A cure for autism?

[Ham Murabi]

I don't want to get anyone's hopes up if they have an autistic child, but this is worth a read.

Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

VIN SUPRYNOWICZ: Success in treating autism?


On May 24 in San Francisco, more than 150 parents of autistic children launched a new nonprofit outfit, Generation Rescue, coordinating their announcement with a full-page ad in that day's USA Today, offering the eye-catching message (twice) that "Autism is preventable and reversible."

"Today, 1 in 166 children is diagnosed with autism," the ad went on. "It is critical that we have all the facts about this epidemic, including recent developments about autism's relationship to mercury poisoning and how the right detoxification treatment can entirely reverse the disorder. To find out more about this life-changing news, go to www.generationrescue.org. ..."

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"Generation Rescue parents are successfully treating their children biomedically and removing mercury from their bodies through a safe and proven detoxification treatment known as chelation therapy," explains spokesgal Anne Purdy.

The outfit's Web site, www.generationrescue.org, opens with a 2004 quote from Indiana Congressman Dan Burton: "During these investigations, numerous scientists from around the globe have testified before the committee, and have presented credible peer-reviewed research studies that indicated a direct link between the exposure of mercury, a widely known neurotoxin, and the increasing incidences of autism."

The site also provides treatment information and connects parents with more than 150 "Rescue Angels," parents who are treating their own autistic children using a variety of individualized medical interventions.

"Our message for parents is very simple: Autism is reversible," explains J.B. Handley, one of the organization's founding parents and father of a son diagnosed with autism.

"I see every day with my own eyes how my son Jamie is recovering from what was previously perceived as an untreatable disorder. With the removal of mercury, Jamie's autistic symptoms go away. He got a second chance at life, and we want to let other parents who are struggling out there know it's possible to get their children back."

In Royal Palm, Fla., Charlie Hoover's 7-year-old son, Lenny, suffered classic symptoms of autism: spinning in circles, repetitive behaviors and tantrums. "After Lenny's diagnosis, the more I read, the more the knot in my stomach tightened," Hoover explains. "It was as if our son had died."

But after chelation therapy rid Lenny's body of mercury, his father contends his symptoms disappeared. Lenny, who loves to play T-ball, is now enrolled in regular kindergarten.

"If your child got lead poisoning from eating paint chips, you would certainly do something about that," Hoover says. "What's the difference between mercury and lead?"

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimate of more than 1 in 166 children diagnosed with autism is up from 1 in 2,500 since the 1970s -- a time frame that parallels an enormous increase in the number of childhood vaccinations recommended here in America, vaccines which to this day can contain mercury-based thimerosal preservative (though the stuff has been removed from veterinary vaccines, having been judged unsafe for pets).

But the CDC -- which has actually terminated research into any links between autism and heavy metal poisoning (see my columns of Sept. 12 through Sept. 26, 2004) -- still contends autism is an untreatable, lifelong disorder.

"For years we have heard the experts say that autism is a lifelong disability," explains Bernard Rimland, Ph.D., director of the San Diego-based Autism Research Institute and co-founder of "Defeat Autism Now!" a nationwide network of doctors who treat autistic patients.

"This simply is not true anymore, thanks to effective biomedic," Mr. Rimland contends.

Mercury lodges in the cells of the brain and other organs and can lead to central nervous system damage and crippling neurological disorders. Workers who used to rub mercury into the felt to create the rounded rims and crowns of men's hats often retired at a fairly early age with debilitating tremors and psychiatric symptoms, leading to the familiar phrase "mad as a hatter."

"The symptoms of early infant mercury poisoning and autism are virtually identical," argues Dr. Boyd Haley, chairman of the chemistry department at the University of Kentucky. "Furthermore, research indicates that autistic children genetically have a harder time excreting mercury from their bodies. This is why chelation has become such a powerful key for unlocking and undoing the disorders associated with autism."

Chelation has been used for decades to detoxify people who ingest dangerous levels of heavy metals in industrial accidents. In autism treatments, chelating "agents" may be administered orally or transdermally. Once in the bloodstream, the chelating agent binds to the heavy metals and helps carry them out of the body.

"Chelation is one of the most effective ways to rid autistic children of the mercury poisoning which is at the root of their disorder," explains Lynne Mielke, M.D., a Pleasanton, Calif., physician who's part of the "DAN" network. "The number of doctors who realize chelation's benefits for the chronic metal toxicity found in autism is rapidly growing."

"Too often parents believe the outdated myth that autism is not treatable or reversible. We're here to tell them otherwise," concludes parent J.B. Handley.


Vin Suprynowicz is assistant editorial page editor of the Review-Journal. He is the author of "The Ballad of Carl Drega" and a new novel, "The Black Arrow." His Web site is www.TheLibertarian.us.


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[JustSkye]

Thank you so much for this, Ham. I'm going to pass this along.

 

[Ham Murabi]

I wasn't expecting much feedback on this. I am aware, however, of some Litsters who have autistic children, though I can't remember them.
If you read this piece and know someone who has an autistic child, if you think it's worthwhile go ahead and C&P and forward. That was my intent when I started this thread.

 

[Killswitch]

I hope they find a cure for every thing wrong on the planet.

That being said Im not sure I buy their claims that 1 out of every 166 born are "diagnosed" with autism.

 

[Ham Murabi]

Thank you so much for this, Ham. I'm going to pass this along.

That was my intent.

 

[JustSkye]

It was a very good article. I'm wondering too, how many immunize their children because the states say they have to. It's not a must.
My youngest almost died from her first set and no one would believe me that something was wrong.
And growing up I had a friend who's brother had to be immunized twice against polio I believe, due to a paperwork mix up and ended up being a vegetable for life.
I no longer her immunized unless it's for flu or something of that nature. Most don't know it, but you can sign a waiver to not have to do this. Many of them are not necessary.

 

[Ham Murabi]

It was a very good article. I'm wondering too, how many immunize their children because the states say they have to. It's not a must.
My youngest almost died from her first set and no one would believe me that something was wrong.
And growing up I had a friend who's brother had to be immunized twice against polio I believe, due to a paperwork mix up and ended up being a vegetable for life.
I no longer her immunized unless it's for flu or something of that nature. Most don't know it, but you can sign a waiver to not have to do this. Many of them are not necessary.

Years ago in another state I knew of a young girl who became paralyzed after being vaccinated for polio. I can't remember the diagnosis (it wasn't polio), but I know a whole lot of people were suspicious of what the docs were saying was wrong with her.

 

[smartandsexy]

It was a very good article. I'm wondering too, how many immunize their children because the states say they have to. It's not a must.
My youngest almost died from her first set and no one would believe me that something was wrong.
And growing up I had a friend who's brother had to be immunized twice against polio I believe, due to a paperwork mix up and ended up being a vegetable for life.
I no longer her immunized unless it's for flu or something of that nature. Most don't know it, but you can sign a waiver to not have to do this. Many of them are not necessary.

There's been a huge debate in the UK about the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine and possible links with autism and inflammatory bowel disease. There is no proven link, but many people are concerned about the possibility. MMR is given on the NHS but separate vaccines have to be done privately.

To my mind, mumps is harmless for a little girl, so that vaccination is unecessary - it's up to the parents of little boys to make sure they're protected. Similarly, rubella is dangerous for pregnant women, not children. Of course, if I had a child, I would do plenty of research before making a decision, but it would seem only measles is important for a girl, and measles and mumps for a boy.

Sadly, it's still largely frowned upon to question the 'wisdom' of medical professionals, but thankfully that's slowly changing.

 

[peachykeen]

There's been a huge debate in the UK about the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine and possible links with autism and inflammatory bowel disease. There is no proven link, but many people are concerned about the possibility. MMR is given on the NHS but separate vaccines have to be done privately.

To my mind, mumps is harmless for a little girl, so that vaccination is unecessary - it's up to the parents of little boys to make sure they're protected. Similarly, rubella is dangerous for pregnant women, not children. Of course, if I had a child, I would do plenty of research before making a decision, but it would seem only measles is important for a girl, and measles and mumps for a boy.

Sadly, it's still largely frowned upon to question the 'wisdom' of medical professionals, but thankfully that's slowly changing.

There WAS huge debate here in the UK, but it is an issue that has largely run its course - since the theory linkin the MMR vaccine to autism has been shown to be scientifically unsound and invalid time and time and time and time again. Even the doctor who first proposed the link, and argued vociferously for more research, has since reetradcted his initial findings in light of the more recent investigations disproving any link.

As one of those board members with an autistic family member, believe me, nothing would make me happier than to "know" what was "wrong" with my nephew. This particular theory, though, is one I cannot (having examined many of the reports and studies myself and along with colleagues, for an exhibition on the subject for work) support.

 

[smartandsexy]

There WAS huge debate here in the UK, but it is an issue that has largely run its course - since the theory linkin the MMR vaccine to autism has been shown to be scientifically unsound and invalid time and time and time and time again. Even the doctor who first proposed the link, and argued vociferously for more research, has since reetradcted his initial findings in light of the more recent investigations disproving any link.

As one of those board members with an autistic family member, believe me, nothing would make me happier than to "know" what was "wrong" with my nephew. This particular theory, though, is one I cannot (having examined many of the reports and studies myself and along with colleagues, for an exhibition on the subject for work) support.

That's fair enough - I'm sure you know far more about it as I've not researched it independently myself, was just reporting to VS the vaccination issues we've had here.

I would still be cautious about giving vaccinations to children when the actual illnesses pose no major risks though. As I understand, this is the case with childhood rubella and mumps for females.

 

[JustSkye]

Years ago in another state I knew of a young girl who became paralyzed after being vaccinated for polio. I can't remember the diagnosis (it wasn't polio), but I know a whole lot of people were suspicious of what the docs were saying was wrong with her.

Exactly.

My daughter was only two months and three weeks after getting her shots, she started coughing and would have trouble breathing and it progressed to where she would actually stop breathing. I rushed her into the ER and told them my story. I told them I knew she wasn't congested and she didn't have a fever... they did Xrays and whatnot.. but the asshole who was on call that night wasn't even an ER doc, but a dermatologist. He kept telling me nothing was wrong with her.
I was getting very upset. The nurses told me to take her home and everytime she start coughing to take her to a warm bathroom with steam.... I did. But it wouldn't go away. So I was back in there a few days later... and the very same asshole was working the ER. He came in a just looked at me and sighed. I told him something was wrong with her that just before I brought her in she stopped breathing for almost 20 seconds and started turning blue! I told him yet again that she wasn't congested or feverish. YOu know what he told me???
He asked if I was just bringing her in to get attention. That maybe I needed the chaos. (WTF?) SOOOO... I went off. I told him to get the hell out of her room.. and I let everyone know in the ER that they had better get another doc and the nurses tried calming me down. You could hear him getting pissed off. He told them to get me out. I told the nurses to find an ambulance and get me to the next city. I wasn't leaving. And he was not coming in and touching or looking at her again. SO they got an ambulance and told me I would be paying for it because it wasn't deemed an emergency.
I told them I wasn't NOT paying for the ride and it was an emergency. And lo and behold five minutes after we were on the road she stopped breathing again. They had to put her on oxygen until we got there.
After that, I know there must have been 8-10 docs in her room in the first three days. And they had her in this bed that looked like a cage and she was hooked up to a heart monitor and breathing apparatus to let them know when she was having trouble. And the room was quarantined. They finally ran a test that led us to find out she had Whooping Cough, a symptom of the DPT vaccine. The P stands for Pertussis. We have to give antibiotics to everyone who had come in contact with her because it was highly contagious.
I called the hospital in our town and chewed the medical director's ass. And told them they would be responsible for our bills when we had come in and were sent away and my daughter could have died. And told him the asshole who treated her had no business being a doctor. And let them know also that I would be seeking the advice of an attorney if something wasn't done. He was let go.

So do research on immunization. If you don't have to do it and are not a staunch believer in it, don't. I wouldn't risk it again for the world. Most if not all are not necceassry.