Week in Review
Last week was an exciting week for Autism news so I could not pass up on a week in review. Although my focus was on Early Intervention last week other bloggers like Autism Vox, were focusing in on Thimerosal again, the Trial of Karen McCarron, and Gene deletion…all HUGE topics.
Thimerosal- The New York Times reports that autism cases are still on the rise despite the removal of thimerosal (except in some flu shots). Doctors said that the latest study added to the evidence against a link between thimerosal exposure and the risk of autism and that it should reassure parents that vaccinations do not cause autism. If there was a risk, the doctors said, autism rates should have dropped from 2004 to 2007.
Science Daily states that insufficient time has passed to make judgment on the claim.
Trial of Karen McCarron- McCarron is accused of suffocating her daughter, Katie, with a plastic bag in May of 2006. Apparently, McCarron thought her life would be perfect without her autistic daughter. McCarron’s defense is not guilty by reason of insanity.
Gene Deletion -The New England Journal of Medicine published a study that states “Autism spectrum disorder is a heritable developmental disorder in which chromosomal abnormalities are thought to play a role.” They have identified a gene deletion in %1 of their study. Although it is only %1 of their entire study some say that it is significant, as “The rate of the chromosome alteration in a group of normally developing people was one in 10,000. “The analysis tells us that this is a very strong risk factor for autism, increasing the risk by ten- to a hundred-fold,” said the study’s senior author, Mark J. Daly, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard and Massachusetts General Hospital.”
Parents Approve Paddling? On December 6th the parents of Austin Andrews signed a permission slip to allow the teachers to paddle him if he needed discipline for his aggressive behavior. He came home with whelps and he has not been back to school since. Austin has autism, is nonverbal, and is aggressive.
Word Press, Technorati, autism news, week in review, thimerosal, paddling, Karen, katie, mccarron, gene deletion, early intervention, Tags
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