Snake Oil may have cured the Autism Speaks kid

Autism Speaks inspiration and grandson of NBC mogul Bob Wright has started to "recover" from autism. Read the article after the jump below, BUT FIRST...

Was it Secretin that did the trick? No...

Was it facilitated communication? No...

Um, auditory integration? Irlen lenses? No and No...

Was it "other, still-unproven treatments like dietary changes (no wheat or dairy) chelation therapy (removal of heavy metals from the body) and methyl B-12, which could help restore a critical process called methylation - a needed tool for detoxification and proper nerve function that is apparently deficient in some autistic children." Well, the kid did receive that intervention. So maybe.

What the article doesn't mention is that the child received intensive behavioral therapy like nobodies business. World class ABA and plenty of it. So could that have been where we got the improvement? Couldn't be or the article would say something about it, right?
Oh wait, the article was written by David Kirby, author of Evidence of Harm. So the improvement (if there really is any) had to be the result of chemicals strategically introduced into the young body of the child. You know, to counter the effects of those other chemicals in the vaccines.

Vaccines may have caused the problem but lets be fair in reporting the possible factors in the improvement. Behavioral therapies need to accompany any hocus pocus fads JUST IN CASE YOU ARE WRONG about the snake oil of the day. Because we KNOW that sound behavioral interventions work. They don't cure autism but they can make it one heck of a lot better while you're on the internet looking for the next magic bullet.

Autism Speaks may be very good for the autism community. Let's see how they handle this and whether or not the various conspiracy theorists and fad factions can deal with the hype.

Read the article here

The Autism Community Loses a Great Friend

Audrey Horne, immediate past President of the Autism Society of America passed away March 21, 2007. She served two terms as National President and was currently serving on the Board of Directors of the society. Audrey was well known for helping refocus the agency a decade ago, transforming it into a stronger and more effective organization. She was also known as a politically adept lobbyist on behalf of people with autism on both the national stage and on the local level in her home state of South Carolina.

Mrs. Horne was perhaps most proud of her son, Olin Horne, who received the Autism Society of America's Wendy. F. Miller award for Outstanding Person with Autism in 2005. He lives in Charleston, South Carolina in an autism group home run by the non-profit organization Carolina Autism Supported Living Services. "Mrs. Horne was tireless and fearless when fighting for people with autism," the agencies director, Phil Blevins said.

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford named Mrs. Horne to the South Carolina Commission on Disabilities and Special Needs in 2004 where she continued to dedicate her life to the protection and advocacy of people with special needs. According to Robert Harrell, chairman of the Commission, "Audrey Horne was a woman of great integrity." He went on to say, "She had the heart of an advocate and a gift for leadership." Working with the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs she helped the agency expand choices in South Carolina for people with autism and other disabilities.

She was a graduate of Columbia College and received her Master's degree from the University of South Carolina. She taught in public schools before moving to Washington, D.C. where she worked in Senator Olin Johnston's office. She also served on the school board in her hometown of St. George, South Carolina. Mrs. Horne was instrumental in the formation of the Autism Society of South Carolina where she was a past president.

Memorials may be made online to CarolinaAutism.org, or by mail to Carolina Autism, 4 Carriage Lane, Suite 302, Charleston, SC 29407

Shock Treatment Sought for Autistic Man

This isn't too controversial is it? A family wants to use a cattle prod to keep their (autistic) son from hurting himself. It's the oldest argument around and it's so sad that parents can't find anyone able to do better for their child. Read on for more...

NEWS FLASH: People with autism can think!

If you haven't yet, you should check out this young woman with autism. She is the same person who created a parody website to mock the Autism Society of America's dire website, www.gettingthewordout.org.

We at AutismSense.com want to hear all about how she's not really autistic. Well if she's not, no-one is! Or is she just doing a really good Dustin Hoffman? Hmmm...