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Neat Study - Smartphone to Enable Communication/Autism

Sat, 11 Oct 2008 16:04:04 GMT

Using Smartphones to Enable Interaction and Communication with Children with 
Autism
http://communicationautism.com/index.php?pag=project

Meeting to discuss Autism and neglect in public schools

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:49:22 GMT

By shelonda on Aug 11 1:49 pm

The Attorney General's Office of Florida is trying to compile a list of participants to meet and talk about their issues and concerns regarding restraint, seclusion, abuse and neglect in our public schools on children with Autism, Autism Spectrum Disorders and other disabilities.

This meeting will be open to anyone in Florida.

The Attorney General's Office is interested in talking with parents who have concerns about their child's treatment in schools.

Parents with concerns can call the citizen services hotline at (866) 966-7226.

FAU Card August Events

Mon, 11 Aug 2008 13:43:48 GMT

By shelonda on Aug 11 1:43 pm

~ August Events ~

For details, visit us online at: www.coe.fau.edu/card

FAU CARD E-BULLETIN AUGUST 2008

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR ALL EVENTS.

ALL GROUPS OR TRAININGS ARE SUBJECT TO CANCELLATION DUE TO LACK OF REGISTRATION.

FAU CARD is going green. All materials & newsletters will be provided electronically. Thank you for your support.

“Florida’s First Choice for Autism Support”

Boca

Registration is required for all events: 561-297-2055 or dchanan@fau.edu

• Support Group for Adults with Asperger Syndrome: (Ages 18 and up): 8/18/08, 7-9:00pm, ED 411

• Support Group for Teens with Asperger Syndrome: 8/21/08, 5-6:00pm, ED 411

• Parent Support Group: 8/14/08, 6-7:00pm, ED 411

• Kids Club: 8/28/08, 5-6:00pm, ED 411

• Toilet Training: 8/6/08, 10am-12:00pm, ED 411

• Evidence-Based Practices in Autism: 8/20/08, 6-8:00pm, ED 411

Jupiter

Registration is required for all events: 561-297-2055 or dchanan@fau.edu

• Parent Support Group: 8/21/08, 6-7:30pm, SR 272

• Support Group for Teens with Asperger Syndrome (Ages 12-18): 8/21/08, 6-7:30pm, SR 290

• Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) Training Part 1: 8/7/08, 6-8:00pm, SR 272

Port St. Lucie

Registration is required for all events: 772-873-3425 or agganis@fau.edu

• Mommy & Me: 8/14/08, 9-10:00am, CO 141

• Support Group for Adults with Asperger Syndrome: 8/28/08, 7-8:30pm, Pool Room

• Behavior Basics: 8/12/08, 6-8:00pm, CO 141

• Toilet Training: 8/21/08, 10am-12:00pm, CO 141

Wellington

• Parent and Teen Support Groups: 8/25/08, 6-7:30pm, Wellington Library

Healthcare Grants for $5000

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 21:34:51 GMT

By cfadmin on Jul 31 9:34 pm

Healthcare Grants Available

The United Healthcare Children's Foundation (UHCCF) has announced that new grants are available to help children who need critical healthcare treatment, services, or equipment not covered or not fully covered by their parents' health benefit plans.

The foundation provides grants to families to help pay for child healthcare services such as speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy sessions, prescriptions, and medical equipment such as wheel chairs, orthotics, and eyeglasses.

Parents and legal guardians may apply for grants of up to $5,000 each for medical services and equipment by completing an online application. For an application and more information go to: www.uhccf.org/apply_applicant.html

Little Boy With Autism Sings on "America's Got Talent"

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:09:12 GMT

By tmills on Jul 1 11:09 pm

There was a 9 year old boy named David who tried out for "America's Got Talent". He was voted through by the judges to compete on the show in Las Vegas. The show airs Tuesday nights at 9pm (EST) on NBC. It is truly heart-warming to watch!

MIND Institute Research on Anti-Bacterial Soaps (Triclosan) and Autism

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 10:25:01 GMT

By tmills on Jun 7 10:25 am

Studies Question Safety of Antibacterial Soaps

Date Published: Monday, June 2nd, 2008

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have conducted three separate studies on chemicals used in germ-fighting antibacterial products and have found them to be hazardous in a variety of ways. In 2005, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that antibacterial soaps don’t prevent illness any better than ordinary soap and may be contributing to the rise of resistant bacteria.

Triclosan and triclocarban not only have the potential to affect sex hormones and interfere with the nervous system, they appear to have some links to autism. Triclosan is found in 76% of all liquid soap sold in stores and is also added to toothpaste, mouthwash, cosmetics, fabrics, and plastic kitchenware; triclocarban is a common additive in antibacterial bar soap and deodorant. Antibacterial products account for about $1 billion in sales annually.The U.C. Davis researchers are the first to use cutting-edge molecular technology to study potential effects of triclosan and triclocarban on the human nervous system and hormones. Studies show that these chemicals are building up in the environment at an alarming rate and a recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study detected triclosan in the urine of 75% of Americans aged six and older. Dan Chang, PhD, a professor of environmental engineering at U.C. Davis says, “The public should be aware of some of the concerns. These compounds should be voluntarily removed by consumer product manufacturers” and consumers should “be provided precautionary information regarding their use.”

Chang, who coordinates the university’s studies on triclosan and triclocarban as part of the Superfund Basic Research Program, supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health, says the U.C. Davis research indicates “there may be sensitive periods in development when these compounds could have a very subtle detrimental effect.” This means that if these compounds cause harm, they are most likely to do so during pregnancy, early childhood, and adolescence. Chang argues that antibacterial soaps don’t do enough good to risk this potential harm.

In one study, recently accepted for publication in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, Isaac Pessah, PhD, director of the U.C. Davis Children’s Center for Environmental Health found triclosan attached itself to special “receptor” molecules on the surface of cells raising calcium levels inside the cell; cells overloaded with calcium get overexcited. Overexcited cells may burn out neural circuits in the brain, which could lead to an imbalance affecting mental development. Because some people may carry a mutated gene that better enables triclosan to attach to cells, they could be more vulnerable to it. Because of this, Pessah named triclosan—and related compounds with similar properties—as a prime target for research into environmental factors that might cause autism.

Other researchers at U.C. Davis found triclocarban—a common additive in antibacterial bar soap and deodorant—has an unusual effect on hormones. For some time now, scientists have suspected that chemicals in the environment, known as “endocrine disruptors,” may interfere with the human sex hormones and reproductive development and may cause reduced fertility in women and men, early puberty in girls, and increases in cancers of the breast, ovaries, and prostate.

Court Hears More Claims of Vaccine-Autism Link

Wed, 14 May 2008 08:46:14 GMT

By tmills on May 14 8:46 am

WASHINGTON — The United States Court of Federal Claims began another hearing on Monday to decide whether a vaccine additive led thousands of children to become autistic.

The hearing is the second in a series of three in which the court is considering whether the government should pay millions of dollars to the parents of some 4,800 autistic children. In this hearing, parents are claiming that thimerosal, a preservative that contains mercury, damaged their children’s brains. Thimerosal was removed from all routinely administered childhood vaccines by 2001.

Every major study and scientific organization to examine the issue has found no link between vaccination and autism, but the parents and their advocates have persisted.

The claims are being heard in a special court set up by Congress 20 years ago when a series of scares nearly crippled the vaccine industry. The hearing is expected to last two to three weeks, and a decision is not expected until next year.

Almost absent from this hearing and the others in the series is any discussion of the case of Hannah Poling, an autistic 9-year-old from Athens, Ga., who the government conceded last year might have been injured by vaccines. Vaccine critics say the concession gives strong evidence that vaccines cause autism, but government officials say the case proves nothing regarding the safety of vaccines.

The experiences of two 10-year-old boys from Portland, Ore., are at the center of the latest hearing. The boys, William Mead and Jordan King, were developing normally until they were vaccinated, said Thomas Powers, a lawyer representing them.

But a buildup of mercury in their brains from vaccines containing thimerosal led the boys to regress, Mr. Powers contended.

The claims for the two boys are test cases being heard to determine whether parents in thousands of similar cases should receive compensation. Last summer, Mr. Powers presented before the special court the test case of Michelle Cedillo, who Mr. Powers claimed was injured by both vaccines containing thimerosal and the vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella, which did not contain thimerosal.

Next summer, the court will hear a test case in which lawyers will argue that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine was the sole cause of autism.

Plaintiffs and their lawyers have sought for years to delay hearings on their vaccine claims, hoping new research or government data would bolster their arguments. But with each passing year, the claim that thimerosal had an important effect on children has become harder to sustain. Its removal has appeared to have no effect on autism rates.

"Autism: the Musical" DVD Now Available

Sat, 10 May 2008 22:12:17 GMT

By tmills on May 10 10:12 pm

For those who missed it on t.v., here's the link to buy the DVD.

http://events.autismspeaks.org/site/c.ghKJIYPGIqE/b.3989871/?tr=y&auid=3651838

Face Processing Area of Brain Shows Anatomical Differences in Autism

Fri, 02 May 2008 11:18:13 GMT

By tmills on May 2 11:18 am


	A new publication in the journal Brain describes significant anatomical differences in a facial processing area of the brain in people with autism. As the basis for the study, Imke van Kooten, Ph.D., and an international team of researchers have diligently measured neuronal features in post mortem brain sections, demonstrating that patients with autism have significant reductions in the density, total number, and mean cell volume of neurons in the area known as the fusiform gyrus. The authors suggest that these reductions might contribute to the impaired face processing seen in autism which, in turn, may contribute to some of the social deficits of autism. Plans are underway for further study of additional cortical areas implicated in visual processing. This continued research will be part of the Brain Atlas Project, a larger study supported by Autism Speaks' Autism Tissue Program. For more information, go to www.autismspeaks.com for the full article

Update on Autism Spectrum Disorder Bills in the Florida Legislature

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 18:58:38 GMT

By rprobert on Apr 28 6:58 pm

Update on Autism Spectrum Disorder Bills in the Florida Legislature

Update (April 28, 2008 7:00 PM)

Nothing new today that I have seen or heard - other than rumors.

Summary (April 25, 2008 2:00 PM)

Many people want to know more about what is going on in the Florida legislature regarding treatment of children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders. It is hard to keep up and the information is not easy to find. I have included a number of links below so that you can learn as much as you want. There is a lot to digest, particularly the complexities of the expanded House bill.

The Senate passed its bill. The House bill has not yet made it to the floor of the House and time is running out for action in 2008. FYI:

The Florida regular legislative session is 60 calendar days long; today is day 53. After the regular session, special session would have to be called specifically to address this legislation.
During the session, the House and Senate much each pass their bills and then negotiate and agree on compromise legislation.
For those who do not know and want some insight into the complexities of the process, the Florida House has posted: How A Bill Becomes Law (Explanation) and How a Bill Becomes a Law (Chart))
Just for fun, you may have seen this: Schoolhouse Rock- How a Bill Becomes a Law

The original House bill was very similar to bill passed by the Senate. On April 4^th, Speaker Rubio encouraged a broader approach and appointed a Select Committee to study alternatives. The Special Committee approved a substitute bill which it forwarded to the Healthcare Council. The Healthcare Council approved the substitute bill at its meeting on this week (April 22^nd). During that meeting, Speaker Rubio told the Healthcare Council not to worry about having the time to address the recommended changes (see summary below and this article) or having the funds necessary to implement those changes. The Healthcare Council has not yet forwarded the bill to the full House. The Healthcare Council indicated that discussions would be ongoing through the week and weekend before submission to the House next week. It was suggested during the meeting that negotiations were ongoing with the Senate.

If the House and Senate agree on one bill, they must submit the legislation to the Governor for his signature. Governor Crist has spoken favorably about such insurance mandates (click here) and about the Senate legislation (click here and click here), but perhaps not the House legislation promoted by Speaker Rubio (click here). Governor Crist formed the Autism Task Force (click here) to address some of the new issues addressed by the substitute House bill. The Governor and Chief Financial Officer Sink disagree about the House bill (click here). FYI, CFO Sink oversees the Department of Financial Services and its 13 divisions, including the Office of Insurance Regulation.

Interestingly, representatives from the Florida Insurance Council and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida told sponsors they support the plan approved by the Special Committee and Healthcare Council, while insurance companies generally oppose the Senate bill and insurance mandates generally (click here and click here)

Details: (April 25, 2008 2:00 PM)

Florida Senate:

· SB 2654 – Relating to Autism Spectrum Disorder

o General Information: click here: bill summary – "Steven A. Geller Autism Coverage Act."

o Last Action Taken in the Senate: Approved 39-0 and sent to the House

§ Text of bill approved

Florida House:

· HB 1291 - Autism Spectrum Disorder

o General Information: click here: bill summary – “Window of Opportunity Act”

o Last Action Taken in the House: Healthcare Council 4/22/2008 meeting

§ click here: webcast of 4/22/2008 Healthcare Council meeting: see link “Committee Video Archives” in box at bottom right of web page

§ click here: Summary Analysis and Proposed Bill (4/22/1008)

§ click here: Proposed Committee Bill

· The proposed House bill is now significantly different from the Senate bill, particularly:

o Insurance Coverage Mandate:

§ Amount: Includes the same $36,000 per year coverage mandate, but adds a lifetime limit of $108,000 (per person, per incident)

§ Effective Date: Delays the effective date of coverage mandate from 1/1/2009 until July 2010:

o Alternatives: Offers alternative mechanisms:

§ Insurance:

· Insurance Compact:

o Pending the effective date of the mandate, the bill delegates to a workgroup the legislative responsibility of formulating a solution. The workgroup is to study, propose and approve a compact that can be adopted by an insurance company to avoid the delayed coverage mandate.

o The compact would address penalties for noncompliance, disclosure to consumers, and the development of new insurance products to address such needs

o The workgroup would consist only of insurers, self-insured employers, and designees of the Governor, House and Senate. The Healthcare Council was encouraged to include a citizen representative, but so far has declined.

· Healthy Kids: expands coverage, effective 1/1/2009, by:

o Eliminating existing income cap purportedly making the coverage available to all Florida citizens

o Expanding benefits to include habilitative benefits such as PT, OT, speech therapy, and ABA

· Medicaid: Seeks to expand Medicaid state plan

§ State Education:

· Expands eligibility of McKay scholarships effective for 2012-2013 school year

· Creates VPK program offering early intervention services beginning with the 2012-2013 school year for children with IEP and otherwise eligible for VPK

· Assigns to CARD added responsibilities for establishing regional learning gateways within the seven CARD regions

o Applies to ASD children and children with other defined developmental disabilities

o The Healthcare Council was encouraged, but so far has declined, to:

§ change the name of CARD if responsibilities expand beyond autism

§ consider significant funding increases due to significant expansion of CARD’s responsibilities

§ Medical:

· Addresses expanded continuing education for healthcare professionals to increase ability to identify children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities

§ Funding: not yet addressed

§ click here: final Committee Action - reflected here:

· proposed bill passed 18-0

· proposed amendments

§ Listing of all meeting handouts and action packets for Select Committee on Autism & Developmental Disorders

Previous action of interest

Florida Senate:

· Bill analyses by the Senate:

o Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee (04/10/2008)

o Health Policy Committee (04/03/2008)

o Banking and Insurance Committee (3/18/2008)

Florida House:

· Original House bill

· Bill analyses by the House:

o Committee on Health Innovation (4/2/2008)

o Committee on Health Innovation (3/17/2008)

· Select Committee on Autism & Developmental Disorders:

o General Information About the Select Committee: includes meeting handouts and action packets

o Webcasts of Select Committee meetings in April: see links in box at bottom right of web page

o Committee materials handed out at meetings

· Speaker of the House press release announcing Select Committee: summary of Speaker Rubio’s proposals:

o Broaden Scope of Disabilities Covered: “The purview of the committee will be to consider ways to best utilize public and private resources to assist families in Florida with children coping with autism spectrum disorders or other developmental disabilities.”

o Increase Number of Citizens Covered: “While mandatory insurance coverage has been suggested as one solution, it is important to note that more than 50 percent of the health insurance sold in Florida is not subject to state mandates. . . . Policies that are subject to such mandates cover fewer than three million citizens.” This part of the story is complex, but essential to understanding why the Florida House and Senate cannot do more at this time:

§ ERISA State Law Preemption: The release addresses federal law (ERISA) that effectively invalidates state law mandates specifically applicable to employer sponsored health plans. To be effective, the mandates must specifically apply only to state regulated insurance companies that provide insurance to these health plans.

§ Self-insured plans not subject to mandate: Many employers (typically larger employers who can afford it) self-insure the risk of their health plans. In these cases, insurance companies only administer the plans. Most employees are not aware of the difference. It is also difficult to ask the employer to confirm self-insurance without giving up privacy rights regarding existing medical conditions and risking lost coverage for otherwise covered costs.

§ Fewer than 50% covered by mandates: Studies have shown that, overall, 45 percent of workers were covered by fully insured health plans and 55 percent were covered by self-insured health plans (see EBRI February 2008 Issue Brief). It is not clear what portion of the 45% of insured plans is also not covered by either the FL Senate or the FL House bills. Both bills specifically exclude insurance carried by health plans of small employers (undefined) or individual insurance.

§ ERISA Preemption Explanation: ERISA is a federal law that was initially proposed to protect beneficiaries of employer sponsored pension plans. The law was drafted much more broadly to cover all employer sponsored benefit plans, including health care plans, with a goal of seeking uniformity in the administration of plans by employers.

· A good summary of dilemma created by ERISA preemption is included on pages 22-24 of a summary (click here) of a US House mental health parity bill (H.R. 1424):

o “Understandably, large employers who operate in multiple states prefer a single unified system—with one set of rules with which they must comply and treat their employees. . . . The employer community has used the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) as a shield against both federal and state health care protections.

o “Only the most sophisticated legal and health care experts know that ERISA contains few health care standards. ERISA is primarily a pension law that establishes detailed standards for information, coverage, and funding of pension promises. While ERISA applies to all employer provided employee benefits, it does not generally contain minimum health care standards. Enacted in 1974, Congress expected that it would shortly adopt comprehensive federal standards. Congress has attempted to enact national health care standards on several occasions, but without success.”

o “Further complicating the issue is the illogical treatment of ‘insured’ versus ‘self-insured’ plans. Under current judicial interpretation of ERISA, if an employer establishes a health plan and the employer is the insurer of the plan, then the states are generally preempted from regulating the health plan. However, if the employer contracts with a state licensed insurance company or other state sanctioned health care entity, then the state may directly regulate the behavior of the insurer or other entity, and indirectly affect the actions of the health plan. Despite the illogic of this regulatory scheme, in the absence of broader Congressional direction on comprehensive health care reform, H.R. 1424 continues this existing system of split federal versus state oversight of health plans and benefits.

· Generally, insurance companies and employers favor ERISA preemption (for example, ERIC fights to preserve the ERISA preemption)

§ Good news pending in DC: More interestingly, H.R. 1424 includes provisions to weaken ERISA preemption:

· Mental health parity bills typically apply to children with autism spectrum disorders because ASD is considered a mental illness under the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM -IV-TR (fourth edition, text revision

· H.R. 1424 passed in the US House and was submitted to US Senate

· The US House bill currently in conference committee to address differences from Senate bill S.358 - apparently the conference committee may be close to reaching a compromise on the bill and the preemption provision may survive.

o Avoid Costly Mandates: “A costly mandate could jeopardize the ability of many to maintain their insurance.”

o Public Education Based Solutions: “Florida in the past decade has deliberately moved toward an educational system that offers flexibility and choice, both in early childhood education through the VPK program, and as children grow, through our public education system and the McKay scholarship program. Our challenge and your charge is to examine how to best meet the needs of children with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental disabilities that involve behavioral health disciplines and educational programs, and how these programs might best be funded.”

Richard Probert: husband of Debra Kaszovitz and father of twins born prematurely in 2004 after only 25 weeks, Jack (diagnosed with ASD) and Samantha: probert_richard@yahoo.com

“Is your child Autistic? Experiencing severe irritability and tantrums?”

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:46:53 GMT

By cfudge on Apr 28 3:46 pm

If so then your child may be eligible for a study investigating an FDA approved medication for the treatment of severe irritable, aggressive, self-injurious behaviors.

Participation in the study includes, at no charge:
Diagnostic testing for Autism (Asperger’s, PDD NOS, etc not included in this trial)
IQ testing for mental age confirmation of 18 months
Laboratory & ECG testing
Psychological testing to evaluate the efficacy of the medication

The study may last up to six months and include free study medication and consultations with a Behavioral Pediatrician who specializes in Autism and other behavioral disorders in children.

If interested in setting up an appointment for screening,
Please call HSA at 561-674-5290
Or you may email us at: healthsciencesamerica@gmail.com

Please visit our website for more information:
www.healthsciencesamerica.com

Help Chevy Help Autism

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:27:33 GMT

By tmills on Apr 25 2:27 pm

Chevrolet has teamed up with Autism Speaks to drive home the message of autism awareness. Until the end of April â€“ Autism Awareness Month â€“ visit the Autism Speaks website (www.autismspeaks.org) and click on the Help Chevy Help Autism icon to take a virtual test drive of the 2008 North American Car of the Year â€“ the all-new Chevy Malibu. Chevrolet has committed to a minimum contribution of $500,000, but every virtual test drive gets Chevrolet closer to its goal of donating up to $1 million to Autism Speaks. Those who complete the virtual test drive will receive a free 30-day online trial of XM Satellite Radio. Visit the Autism Speaks home page to take the virtual test drive. Plus, spread the word to family and friends by sending a Help Chevy Help Autism e-Card today.