* CDC Seeks Earlier Detection of Autism

[Guest guest]

SCHAFER AUTISM REPORT "Healing Autism:

No Finer a Cause on the Planet"

________________________________________________________________

PUBLIC HEALTH

* CDC Seeks Earlier Detection of Autism

PUBLIC HEALTH

CDC Seeks Earlier Detection of Autism

[by Yee for The Associated Press.]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41359-2005Feb21.html?sub=AR

Atlanta - Because half of all children with autism or similar

developmental disorders aren't diagnosed until age 4 to 6, the Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention on Monday was launching a campaign to make

doctors and parents aware of the need of early diagnosis. Children can be

diagnosed as early as 18 months old.

The CDC is working to fill doctors' offices around the country with

posters and checklists that describe developmental milestones for each age.

The agency also created for parents a height chart with similar information.

The health agency places autism in a category called autism spectrum

disorders. People with such disorders may have problems with social,

emotional and communication skills. The disorders can begin in early

childhood and last throughout life.

For example, the CDC's information for parents says a 2-year-old

should be able to point to an object when named, use two- to four-word

phrases and follow simple instructions. A 3-year-old can imitate adults and

playmates, play make-believe with dolls and use pronouns or plural words.

"It's important for families and providers - if a child has a

developmental concern, early intervention really can have a positive

impact," said Rice, a behavioral scientist with the federal health

agency. "It doesn't necessarily cure or clean up the issue, but it can help

the child to a higher level" of learning and living.

About 24,000 of the 4 million children born each year eventually will

be diagnosed with autism or other developmental disorders. The agency

estimated that up to half a million Americans under age 21 have an autism

spectrum disorder, the CDC said.

The agency says it's a pressing issue because more children than ever

before fall into the category of autism or autism-related disorders,

primarily because medical officials and the government widened the

definition of autism in the early 1990s.

CDC officials want to make sure parents and doctors know what to look

for. If parents or doctors think there could be a developmental problem in a

child, they should contact a developmental pediatrician, a specialist or a

local early intervention agency, the CDC said.

"It's become more clear in the case of autism that it really is an

urgent public health concern - before we used to think of it as a pretty low

public health disorder; it's much more common than we previously thought,"

Rice said.

The early detection campaign will help educate doctors about when to

diagnose the condition. Doctors know a lot about autism but many times it's

not recognized until later, said Joe Guzzardo, spokesman for the National

Alliance for Autism Research.

Fleming knew something was wrong with her son, Connor, when he

was just 6 months old. He would let loose bloodcurdling screams with enough

emotion and intensity that he would turn purple and shake.

Connor's screaming continued. The Duluth, Ga., boy earned the title of

one of the "Top 10" screamers at his doctor's office. Other strange behavior

developed - he would repeatedly open and close drawers and it seemed like he

didn't know how to play.

At age 2, Connor was diagnosed with a form of autism. After therapy

and a special diet, "he started learning how to be a kid," Fleming said.

"It was like his brain was able to be rewired," said Fleming about her

son, now 6. "If he hadn't been diagnosed and we hadn't started with early

intervention, I can't imagine what he'd be like today - so much happens

early."

In Duluth, Connor now attends preschool and Fleming said her family

and doctors are happy they "were able to stop a lot of stuff before it

manifested."

"He's very social, very cute, and has lots of friends," she added.

"His biggest trouble is he wants things his way ... he has some extra

anxieties but just overall, he's just an amazing, sweet kid. He's still a

work in progress, but aren't we all?"

BRIEF COMMENTARY: Dr. Goldstein, a child neurologist who directs

the Kennedy Krieger Institute in land was quoted in Monday's TODAY

segment on autism, "If indeed, the thimerosal, which is no longer there [in

vaccines], was provoking this epidemic of diagnosis of autism, then we ought

to see a marked decrease in the number of children we diagnosed with autism.

To date that is not happening," Dr. Goldstein neglects to mention that it is

still too soon to see the effects of any removal of mercury from vaccines.

The mercury was not recalled by the government, only a request for removal

was made to the manufacturers. The phase out would be over a period of

years. Also there is a 3 year gap between the time of vaccination and the

eventual diagnosis of autism. So that lag must be added to however long it

took to exhaust the stock of mercury vaccines on the shelves. But Dr.

Goldstein is not the only disingenuous player here.

Just about the time when we expect to see a drop off of autism, the

CDC here now launches a drive to get more kids diagnosed with autism in the

name of early intervention. The resulting increase of diagnosis could

potentially mask any drop off in autism due to the removal of mercury from

vaccines. Could the CDC's move be only a coincidence? Perhaps. -Lenny

Schafer

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