Help With Autism

 Autism research from the US suggests that compared to other developmental disabilities, low birthweight and premature birth was linked to a higher risk of autism, especially for girls.

The study had two goals. The first was to find out how frequently autism prevailed compared to that of other developmental disabilities in low birthweight and preterm babies, and the second was to establish the specific risks involved.

For the first goal, the researchers counted all children born in Atlanta between 1981 and 1993 who survived until the age of three. These were located from vital records.

From this group they then identified those that were still living in Atlanta at age between 3 and 10, and who had developmental disabilities: autism, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, or vision impairment. They used another set of records for this, the Metropolitan Atlanta Developmental Disabilities Surveillance Program.

For the second goal, the researchers looked at records from the first goal and created a “nested case-control sample”, with those children identified as having autism being the “cases”, and those who were not identified as having a developmental disability (or in receipt of special education) as the “controls”. (It is a nested sample because these groups are subgroups of the overall cohort). Over 550 case-control pairs were created.

The results showed that:
• Compared to other developmental disabilities, the prevalence of autism in preterm or low birthweight children was significantly lower.
• Birthweight below 5.5 lbs and birth at less than 33 weeks gestation was linked to a twofold increase in autism risk.
• This increased risk of autism was higher in girls and when autism was accompanied by other developmental disabilities.
• For example, there was a significant fourfold risk of autism in low birthweight girls who also had mental retardation, whereas there was no significant increased risk in low birthweight boys for autism alone.

The authors concluded that:

“Gender and autism subgroup differences in birth weight and gestational age, resulting in lower gender ratios with declining birth weight or gestational age across all autism subgroups, might be markers for etiologic heterogeneity in autism.”

“There may be sex differences in genetic factors leading to autism.”

Low birthweight and pre-term birth are already known to be among the biggest risk factors for developmental disabilities.

In the latest autism news regarding religion, Pope Benedict XVI has been asked on what the church will do about parishioners who are autistic after a Catholic church in Minnesota filed a restraining order against a 13 year old autistic boy.

The local sheriff threatened to arrest the boy and his mother if they had attempted to enter the church.  The church’s priest filed the order of protection “for the safety of those at the church.”

Now people are calling on the Pope to provide guidelines on how to reach out to Catholics who suffer from autism or provide care to those who do.

Researchers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada have found that autism detection can begin as early as nine months.

The Early Autism Study, led by Mel Rutherford, associate professor of psychology in the Faculty of Science, has been using eye tracker technology that measures eye direction while the babies look at faces, eyes, and bouncing balls on a computer screen.

Rutherford presented her peer-reviewed research at the 7th Annual International Meeting for Autism Research in London.

At present time, the earliest diagnostic test for autism is reliable around the age of two, and most children in Canada are diagnosed around age three or four.

Last Friday, scientists from the University of Pittsburgh released findings from a study that showed primates that were given vaccines showed autism-like symptoms.  The vaccines that were used were the same ones recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics; several of the vaccines had thimerosal in it.

The study’s results are being released as a federal case goes underway.

The latest in autism news comes from San Jose, CA.  On May 17th, Cadence Design Systems hosted a bowling tournament to raise money for a pediatric center specifically for children who suffer from autism.  Members of local NFL franchise, the San Francisco 49ers were in attendance, as were several local leaders.  The event raised $1.045 million, while Cadence employees raised over $75,000 prior to the event.

As reported by AP: the Institute of Medicine said in 2004 there was no credible evidence to show that vaccines containing the preservative thimerosal led to autism in children. But thousands of families have a different take based on personal experience.

Some of them are going to court Monday as attorneys will attempt to show that the mercury-based preservative triggers symptoms of autism.

Two 10-year-old boys from Portland, Ore., will serve as test cases to determine whether many of the children and their families should be compensated. Attorneys for the boys will attempt to show the boys were happy, healthy and developing normally — but, after being exposed to vaccines with thimerosal, they began to regress.

Thimerosal has been removed in recent years from standard childhood vaccines, except flu vaccines that are not packaged in single-doses. The CDC says single-dose flu shots currently are available only in limited quantities. In 2004, a committee with the Institute of Medicine concluded there was no credible evidence that vaccines containing thimerosal caused autism.

Nearly 4,900 families have filed claims with the U.S. Court of Claims alleging that the vaccination caused autism and other neurological problems in their children. Lawyers for the families are presenting three different theories of how vaccines caused autism.

The Office of Special Masters of the claims court has instructed the plaintiffs to designate three test cases for each of the three theories — nine cases in all — and has assigned three special masters to handle the cases. Three cases in the first category were heard last year, but no decisions have been reached.

Arguments are scheduled to go on throughout the month. A final decision could take several more months.

The families or the federal government can also appeal the decision of the special master to the Court of Federal Claims or to a federal appeals court.

The court Web site says more than 12,500 claims have been filed since creation of the program in 1987, including more than 5,300 autism cases, and more than $1.7 billion has been paid in claims. It says there is now more than $2.7 billion in a trust fund supported by an excise tax on each dose of vaccine covered by the program.

 Autism research was center stage this week as Missouri’s state legislators announced that they were putting together a 24 member panel to study autism to how to properly deliver services to those who suffer from it.

The group, known as the Missouri Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders, was initiated under the realization that more and more of the state’s children were being diagnosed as autistic.  The Commission is expected to submit its preliminary findings by July 2009.

Autism panel members would include lawmakers, state department leaders, college officials, doctors and parents who have autistic children.

The number of adults who suffer from autism in England will be counted for the first time.

Care Services Minister Ivan Lewis unveiled the project, which aims to include adults who have not yet been diagnosed.

The information will be used to devise the first Government strategy on adults with autism and Asperger’s syndrome, due to be published next year.

Mr Lewis said: “Adults with autism and Asperger’s syndrome are too often abandoned by services with their families left to struggle alone.

“We still don’t know enough about autism, but we do know that, left unsupported, it can have a devastating impact on those who have the condition and their families.”

As many as one in 100 children are believed to have autism, and the new study will partly focus on their transition into adult life.

The autism research is being led by a team from the University of Leicester.

A recent survey by the National Autistic Society revealed 63% of adults with autism feel they do not get enough support. The charity has welcomed the new study.

The latest autism news coming out of Ohio is, unfortunately, not good.

As AP is reporting, a state advocacy group for people with disabilities has filed a complaint asking a federal court to prevent the enforcement of new rules that would reduce or eliminate services for autistic children.

The Ohio Legal Rights Service filed the complaint in U.S. District Court Friday on behalf of the Parents’ League for Effective Autism Services, a group of families receiving Medicaid services.

The complaint requests a temporary restraining order and injunctive relief prohibiting the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and the Ohio Department of Mental Health from enforcing rules proposed by Gov. Ted Strickland.

A state legislative panel approved the rules in February to bring Ohio’s program into compliance with federal Medicaid regulations.

The changes are to take effect July 1.

As reported by Reuters, scientists have found a link between children who are diagnosed with autism and parents who suffered from schizophrenia.  According to the study, schizophrenic parents or mothers with psychiatric issues doubled a risk of autism for their children.  The study was conducted for Swedish children born between 1977 and 2003. 

Like autism, mental illnesses can come in varied forms and also a differing number of treatments.  Also like mental illness, the exact causes of autism are unknown.