Editorial #228: Europe and France Hit By Measles
Autism Politico has read that Europe and France are being hit by measles.
Europe, especially France, has been hit by a major outbreak of measles, which the U.N. health agency is blaming on the failure to vaccinate all children.
Well, what did you expect?
The World Health Organization said Thursday that France had 4,937 reported cases of measles between January and March — compared with 5,090 cases during all of 2010. In all, more than 6,500 cases have been reported in 33 European nations.
It doesn’t sound like much…yet. But what if…what if…the virus, thanks to incubation in its hosts, mutates so that it becomes resistant to vaccines? Then there night be trouble. Of course, we have no idea if this will happen or not. We are not doctors, but…what if?
But vaccination rates across Europe have been patchy in recent years and have never fully recovered from a discredited 1998 British study linking the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella to autism.
Question: Would this discredited 1998 British study be the one anti-vaxers still stand behind to this day? Could be.
Well, in the past, AP has reported about measles outbreaks, and not too many people paid attention.
http://autismpolitico.wordpress.com/2010/06/14/editorial-94-just-spotted-in-ireland/
http://autismpolitico.wordpress.com/2010/07/19/editorial-109-a-lesson-to-be-learned/
http://autismpolitico.wordpress.com/2010/07/21/editorial-110-a-second-lesson-to-be-learned/
http://autismpolitico.wordpress.com/2010/08/23/editorial-124-measles-outbreak-in-malawi/
http://autismpolitico.wordpress.com/2010/10/01/editorial-141-next-time-it-could-be-you/
Maybe when measles comes knocking on your own doorstep, you WILL start paying attention.
Replies to this editorial are welcome.
Editorial #227: Gluten-Free Diets Fail. Now Go Quack Somewhere Else.
Autism Politico is aware that yet another study claims gluten-free and casein-free diets fail as a treatment or cure for autism. We’re dismayed that some stubborn parents will ignore this study because it will mean that these people will further waste their money on terrible tasting food that annoys autistics.
A popular belief that specific dietary changes can improve the symptoms of children with autism was not supported by a tightly controlled University of Rochester study, which found that eliminating gluten and casein from the diets of children with autism had no impact on their behavior, sleep or bowel patterns.
The study is the most controlled diet research in autism to date.
Some of these parents should be going to therapy to try to find out why it is they refuse to believe scientific and medical studies except those which are discredited by all reputable scientific authorities.
Unlike previous studies, they also controlled for other interventions, such as what type of behavioral treatments children received, to ensure all observed changes were due to dietary alterations.
These controls were necessary so that it could be shown once and for all, that when autistics are subjected ONLY to gluten-free casein-free diets, that the diets did nothing for the autistics. Ergo no need to waste money on gluten-free/casein free foods.
Following the gluten and casein snacks, study participants had no change in attention, activity, sleep or frequency or quality of bowel habits. Children demonstrated a small increase in social language and interest in interaction after the challenges with gluten or casein on the Ritvo Freeman Real Life Rating Scale; however, it did not reach statistical significance. That means because of the small difference and the small number of participants in the study, the finding may be due to chance alone.
Now can we please move on and quit with the stubborn insistence that this therapy works? Instead, why don’t we focus on the fact that some parents of autistic children simply cannot accept their autistics the way they are and want to change them and make them more manageable and compliant, like well-trained dogs?
Replies to this editorial are welcome.
Editorial #226: Kudos to Robert MacNeil!
Autism Politico would like to thank Robert MacNeil for the excellent job he’s doing on PBS’s NewsHour six-part special about the autism spectrum. The show is called ”Autism Today.” It’s probably worth watching especially because (at the time of this writing) no one from one some of the most well-known autistic advocacy organizations was interviewed for the piece.
This is fine with Autism Politico. Many of these autistic advocacy organizations have become so embarrassing that even autistics shy away from them. Hopefully this will be a lesson to them that the worse they behave, the more they are going to be ignored by credible news agencies.
Already, one autistic advocacy organization is raising a stink over being excluded from the show – as if they are entitled to an interview. Or as if anyone cares what they have to say?
Did it ever occur to them that elbowing their way into things is one of the behaviors that causes people NOT to like autistics?
Perhaps not.
Or maybe the show’s producer’s just don’t like that particular organization’s reputation.
We won’t say which autistic advocacy organization is upset, but if you’re part of the autism community, you can guess. Maybe if autistics want to be heard, they should tell autistic militants to shut their mouths so REAL autistics can speak for themselves.
Replies to this editorial are welcome.
Editorial #225: Did You Remember To Buy Oil 3?
Autism Politico once suggested it might be a good idea to talk to a broker and consider investing in energy stocks.
Look at what you are paying at the pump now. We told you this would happen, but chances are you either didn’t listen to us, didn’t care, or didn’t believe it was going to happen.
While it’s true this crisis probably won’t go on forever, it may go on for some time, at least according to this article:
Having adapted to the air strikes by adopting more mobile warfare techniques and moving their heavier weaponry inside cities where attacking it also risks inflicting civilian casualties, Colonel’s Gaddafi’s forces have not only prevented the rebels from gaining new ground; they have pushed rebel forces onto the defensive.
Editorial #224: Straight to Press
Read this press release and ask yourself how affective the autism advocacy organizations you pay homage to are working on your behalf.
For the second year in a row, CafePress, the leading source for high-quality custom printed products, is supporting Autism Awareness Month through its continued partnership with Autism Speaks, North America’s largest autism science and advocacy organization.
Autism Speaks is a charity that most autistics do NOT support. Yet they always seem to win the game. Now why is that?
Perhaps it’s because other autistic advocacy organizations have embarrassed themselves to the point where nobody listens to them anymore.
Replies to this editorial are welcome.
Editorial #223: How to diagnose ASDs.
Autism Politico wants to share with its readers something that it read on the US CDC website: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/hcp-screening.html Now, usually we embed the link within the context of the post, but not this time. We want people to see the link, click on the link, bookmark the link. As you will see, the process is long and extensive, and it is broken down on the CDC page:
Screening Recommendations
Developmental Screening in Pediatric and Primary Care Practice
Developmental Screening Tools
Diagnostic Tools
You’ll find lots of screening tools and diagnostic tools, as well as a lengthy explanation about why a diagnosis sometimes takes many different specialists observing the prospective autistics over a number of years.
The CDC also makes this statement regarding people in school who diagnose a child with autism:
Developmental screening can be done by a number of professionals in health care, community, and school settings. However, primary health care providers are in a unique position to promote children’s developmental health.
Alternatively, you can ignore what the CDC says, join some web forum that claims to be populated by autistics, compare yourself to people who have never been diagnosed, and pretend you’re autistic, just like them.
Which would you rather do? And what does it say about you if you choose the second option?
Replies to this editorial are welcome.
Editorial #222: Some autistics wander. Now shut up.
Some autistics wander. It’s a fact. The Autistic Self Advocacy Network would have you believe otherwise. So they started a petition which reads:
Last week, the ICD-9-CM Coordination and Maintenance Committee met to discuss the future of medical coding in the United States. The ICD-9-CM stands for the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, and is the US government’s official system of assigning codes to medical diagnoses and procedures. The day before the meeting, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) posted for the first time information on the codes under consideration – including a new medical diagnosis for “wandering” related behavior in children and adults on the autism spectrum and with other developmental disabilities. If approved, this new coding promises to label hundreds of thousands of children with “wandering” diagnoses that would make it easier for school districts and residential facilities to justify restraint and seclusion in the name of treatment. Furthermore, this diagnosis carries no clear definition and the CDC’s proposal uses poor quality research to claim that it should apply to the majority of autistic children and those with other developmental and intellectual disabilities.
As of the time of this writing, 914 people signed the petition, which only goes to show ASAN’s limited sphere of influence. On the other hand, 5,719 people signed THIS petition put out by the National Autism Association:
We believe a diagnostic code for wandering will help protect at-risk individuals who have a documented history of wandering and will help to avert dangerous restraint and seclusion practices that are currently in use. Here’s why:
- Physicians are largely unaware of this issue; therefore, cannot provide prevention materials or advice. A diagnostic code will increase awareness, advice and prevention-material distribution.
- A diagnostic code will allow for data collection on the incidence of wandering, thereby increasing opportunities for prevention, education for doctors, caregivers, school administrators and staff, first responders/search personnel.
- Many nonverbal ASD individuals are unable to respond to their name when called. We feel a diagnosis code will lead to increased awareness and the development of emergency search-and-rescue response protocols.
- We believe a medical code will enhance schools’ understanding of wandering so that children with a history of wandering will be better protected. Currently, wandering is not looked at as a medical condition, but one of choice or bad behavior. This has led to a lack of school training, prevention and emergency response. In January alone, two children with autism went missing from their schools.
- Children and adults with ASD who suddenly flee, bolt or run because of a trigger are at greater risk of restraint or seclusion. We believe a medical code will help establish safe protocols that work to eliminate triggers, thereby eliminating the need for restraint.
- We’ve seen reports of parents locking/secluding children in their rooms to keep them from wandering outside. While this is anecdotal information, we believe parents, schools and other care providers need better solutions. A medical code has enormous potential to help provide safe alternatives.
- We believe every disabled individual with a history of wandering — who is at serious risk of injury, trauma or death — should have access to safety devices and prevention materials regardless of the caregiver’s income. A medical code for wandering could potentially provide insurance coverage for those unable to afford critical protections for their children/adults.
Other petition exist of course, but as far as Autism Politico can see, they support the new coding.
We’re writing this post after the voting deadline ends (April 1st) so as not to influence outcome, but it’s important to note that in the past, ASAN could organize massive campaigns instantaneously (Ransom Notes, etc.) but apparently not now, or else maybe autistics are just reluctant to stick up for themselves, or else may autistics know something that ASAN doesn’t, which is that many autistics do wander.
Replies to this editorial are welcome.
Editorial #221: Measles Deaths
Autism Politico is aware that over 210 people have recently died of measles in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF – Medecins Sans Frontieres) warned on Monday that a measles epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo was spiralling out of control.
MSF said that more than 21,000 people have been infected and 210 have died since the outbreak was identified in September 2010, although it believes the death toll may be higher.
One thing worth noting:
“Since September 2010 we have vaccinated more than 1.5 million children in response to the crisis. But the disease is spreading like wildfire.”
Autism Politico is happy that steps are being taken to try to prevent the spread of this disease, mourns those who have died, and isn’t interested in anti-vaxers who are convinced that measles isn’t harmful and that it is better to get measles than autism.
Measles can kill one to 15 percent of children who contract the disease among populations that have not been vaccinated, according to MSF.
Autism does not kill, except when caregivers murder autistics, or lax caregivers allow their kids to drown, get run over by trains, or fall out of windows (which seems to happen quite often to autistics despite the fact that they are such a small percentage of the population – but then again, maybe many of these caregivers want these autistics to die – there are so many parents on online forums who have expressed such sentiments. But too be fair, some neurodiversity activists have been known to cheer when unvaccinated people die because for them it means that the fittest are surviving while the anti-vaxers are dying off.).
Vaccines seem to have been shown to have nothing to do with autism, BTW, but Autism Politico has already written about that. The main thing we are trying to show here is how disease spreads out of control when people do not vaccinate.
Replies to this editorial are welcome.
Editorial #220: Pass on the Sentiment.
If you’re self-diagnosed, you’re undiagnosed. Pass it on.
Replies to this editorial are welcome.
Editorial #219: Observation #10
Autism Politico observes that anti-vaxers don’t seem to be panicking over the fact that Japan’s nuclear reactors are sending lots of radiation into the atmosphere and sea.
Could radiation cause autism? It’s not such a stretch to think so if one is ignorant of the effects of radiation exposure. After all, Hollywood made a lot of money in the fifties with the so-called big bug movies. The insects in most of the stories were either dosed with radiation or slurped up a lot of toxic sludge. Only a dozen of those movies would ever have been made if people did not buy into the false premises of the first couple of movies.
And let’s not forget that Spiderman became Spiderman because he was bit by a radioactive spider. There have been generations of comic books about Peter Parker because kids and adults either believe or want to believe that a radioactive spider can produce a superhero.
Too bad people don’t believe the same about autistics. It seems people are more interested in weeding them out of the human genome.
Replies to this editorial are welcome.
Autism Politico
