WebMD recently reported that children living in areas with high precipitation may be more likely to have autism spectrum disorders. In a study published in the November 2008 issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, Cornell University researchers found that rates of autism increased as amounts of precipitation increased.

“If there were no rain, the autism rate would be a third lower according to our analysis,” said co-author of the study Sean Nicholson, Ph.D.

Does this mean that rain could be a cause of autism? No, not quite - but the study certainly suggests that a child’s environment plays a role in the development of autism. Children who live in rainy areas spend more time indoors, where they’re exposed to less sunlight, more chemicals, and other potential environmental triggers.

(continue reading…)

Information provided by TACA Foundation, www.talkaboutcuringautism.org

Not a day goes by that a family with a beloved child affected by autism wonder “How will I afford what my child needs?” The costs of raising, educating, treating and caring for a child with autism can be $10,000 to $100,000 or more annually. Lifetime costs vary from $3,000,000 to $7,000,000 depending on the unique issues to the individual. That is a lot for any one family to shoulder. The goal of this outline is to provide information to parents by parents on where to start with funding options available to a family with a special needs child.

The process of navigating the “system” of services and assistance in place to support families with special needs children can be frustrating and extremely time consuming. Financial planning is crucial to the process. What is also frustrating is (continue reading…)

• 1 in 150 children
• 4:1 ratio of boys to girls
• 1 in 98 boys
• Fastest growing developmental disability
• 100 billion annual costs
• In ten years the annual costs are projected at 200-400 billion.
• Cost of lifelong care can be reduced by 2/3rds with early intervention
• A family with a child with autism will fund 3 to 5 million dollars of services throughout the lifetime of the child.
• More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than cancer, diabetes, Downs Syndrome and AIDS combined.
• Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of most of the more prevalent childhood disorders.
• Approximately 1 million individuals in the US have autism

(continue reading…)

by Barbara Loe Fisher from www.nvic.org e-newsletter

On Nov. 14, 1986, President Ronald Reagan signed the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 into law, instituting first-time vaccine safety reforms in the U.S. vaccination system and creating the first no-fault federal vaccine injury compensation program alternative to a lawsuit against vaccine manufacturers and pediatricians. Twenty-two years later, on Nov. 18, 2008, I made a statement to the Advisory Commission on Childhood Vaccines (ACCV) and questioned whether the compensation program is fatally flawed and so broken that it should be repealed. Many parents are wondering whether it would be better to return to civil court without restrictions to sue vaccine manufacturers and doctors for injuries and deaths their children suffered after receiving federally recommended vaccines.

(continue reading…)

by Barbara Loe Fisher from www.NVIC.org

In another fit of pique aimed at the growing number of vaccine-educated parents questioning pediatricians about the safety of vaccines, the largest private medical organization representing medical doctors treating children - the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) - recently announced to its membership that it will fight doubting parents in their offices, in the media, on the internet and through a partnership with other wealthy and powerful organizations funded by a pharmaceutical industry committed to doing the same thing.

On May 30, the AAP leadership reports that it met with the leaders of 15 allied organizations in Elk Grove, Illinois to discuss the growing refusal (continue reading…)