.

If you would like assistance finding a competent attorney in your area to help you with your child’s health concerns, please fill in the form at the upper right to contact us for a referral.

Here is a list of some of the most commonly used chelators:

• DMPS (sodium dimercaptopropanesulfonate): This is not approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for use in the United States, but is commonly used in Europe. DMPS is mainly used for removing mercury, but does not have an established safety profile.
• DMSA (dimercaptosuccinnic acid, or Chemet): DMSA is FDA approved for removing lead and for treating mercury poisoning. It is also an antioxidant that can help with the antioxidant depletion common in autistic children.
• EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid): Particularly effective for lead removal. If not administered properly, it can be life threatening.

When studied in animals, lead chelation therapy has shown to significantly reduce learning and behavioral problems resulting from lead exposure.

As there are over-the-counter oral chelation treatments available, it is important to note that you should have your child thoroughly tested for high metal levels before beginning chelation therapy. When rats with no lead in their systems were treated with lead removing chelation products, they showed declines in their learning and behavior. Symptoms were similar to those with lead poisoning.

If high levels of lead are present, it is critical that the lead is removed as soon as possible. Long-term exposure to lead can cause lasting damage to the brain. High lead exposure can lead to coma, convulsions, and even death. At lower levels, symptoms include attention deficits, difficulty controlling emotions, and lower IQ scores.

Heavy Metals

In children who are susceptible and lack the genetic ability to naturally excrete metals from their bodies, a build-up of metals can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders. These heavy metals displace minerals that are required for normal body functions. For example, lead replaces calcium. Heavy metals can enter the body through any of the following:

• fish
• lead-based paint
• power-plant emissions
• vaccines
• cigarette smoke
• well or tap water
• dental fillings
• hot tubs or pools treated with copper sulfate
• soil

Research shows that autistic children have lower rates of glutathione and other proteins that help rid the body of heavy metals. Glutathione and proteins bind to metals and help carry them from the body through urine. 

It is important to note, like the discussion on vaccines, that the damage from over-exposure to heavy metals has a higher chance of causing damage in children who already are predisposed to autoimmunity. Heavy metals can make viral or bacterial infections more damaging and chronic.

Testing for Toxic Levels

Doctors can run a provocation test to check for metal toxicity. In this testing process, the doctor gives a child a dose, or several doses, of a chelator that will pull metal from the body. Urine is collected before and after the test which is analyzed. The accuracy of this test is questioned, since children who would potentially benefit from treatment often do not get positive test results.

Testing hair, blood, and urine are more traditional ways to test for heavy metals. These tests are most accurate with the heaviest metals. However, if exposure occurred too far in the past, these types of tests are not accurate. The length of hair determines the time period that is being tested; the longer the hair, the farther back the exposure time. When metal exposure is too far in the past, the metals move into the tissue. Detecting metal levels is a difficult task due to its ability to hide within the body.

As presented on this website’s page entitled educational options, if your autistic child meets eligibility requirements, he or she has the right to access an educationally appropriate program. To determine the program applicable for your child, an assessment will be conducted. It is important to ask for the qualifications of the person performing the assessment. By law, standardized tests must be administered by a trained and knowledgeable educator. Also, check your individual state laws outlining the applicable timeline when it comes to performing assessments. You will find that the school may have a set number of days to complete the assessment process.

If you do not agree with the decision presented by those at your child’s school, you also have the right to have an assessment completed by a private expert. This will have to be done at your cost, but it may be a step you need to take to ensure the school provides your child with the necessary services.

Documentation

Anytime you contact the school or any other agency about your child and his/her educational future, be sure to do so in writing. This will allow you to keep a record of what you requested and when the request was made. Keeping accurate documentation is important should you need to provide evidence in the case you have to file a grievance with the school. Take notes at meetings as well. You will be given so much information and will never be able to accurately digest it all in one sitting. Detailed notes will provide reference should you have questions in the future.

Autistic children cannot fight for themselves, so you, the parents, need to know what programs are available to support and provide help for your child. Whether the needs are health related or involve the education process, stay informed with the latest programs and statutes that will have a direct affect on your particular situation.

If you would like assistance finding a competent attorney in your area to help you with your child’s health concerns, please fill in the form at the upper right to contact us for a referral.