Autism, ABA and Exercise: It All Comes Together for My Daughter Talia

A new literature analysis of 20 studies on exercise in autism showed improvement in manipulative skills, locomotor skills, skill related fitness, social functioning, and muscular strength and endurance, (Sean Healy, Adam Nacario, Rock E. Braithwaite, Chris Hopper, "The Effect of Physical Activity Interventions on Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Meta-analysis," Autism Research (2018): doi:10.1002/aur.1955).

How do we get individuals motivated through exercise? We can do it through ABA. Please check out before and after videos (https://www.facebook.com/ilanaslaff) of my daughter learning to ride a bike/trike on my facebook page. Initally, she needed frequent positive reinforcement with edibles. That has been successfully faded. Notice in the after video, no one is holding edibles in front of her.

Psychiatric Medications, Dementia Risk, and Autism Specific Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Some psychiatric medications which block acetylcholine, a chemical in the brain, that are used to treat depression and anxiety, such as paroxetine and amitriptyline, are associated with an increased risk of dementia according to a published study, (Kathryn Richardson, Chris Fox, Ian Maidment, Nicholas Steel, Yoon K. Loke, Antony Arthur and Phyo K Myint, et al., "Anticholinergic Drugs and Risk of Dementia: Case-Control Study," BMJ 361, (April 2018): doi:10.1136/bmj.k1315). 40,770 patients with a diagnosis of dementia were compared to 283,933 controls, all aged between 65-99. Antidepressants, antiparkinson medications, and medications used for urinary incontinence were linked to an increased risk.

Another recent controlled study showed how cognitive behavior therapy, CBT adapted to individuals with autism, using visuals for example, can help with their emotional regulation and psychopathology, including symptoms of depression and anxiety, (Johnathan A. Weiss, Kendra Thomson, Priscilla Burnham Riosa, Carly Albaum, Victoria chan, Andrea Maughan, Paula Tablon, et al., ""A Randomized Waitlist-Controlled Trial of Cognitive Behavior Therapy to Improve Emotion Regulation in Children with Autism," Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry (April 2018): doi:10.1111/jcpp.12915). CBT unlike medications, has no side effects. Unfortunately, also unlike medications, CBT is not often available.

There is a lot of political and professional talk on how care needs to be "person centered" and "patient centered" but unfortunately US education and healthcare are really cutting services centered, profit centered and pharmaceutical centered.

Judge Rotenberg Center Documentary Trailer

https://youtu.be/zIE2nAzUwFU

Obesity, Diabetes and Autism: Our Children are What We Eat and How Much We Exercise

According to a study involving 2,734 children, 102 with autism, children have over a three times increased risk of autism, particularly with intellectual disability, if the mother had obesity and prepregnancy or pregnancy diabetes, (Mengying Li, Daniele Fallin, Anne Riley, Rebecca Landa, Sheila O. Walker, Michael Silverstein, Deanna Caruso, et. al., "The Association of Maternal Obesity and Diabetes With Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities," Pediatrics 137, no. 2 (January 2016): doi:10.1542/peds.2015-2016). According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2015-2016, the prevalence of obesity was 39.8% in the US.

Our government subsidizes the corn industry to make cheap sugar, known as corn syrup, as well as the meat, dairy and fast food industries, which is destroying our health. Marketing food to children and supplying unhealthy food and drinks at school compounds the problem. Many schools have eliminated recess although children need physical activity. Schools need to focus on lifetime sports such as running and cycling. There is controversy over bike lanes even though exercise promotes health, including among other conditions, decreasing obesity and diabetes. We need to be funding health care and education, not health destruction.

FDA Says Chemical Linked to Autism and ADHD is "Safe"

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used in plastics, cans, thermal papers such as receipts. Pregnant women as well as children become exposed to this chemical. February this year, an FDA press release and the FDA commissioner, Scott Gottlieb of the FDA himself called this chemical safe. In fact, Dr. Gottlieb tweeted, "#FDA continues to conclude BPA is safe for its currently authorized uses."

In a study of 98 children, 46 of them with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and 52 controls, urine samples showed BPA metabolite concentrations about three times greater with the ASD group compared to controls and the "% bound BPA was" about "15 times higher with ASD," (T. Peter Stein, Margaret D. Schluter, Robert A. Steer, Lining Guo and Xue Ming, "Bisphenol A Exposure in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders," Autism Research 8, no. 3 (January 2015): doi:10.1022/aur.1444).

Another study linking ADHD and BPA was discussed in my book and involved 460 children. This study showed that boys and girls with BPA concentrations at or above the median were 11 and 2.8 times respectively to have an ADHD diagnosis, (Shruti Tewar, Peggy Auinger, Joseph M. Braun, Bruce Lanphear, Kinberly Yolton, Jeffery M. Epstein, Shelley Ehrlich, et. al, "Association of Bisphenol A Exposure and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in a National Sample of U.S. Children," Environmental Research 150 (October 2016): 112-118, doi:10.1016/j.envres.2016.05.040).

Before becoming FDA commissioner, "[b]etween 2013 and 2015, Gottlieb received consulting fees and speaking honoraria amounting to more than $400,000 from drug and device companies according to the federal OpenPayments database," (Judith Garber and Shannon Brown Lee, "Gottlieb as FDA Commissioner Would be music to Pharma's Ears," Stat, April 4, 2017). According to this article at that time, he was "a partner at New Enterprise Associates, a global venture capital firm that invests in technology and health care."

While the FDA has advocated to ban my brother's two second skin shock treatment, the FDA is allowing us to consume toxic chemicals that are linking to neurodevelopmental disorders. When children develop these disorders, parents often need significant funds and to educate themselves to obtain effective treatment.

The FDA needs to be protecting the public not private industries!