Guest guest Posted April 8, 2003 Report Share Posted April 8, 2003 Hi Carol Have done quite a lot of work with school nursing since starting independent consultancy and will have a sort of some of the info I have and e-mail it to you. Is the e-mail here a good one to use? I am presently doing some work around redesign od services for school age children and those with complex needs and the difficulties is a real issue. I do have some contacts who might be helpful to you - will check with them and get back to you. Regards Margaret I also have some contacts you (no subject) > I have recently taken on being the line manager for school nursing. I am from > a health visiting background. My problem is that the school nursing team seem > to work in the medical model and believe that the cmo's are there directors. > In the light of Hall 4 and the governments thinking on school nursing i can > see i have a job on my hands for trying to shift the balance. I can see > clearly the potential and excitment for school nursing to take the lead in > addressing school health needs and moving away from being screening driven. I > would appreciate some advice form anyone out there. > > Mnay thanks > Carol > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 8, 2003 Report Share Posted April 8, 2003 Dear all The healthy schools programme looks at exactly how this kind of work can be done - helping to support school nurses in providing this work. You may find it useful to seek out your local contact - normally PSHE lead in education. Hope this helps Lynn >From: Woody Caan <a.w.caan@...> >Reply- > >Subject: Re: (no subject) >Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2003 15:54:20 +0100 (GMT Daylight Time) > >Dear and Carol, > >Is this anything I could help with? >It is not too far, from Chelmsford >to London.... > >Woody. > >Dept. Public and Family Health >APU >41 Park Road >Chelmsford >Essex >CM1 1LL. > >On Sun, 6 Apr 2003 21:26:41 +0100 Rowe <jean@...> >wrote: > > > That is interesting since a colleague and I have been asked to carry out > > a health impact assessment on a London school. Preliminary suggestion is > > that the Head would like more health input from the local PCT and > > although there is a school nurse she appears to rarely engage in > > anything other than the medical checks and the school is desperate with > > large numbers of children on the child protection register, drugs, > > teenage pregnancies - you name it is there. I think that we will have to > > think about a partnership project but the school nurse is crucial and t > > could be such an interesting challenge, but it will take more than a > > medical model of working to make a difference. > > > > In message <1de.62be5b2.2bc1dacd@...>, carol68974@... writes > > > I have recently taken on being the line manager for school nursing. > > > I am from > > > a health visiting background. My problem is that the school nursing > > > team seem > > > to work in the medical model and believe that the cmo's are there > > > directors. > > > In the light of Hall 4 and the governments thinking on school > > > nursing i can > > > see i have a job on my hands for trying to shift the balance. I can > > > see > > > clearly the potential and excitment for school nursing to take the > > > lead in > > > addressing school health needs and moving away from being screening > > > driven. I > > > would appreciate some advice form anyone out there. > > > > > > Mnay thanks > > > Carol > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 8, 2003 Report Share Posted April 8, 2003 Thanks for all the replies and the help offered - Woody may come back to you at a later date when we get going! Best wishes In message <F76v7xlpa3zpZKtCcmG0000eacb@...>, lynn torpey <lynntorpey@...> writes > Dear all > The healthy schools programme looks at exactly how this kind of > work can be > done - helping to support school nurses in providing this work. You > may find > it useful to seek out your local contact - normally PSHE lead in > education. > Hope this helps > Lynn > > > > > > > >From: Woody Caan <a.w.caan@...> > >Reply- > > > >Subject: Re: (no subject) > >Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2003 15:54:20 +0100 (GMT Daylight Time) > > > >Dear and Carol, > > > >Is this anything I could help with? > >It is not too far, from Chelmsford > >to London.... > > > >Woody. > > > >Dept. Public and Family Health > >APU > >41 Park Road > >Chelmsford > >Essex > >CM1 1LL. > > > >On Sun, 6 Apr 2003 21:26:41 +0100 Rowe > <jean@...> > >wrote: > > > > > That is interesting since a colleague and I have been asked to > carry out > > > a health impact assessment on a London school. Preliminary > suggestion is > > > that the Head would like more health input from the local PCT > and > > > although there is a school nurse she appears to rarely engage > in > > > anything other than the medical checks and the school is > desperate with > > > large numbers of children on the child protection register, > drugs, > > > teenage pregnancies - you name it is there. I think that we > will have to > > > think about a partnership project but the school nurse is > crucial and t > > > could be such an interesting challenge, but it will take more > than a > > > medical model of working to make a difference. > > > > > > In message <1de.62be5b2.2bc1dacd@...>, carol68974@... > writes > > > > I have recently taken on being the line manager for school > nursing. > > > > I am from > > > > a health visiting background. My problem is that the > school nursing > > > > team seem > > > > to work in the medical model and believe that the cmo's > are there > > > > directors. > > > > In the light of Hall 4 and the governments thinking on > school > > > > nursing i can > > > > see i have a job on my hands for trying to shift the > balance. I can > > > > see > > > > clearly the potential and excitment for school nursing to > take the > > > > lead in > > > > addressing school health needs and moving away from being > screening > > > > driven. I > > > > would appreciate some advice form anyone out there. > > > > > > > > Mnay thanks > > > > Carol > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 14, 2003 Report Share Posted April 14, 2003 Hi Carol Since starting to work independently I have done a lot work with school nurses and what you report can be found in many areas but also I do come across school nurses who want to move things on. One of the conclusion I have come to is that school nurses often feel very devalued and like second class citizens which in turn means they are not empowered and therefore feel they need to defer to the doctors for everything. Again this is not true everywhere but some school nurses who do challenge find it difficult because school doctors are of a breed and do like to feel in control. Like GPs they are frightened of loosing their power and I think many have not moved into the new world. Your second e-mail re children with complex needs is also something I come up against. As someone I am working with in school health said to me last week - the most important thing is to educate education as they had the same problem of the school expecting the school nurse to do the care where it could be allocated to trained support workers. The placement of these children is also interesting and I have a feeling it is going full circle with some of the Boroughs I am working with now beginning to reopen their special needs school. Also I think you are right, the interagency stuff is often tokenism and not really very well developed. Try speaking to Ying Butt in Lambeth - I reviewed school nursing there and she is taking the work forward as the project officer - tel no 0208 2432200. Two things re all this - I could e-mail you sound information covering work I have done to review school nursing if you ant - let me know - and also be more than willing to talk to you about the work I have done to develop school nursing - try me one evening on 01252 681 513 or on my mobile 07721 891 397. I also have some useful contacts so if we talk will share with you. Good Luck Regards Margaret (no subject) > I have recently taken on being the line manager for school nursing. I am from > a health visiting background. My problem is that the school nursing team seem > to work in the medical model and believe that the cmo's are there directors. > In the light of Hall 4 and the governments thinking on school nursing i can > see i have a job on my hands for trying to shift the balance. I can see > clearly the potential and excitment for school nursing to take the lead in > addressing school health needs and moving away from being screening driven. I > would appreciate some advice form anyone out there. > > Mnay thanks > Carol > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 7, 2003 Report Share Posted July 7, 2003 In a message dated 7/7/03 9:16:28 PM Central Daylight Time, kh78748@... writes: > > how would about figthing a movie theater who says i cant go there cause > of my condition. > why do they say you can't go there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 7, 2003 Report Share Posted July 7, 2003 Contact the Dept. of Justice. http://www.usdoj.gov/disabilities.htm -- (no subject) > > hey guys how would about figthing a movie theater who says i cant go there cause of my condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 7, 2003 Report Share Posted July 7, 2003 Do you use a wheelchair? (no subject) hey guys how would about figthing a movie theater who says i cant go there cause of my condition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 15, 2003 Report Share Posted September 15, 2003 Carl is a School board member, I caught the meeting of Sept 9th tonight, and I could hardly believe my ears. I sure that when CB had his day, they were just as rotten as they were to this kid (that I dont know ) There is no tolerence or compassion for our children.And Im fed up CB's Granny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 15, 2003 Report Share Posted September 15, 2003 Lorna, I missed the post on this--who is Carl , and what was this all about? Heidi (no subject) Mr.Carl addressing the needs of an autistic student to be placed in a alternative to public education. That the transporting of this child was both expensive and dangerous and that perhapes a CAGE would be a good idea. I have been typing , screaming and crying , so please excuse my poor grammer and spelling. When this man made this statement he attacked all of us . Is there no compassion anywhere for Our kids ? Lorna E Berry Connor"s Grandma LornaBerry@... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 20, 2003 Report Share Posted September 20, 2003 Below is a request I got from another list I am on and I am not sure how to help her. This is the only autism list I am even on any more and I am dismayed that I have not got a clue as to what to tell her. Does anyone have any advice. I told her that each of our children is so different even on their levels of functioning that can make a big difference in how the child is taught. --Betty >>>>Betty, I will be working for the next two weeks with a 7 year old boy who just moved into our school district, and who is autistic, possibly non-verbal. I feel like I have some basic knowledge through your experiences and all that I've read here, but I definitely need to do my homework this weekend so that I'm as prepared as possible to help this little guy. He will be in a self contained classroom, and I don't know if there are any plans to eventually move him into a regular room for even part of the day. From what info I was able to get, they are still assessing him (today was his first day). Any info you can give me that will help me understand the challenges of autism, ways to approach, work with and teach autistic kids in this age group, any does and don'ts that I should be aware of, websites that would give me these answers . . . anything else you think I should know? I would so very much appreciate your help. The school is hoping to hire a permanent paraprofessional aide for this boy in about two weeks, and they want to give him as much continuity and consistency as possible. I'm really glad that they are cognizant of those types of issues, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity.>>> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 20, 2003 Report Share Posted September 20, 2003 Betty, here is a really good web-site by teachers who work with autistic kids. It has a lot of helpful info. http://members.aol.com/room5/bright.html Hope this helps Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 20, 2003 Report Share Posted September 20, 2003 Betty, you are so right. These kids are all so different. I don't know how to teach any autistic child except my grandson. The first question I would ask is how has this child been taught previously? Has he had ABA or Lovass therapy? Is he on Pecs? Has he had a schedule? Does he have any behavior problems? Does he need any self help skills? How are his fine motor and gross motor skills? Is he a visual learner or auditory learner? Contrary to how most autistic kids are, Karac is an auditory learner. I have used a Language Master to teach Karac to read, write, and spell. If Karac hears anything often enough, he can learn it. Karac learns primarily with one on one descreet trial learning. With Karac I started with the "Me Book" and then Maurices's Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism. I also use Teaching Language to Chilren With Autism or Other Developmetal Disabilities by Sundberg & Partington. I use the Edmark reading program for teaching Karac reading. I taught Karac to use the calculator for his math. I don't know if any of these things would be useful or helpful to that woman with the 7 year old , but for whatever it's worth. Pat K Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 20, 2003 Report Share Posted September 20, 2003 I aggree with Pat as well, CB uses the computer and is a visual learner. So reading is his strongest skill. For auditory learning we use music (SchoolHouse Rock type stuff ) One of the best videos for CB has been Scary's Busy Town ( Stop , Look and Listen song for street crossing ) Let me tell ya CB hasnt run out into the street since (YAY !!!!!) Im going to copy your questions, answer them and give them to CB's Teacher... I love this group ! WE ROCK LOL CB's Granny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 20, 2003 Report Share Posted September 20, 2003 PS...Please tell her to have the equipment needed for this childs sensory diet, Nothing was in place for CB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 21, 2003 Report Share Posted September 21, 2003 Thanks, Pat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 14, 2003 Report Share Posted November 14, 2003 This poem is very sweet. It will be interesting to see who sends it back. Forward this on and back. I'm counting on you not to let me be the number one type person on the list below, but if you've got better things to do then at least you'll prevent me from being the number six type. Thanks. If I could catch a rainbow I would do it just for you and share with you its beauty On the days you're feeling blue. If I could build a mountain You could call your very own A place to find serenity A place to be alone If I could take your troubles I would toss them in the sea But all these things I'm finding are impossible for me. I cannot build a mountain Or catch a rainbow fair But let me be what I know best- A friend who's always there. This is a Hug Certificate!! Send One to All of Your Friends You Think Deserve A Hug. Send this to Your Friends Including the Person Who Sent it to You! What the heck, send it to your enemies as well! It'll really tic 'em off! If you don't receive this back-Take the hint ... nobody likes you and wishes you'd stop bugging them. If you receive this back 1 time- Open up! Find more friends, enemies, or enemies pretending to be friends.. If you receive this back 2 times - You Are Off to a start... unless you sent it to yourself... that's cheating. If you receive this back 3 times - You Are A Good Friend.... good for what stands to be seen... If you receive this back 4 times - You are popular... I wanna be just like you. Have a wonderful day !! love ya'll... ____________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 25, 2004 Report Share Posted October 25, 2004 In a message dated 10/25/2004 10:05:09 PM Central Daylight Time, peggy2176@... writes: We recognize milk gravy when we see it, know what to do with it and wonder what the heck you other people eat on your biscuits. This is my son. We moved to Oklahoma when he was four. He is now 13 and is a total southerner. Pure Okie. lol. There is also the one that all meals are to have meat with them and it doesn't really matter what kind of meat. I haven't and don't plan to eat a squirrel. Amylee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 5, 2004 Report Share Posted December 5, 2004 Now this was Cute!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 29, 2005 Report Share Posted April 29, 2005 Good article, MJ! -a TWEETYROLL88@... wrote:Here is the link to the article - http://www.mjthesmaqueen.com/indexWriting Enjoy! MJ Purk 17, SMA I+ “Be true! Be true! Be true! Show freely to the world, if not your worst, yet some trait whereby the worst may be inferred!†~ iel Hawthorne's “The Scarlet Letter†http://www.caringbridge.com/ny/mjpurk - My Journal http://www.our-sma-angels.com/Margaret/ - My Original Website http://www.mjthesmaqueen.com/ - My New Website http://www.our-sma-angels.com/b4sma/ - My Organization's Site http://www3.caringbridge.org/ny/b4sma/ - My Organization's Update Site Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2005 Report Share Posted July 28, 2005 What paper is this out of Alan ThederahnWutsername@... wrote: Hang on to your sits. This one is a doozey. Ricci MY OPINIONDistrust feeds ignorance of health facts> Published on: 07/28/05 A recent survey by the Atlanta-based American Cancer Society found that roughly half of Americans believe that surgery causes cancer to spread. And about 25 percent think that science has already found a cure for cancer, but it is being held back by a profit-driven health care industry. The general lack of knowledge about health and medicine in this country — exemplified by old wives tales about how opening the body through surgery causes cancer to spread — might simply reflect the rudimentary instruction we give students in science. But there appears to be much more going on here. It has to do with trust. The continuing controversy over whether autism is linked to trace amounts of mercury used as preservative for childhood vaccines is in this same category. In recent years the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the Institute of Medicine (the medical arm of the National Academy of Sciences) and the American Academy of Pediatrics have all debunked the concern that thimerosal, the preservative, causes or even contributes to autism. At least five major scientific studies have come to the same conclusion. Yet the number of people who believe the link has been firmly established — parents of children with autism, in particular — continues to rise. They received a significant shot in the arm last month when F. Kennedy Jr. wrote an article in Rolling Stone magazine suggesting the nation's public health community is conspiring with drug makers to cover up the damage done by thimerosal. A government bureaucracy that willingly subjects children to the risk of autism in exchange for propping up the pharmaceutical industry certainly wouldn't want a cure for cancer to become widely available, now would it? This is lunacy. "It's really terrifying, the scientific illiteracy that supports these suspicions," said Dr. Marie McCormick, chairwoman of the Institute of Medicine panel that issued its report on the research about thimerosal and autism last year. It's one thing to refuse to consider the scientific evidence; it's quite another to act out of willful ignorance and subject yourself or a loved one to what amounts to medicine-show cures. Yet that's what some parents of children with autism have begun to do with chelation therapy, a treatment that should be confined only to patients with acute metal poisoning. Chelation involves using drugs to remove heavy metals from the body, but when administered improperly — as in using it for patients with autism — it can lead to liver and kidney damage and other problems. Similarly, some autistic children are prescribed a dozen or so vitamin supplements to take every day, and their diets heavily restricted as a way to deal with the condition, according to testimony in lawsuits. Some are subjected to 160-degree saunas to sweat the metal from their systems. The panic stems from a 1999 FDA finding that the amount of mercury contained in the normal immunization schedule for children exceeded the agency's guidelines. By 2001, no vaccines for children had more than a half of a microgram of mercury in them — an amount that is roughly equal to that found in an infant's daily supply of breast milk. But the controversy continues, fueled at least in part by the alarming rise in the diagnosis of autism. In the 1980s, the condition was found in roughly one child in every 10,000 births. By 2003 that ratio had changed to 1 in 166. Suspicion is so strong in some circles that CDC researchers told The New York Times recently that they have received threatening letters and phone calls. The Atlanta-based agency has increased security because of the threats, the newspaper reported. Although it hasn't felt such a backlash, the American Cancer Society — located across the street from the CDC — must understand the frustration. The organization asked 957 adults without cancer to answer a true-or-false quiz. Fifty-four percent said they either weren't sure or were convinced that surgery spreads cancer; 27 percent said they believed a cure was available but being withheld; and nearly 20 percent believe pain medications were ineffective in cancer patients. Over the years, cancer and pain-management specialists have made remarkable progress in that arena. What a shame that message hasn't gotten through to some patients and their loved ones. —Mike King is a member of the editorial board. His column runs Thursdays. Find this article at: http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/king/2005/072805.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2005 Report Share Posted July 28, 2005 The paper this is from is the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and, as a Georgia resident, I can tell you that this particular columnist is noted for articles like that. Debra > > From: Alan Thederahn <thederahn@...> > Date: 2005/07/27 Wed PM 10:34:37 EDT > Wutsername@..., abmd , EOHarm , > AutismRecoveryWA > Subject: Re: (no subject) > > What paper is this out of > > Alan Thederahn > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2005 Report Share Posted July 28, 2005 Here is the letter I sent to Mr. King in response to his column: Your autistic opinion Mr. King, I read your piece and wanted to let you know my thoughts on it. As the parent of a mercury and lead poisoned child who has been diagnosed as autistic, and who has spent the last year watching him recover through the biomedical interventions that you seem to mock in your writing, I have to tell you that my first impression on reading it was, " Wow. I wonder how this guys is gonna feel when he begins to realize that he is on the 'wrong side of history' " . Thousands of kids with autism are improving, and some are even becoming indistinguishable from their peers through these biomedical interventions. I believe, with what I am seeing in my son's life and in the other autistic children that I know, that in ten years a more refined version of the interventions that you malign now will be the SOP in the treatment of autism. You can argue about studies all day long, but you can't argue with results. Next time, interview a few of these " scientifically illiterate " parents to see just why they dismiss the opinions of Marie McCormick. I think you will be surprised how scientifically literate they are, and just how poor Ms. McCormick's judgment is when it comes to weighing the scientific literature on autism. Bottom line, parents believe what they are seeing with their own eyes. Here is what I am seeing with mine: http://adventuresinautism.blogspot.com/2005/06/my-boy-can-talk.html I only hope that your column does not deter some parents who have a newly diagnosed child from seeing medical treatment for autism, which is a medical disorder. Ginger http://www.adventuresinautism.com Wutsername@... wrote: > Hang on to your sits. This one is a doozey. > > Ricci > > *MY OPINION* > > Distrust feeds ignorance of health facts > > > Published on: 07/28/05 > > A recent survey by the Atlanta-based American Cancer Society found that > roughly half of Americans believe that surgery causes cancer to spread. > And about 25 percent think that science has already found a cure for > cancer, but it is being held back by a profit-driven health care industry. > > The general lack of knowledge about health and medicine in this country > — exemplified by old wives tales about how opening the body through > surgery causes cancer to spread — might simply reflect the rudimentary > instruction we give students in science. But there appears to be much > more going on here. > > It has to do with trust. > > The continuing controversy over whether autism is linked to trace > amounts of mercury used as preservative for childhood vaccines is in > this same category. In recent years the Centers for Disease Control and > Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the Institute of Medicine > (the medical arm of the National Academy of Sciences) and the American > Academy of Pediatrics have all debunked the concern that thimerosal, the > preservative, causes or even contributes to autism. At least five major > scientific studies have come to the same conclusion. > > *Yet the number of people who believe the link has been firmly > established — parents of children with autism, in particular — continues > to rise. They received a significant shot in the arm last month when > F. Kennedy Jr. wrote an article in Rolling Stone magazine > suggesting the nation's public health community is conspiring with drug > makers to cover up the damage done by thimerosal.* > > A government bureaucracy that willingly subjects children to the risk of > autism in exchange for propping up the pharmaceutical industry certainly > wouldn't want a cure for cancer to become widely available, now would it? > > This is lunacy. > > * " It's really terrifying, the scientific illiteracy that supports these > suspicions, " said Dr. Marie McCormick, chairwoman of the Institute of > Medicine panel that issued its report on the research about thimerosal > and autism last year.* > > *It's one thing to refuse to consider the scientific evidence; it's > quite another to act out of willful ignorance and subject yourself or a > loved one to what amounts to medicine-show cures. Yet that's what some > parents of children with autism have begun to do with chelation therapy, > a treatment that should be confined only to patients with acute metal > poisoning.* > > Chelation involves using drugs to remove heavy metals from the body, but > when administered improperly — *as in using it for patients with autism* > — it can lead to liver and kidney damage and other problems. Similarly, > some autistic children are prescribed a dozen or so vitamin supplements > to take every day, and their diets heavily restricted as a way to deal > with the condition, according to testimony in lawsuits. *Some are > subjected to 160-degree saunas to sweat the metal from their systems.* > > *The panic stems from a 1999 FDA finding that the amount of mercury > contained in the normal immunization schedule for children exceeded the > agency's guidelines. By 2001, no vaccines for children had more than a > half of a microgram of mercury in them — an amount that is roughly equal > to that found in an infant's daily supply of breast milk.* > > *But the controversy continues, fueled at least in part by the alarming > rise in the diagnosis of autism. In the 1980s, the condition was found > in roughly one child in every 10,000 births. By 2003 that ratio had > changed to 1 in 166.* > > *Suspicion is so strong in some circles that CDC researchers told The > New York Times recently that they have received threatening letters and > phone calls. The Atlanta-based agency has increased security because of > the threats, the newspaper reported.* > > Although it hasn't felt such a backlash, the American Cancer Society — > located across the street from the CDC — must understand the > frustration. The organization asked 957 adults without cancer to answer > a true-or-false quiz. Fifty-four percent said they either weren't sure > or were convinced that surgery spreads cancer; 27 percent said they > believed a cure was available but being withheld; and nearly 20 percent > believe pain medications were ineffective in cancer patients. > > Over the years, cancer and pain-management specialists have made > remarkable progress in that arena. What a shame that message hasn't > gotten through to some patients and their loved ones. > > —Mike King is a member of the editorial board. His column runs Thursdays. > > > > > > *Find this article at:* > http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/king/2005/072805.html > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2005 Report Share Posted July 28, 2005 ---Ginger, you're letter is great but your blog..and Chandler talking is amazing!! So happy for you!! In EOHarm , Ginger <@l...> wrote: > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2005 Report Share Posted July 28, 2005 Here is the letter I sent to The Atlanta Journal Constitution in response to my own column: Dear AJC, If you decide to publish my letter to Mr. King, do please allow me to correct the incorrect corrections that Word's auto correct incorrectly corrected for me. They were not correct. Thank You, Ginger Ginger wrote: > Here is the letter I sent to Mr. King in response to his column: > > Your autistic opinion > > Mr. King, > > I read your piece and wanted to let you know my thoughts on it. > > As the parent of a mercury and lead poisoned child who has been > diagnosed as autistic, and who has spent the last year watching him > recover through the biomedical interventions that you seem to mock in > your writing, I have to tell you that my first impression on reading it > was, " Wow. I wonder how this guys is gonna feel when he begins to > realize that he is on the 'wrong side of history' " . > > Thousands of kids with autism are improving, and some are even becoming > indistinguishable from their peers through these biomedical > interventions. I believe, with what I am seeing in my son's life and in > the other autistic children that I know, that in ten years a more > refined version of the interventions that you malign now will be the SOP > in the treatment of autism. > > You can argue about studies all day long, but you can't argue with results. > > Next time, interview a few of these " scientifically illiterate " parents > to see just why they dismiss the opinions of Marie McCormick. I think > you will be surprised how scientifically literate they are, and just how > poor Ms. McCormick's judgment is when it comes to weighing the > scientific literature on autism. > > Bottom line, parents believe what they are seeing with their own eyes. > Here is what I am seeing with mine: > http://adventuresinautism.blogspot.com/2005/06/my-boy-can-talk.html > > I only hope that your column does not deter some parents who have a > newly diagnosed child from seeing medical treatment for autism, which is > a medical disorder. > > Ginger > http://www.adventuresinautism.com > > > Wutsername@... wrote: > > Hang on to your sits. This one is a doozey. > > > > Ricci > > > > *MY OPINION* > > > > Distrust feeds ignorance of health facts > > > > > Published on: 07/28/05 > > > > A recent survey by the Atlanta-based American Cancer Society found that > > roughly half of Americans believe that surgery causes cancer to spread. > > And about 25 percent think that science has already found a cure for > > cancer, but it is being held back by a profit-driven health care > industry. > > > > The general lack of knowledge about health and medicine in this country > > — exemplified by old wives tales about how opening the body through > > surgery causes cancer to spread — might simply reflect the rudimentary > > instruction we give students in science. But there appears to be much > > more going on here. > > > > It has to do with trust. > > > > The continuing controversy over whether autism is linked to trace > > amounts of mercury used as preservative for childhood vaccines is in > > this same category. In recent years the Centers for Disease Control and > > Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the Institute of Medicine > > (the medical arm of the National Academy of Sciences) and the American > > Academy of Pediatrics have all debunked the concern that thimerosal, the > > preservative, causes or even contributes to autism. At least five major > > scientific studies have come to the same conclusion. > > > > *Yet the number of people who believe the link has been firmly > > established — parents of children with autism, in particular — continues > > to rise. They received a significant shot in the arm last month when > > F. Kennedy Jr. wrote an article in Rolling Stone magazine > > suggesting the nation's public health community is conspiring with drug > > makers to cover up the damage done by thimerosal.* > > > > A government bureaucracy that willingly subjects children to the risk of > > autism in exchange for propping up the pharmaceutical industry certainly > > wouldn't want a cure for cancer to become widely available, now would it? > > > > This is lunacy. > > > > * " It's really terrifying, the scientific illiteracy that supports these > > suspicions, " said Dr. Marie McCormick, chairwoman of the Institute of > > Medicine panel that issued its report on the research about thimerosal > > and autism last year.* > > > > *It's one thing to refuse to consider the scientific evidence; it's > > quite another to act out of willful ignorance and subject yourself or a > > loved one to what amounts to medicine-show cures. Yet that's what some > > parents of children with autism have begun to do with chelation therapy, > > a treatment that should be confined only to patients with acute metal > > poisoning.* > > > > Chelation involves using drugs to remove heavy metals from the body, but > > when administered improperly — *as in using it for patients with autism* > > — it can lead to liver and kidney damage and other problems. Similarly, > > some autistic children are prescribed a dozen or so vitamin supplements > > to take every day, and their diets heavily restricted as a way to deal > > with the condition, according to testimony in lawsuits. *Some are > > subjected to 160-degree saunas to sweat the metal from their systems.* > > > > *The panic stems from a 1999 FDA finding that the amount of mercury > > contained in the normal immunization schedule for children exceeded the > > agency's guidelines. By 2001, no vaccines for children had more than a > > half of a microgram of mercury in them — an amount that is roughly equal > > to that found in an infant's daily supply of breast milk.* > > > > *But the controversy continues, fueled at least in part by the alarming > > rise in the diagnosis of autism. In the 1980s, the condition was found > > in roughly one child in every 10,000 births. By 2003 that ratio had > > changed to 1 in 166.* > > > > *Suspicion is so strong in some circles that CDC researchers told The > > New York Times recently that they have received threatening letters and > > phone calls. The Atlanta-based agency has increased security because of > > the threats, the newspaper reported.* > > > > Although it hasn't felt such a backlash, the American Cancer Society — > > located across the street from the CDC — must understand the > > frustration. The organization asked 957 adults without cancer to answer > > a true-or-false quiz. Fifty-four percent said they either weren't sure > > or were convinced that surgery spreads cancer; 27 percent said they > > believed a cure was available but being withheld; and nearly 20 percent > > believe pain medications were ineffective in cancer patients. > > > > Over the years, cancer and pain-management specialists have made > > remarkable progress in that arena. What a shame that message hasn't > > gotten through to some patients and their loved ones. > > > > —Mike King is a member of the editorial board. His column runs Thursdays. > > > > > > > > > > > > *Find this article at:* > > http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/king/2005/072805.html > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 13, 2005 Report Share Posted December 13, 2005 Sir, NY Post reporter Bill Hoffman reports the winner of the King Kong lotto is the mother of a son "who was born autistic". The suggestion this child was "born autistic" appears odd since the vast majority of autistic children, which now number one in every one hundred and sixty-six children, exhibit no signs of autism at birth. In fact, these children appear normal until about age two when they experience a sudden loss of whatever communication skills they had begun to develop. This inexplicable loss of communications skills is usually accompanied by troubling behavior that most parents immediately recognize as being associated with autism. Unfortunately, Bill Hoffman's ill-informed observation this child was "born autistic" only serves to further illustrate how little attention has been given to a real epidemic while vast media coverage and resources are devoted to publicizing a potential pandemic avian flu that has yet to affect a single child in the United States. BOB MOFFITT Sloatsburg, New York, 10974 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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