Toxic chemicals: a serious suspect in the autism outbreak

Great article. Depressing as heck though.

I just excerpted a tiny bit for you in my post. Please read the whole thing. In fact, read all of Harvey Karp's articles on Autism here.

From the Huffingtonpost.com:

Are Children with Autism..."Male-adjusted"?

Our increasing exposure to EDCs lends support to a new hypothesis about the cause of autism, called the "extreme male theory." This theory, proposed by Dr. Simon Baron-Cohen and colleagues, speculates that autism is caused by something changing a fetus' hormonal balance that then leads to over-masculinization of the developing brain.

Could that "something" be the slurry of hormone-altering chemicals we're exposed to every day? Are EDCs the reason autism-type disorders are 4-9 times more common in boys? (Vaccine side effects never show such lopsided impact on boys versus girls...a glaring fact that is totally ignored by those promoting the vaccine theory of autism.)

The "extreme male theory" has been supported by two interesting bits of evidence: 1) fetuses with slightly elevated levels of testosterone grow up acting extra-male (more interested in things than people, slow language development, etc.); 2) children with autism -- boys and girls -- show extra-male characteristics (e.g. poor social ability, language delay).

Here is where the very interesting link to EDCs comes into play: EDCs often act as weak estrogens and estrogen feminizines the body, but in a fetus' developing brain estrogen actually has the opposite effect...it causes masculinization.

For now, these ideas are just interesting theories, but the evidence is concerning. We urgently need more research to discover whether EDCs, or other chemicals, are linked to the worldwide rise in autism. Fortunately, on that front, there is very good news to report. Thanks to a dedicated group of pediatricians -- members of groups like the AAP and CDC -- the National Children's Study (NCS) was launched in January 2009.

Train wreck: the good, bad and the ugly

The good? Actually the good is real good.

Our new Speech and behavior therapist gal came on Monday. She came to my house. Shea needed about 47 seconds to be shy then invited her to play magnets.

They had a wonderful time. She pushes a little harder then some, insisting he says a word not just once, but 3 or 4 times. It went really well and I look forward to having her input all summer.

The bad? Shea is doing Mini-hawks sports summer camp. All week, from 8:30 to 11:30, they (39 little kids 4 - 6) play and learn about baseball, soccer and basketball. After 3 solid hours of play, I know they are tired but they get out right next to the big playground at the elementary school. It is nearly impossible to not let him play a while after wards.

Shea wants to be the fastest, climbing the highest, running, jumping, doing circus tricks. On the playground he is a leader but just doesn't have the language and socials skills to deal with that role. Basically he is getting more and more cranked up. And, not in a good way.

One little boy points at Shea and said, "That boy made Logan cry today." I tried to find out what happened, tracked the boy down, heard what happened. I guess Shea took his hat and wouldn't give it back and then started hitting.

I apologized to him and tried to explain that Shea doesn't have many words and talking is hard for him. That he didn't do it to be mean.

Well. It was going down hill fast. I feel I need to jump right on it if Shea hits. I am not going to just hang back and let my kid hit some other kid and not deal with it. I corrected him once and hoped he could keep it together if he just calmed down. I probably should have just taken him home then. Implement a 1 strike you are out rule.

I am sure this is part of his Sensory Integration issues. He gets so cranked up when he is playing with lots of other kids that he is literally whirling top speed, no time to STOP and communicate, no time to listen to his mom, no time to focus on his behavior. He starts hitting. You know, train wreck we are on our way.

The ugly?

Shea went to play on a big dome climber and, of course, all the other little boys followed him over. The behavior continues and he hits the same kid again. I jump right on it again but he is inside the dome. And, get this...he is running away from me, eluding and ignoring me. Will not come to me. Laughingly he continues to elude me while my blood is beginning to boil, I am saying the old, "you come here right now! I am going to count to 3. Shea! I mean it. I want to talk to you."

Pointless. He thinks it just hilarious that he doesn't have to listen to me and that I can't get him.

Until, I moved my fat butt right on down and climb inside that stupid dome and grabbed him, peeled his fingers off the bars and jettisoned him out from under that dome. I literally had to physically remove him from the area with dozens of mothers, fathers and other kids watching. He was still trying to run from me and refusing to walk. We had a long, excruciating, not very gentle walk all the way across the playground with Shea in full melt down rotten kid mode and me barely able to keep from completely exploding.

Absolute horror show.

Tomorrow? I don't think so. Time to shake up the dynamic. We are going to the pool.

Loosing it all

I got a phone call in reference to a rental house I listed on Craigslist; a lady whose house just burned down the day or two before, family of 4, kids 5 & 11. Electrical fire, they lost everything.

"Kids 5 & 11? Do I know your kid?" Sure enough, in Molly's class last year, a very nice boy.

Well, about now my heart is breaking. Everyone was physically ok but they were in shock, depressed, dazed. I thought of my own kids going through this. How sad and vulnerable they must feel.

I just felt like I had to do something.

I had heard about how Vashon swings into action when there is a tragedy like this. I started making phone calls and talking to some island folk and was led to a gracious older woman who was a depository of information; food vouchers, furniture, Granny's chits, rental assistance.

Between the Redcross, local churches through their "Interfaith Council on Homelessness" Vashon Youth and Family Services, The Food bank and other groups. they are able to create a web of assistance, something to cushion the initial blow but almost more importantly longer support to pull your life together again.

It was pretty amazing to see and help start that ball rolling.

I have been thinking about home fires lately. A really fun blog I visit all the time is The Quirk Factor: Resistance is futile.

Her house burned down too. I felt the same heartbreak when I read her post. Everybody was ok physically but they lost it all too.

In my mind, I visualize a person like me who started calling so that her family could get connected to this web of assistance that is out there in all our communities.

We should all support it when we don't need it because it is there for us if we do.

Why do I have to be differnt?

Public school hiring teachers from out of country!?

I have a simmering cauldron of mixed feelings on this one.

Isn't this our tax dollars recruiting and paying scabs to get around the teachers union?

and/or

An excellent way to interject international diversity into public schools?

Math and Special Ed teachers!?

From the Seattle Times:

Francisco Size came to Washington from the Dominican Republic last year on a type of work visa that each year draws thousands of other foreign professionals into the state.

But the 42-year-old is not a computer programmer or software engineer for the typical high-tech companies using these visas.

Rather, Size works as a math teacher in the Highline School District — one of scores of teachers across the state hired on the H-1B visa.

While use of the visa in the private sector at companies like Microsoft is well-known and hotly debated, less is known about school districts' use of the program. In fact, at least 40 Washington school districts have applied for H-1B visas to employ teachers and staff over the past five years.

For example, Puyallup hired a high-school English teacher from Jamaica, Seattle hired a special-education teacher from India, and Bellevue hired a parent-outreach coordinator from Chile.

Districts say they use H-1B workers to fill teaching positions with long-reported shortages in such areas as special education and math. Districts also have hired foreign nationals as English, elementary-school and substitute teachers. Like any employer using the H-1B program, schools do not have to show a lack of qualified U.S. teachers before they hire foreign workers.

Your voice does matter

You all know my political leanings. I haven't been shy about expressing myself.

So, my personal views on Health Care Reform won't surprise anyone. I believe Single Payer or Universal Health Care is what we need, but if that is all "over the top" (and believe me that is what they want you to think) we should at least get a Public Option.

I am watching my representatives and Senators very closely on this one. And, it's easy to do.

Congress.org is a great site where you can put in your zip code and give you easy contact information.

And, believe it or not, contacting them does matter.

Thom Hartman was saying that a fax sent to your rep or senator equals 1000 voices. A phone call equals 500. Go down to their local home office and you equal something like 5,000 people. And, BTW an e-mail doesn't count for much anymore. It is just too easy to do it.

The point is clear. Most people don't make contact. Of course, there are some barriers. It takes time. You have to have access to a fax machine or a stamp. You have to care enough about something to have an opinion and want to share it.

Well, Health Care Reform is something I care enough about to have an opinion about. I am sick and tired watching American families getting pummeled by these huge companies that are literally rolling in wealth. CEOs that make a BILLION $ a year? Come on!

My premiums go up 20% each year. I don't get anything more. In fact, I am getting less and less but paying more and more. That my friends, is called a "hosing".

I would encourage you to keep your ears peeled during this debate. You will hear all sorts of scary things about "socialized medicine" and why we should trust the Insurance Companies to "regulate" themselves.

But, in actuality our Fire Department is socialized. Are our houses worth more than our health? Hell NO!

They will talk about "triggers" and work to water down the bill so that it won't change anything and resembles the nightmare we have now! Even good Democrats are trying to do this!

Well, I am speaking up this time. I am sending faxes!

Raise your voice!

Who should get the applause?

The sheep, the dogs or the dudes who programmed all this?

I don't entertain

Not very often. Something about my messy, cluttered, dust bunny house?

But today I had some good friends over and at one point I thought, "this is pretty much perfect"; 2 excellent gal pals, some toothsome tidbits and cool beverages. Later some other neighbors stumbled over. We laughed, we kvetched and repeatedly marveled at Shea.

He talks all of the time. You can't always understand what he is saying but he sure is talking a lot these days. My GGF said, "You should get some audio of Shea. His speech has exploded. It will be hard to remember." She is right. I should.

I just don't see the huge strides over weeks and months, I am way too close. But, it seems everyone this summer is commenting on Shea and his willingness to pipe right up.

We are starting something new. There is a speech therapist who lives on Vashon but she works off island at the Port Orchard School District. She has the summer free and can come to my home on Mondays.

Also, she happens to be getting her Behavioral Therapy certification and would like to help Shea with the potting training this summer - for free. She is planning a long day where we sort of just hover over him the whole day and keep reinforcing the message. She says we may need the next day also.

Now, this I gotta see!

I will faithfully report back!

Quid pro quo

I sure wish, as we are having this Health Care reform discussion, that it wasn't so damn obvious that Big medicine, Big Pharma and the Health Insurance companies have long since bought and paid for our elected officials.

Good luck to any reform! Kicking and screaming comes to mind.

Splash!

This is our pool week. Shea has 2 - back to back 1/2 hour lessons from 10 - 11 all week. I finally realized that only 1 lesson is never enough.

The swim teachers are great and work to coax him to blow bubbles in the water with little success. Shea doesn't want his mouth or face in the water. We tried goggles today, we'll see if he gets used to them.

But, gosh, he is getting around pretty well out there. He wears a floaty jacket and uses a kick board and motors cruises around real good.

The challenge now is to just keep him in the shallow end.

Supreme Court ruled in favor of special ed student to get reimbursed for private school tuition

Hm...I wonder if this will change anything?

Any bets?

From the New York Times:

In a decision that could help disabled students obtain needed services and cost school districts millions of dollars, the Supreme Court ruled on Monday that parents of special-education students may seek government reimbursement for private school tuition, even if they have never received special-education services in public school.

The case before the court involved a struggling Oregon high school student, identified in court documents only as T. A., whose parents removed him from public school in the Forest Grove district in his junior year and enrolled him in a $5,200-a-month residential school.

Although Forest Grove officials had noticed T. A.’s difficulties and evaluated him for learning disabilities, he was found ineligible for special-education services. Only after he enrolled in the private school did doctors say T. A. had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and other disabilities.

While most of the nation’s six million special-education students attend public school, as T. A. did for many years, thousands of families with disabled children, convinced that the public schools lack appropriate placements, avoid the public schools altogether. Instead, they enroll their children in expensive private schools for students with emotional or learning disabilities, and then seek reimbursement.

Happy Father's Day

Today, for Father's Day, Jake is hanging with excellent neighbor and pal, Casey, who has invited him to participate in the 2009 Vashon Tidler run.

Sponsored my VME - Vintage Motorbike Enthusiasts - for over 20 years, they do a summer cruise around Vashon. Something about the ferry ride and all those beautiful country roads gets thousands of bikes on the island this week. Gotta love a little alternative economic development! Bikers no less.

Now, apparently, coming from Casey who is well connected in this circle there are 2 separate events on different weekends; one for the small bikes and scooters - today. And, the one for bigger bikes and that is later on in the summer.

Casey is a heavy. He knows all the people who run this thing so Jake gets the automatic entre into the "scene". Jake and Casey get to have a little male bonding day or a "bromance" as the they say. Two dads; feeling like hot shit. Cruising around on scooters. Priceless.

This little beauty is Jake's ride, a 1983 Honda Passport, lovingly restored and fully customized for zipping to and from the tennis court! Note the streamlined racket holder! What a life!

So, when you say Happy Father's Day over here today; it definitely is one.

Hope it is where you are too.

Update: Rare thunderclouds and rain showed up mid-day just as the Tidler cruise was ending and the bbq beginning.

Delicious snark

If the world were crazy

From the District Dispatch:

"You may know Chautauqua’s Lance Morgan as the guy who makes sure your kid gets on the right bus at the end of the day. Many of us also see him as Master of Ceremonies during Vashon’s opening day of baseball. However, there’s a whole other side to this meticulously well-organized baseball fan. He’s an awesome songwriter and videographer, and he’s applying his talents to everyday life at Chautauqua. From recording a day on the playground to bringing a Shel Silverstein poem to life with 5th-grade artwork, Lance finds the words and music to spice up our humdrum days. Take a moment to watch some of his videos; you’re sure to see some familiar faces doing some really wacky things."

Breakfast for dinner: Groucho Marx edition

I am pretty militant about dinner. I like for the whole family to sit down and chat about our days. During most of the year it works but then summer hits.

I am out watering plants and I notice, "Holy Cripes! It's almost 7:00!" This happened AGAIN last night and demonstrated just how it is around here during the summer.

When in doubt? Breakfast for dinner. Not cereal and toast. I haven't gotten that bad...yet. But, how about Gluten Free Waffles, sausages and fruit. Usually everyone is up for it and acts like it is some big treat.

We have really cut down on it due to Shea being allergic to eggs but a little breakfast for dinner never hurt anyone.

Last night, Molly created (and allowed me to photograph for use on my blog) her Groucho Marx edition of Breakfast for Dinner.

Why? Good question.

All the 5th graders had to pick a person and research them for "Night of the Notables" an in depth biographic report with props, time line, costumes, display board, representative foods.

The big presentation was Tuesday night and she, of course, had picked Grouch Marx because he had made so many people laugh.

I would think that Groucho has worked his way into her consciousness for good if he is ending up on her dinner plate.

Good bye, at last.

Today we said good bye to Shea's AM preschool option. It is a lovely little private preschool nestled in a forest surrounded with lots of walking trails. We started back in the fall with the best of hopes.

I guess it has always been somewhat of a stretch but we hung in there for the whole year. A stretch because I just don't think the teacher has much of a clue about kids with special needs although she is certainly has plenty of experience.

I think she was pressuring Shea a little too hard at potty training where he became very reluctant to even try during the winter. She had her hands full and couldn't watch all the kids at one time and playground time got a little crazy with Shea sort of falling apart on an almost daily basis. Or him getting blamed for stuff because he couldn't verbalize what happened. She also seems surprisingly rigid about certain things; kids can't bring anything from home, always wear inside shoes inside, always play with this toy like this, etc.

I don't know. Maybe that is the Montessori way.

It seemed like she did a lot of apologizing for stuff over the year, now that I look back. Misunderstandings. Shea having problems at playground time. One other kid saying he is "afraid" of Shea. Shea saying he didn't like it. I never could quite get a handle on what was going wrong over there.

But, today just takes the cake. Talk me off the ledge readers.

Today being the last day of school, she had scheduled a party for the last hour and all parents were supposed to show up and bring food. Ok. I am pretty darn busy during the day but I can do that.

But, I get there and she is inside with all the kids while all the parents are sitting outside waiting. Well, they all finally come out holding hands and snaking around the yard. Two kids pipe up saying, "Welcome to our graduation ceremony."

Uh oh. I thought this was just a party. Seems a little kooky by now but whatever. Sort of reminds me about the diatribe in the movie The Incredibles where he is talking about how everyone is always coming up with more ways to celebrate mediocrity. I mean, it is just the end of a pre-school year. Graduation ceremony? Give me a break!

They each climb up the play structure and are supposed to slide down while saying their name. Weee! Nothing like a little on the spot, high stakes verbalization with the added pressure of 20 parents staring at you for a speech delayed kid! Weee!

All the kids do it, Shea is last and he doesn't want to or can't do it. Gets more and more embarrassed, frustrated and shy. Doesn't want to come down the slide. Clueless teacher doesn't even get it at first and tries to coax him but only ends up making him cry.

I go and rescue him. Thanks. Thanks a hell of a lot!

Then, she says all the kids are going to go over there and get in a circle and sing a song. Bleh. No thank you very much. I just took a crying Shea and we walked through the trails a little bit and then went home.

So, for the last day of school, Shea gets to be humiliated in front of all these gaping parents for a stupid "ceremony" that seemed to be nothing more than a "dog and pony show" for the parents to justify $360 a month for morning preschool.

Result? My kid gets to stick out. My kid gets to be the odd ball. My kid, obviously, doesn't want to do it but is pushed through this teacher's whim so she can show the parents what good little preforming seals they are.

I guess I am livid that she is so lacking in empathy and intuitiveness that she wouldn't foresee difficulty or problem or discomfort for Shea. Maybe she did. Maybe she asked him. Maybe not.

Livid? I am pissed off! I wished I hadn't even taken him there today.

Good riddance, AM Preschool. I sure am glad we have a better option for next year.

Doesn't matter how you do it...just do it!

I met with a new client today who I had been saying good morning to for months, we just hadn't been formally introduced yet. But, I have been smiling and saying hello to this friendly, happy face just because she was a friendly, happy face.

Today, when I visited her house for our meeting and she opened her door, we recognized each other immediately and felt like we already sort of knew each other and proceeded to have an excellent meeting.

Great ice breaker by the way and one of the good sides of living in a small town.

She has a little girl, maybe 31/2, who chattered and flitted around as we talked business. At one point, we were outside and the girl whipped down her panties and had a perfectly acceptable potty right there in the driveway.

I, naturally pro-potty, cheered and congratulated her while her mother was mortified at her kid. I just had to laugh.

I explained that my kid hasn't gotten the hang of pulling down his underwear yet so that is our summer project.

She admitted that her husband and son get to pee outside all the time and the little girl must be feeling jealous. Who can blame her?

What is the good of living in the country if you can't pee outside when you want to?

Twitter, twitter, tweet

Female plumbing maintenance: necessary evils

Sorry male readers, you may want to just move on along for now.

I will admit this to the rest of you brave folks with chagrin and more than a little bit of shame. I haven't had an annual exam since Shea was born! And, by Annual Exam you know exactly what I mean. The old Pap. Stirrup trip. The female equivalent of "turn your head and cough".

I am only admitting this to you because I went and got it over with today. And, it was as pleasant as I remember. No results back yet, of course, so let's just say, if I don't mention anything then everything is just fine.

But, this is a perfect example of one of the down sides of small town living. How well do you want to know the person who has to come face to face with your yester-regions? In a town of 10,000, chances are you may know them pretty well.

Oh sure. I have a doctor. And, she is just fine but I didn't get my tookus over and see her for 5 years did I? Why? Frankly, I don't know. All I can say in my defense is I crave a little anonymity sometimes. Especially during a Pap.

So, a week or so ago, this interesting little article popped up in our local rag, The Beachcomber. A new Women's Health Clinic is opening up! A gal with 24 years experience as an RN who volunteers with Planned Parenthood is opening up a solo practice right here on Vashon. And, I don't know her!!! Hurray!

Well, I felt like it was devine intervention. The Almighty in all her wisdom really wants me to get my pap so I gave her a call. And, surprise, surprise she is wonderful and answers her own phone and got me right in.

Today was the day. And, it was very annoying but not all that bad and whew! am I glad it's over. I would recommend it to anyone.

But, it sort of got me thinking. Molly is kind of getting to that age. She had "health" class this year which is what they call Sex Ed these days. She is probably too young now but I thought I would take her to the Women's Health Clinic in a year or two. Let her establish a good healthy relationship with a nurse so she can become familiar with the long term care and maintenance of her female parts.

And, while they are at it? Blow wide the doors for appropriate birth control access. Let her have a safe and hopefully not too embarrassing access to information and birth control. I guess the theory being; make it available and not taboo before she needs it, so it will just become a natural part of it.

I remember it well. My mom grabbed me and drove me to Planned Parenthood when I was 14 years old. Sigh. I was always in such a rush to grow up. But, it was a very, very smart thing for her to do. I wish we had a Planned Parenthood on the island but somehow I think our new Women's Health Clinic will work.

Sometimes, a smart mother, will just let her kid have free access to talk with their own doctor. You know, a little anonymity. What a novel idea!

Discount store employs people with special needs

Nice to see this is happening even with the downturn in the economy.

From Newsnet5.com:

PARMA, Ohio -- Cost-conscious shopping caused by the recession has allowed a new discount store to provide jobs for people with disabilities. Many of Just-A-Buck's 16 special-needs employees had recently been laid off from mainstream workplaces.

The only nonprofit Just-A-Buck franchise nationwide, the store in the Cleveland suburb Parma supports the training and placement of the disabled in workshops or workplaces. Some shoppers said they like bargains and also like supporting store workers with special needs.

The store opened in April is operated by Solutions at Work Inc., an arm of the Cuyahoga County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities. Many of the store's workers had lost jobs from previous SAW placements.