New study on biomarkers in autism spectrum disorders

[Guest guest]

US Autism & Asperger Association, Inc. November 19,

2008

Welcome to USAAA Weekly News, an email newsletter that addresses a range

of topics on Autism Spectrum Disorders and Asperger's Syndrome.

New study on biomarkers

in Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism spectrum disorder-associated biomarkers for case evaluation

and management by clinical geneticists

by A. Geier, BA and Mark R. Geier, MD, PhD, FABMG, FACE

In April of 2008, the American College of Medical Geneticists issued

clinical practice guidelines recommending that clinical geneticists

identify the etiology of ASD's and treat patients with the diagnosis.

It is clear that, as additional research is

performed, the clinical geneticist will need to give careful attention to

the task of incorporating new testing and treatment options for

ASDs.

This article examines recognized, clinically available biomarker testing

for the evaluation and treatment of ASDs. It will attempt to explain the

clinical significance of the findings and, where possible, explore

potential treatment options.

Click here for entire article.

Minnesota Tracked Down Pig Brain Disease,

Ignores Autism?

By Kim Stagliano, Age of Autism

[Mayo Clinic] of the strongest health department's

in the country? We've yet to see it in the Somali autism situation.

Do you recall last winter when a handful of people in Minnesota

contracted a rare neurological disease that was tracked to their job

blowing pigs' brains out of their skulls at a meat processing plant?

State officials couldn't act fast enough to solve the problem. So why is

it that Somali parents who've watched their children collapse into autism

aren't getting the same rapid fire answers? Racism? Or Autism?

Click here for entire article.

Lee Silsby Introduces Enhansa Curcumin Supplement for Autism

Lee Silsby Compounding Pharmacy, the leader in custom compounded

medications for autism, announces its newest product, Enhansa, Enhanced

Absorption Curcumin Supplement. Curcumin is the principal curcuminoid

found in the popular Indian spice turmeric. Enhansa was created by Lee

Silsby Compounding Pharmacy. To date, several hundred patients on the

spectrum are using Enhansa. Current product order rates indicate a high

level of both patient and physician satisfaction.

Enhansa is clinically proven to increase intracellular Glutathione,

reduce levels of nearly every elevated inflammatory cytokine found in

autistic patients and improve liver detoxification. In addition, Enhansa

acts as an anti-viral and anti-fungal agent and is a potent PPAR Gamma

Agonist and NF-Kapp B inhibitor. Patient benefits include improved

digestion, detoxification and antioxidant support.

Click here for entire article from Age of Autism.

How to help your Special Needs Child Make the Transition to

Adulthood

Children with Autism, mental retardation, Downs Syndrome, any other

special need, or none at all have one thing in common. Every child will

get older and eventually reach adulthood. This can be a rather

intimidating thought if you and your child have not prepared for this

challenging time. Recently, a distraught mother called me in a panic. “I

just talked to my school district, and they told me that my son will no

longer receive public school funding after this school year. What am I

supposed to do with an autistic man after his services stop?” she asked.

I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard this lament.

No matter how old your child is, start today. Even

if your child has only one more year of school, and has not started a

transition program, you can negotiate with the school district to get a

few more years of school because they didn't follow the legal

requirements to provide a free and appropriate education which includes a

transition program.

Public schools are required by law to provide transitional services

starting at age 16 for students with an IEP. These services should

include life skills training, such as cooking or making a bed,

pre-vocational and vocational skills that should prepare a child to enter

the world of work, and general skills and planning capabilities that lead

to a life of self-determination. My experience has been that most schools

have not even begun to think about this process beyond some sex education

and consumer math.

Click here for entire article.

Advocacy Self Help

The 7 " P's " of Effective Advocacy

Special Ed Advocate has launched a series that will provide a

self-help study plan every advocate should have. You'll learn how to plan

and prepare to be an effective advocate, and where to go to get the

information you need.

As a parent, you negotiate with the school for services. To be a

successful negotiator, you must understand the system and how it

works.

Many parents don't realize that school systems are bureaucracies. Parents

often don't know how important decisions are made - or by whom.

Click here for entire article.

Teacher axed for treatment of autistic boy

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla., Nov. 19 (UPI) -- A school board in Florida has

voted to suspend a kindergarten teacher who allowed her students to vote

on whether an autistic boy could remain in class.

Teacher Portillo did not address the Port St. Lucie School Board

before the action was taken Tuesday night, the Web site TCPalm.com

reported.

A police report says Portillo brought 5-year-old Barton to the front

of the classroom last May 21 and asked students to vote on whether he

should stay in class given his behavior.

At the time, the boy was in the process of being diagnosed with Asperger

syndrome, a form of autism.

Click here for entire article.

Autism Software to Help Children in

the Middle East

COLUMBIA, SC, Nov 18, 2008 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX) -- Accelerations

Educational Software (AES), a leading developer of software for autism

and other developmental disorders, is pleased to announce a collaborative

effort with Qatar-based Anzima. The strategic partnership will help

introduce AES programs in the Middle East, significantly benefiting

children with special needs.

Together with AES, Anzima will offer software support in Arabic and

English and also set up representatives to provide support and

services.

" This is a huge step forward for our company, " says Karl ,

founder of Accelerations Educational Software.

" People tend to forget that autism is a global epidemic and this

partnership will help get our products in the hands of children outside

the United States, " he adds.

Click here for entire article.

GET YOUR DVDs from the

2008 USAAA International Conference

Click here to get all your conference DVDs including Holly

Peete's Keynote Address

In This Issue:

­ New study on biomarkers in Autism Spectrum

Disorders

­ Minnesota Tracked Down Pig Brain Disease, Ignores

Autism?

­ Lee Silsby Introduces Enhansa Curcumin

Supplement for Autism

­ How to help your Special

Needs Child Make the Transition to Adulthood

­ Advocacy Self Help

The 7 " P's " of Effective Advocacy

­ Teacher axed for treatment of autistic boy

News Around the World

­ Autism Software to Help Children

in the Middle East

­

Click here for Conference DVDs

The Hanen Centre

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The USAAA WeeklyNews® is made possible in part by

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