CNN Series ends with personal plea

August 7, 2006

This is the final episode of CNN weeklong series on Autism. I have attempted to monitor this series in an effort to demonstrate how "Autism Awareness" programs can be more problem than solution. Indeed, this series could have been produced by the CDC, sponsored by Eli Lilly and edited by the U.S. Senate HELP committee staff that just re-wrote the C.A.A. to promote the best interests of the vaccine industry rather than the best interests of our children.

------------------- --------------------------- ----------------------------

CNN host offered glowing alcolades to Dr. Sanjay Guptka for his "spectacular" weeklong report that has "made people think".

YES, IT MADE PEOPLE THINK AUTISM IS NOT SUCH A BIG DEAL. WITH EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND PROPER INTERVENTION, IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THESE CHILDREN CAN LIVE NORMAL LIVES.

Dr. Guptka reported the one thing we have learned is there are all sorts of different forms of autism. As a result, each child has a different set of challenges and it's hard to categorize them into one category. They have different parameters to define success.

WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING "EACH CHILD HAS A DIFFERENT SET OF CHALLENGES", DR. GUPTKA'S "WEEKLONG SERIES" DID NOT DWELL ON REVEALING THE SEVERE AUTISTIC BEHAVIORS THAT SO MANY FAMILIES ARE "CHALLENGED" WITH ON A DAILY BASIS.

Guptka introduced a family whose son was diagnosed as a toddler. His initial diagnosis was severe. He had no language, no social skills. HIs parents took him to Emory University, one of the best known practioners of autism therapies called A.B.A., which uses rewards for language or social expressions, such as smiling or making eye contact. He was 4 1/2 when his father heard him whisper "I love you" for the first time.

ENTIRE AUTISM COMMUNITY CAN APPRECIATE THAT FATHER'S DELIGHT. ENTIRE AUTISM COMMUNITY CAN APPRECIATE THE MANY BENEFITS DERIVED FROM A.B.A.

The boy's progress continued with the help of a whole lot of people, including his speech therapist, his physical therapist and A.B.A. therapist.

Mom cautioned this is not a story of a "recovered child". He works very hard to get were he is.

Yale Univ Dr. Volkmar: "The key to success is early and proper intervention. We are changing the prognosis of autism with early intervention. And with more effective treatments, kids are learning better and better, they are doing better and better. The outcomes are improving over time."

OKAY, I GET IT. IN FACT I GOT IT IN EPISODE FOUR, WHICH WAS DEVOTED ENTIRELY TO "EARLY INTERVENTION IS KEY". WOULD YOU AGREE DISCOVERING THE "CAUSE" OF THE EPIDEMIC MAY BE HELPFUL, DR. GUPTKA? IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE A PARENT CAN DO TO HELP THEIR CHILD "IMPROVE OVER TIME" DR. GUPTKA? SUCH AS, CHELATION, DIET, PHYSCIAL EXAMINATION TO TREAT CHILD'S CONSTANT PAIN AND DIARRHEA, ETC. ETC?

Dr. Guptka reported levels of improvements vary. This child was very fortunate to have a good support team, is able to go to school with typical kids and play with friends in the neighborhood.

HOW MANY CHILDREN ACHIEVE THIS CHILD'S "LEVEL OF IMPROVEMENT". DOES HE REPRESENT THE 'VERY FORTUNATE" OR DOES HE REPRESENT "THE NORM"? INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW.

Mom says her child still needs constant supervision and extreme support. But to go from the level he was to the happy, interactive kid you see today is a success story.

Dr. Guptka says: "one child's story but shows what early intervention and access to theraphy can do.

I THINK WE GOT IT. EARLY INTERVENTION AND ACCESS TO THERAPHY IS THE KEY.

Ques. from CNN host: "What people want to know is if there is any hope for a cure on the horizon?"

Ans from Dr. Guptka: "I don't know if cure is a word we would use yet. They're still focusing on diagnosing and intervention. There are therapies and interventions that are capable of getting children so they can communicate and interact to the point where they no longer meet the criteria of autism. They can go to college, they can carry on their lives much like anyone else does."

I DO NOT BLAME DR. GUPTKA FOR DISTANCING HIMSELF FROM THE DREADED "CURE" WORD BECAUSE COMMON SENSE DICTATES IT WOULD PROBABLY BE KIND OF HARD TO FIND A "CURE" IF YOU DID NOT FIRST DISCOVER THE "CAUSE". MY NOW SEVEN YEAR OLD NON-VERBAL GRANDSON WAS DIAGNOSED AROUND 28 MONTHS AND HAS BEEN RECEIVING PROLONGED A.B.A. FROM THAT TIME TO NOW. OUR FAMILY HAS NO ILLUSIONS HE WILL LIKELY "GO TO COLLEGE OR CARRY ON HIS LIFE MUCH LIKE ANYONE ELSE". RIGHT NOW, WE WILL SETTLE FOR GETTING HIM POTTY TRAINED, HOWEVER, THE HIGHEST PRIORITY OF "EXPERTS" LIKE DR. GUPTKA SHOULD BE FINDING THE "CAUSE" OF HIS AUTISM SO HE CAN HAVE AT LEAST A FIGHTING CHANCE TO LIVE A NEAR NORMAL LIFE.

To those who have taken the time to read these ramblings about CNN's series, I thank you. To those who have read them and found them of no use to the EOH site, I thank you for reading them.

To Bob and Kathy if they are still members of the E.O.H.: I want to thank you for your early efforts in creating "Autism Awareness" for the epidemic that had been ignored for so long. As a grandpa myself, I know too well the overwhelming saddness that pervades your life as you bear witness to your own daughter 's courageous struggle to provide her son a chance to live a normal life. However, I do believe the time has come to reconsider the priorities of "Autism Speaks". The following is from the Autism Speaks press release:

Researchers have found that different genes may be responsible for causing autism in boys than in girls. The findings also support the notion that multiple genes contribute to autism spectrum disorder. The researchers are members of the Autism Genome Project, an international consortium of geneticists and clinicians that is pooling its samples and expertise in search of autism susceptibility genes. The Autism Genome Project is funded by Autism Speaks.

My friends, this type of research will provide absolutely nothing that will help either your grandchild or mine recover. We need to know what "CAUSED" our grandchildren to "regress" into autism. I had great expectations when you first became active in support of your grandson that we shared a belief that finding the CAUSE would offer our grandchildren their greatest hope. That is why I found Mrs. 's comment: "Autism knocked on the wrong door when it knocked on ours" so inspiring. It suggested a fearlessness to pursue the CAUSE where others were too frightened to go. Unfortunately, I believe the Senate's C.A.A. will only allow more valuable time to elapse over the next five years as critical research into the CAUSE is once again ignored. My friends, five years is a long time, and time is the one thing our grandchildren no longer have an ulimited supply of.

August 7, 2006

Bob,

I have read every word of your CNN summaries. Thank you for taking

the time to share what you saw and your opinions.

You are a gem.

>

> This is the final episode of CNN weeklong series on Autism. I

have

> attempted to monitor this series in an effort to demonstrate

how " Autism Awareness "

> programs can be more problem than solution. Indeed, this series

could have

> been produced by the CDC, sponsored by Eli Lilly and edited by

the U.S. Senate

> HELP committee staff that just re-wrote the C.A.A. to promote the

best

> interests of the vaccine industry rather than the best interests

of our children.

> ------------------- ---------------------------

> ----------------------------

>

> CNN host offered glowing alcolades to Dr. Sanjay Guptka for his

> " spectacular " weeklong report that has " made people think " .

>

> YES, IT MADE PEOPLE THINK AUTISM IS NOT SUCH A BIG DEAL. WITH

EARLY

> DIAGNOSIS AND PROPER INTERVENTION, IT IS VERY POSSIBLE THESE

CHILDREN CAN LIVE

> NORMAL LIVES.

>

> Dr. Guptka reported the one thing we have learned is there are

all sorts of

> different forms of autism. As a result, each child has a

different set of

> challenges and it's hard to categorize them into one category.

They have

> different parameters to define success.

>

> WHILE ACKNOWLEDGING " EACH CHILD HAS A DIFFERENT SET OF

CHALLENGES " , DR.

> GUPTKA'S " WEEKLONG SERIES " DID NOT DWELL ON REVEALING THE SEVERE

AUTISTIC

> BEHAVIORS THAT SO MANY FAMILIES ARE " CHALLENGED " WITH ON A DAILY

BASIS.

>

> Guptka introduced a family whose son was diagnosed as a toddler.

His

> initial diagnosis was severe. He had no language, no social

skills. HIs parents

> took him to Emory University, one of the best known practioners

of autism

> therapies called A.B.A., which uses rewards for language or

social expressions,

> such as smiling or making eye contact. He was 4 1/2 when his

father heard

> him whisper " I love you " for the first time.

>

> ENTIRE AUTISM COMMUNITY CAN APPRECIATE THAT FATHER'S DELIGHT.

ENTIRE AUTISM

> COMMUNITY CAN APPRECIATE THE MANY BENEFITS DERIVED FROM A.B.A.

>

> The boy's progress continued with the help of a whole lot of

people,

> including his speech therapist, his physical therapist and A.B.A.

therapist.

>

> Mom cautioned this is not a story of a " recovered child " . He

works very

> hard to get were he is.

>

> Yale Univ Dr. Volkmar: " The key to success is early and proper

> intervention. We are changing the prognosis of autism with early

intervention. And with

> more effective treatments, kids are learning better and better,

they are

> doing better and better. The outcomes are improving over time. "

>

> OKAY, I GET IT. IN FACT I GOT IT IN EPISODE FOUR, WHICH WAS

DEVOTED

> ENTIRELY TO " EARLY INTERVENTION IS KEY " . WOULD YOU AGREE

DISCOVERING THE " CAUSE "

> OF THE EPIDEMIC MAY BE HELPFUL, DR. GUPTKA? IS THERE ANYTHING

ELSE A PARENT

> CAN DO TO HELP THEIR CHILD " IMPROVE OVER TIME " DR. GUPTKA? SUCH

AS,

> CHELATION, DIET, PHYSCIAL EXAMINATION TO TREAT CHILD'S CONSTANT

PAIN AND DIARRHEA,

> ETC. ETC?

>

> Dr. Guptka reported levels of improvements vary. This child was

very

> fortunate to have a good support team, is able to go to school

with typical kids

> and play with friends in the neighborhood.

>

> HOW MANY CHILDREN ACHIEVE THIS CHILD'S " LEVEL OF IMPROVEMENT " .

DOES HE

> REPRESENT THE 'VERY FORTUNATE " OR DOES HE REPRESENT " THE NORM " ?

INQUIRING MINDS

> WANT TO KNOW.

>

> Mom says her child still needs constant supervision and extreme

support.

> But to go from the level he was to the happy, interactive kid you

see today is

> a success story.

>

> Dr. Guptka says: " one child's story but shows what early

intervention and

> access to theraphy can do.

>

> I THINK WE GOT IT. EARLY INTERVENTION AND ACCESS TO THERAPHY IS

THE KEY.

>

> Ques. from CNN host: " What people want to know is if there is

any hope for

> a cure on the horizon? "

>

> Ans from Dr. Guptka: " I don't know if cure is a word we would

use yet.

> They're still focusing on diagnosing and intervention. There are

therapies and

> interventions that are capable of getting children so they can

communicate

> and interact to the point where they no longer meet the criteria

of autism.

> They can go to college, they can carry on their lives much like

anyone else

> does. "

>

> I DO NOT BLAME DR. GUPTKA FOR DISTANCING HIMSELF FROM THE

DREADED " CURE "

> WORD BECAUSE COMMON SENSE DICTATES IT WOULD PROBABLY BE KIND OF

HARD TO FIND A

> " CURE " IF YOU DID NOT FIRST DISCOVER THE " CAUSE " . MY NOW SEVEN

YEAR OLD

> NON-VERBAL GRANDSON WAS DIAGNOSED AROUND 28 MONTHS AND HAS BEEN

RECEIVING

> PROLONGED A.B.A. FROM THAT TIME TO NOW. OUR FAMILY HAS NO

ILLUSIONS HE WILL LIKELY

> " GO TO COLLEGE OR CARRY ON HIS LIFE MUCH LIKE ANYONE ELSE " .

RIGHT NOW, WE

> WILL SETTLE FOR GETTING HIM POTTY TRAINED, HOWEVER, THE HIGHEST

PRIORITY OF

> " EXPERTS " LIKE DR. GUPTKA SHOULD BE FINDING THE " CAUSE " OF HIS

AUTISM SO HE CAN

> HAVE AT LEAST A FIGHTING CHANCE TO LIVE A NEAR NORMAL LIFE.

>

> To those who have taken the time to read these ramblings about

CNN's series,

> I thank you. To those who have read them and found them of no

use to the

> EOH site, I thank you for reading them.

>

> To Bob and Kathy if they are still members of the E.O.H.:

I want to

> thank you for your early efforts in creating " Autism Awareness "

for the

> epidemic that had been ignored for so long. As a grandpa myself,

I know too well

> the overwhelming saddness that pervades your life as you bear

witness to your

> own daughter 's courageous struggle to provide her son a

chance to live

> a normal life. However, I do believe the time has come to

reconsider the

> priorities of " Autism Speaks " . The following is from the Autism

Speaks press

> release:

>

> Researchers have found that different genes may be responsible

for causing

> autism in boys than in girls. The findings also support the notion

that

> multiple genes contribute to autism spectrum disorder. The

researchers are members

> of the Autism Genome Project, an international consortium of

geneticists and

> clinicians that is pooling its samples and expertise in search of

autism

> susceptibility genes. The Autism Genome Project is funded by

Autism Speaks.

>

> My friends, this type of research will provide absolutely nothing

that will

> help either your grandchild or mine recover. We need to know

what " CAUSED "

> our grandchildren to " regress " into autism. I had great

expectations when you

> first became active in support of your grandson that we shared a

belief that

> finding the CAUSE would offer our grandchildren their greatest

hope. That

> is why I found Mrs. 's comment: " Autism knocked on the

wrong door when

> it knocked on ours " so inspiring. It suggested a fearlessness to

pursue the

> CAUSE where others were too frightened to go. Unfortunately, I

believe the

> Senate's C.A.A. will only allow more valuable time to elapse over

the next

> five years as critical research into the CAUSE is once again

ignored. My

> friends, five years is a long time, and time is the one thing our

grandchildren no

> longer have an ulimited supply of.

>

August 8, 2006

Thanks so much for monitoring this series and all the hard work transferring everything in posts.