Autistic Boy Dies Swallowing Pokémon Toy / Letter to Time / Autism99

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" Healing Autism: No Finer a Cause on the Planet "

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Autistic Boy Dies Swallowing Pokémon Toy / Letter to Time / Autism99

Friday, November 12, 1999

[ABC Radio and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

www.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/dailynews/pokemon991112.html Thanks to Liz D.

on the SJU Autism list. ]

For one New York family, a child's attraction to a Pokémon toy proved

fatal and could prove costly to the toy manufacturer.

Adrienne and Brazier of Yonkers said they would file a lawsuit

today in federal court in Manhattan, demanding $100 million from Hasbro Inc.

and Toys R Us. They allege wrongful death, negligence and product liability.

The Braziers' autistic 7-year-old son, , died in January after

choking on a 2-inch Pokémon ball. Firefighters and ambulance workers were

unable to extract the clear, rubbery Pokémon Power Bouncer from his throat.

The ball was listed as safe for children over 3.

Monopoli, the Braziers' attorney, acknowledged the lawsuit was

timed to coincide with the release of the Pokémon movie and the coming

holiday season. " We know children are going to ask for this toy and we felt

this was the time to get the necessary attention, " she said.

Gerald Swatz, the attorney representing Hasbro, which makes the ball,

and Toys R Us, which sold it, would not comment on the lawsuit except to say

the companies feel bad about the boy's death.

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A Parent's Letter To Time Magazine

[Time Magazine would not publish this letter from Nadine H. Geher, but

we will.]

October 6, 1999

VIA e-mail and facsimile

Editor, Time Magazine

Time Magazine Letters

Time & Life Building

Rockefeller Center

New York, New York 10020

Re: Vaccine Jitters HEALTH September 13, 1999 VOL. 154 No. 11

Dear Editor:

I am very resentful that I was quoted (somewhat inaccurately and out of

context) for what appears to be nothing more than an advertisement for the

American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control.

In all fairness to your readers, who believe that you are fully

disclosing all available information when you publish a health article, it

would have been appropriate to put the word ADVERTISEMENT boldly above the

article Vaccine Jitters. Most parents of vaccine injured children (my child

is diagnosed with LKS an autistic spectrum disorder) are not anti-vaccines

as your " article " indicates. We are supportive of safer vaccines. We have

legitimate concerns about inundating an immature immune system with multiple

live viruses and mercury. We are advocating better vaccine policies, and

research into the danger of multiple inoculations on young children when the

brain is most vulnerable. We are concerned that vaccine manufacturers have

been granted immunity from liability. Therefore, there is no incentive for

the billion dollar vaccine industry to make a safer product. Your readers

are owed a more objective and in depth look into the current vaccine crisis.

If you will not independently hold yourselves to a higher standard of

reporting then we the people will.

Nadine Geher

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Autism99 Conference in Mid Session - Audio Interviews

If you haven't yet checked out the Autism99 conference now is a good

time. In addition to conference papers, there are audio interviews with

some know figures in the world of autism: Dr. Oliver Sacks, Temple Grandin,

Bernie Rimland, Tony Attwood, and Lenny Schafer, the editor of the FEAT

Online Newsletter. http://www.Autism99.org/flash/audio.htm

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Finding a Diagnosis Online

[From Special Child Magazine (baker@...).]

Dear Parents and Professionals,

We have added a new page to our web site called Diagnosis Search, a

feature specifically for children without a diagnosis. We ask that EVERYONE

take a moment to visit this page; you may be able to help a parent find a

long-awaited diagnosis!

Also, we have added our Library of Disorders to the navigation bar at

the bottom of every page so that you can easily access past " Disorders in

the Spotlight. "

Please click here to see our new addition and to access the new issue

of Special Child: http://www.specialchild.com/diagnosis.html.

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editor: Lenny Schafer schafer@... | * Not FEAT

eastern editor: , PhD CIJOHN@...

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