That’s right, folks, Jim Carrey funnyman extraordinaire will soon be called Grandpa according to recently published reports. News that the pratfalling star will be bouncing a grandchild on his knee soon is all over the web. This might make a few people feel old since they have been watching Carrey on film for years, and he is just 47. But this is not so unusual.

Jane Carrey to make Jim a Grandpa

Carrey is said to be elated at the news. He was quoted on RadarOnline as saying, “I am very excited. Jane is going to be a great mom.” Given Carrey’s natural penchant for physical comedy it is easy to imagine him keeping the little one entertained. The mom-to-be is Carrey’s daughter from his first marriage, Jane Erin Carrey. Carrey was married to Jane’s mom Melissa Womer from March 1987 to December 1995.

I doubt that the young and young at heart Carrey will have any problem adjusting to his new role as grandparent. He joins a long list of celebs who are grandparents which includes names like Regis Philbin, Larry King, Lionel Richie and Whoopi Goldberg.

Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy’s current status.

Carrey seems content with helping raise the son of his girlfriend Jenny McCarthy. The couple made their relationship public in 2006. McCarthy’s son Evan is autistic, and she has won praise for helping to raise awareness about the disorder. In 2007 she released a book titled Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism. Whether more children of his own are in Carrey’ future is not known and the funny man isn’t saying.

McCarthy has frequently talked about Carrey’s ability to communicate with Evan. She said during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that she and Carrey are living together but have no plans to marry.

I look forward to the news of the baby’s birth and wish Carrey’s daughter a healthy pregnancy. Who knows, the baby may just follow in grandpa’s footsteps and be the top funnyman of the next generation.m

Brittany Donovan is 13 years old and was born with fragile X syndrome, FXS. FXS is a genetic disorder causing mental impairment – Brittany has severe learning difficulties.

Brittany was conceived using sperm from a New York sperm bank, Idant Laboratories, and testing showed that her FXS was inherited from her biological father. A US judge gave Brittany clearance to sue Idant Laboratories under product liability laws.

First, Brittany’s mother tried to sue in 2008, but couldn’t because of the statute of limitations in product liability cases is only two years. But the rules are different for minor children and Brittany is able to sue the sperm bank.

Brittany and her lawyers don’t have to show that Idant was negligent. They have to show that the sperm Idant provided was unsafe and caused injury.

Do you think the sperm bank is responsible for Brittany’s condition? Genetic testing was in its infancy in 1996 when the sperm was donated and while it was possible to test for FXS, it would have been prohibitively expensive to do routinely.

And picking a mate and having a baby the old-fashioned way is certainly no guarantee against genetic disorders.

If Brittany wins her case, it will likely open the way for thousands of other cases brought by babies and children with sperm donor families. Sperm donors are currently not in short supply in the USA, but this lawsuit together with likely future changes that will reduce or remove anonymity of donors, there may well be a shortage of sperm donors soon. And then what will families who dearly wish for a child but need donor sperm do then?

Other families, like Gwenyth Jackaway and her son Dylan, are living in similar circumstances, but right now are not planning to sue anyone and say that they don’t blame their sperm bank. Dylan is five and conceived with donor sperm. He is also autistic, and so are three other children concived using sperm from the same donor, strongly indicating a genetic cause.

Currently, there isn’t a screening test for autism, and doctors aren’t even sure if there is a specific autism gene, so right now there’s no way that the sperm donor could have been tested.

Would Gweneth be happier if it had been possible to screen her son’s sperm donor for autism? Gweneth said that “I’ve done a lot of thinking about this, and to say yes to that is to say that I wish Dylan isn’t Dylan… I love my son and everything about him, and that means loving his autism also. Loving your children means loving everything about them. Our children don’t have autism; they are autistic. It’s part of who they are.”

Or when you have a child, you accept that you get what you get. And we have almost no control over how our child will turn out. If sperm donors are to undergo increasing amounts of screening, it leads to the inevitable question of what is screened for. Genetic diseases are obvious, but what about screening for appearance? Intelligence? Height? Physical ability? Personality traits?

So is the Brittany Donovan case a valid one to compensate a mentally impared child who will need medical care her whole life? Or does it feed a culture that expects perfection, even in it’s babies, and will sue if that’s not what is delivered? Or perhaps a little of both?

Amongst children diagnosed with autism, around a third of their parents notice signs of autism before the child’s first birthday. But the condition usually goes undiagnosed for many years: the average age of diagnosis is over three.

Autistic children are widely believed to be born with the condition. Although various factors have been proposed that could give a child autism, most prominently the vaccine-autism controversy, most medical professionals believe that autism is something present at birth.

The earlier a child is diagnosed, the more effective treatment and therapy can be for the child, with an improvement in quality of life for the child and their family. So tests to diagnose the condition earlier could be very valuable.

Two classic symptoms of autism is repetitive behaviors, and intense interest in very specific things. Researchers studied a group of infants at high risk for autism and found that children later diagnosed with autism played with their toys in different ways. The children were more likely to repeatedly spin or rotate toys. They were also more likely to observe objects in unusual ways, like staring sideways at them, or watching them intently for long periods. Almost every child who was later diagnosed with autism exhibited these behaviors before their first birthday. The repetitive spinning and intense observations were rare in children not diagnosed with autism.

Infants and toddlers are known for repetitive behaviors. It’s normal for babies to try, try, and try again until they acquire a skill. Stacking and arranging objects is very common as babies learn motor skills and begin to realize that they can control their environment, and their determination to master the task is usually impressive. When combined with less focused tasks, and interest in many other things, It’s part of healthy infant development.

But as a parent, if you feel that there’s something not-quite-right, talk with your child’s pediatrician.

We’ve had several posts on autism and vaccination in this blog. Many of us parents have divergent points of view on this matter.

A special on autism has been featured on Good Morning America, presented by Dr. Timothy Johnson, medical editor at ABC News. These stories are also now available online as short, easy-to-digest video clips available on the website of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

One news video gives an overview of what is officially known as Autism Spectrum Disorder. Then there are a couple of interviews of celebrity parents who have children with autism. Among these are actors Didi Conn, Joe Mantegna, and Ken Reibel. Every parent interviewed agreed that it is very difficult to live with autism yet they also give some messages of hope to other parents in the same situation. Didi’s message is “don’t be afraid of the “A” word.”

Of course, an autism spotlight program wouldn’t be complete without touching on childhood vaccines. Here we can hear both sides of the argument and inform ourselves. Didi Conn asked some interesting questions at two health experts. Finally, the program also presented and discussed autism treatments and research advancements.

I just received a newsletter from The National Association for Parents of Children with Visual Impairments(NAPVI), which we belong to because of my children’s disabilities. They have worked out a package with The Come Children Sing Institute for a free session of online music classes. The length of the classes is 10 weeks.

To be eligible for this free offer, your infant, toddler or baby(that’s how they word it) must be a special needs child and you must have documentation from a healthcare professional stating so. If you can verify that you have a young child with special needs, request your free gift certificate by sending an email to mepinzino@comechildrensing.com. Be sure to reference the NAPVI connection and Babies Online.

Your certificate will be sent to you via mail and you can begin the classes online any time you wish.

I have noticed, especially with my handicapped children, that they love to listen and dance to music. Even when they were infants, they would respond to music and singing.

My handicapped children are now teens, but their love of music has continued. In fact, my daughter reads her sheet music using Braille. I never knew that this was even a possibility before her Vision teacher told me about this.

I’d encourage parents who have special needs children to take advantage of this great offer! I’d also like to extend a virtual hug to you. Parenting isn’t easy; parenting a child who has special needs is most certainly not easy.

I wish you and yours the very best.

This one makes me go, Huh? It seems a ‘baby factor’ in Warsaw, Poland is now offering up babies for sale, born to young surrogate moms. Each baby is worth about 11,000 pounds or about $21,000. It has, needless to say, sparked a very hot debate. Read the article yourself and decide whether it’s a solution to the infertility problems facing many Polish couples.

This one is good in theory, but by the time delivery rolled around, I didn’t care if I was buck naked. It seems they now have couture wear for moms to don for delivery. They even have one with the requisite slit at the back from Dar-A-Luz Maternity Wear. It, uhm, retails for $98. I like it but that price tag is a bit rich for me. Plus, what about all the blood and other bodily fluids that could get on it? Finally, will your hospital even let you wear it? Hmmm…

And for a little sad news, did you know that PBS is planning to cut Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood? If you’re as sad as millions of parents who grew up watching this show, head on over to SaveMisterRogers.com.

And to end on a positive note, a state of the art school and research facility for autistic children and children opened last Wednesday, August 6 in Chicago, IL. The $32 million facility is called Easter Seals Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research and can accomodate 150 students. Hopefully, its success will inspire more facilities like it around the country, and the world.

Is there no end to the disadvantages of being a preemie? I am a scientist and I believe in science. But the scientific findings that point towards future problems for babies born premature are just so overwhelming that they can break a mother’s heart.

First, there are the health problems – from respiratory distress to autism to short life expectancy – that can affect their physical and cognitive development. And now it’s their social skills.

A USA today article reviews several studies that investigated how being born pre-term can affect a person’s personality. And here – brace yourself – are the bad news:

• The more premature is an individual as a baby, the less likely he/she is to marry, become a parent or earn a high salary
• Ex-preemies are less likely to leave home, live together with a partner, or have an active sexual life
• Ex-preemies are more likely to be inhibited, less adventurous, and would tend to follow social conventions.

According to one of the researchers, these studies suggest that people born prematurely can have “a spectrum of social and emotional difficulties that range in severity from quite mild to severe.”

I have two little boys who were born 5 weeks early. And these studies tell me that my boys are most likely to grow up as sexually-repressed social misfits. Is it any consolation that they are also most unlikely to get divorced, be unemployed or get arrested?

Should I simply believe these scientific findings, give up and just leave my boys’ life to destiny? Or should I and their Dad believe in them and give them all the chances of proving these predictions wrong?

I think every parent’s heart knows the answer.

Many concerned parents of Autistic children are rejoicing as U.S. health officials finally advocate a treatment for Autism called chelation. The treatment’s goal is to purge metals from the patient’s body. Metals, particularly from mercury vaccines, are thought to be a big factor in the little-understood neurological disorder. The support of chelation treatment by the director of the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health may mean that the treatment may get federal backing.

Chelation is not often considered by doctors to battle Autism as the drugs have some unfavorable side effects, and unproven results. Still, for many supporters of the treatment, chelation may be the final proof — if it lives up to its promise– once and for all that mercury vaccines does have a direct cause on Autism.

Source: Stamford Advocate

Anywhere you go in public, it seems, there’s a wild child controlling her parents. Last week, two events have unfolded leaving many heads shaking, eyebrows raised and fingers pointed.

First, a woman was not allowed to board her connecting flight from Detroit to Seattle. As reported by local news outlets and cnn.com, Wendy Slaughter admitted that her four children were out of control between Detroit and Phoenix, and that flight attendants had asked her to get them settled down. But she was caught off guard when she was not allowed to get on the plane in Phoenix.

Then, a family was asked to leave a family restaurant in Canada after a fellow patron complained. Apparently, Sarah Seymour’s five year old girl started throwing a fit when she learned that her favorite meal was not on the menu that night.

What connects these two stories is not just a “bratty” kid, but a child living with Autism.

The conversations I have heard about these stories seem to revolve around whether or not the moms should have been able to control their children, and who bore the burden of responsibility. I think I see both sides of it.

I do not have an autistic child, but I have had very close contact with several, and I have done enough research to know that parents of these children can’t always employ the same discipline techniques that other parents can use. But I have also been in a restaurant and on an airplane with children who drove me crazy, and I know that autistic children are very able to understand consequences.

So, who was at fault here? Both moms asked for apologies. Ms. Slaughter received a refund of her ticket price (after leaving her stranded), but no “sorry.” Ms. Seymore did receive a public apology (after the manager suggested the autistic child should not be out in public), as well as a promise from the restaurant to better train their employees about autism and raise money for autism research.

Do parents of autistic children bear the burden of ensuring that their kids do not ever make other people uncomfortable? Certainly that is part of the goal for all children, especially autistic kids who tend to have outbursts. But do the companies also share the burden to accommodate all of their patrons–regardless of disability?

In the end, I do think that it was the parents’ responsibility to make sure their children were up for the challenge. But I also think that people could be a little more understanding of a family that clearly is trying to teach a child how to interact with the public. How else will they learn?

What do you think? Were the airline and restaurant in the wrong for being intolerant toward a child with a disability? Or were they right for protecting the interests of dozens or hundreds of other patrons?

Zinc is a mineral that is involved in the functioning of over 300 enzymes and takes part in a great many biological functions. This means that inadequate intake can lead to a range of problems. It was first discovered to be an essential element in 1934. It is the mineral that is most commonly deficient, it is estimated that one fifth of people across the world are deficiency in zinc.

Food processing reduces the quantity of zinc in the food. When food is boiled, the zinc is leeched out into the water. There is a increased need for zinc for people who are under stress, suffering from infections and pre menstrual syndrome, who are on the contraceptive pill, who have excess copper, who have frequent alcohol consumption, who have unstable blood sugar levels and those who have a genetic increased need for zinc.

Symptoms of a zinc deficiency include a blank mind, confusion and lack of concentration, depression, loss of appetite, lack of motivation. It also seems that a deficiency in B6 and magnesium leads to poor dream recall.

Zinc supplementation is recommended in a whole range of conditions, which can be sorted into various categories.

Digestive problems such as food allergies, diarrhea and gastric ulcers. Zinc is essential for digesting food proteins and the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

Skin problems such as acne, stretch marks, eczema and psoriasis. Zinc is important for collagen production, elastin synthesis and DNA repair.

Neurological conditions such as ADHD, autism, anorexia, schizophrenia and post natal depression.

Immune system conditions such as general immune system weakness, gingivitis and herpes. Zinc is important for many immune functions, such as protein synthesis.

Hormonal conditions such as pre menstrual syndrome, menopausal problems and fertility. Zinc is important in o estrogen production.

Other conditions such sickle cell anemia, Down Syndrome, high cholesterol, burns, hormonal imbalances, fertility and growth.

Good food sources include oysters, herrings, wheat, oats, meat, eggs, seafood, nuts, seeds, black eyed beans and tofu. Alternatively a supplement can be taken. A dose of 15mg is recommended for a standard long term dosage, with larger quantities to be taken under professional advice.

Zinc (Zn) – Easy Way to Natural Beauty

International Zinc Association ? Zinc and Human Health

Zinc ? Contributing to Better Health

Zinc Health Article

This information is not meant to constitute medical advice, please speak to your doctor before changing your diet.

A new research study done by The University of North Caroling at Chapel Hill showed a link between autism in children and mental disorders in their parents.

The research compared children who were born between 1977 and 2003 who were diagnosed with autism before the age of 10 with the rate of parental mental disorders of children in a control group. Children had parents that were diagnosed with schizophrenia were 2 times as likely to have a diagnosis of autism. Previous studies have also shown a higher prevalence of psychiatric disorders in families of autistic children.

Autism is a complex neurological disorder which affects around 1 out of every 150 children according to The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Children affected by autism may have a broad variety of symptoms including impaired communication and socialization skills.

I find this very interesting as I have two children who have been diagnosed with autism. Incredibly, my ex husband does have a schizophrenia diagnosis and mental illness is very common in his side of the family?something I discovered after we married. I remember worrying over this when I was pregnant with my first child 15 years ago and discussing it with the obstetrician. He assured me that I had very little to worry about.

This study certainly has me curious to find out if I am alone in my situation. Do you have a child with autism? Is this study relevant to your situation or not at all applicable?

Autism Spectrum Disorder has, in recent years, created heated debates between parents, doctors, health authorities, and scientists. Unfortunately, although autism is prevalent (about 1 in 150 kids are affected), there are still so many things we don`t know about it, including the real causes, and treatments. Autism has been linked to many factors, including exposure to pesticides, milk products, genetics, low birth weights, and mobile phones. However, none is more controversial than the role of childhood vaccines in this disease.

The son of actor Jenny McCarthy was diagnosed with autism as a baby. Evan, who is now 5 years old, was one of the very few children who recovered from this debilitating disease. The celebrity parent recently revealed on CNN.com about the details of Evan`s journey to autism and back. They described his ?recovery? as regaining many of the skills that he once lost, which include speech.

They attributed this recovery to the following:
? Diet which is gluten-free and casein-free
? Vitamin supplements
? Metal detoxication
? Anti-fungal against yeast overgrowth

One his neurological symptoms improved, he underwent speech therapy and applied behavior analysis. After a year of these therapies, Evan was almost fully back to normal, much to the amazement of this doctors.

Jenny and Jim admit that some of these treatments are not backed by scientific evidence. However, the fact that they worked on the boy was proof enough that they could work.

What frustrates the them is the fact the doctors and autism experts did not acknowledge the importance of Evan`s recovery or analyzed the treatments and therapies that may have contributed to this. Instead, they simply dismissed it as a ?misdiagnosed? case.

Jenny and Jim believe that ?autism is an environmental illness? and that vaccines play a major role as an environmental trigger. They are not against vaccination as such but they believe that there is a need to re-examine some of the ingredients as well as the vaccination schedule recommended by CDC.

Jenny shares her experiences with other parents in her book ?Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism.?

Another recent develop in the battle against autism is the unprecedented decision of a federal court in Georgia ? in favor of autism victim Hannah Poling and her family. More families are awaiting their cases to be heard.

Related posts:

April 2 was World Autism Day

Service Dogs: Autistic Children?s Best Friends?

New Research Into Autism

Is there a link between vaccinations and autism?

New Genetic Find On Autism

Autism and Vaccine Link: Get Over It

Mercury in vaccines: why it CAN NOT cause autism

Last Wednesday, April 2, the first World Autism Awareness Day was observed. An initiative of the UN General Assembly, it is ?a day to focus on children and adults suffering from autism.?

Autism has been linked to vaccines, genetics, pollution, and prenatal alcohol exposure. A recent study shows another side to the multi-faceted Autism Spectrum Disorders – the association between autism and birth weights.

The researchers followed up a group of 91 very premature babies up to toddlerhood and found that about one-fourth of these toddlers exhibited signs of autism. These children were born on the average 10 weeks before term and weighed less than 4 lbs.

Due to rapid advancement in the medical field, more and more premature babies are able to survive. However, most of these babies suffer from health and developmental problems.

In this study, an early autism screening test which is appropriate for this age group was used. Although this screening cannot be considered a definitive form of autism test, the results indicated that premies have higher risks of becoming autistic

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), an estimated 1 in 150 children in the United States is affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Sources:

Limperopoulos et al. Positive Screening for Autism in Ex-preterm Infants: Prevalence and Risk Factors. PEDIATRICS Vol. 121 No. 4 April 2008, pp. 758-765.

ABCNews 2 April 2008

Related posts:

Service Dogs: Autistic Children?s Best Friends?

New Research Into Autism

Is there a link between vaccinations and autism?

New Genetic Find On Autism

Autism and Vaccine Link: Get Over It

Mercury in vaccines: why it CAN NOT cause autism

A recent report by ABC News and Good Morning America examined a relatively new method of helping children with the disorder (and their families) by using trained service dogs?the kind of dogs that we are all used to seeing assist the blind and deaf.

Service dogs provide comfort, help and support

Groups such as 4 Paws for Ability and the North Star Foundation have been working with service dogs and the families of autistic children and people with other disorders and disabilities. The dogs from both groups are trained to do work with specific disorders?in other words, these service dogs are specialists to an extent. 4 Paws was the first agency to begin placing skilled autism service dogs and continues to be the largest organization in the United States to do so. The dogs that work with autistic children are trained to work with specific behaviors that are unique to the autism spectrum including impaired or limited verbal ability and communication skills, an inability to connect well with his or her environment, an inability to read emotions, wandering and repetitive, often ritual-like behaviors.

These specially trained service dogs have proved helpful with all of these behaviors. Tracking is one of their key tasks and is a relief for many parents of autistic children who wander. Using a distinctly Pavlovian model, the dogs are trained in such a way that the child?s behavior elicits a response in the dog that will be helpful, calming, protective (or all three) depending upon the task at hand. Some dogs even attend school with the children. The dogs are also socialized with the children to ensure that the paring is a good one. North Star has a puppy education program which occurs during the first six months of the puppy?s life. That education is then provided to the families of their clients, who become partners in training the dog to meet their child’s specific needs.

According to 4 Paws: ?Research indicates that the child with Autism displays behaviors toward their dog that they rarely, if ever, display towards human companions. In addition, the child that is partnered with a [service] dog is found to seek their dog out for companionship, comfort, and confiding in ways never shown to family members.?Both 4 Paws and North Assert that using service dogs has a therapeutic effect that is heightened in a child with autism because of the powerful nature of communication between the dog and the child. The nonverbal avenue of interacting with a dog is important advantage because of the communication issues surrounding the autistic spectrum, and through this nonverbal advantage they help with socialization, emotional and educational issues.

Are service dogs a cure?

Thus far, there is no cure for autism or any of the disorders along the PDD spectrum. According to John Adams, Ph.D., ?Left untreated, many autistic children will not develop effective social skills and may not learn to talk or behave appropriately. Very few individuals recover completely from autism without any intervention. ? There [is however, a] variety of treatment options [and their effects].? Among the common therapies are medication, emotional and behavioral therapies including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), music therapy, sensory therapy and many others. While there are many therapies being used and studied for helping autistic children, working with service dogs seems to be one that is having positive effects not only for autistic children but for their families as well.

Some Resources (in alphabetical order)

• 4 Paws for Ability
• Autism and Vaccine Link: Get Over it
• Is My Child Autistic?
• New Genetic Find on Autism
• New Research Into Autism
• North Star Dogs

People will pick up on anything to accuse of being autistic. Absolutely anything.

More children are being diagnosed within the Autism Spectrum each year and the anti-vaccine movement just eats it up. Despite the fact that for years scientists and researchers have published comprehensive information disproving the link between the type of mercury found in vaccines, rabid protesters of vaccines still point fingers. See more about the disproving here – Infant study casts doubt on vaccine-autism link.

Perhaps these people fail to notice that the spread of autism has occurred at nearly the same time as the mass introduction of preservatives and other agents into our food supply. Maybe many of these people who are against vaccines would enjoy a back to the past approach of living. You know . . . Fighting off smallpox, polio, and other nasty bugs. I mean, living with those diseases is much better than trying to change the diet your child has. Right?

The link between diet and autism is becoming increasingly clear as research is progressing. Many websites and books are available on the subject, so why the hoo-ha about vaccines? Because of laziness, pure and simple. Or perhaps the need for drama, the need to work for a cause. But, this cause has no real science behind it.

On the other hand, diet and autism have a huge amount of research and proof. Many studies regarding the proteins in wheat and dairy, how they react in a child?s system have been done. Parents around the globe find their children released from the grips of autism by following strict diets that exclude wheat products and dairy. The proteins that are causing the problem in the child?s nervous system are gluten and casein.

Both of these act as opiates on an autistic child?s brain and body. That is one reason children in the autism spectrum are found to have such odd diets. They become addicted to these food items, literally. Chicken nuggets, sandwiches, milk, and any food with gluten or caseins in them.

Of course, many people who advocate the discontinuance of vaccines might come to me and say, ?What do you know? My child never exhibited signs of autism until after she had a vaccine.?

Perhaps this is true. But, normally the real diagnosis of autism does not occur until well after a child has received all of their vaccines. A child may behind in their development, but most of the time, these developments are coming at the same time the vaccines are, so a link is supposed.

I challenge all parents of autistic children to begin eliminating dairy from their child?s diet. Try this for a few months. If an improvement is seen, then move to wheat containing products. It will take time and be a challenge, but the possible benefits outweigh any risk. Once you have tried this, consistently, come back to me and tell me how vaccines are ruining our children?s lives.

This post does not reflect the views of Babies Online or it’s affiliates. The opinion expressed within are those of the writer alone.

I knew something was not quite right with my second child from the time she was very, very small. One of the things that was striking about her was the way she would not interact with things or people in her environment. In fact, it seemed as if she was in a world of her own most of the time when she wasn’t screaming at the top of her lungs or throwing temper tantrums about nothing in particular.

I remember taking her to our pediatrician when she was about 9 months old and asking him about my concerns. At that time, 12 years ago, kids were not routinely evaluated for autism until they were toddlers. Parents were told that a formal diagnosis could not be given until the child was 3! The best he could do was to encourage me to keep on doing what I was doing. How frustrating!

Things have changed drastically in the ensuing decade. Parents are more educated and health care professionals are more proactive in assessing disorders and assisting parents in getting the intervention that their children need. If you have concerns about your baby’s social development, you can check out this website devoted to educating parents about the signs and symptoms of autism as well as other developmental delays and disabilities.

My daughter was eventually diagnosed with autism at the age of 3 and we began to get her the intervention she needed. Now, after many years of therapy and support, she is making wonderful progress!

If you have concerns about your child, make an appointment to discuss those concerns with your child’s doctor as soon as possible. You and your child will be glad you did.

Autism can be a devastating disorder for a family, and according to the Autism Society of America, it’s the fastest-growing developmental disability, with a 10-17% annual growth. With 1 in 150 births estimated to acquire Autism, this disease is reaching what the Center for Disease Control (CDC) is calling an epidemic. A new study has found an association between abnormalities on chromosome 16 and an increased risk for autism, paving the way to more knowledge about how this disorder operates.

The study, published in the online edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, completed a genome scan of about 3,000 individuals with Autism or a related disorder. The findings revealed that there is a section of chromosome 16 that is either deleted or duplicated in 1 percent of Autism sufferers.

Experts have long known that there is a genetic component to this disorder, but have yet to identify all the genetic factors. They are careful to caution that the abnormality on chromosome 16 and it’s association with autism is not a causal effect. Indeed with such a small proportion of Autism sufferers having an abnormal chromosome 16, critics argue that genetics may not even be the culprit. The National Autism Association (NAA) for example, is pushing for more funds to study environmental factors and its association with the disorder.

There has been question as to whether vaccinations, particularly the MMR (Measles-Mumps-Rubella) vaccine, lead to autism in children. While some studies have suggested that there may be a link between thimerosal, the mercury-preserving component in some vaccines, and autism, major health organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and FDA, deny that there is a link.

Questions were raised when the onset of autistic symptoms were noted in children between the ages of 18 to 30 months, shortly after they received their MMR vaccines. Medicalscience has argued that this timing is merely a developmental coincidence. Some parents are opting to have the vaccine given in three separate doses, which is believed to be safer than the ‘triple-shot” which children usually receive.

Also of concern is the flu shot, as babies receive two during their first year and one in subsequent years. There is a high level of mercury in this shot (there are 25 micrograms of mercury in a single flu shot, as compared to the safe levels of mercury most kids got in their cumulative vaccinations in 2004, which was approximately .4 micrograms all together over several years).

The bottom line is that it is wise to consider these findings, talk with your pediatrician and research the topic further if you are concerned about a link between vaccinations and autism in children.

Research at the Baby Lab Project at Uppsala University in Stockholm is studying electromagnetic brain activity in babies by attaching electrodes to their heads whilst they are playing with different objects.

The aim of this research is to tell which part of the brain does what when the child interacts with the world around him. This will help the researchers to discover the differences between brains in those with autism and others. In order to do this they had to develop special light electrodes so that they were not too heavy for the baby.

One of the reasons for the research is to be able to diagnose autistic children sooner and more easily. This will enable treatment to start earlier, currently it is practically impossible to diagnose before the age of 18 months and sometimes it can take much longer, even into adulthood.

Further information

Diet and Neurodevelopmental Delays

Baby has 128 Electrodes Attached to Head in Bid to Discover Secrets of Autism