Autism Speaks Organization on The Apprentice

Autism Speaks, Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation Both Winners in Apprentice Finale
Contestants to Raise Awareness and Funds to Support Charities

(New York, New York – December 6, 2005) Autism Speaks and the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation today announced that they will participate in the final two episodes of the hit NBC-TV show The Apprentice. In the final task, to be assigned by Donald Trump on Thursday’s program and concluding with the season finale December 15, one set of contestants will be assigned to produce an event to benefit Autism Speaks and the other an event to benefit the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation.

Autism Speaks is dedicated to increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorder and its effect on individuals and families, and is committed to raising money to fund scientists who are searching for the causes, treatments, prevention and cure. The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is the worldwide leader in the fight against pediatric AIDS and other serious and life-threatening illnesses affecting children. Mark Burnett Productions selects the charities that participate in The Apprentice, and Mr. Trump makes all decisions about contestants.

“Both Donald Trump and I strongly believe that investing in charitable causes is just good business,” said Mark Burnett, executive producer of The Apprentice, and board member of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

“Building awareness of this devastating and prevalent disorder is among our top priorities,” said Alison Singer, Senior Vice President of Autism Speaks. “We hope the large audience that tunes in to The Apprentice will learn a good deal about autism and the terrible toll it takes on families”.

"The Foundation is very appreciative of the support we receive from both Mr. Trump and Mr. Burnett, as they share our concern about doing all we can to help children with HIV/AIDS all over the world," said Pam Barnes, COO of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. “Philanthropy has been given an important role on The Apprentice, and for that we are all winners.”

The Apprentice airs on NBC-TV on Thursdays from 9 PM ET/PT.

ABOUT AUTISM SPEAKS

Autism Speaks is committed to aggressively funding global biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments and cure for autism. It is devoted to raising public awareness about autism and its effects on individuals, families and society, and to bringing hope to all who deal with the hardships of the disorder. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit its web site at www.autismspeaks.org

Today, one in 166 individuals is diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines.

ABOUT THE ELIZABETH GLASER PEDIATRIC AIDS FOUNDATION

The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is the worldwide leader in the fight against pediatric AIDS and other serious and life-threatening illnesses affecting children. The Foundation’s innovative research programs, collaborative training initiatives, advocacy efforts, and rapidly expanding international programs are bringing dramatic changes to the lives of children worldwide. To learn more, please visit the Foundation’s Web site at www.pedaids.org.

AIDS is the result of damage to the immune system after infection with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). AIDS involves the diminished function of the immune system as critical immune cells are infected and destroyed. The immune system is no longer able to guard against illness, making the person vulnerable to other infections and cancers. Each day 1,900 children around the world become newly infected with HIV.

ABOUT MARK BURNETT PRODUCTIONS

Mark Burnett Productions (MBP) is one of the world’s leading television production companies. MBP revolutionized television with hits such as Eco-Challenge, Survivor, The Apprentice, The Contender, Rock Star: INXS, MARTHA and The Apprentice: Martha Stewart. MBP also successfully reintroduced product placement as an integral part of each of its shows and has garnered a total of 33 Emmy nominations since 2001. Mark Burnett was listed as the #1 Most Valuable Player by TV Guide and also in Time’s Top 100 most influential people in the world today.

Press Contacts:

Autism Speaks:
Adam Pockriss, (212) 843-8286, adam.pockriss@rubenstein.com

Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Darin Dusan, (310) 314-1459, ddusan@pedaids.org

Gen Rescue Runs Ad in NY Times 11/10/05

On Friday, Generation Rescue will be running a full-page ad in the NY Times thanking all the
great researchers who are furthering the understanding of what has happened to
our kids and featuring a recovered child, Baxter, of one very proud Rescue
Angel, Julia Berle.

To preview the Ad, click here: http://www.generationrescue.org/pdf/051111.pdf

The NY Times is sold in all Starbucks, FYI.

WSMV Ch. 4 Runs Story on Thimerosal Ban

From Ch. 4's website (www.wsmv.com) 11/1/05

Reported by Sheila Parker

E-mail: sparker@wsmv.com

Parents and experts testified Tuesday before a legislative study committee at the state capitol in criticism of some childhood vaccines. Their testimony is in favor of a bill that would ban the use of mercury as a preservative in children's vaccinations in Tennessee.

Some experts and children's advocates claim there is a link between the amount of mercury found in some vaccines and an increase in cases of autism, ADD and ADHD in the U.S.

The CDC says no such link has been proven. Nevertheless, six states and a number of countries have banned the use of the mercury based preservative thimerosal.

Mercury free vaccines are available, but the sponsor of the bill worries that if Tennessee does not take action the state will become a dumping ground for those that still contain mercury.

"What we do worry about is the possibility that because we do not insist in Tennessee that we do not have Thimerosal in our vaccines, that they could still send us older vaccines which do contain Thimerosal," said Rep. Susan Lynn, Sponsoring Bill.

A similar bill has already passed in the state senate and the sponsor of this bill hopes to bring it to the house floor during the next session.

If the state does not ban the additive, the Centers for Disease Control says the only way to be sure your child is not receiving a vaccine containing thimerosal is to ask your provider or pharmacist for a copy of the vaccine package insert with the list of ingredients.

Visit the FDA web site or CDC web site to learn more about thimerosal in vaccines.

Taking a GFCF cupcake to a party?

If you are like me, toting a gfcf cupcake with your child to a birthday party or other event, you might be interested in this great invention: Cup A Cake!

This container was designed & patented by mothers to solve the age old problem of sending cupcakes to school or outings with their children, & will hold a frosted cupcake firmly in place even if bounced, jiggled, or turned upside down. These airtight, lightweight, plastic, reusable containers are stackable, unique, economical, & fun & can be opened by the smallest fingers. Please note: container must be hand washed. Available in 5 kid friendly colors for 2.99 each!

You can find this item on the web at www.cupacake.com, and at Miss Roben's website:

http://www.allergygrocery.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=1880&Category_Code=

East TN ASA Fall Conference with David Kirby

ASA-ETC invites all Vaccine Safety concerned citizens to attend our Fall
Conference.

It will take place Nov. 5 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel (former Radisson),
downtown Knoxville.

David Kirby, bestselling author of "Evidence of Harm" will speak to us
on the correlation of vaccines and autism and other behavioral
disorders.

Space is limited, please register today!!!

Call: 637-3914 or e-mail: CAH37849@aol.com

Cost (ASA members): $15
Cost (non-members): $20

Please download a brochure at our website:
http://www.asaetc.org/index.html

Autism One Radio - Listen to Great Speakers

Did you know that you can listen to awesome interviews at your convenience? Autism One Radio has an archive system that allows you to listen to all programs at any time over the internet.

Interviewees include:

Dr. Jeff Bradstreet
Doreen Granpeesheh, PhD
Dr. Paul Offit
Karen Seroussi
Julie Buckley, MD, FAAP
Dan Olmsted, United Press International Senior Editor
Dr. Boyd Haley
and many others

Go to www.autismone.org/radio
Go to Schedule Archives and select Day/Week/Month Archive

Individual Dose,Thimerosal Free Vaccines!!

Hopewell Pharmacy in New Jersey is now carrying individual dose,
thimerisol-free vaccinations. If you have a child needing shots
this is a great resource. One parent just ordered a measles vaccine for
about $25. Not bad!
From what I understand, if they don't have what you need in stock, they
can order it. Also a good idea to check the suggested vaccine schedule in
Dr. Stephanie Cave's book, "What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About
Children's Vaccinations." Hope this helps!

Contact info is:
Hopewell Pharmacy/Millennium Nutritionals
1 West Broad St.
Hopewell, NJ. 08525
info@millnut.com
Phone: 1-877-443-1669
Other: 1-305-868-0977
Fax: 1-775-942-6979

RDA Assessments from Tori Carraway

As a followup to the RDI Workshop, Tori has provided some additional information on how to get an RDA assessment and what steps follow.

Tori is available to do RDA’s. She has (most weeks) part of Thurs. and all of Fri. off. This is time I’ve allotted to do RDAs or review videotapes from families. If you schedule your RDA on a weekend with another family (or families), she would come and do RDA 1 with all the families, then come back the following weekend to do RDA 2 and 3. Please note that she has never traveled to see multiple families, so doesn't really know yet what works best. If planning to see 1 family she would do RDA 1 on Thurs or Fri, RDA 2 on Sat, and RDA 3 on Sat or Sunday, depending on time. Tori will do the RDA for $600.00. Typically what consultants do is have families sign a contract for 6 mos.
However, for out of town families you wouldn’t meet weekly and it would be difficult for you to send tapes weekly. So she plans to draw up a new contract.

If you want though, she can just do RDA 1,2, and 3, or the RDA’s and you send tapes as needed (she is willing to work toward individual family’s needs). Until Tori is certified, she is charging $65.00 per hour. Basically families need to let her know what they need and she would figure the hourly rate $65.00 at that. For the RDA’s she needs an empty room, smaller than the one at the workshop.

Tori can be reached at toricarraway@charter.net

Autism and Asperger's Conference in Nashville

You may have received a brochure for this mini-conference here in Nashville, sent out by the ASMT. If not, here's a link to the details on the web:



MyLinda Solley has contacted me to say that she is very interested in going. If you and/or any of your friends/connections are interested, a group rate is available for 5 or more people. Please contact MyLinda or Karen (for MyLinda's contact info).

Thimerosal Free Flu Shots available in Nashville

Flu Vaccine information

I just learned that Lentz Public Health Center, 311 23rd Avenue, North is offering mercury free flu vaccine (340-5630) I called and they confirmed that their vaccine is mercury free. They are open 8:00 am to 3:00 pm and you do not need an appointment. Apparently the wait is long and lines are forming each day.

June Swartz (sent via Carolyn Shindler's PAC Update)

Vanderbilt Studies for Siblings of Autistic Children

I got a letter from Vanderbilt letting our group know about a new Study that Wendy Stone is leading.

They are looking for younger siblings (5 - 23 months) of children with Autism or PDD-NOS to participate in new research at Vandy. The project is designed to examine early social development and to improve their ability to screen for autism at young ages.

See www.vanderbilt.edu/alumni/publications/pr.html

They are also recruiting children in three other groups:
1. Children with a diagnosis of Autism or PDD-NOS who are between the ages of 30 and 35 months
2. Children with a diagnosis of Developmental Delay between the ages of 30 and 35 months
3. Siblings of children with Typical Development who are between the ages of 12 and 23 months

This research is being conducted by Dr. Wendy Stone in collaboration with Drs. Tedra Walden, Paul Yoder, Julia Noland and Lynnette Henderson. Contact TRIAD REsearch Office at 936-0265 if you or anyone you know is interested.

June 2005 Meeting

Wow! What a great turnout we had this month. On one hand, I'm glad we are reaching out to other families in Nashville, but also saddened by how many of us continue to be struck by this horrid beast that invades our children and our homes. Nonetheless, welcome to the newcomers. We hope you'll return.

Everyone seemed to be in agreement that a dinner nite was in order. So, we'll be meeting in July (on Monday the 25th) at 7p at Sportsman's Lodge in Cool Springs (next to Shogun). Be sure to let me know in advance, if possible, if you'll be attending and I'll call ahead so they'll be ready for us. Feel free to come even if you don't plan to eat.

If anyone has any ideas of information they'd like to see here on the blog, let me know (or feel free to post it yourself!). I'd love this to be a resource for new and seasoned members alike.

- Karen

Recipes

I was asked for the Pancake and Chicken Nugget recipes that I use. Here they are:

Don Baker's Pancakes (from SDSK book)

Dry Mix:

2 c. Bob's Red Mill GF Flour mix

1/2 c. Brown Rice flour

1/2 c. Tapioca flour

2 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp salt

1 T baking powder

3 T sugar ( I substitute 1 T xylitol)

Wet mixture:

3 eggs (I use 4 for more protein)

1 1/4 c milk substitute

3 T oil

1/4 tsp vanilla ( I use 1/2 tsp)

I add to the wet mixture 1/2 of a container of gerber pureed green beans and 1/2 container of squash

combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well.

Combine liquid ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Add to dry mixture and stir until there are no lumps. Do not overstir. Batter should not be runny, but should plop from the spoon. If necessary, add more milk, a little at a time, to reach this consistency.

Heat an oiled frying pan and drop batter in. Smaller pancakes are easier to turn, but if you prefer you can make large ones. Cook thoroughly until bubbles form and then flip to cook the second side.

Chicken Nuggets

Cut chicken into tenders or nuggets. Soak in ice water. Drain before dipping in batter.

For batter:

1 1/3 c Bob's Red Mill GF Flour Mix

1 tsp salt

Mix above two ingredients together.

In a separate small bowl, combine 2 T vinegar with 1 tsp baking soda. Then add vinegar/soda mixture to flour mixture.

Add between 1 c and 1 1/3 cups of water to mixture. Combine until smooth.

Dip chicken in batter and fry in oil. I fry nuggets for about 2 minutes and tenders for 4-5 minutes (or until golden brown and cooked through).

To reheat, place in oven at 400 degrees for 5 minutes (nuggets) or 9 minutes (tenders). I use a toaster oven. I also freeze the nuggets and keep a small batch in the fridge.

Autism Outreach Clinic - Atlanta - August 28, 2005

Outreach Clinic – Atlanta Area

August 28th, 2005

For Children with Autism, PDD, AD(H)D, and Behavior Disorders

Dr. Rachel West (DAN! Practitioner)

will be seeing patients on Sunday from 8:30am-6:30pm

By Appointment Only

Simpsonwood Conference Center
Brooks Complex
4511 Jones Bridge Circle,
Norcross, GA 30092

(Please see www.simpsonwood.org for directions)

Please contact Sarah Wickens if you have any questions and/or to schedule appointments at 913-341-8949 or swickens@gpl4u.com.

Our goal is to help children with Autism, Allergies, AD(H)D, and behavioral abnormalities improve their health and well being.

Dr. Rachel West, D.O. ( DAN! Practitioner) is a board certified Family Practitioner. She is an Osteopathic physician specializing in natural and complementary medicine. She has a special interest in working with children who have been diagnosed with Autism, AD(H)D, and other behavioral disorders. Dr. West has spent two years working in her private practice of holistic medicine and traditional osteopathy. Her private practice in located in Beverly Hills, CA.

She continues to pursue her research interest in the field of Autism and AD(H)D. Dr. West has a comprehensive approach and is dedicated to helping children reach their full potential.

Each doctor participating in a Great Plains Outreach Clinic is performing his/her duties as a health consultant regarding diagnostic testing and biomedical therapeutic options for children suffering with autism spectrum disorders. They are not diagnosing illness or disease, nor are they providing medical treatment for children during the outreach consultation visit.

The Great Plains Laboratory is offering a revised, discounted CAP panel for $1299.00

Tests Cash Price

Organic Acid Test $220.00

Urinary Peptides Test $99.00

Comprehensive Stool Profile $305.00

IgG Food Allergy Profile $200.00

Metallothionein Profile $250.00

Immune Deficiency Profile $220.00

Metals Hair Profile $125.00

C-Reactive Protein $65.00

a-1-Antitrypsin $65.00

Pre-albumin $65.00

________

Regular cash price $1614

*This savings of $315 is only offered through Great Plains Laboratory Outreach Clinics!

These tests are designed to determine any abnormalities associated with heavy metal toxins, intestinal pathogens, food allergies, immune deficiencies, and more. Once your child’s Great Plains Laboratory test results are sent to Dr. West’s office, she will develop a treatment plan for each child individually.

The fee for the doctor's Outreach Clinic visit is $200.00 and is due at the time of your appointment in the form of a check or cash paid directly to the outreach doctor. Dr. West has no affiliation with ANY insurance companies and therefore cannot process any claims but she can provide you with a receipt that you may submit to your insurance company for reimbursement of the consultation. Please note that there is no guarantee that the doctor’s fee will be reimbursed.

Each parent will need to have a follow-up consultation with Dr. West through her private office (office or phone) to discuss the test results and options for therapy. This follow-up laboratory review and subsequent follow-up visits are billed through her private office. The fees paid at the outreach clinic (i.e. test panel fee, phlebotomy fee, initial doctor consult), do not include the follow-up laboratory review with Dr. West or any other outreach clinic doctor. Dr. West’s private office fees are billed at $150 per half-hour. The laboratory review consults usually are scheduled for 45-60 minutes. All questions regarding follow-up doctor consults should be directed to the doctor’s private offices.

Kris Davis LVN/Phlebotomist will perform all laboratory procedures for blood collection at the Outreach clinic. She encourages ALL parents to start increasing fluids on their child at least 24 hours prior to appointments. All other specimens, including urine, hair, and stool will be collected at home. The test kits will be given to parents to take home from the clinic. All kits will have a prepaid FedEx envelope to send back to Great Plains Laboratory upon completion of collection. Results of testing will be sent to Dr. West’s office within 4-5 weeks. Please see our website to obtain further information about Dr. Shaw, founder of The Great Plains Laboratory, and the specialized testing that we offer at www.greatplainslaboratory.com

Blue Cross and Blue Shield PPO insurance is the ONLY insurance that we can bill for laboratory testing and the blood draw at the clinic due to a contract that Great Plains Laboratory has with Blue Cross. This does NOT mean that every BCBS PPO plan will cover any or all of the testing at 100%. We insist that in all situations, you contact your insurance company with the tests and codes, which can be provided to you from The Great Plains Laboratory upon making your appointment. Your insurance company should be able to determine how much coverage you can expect with those test codes.

The cash discount of $1299 is NOT applicable to those that have BCBS PPO, it is only meant for those that cannot have their testing covered by insurance. This means that individual, insurance prices will apply for each test for those who want to submit through Blue Cross Blue Shield. If not, the total amount is due at the time of the appointment and can be paid by check or credit card. When you get your results for the lab testing in the mail, you will receive a medical receipt with diagnostic codes that can be submitted to your insurance company by you for reimbursement. Many insurance companies will cover at least a portion of laboratory testing through Great Plains, but HMO’s typically will not provide coverage.

The Great Plains Laboratory has enacted a policy requiring each outreach clinic to have a minimum of 15 patients signed up, 14 calendar days before the clinic date. Such policies must be enforced in order to prevent last-minute sign-ups and to make the accurate planning of such events possible. This does not mean that we will not take appointments after the 14-day cutoff, but we ask that patients make their appointments as soon as possible in order for us to ensure that the clinic will take place.

In the case of a cancellation, you must contact Sarah Wickens at 913-341-8949 at least 72 hours prior to your appointment. Failure to do so could result in a charge to your credit card for the $200 doctor consult fee.

Welcome Nashville Parents and Friends!

Welcome to the Nashville Autism BioMedical Support Group's very own blog! Do you blog? Well, you can now! We now have an online place to post comments, brag about successes, ask questions, etc. in between our monthly meetings! I hope you'll participate. I think we can all benefit from interacting. Feel free to vent, brag, and ask away. Keep it clean, though. Basic rules of courtesy apply, of course. And, see you at the next meeting! - Karen