SchaferAutismReport: Autism 'Epidemic' in Schools Called Illusory

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SAR "Healing Autism:Schafer Autism Report No Finer a Cause on the Planet"________________________________________________________________Monday, Aprol 4, 2006 Vol. 10 No. 59>> Mercury Generation MarchWashington DC - April 6 - You Can Make a Difference -Protect Your Children - But you have to show up!http://www.sarnet.org/MercMarch.htmWe'll see you there! (I'll either be at the A-CHAMP standor in the hotel bar at the back table with loud arguing.) -LennyPUBLICATION NOTE: Due to the March and DAN! Conference in Washington DC this week, the Schafer AutismReport may have abbreviated or skipped editions. - Lenny SchaferPUBLIC HEALTH* Autism 'Epidemic' in Schools Called Illusory* New Study In Journal Pediatrics Misleading Says Autism Community,Declares Autism

Epidemic Real* Controversy Over Autism-Thimerosal Link Flaring Anew* Decline in MMR Uptake Blamed For Measles Deathin UKCARE* Bus Matron Faces Charges In Torment Of Autistic Boy in NYEVENTS* Fundraiser, Lobbying Trip Aimed At Helping Autistic Children in FlaLETTERSPUBLIC HEALTHAutism 'Epidemic' in Schools Called Illusory By Neil Osterweil, Senior Associate Editor, MedPage Today Reviewed by Jasmer, MD; Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of California, SanFranciscoAn apparent increase over the past decade in the prevalence ofchildren labeled as autistic in special education programs may be a phantomconjured by diagnostic substitution, according to an investigator here."My research indicates that the increase in the number of kids with anautism label in special education is strongly associated with a decliningusage of the mental retardation and learning

disabilities labels in specialeducation during the same period," said T. Shattuck Ph.D., MSSW, apediatrics researcher at the University of Wisconsin"Many of the children now being counted in the autism category wouldprobably have been counted in the mental retardation or learningdisabilities categories if they were being labeled 10 years ago instead oftoday," Dr. Shattuck added. He outlined his case for the rise in autismbeing due largely to diagnostic substitution in the April issue ofPediatrics.His findings suggested that those who seek evidence of an increasedincidence and prevalence of autism can't rely on special education's trendsto support their claims, "because states don't all use a standard definitionof autism, and there is considerable variability in classification ofchildren into special education programs," Dr. Shattuck wrote.He designed his study to determine whether the increase in

theadministrative prevalence of autism (i.e., prevalence as reported by variouseducational systems versus population-based surveillance) was accompanied bydecreases in other diagnostic categories.To do this, he conducted multiple analyses using data on childrenclassified as having autism in special education programs beginning in 1994,after a new autism-reporting category mandated by the Individuals withDisabilities Education Act was implemented in all but two states (those two,Massachusetts and Iowa, were excluded from the analysis).He also drew on data published by the U.S. Department of Education onannual state-by-state counts of children ages six to 11 with disabilities inspecial education from 1984 to 2003.He found that the average administrative prevalence of autism amongchildren increased from 0.6 per 1,000 to 3.1 per 1,000 from 1994 to 2003.During the same period, however, in all but five states the

prevalenceof mental retardation declined by 2.8 per 1,000, and the prevalence oflearning disabilities dropped by 8.3 per 1,000. The declines in these twocategories occurred despite the fact that from 1984 to 1993 there had been alevel or gradual upward trend in each of the categories.Additionally, the quality of the data was questionable, as suggestedby the fact that "changes in the special education prevalence of autismvaried tremendously among states despite a common federal mandate to createa separate special education reporting category for children with autism,"Dr. Shattuck wrote.Of note was the fact that as of 2003, the special education prevalenceof autism was within the range of recent population-based estimates in only17 states."The mean administrative prevalence of autism in U.S. specialeducation among children ages six to 11 in 1994 was only 0.6 per 1,000, lessthan one-fifth of the lowest CDC estimate

from Atlanta (based onsurveillance data from 1996)," he commented. "Therefore, special educationcounts of children with autism in the early 1990s were dramaticunderestimates of population prevalence and really had nowhere to go butup."Dr. Shattuck also noted that some critics have used California as anexample to refute the diagnostic substitution hypothesis, because in thatstate's social services system the increase in the prevalence of autism hasnot been accompanied by a change in the prevalence of mental retardation."California's special education and state service trends seem tomirror one another, thereby suggesting that California's experience has notbeen typical of the rest of the country," he wrote. "This finding does notminimize or invalidate what may actually be a very troubling pattern ofchange in California that merits additional study and intervention. However,the implications for national policy are clear:

California's changes areunique and should not be the foundation for nationwide policy responses." Lord, Ph.D., an authority on autism at the University ofMichigan's Center for Human Growth and Development, who was not involved inthe study, commented that it "highlights the need to consider the immediateimplications for children's lives of the lag between scientific findingsregarding the diagnosis and prevalence of autism, and state and schoolsystem policies."-- > DO SOMETHING ABOUT AUTISM NOW < --SUBSCRIBE. . . !. . .Read, then Forward the Schafer Autism Report.To Subscribe http://www.SARnet.org/Or mailto:subs at doitnow.com No Cost!___________________________________________. . .New Study In Journal Pediatrics Misleading Says Autism Community, DeclaresAutism Epidemic RealDepartment of Education Data Inadequate to Determine Prevalence Over

TimeFrom a SafeMinds announcement.A study appearing in next week's edition of Pediatrics titled"Diagnostic Substitution and Changing Autism Prevalence" is being questionedby the autism community. The report, authored by Dr. Shattuck, uses USDepartment of Education data to support the hypothesis that real autismrates have not increased over the last two decades, and that reportedincreases are a function of reclassification of students from learningdisabilities and mental retardation categories. This theory has beenrejected in a number of scientific studies. The autism community would liketo see scientific studies based on more valid databases in order todetermine accurate prevalence trends.The autism parent organizations including SafeMinds www.safeminds.org,the National Autism Association www.nationalautismassociation.org, A-CHAMPwww.a-champ.org, and Generation Rescue www.generationrescue.org see

thislatest article as part of a phenomenon of epidemic denial that inhibits openscientific investigation of autism's causes and blocks allocation of neededresources into autism. The groups note that the prevalence of autism nowfar exceeds other high profile disorders such as cerebral palsy, cysticfibrosis, and juvenile diabetes. They request that autism be recognized as anational emergency and that unbiased epidemiological studies be conductedthat count both older and younger people with autism to see if the increasesare real.The paper's use of Department of Education data to conclude noepidemic exists is troubling. The study author himself said that the dataset is inconsistent and is subject to administrative and policy changes bythe states. He notes that 28 of the 48 states included in the analysis donot support his theory of reclassification as a reason for autism increases."Each state has its own rules and the

autism rates by state vary greatly, soaggregating the state-level data to a US average is not good statisticalpractice," explained Mark Blaxill of SafeMinds. "Other, more reliable datasets, like the California Department of Developmental Disabilities, do showa real increase in autism."Autism Groups voiced support for the commentary by Dr. CraigNewschaffer that accompanies the Shattuck article in Pediatrics. Thiscommentary makes a number of valid points regarding Dr. Shattuck's approachand conclusions. The autism groups note that the hypothesis ofreclassification, or "diagnostic substitution", has been examined andrejected in several scientific papers as a likely major factor in reportedautism increases. One study was authored by Dr. Newschaffer. A study by Byrd and a study by Blaxill, Baskin and Spitzer have also ruled outdiagnostic substitution.. . .Controversy Over Autism-Thimerosal Link Flaring

Anew Congressional Quarterly CQ HealthbeatThe self-described "wait a second" crowd is getting bigger. So namedby parents and advocates of autistic children who believe the Institute ofMedicine (IoM) has erred in ruling out a link between a vaccine ingredientand autism, it has the ear of a growing number of lawmakers who agree moreresearch is needed to resolve whether there is a link. Rep. Carolyn B.Maloney, D-N.Y., is the latest member of Congress to spotlight the issue,saying Thursday she will introduce a bill in late April requiring a studycomparing children who have received vaccines with the ingredient, themercury-containing preservative thimerosal, to those who are unvaccinated.Maloney said such a study is needed because of stories written byUnited Press International editor Dan Olmsted reporting no cases of autismin unvaccinated Amish children and in some 30,000 children seen over theyears by doctors in

a Chicago-area HMO that does not vaccinate children. "Todate, no autism study of note" has used a control group to compare childrenexposed to thimerosal in vaccines to unvaccinated children, she said.However, IoM President Harvey Fineberg has defended the institute'sreview of data on the link as thorough, saying it's time to focus researchon other possible causes of autism.Other lawmakers also recently called for additional research. In aFeb. 22 letter, Sens. ph I. Lieberman, D-Conn., and Debbie Stabenow,D-Mich, reminded the new director of the National Institute of EnvironmentalHealth Sciences (NIEHS) at the National Institutes of Health about reportlanguage in the fiscal 2006 Health and Human Services spending bill (PL109-149) urging research on a possible thimerosal-autism link.The report language said that conferees on the measure believe that adatabase maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

couldbe helpful in resolving the issue. But because of skepticism on the part ofparents "concerned with vaccine safety" about CDC's credibility on theissue, NIEHS not CDC should lead a study examining the Vaccine SafetyDatalink database, the senators said in their letter, also signed by sixHouse members.Meanwhile, the number of co-sponsors on a bill introduced by Rep. DaveWeldon, R-Fla., to bar the marketing of mercury-containing vaccines tochildren and pregnant women has grown to 72, with the number of Republicanand Democratic sponsors virtually the same. According to HHS spokeswoman Pearson, thimerosal has been removed from all children's vaccinesother than for flu. Parents can request thimerosal-free versions, Pearsonsaid. Focus on a Best SellerHelping to fuel the growing questions about the IoM's May 18, 2004,study is "Evidence of Harm," a New York Times best seller whose author Kirby appeared

with Maloney at a Washington press briefing Thursday. Kirbynoted arguments by parents of autistic children that the IoM report reliedon broad epidemiological studies rather than on biological researchexamining the impact of thimerosal at the cellular level.Four of the five epidemiological studies examined the use ofthimerosal in Europe, where lower doses of thimerosal were used in vaccines,Kirby said. And the IoM review did not examine subsets of children who forgenetic reasons might be particularly vulnerable to neurological damagecaused by mercury, Kirby added.There has been growing biological evidence that "in a small subset ofchildren with a certain genetic predisposition, they are unable to properlyprocess the mercury they were exposed to," Kirby told TV newsman Tim Russertin an August 7, 2005, appearance on "Meet the Press." At Thursday'sbriefing, Kirby highlighted NIEHS-funded study results released March

21linking thimerosal to cellular changes that could weaken the immune systemin mice. It's important to examine tissues and animal models, not justepidemiology, Kirby said.The IoM's ViewIoM spokeswoman Stencel said Thursday that while there havebeen additional biological studies, "they provide hints, they provide clues,of what should be explored further, but they do not necessarily equate towhat is happening in the human body."Fineberg told Russert on the "Meet the Press" broadcast that Kirby'semphasis on biological data was unwarranted. "When you're trying to assess aspecific association, there are biological studies that are relevant, andthere are epidemiological studies that are relevant. All of these studiesare not equally valid," Fineberg said. The IoM committee that prepared thestudy "went through very carefully and assessed each of those studiesrepresenting its strengths and weaknesses." The

epidemiological studies"were carried out in the United States, in Great Britain, in Denmark andSweden," Fineberg said. "These studies covered hundreds of thousands ofindividuals, children, in these populations. They compared systematically indifferent ways whether you received vaccine with no thimerosal, with somethimerosal, with more thimerosal, and they looked at the relationship ofthose experiences with the development of autism. Uniformly, the best ofthose studies all show no association between receiving vaccine of differentamounts with thimerosal or without and the development of autism."Fineberg said "other avenues of research looking at other possiblecauses today are much more promising ways to spend our precious resources"trying to identify the causes of autism.EVIDENCE OF HARM DISCUSSION LIST HEATS UPAS MERCURY LINK TO AUTISM QUESTION SPREADS>> PAPERBACK BOOK NOW OUT - CHECK

AMAZON.COMAn Evidence of Harm email discussion list hasbeen created in response to the growing interestin the book and the issues it chronicles. Now1,200 subscribers. Here is how to subscribe(no cost): EOHarm-subscribe . . .Decline in MMR Uptake Blamed For Measles DeathBy Nicola Woolcock and Nigel Hawkes for The Times, UKhttp://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2116018,00.htmlA fall in the number of parents allowing their children to have thecombined measles, mumps and rubella vaccine has been blamed for a resurgenceof measles that has claimed the life of a 13-year-old boy.More people have been infected in the first three months of this yearthan the whole of 2005, and at least 30 children have caught measles in asingle outbreak in South Yorkshire.The teenager is Britain's first fatality in 14 years.Immunisation rates here, eight years after the first scare over

thecombined measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, are among the lowest inWestern Europe. Fears that the triple jab could lead to autism causedtake-up to fall from over 90 per cent in 1998 to less than 80 per cent twoyears ago. Currently, 81 per cent of children have the combined vaccinebefore they are two; many European countries achieve the 95 per centcoverage recommended by the World Health Organisation to prevent outbreaks.The 13-year-old who died last month lived in a travellers' community.It is thought that he had a weakened immune system; he was being treated fora lung condition. The boy died of an infection of the central nervous systemcaused by a reaction to the measles virus. The Health Protection Agencydescribed his death as shocking+ Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2116018,00.html. . .CAREBus Matron Faces Charges In Torment Of Autistic Boy in NY Allegedly caught

on tape, Eltingville woman turns herself in to Brooklyn DABy Annese And Deborah Young for the Staten Island Advancehttp://tinyurl.com/zodnu A bus matron allegedly caught on tape neglecting and verbally abusingan autistic Huguenot youngster last fall now faces criminal charges and theprospect of up to a year behind bars.Connie , 48, of Eltingville turned herself in at the Brooklyndistrict attorney's office yesterday, according to a spokesman for theoffice.She was arraigned on a charge of endangering the welfare of a child,a misdemeanor that carries a maximum one-year jail term, and was released onher own recognizance.Ms. allegedly can be heard on a muffled audiotape tauntingthen-7-year-old P.J. Rossi during a Sept. 30 bus ride to a Brooklyn school,commanding him to "shut up" and ignoring him while he repeatedly slams hishead against the seat.At one point, Ms. is allegedly heard

laughing after P.J. has hithis head, saying, "Oww, the whole bus shook."P.J., who has a form of autism that causes head-banging, hand-biting,self-rubbing and scratching, was the only child assigned to the bus -- ownedby the Atlantic Express Bus Company -- which transported him from his hometo a private school in Brooklyn.P.J.'s mother, Rossi, slipped a tape recorder into the boy'sbackpack after he came home from school swollen and teary-eyed for severaldays, attorneys for the family have said.Ms. 's son, , told the Advance last night that he believesthe comments made on the tape were taken out of context, and that the audiowas "spliced together" as fodder for a future lawsuit.So far, said, he and his mother have yet to be provided a copyof the tape."Our lawyers sent [the Rossi family's lawyers] a blank tape fourtimes, and four times they refused to send us a copy," said. Hesaid

he hopes the tape will be made available at an April 24 evidencehearing.Ms. wouldn't comment last night. "She's had a rough day," herson said.The Rossi family and their lawyer, Cheol Kim, of the law firm ofSullivan Papain and Block McGrath and Ciannavo, did not return calls seekingcomment last night.+ Read more: http://tinyurl.com/zodnu. . .Siblings of Disabled Have Their Own TroublesBy Gretchen Cook http://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/04/health/04sibs.htmlWhen he was growing up in Oregon, Graham Seaton found it virtuallyimpossible to bring children home from school to play."I knew there was something wrong with my place," he recalled. "But Ididn't know how to explain what that was."He knew that he would have to tell his friends why they could playonly in his bedroom -- and only with the door locked. And that, ultimately,he would have to explain what was "wrong" with his older brother

Burleigh,who is profoundly autistic."I just didn't have the words," he said.=== message truncated ===

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