Autism's First Child: Donald

Ever wonder who the first person diagnosed with autism was? Read more to find out.

In 1951, a Hungarian-born psychologist, mind reader, and hypnotist named Franz Polgar was booked for a single night's performance in a town called Forest, Mississippi, at the time a community of some 3,000 people and no hotel accommodations. Perhaps because of his social position -- he went by Dr. Polgar, had appeared in Life magazine, and claimed (falsely) to have been Sigmund Freud's "medical hypnotist" -- Polgar was lodged at the home of one of Forest's wealthiest and best-educated couples, who treated the esteemed mentalist as their personal guest.

Polgar's all-knowing, all-seeing act had been mesmerizing audiences in American towns large and small for several years. But that night it was his turn to be dazzled, when he met the couple's older son, Donald, who was then 18. Oddly distant, uninterested in conversation, and awkward in his movements, Donald nevertheless possessed a few advanced faculties of his own, including a flawless ability to name musical notes as they were played on a piano and a genius for multiplying numbers in his head. Polgar tossed out "87 times 23," and Donald, with his eyes closed and not a hint of hesitation, correctly answered "2,001."

Indeed, Donald was something of a local legend. Even people in neighboring towns had heard of the Forest teenager who'd calculated the number of bricks in the facade of the high school -- the very building in which Polgar would be performing -- merely by glancing at it.

According to family lore, Polgar put on his show and then, after taking his final bows, approached his hosts with a proposal: that they let him bring Donald with him on the road, as part of his act.

Donald's parents were taken aback. "My mother," recalls Donald's brother, Oliver, "was not at all interested." For one, things were finally going well for Donald, after a difficult start in life. "She explained to [Polgar] that he was in school, he had to keep going to classes," Oliver says. He couldn't simply drop everything for a run at show business, especially not when he had college in his sights.

But there was also, whether they spoke this aloud to their guest or not, the sheer indignity of what Polgar was proposing. Donald's being odd, his parents could not undo; his being made an oddity of, they could, and would, prevent. The offer was politely but firmly declined.

What the all-knowing mentalist didn't know, however, was that Donald, the boy who missed the chance to share his limelight, already owned a place in history. His unusual gifts and deficits had been noted outside Mississippi, and an account of them had been published -- one that was destined to be translated and reprinted all over the world, making his name far better-known, in time, than Polgar's.

Donald was the first child ever diagnosed with autism. Identified in the annals of autism as "Case 1 ... Donald T," he is the initial subject described in a 1943 medical article that announced the discovery of a condition unlike "anything reported so far," the complex neurological ailment now most often called an autism spectrum disorder, or ASD. At the time, the condition was considered exceedingly rare, limited to Donald and 10 other children—Cases 2 through 11—also cited in that first

So pretty much I've been looking up many articles on my topic which is death by shootings and found lots I've even read an article today where 2 men were killed in a 20 hr period in the sane neighborhood and a 12 year old was wounded in which he has to be rushed into surgery. This is so unfortunate but true. The link is as follows http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/explore?tag=shooting if you are interested in reading up on my last article in which I've red

Inside the Brain of a Person with Autism

I always wonder what is actually going on inside the brain of a person with Autism. This article provides some insight into this idea. 

Much like a computer, the brain relies on intricate wiring to process and transmit information. Scientists have discovered that in people with autism, this wiring is faulty, leading to misfiring in communications between brain cells.

In the brain, nerve cells transmit important messages that regulate body functions -- everything from social behavior to movement. Imaging studies have revealed that autistic children have too many nerve fibers, but that they're not working well enough to facilitate communication between the various parts of the brain. Scientists think that all of this extra circuitry may affect brain size. Although autistic children are born with normal or smaller-than-normal brains, they undergo a period of rapid growth between ages 6 and 14 months, so that by about age four, their brains tends to be unusually large for their age. Genetic defects in brain growth factors may lead to this abnormal brain development.

Scientists also have discovered irregularities in the brain structures themselves, such as in the corpus callosum (which facilitates communication between the two hemispheres of the brain),amygdala (which affects emotion and social behavior), and cerebellum (which is involved with motor activity, balance, and coordination). They believe these abnormalities occur during prenatal development.

In addition, scientists have noted imbalances in neurotransmitters -- chemicals that help nerve cells communicate with one another. Two of the neurotransmitters that appear to be affected are serotonin (which affects emotion and behavior) and glutamate (which plays a role in neuron activity). Together, these brain differences may account for autistic behaviors.

Scientists continue to look for clues to the origins of autism. By studying the genetic and environmental factors that may cause the condition, they hope to develop tests to identify autism earlier, as well as new treatment methods.

Several research studies are looking at the link between genes and autism. The largest of these is the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR) Autism Genome Project. This collaborative effort, conducted at approximately 50 research institutions in 19 countries, is poring through the 30,000 genes that make up the human genome in a search for the genes that trigger autism.

Other autism studies include:

• Using animal brain models to study how neurotransmitters are impaired in children with autism
• Testing a computer-based program that would help autistic children interpret facial expressions
• Examining brain images to discover which areas are active during the obsessive and repetitive behaviors of autism
• Continuing to investigate the link between thimerosal and autism

Source: http://health.howstuffworks.com/mental-health/autism/autism3.htm

The Accumulating Effects of Bullying

Today I will be discussing a recent bullying article released by Reuters.com. The article is titled “Effects of bullying may add up in kids: study” and was written by Andrew M. Seaman. An important aspect of bullying discussed within the article is the recently implied discovery that the effects of bullying may accumulate throughout the years. In addition, the article discusses the important role adults, especially parents, can play in diminishing bullying.

 The article states that the according to a new study, “the negative physical and mental effects tied to bullying among children and teens may accumulate throughout the years”. In fact, researchers have found that “teens who had been bullied in the past and those currently being bullied tended to have a lower quality of life, compared to those who were bullied less or not at all.” According to the article, researchers analyzed data from the Healthy Passages study which “surveyed students in Alabama, California and Texas about how much bullying they experienced and evaluated their physical and mental health.” Researchers decided to analyze this data after realizing that few studies “have examined whether the possible effects of bullying accumulate over the years.” Overall, 4,297 students completed the surveys, offered by the Healthy Passages study, during the fifth, seventh, and tenth grades. Upon analysis researchers made the following discoveries:

·         “About a third of the students had been regularly bullied at some point during the course of the study.”

·         “Generally, those who had been bullied in the past scored better on measures of physical and mental health, compared to those who were currently being bullied. Teens who were bullied throughout their school career scored the worst.”

o   “About 7% of 10th grade students who had never been bullied scored low on mental health measures […] compared to 12 % [for students] who had been bullied in the past, 31 % [for students] who were currently being bullied and almost 45% [for students]who underwent persistent bullying.”

§  According to the article, “poor mental health included traits such as being sad, afraid and angry.”

o   “About 8% of 10th grade students who were never bullied had poor physical health, compared to 12% of those who were bullied in the past, 26% who were currently being bullied and 22% who were continuously bullied.”

§  According to the article, “poor physical health included limitations [such as] not being able to walk far and not being able to pick up heavy objects.”

An important realization I made upon reading this article is the possible deep extent of the effects of bullying. Unlike most physical injuries which go away with the passage of time, the effects of bullying seem to fade but never fully go away. The Healthy Passages study suggests that the negative effects of bullying can hinder a person long after the bullying ceases. It seems that researchers are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of attending this social issue and diminishing its occurrence.

Towards the end of the article, Laura Bogart, a doctor at Boston Children's Hospital, stated that “any adult that has any contact with children . . . (should) know what the signs of bullying might be." According to Bogart the signs of bullying can be physical, but that is not always the case. For example, a non-physical sign of bullying that can be presented by a young child is the resistance towards attending school.  In addition, Bogart believes “it's important for parents to know if their child falls into one of the groups at high risk for bullying,” which includes children with physical disabilities, overweight and obese children, and children who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or questioning.

The comments made by Laura Bogart reiterate many statements made in previous blogs. For example, Dr. Bogart seems to suggest that it is possible that adults, including parents, are failing to realize and accept the existence of the issue of bullying. In fact, Dr. Bogart seems to cry out to parents to take an active role in diminishing bullying, by paying attention to their children and realizing if they are being bullied. Dr. Bogart seems to realize that with the passage of time bullying is transforming and no longer implicates physical abuse. In fact, Dr. Bogart adequately advises parents to keep an eye on their children’s emotional state, and changes in mood and behavior. As technology advances it is becoming increasingly easier for bullies to conduct online-bullying through the internet and social media. However, it is becoming increasingly harder for parents, teachers, and adults in general to recognize and realize when bullying occurs.

Is Autism Really on the Rise?

The following article is very interesting. Everyone keeps talking about the constantly rising rate of autism. I have never thought about it from the stand point of this article; are the amount of cases of autism really rising or are things just changing and unnecessary diagnosis's being made?

By Salynn Boyles

WebMD Health News

Dec. 31, 2002 -- New research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that autism rates are at least 10 times higher than three previous studies in the U.S. have suggested. But experts say it is not yet clear if the increase is real or reflects changes in reporting and diagnostic practices.

CDC investigators have tracked autism cases in the metropolitan Atlanta area since 1996, finding that 34 children per 10,000 either have autism or disorders linked to it. That is far higher than the average estimate of roughly three autism cases per 10,000 children in studies conducted in the U.S. before 1990. But it is in line with another recently reported CDC investigation from New Jersey and studies from the United Kingdom and Canada.

The Atlanta surveillance is the first ongoing investigation of autism within a population in the United States, but the CDC has recently begun to track autism cases at a dozen other sites around the country. CDC epidemiologist Marshalyn Yeargin-Allsopp, MD, who led the Atlanta investigation, tells WebMD that the new surveillance network will provide a much better picture of the true incidence of autism within the U.S.

"Despite all of the talk of an epidemic of autism, there is really no way to know if there is a real increase in cases because so many things have changed within the last 10 years or so," she tells WebMD.

The definition of autism has been expanded to include a wider spectrum of disorders, including Asperger syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder. In addition, an increase in services for autistic children has prompted more aggressive diagnosis, as has increased media attention and parental awareness.

The CDC report, published in the Jan. 1, 2003, issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, examines autism prevalence among children aged 3 to 10 in metropolitan Atlanta. In the 1996 investigation, 987 children with autism or related disorders were identified, resulting in 3.4 cases per 1,000 children. Four times more boys than girls had the developmental disorder, but no difference in the rates of autism was seen between black and white children.

Autism researcher Eric Fombonne, MD, tells WebMD that the new CDC figures probably still underestimate the true incidence of autism. A study he conducted in Canada and several other recent investigations suggest the prevalence rate may be closer to 60 cases per 10,000 children -- almost double the CDC's Atlanta findings. In an editorial accompanying the CDC study, he writes that underestimated cases may be partly to blame on the fact that children with milder autism may have been missed.

Fombonne notes that there is, so far, little clinical evidence to back up claims that environmental influences play a role in the development of autism. He writes that claims of an association with measles-mumps-rubella vaccine have not been supported by recent studies, and there is also little evidence for causal association with other exposures, such as mercury-containing vaccines.

"Although claims about an epidemic of autism and about its putative causes have the most weak empirical support, the subsequent controversy has put autism on the public agenda," he writes. "In recent years, children with autism, their families, and professionals involved in their care and in research have seen welcome and legitimate increases in public funding. Yet, ironically, what has triggered substantial social policy changes in autism appears to have little connection with the state of the science."

Ways to Prevent Autism

We often get asked "How do you get autism?" And the fact is that no one knows 100% for certain how you get autism. HOWEVER, based on all the ways children *recover* from autism there are some direct correlations that can be made.

These correlations are not a perfect science.

1) Limit vaccines for expecting moms - including flu shots

Unless an expecting mom is about to enter a high risk area (like remote parts of Asia or Africa), getting a vaccine while pregnant should be avoided. As of 2009, many flu shots have thimerisol (aka: mercury) in the vaccine, which can quickly pass to the fetus and cause major brain and nervous system damage.

2) Nurse baby for as long as possible

Breast feeding your baby is one of nature's most proven ways to protect your child from illness. If you don't produce enough breast milk, add non-casein formula to your baby's diet, but continue breast feeding as long as you can.

3) Eat organic & all-natural foods

Eating healthy food such as organic fruits and vegetables will go a long way towards keeping your baby healthy. If your child eats meat, check to ensure it is antibiotic free and hormone free meat.

4) Delay vaccinations

While vaccinations have done wonders for the world in the last century, it’s helpful to delay vaccinations to a schedule that is less taxing on a baby's immune system. This means no vaccines at birth and then using the 1983 vaccination schedule, which is more conservative than the current schedule. Additionally, break up the MMR shot into 3 separate shots and give them over time instead of all at once.

5) Limit casein in child’s diet

Casein is a protein found in milk and dairy products. Mounds of research have found that casein increases autism symptoms. Thousands of children with autism have gotten much better simply by eliminating this protein from their diet.

6) Limit gluten in child’s diet

Gluten in a protein found in many grains such as wheat, whey, barley, hops, etc. Similar to casein, gluten has been found to increase autism symptoms and children with autism have recovered by eliminating this protein from their diets.

7) Limit taking antibiotics

Antibiotics kill both the bad and the important good bacteria in our bodies. If giving your child antibiotics is necessary, make sure to also give them probiotics at same time. Continue giving your child probiotics for 2 weeks following the end of antibiotic treatment.

8) Avoid using or being around pesticides

Pesticides are poisons that kill living creatures. You should avoid all exposure to these toxins while pregnant and in places where your baby goes.

Source: http://www.prevent-autism.org/

Conditions that may Resemble Autism

Because doctors can’t definitively, precisely diagnose autism, they encounter several other conditions and symptoms that tend to enter the diagnostic mix. This mixture makes awareness of conditions with related or similar symptoms important. Read on to see a rundown of conditions and symptoms and appear to be like autism.

If a doctor diagnoses a child with some variant of autism spectrum disorder, the need for immediate intervention is the same. Such a diagnosis means that the child doesn’t fit the clinical criteria for an autism diagnosis, and it doesn’t address the severity of the symptoms that are present. You know whether or not your child needs help. And don't worry too much about the diagnosis, itself; instead do what your child needs and find out what help is available to him or her.

Childhood Disintegrative Disorder

Although not much is known about Childhood Disintegrative Disorder, children with this condition develop normally until they reach 3 to 4 years of age (rarely do children show change later than this, although some children develop this disorder as late as 10 years). At that point, they undergo a quick regression (faster than children with regressive-onset autism), usually losing all language ability and in some cases losing bowel and bladder control. In a show of other symptoms, the children can have epileptic seizures, for which anticonvulsive drugs are often helpful, and motor disorders, probably caused by acute sensory processing problems.

The National Institute of Health considers Childhood Disintegrative Disorder part of the grouping of Pervasive Developmental Disorders, but the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention disagrees. At any rate, Childhood Disintegrative Disorder is quite rare, and because they experience such a late onset of symptoms, these children require a very thorough medical workup. However, the individual treatment for these kids can be almost identical to treatment of autism.

Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Many children who exhibit more severe cases of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, or AD/HD, often share many of the characteristics and features with children at the high-functioning/Asperger’s end of the autism spectrum — particularly in the areas of communication, social integration, and behavior. Some children get diagnosed with one of the disorders and then receive the other diagnosis at a later time.

What you (and your doctors) should keep in mind is that the two disorders are frequently confused because of their overlapping behavioral symptoms. Also, hyperactivity doesn’t always equal AD/HD. It can be part of many other childhood developmental problems.
The implication for parents is to know your child well and to make sure you get a second opinion with your child’s diagnosis. AD/HD in schools is treated differently than autism: Although the disorder is considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, schools usually offer a different set of accommodations than they do for children on the autism spectrum.

Symptoms for both autism and AD/HD include problems with organization, sensory issues, attention, and social skills. However, the delay in acquiring language that occurs with more severe autism isn’t consistent with AD/HD.

Other possible diagnoses

Science has come a long way from the time when autism was confused with deafness or mental retardation, but not that far. Don’t misunderstand: Some of the alternative diagnoses may be correct; that is, they may be present in addition to autism. However, a diagnosis of autism may better explain a person’s symptoms than any of the psychological categories he or she can fall into when autism isn’t a suspect.

Sometimes people who are aggressive or seem resistant to authority are given a psychological diagnosis such as oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, or borderline personality disorder. Bipolar disorder and depression are other diagnoses sometimes given to people who should be diagnosed with autism, which does lend itself to mood disorders. Obsessive compulsive disorder is also easily diagnosed in autistic children. A child may have any of these disorders in addition to autism, but autism should be considered the primary problem. You should press your doctors to investigate further if you aren’t satisfied with the diagnosis or if your child doesn’t improve after some rounds of medication.

Other syndromes that may look a bit like autism, but definitely aren’t autism, include the following (Note: Some of these syndromes may occur with autism or be mistaken for autism; people can have more than one disorder at a time):

• Cornelia DeLange Syndrome
• Tourette’s Syndrome
• Fragile X Syndrome
• William’s Syndrome
• Down’s Syndrome
• Landau-Kleffner Syndrome