SchaferAutismReport: Mainstreaming a Personal Decision For Parents, Child

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Tuesday, August 29, 2006 Vol. 10 No. 152

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EDUCATION

* Mainstreaming a Personal Decision For Parents, Child

* Learning Curve After Discovering Son's Disorder in MA

BUSINESS

* Applied Behavior Consultants Implements Employee Stock Owner Plan

* Nashville Company Acquires Tampa Private School

CARE

* Ohio Parents Charged in Toddler Death

* NC Officials Find Autistic Girl

ADVOCACY

* Parent Files Lawsuit Against Illinois District

TREATMENT

* Reaching Adult Autism Patients Through Music

COMMENTARY

* Don't Just Dismiss The Vaccine-Autism Link

LETTERS

* Vaccination May Harm

EDUCATION

Mainstreaming a Personal Decision For Parents, Child

By Barbara S. Rothschild for the Courier-Post http://tinyurl.com/gofso

Cherry Hill student Jordan Schmidt, 10, can't wait for fifth grade to

begin.

Jordan, who has Asperger Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism,

has been in Woodcrest Elementary School's model inclusion program since

first grade. It places qualifying special- needs children in full-day

classes where the majority of students are nonclassified, or " typical. " Each

class is staffed by a regular teacher, a resource (special education)

teacher, and assistants.

In preschool, Jordan was in a self-contained, special-needs classroom

at the district's early childhood center. At Woodcrest, he had trouble

adapting in a fully mainstreamed kindergarten class. The inclusion program

was what he needed.

" The self-contained option worked in preschool, but when Jordan got a

little older he needed to be around children who could be positive role

models, " said his mother, Debbie.

" Inclusion has given us stability and has given Jordan everything he's

needed, " she said. Often recommended

Parents of special-needs children often agonize about what educational

setting is best. Mainstreaming into a typical classroom is often

recommended, but isn't always optimal.

" It depends on the parents' goals for the child. Some are interested

in having children develop social skills and learn to deal with the world.

But it's also a question of where academic needs will best be met, " Cherry

Hill school psychologist Kate said.

" Most children do better if they are mainstreamed. It gives them the

motivation to reach, gives them more stimulation and helps them learn to

cope. But it's a tough decision if a child is severely delayed in learning, "

said. Learning life skills

Debbie Schmidt isn't worried about Jordan's grades. She hopes he

learns life skills.

Schmidt remains protective of her son and wary of the mainstream

world.

" You'd like to say mainstreaming is always the goal. But it has to be

the right time for the child, " she said. " If mainstreaming doesn't work, you

could have very real self-esteem problems. "

Timing was everything for Berry's neurologically- impaired

daughter, Hope, 9, who went from a special-needs preschool to an

unsuccessful attempt at mainstreaming when she began kindergarten in

Magnolia's only public school.

" That lasted around a month. She just couldn't deal with the amount of

children in public school, " said Berry, who enrolled Hope at Durand Academy,

a Woodbury school that serves students with learning disabilities and

behavioral challenges.

At Durand, there were two teachers for every child, a ratio Hope

needed. But by the time Hope was in third grade, another change was

indicated.

" As Hope got older, she got calmer and would get upset at other

children's behavior. She seemed to be flourishing otherwise, and I decided

it was time to put her back in public school. She took right to it, " Berry

said. May never be right

For other children, it may never be the right time to mainstream.

Voorhees resident Jackie Pantaliano's son , 12, has Asperger

Syndrome. He attended public elementary schools but couldn't function well,

even in self-contained classrooms.

now attends special-needs Yale Academy in Cherry Hill, where he

will enter eighth grade this fall.

+ Read more: http://tinyurl.com/gofso

.. . .

Learning Curve After Discovering Son's Disorder in MA

Westford mother opens school for autistic children

By Bridget Scrimenti for the Lowell Sun

http://www.lowellsun.com/local/ci_4249817

Liz eau initially thought her son, , was deaf. She would

call to him and he wouldn't turn around.

He loved to be hugged, but remained unresponsive to the sound of his

mother's voice.

" We knew something was a little bit off before he was 2, "

eau said.

At age 2 1/2, was diagnosed as autistic.

" We had no idea what autism was, I had never known anyone who was

autistic or had a child with autism, " eau said.

is now 13, but when he was a toddler an autism diagnosis was

rare, eau said. It took months of repetition to teach his first

word at age 3.

Years later, eau started the Nashoba Learning Group, a school

for autistic children. She was living in Groton and had just given birth to

her daughter, Nora, her fifth child.

" I said to my husband, do you really think I can do this now? "

eau said. " He said just do it, needs it, we need it.

You have to do it. "

A former management consultant, eau has a master's degree in

business administration from Harvard Business School. When she took a leave

of absence to care for , eau also earned a master's degree in

behavioral education.

" I learned so much not just on how to manage behavior, but how to

really look at my son and other students, and understand why they are

behaving this way, " eau said.

She was able to recruit former co-workers to help start the school,

which included filling out a 76-page application to the state Department of

Education.

In 2003, eau officially opened the Nashoba Learning Group with

two students, however, was not one of them.

The Groton School Department sent an independent evaluator to assess

eau's school before placing there.

The Nashoba Learning Group currently has 28 students with 100 on the

waiting list. Students come from all over Greater Boston to the school's

Westford location, next to the United Methodist Church.

Each student receives one-on-one instruction with a therapist trained

in applied behavior analysis (ABA). The therapy provides repetition, which

enables autistic children to learn.

Autism causes impairment in a person's ability to think, feel, develop

language and relate to others, according to the National Institute of Mental

Health.

While in school last week, read cue cards to verbalize actions.

He's able to retain text better than listening to verbal instruction. At 13,

his language skills are that of a 3- or 4-year- old, while his reading

comprehension is comparable to that of a first-grader.

When asked about autism stereotypes, like the genius qualities seen in

the movie Rainman or withdrawn behavior, eau said they're mostly

false.

" There certainly are kids with autism who have those qualities, but

most kids with autism have delays, " eau said.

Although many autistic children may seem withdrawn, eau said the

vast majority of autistic children love people and are very attached to

people.

" We give them the support they need to make progress, eau said.

" It's 10,000 baby steps for them instead of huge leaps, but you keep

celebrating every single step. "

.. . .

BUSINESS

Applied Behavior Consultants Implements Employee Stock Ownership Plan

Applied Behavior Consultants, Inc. completes a management-led employee

buyout.

From a company press release.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2006/8/prweb430345.htm

PRWEB - Applied Behavior Consultants (ABC), a leading provider of

applied behavior analysis services for persons with autism and other

developmental disabilities, announced today that it has completed a

management-led employee buyout for an undisclosed sum. Guidance for the

acquisition was provided by American Business Resource Corporation, a

national ESOP consulting firm. Under the terms of the transaction, ABC's

current management team will remain unchanged.

Co-founded by ph E. Morrow, Ph.D., and J. Terzich, M.A,

Applied Behavior Consultants and its 200 employees serve the developmental

disabled population through two schools, eight regional centers, over 50

school districts, and 30 community care facilities. Dr. Joe Morrow, who led

negotiations on behalf of ABC said, " We are delighted to successfully

conclude this transaction. With the cash flow generated by the ESOP, we are

able to explore potentially expanding the breadth of our services to help

autistic children in other countries, including the Persian Gulf, Russia,

China, and the Philippines, among others. "

Evan L. , president of American Business Resource Corporation,

said, " It was our privilege to help Applied Behavior Consultants with their

ESOP implementation which we completed in under two months. The ESOP

positions ABC for future growth and expansion, provides for employee

retirement and puts in place a planned exit strategy for the previous

shareholders. "

A study done in the summer of 2006 found that 91 percent of companies

declared that creating employee ownership through an ESOP (employee stock

ownership plan) was " a good decision that has helped the company. " In the

same study, approximately 78% of respondents indicated a better performance

in 2005 than 2004. Source: The Employee Ownership Foundation's 15th Annual

Economic Performance Survey.

To learn more about Applied Behavior Consultants, visit

http://www.abcreal.com or call . To learn more about American

Business Resource Corporation, visit http://www.abrc-esop.com or call toll

free 1-.

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Nashville Company Acquires Tampa Private School

The Bishop-Eton School in Tampa has new ownership.

From the Tampa Bay Business Journal.

http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2006/08/28/daily16.html

Educational Services of America has acquired the school, which

provides a nondenominational curriculum for up to 100 students with specific

learning disabilities.

The acquisition will strengthen the presence of ESA as a private

provider of special education programs in the Tampa-St. sburg area, a

release said.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed, and a release called the

timing of the acquisition " recent. "

With the addition to Bishop-Eton, Nashville-based ESA operates six

schools in the region, including a new school opening this fall, Broach

Zephyrhills. ESA operates a total of 26 campuses in Florida under the names

of Atlantis Academy, Broach Schools, Crossroads Schools and others.

+ Read more:

http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/2006/08/28/daily16.html

.. . .

CARE

Ohio Parents Charged in Toddler Death

By Dan Sewell for the Associated Press.

http://tinyurl.com/fjprl

The foster parents who reported a 3-year-old developmentally disabled

boy missing were charged Monday in his death, and the foster father was

accused of burning his body.

Liz and Carroll Jr. are accused of leaving the boy in a closet

in their home just east of Cincinnati while they went to a family reunion in

Kentucky on Aug. 4, Hamilton County prosecutor Joe Deters said.

Investigators believe Marcus Fiesel was dead when the couple returned

home two days later, Deters said. Carroll took the boy's body to rural

Brown County and burned it, Deters said.

Authorities were searching Monday in rural Brown County, southeast of

Cincinnati, for his remains, Deters said. He declined to discuss other

details of the investigation that led to the indictments.

The couple reported the boy missing from a suburban park Aug. 15,

saying he wandered off after Liz Carroll passed out because of a heart

condition.

A Hamilton County grand jury indicted the Carrolls on charges of

involuntary manslaughter and endangering children, and Carroll was

charged with gross abuse of a corpse.

The Carrolls were arrested separately and jailed Monday, he said. A

message seeking information on their court appearances and legal

representation was left Monday evening with the Hamilton County sheriff's

office.

The boy's disappearance triggered a search that brought hundreds of

volunteers. Police later questioned why no witnesses reported seeing Marcus

in the park.

Marcus had the mental ability of a child 12 to 18 months old,

Carroll said. The boy joined the family in May and had a history of

wandering off, he said.

" We are extremely saddened and outraged about the untimely death of

Marcus Fiesel, " Jann Heffner, executive director of County Children's

Services, said in a news release.

The county agency contracted with Lifeway for Youth, a private

organization that provides training for foster parents and placement for

abused and neglected children.

Director Berner told WCPO-TV that Lifeway did background and

police checks on the Carrolls before they became foster parents.

" We're all heartbroken up here, " Berner said. " These people passed

muster; they pulled the wool over everyone's eyes. "

.. . .

NC Officials Find Autistic Girl

http://www.fayettevillenc.com/article?id=240710

The search for a 17-year-old autistic girl ended Monday morning when

she was found wandering at the edge of a subdivision about two miles from

where she went missing.

Franchesta Melvin was found at 9:45 a.m. after a 20-hour search that

involved nearly 120 people and several state and local agencies.

She was found at the edge of some woods near 272 Chantilly Lane by the

owner of the property.

Health OK'd

Hoke County Sheriff Hubert kin said the girl, who is diabetic and

missed three doses of medication during her disappearance, appeared to be

unharmed. She was treated and released at FirstHealth Regional

Hospital on Monday.

The girl, a Hoke County High School student, is the daughter of Jerome

and Deborah Purcell. The Purcells could not be reached for comment Monday.

Franchesta was reported missing around 1 p.m. Sunday from Big and

Little Faith Church at 1939 Aberdeen Road, kin said. She walked away

from the church during service, carrying only a Bible.

" It was something she had done before, but she usually stayed right

outside the door, " kin said.

The search was concentrated on woods near the church and covered about

five to 10 miles.

Deputies from Hoke and Robeson counties participated in the search,

along with dozens of volunteers. Among the volunteers were Hoke County

schools Superintendent Freddie on and Hoke County High School

Principal Steve Hagen.

The state Highway Patrol used a helicopter to search the area.

.. . .

ADVOCACY

Parent files lawsuit against Illinois District

By Michels http://www.hoinews.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=15913

The mother of a Trewyn Middle School student is suing Peoria schools

District 150 after her son was allegedly beat up on a school bus.

According to the suit, two district employees egged on the beating

that happened in May.

The lawsuit filed in Peoria County court says Alvin Gloor, a bus

driver, and Gerald , a monitor, encouraged a student to beat up the

13-year-old plaintiff who has autism.

The lawsuit said a student choked and then picked up and threw the

plaintiff to the ground.

It goes on to say Gloor and harassed the plaintiff during the

incident, and even threatened the teen's life if he told anyone.

The lawsuit states District 150 failed to properly supervise

activities on the bus.

It also says the District failed to remove a violent student from the

bus, and it accuses the District of failing to follow procedural safeguards

when transporting the plaintiff.

District 150 Superintendent Ken Hinton said the two employees were

fired immediately when the district found out about the incident.

He also said the district is very sorry this happened.

" This is not a reflection of the work District 150 employees do, "

Hinton said.

Lawyers representing the plaintiff said they are asking for a jury

trial. Right now. they are waiting for the District to file a response in

court.

.. . .

TREATMENT

Reaching Adult Autism Patients Through Music

By Kay http://tinyurl.com/pffkx

Kenny Bujarski, 43, has had a rough week emotionally and lies curled

up on a couch, covered head to toe with a heavy yellow blanket. LaShauna

White, 27, rocks frantically, lamenting, " We're not doing beads. " Danny

Genest, 41, keeps asking for his electric fan and reaching over to hug the

head of aide Gail Spartz.

They barely notice when MacPhail Center for Music's Jenifer phson

enters the room, toting large bags filled with drums, CDs, bean bags,

colorful scarves and an electric guitar. She's been coming to Opportunity

Partners' Karlins Center in Plymouth, Minn., since October to teach a weekly

music therapy class for adults with autism.

Music therapy has long been used to treat autism. What is different

here is that MacPhail designed " Music to Our Ears " specifically for people

ages 21 to 43 who have moderate to severe autism.

" Look what I brought, Kenny. You got all your stars and earned the

electric guitar! " phson says.

Bujarski moans but doesn't sit up. phson could prod. Instead, she

tries to see the world as he does - as a chaotic, confusing, dangerous

place. When he feels overwhelmed, Bujarski hits himself on the head. He

spends about 80 percent of his time alone in a room, by choice.

" It's huge that he chose to come to music therapy today, " said

Fries, manager of Karlins, one of Minnesota's only employment-focused day

training and rehabilitation programs for adults with autism spectrum

disorders.

Every day is different. Today Bujarski is difficult to reach. But he

will be the star of the class in two weeks, earning stars for cooperating,

playing instruments and singing along. After accumulating 20 stars, he gets

to pick a reward. His favorites are the electric guitar and drum set.

All of these autistic clients love music.

" We don't stop with one or two methods and say, 'Oh, this isn't

working,' " Fries said. " We continue until we find a way that works for that

individual. Every day we're looking for new connections. "

Making up for lost time

It's Thursday morning and six music therapy clients gather in Karlins'

carpeted " fish room, " with its blue underwater mural brimming with sea

creatures that glow in black light. Clients sit on the sofa, in rockers or

cushy recliners designed to help them cope with sensory overload.

" You get to be class leader today, " phson tells Bujarski. " Who

gets to start the welcome song? " she asks, coaxing him to name a classmate.

He doesn't answer.

" Me, me! " says Corbin Leih, 22, waving her hand.

Both Leih and her friend, Dodge, 21, are beneficiaries of early

educational intervention and graduated from a special education program. As

a result, they are more socially adept and willing to interact with other

people than are their older classmates, Fries said. They're also more likely

to use words to get what they want, instead of disruptive behavior.

Autism is a spectrum disorder that encompasses a wide range of

severity, behavior and cognitive abilities. But generally, people with

autism are captive to their own inner worlds, Fries said. When they want

something, they want it immediately. They find it hard to block out

competing stimuli to focus on a single voice, idea or activity. Some respond

by rocking or hitting themselves to express distress or refocus their

thoughts.

All six clients in this class have significant challenges. When Danny

Genest started at Karlins in 2000 he was so into his own world that it was

as if he didn't even hear requests and required constant one-on-one

attention.

Nate Loher, 29, took an entire year to adjust to leaving home and

starting at Karlins. Now he never misses an opportunity to choose an Eagles

CD.

+Read more: http://tinyurl.com/pffkx

.. . .

COMMENTARY

Don't Just Dismiss The Vaccine-Autism Link

By Bobbie Manning and Krakow

http://tinyurl.com/gtq6u

In their Aug. 18 editorial page column " Act could turn the tide on

common birth defect, " Hotez and lynn anticipate the

Combating Autism Act's promise in disproving the role of vaccines in causing

autism. As Boyd Haley, professor of chemistry of the University of Kentucky

has commented, " The article is totally devoid of any scientific

credibility. "

Hotez and reveal the poisonous agenda of those who would use

government funds to bury the inconvenient theory that mercury in vaccines

has caused the autism epidemic. Their main interest is to develop and

promote vaccines.

It is troubling that anyone would advocate using public money to

improperly influence research of a threatening hypothesis. The purpose of

the Combating Autism Act should be to find the causes of and treatments for

autism, not protect the vaccine program.

The authors misleadingly claim the thimerosal-autism link has been

disproved. The U.S. study that inadequately examined this issue failed to

make clear comparisons between children receiving thimerosal and those

receiving none. Its lead author concluded that " an association between

thimerosal and neurological outcomes could neither be confirmed nor refuted,

and therefore, more study is required. "

The Institute of Medicine has reported limitations in the studies on

which the authors rely, and concluded in a vaccine safety report that the

hypothesis that thimerosal causes autism cannot be excluded for a subset of

genetically susceptible individuals. The directors of the National In-

stitutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control have testified in

Congress in accord with the IOM assessment.

Hotez and misrepresent research by claiming that " autism genes

produce effects that lead to an excessive increase in head size at about one

month of age, well before a baby receives its first set of pediatric

vaccines. " Yet thimerosal-containing Hepatitis B vaccine, RhoGam, and flu

shots given to pregnant women all result in prenatal or newborn exposures to

children.

Contrary to the authors' claim that autism is a " genetic disorder, "

genetics alone cannot explain autism. Recent research confirms that autism

develops in many cases after 18 months of age. In most cases, children are

not born with autism; science points to complex genetic susceptibilities

triggered by environmental toxins.

The leading researcher on enlarged head size in autism has stated that

environment plays a role. Increased head size occurs postnatally when

provoked by toxic exposures. Prenatal exposure to drugs can cause autism.

Concordance of autism among identical twins is incomplete.

The claim that the thimerosal theory has caused vaccine shortages is

baseless fear-mongering. Prior to 2004, infants were rarely given the flu

vaccine - yet there was then no flu epidemic or hysteria about vaccine

shortages. Vaccine manufacturers can produce the ample supplies of

thimerosal-free vaccines. The claimed suppression of vaccination rates never

happened; despite widespread media reports of the autism-thimerosal link,

vaccination rates are at historical highs in the U.S.

A 2003 congressional report concluded that thimerosal did pose a risk

and was related to the epidemic of autism. The report stated that the

epidemic might have been prevented " had the FDA not been asleep at the

switch regarding the lack of safety data regarding injected thimerosal and

the sharp rise of infant exposure to this known neurotoxin. Our public

health agencies' failure to act is indicative of institutional malfeasance

for self-protection and misplaced protectionism of the pharmaceutical

industry. "

Hotez's and 's suggestion that the Combating Autism Act can

serve to refute the thimerosal theory casts suspicion on the intent of those

who would implement the act. The act should not be used as a bludgeon to

beat back a theory that threatens vested interests. Rather, the act should

promote honest, unbiased and conflict-free science. If research funded by

the bill is to be used improperly, as the authors suggest, the bill should

die an ignominious death.

On the other hand, if research funded by the act is insulated from

bias, honest answers regarding autism's cause might be obtained. We must

eschew an agenda aimed at covering up another " inconvenient truth. "

Our children deserve a bill aimed squarely at combating autism, not

one pretending to do so by countering one uncomfortable theory about autism.

If the bill becomes law, let oversight be vigilant, let honest research

flow, let the chips fall where they may.

Bobbie Manning is a board member of Advocates for Children's Health

Affected by Mercury Poisoning (www.a-champ.org). Krakow is the

group's president.

EVIDENCE OF HARM DISCUSSION LIST HEATS UP

AS MERCURY LINK TO AUTISM QUESTION SPREADS

>> PAPERBACK BOOK NOW OUT - CHECK AMAZON.COM

An Evidence of Harm email discussion list has

been created in response to the growing interest

in the book and the issues it chronicles. Now over

1,300 subscribers. Here is how to subscribe

(no cost): EOHarm-subscribe

.. . .

LETTERS

Vaccination May Harm

The Great Neck Record (Aug. 17) con-tained two articles, urging

children and adults update their immunization. The arti-cles railed on about

the possibility of seri-ous sickness if the advice is not followed.

These articles fail to mention that vacci-nation is fraught with

danger both from the vaccines and the vaccination protocol.

The phrase, 'Let the recipient's parent or the recipient beware'

applies. Before vacci-nating, I recommend reading Dr. Cave's book

(paperback) titled, What Your Doctor May NOT Tell You About Chil-dren 's

Vacinations.

And visit the National Vaccine Information Center website at

http:www.909shot.com. The information provided will arm you with all that

you will need to know before vaccinating.

I am pro safe vaccines, pro safe vacci-nation and pro safe vaccine

administration protocols.

My beautiful grandson Mathew re-ceived all 22 US government-mandated

vaccinations and made all developmental benchmarks until 18 months. At this

point, his little body was overwhelmed and he faded from the real world into

a world of his own.

- Shapiro

Public Service Announcement to the Reader:

AUTISM IS TREATABLE. Consult these sources:

. Autism Research Institute http://tinyurl.com/ccxco

. Generation Rescue http://www.generationrescue.org

. UK - Autism Treatment Trust http://www.autismtrust.org.uk

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