The Issue: How to explain the explosion in the number of diagnosed cases of autism in America. *** As a retired special-education teacher, I am alarmed by the so-called rise of autism cases (Americas False Autism Epidemic, Dr. Allen Frances, PostOpinion, April 24). In the late 90s, I attended conferences on autism and can recall the frustration of doctors researching its causes. They had difficulty getting funding, so they broadened its definition to create a spectrum of autistic behavior. Suddenly, they could identify more students and get more funding. An autism epidemic? I dont believe the statistics showing increasing cases of autism, but the public sure seems to. When I express my doubts, Im the odd man out. But youve nailed it: Were seeing a false epidemic here. Educating frantic and desperate parents is the only answer. Thanks for your efforts. Follow this link: Autism’s full spectrum: dollars driving diagnoses? … Continue reading →

OREM -- When Karen Fairchild's son was diagnosed with autism, she and her husband looked around for local resources but couldn't find any. They had to drive to Salt Lake City every day for treatment. The lack of resources is what prompted Fairchild to get involved in the autism community, and 20 years later Fairchild has been honored for her work in the autism community as the recipient of the first Autism Hero Award from the Autism Resources of Utah County Coalition. "I felt embarrassed when I found out," Fairchild said. "I don't do what I do to get awards." The coalition was founded in August as a way to bring all the autism resources in the community together to help fill in the gaps between services and help families transition from service to service as their children age. Christopher Lindsay, chairman of the coalition and development director from Clear Horizons Academy, said they started the award because they wanted to recognize those who had helped develop autism resources in the community. "We realized there are heroes in our community, whether they be parents or volunteers or community members," Lindsay said. "There are people who have made amazing sacrifices to … Continue reading →

By Amy Bell As part of Autism Awareness Month, which took place in April, Eastern Michigan University hosted a number of programs and lit up the water tower blue, the color designated to promoting awareness of the disorder. Recent legislation signed by Gov. Rick Snyder is requiring insurance companies to pay for treatments for people diagnosed with autism. According to a series of bills signed April 18 by Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, insurance companies have 180 days to comply with the new laws. Calley has a daughter who was diagnosed with autism and has been a high profile-backer of the bills. The new laws are good news for many, considering recent statistics released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which state that one in 88 children in the United States will be diagnosed with some form of autism. This figure is up from six years ago, when the number was at one in 110. Dr. Colleen Allen, president and CEO of the Michigan Autism Alliance, said there are factors contributing to the increase, including increased awareness of the disorder, earlier identification and an unknown factor that is contributing to the issue. "I try not to react too … Continue reading →

In an effort to draw public attention to the powerful challenges associated with autism, the month of April has been designated as Autism Awareness Month. With each passing year, we have seen increased popular and scientific attention to the biggest questions and mysteries associated with autism: What causes the disorder? Is there an autism epidemic? Can we effectively treat or cure autism? We continue to make great strides toward refining our understanding of the origins, prevalence and best treatments for autism. Despite this progress, our cumulative knowledge makes abundantly clear only one fact: Answers to these seemingly simple questions are going to be complex. Recent scientific advances suggest there are probably many different causes of autism and perhaps many different types of autism itself, with numerous genetic and environmental interactions underlying the disorder. Although there is mounting evidence that effective intervention can make a tremendous impact for those with autism, at present there is not one best medical, behavioral or educational treatment for the core social, communication and behavioral symptoms of the disorder across the life span. Perhaps the most notable event during this awareness month was the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) release of a new statistic … Continue reading →

By: Jim Miller | Savvy Senior Published: April 29, 2012 Updated: April 29, 2012 - 12:00 AM Q: How can a person know if they have had a stroke? My 70-year-old husband had a spell where he felt dizzy for no apparent reason and had trouble talking and walking because his left side went numb, but it went away after a few minutes and he feels fine now. A: It's very possible that your husband may have had a mini-stroke, also known as a transient ischemic attack, and if he hasn't done so, he needs to see a doctor pronto. Each year, more than a quarter-million Americans have a mini-stroke, but only about half of them realize what's happening. That's because the symptoms are usually fleeting (lasting only a few minutes, up to an hour or two), causing most people to ignore them or brush them off as no big deal. But anyone who has had a mini-stroke is 10 times more likely to have a full-blown stroke, which can cause long-term paralysis, impaired memory, loss of speech or vision, or even death. A mini-stroke is caused by a temporary blockage of blood flow to the brain, and it can … Continue reading →

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