Monday, July 6, 2009

Solving Autism

Several of our relatives and friends have children who have been diagnosed with some form of autism. 1 in every 150 kids has autism. There is mounting research suggesting that exposure to EDCs (Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals) could be a cause of autism. Please check out this interesting article at the Huffington Post by Harvey Karp, Cracking The Autism Riddle.

Toxic EDCs are found in everyday products such as food cans, plastic water bottles, cosmetics, fire retardants found in sofas, and computers. These items are found in most American homes.
EDCs have been found to be linked to human disease, hormone related disorders, low sperm count, cancer, and many other illnesses. There is evidence that even miniscule amounts of these chemicals can disturb fetal brain development.
In 2000, a CDC (Center for Disease Control) study found that 99.9% of people tested had detectable levels of these chemicals in their bodies.

In 1996, during the Clinton administration, there was a push by pediatricians for the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) to test these chemicals. The testing process had begun under Clinton, but then during the Bush administration (The Dark Ages of Science), the research was halted and its funding was cut.

To counter President Bush's efforts to ignore the health of our children, a group of dedicated pediatricians started the National Children's Study (NCS). Even though Bush refused to fund this important research, the NCS was able to continue for 8 years.

The Obama administration has committed over $3 billion to NCS research. Thankfully, scientists may soon be able to detect which chemicals could be linked to autism, and its heart-breaking mystery will start to get solved.

50 comments:

Anonymous said...

during the Bush administration (The Dark Ages of Science)

so glad Bush is gone, it seemed like an eternity those 8 years

Anonymous said...

In December 2006 Bush signed a bill to raise federal funding for autism research, increasing federal funding by 50 percent. In total, NIH funding for autism research grew from $56MM in 2001 to $100MM in 2007, an 80% increase.

What do you always say about The Morning Call never letting facts get in the way? If you don't correct your blog, you're no better. Show that you hold yourselves to the same standards as you hold everyone else and publish a correction.

Anonymous said...

And in case you wanted to read the details, here you go:

http://www.springerlink.com/content/r001rx713u157231/fulltext.html

Angie Villa said...

I will publish a correction re: your broken link ... but no correction is necessary regarding our post.

Fact is, President Bush refused to fund NCS research of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) as they may relate to autism.

Regarding The Morning Call not letting facts get in their way, the fact is that for 30 days the "newspaper" purposefully misled the public regarding the jury's verdict in Sheena's civil litigation. Read our right sidebar content on this matter. We stand by these statements too.

Thanks for reading LVS, compulsively, at all hours of the day & night, "PTD Nazareth" (wink wink).

Anonymous said...

"In December 2006 Bush signed a bill to raise federal funding for autism research"

What did George Bush do for autism from January 2001 to November 2006?

Not From Nazareth said...

President Bush ... proposed budget ... priorities ... FY 2009 ... no new funding for the Combating Autism Act, and level-funds or cuts many important autism and disability-related programs.

Anonymous said...

Why no Bush funding of toxic chemical research and autism? How about Dow, DuPont, Union Carbide, Pfizer, Smithkline Beechman, etc., etc.

Angie Villa said...

Could these toxins also cause Alzheimer's in adults? Why is there an increase in peanut allergies in kids? Why do so many women golfers get ovarian cancer? Could it be the pesticides used on the golf green? Dinah Shore died of ovarian cancer. I think there needs to be more research. How about all the products from China? Are there any regulations? SO many products are packed in plastic.
Maybe there should be more toxic warning labels on products, but of course there has to be more research done first. Business profits have always been #1 for the GOP.

Anonymous said...

How anyone (like "anon" wink wink 10:03) could defend the Morning Call after all the decietful crap they've put Sheena's family though is beyond me.

Bill Villa said...

Some people have a vested interest in blindly defending the "newspaper."

Anonymous said...

Touché, Villa.

It's a shame, these saboteurs out to get you. This is a great topic to talk about. Friends and family of mine have also been impacted by autism.

Anonymous said...

Most autism research has been genetic. We need more environmental research, and specifically EDC's. Great post here as usual.

Anonymous said...

...not sure they've "sabotaged" anything. They sure are trying though. You have legitimate discussions rooted in facts. That doesn't suit them. They don't want you to be taken seriously but its to late you already are.

Angie Villa said...

Merci. They do "succeed" in sabotaging our posts sometimes by manipulating the discussion onto them, so let's not let that happen here. Ignoring them is the 2nd best revenge ;D

Anonymous said...

Vaccines is another area where more research is needed. For example, Thimerosal (a preservative that is 50% mercury) was increased in vaccines in the late 1980s. Could this have bearing on the increases in autism in the U.S. and other countries?

Anonymous said...

"What did George Bush do for autism from January 2001 to November 2006?"

Exactly. And by '06, it was grass roots movements that had made it impossible for W to keep ignoring autism totally. His $100MM in '06 was a token drop in the bucket. He spent more than that flying to Iraq on Thanksgiving for photo ops w/ a cardboard turkey.

Anonymous said...

This is the best blog discourse in PA. No wonder you 2 are (collectively) #1 every week. You have the most credibility and influence. The Morning Call...(?) that's a damn shame.

Angie Villa said...

Merci.

Bill Villa said...

I second that. Merci.

Anonymous said...

The Morning Call is both disingenuous (Kranzley, oopsie, he's gone) as well as pusillanimous (Erdman). Don't give their "Circle of Jerks" a second look in your rearview mirror.

Bill Villa said...

Good advice. Merci.

Anonymous said...

Great overview re: autism quick facts and funding:

http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatisit/
facts.php

Bill Villa said...

Excellent, thank you. This jumped out at me ...

Total 2007 NIH budget: $29 billion

Of this, just $80 million (i.e., Bush's 2006 table scrap) goes directly to autism research.

This represents 0.28% of total NIH funding.

Anonymous said...

"Total 2007 NIH budget: $29 billion
Of this, just $80 million (i.e., Bush's 2006 table scrap) goes directly to autism research."


Anytime you want to have a legitimate discussion on misplaced priorities / spending, I'd be happy to. Do I think Washington spends $$ wisely and effectively? Hell no it's a frigging disaster down there.

By the way, 2007 funding was set by a Democratic Congress and approved by Bush. At a bare minimum it was Bush working in concert with the Democratic Party in setting spending.

Bill Villa said...

"Anon" (wink wink) 3:02 ...

okay so lemme get this straight ...

when we don't even bother mentioning Bush's paltry funding of autism research we are concealing the truth about a terrific and compassionate President (wink wink) and we're "no better than The Morning Call" ...

but when we reveal exactly how paltry Bush's commitment to autism was ... well ...

that was the Democrats' fault!

See this is why you have no credibility as an "anonymous" (wink wink) commenter from Nazareth, dumb-ass, now get lost.

McJudas said...

Obviously he disapproves of your right sidebar content.

Anonymous said...

from here > http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatisit/
facts.php

* Autism receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases

Angie Villa said...

We used to think that tobacco was harmless. Doctors used to smoke while examining patients.

The reason why I decided to write about this is to call attention to the fact that there needs to be more research on environmental toxins so we can figure out which ones cause the damage. This could be an important part of solving the autism puzzle. I believe that is the point that Dr. Karp is making.

While I welcome opposing viewpoints,anonymous know it all blahg nazi cretins who are more concerned about attacking me personally, and have nothing better to do than troll blogs, are not welcome here.

There is a toxic overload in our environment. Teflon is slowly being phased out because it is dangerous. I have stopped microwaving food in plastic containers. It is safer to use paper towels or wax paper. I am going to purchase a stainless steel bottle for water.

While vaccines may be a part of the puzzle, how do you explain Amish children who are autistic? They don't get vaccines. There could be multiple factors involved, genetic, environmental, vaccines. There needs to be more research.

Anonymous said...

Angie, thank you for your post. I agree with you, what is being put into our environment needs to be understood so that we are not taking unnecessary risks.

Anonymous said...

An issue about science funding is that it's hard for Congressmen (and -women) to see what's in it for their constituents, because there isn't a clear output like a bridge or a new highway. So when time comes to prioritize spending, it's easier to cut science funding than something voters will feel directly impacted by.

I agree with you that autism deserves to be studied more. Maybe it'll end up being a combination of things: a genetic predisposition that is triggered by environmental factors. Autism affects people from almost the beginning of their life to the end. Some people with mild autism can function, but others have their life completely defined by autism. Their relatives deserve to know why it happened.

Angie Villa said...

"when time comes to prioritize spending"

What's more important than the health of our children?

Anonymous said...

good to see posts here that challenge your position (legitimately, or for effect,i.e. as sabotaging interference).On related subject, thought you handled that commenter from Nazareth well

Anonymous said...

We used to think that tobacco was harmless. Doctors used to smoke while examining patients.

My gynecologist used to smoke while examnining me when I was pregnant! "Good old days?"

anon 7:48 said...

your posts are always good. its so disingenuous to post "anti" comments here as a way of high-jacking the thread...irregardless of where you live

Bill Villa said...

Anon 8:51, I remember those good old days too. 7:48, it's hard to derail the hijacker(s) sometimes. We'd like to have a legitimate discussion here on the points Angie raised regarding Autism. We're just minding our own blog business here. But there are those out there who are hellbent on personally attacking us and dictating to us how we should run our blog. Yesterday and today, we have moderated/rejected about a dozen "anonymous" (wink wink) comments "commanding" us to behave differently. And as our *district court-approved SiteMeter(R) reveals, all of these comments are coming from Nazareth. It's creepy. But anyways, let's stay on topic.

*district court-approved in Wind Gap PA, only

Anonymous said...

Not in Nazareth Mr. Villa, nor have I tried to hijack anything - why do you lie to your "audience" like that?

Bill Villa said...

2 minutes to respond. Readers, how creepy is this?

Anonymous said...

Great overview re: vaccines, for and against the theory that they may play a role in autism:

http://www.uptodate.com/patients/content/
topic.do?topicKey=~.i3F.75xSGjZSvF

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Here's where you can donate to autism education, awareness, advocacy, and research:

http://www.autism-society.org/site/
PageServer?pagename=donate_home

Esq. said...

Pennsylvania
18 Pa.C.S. § 2709. Harassment.

(a) OFFENSE DEFINED. — A person commits the crime of harassment when, with intent to harass, annoy or alarm another, the person:
(3) engages in a course of conduct or repeatedly commits acts which serve no legitimate purpose;
(5) communicates repeatedly in an anonymous manner;

Angie Villa said...

"Anonymous" (wink wink)
that is ;D

Readers, thanks for staying on topic.

Anonymous said...

10 Myths About Autism

Angie Villa said...

Very interesting info, thanks for all these links ...

Foo Foo said...

"Best Revenge," Officially :)

Bill Villa said...

Oui. Merci.

jdg said...

Here's what caught my eye the most from Dr. Karp's excellent Huffington Post ...

"In 1996, pediatricians and other concerned scientists convinced Congress to order the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to test hundreds of chemicals for endocrine disrupting effects. The Clinton administration began the process of designing these tests, but the Bush administration defied the law. It ignored this mandate to protect the public health...and organized medicine watched impotently from the sidelines. Today, ten years and tens of millions of dollars later, not a single chemical has been evaluated for endocrine disrupting effects!"

Anonymous said...

As Dick Cheney would say, "So?"

Anonymous said...

"the Bush administration defied the law"

they didn't defy it they were above it :)

Angie Villa said...

Good point jdg, thanks. And anon 5:20 very well said. Thanks anon 11:18, speaking of myths about autism, did you hear about that right wing nut talk show host Michael Savage who says that autism is a fraud?