Signs And Symptoms Of Autism

                

 

Parents suspect an abnormality in their children?s development around 18 months but see a doctor at the age of 2 of the child and the autistic disorder's only diagnosed at about 3-4 years when the child patient a lack of communication skills, lack of interest for social interaction, playing difficulties and a tendency towards aggressiveness to others and to themselves. In the regressive type of autism, children develop normally until the age of 2 when a pregnant regression of all the gained skills occurs.

Autistic patients are extremely sensitive to signals like sounds, light, smells, touch or taste. A hypersensitivity of the skin is sometimes marked by the refusal of wearing clothes that might injure their skin. They resist changes in their routine environment and can become aggressive if parents or caretakers try to force them into something. They can get really nervous when pushed to wear clothes that itch their sensitive skin.

The development of communication skills is insufficient to allow them start and maintain conversations. Their language is slow or absent, some words are repeated many times without any significance, nonsense rhyming can be observed and the pronoun inversion is typical for the autistic disorder. The attention is very shortly concentrated and they tend to use gestures and signs instead of words for communication.

Autistic children are unable to understand other person?s emotions and cannot understand why they feel differently about certain things. They even show types of empathy when people seem to know things that are unknown to them. They often have difficulties in making friends and are mostly withdrawn in their own personal worlds showing no interest to happenings around them. They usually prefer spending the time on their own; pay almost no attention to smiles and eye-contact.

All autism sufferers tend to mouth objects or rub surfaces and are extremely sensitive to light, sound, smell and touch. They are usually immune to pain and show little response to high painful stimuli. Autistic children do not react to loud noises but are highly irritated by some regular sounds like the one made by the vacuum cleaner. Physical contact is mostly overwhelming or over stimulating for them and they refuse cuddling, touching and kissing.

They show no interest for imaginative play and usually tend to repeat the playing actions of other children. They tend to prefer solitary and rithualic games with repetitive actions. Their high need for sameness and refusal of normal persons around them are all very obvious. They have repetitive movements of the body and demonstrate perseveration in obsessive interests. They show lack of common sense, aggression to others or themselves and even an overactive or a passive behavior.

For greater resources on Autism or especially about autism symptoms checklist please click this link http://www.autism-info-center.com/autism-symptoms-checklist.htm

Understanding Autism And Anxiety On Socialization

                

 

There are many things about autistic children that people generally do not understand, and there are also times when the parents are just as baffled as everyone else. There is a lot of information out there about autistic children, but much of it is conflicting. It?s hard to know what to believe and what pertains to an individual child. Parents naturally want what is best for their children, and they cannot stand to think that their children might be suffering. There can be huge problems with autism and anxiety on socialization for many families.

For a long time, children with autism have been misunderstood on one very essential point. It was long believed that autistic children did not have any desire to mingle with their peers. Parents would feel guilty about attempting socialization because they sensed the deep frustration and anxiety in their children. Trying to force children to play with other kids their age can be an exercise in torture for many autistic children.

Most children with this condition lack the basic skills they need to relate to their peers. They aren?t good at making or holding eye contact, they tend to center any conversations around themselves or on a narrow topic that interests them, and often have a hard time speaking to someone at all. Other children don?t ?get? them and most are not interested in trying to develop the relationship further.

Most parents were told for a long time that their children did not seek out this type of peer interaction. They were told their children would rather be alone, and that pushing them to socialize was harming them. Studies have proven this to be wrong. Many of these children do crave peer interaction, but they simply don?t have the tools to do it. This leads to mounting frustration and anxiety issues for both the child and that child?s parents.

Many autistic children show signs of wanting to stay away from peer socialization, and remain in the company of adults that they trust, or to be by themselves. This is not necessarily their wish, but because they have such a hard time with interactions, and the anxiety is so overwhelming, they withdrawal into their own place where everything is less stressful and right again.

They want to interaction, but it is often so painful they give up on it rather quickly. A child who is shoved into this type of social setting without preparation can suffer huge amounts of frustration, and the anxiety will be overwhelming. Knowing how to proceed with socialization is not something a parent knows instinctively. Even when they seek help, sometimes answers are just not there.

Because there is such a wide range of different problems for children with autism, they must each be treated and handled differently when it comes to socialization.

There are great programs that can help, but each does have its own set of drawbacks. There are special educational classes, but there are negatives to these and some parents don?t want to use them. Some can be in the regular classroom, but they are often singled out as ?different? and this can be very difficult for parent and child.

A proper evaluation and plan of action is essential when it comes to addressing the issues caused by autism and anxiety on socialization. Usually it comes down to a trial and error scenario before you find a method that suits your child and you. Re-adjustments might always be something that is necessary as time goes on.

By Rachel Evans. Sign up for a free newsletter about autistic and discover more on the signs and symptoms of autism

The Benefits Of Music Therapy For Autism

                

 

A professional who specializes in autism can suggest different treatment for autistic?s that can have a significant positive effect on their behavior. One such treatment is Music therapy.

Music therapy is a controlled music experience that is used to facilitate positive change in human behavior. Each session of music therapy is carefully planned, carried out, and evaluated to suit the specific needs of each patient. Music therapy can include any of the following musical activities:

? Listening to music and/or musical creation
? Playing musical instruments (any instrument can be used)
? Moving to music
? Singing

As far as autism is concerned, studies have shown that music therapy has a significant, positive influence when used to treat autistic individuals. Participating in music therapy allows autistics the opportunity to experience non-threatening outside stimulation, as they don?t engage in direct human contact.

As was previously mentioned, music therapy is made specific to each individual. This is extremely important, because what may be positively received by one autistic may be negative to another. That being said, let?s take a look at the positive influence music therapy has had on autistic individuals.
Music therapy -

Improved socio-emotional development: In the first steps of a relationship, autistics tend to physically ignore or reject the attempts of social contact made by others. Music therapy helps to stop this social withdrawal by an initial object relation with a musical instrument. Instead of seeing the instrument as threatening, autistic children are usually fascinated by the shape, feel and sound of it. Therefore, the musical instrument provides an initial point of contact between the autistic and the other individual by acting as an intermediary.

Assisted in both verbal and non-verbal communication ? When music therapy is used to aid in communication, its goal is to improve the production of vocalization and speech, as well as stimulate the mental process of comprehending, conceptualizing and symbolizing. A music therapist will attempt to establish a communicative relationship between the behavior of a child with autism and a specific sound. An autistic person may have an easier time recognizing or being more open to these sounds than they would to a verbal approach. This musical awareness, and the relationship between the autistics? actions and the music, has potential to encourage communication.

Another form of music therapy that may help with communication is to play a wind instrument (IE flute). It is thought that by playing such an instrument, you become aware of the functioning of your teeth, jaws, lips and tongue. Thus, playing a wind instrument almost mirrors the functioning required in order to produce speech vocalizations.

Encouraged emotional fulfillment ? Most autistics lack the ability to affectively respond to stimuli that would otherwise allow them to enjoy an appropriate emotional charge. Thus, since most autistics respond well to music stimuli, music therapy has been able to provide autistics with an environment that is free of fear, stimuli considered threatening, etc.

During a music therapy session, an autistic individual has the freedom to behave in specific ways that allow them to discover and express themselves when they want and choose. They can make noise, bang instruments, shout and express and experience the pleasure of emotional satisfaction.

Musical therapy has also helped autistic individuals by:

? Teaching social skills
? Improving language comprehension
? Encouraging the desire to communicate
? Making creative-self expression possible
? Reducing non-communicative speech
? Decreasing echolalia (uncontrolled and instant repetition of the words spoken by another)

Keep in mind that although music therapy can have positive effects on autistic individuals, it is vital that an autistic receives such treatment from a trained and experienced musical therapist.

For more help and advice regarding autism therapy please browse through the rest of the autism articles on the Essential Guide To Autism blog.

Positively Addressing Bedwetting And Autism 5 Tips You Can Try Today

                

 

Knowing how to effectively communicate with an autistic visual thinker is not the only challenge parents of autistic children face. Enuresis, commonly known as bedwetting, is another issue that may occur and needs to be dealt with in a patient and positive manner.

Why do some autistic kids have trouble when it comes to toilet training? There are different reasons, some of which include:

? Imitation difficulties

? Hypnotic condition ? A lack of muscle control and failing to react or recognize the urge to urinate.

? Not being aware of feeling wet can also complicate and delay toilet training.

? Damaged cerebellum and basal ganglia ? These are areas of the brain that are not formed correctly in autistic children, and are responsible for functions related to learning, motivation, cognition and movement control.

There are different methods to help your child overcome enuresis. However, the treatment that will work best depends on the child?s individual needs. In addition, you need to make sure your child can efficiently use the toilet during the day before working on controlling bedwetting.

The following are 5 tips you can try to help eliminate bedwetting:

1.Diet adjustment ? Diet intervention may help autistic children with bedwetting because many autistics are prone to allergies and have sensitivities to certain foods, because they have a damaged immune system.

Common food allergies that can lead to bedwetting include grain (IE wheat, oats, barley), dairy products, strawberries and citrus fruits. Aside from bedwetting, other symptoms caused by these foods may be stomachaches, nausea, whining, crying, hyperactivity, aggression, insomnia, and in rare cases, a seizure.

In order to find out if your child has an allergy, you will need to remove the food from their regular diet for about two weeks and then give it to them on an empty stomach. If allergic, they will have a reaction 15 minutes to an hour from the time they ingested the food. If a reaction occurs, then you know what food to eliminate. Note: consult your doctor before trying this treatment method.

2. Reduce fluids - Limit the amount of fluids you give your child before bed. Get your child used to having a drink an hour before bedtime, instead of right before it?s time to sleep. This will help reduce the chance of bedwetting.

3. Night-lifting ? This technique involves waking you child occasionally throughout the night and walking them to the bathroom to use the toilet, and returning them to their bed. Teaching your child to wake up and empty their bladder at various times during the night can help send the right message and improve toilet training.

4. Dry protection ? Absorbent underpants, a protector sheet and placing a protector pad between the sheets and mattress are all great ways to help a child feel dry at night while they are still learning how to develop control. Disposable, absorbent underpants help your child and you cope with bedwetting, by preventing pajamas and sheets from having to be washed when there is an accident. Furthermore, when using such protection, talk to your child about what the urge to urinate feels like.

5. Moisture Alarm ? This is a special alarm that clips on to the outside of bed sheets and activates as soon as the child begins to wet the bed. The idea is the alarm will wake the child who will then finish their business in the washroom before returning to sleep. Note: talk to your doctor about moisture alarms.

It takes time to stop your autistic child from bedwetting, but you need to stay persistent, patient and understanding even well after it appears the child has ceased enuresis as it is not uncommon for relapses to occur.

If you are looking for more help for Autism symptoms please visit EssentialGuideToAutism.com and sign up for a free newsletter.

My Child has Autism! What is My Role in His Education?

                

 

I am the proud mother of two young children that were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder a few years ago. One is now in grade one and the other will register for kindergarten in the spring.

As a teacher, I already had some experience with IEP (Individualized Educational Plan) meetings which helped me a great deal with my son?s first IEP. I was able to also inform my husband which also did a lot of research on the matter so he was already well prepared to face our son?s IEP.

Over the 17 years of teaching experience that I possess, I soon discovered that most parents tend to lack both information and confidence in their role and what type of services they can obtain for their child.

One of the sad things that I also have learned is that depending on the school, the services vary and if you do not ask for them, you will not necessarily have them offered to you either.

Both my children are situated on opposite ends of the spectrum, my daughter being on the higher end making her diagnosis ?light Autism? while my son is non-verbal which puts him on the lower end, diagnosed with ?moderate to severe Autism?.

Having both their special needs, they also need different services. For example, my daughter needed some physiotherapy but my son benefits from the use of the sensory room at school as he is hypersensitive in several areas.

What does the term ?special needs? really mean? Well, it simply means that your child needs special services and material to help him grow and reach his full potential in life. Henry Winkler, the actor known as the Fonz in Happy Days, who gave an amazing presentation as a keynote speaker at the NMSA (National Middle School Association) annual conference held at Minneapolis two years ago, explained his challenges with Dyslexia and the way education and his parents helped him out succeed in life. He also made it clear that his Dyslexia made him a child with special needs. This child has grown up as a successful man and actor cherished by his fans. One of the things that I remember the most is the fact that he thanked both educators and his parents for not giving up on him.

All this made me realize that the role of a parent of a child with ASD is not only to raise him with love and patience but also to provide him with the best services, materials and tools possible to help him live a full and happy life. And one of the multiple roles that a parent has to fill is the role of advocate. It does not matter if your child is verbal or not, if his diagnosis is light, moderate or severe on the spectrum. You have to remember that your child has a disorder that affect his communication skills and makes him unable to fend for himself. But foremost, your child is four going on five years old and sees you as his voice. The person that he can trust will fight for him, his best interests and his rights.

As your child advocate, it is not only your role to fight for your child but also to research the various schools, their services and all the opportunities that are available to your child. Do not enter the meeting room like a bull in a china shop as doors will be closing on you?and your child. Don?t be shy! Ask questions; investigate the various services that can be offered to your child. Meet with various school administrators, school divisions and the people responsible for the special needs programs.

For instance, in several schools where I taught, the following services which are provided in my son?s school were never an option there. Such services are: Music Therapy, occupational therapy activities including: bowling, skating and swimming, sensory room, physiotherapy equipment such as a swinging beam, a modified bike, a weighted vest, a special chair, a pressure vest, the use of PECS (Pictures Exchange Communication System), the participation to Special Olympics activities and more.

Another tip that I can give you is to set up a meeting with the administrator of your school prior to the first day of school. Share with them your child?s habits, needs and explain to them how to deal with their frustrations, hypersensitivities issues, needs, routines and more. Introduce your child to them. At the IEP meeting, ask them for the creation of a social story book to introduce your child to his new surroundings by looking at various pictures in advance: future teacher(s), classroom, gym, teacher aid, music room, sensory room, secretary, administrators, etc. You will see the level of anxiety diminishing in both your child and you.

Let your love for your child guide you. Be your child?s advocate and his voice.

If you wish to have more information on how to participate actively to an IEP meeting and other important matters and tips related to Autism, I encourage you to visit the following site: http://autism-spectrum-disorder.com Believe me, my husband and I would have appreciated to get all this information prior to our children's diagnosis of Autism.

Autism Education

                

 

Autism is basically a brain disorder wherein a child is unable to interact, communicate and acquire language like other kids. Sometimes, autism can be diagnosed in a child at birth while some children begin to show signs of autism at the age of three. Until today, there are still no clear and sure findings on what really causes this disorder. There are now ways to reverse autism. One such way is autism education.

Experts believe that giving proper education to your child with autism can help improve their conditions and develop their interaction skills. Autism education includes teaching methods such as simple color and shape recognition, word matching and the like. Mostly, autism education includes basic and simple methods so that your children can cope easily.

Important Pointers in Teaching your Child with Autism

There are a lot of factors to consider in autism education. First, if you are the one to teach them, you obviously have to be very patient. Never rush them, or they might get scared. Getting frustrated easily will not benefit you or your child.

Take away any kind of distractions in the room so you will gain their attention. Children with autism can be sidetracked by almost anything. You should store away conspicuous things such as brightly-colored toys or drawings that are not related to the topic you want to teach. Gather quality teaching materials and prepare detailed instructional procedures that can aid you in one-on-one communication.

It is also important to employ materials that are uniform so as not to get your child confused. It will also help if you include special videos, toys and games in your teaching.

Special Schools for Autism Education

Autism education is now among the major concerns of parents. Hence, several schools for autism have been founded. In these schools, complete learning procedures and therapy for rehabilitation are available.

If you want to send your child to one of these schools, it would be better if you research first. Look into what services the school offers and the track records that they have. If you cannot afford it, you might want to check out special autism foundations.

Autism provides detailed information on Autism, Autism Symptoms, Autism Treatments, Cause Of Autism and more. Autism is affiliated with Dyslexia Testing.

A Look at the Evolution of Autism Research

                

 

Pervasive developmental disorders first began to appear in the early 1980's. Pervasive development disorders like autism are relatively new on the diagnostic scene. Professionals use the DSM IV as the primary diagnostic tool to classify these disorders. Autism research and other studies dedicated to these modern disorders are still in their early stages.

Autism research has yet to make significant progress in uncovering the causes of the condition. Numerous professionals have spent countless hours, weeks, and even years in an effort to obtain significant results to expand our understanding of the disorder.

One in every 175 children are said to be diagnosed with autism or related pervasive development disorders. Last year's statistics show that one in every 166 was diagnosed.

This drop although positive, is sadly insignificant considering that only one in 10,000 was diagnosed about ten years ago. The alarming increase in the number of children who were diagnosed has increased the clamor for more autism research.

Recent autism research has discovered some valuable information about the disorder and the data can be organized into three major categories: causes, treatment, and cure.

The exact causes of the disorder are still unknown but some tests indicate that genetics may be responsible. However, more information are still being gathered and results so far have been inconclusive.

Some experts have proposed that the cause of the disorder lies in vaccination shots, specifically MMR vaccines that were administered to infants when they were around eighteen months of age. However, no autism research has supported this claim and the debate about the disorder continue.

Fortunately, research has helped determine what treatments might work best for this population. Programs like Applied Behavior Analysis have proven to be successful in treating some cases of autism. Some agencies across the country use a combination of strategies and interventions to aid children and adults to function to the best of their capacity.

The efforts of experts and researchers involved in autism research have not yet found a cure. This disorder are still a mystery even to the most knowledgeable doctors in the world. It continues to frustrate numerous professionals, parents, and care givers who are eager to put autism and related pervasive developmental disorders to rest.

The treatment for autistic disorders has come a long way. Our understanding of the problem has grown almost as quickly as the rate of diagnosis. Hopefully, autism research will come up with more answers to help children and adults around the world just as quickly.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Autism Research. Visit our site for more helpful information about Autism Research and other similar topics.

Choosing an Autism Treatment Center

                

 

I don't have experience with?using Autism treatment centers?for ABA programs; but, in our area, more clinics are opening, so these opportunities are present for parents now.? I can't speak to the structure or scenarios that are best to look for when choosing a clinic, if you go that direction, but I can tell you what you should look for in a consultant regardless of the setting.

Consultants, whether in a clinic or at home, should provide the following at minimum:

1. Ongoing analysis of your child, his programming and behavior.

2. Knowledge of multiple training procedures for training the same thing?( each child is different. One size does not fit all.)

3. A high prioritized systematic approach for data collection and it's use.

4. Training and honest critique of your child's therapists.

5. Regular team meetings (two to three times?a month) with therapists and parents present.

6. In home visits for training for the carry through of clinic principles in the home.

7. Ongoing training of parents in behavioral principles.

8. Regular (once to twice a month) meetings with the parents to address concerns.

9. An ear to listen and a heart to include parents as a major?partner in decision making for their child.

10. A positive outlook for the children and a determination to help each child reach his and her best outcome

Good luck in your pursuit of treatment for your child.

My heart is with you,

Katherine Lee

Katherine Lee is a highly regarded consultant in the areas of Applied Behavior Analysis and & Relationship Development Intervention. She is author to numerous columns on Autism, ABA and RDI. Join Kat for her popular WEBLOG- "'Reality ABA' - An Online Autism Diary" at http://www.autismtreatment.info/reality+aba.aspx

Trade-Off - Vaccine Maker Profits = Autism

                

 

In 1997, Congress passed the FDA Modernization Act, which required the FDA to review all drugs that contained mercury and determine their adverse effects on humans. For many years, Thimerosal, a mercury-based preservative, was added to childhood vaccines in multi-dose bottles, basically to increase profits for vaccine makers.

Its important to know that Thimerosal is not a necessary component for vaccines. If they are packaged in single dose vials, the preservative is not needed. There is mounting evidence, that shows our government knew about the dangers of adding Thimerosal to vaccines. Research by WFAA-TV revealed that the FDA began asking questions about the dangers as far back as 1972. By 1992, the preservative had been removed from dog vaccines and contact lens solutions because of its risks. And yet the government refused to order its removal from childhood vaccines for 10 more years.

In 2000, the FDA determined that infants were receiving much more mercury than was considered safe under EPA guidelines. A twelve-to-fourteen month old child, receiving the mandated vaccines under the Immunization Schedule, often received four to six shots during one doctor visit. Consequently over time, the child would be injected with as much as 40 times the amount of mercury considered safe.

Twenty years ago, autism only affected one in 10,000 children. However, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, by January 2004, the incidence of autism rose to one in every 166 children. The Autism Autoimmunity Project reports that the disorder strikes 1 in 150 (or 1 in 68 families) today.

During the 1990s, some 40 million children were vaccinated and the number of Thimerosal containing vaccines given to children nearly tripled, and the financial rewards to drug companies as a result of the drastic increase were enormous. However, as the number of vaccines increased, autism rates inexplicably increased tenfold, according to the Spring issue of Mother Jones in 2004.

State by state statistics produced by the Department of Education, for the number of children aged 6-21 who have autism, compared the increase in cases over the 12-year period between 1992-93 and 2003-04, and the results were horrendous. In my home state of Ohio, in 1992-93 there were 22 cases of autism, in 2003-04 there were 5146 cases, or a 23,291% increase. In Illinois, there were only 5 cases 12 years ago, while there were 6005 in 2003-04. Mississippi had no cases of autism 12 years ago, but had 622 in 2003-04. Wisconsin had 18 cases in 1992-93 and 3259 cases in 2003-04.

Eli Lilly introduced Thimerosal in the 1930s with very little safety testing. According to a congressional report, a 1935 Eli Lilly internal document noted that Thimerosal was considered unsatisfactory as a serum for use on dogs. The product has been on Californias Proposition 65 list of known reproductive and developmental toxins for over a decade.

Its difficult to believe that anyone would by now even try to say there is no correlation between autism and the bombardment of mercury into the brains of children through their vaccinations in the 1990s.

Profits Over Safety

Autism is a source of devastation for the entire families. For some reason, it is 4 times more common in males than females, according to the Cure Autism Now Foundation. It involves a wide range of mild to severe symptoms, but each case seems to have 3 common symptoms: communication problems, impaired social relationships, and unusual patterns of behavior.

Autistic children develop unusual behaviors, such as twitching their fingers repeatedly, rocking, spinning, or rolling their eyes. A child may be progressing normally, but then begin to regress, losing speech, social skills and physical abilities.

Over the 1990s, parents and doctors began to notice that the onset of autism often followed the injection of vaccines with Thimerosal. At the turn of the century, Congress got involved in the debate. A House Government Reform Committee discovered a lack of research into the link between the increase in autism and childhood vaccines.

At that time, Republican committee chairman, Dan Burton of Indiana, noted that there were numerous conflicts of interest between federal research teams, policy-makers, regulators, health care agencies, and the vaccine makers who seemingly had the ability to influence decisions made by the FDA and CDC, regarding vaccines.

A four-month investigation by United Press International, determined that many members of the CDC's Vaccine Advisory Committee had obvious conflicts of interest with vaccine makers through relationships that included: sharing a vaccine patent; owning stock in a vaccine company; payments for research; getting money to monitor manufacturer vaccine tests; and funding academic departments. UPI also found that the CDC had 28 licensing agreements with drug companies, and one university, for vaccines or vaccine-related products, and had eight on-going projects to collaborate on new vaccines.

Burton's committee specifically zeroed in on the increasing numbers of vaccines children had been given over the past 15 years and the correlating rise in autism all over the country. During a hearing on June 20, 2002, Burton repeatedly asked FDA and CDC officials what they knew and when they knew it. And when their memories appeared lost, Burton produced agency memos to refresh them.

One 1999 internal FDA memo stated that the FDA had an "interim plan ... already in place for many years" to get rid of Thimerosal. Wording in the same memo revealed the FDA's fear that it will be accused of being "asleep at the switch for decades, by allowing a dangerous compound to remain in childhood vaccines."

In 2001, the CDC commissioned the Institute of Medicine to examine the Thimerosal-autism connection. The IOMs first analysis found the hypothesis biologically plausible and called for further research. But a reanalysis by the IOM in 2004 rejected any link.

According to nomercury.orgs Lujene Clark, IOM committee meeting transcripts were leaked to outside parties and suggest that CDC officials pressured committee members to issue a finding rejecting any link.

The CDC contracted and paid for this series of reports from the IOM, says Clark. They made it very clear that they wanted the IOM to give the nod, to say that We see no problems. Thats very, very frightening, according to Illinois Times on Feb 24, 2005.

Burton has even gone so far as to hint at bringing criminal charges if it turns out that government agencies were complicit with the drug companies in a cover-up. "Look, I don't think it makes any difference whether it's a private company or a government agency," Burton said. "If they know they're harming somebody and they continue to let it happen, then they should be held accountable."

There's no doubt that the drug companies knew of the dangers. The LA Times recently released a 1991 internal memo from the pharmaceutical company, Merck, that proves the company knew back then that the overuse of mercury in vaccines posed a dangerous health threat to children. The memo noted that 6-month-old children who received their shots on schedule would get a mercury dose up to 87 times higher than guidelines for the maximum daily consumption of mercury from fish.

In a 2003 committee report titled Mercury in Medicine, Burton concluded: It should be crystal-clear by now that mercury is a toxic substance that does not belong in pediatric vaccines, based on expert testimony and research from leading universities.

Bush Could Issue An Executive Order

Prior to the election, the advocacy group, Unlocking Autism, asked President Bush to state his position on Thimerosal. On Feb 25, 2005, the group issued an open letter to Bush reminding him that he expressed full support for the removal of mercury from childhood vaccines in a written response from the Republican National Committee dated September 22, 2004. The group requested that Bush issue an Executive Order completely banning the use mercury for pregnant women and children under the age of 18.

The group maintains that Bush has a duty to communicate his position on the removal of mercury from vaccines to other Republicans in Congress now that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) has introduced Senate Bill 3, which would immunize drug companies from all liability for vaccine-related autism caused by mercury poisoning.

"The fact that President Bush stated before the election that mercury should be removed childhood vaccines means he believes thimerosal could, in fact, cause harm. If the President ... supports the removal of mercury from childhood vaccines, then surely he cannot support legislation that protects drug companies from accountability for the injuries caused by mercury," said Shelley Reynolds, President of Unlocking Autism.

SafeMinds is a leading autism advocacy organization fighting to ban mercury from all medicines and to promote treatment research for those who have already been injured.

On Feb 28, 2005, SafeMinds announced its opposition to the bill HR 650, "The Vaccine Accessibility for Children and Seniors Act of 2005." The group maintains that the title of the bill is deceptive in that it imposes barriers to legal remedies for the vaccine-injured.

According to Lyn Redwood, President of Safe Minds, "Each time legislation is introduced to protect the vaccine industry from product liability it is hidden behind a nice title or buried inside legislative minutia," she said "In 2002 legislators attempted a comparable end run on our civil rights by inserting similar language in the Homeland Security Bill, literally in the dark of night. Only when the American people spoke up in outrage was the move repealed.

"When faulty tires on SUVs were rampant, legislators didn't recommend that the tire or automotive manufacturers be protected from litigation," Redwood said, "it is beyond comprehension that when there are increased questions about vaccine injury that legislators would introduce legislation to take away American's rights."

Evelyn Pringle
e.pringle@sbcglobal.net
Miamisburg OH

(Evelyn Pringle is a columnist for Independent Media TV and an investigative journalist focused on exposing government corruption)