Immunization Dilemma/ Newsweek on Autism Letters/ New School in Westchester NY

[Guest guest]

FEAT DAILY NEWSLETTER Sacramento, California http://www.feat.org

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

_____________________________________________________

NEWS EDITOR: FEAT@... NEWS SEARCH: http://www.feat.org/search/news.asp

LETTERS: FEATBackegroups DIALOGS: FEATBack-subscribeegroups

August 13, 2000

Immunization Dilemma/ Newsweek on Autism Letters/ New School in Westchester

NY

Also: Binstock to go to San Diego, Gallup on the Radio

[“Many parents regard vaccines as scary but necessary. Are they?” asks

the Chicago Parent. Written by Robin Uchitelle, M.D.]

http://www.chicagoparentlocalmom/content/CH/0800/08-CH-F2-shots.jsp

Shots, ouch! They are a painful part of many a school physical.

Parents are told that vaccines are safe and necessary; doctors are schooled

that terrifying diseases will reappear if we don't immunize all children;

schools refuse to let children attend if they haven't had certain shots; and

managed care health insurance systems reprimand doctors who don't document

shots in their young patients' charts.

Despite all this, many parents question the conventional wisdom of

immunizations. Some parents blame shots for a host of horrible side-effects,

from allergies to autism and even death. And some alternative health

providers questions the logic behind mass immunizations against some

diseases.

What's The Real Story On Shots? As with many other issues in

parenting, there is no cut-and-dried answer. Immunizations are an issue of

risks and benefits, and the calculations differ for each shot and each

child. Parents who understand the theory behind immunizations and the

potential risks and benefits to their own children are in a position to make

informed choices about shots.

Why Immunize Kids? There are several arguments in favor of

immunization.

First, vaccinations can prevent children from contracting viruses and

bacteria that cause serious diseases and death. An unvaccinated child can

still get polio today. It's not as likely as it was at the turn of the last

century, but it can still happen.

Second, vaccines appear to work. They have dramatically reduced the

number of people who get certain diseases and protected people from living

with the complications these diseases would have produced.

+ Article continues at:

http://www.chicagoparentlocalmom/content/CH/0800/08-CH-F2-shots.jsp

* * *

Newsweek’s Comments on Autism Letters

Our July 31 cover story “Understanding Autism” drew more than 1,100

letters, primarily from readers thanking us for focusing attention on what

many consider an epidemic.

“Your article will reach and educate millions of people who have never

before considered how common autism is,” a grateful parent wrote. Many

shared personal stories. One called autism “a thief in the night. One moment

my child was there, the next he was gone.” Several readers stressed the

importance of research.

“When we understand autism,” wrote one, “we may well have the Rosetta

stone for understanding the uniqueness of the human mind itself.”

Take the Mystery out of Autism

** SUBSCRIBE

Emailed to you Daily no cost:

http://www.feat.org/FEATNews

* * *

Social Skills, ABA School Starting Up – Westchester, NY

[From an organizational press release.]

If your child needs assistance learning to play with other kids,

initiating social interactions, and engaging in social activities, and if

you are in lower Westchester, the Bronx, NYC, or other surrounding areas,

playB.A. aims to help kids learn how to do just that. Also, if you have a

typically developing child who could benefit from a great experience

interacting and making friends with a range of other kids, playB.A. is the

place for them.

My name is Burk. I'm an ABA coordinator and consultant in

New York. For the past 5+ years, I've worked in home programs and ABA

schools for children with autism. Every family I've ever talked to has

bemoaned the fact that their kids don't have the chance to interact with

typically developing kids in a structured, yet social, environment. After

looking around and not finding what these parents wanted, I decided to

create it for them. This fall, my staff and I will be starting up playB.A.,

an inclusion socialization group for kids with autism and typically

developing kids.

playB.A. will integrate play, incidental teaching, and direct

instruction, all of which will be supervised and delivered by staff trained

in ABA and other related service areas. Kids will have access to a choice

of toys, games, crafts, sports, computer games, musical instruments, and

other activities. We'll also be providing music classes, computer

instruction, and more.

There will also be opportunities for more direct instruction, such as

some small group instruction, 2:1 peer modeling sessions, and, upon request,

some 1:1 ABA instruction. We'll really encourage the kids to learn from and

interact with each other much more than with us adults. However, we plan to

individualize the experience for all our kids in order to make it the best

possible place for them to have fun and learn.

In addition to a trained staff, I have a Masters degree in ABA and

Behavioral Disorders from Columbia University and am preparing to take the

CBA exam in the fall, having completed all the necessary coursework. Beyond

the credentials, though, my staff and I truly love our kids and look so

forward to helping and watching them have a great time and be themselves in

a safe, loving, positive

environment.

playB.A. will meet once or twice weekly in lower Westchester County,

NY for two hours per session. Children 2-13 years old are welcome. We will

be holding organizational meetings in September to decide day(s) and

time(s), as well as the group setup. If you live in our surrounding area

(or are willing to travel), and are interested in learning more about

playB.A. for your child:

-- Visit the website at http://www.playBAgroup.com

-- Email me at @...

-- Or call (914) 843-0132.

* * *

Binstock to go to San Diego

[From Ann Briggin and s.]

Thanks to the many wonderful people who opened up their hearts and

checkbooks, we now have enough funds to get to the September DAN!

Conference in San Diego. We still need to get to one more

conference, the Orlando one in October. As some of you have seen this

morning with her post, s will now be taking over the fundraising

for this conference and all of any remaining funds that I have yet to

receive and the few excess dollars we have left will be sent to for

this endeavor.

For those of you who gave, thank you so much for your incredible

generosity.

has done so much for all of us, either directly or indirectly.

She is one of the authors of " Autism: A Unique Type of Mercury Poisoning "

and has spent many, many long mostly unpaid hours, day in and day out, year

in and year out researching for us all. If any of you believe that vaccines

have caused or contributed to your child's autism or other disability, I

plead with you today to consider, investing toward getting to the

Orlando Conference. Any amount you can afford would be most graciously and

humbly appreciated. While funding for the San Diego DAN! Conference for

, every day in my mailbox brought more funds, but also brought nice

warm encouraging notes from many of you, telling me stories of your

children. I cried for them as I cry for the damage that was inflicted on my

own child. Help s by donating what you can to a very important

endeavor.

To inquire on where to send funds, please e-mail s

privately at: persistentC@...

* * *

Gallup on the Radio Monday Night

Gallup will be on BlackOp Radio, hosted by Anita Langley on

Monday, August 14th between 10-11PM EST.

It is on http://www.stas.net/hiddenroom/blackopradio/

______________________________________________________

UC M.I.N.D. Institute:

http://www.mindinstitute.org

Editor: Lenny Schafer | Eastern Editor: | News Wire: Ron Sleith

schafer@... | PhD | News: Kay Stammers

[Guest guest]

FEAT DAILY NEWSLETTER Sacramento, California http://www.feat.org

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

_____________________________________________________

NEWS EDITOR: FEAT@... NEWS SEARCH: http://www.feat.org/search/news.asp

LETTERS: FEATBackegroups DIALOGS: FEATBack-subscribeegroups

August 13, 2000

Immunization Dilemma/ Newsweek on Autism Letters/ New School in Westchester

NY

Also: Binstock to go to San Diego, Gallup on the Radio

[“Many parents regard vaccines as scary but necessary. Are they?” asks

the Chicago Parent. Written by Robin Uchitelle, M.D.]

http://www.chicagoparentlocalmom/content/CH/0800/08-CH-F2-shots.jsp

Shots, ouch! They are a painful part of many a school physical.

Parents are told that vaccines are safe and necessary; doctors are schooled

that terrifying diseases will reappear if we don't immunize all children;

schools refuse to let children attend if they haven't had certain shots; and

managed care health insurance systems reprimand doctors who don't document

shots in their young patients' charts.

Despite all this, many parents question the conventional wisdom of

immunizations. Some parents blame shots for a host of horrible side-effects,

from allergies to autism and even death. And some alternative health

providers questions the logic behind mass immunizations against some

diseases.

What's The Real Story On Shots? As with many other issues in

parenting, there is no cut-and-dried answer. Immunizations are an issue of

risks and benefits, and the calculations differ for each shot and each

child. Parents who understand the theory behind immunizations and the

potential risks and benefits to their own children are in a position to make

informed choices about shots.

Why Immunize Kids? There are several arguments in favor of

immunization.

First, vaccinations can prevent children from contracting viruses and

bacteria that cause serious diseases and death. An unvaccinated child can

still get polio today. It's not as likely as it was at the turn of the last

century, but it can still happen.

Second, vaccines appear to work. They have dramatically reduced the

number of people who get certain diseases and protected people from living

with the complications these diseases would have produced.

+ Article continues at:

http://www.chicagoparentlocalmom/content/CH/0800/08-CH-F2-shots.jsp

* * *

Newsweek’s Comments on Autism Letters

Our July 31 cover story “Understanding Autism” drew more than 1,100

letters, primarily from readers thanking us for focusing attention on what

many consider an epidemic.

“Your article will reach and educate millions of people who have never

before considered how common autism is,” a grateful parent wrote. Many

shared personal stories. One called autism “a thief in the night. One moment

my child was there, the next he was gone.” Several readers stressed the

importance of research.

“When we understand autism,” wrote one, “we may well have the Rosetta

stone for understanding the uniqueness of the human mind itself.”

Take the Mystery out of Autism

** SUBSCRIBE

Emailed to you Daily no cost:

http://www.feat.org/FEATNews

* * *

Social Skills, ABA School Starting Up – Westchester, NY

[From an organizational press release.]

If your child needs assistance learning to play with other kids,

initiating social interactions, and engaging in social activities, and if

you are in lower Westchester, the Bronx, NYC, or other surrounding areas,

playB.A. aims to help kids learn how to do just that. Also, if you have a

typically developing child who could benefit from a great experience

interacting and making friends with a range of other kids, playB.A. is the

place for them.

My name is Burk. I'm an ABA coordinator and consultant in

New York. For the past 5+ years, I've worked in home programs and ABA

schools for children with autism. Every family I've ever talked to has

bemoaned the fact that their kids don't have the chance to interact with

typically developing kids in a structured, yet social, environment. After

looking around and not finding what these parents wanted, I decided to

create it for them. This fall, my staff and I will be starting up playB.A.,

an inclusion socialization group for kids with autism and typically

developing kids.

playB.A. will integrate play, incidental teaching, and direct

instruction, all of which will be supervised and delivered by staff trained

in ABA and other related service areas. Kids will have access to a choice

of toys, games, crafts, sports, computer games, musical instruments, and

other activities. We'll also be providing music classes, computer

instruction, and more.

There will also be opportunities for more direct instruction, such as

some small group instruction, 2:1 peer modeling sessions, and, upon request,

some 1:1 ABA instruction. We'll really encourage the kids to learn from and

interact with each other much more than with us adults. However, we plan to

individualize the experience for all our kids in order to make it the best

possible place for them to have fun and learn.

In addition to a trained staff, I have a Masters degree in ABA and

Behavioral Disorders from Columbia University and am preparing to take the

CBA exam in the fall, having completed all the necessary coursework. Beyond

the credentials, though, my staff and I truly love our kids and look so

forward to helping and watching them have a great time and be themselves in

a safe, loving, positive

environment.

playB.A. will meet once or twice weekly in lower Westchester County,

NY for two hours per session. Children 2-13 years old are welcome. We will

be holding organizational meetings in September to decide day(s) and

time(s), as well as the group setup. If you live in our surrounding area

(or are willing to travel), and are interested in learning more about

playB.A. for your child:

-- Visit the website at http://www.playBAgroup.com

-- Email me at @...

-- Or call (914) 843-0132.

* * *

Binstock to go to San Diego

[From Ann Briggin and s.]

Thanks to the many wonderful people who opened up their hearts and

checkbooks, we now have enough funds to get to the September DAN!

Conference in San Diego. We still need to get to one more

conference, the Orlando one in October. As some of you have seen this

morning with her post, s will now be taking over the fundraising

for this conference and all of any remaining funds that I have yet to

receive and the few excess dollars we have left will be sent to for

this endeavor.

For those of you who gave, thank you so much for your incredible

generosity.

has done so much for all of us, either directly or indirectly.

She is one of the authors of " Autism: A Unique Type of Mercury Poisoning "

and has spent many, many long mostly unpaid hours, day in and day out, year

in and year out researching for us all. If any of you believe that vaccines

have caused or contributed to your child's autism or other disability, I

plead with you today to consider, investing toward getting to the

Orlando Conference. Any amount you can afford would be most graciously and

humbly appreciated. While funding for the San Diego DAN! Conference for

, every day in my mailbox brought more funds, but also brought nice

warm encouraging notes from many of you, telling me stories of your

children. I cried for them as I cry for the damage that was inflicted on my

own child. Help s by donating what you can to a very important

endeavor.

To inquire on where to send funds, please e-mail s

privately at: persistentC@...

* * *

Gallup on the Radio Monday Night

Gallup will be on BlackOp Radio, hosted by Anita Langley on

Monday, August 14th between 10-11PM EST.

It is on http://www.stas.net/hiddenroom/blackopradio/

______________________________________________________

UC M.I.N.D. Institute:

http://www.mindinstitute.org

Editor: Lenny Schafer | Eastern Editor: | News Wire: Ron Sleith

schafer@... | PhD | News: Kay Stammers