Ilena Rose
July 16th 06, 07:27 PM
Autism 'far more widespread in Britain than previously thought'
Note from Ilena Rosenthal: That the quackwatch / healthfraud teams
fill usenet and the blogworld with their CERTAINTY that vaccinations
never cause autism, is, in my humble opinion, pure & utter quackery.
That they use a disbarred attorney (The Probe / Mark Probert) and a
wantabee pediatrician (Jeff P Utz who never was able to be awarded a
NON restricted medical license) and a cowardly surgeon, David H Gorski
(who so humbly calls himself "ORAC KNOWS)" to spread their quacky
conclusions tells much about the desperation of this vaccination
propaganda team.
cui bono? (who benefits but the Vac Industry???)
www.BreastImplantAwareness.org/QuackWatchWatch.htm
http://www.awares.org/pkgs/news/news.asp?showItemID=670&board=&bbcode=&profileCode=§ion=
EXCERPT: Paul Shattock, co-founder of the Autism Research Unit at
Sunderland University, said he had a list of a dozen possibilities
driving the increase.
Shattock said: "These include increasing use of pesticides,
antibiotics, vaccines and diet. Jamie Oliver succeeded in drawing
attention to children's diets and we need to look at what pregnant
women are eating.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LONDON, UK: Childhood autism is much more widespread in Britain than
previously thought, according to a comprehensive survey of school-age
children published on July 14.
Doctors at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals in south London screened
children aged nine and 10 and diagnosed autism or related disorders in
more than 1 per cent. The figure suggests autism is 25 times more
common than the four to five cases per 10,000 people widely accepted
in the 1990s.
Writing in the British medical journal, The Lancet, Professor Gillian
Baird, who led the study, called for local authorities to acknowledge
the additional support people with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs)
require.
"Services in health, education and social care will need to recognise
the needs of children with some form of ASD, who constitute 1 per cent
of the child population," she said.
The study sheds no light on whether the number of children born with
autism is rising. Instead, the higher levels are believed to reflect a
large number of cases that would previously have gone unrecognised.
Autism is diagnosed using behavioural and psychological tests, but the
criteria have broadened in recent years as doctors have included
related disorders such as Asperger's syndrome.
"The core feature is an impairment in social interaction, so there's a
difficulty with social relationships, and that can range from being
withdrawn and aloof to simply not fitting in very easily," said
Professor Baird. "In previous years, most children who had a diagnosis
of autism would perhaps have some learning difficulties, but we're now
recognising autism in young people who don't have learning
difficulties and indeed are very capable."
The researchers from Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals looked at a group
of 57,000 children aged nine and 10 in 2001. They identified 255 who
had already been diagnosed as having autistic disorders and 1,515
judged to be possible undetected cases. A randomly selected sub-group
of 255 children were chosen for in-depth clinical assessment.
The prevalence of "classic" childhood autism was 39 per 10,000, and
that of other ASDs 77 per 10,000. In total, autistic disorders
affected 116 per 10,000 children.
The researchers extrapolated their findings to suggest that one in 100
British children may have some form of autism.
Professor Baird said: "Prevalence of autism and related ASDs is
substantially higher than previously recognised. Whether the increase
is due to better ascertainment, broadening diagnostic criteria, or
increased incidence is unclear.
"Services in health, education, and social care will need to recognise
the needs of children with some form of ASD, who constitute 1 per cent
of the child population."
But experts said there was no evidence to link the increase in cases
to the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab or thimerosal, a vaccine
preservative which uses mercury.
In a commentary, Hiroshi Kurita, of the Zenkoku Ryoiku Sodan Centre in
Tokyo, said: "Among many other compelling lines of evidence, the
continuous increase in the incidence of pervasive developmental
disorders after cessation of use of MMR vaccine in a northern district
of Yokohama, Japan, and of thimerosal-containing vaccine use in
Denmark, is a strong and overwhelming refutation."
Dr Jurita added that genetic factors were the most important cause of
autism, but "no study has ever clarified the rising prevalence of
pervasive developmental disorders from this aspect."
Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, director of the Autism Research Centre in
Cambridge, said:
"This new study establishes that autism spectrum conditions are no
longer rare. Service planning is needed to adjust to these new
prevalence rates, so that the education, health, and related systems
can meet the needs of people on the autistic spectrum."
Paul Shattock, co-founder of the Autism Research Unit at Sunderland
University, said he had a list of a dozen possibilities driving the
increase.
Shattock said: "These include increasing use of pesticides,
antibiotics, vaccines and diet. Jamie Oliver succeeded in drawing
attention to children's diets and we need to look at what pregnant
women are eating.
"There is a changing pattern in autism and these factors will interact
differently with genetic vulnerability today, compared with 40 years
ago.
"This study, by a greatly respected team, confirms a rising trend. We
accept asthma and peanut allergy is affecting more children and, as
the brain is the most sensitive organ in the body, changes in the
environment are very likely to have such an impact."
Until the 1990s, the figure of four or five cases of autism per 10,000
people was widely accepted - going up to 20 cases if typical ASD
problems were included - but there has been growing evidence and
anecdotal reports that the true level is substantially higher.
In total, Professor Baird's study showed that autistic disorders
affected 116 per 10,000 children - which is about one in 86. Professor
Baird said the study did not include children with attention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder.
She said: "Whether the increase is due to better ascertainment,
broadening diagnostic criteria, or increased incidence is unclear. We
know autism is highly genetic but this does not rule out environmental
influences, and some researchers are looking at testosterone levels in
the pre-natal period.
Professor Baird said parents wanted more investigation of possible
treatments, including the use of gluten-free and other diets, but her
team had failed to find funding for a trial.
Shattock said basic genetic research was important but more effort
should be put into testing which interventions helped children
diagnosed with autism, including diet.
Britain's National Autistic Society (NAS) said the study's findings
fitted in with its own estimates of the incidence of ASD - and the
need for improved services - but it was unclear why more cases were
being seen.
Mike Collins, the NAS' head of Education, said: "Current provision for
those with the disability is deeply inadequate given the scale of the
need. Government and local authorities must ensure that education,
health and social services are adequately funded and all staff
appropriately trained in order to meet the needs of those living with
the disability and their families.
"Autism is a life-long disability and, when an individual's needs are
not met, the long- term consequences, both financially and for the
individual's well-being, are profound."
Sandra Dewar spent five years coping with criticism from teachers and
parents over her son's behaviour - before he was finally diagnosed
with Asperger's syndrome, a mild form of autism.
Stewart, now aged 13, struggled at nursery and mainstream school. He
was denied the help he could have had if his problems had been
recognised earlier.
"My friend was the first to suggest Stewart was autistic when he was
aged two," says Dewar. "Overnight, he changed into this boy who
didn't want to play, wouldn't settle, ran around and screamed. He
didn't talk till he was three-and-a-half."
When Stewart went to nursery, his behaviour did not improve. He could
not mix with the other children and would attack them. The head of the
nursery suggested he should have behavioural management. He started
school at the age of five and was nearly expelled in the first week.
His mother says: "He was suspended a couple of times, I was in and out
of the headmistress's office and other parents were abusive to me."
She still did not know what was wrong and, a year later, she broke
down at her GP's under the strain. Stewart was referred for specialist
assessment - a battery of tests and interviews which lasted months. A
year later, at age seven, he was diagnosed with Asperger's and two
years after that, his mother transferred him to a school for pupils
with special needs.
Today, Stewart, who has a high IQ, is doing well academically and is
expected to take his maths and science GCSEs a year early. But his
social skills are those of a child half his age and he has no friends.
Dewar says: "If he had been diagnosed before he started school at age
five, we would have been spared all that harassment. There are
programmes that can help children like Stewart, but the earlier they
start the better. When everyone is against you it is hellish. It is
easy to see why some parents become suicidal."
(Sources: The Guardian, BBC News Online, The Independent, Daily Mail,
July 14, 2006)
Note from Ilena Rosenthal: That the quackwatch / healthfraud teams
fill usenet and the blogworld with their CERTAINTY that vaccinations
never cause autism, is, in my humble opinion, pure & utter quackery.
That they use a disbarred attorney (The Probe / Mark Probert) and a
wantabee pediatrician (Jeff P Utz who never was able to be awarded a
NON restricted medical license) and a cowardly surgeon, David H Gorski
(who so humbly calls himself "ORAC KNOWS)" to spread their quacky
conclusions tells much about the desperation of this vaccination
propaganda team.
cui bono? (who benefits but the Vac Industry???)
www.BreastImplantAwareness.org/QuackWatchWatch.htm
http://www.awares.org/pkgs/news/news.asp?showItemID=670&board=&bbcode=&profileCode=§ion=
EXCERPT: Paul Shattock, co-founder of the Autism Research Unit at
Sunderland University, said he had a list of a dozen possibilities
driving the increase.
Shattock said: "These include increasing use of pesticides,
antibiotics, vaccines and diet. Jamie Oliver succeeded in drawing
attention to children's diets and we need to look at what pregnant
women are eating.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LONDON, UK: Childhood autism is much more widespread in Britain than
previously thought, according to a comprehensive survey of school-age
children published on July 14.
Doctors at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals in south London screened
children aged nine and 10 and diagnosed autism or related disorders in
more than 1 per cent. The figure suggests autism is 25 times more
common than the four to five cases per 10,000 people widely accepted
in the 1990s.
Writing in the British medical journal, The Lancet, Professor Gillian
Baird, who led the study, called for local authorities to acknowledge
the additional support people with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs)
require.
"Services in health, education and social care will need to recognise
the needs of children with some form of ASD, who constitute 1 per cent
of the child population," she said.
The study sheds no light on whether the number of children born with
autism is rising. Instead, the higher levels are believed to reflect a
large number of cases that would previously have gone unrecognised.
Autism is diagnosed using behavioural and psychological tests, but the
criteria have broadened in recent years as doctors have included
related disorders such as Asperger's syndrome.
"The core feature is an impairment in social interaction, so there's a
difficulty with social relationships, and that can range from being
withdrawn and aloof to simply not fitting in very easily," said
Professor Baird. "In previous years, most children who had a diagnosis
of autism would perhaps have some learning difficulties, but we're now
recognising autism in young people who don't have learning
difficulties and indeed are very capable."
The researchers from Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals looked at a group
of 57,000 children aged nine and 10 in 2001. They identified 255 who
had already been diagnosed as having autistic disorders and 1,515
judged to be possible undetected cases. A randomly selected sub-group
of 255 children were chosen for in-depth clinical assessment.
The prevalence of "classic" childhood autism was 39 per 10,000, and
that of other ASDs 77 per 10,000. In total, autistic disorders
affected 116 per 10,000 children.
The researchers extrapolated their findings to suggest that one in 100
British children may have some form of autism.
Professor Baird said: "Prevalence of autism and related ASDs is
substantially higher than previously recognised. Whether the increase
is due to better ascertainment, broadening diagnostic criteria, or
increased incidence is unclear.
"Services in health, education, and social care will need to recognise
the needs of children with some form of ASD, who constitute 1 per cent
of the child population."
But experts said there was no evidence to link the increase in cases
to the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) jab or thimerosal, a vaccine
preservative which uses mercury.
In a commentary, Hiroshi Kurita, of the Zenkoku Ryoiku Sodan Centre in
Tokyo, said: "Among many other compelling lines of evidence, the
continuous increase in the incidence of pervasive developmental
disorders after cessation of use of MMR vaccine in a northern district
of Yokohama, Japan, and of thimerosal-containing vaccine use in
Denmark, is a strong and overwhelming refutation."
Dr Jurita added that genetic factors were the most important cause of
autism, but "no study has ever clarified the rising prevalence of
pervasive developmental disorders from this aspect."
Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, director of the Autism Research Centre in
Cambridge, said:
"This new study establishes that autism spectrum conditions are no
longer rare. Service planning is needed to adjust to these new
prevalence rates, so that the education, health, and related systems
can meet the needs of people on the autistic spectrum."
Paul Shattock, co-founder of the Autism Research Unit at Sunderland
University, said he had a list of a dozen possibilities driving the
increase.
Shattock said: "These include increasing use of pesticides,
antibiotics, vaccines and diet. Jamie Oliver succeeded in drawing
attention to children's diets and we need to look at what pregnant
women are eating.
"There is a changing pattern in autism and these factors will interact
differently with genetic vulnerability today, compared with 40 years
ago.
"This study, by a greatly respected team, confirms a rising trend. We
accept asthma and peanut allergy is affecting more children and, as
the brain is the most sensitive organ in the body, changes in the
environment are very likely to have such an impact."
Until the 1990s, the figure of four or five cases of autism per 10,000
people was widely accepted - going up to 20 cases if typical ASD
problems were included - but there has been growing evidence and
anecdotal reports that the true level is substantially higher.
In total, Professor Baird's study showed that autistic disorders
affected 116 per 10,000 children - which is about one in 86. Professor
Baird said the study did not include children with attention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder.
She said: "Whether the increase is due to better ascertainment,
broadening diagnostic criteria, or increased incidence is unclear. We
know autism is highly genetic but this does not rule out environmental
influences, and some researchers are looking at testosterone levels in
the pre-natal period.
Professor Baird said parents wanted more investigation of possible
treatments, including the use of gluten-free and other diets, but her
team had failed to find funding for a trial.
Shattock said basic genetic research was important but more effort
should be put into testing which interventions helped children
diagnosed with autism, including diet.
Britain's National Autistic Society (NAS) said the study's findings
fitted in with its own estimates of the incidence of ASD - and the
need for improved services - but it was unclear why more cases were
being seen.
Mike Collins, the NAS' head of Education, said: "Current provision for
those with the disability is deeply inadequate given the scale of the
need. Government and local authorities must ensure that education,
health and social services are adequately funded and all staff
appropriately trained in order to meet the needs of those living with
the disability and their families.
"Autism is a life-long disability and, when an individual's needs are
not met, the long- term consequences, both financially and for the
individual's well-being, are profound."
Sandra Dewar spent five years coping with criticism from teachers and
parents over her son's behaviour - before he was finally diagnosed
with Asperger's syndrome, a mild form of autism.
Stewart, now aged 13, struggled at nursery and mainstream school. He
was denied the help he could have had if his problems had been
recognised earlier.
"My friend was the first to suggest Stewart was autistic when he was
aged two," says Dewar. "Overnight, he changed into this boy who
didn't want to play, wouldn't settle, ran around and screamed. He
didn't talk till he was three-and-a-half."
When Stewart went to nursery, his behaviour did not improve. He could
not mix with the other children and would attack them. The head of the
nursery suggested he should have behavioural management. He started
school at the age of five and was nearly expelled in the first week.
His mother says: "He was suspended a couple of times, I was in and out
of the headmistress's office and other parents were abusive to me."
She still did not know what was wrong and, a year later, she broke
down at her GP's under the strain. Stewart was referred for specialist
assessment - a battery of tests and interviews which lasted months. A
year later, at age seven, he was diagnosed with Asperger's and two
years after that, his mother transferred him to a school for pupils
with special needs.
Today, Stewart, who has a high IQ, is doing well academically and is
expected to take his maths and science GCSEs a year early. But his
social skills are those of a child half his age and he has no friends.
Dewar says: "If he had been diagnosed before he started school at age
five, we would have been spared all that harassment. There are
programmes that can help children like Stewart, but the earlier they
start the better. When everyone is against you it is hellish. It is
easy to see why some parents become suicidal."
(Sources: The Guardian, BBC News Online, The Independent, Daily Mail,
July 14, 2006)