Comment-Commending List

This item was emailed to this blog--AR

The undersigned organizations and individuals are commending KOMU TV on the excellent investigative report, "Combating Autism from Within." The friends and families of vaccine-injured children, with mercury induced autism, congratulate you on the recent coverage and discussions of this serious disorder which has reached epidemic levels across the United States.

We are so pleased to see the extensive research reported to reveal the struggles families face and the truth about the poisoning of a generation of children through the use of thimerosal containing vaccines.

The Missouri School of Journalism should be proud, this report exemplifies why it is known as the leader in the world for students desiring careers in Journalism. We believe the experience and training these student/reporters have gained through this series will prove to be immeasurable for advancement and professional careers in the media.

The amount of science that was covered is the most in-depth, thoughtful and truthful investigation we have watched unfold by any journalist, during the fifteen year explosion in diagnoses of vaccine related autism.

The journalistic integrity and credibility at KOMU has allowed your viewers to see the reality of children affected by autism and the blatant falsehood of the government and medical community trying to keep this tragedy from being exposed. Your unbiased and accurate report was the first to acknowledge the conflicts of interest which have infested the medical community where a "First Do No Harm" attitude should prevail. The heart breaking lack of medical, educational and social service support for these families was reported in a respectful and meaningful way.

Ashley Reynolds and her team uncovered and reported the misleading information, that is often provided by CDC or pharmaceutical funded scientists, and reported the fact that mercury is still in most flu, tetanus, and diphtheria/tetanus vaccines--and an array of vaccines still contain "trace" amounts. (The term "trace" is not recognized as a scientific term.)

We were pleased to see honest interviews with known experts Dr. Boyd Haley and Dr. David Ayoub speaking about the relationship between mercury exposure and neurological injury. Ms. Reynolds secured an exclusive interview with local resident and former chairman of the Microbiology Department, Dr. Frank B. Engley, Jr., whose studies from 1940's-90's found toxicity of thimerosal at a nanomolar level.

The parents of children suffering from vaccine-induced illnesses applaud you for speaking out about the families' tragedies and reporting the research supporting a causal link between mercury in vaccines and neurodevelopmental disorders.

We sincerely appreciate your brave reporting of all sides of the devastating disorder of autism. We look forward to your hour presentation in February.

Respectfully,

A-Champ Advocates for Children's Health Affected by Mercury

Alan D. Clark Research Memorial Fund

Albert W. Burgstahler, PhD., Professor Emeritus of Chemistry; University of Kansas

ARROW- Autism Recovery Resources of Washington

Autism One

Autism United

Boyd Haley, PhD., Professor of Chemistry; University of Kentucky PhD.

CoMeD; The Coalition for Mercury-free Drugs

Darrel G. Moreland, DDS, MSD

David Ayoub, MD

Edward F. Fogarty, III, M.D. and Family

Exceptional Families Network

Frank B. Engley Jr., PhD., Former Professor and Chairman of Micro Biology; and Assistant Dean of the School of Medicine University of Missouri

Foundation for Autism Information and Research

Foundation for Mercury Injured Children

Generation Rescue

HEAL! Healing Every Autistic Life

MAM- Moms Against Mercury

Michael J. Cannon, DO

NAA National Autism Association

No Mercury

Oklahoma Autism Coalition

Prairie Collaborative

Richard Deth, PhD., Professor of Pharmacology Northeastern University, Massachusetts

Safe Minds

Schafer Autism Report

TN4SaferVaccine

The Wyatt Holliday Foundation

World Mercury Project

Anne Dachel: anti-vaccine activist???

This item was emailed to this blog--AR

I read the comment referring to me as an anti-vaccine activist: "You were introduced to autism last June when you interviewed Dr. Miles. After the story ran, you were deluged with messages from anti-vaccine activists, such as Anne Dachel at Age of Autism. The activists convinced you there was another side to the story that needed to be told, and that's what precipitated the Combating Autism series."

I've never thought of myself of being "anti-vaccine." I'm dedicated to publicizing the epidemic of autism affecting a generation of children, yet which is unrecognized by the medical community and the federal health agencies.

The reference was made to "another side to to the story that needed to be told." Isn't that what legitimate journalism is all about? Isn't the media obligated to investigate and fairly present issues like this? Ashley Reynolds gave us some of the most balanced coverage we've ever seen in the press.

Anne Dachel

Media Editor: AGE OF AUTISM

Member of the board of A-CHAMP

http://www.a-champ.org

Story Idea-insurance

This person wants more coverage on insurance issues. This item was emailed to this blog--AR

Hi-I wanted to contact you concerning your coverage of autism. I do not live in your area but since you, as a member of the press have asked for input I am taking this oportunity to express my opinion concerning the presses typical coverage of autistic disorders.

I am the Father of a 4 year old by who was diagnosed with an Autistic Spectrum disorder at 18 months. To our knowledge our son has never recieved thimerisol in any of his vaccines. In fact, on the day he went for his 18 month check up he was diagnosed. This check up included giving him the MMR vaccine. To be clear-he was diagnosed as literally minutes before recieving the vaccine.

I do not discount the posibility that mercury or vaccines play a role in some childrens autism. However i find it to less likely than the billions of other potentialy viable causes. I say this because it has been tested and tested and tested and the tests do not indicate this is the cause. Meanwhile just about everything else has not been tested.

You, as a member of the press are looking for controversy. I understand that. Unfortunately you, and the rest of the press are missing the real controversy which is the blatant discrimination by the medical insurance industry. Over 90% of health insurance policies will not cover what main stream medicine recommends to treat children with these disorders. Occupational, Speech and behavioral therapies.

There is no controversy among health professionals that these interventions, when administered early, result in the best outcome for our children. Yet this contoversy is drowned out by the dead horse argument of vaccines and thimerisol. Moreover the paltry sums of funding going to finding treatments for autism are being drained to fund even more testing for an argument that has already been decided. The press has an obligation to report on controveries that affect public policy.

Where is the report that asks the insurance industry-Why are you descriminating against Autistic Children? If you investigated this, you will find that the justifications for this has no merit. We live in a society in which treatment or erectile dysfunction are funded by insurance yet treatments for autism are not-why? The most blatant effect of this descrimination is the economic reality that without insurance unding for autism treatments, no economic incentive exists for finding better treatments. Who is going to fund research into something they will not be paid for? Examples of the lack of economic incentive and/ or misguided priorities for research in finding better treatments are numerous.

I will give you one: Medical science has known for over forty years that abnormal EEG's, siezures and autism are closely related. However, to date, no research has ever been conducted to determine whether autistic children- who are given drugs to correct abnormal EEG's and eliminate the potential for siezures-autistic symptoms get better or worse after treatment with these drugs. The why is obvious-drug companies will be paid for treating siezures, they will not be for treating Autism.

My wife and I funded out of our pocket over $30,000 last year for main stream medicine recomended therapies. Afer considerable effort our insurance company reimbursed $408. Because my insurance was under Cobra law; due to my changing jobs I paid for our health insurance. The premiums were $1200 per month or $14,400. I currently make $84,000 per year plus benefits. Congress is currently trying pas legislation to give free insurance to children whose families make up to $64,000 per year.

Yet this coverage will not cover Autism nor will the coverage the rest of us pay for through our employer sponsored plans. A few states are passing legislation to change this problem. However, neither the federal government under which ERISA sponsored plans (the laws which govern insurance plans for most of us) or my state has passed such legislation.

I do not know what your state is doing. But I urge you to find out. We are overwhelmed with the 24/7 job of caring for a child with an ASD. It is outrageous to me to have to pay insurance pemiums and taxes whch fund every disorder except the one my son has.

Richard Fauth, P.E., M.B.A, CSSB.

Story Idea-yeast,diet, vax, allergies

This person wants to share their ideas for the series. This item was emailed to this blog.--AR


Hello! Thanks for covering such an important topic. Here is what I think needs to come to the forefront. I'm the mom of two kids with ASD so I think I'm qualified to weigh in.

For one, wwww.tacanow.com and www.austim.com have some fabulous information about autism that is rarely talked about.

Other than that: 1) Yeast- Candida Albicans. This is a "theory" that in my opinion is right on that affects all of our ASD children. It causes problems such as sensory issues, weak immune systems, fatigue, irritability, speech delay, digestive issues, rashes, eczema, poor appetite, sleep disturbances, sound sensitivity and much more. It is worth looking into and very valid

2) Gluten Free Casein Free diet- supposedly controversial but plays into the yeast situation. Very effective when used long enough...i.e. most parents who claim that this doesn't work have only tried it for a month at most. It takes up to 9 months for the body to rid itself of gluten and casein remnants.

3) Vaccines- I know that this is also supposedly controversial but it is fact that not only is thimerosal used in vaccinces, but just as bad as that is the fact that formaldehyde, arsenic, aluminum bicarbonate (a neurotoxin), tin, and antifreeze are used at preservatives. Would you feed this stuff to your infant in his or her bottle? Research from the cdc.gov website the side effects of formaldehyde and the other ingredients including thimerosal. Isn't it quite interesting that acute mercury poisoning and autism share the same exact side effects? Then look at the others...do you think that brain damage and seizures is an acceptable side effect?

4) Allergies- vaccienes are also known to be the culprit of food allergies like wheat, milk, egg, gelatin and latex. This is because these ingredients are all present in vaccines and we introduce them to our infant children when they are less than 48 hours old to their very immature immune systems

5) Also talk about why it is that medical doctors seem to offer little or no support to those whose children have been diagnosed with autism. It's because they don't know much of anything about it to begin with . Most of a parents best education comes from other parents- not doctors.

I also wanted to point out: Isn't it interesting that parents are taught to look to our pediatricians/doctors for advice on autism from the moment they are diagnosed. The problem is that once a parent approaches the doctor, suddenly they know virtually nothing beyong "Hey, let's get your child onto a 2-6 months waiting list (if you're lucky) for speech therapy, Physical therapy and Occupational Therapy. Let's cross our fingers and hope for the best!" Although I agree that these therapies play a very important role in helping children with autism, I don't think it's enough.

Also, I am outraged that our insurance companies cover these "band-aid" treatments (as I have called them) but they do not bother to cover the core of the very effective treatments that parents are using to help their own children. I'm talking about proper supplements, vitamins, diets and anti yeast/fungal medications aka biomedical treatments. These are effective treatments....I am amazed at how few doctors actually recommend special diets for people with most any medical condition. I am also annoyed that insurance does not cover testing for vitamin deficiencies (another problem with our kids) and enzyme deficiencies. There should also be testing of our childrens blood work to determine how much of a problem yeast actually is for an individual child so that an appropriate treatment can be determined.Basically, I am upset because insurance companies and medical doctors are all so concerned about putting a "band-aid" over the effects that have already taken place but no one wants to get to the heart of the problem and look deeper inside of the child to fix what can be fixed. If we can do that, then it would be a lot easier for parents to deal with the rest of what is not able to be fixed and can rest easier knowing that they did everything they could do to help their child when all is said and done.

Want to know more? feel free to contact me! or view my story in a nutshell http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/412250/controversy_healing_autism.html

Popular posts by jetaconn
Gluten Free Diet
I am so confused
MMR vaccine and autism?

Am I the only parent who doesn't believe vaccines cause autism???

I feel like the lone voice in the wilderness. Every time I read one of these articles such as the one written by Dr. Dach I am infuriated. These people who think that autism is caused by vaccines always leave out credible research and quote the shaky research (such as Andrew Wakefield’s Lancet reports, which he later rescinded as inaccurate). It’s so obvious that parents are looking for a scapegoat here. The data just isn’t there to support a vaccine/autism link, folks! I am the parent of a 12-year-old boy with autism and I am a medical journalist. I am sick to death of these fly-by-night, fear-inducing reports. Yes, autism is scary. In fact, at times it’s downright horrible! But the scientific evidence is there on hundreds of thousands of kids from around the world showing that vaccines do not cause autism! Let’s focus our efforts on more credible theories and move on already! I’m sick to death of it! Of course parents are going to be in a frenzy and try to sue vaccine companies. As if they know about this supposed link and are setting out to intentionally give our kids autism? Let’s get on with the real work and support scientifically based research that does not have hidden agendas. Theresa