Autism & Environment Study:Genetics Only Autism Gang Running Scared, Creates Faux Controversy

Scared by althetrainer

The "it's gotta be genetic" gang is running scared over the recent twins study which confirms the pardigm shift in autism causation from 100% genetic to a gene-environment interaction model and which places much greater emphasis on the role of environmental factors, particularly perinatal and prenatal factors in triggering autism disorders.   The ink is barely dry on the paper and already  an article has appeared online at "Science" News with the headline and sub headline:  Environment blamed for autism Controversial twin study challenges idea that genes determine autism risk.

Where is the controversy?  Under the guise of science ScienceNews is helping create controversy by describing the study as controversial.  Teresa Binstock was right many years ago when she described the thinking of the public health research establishment as fixated on the view that autism has to be genetic. That view has been eroded over the last half decade by an autism paradigm shift which views autism as resulting from gene environment interaction.  The failure of the overwhelmingly genetic oriented autism research of the past decade to provide a clear genetic basis for autism causation preceded the recent studies which assign more responsibility for autism causation to environmental factors.  The "it's gotta be genetic" autism crowd is running skeeeeered. 

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Autism and Environment: Dr. Szatmari Gets It Backwards

The New York Times, to its credit, understands the implications of the recent twins study in terms of its potential to shake the old boys (and girls) network that has clung to the "it's gotta be genetic" paradigm in exploring and understanding autism.  It is also clear, as the following two quotes make clear, one a comment by the NYT journalist who wrote the article  and the second by respected Canadian autism expert Dr. Peter Szatmari.

NYT Reporter Laurie Tarkan:


A new study of twins suggests that environmental factors, including conditions in the womb, may be at least as important as genes in causing autism.

Autism Expert Dr. Peter Szatmari

“This is a very significant study because it confirms that genetic factors are involved in the cause of the disorder but it shifts the focus to the possibility that environmental factors could also be really important."
With all due respect to the learned, and respected, autism expert Dr. Szatmari the significance of this study is that it tilts thinking, hopefully finally, away from the established expert obsession with the belief that genetics explains autism completely.  The study is not important because it confirms that genetic factors are involved in the cause of the disorder. Dr. Szatmari has it backwards. The study  is important for the exact opposite reason ... it demonstrates the very important role of environmental factors in causing autism as subsequent quotes and comments in the NYT article assert:

"“I think we now understand that both genetic and environmental factors have to be taken seriously,” said Dr. Joachim Hallmayer, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford and the lead author of the new study, which is to be published in the November issue of Archives of General Psychiatry. ....... surprisingly, mathematical modeling suggested that only 38 percent of the cases could be attributed to genetic factors, compared with the 90 percent suggested by previous studies .... And more surprising still, shared environmental factors appeared to be at work in 58 percent of the cases" 

The respected Dr. Szatmari got it backwards. The 100% genetic explanation for autism has dominated official thinking for over a decade.  In the last half decade a new paradigm has been emerging which views autism as resulting from the interaction of genetic and environmental factors.  That paradigm has now clearly arrived.  Those who cling to the it's gotta be genetic paradigm will now have to be viewed as the dinosaurs they are..... unless of course they evolve very quickly and adopt the environmental-genetic interaction paradigm of autism causation.

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Firefighters Find and Rescue Man With Autism Lost in Sewer System



Firefighters in Downers Grove Illinois have found and rescued a 20 year old man with autism whose parents reported that he might be lost in the sewer system.  Apparently after being notified by the family that the man might be in the sewer system the firefighters lifted man hole covers looking for the man. The article on mysuburbanlife.com, Downer's Grove Reporter, does not specify how severe the man's autism was, stating only that he was deaf,  but given the facts it is a safe assumption that he is functionally impaired by his autism disorder.  This father of a severely autistic 15 year old son  is very happy to hear of the man's safe return to his family.

No word yet on whether the very high functioning members of the Board of Directors of the Autism Self Advocacy Network who campaign, in the harsh glare of major media attention and in high level political and government institutions,  against curing autism disorders  have complained about the firefighters interference with the man's right to roam as a free ranging "autie" or "aspie".

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Glenn Thibeault's REAL National Autism Strategy



In the past 36 hours I have criticized CASDA's claims to be advocating for a National Autism Strategy and to be presenting a unified national autism voice.  Lawrie Mawlam of CASDA, a conscientious and courteous individual with whom I have had the privilege of talking in recent months,  has taken some objection to my criticism and I thank her for expressing her opinions so forthrightly.   I hope though that CASDA will consider the criticisms of their efforts before rejecting them defensively.  I also ask CASDA, and any one else purporting to advocate for a National Autism Strategy to consider and support the private members bills of Sudbury MP Glenn Thibeault. The two bills express a clear and coherent National Autism Strategy that would be great benefit to autistic Canadians and their families and that is consistent with the efforts by many Canadians seeking a REAL National Autism Strategy for many years before CASDA and its constituent elements began seeking a national approach to autism.

I recommend that CASDA, Conservative MP Mike Lake,  and all others seeking a real and meaningful national autism strategy support, and encourage their members of Parliament to support, Glenn Thibeault's private member autism bills as described on Mr. Thibeault's site:

"THIBEAULT RE-INTRODUCES AUTISM LEGISLATION


2011 06 15


OTTAWA – Today MP Glenn Thibeault (Sudbury) re-introduced two Private member`s Bills designed to assist individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders.


The first Bill would amend the Canada Health Act to include Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) and Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) as medically recognised treatments for individuals living with autism spectrum disorders.


The second would create a National Strategy for individuals living with autism spectrum disorders, therefore ensuring that these individuals would receive the highest level of care, regardless of which region of Canada they live in.


“Far too many Canadians and their families are coping with autism spectrum disorders without adequate support from any level of government” said Thibeault. “Together, these two Bills would ensure that all Canadians, irrespective of where they live, have access to the most appropriate forms of care and extended health services.”

“With negotiations between the provinces and federal governments on the Canada Health Accord starting in 2014, I am calling on the Government to implement the provisions of these bills to ensure that individuals suffering from autism spectrum disorders are properly covered by the Accord.”

Autism spectrum disorders are a spectrum of psychological conditions, including autism and Asperger’s syndrome, which are characterised by an impairment of social interaction, restrictive interests and repeated behaviours. Currently, around 1 in 200 Canadians – representing roughly 190,000 Canadians - are estimated to have autism spectrum disorders. Incidence rates have been on the rise over the past decade, with the prevalence rate in children estimated to be 1 in 165.

-30-

For further information, please contact:

Alex Bushell, Parliamentary Assistant (Glenn Thibeault): 613-996-8962 or glenn.thibeault.a2@parl.gc.ca"

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Autism Research Awakening: Environment Plays A Role In Causing Autism

“We have to look also at environmental factors, and from my point of view, the interaction between the genetic factors and the environmental factors ... It looks like some shared environmental factors play a role in autism, and the study really points toward factors that are early in life that affect the development of the child"

Joachim Hallmayer, MD,  associate professor of psychiatry at Stanford University in California

WebMD reports on a new study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry which  found that autism was surprisingly common in fraternal twins, despite the fact that they don’t share as many of the same genes as identical twins, suggesting that some common environmental factors might be playing as big a role in causing their autism disorders as genetics.  Dr. Hallmayer was one of the study researchers who were surprised with the result.  Is this an awakening in the autism research professions?

For some it probably is.  For others not so much.  Even this humble autism father/blogger reported an autism paradigm shift 4 years ago and I have followed it since then blogging on developments in the area of environmental causes of autism. But there are die-hards who will not be convinced, who will not change their minds no matter what. Academic careers and reputations as expert witnesses have been built promoting the view that autism is 100% genetic and that accordingly autism disorders are not actually increasing.  Reported increases of autism diagnoses are routinely dismissed as due entirely to diagnostic definition change and increased awareness.  Of course manufacturers of products from vaccines to children's toys have a vested interest in encouraging the "it's gotta be genetic" autism causation paradigm described over a decade ago by Teresa Binstock.  Many will never admit that autism could ever be caused by the interaction of environmental and genetic factors.  

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CASDA National Autism Strategy Is Not A REAL National Autism Strategy: It Does Not Help Canadian Autistic Children and Adults



In looking at the National Autism Strategy information from a CASDA (Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance) conference held in Ottawa on June 8 2011, and which I have posted following this comment,  I see that there is the suggestion for expansion of tax relief for autism families. That is certainly a specific, concrete step that will help some families with autistic children. Beyond that though I don't, with all due respect, see anything being proposed to assist autistic children, regardless of where they live in Canada, to receive evidence based effective early intervention, yes that still means ABA, a real education and for the many who will require it, decent, autism specific residential care and treatment as adults.

Early autism intervention across Canada resulted from a wave of focused determined parents advocacy which began over a decade ago. It did not result from conferences of persons building careers in politics or charitable bureacracies or attending subsidized conferences in Banff or Ottawa. 

I recommend that this organization stop pretending and start getting serious about helping with early intervention, education, adult residential care and treatment for autistic Canadians. Sorry I if sound harsh but these types of conferences, with their timid agendas,  have accomplished nothing over the past 10 years. Pretending to help is worse than doing nothing at all. It creates the illusion that something is being done when that is not the case.

Conservative government MP Mike Lake, to his credit, did provide  links to parliamentary sites if you are interested in following autism bills introduced by Sudbury NDP MP Glenn Thibeault who has been a determined advocate for a real National Autism Strategy for several years.  My final comment is to recommend to Mr. Lake and other attendees at the CASDA conferences to fight for a real National Autism Stategy as Mr. Thibeault has done along with fellow NDP member Peter Stoffer and former Liberal MP Shawn Murphy.

"In 2007, Autism Canada spearheaded the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance (CASDA) and today sits on the Leadership Committee. On June 8, 2011, Laurie Mawlam, the Executive Director at Autism Canada, was in Ottawa with the others on the CASDA Leadership Committee advocating for a National Autism Strategy. Please find below the notes from that meeting, including the individuals the Leadership Committee met with and a synopsis of their conversations.
  
Connor Robinson, Canada Revenue Agency
  • Broadening the interpretation of existing categories of eligible expenses under the Medical Expenses Tax Credit to include more expenses often faced by families with a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Adding Autism Spectrum Disorder-related expenses to the list if eligible expenses under the Medical Expenses Tax Credit
  • Clarifying the rules and procedures of the audit process                    
Lisa Belzak, Epidemiologist, Public Health Agency of Canada 
  • The development and design of a National Surveillance System for Developmental Disorders, including Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • The creation of a nomination committee to create an advisory committee for the National Surveillance System
  • The creation of an advisory committee for the National Surveillance System
Nathalie Gendron, Assistant Director, Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction, Canadian Institute of Health Research 
  • The current levels of funding for research in Autism Spectrum Disorders
  • New developments that are in the works that should be made public shortly
The Honourable Jim Munson, Senator, Ottawa-Rideau Canal 
  • Raising awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorders among Senators and Members of Parliament
  • The reintroduction of Senator Munson's bill honouring Autism Awareness Day 
The Honourable Mike Lake, Member of Parliament, Edmonton-Mill Woods-Beaumont 
  • Reviewed outcome from meetings of the day
  • Discussed Mike playing a role in reaching out to other MPs that have a family member with an ASD, to increase the base of support for a federal ASD agenda
  • Reminder from Mike that the following website permits us to follow the progress of bills related to ASD -www.parl.gc.ca
    • There are presently two bills dealing with Autism Spectrum Disorder, which are being introduced by the Member of Parliament for Sudbury, Glenn Thibeault (NDP).
    • Bill C-218: http://www.parl.gc.ca/LegisInfo/BillDetails.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&billId=5079448
  •      Bill C-219: http://www.parl.gc.ca/LegisInfo/BillDetails.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&billId=5080253

    These meetings were an opportunity for CASDA to reinforce the importance of action on the federal level in the area of Autism Spectrum Disorders and share our vision that all Canadians with an Autism Spectrum Disorder have full and equal access to the resources that they require to achieve their full potential.

    Thank-you for joining CASDA to ensure that our vision becomes a reality. Our strong, collective voice for the Autism Spectrum Disorder community at the federal level is making a difference!


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Update since accident

After 2 weeks on bedrest, pain medication and muscle relaxants plus daily visits to the Chiropractor I am happy to report the following:

My husband had 1 week off from work and then my 17 year old step sister came to stay with us for 1 week so that I could focus on getting better while they ran the house including homeschooling!

I am up and moving around with only very limited aches if I sit , stand or walk for too long.

My three physicians -- Chiropractor, Ear Nose & Throat Specialist & family doctor (who are all Christian! ) report that the swelling in pulled tendons in my neck (front) and pulled muscles in my neck (rear) , upper back, lower back, shoulders & chest has all been eliminated!

I was sent 8 hours away(I went 1.5hrs by plane) to the nearest MRI facility and those results came back CLEAR !

Our vehicle damage totaled around $4000 but this was mostly covered by MPI, with the exception of a small deductible. We will also be reimbursed for the purchase of new carseats for the ones that are now deemed unsafe after the accident (remember that the children were not in the carseats at the time of the accident).

I am scheduled for a LONG list of tests, blood work, glucose testing , EKG's etc etc to aid in finding a cause of the dizzy spells.

I will be seeing my family doctor every 2 weeks and my chiropractor every 2nd day , for rehabilitation until I am considered safe to drive again.

I am eternally grateful for the Lord's protection and provision during this time and I really appreciate all the prayers.

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