Controversial Article for Discussion

[Chemar]

this article from Newsday.com caught my attention for the fact that it speaks of some of the alternative treatments being used to treat autism as "dangerous"...........

 

I did note the caution given re Actos, a diabetes drug being given "off-label" to autistic kids, and I remembered reading here recently that someone's doc had just prescribed this for their child with tics? PANDAS? ....sorry but I cant remember which thread this was in.........

 

anyway, it seemed an article worth bringing for the discussion ( edited to add: see it's comments section)

 

http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hsau...0,7750405.story

[faith]

Thanks for posting the article, but you know, my thoughts are that its just an article, written by a reporter, so it is what it is - controversial information reported by a reporter -- we can discuss it till the cows come home, but what I suggest is to scroll down and read the "comments" section. There is good feedback and opinions from many parents who are really dealing with the main subject -- autism.

 

And this is interesting, since the DAN doctor quoted (Boris) is the one we see. Believe me, he is no snake oil salesman, he has a large respected practice, and is very nice man who I believe is totally interested in helping these children. And yes, I have mentioned that Actos was suggested for trial for my son given what he said in that he believes autism to be (an autominune disease), however my son is not autistic, we are dealing with tics, so I have not followed that course with this doctor. He knows I am not comfortable with it and is okay with that. I also told him of the course that I am following with our naturopath, and he doesn't totally agree with a couple things I did under her guidance either (he thinks Igg testing is unreliable, and thinks slow, gentle chelation via Metal-Free doesn't work) but in the end I do what I feel is important in my son's case, safe, and seems to resonate with my child. I think it IS important for everyone (parents) to know that many of these treatments ARE controversial, and so they NEED to do research and make an informed choice when it comes to treating their children, but in the end it should be THEIR choice.

 

As a side note, I have two friends in my area who each have an autistic child (I introduced them to each other) who do not see a DAN doctor, although one of them has a husband who is a chemist and so has the mindset to do all the research, and he has implemented many things, such as omega 3's, borage oil, enzymes and have seen benefits in different ways, for instance they feel his bowel movements and appetite (also a skinny guy) were improved after experimenting with digestive enzymes. My point being that they do what they are comfortable with and makes sense and is safe to them, and this, along with the ABA therapy and interventions, and I must state, a loving acceptance of who their child is, is what has helped them to overcome.

 

I encourage everyone to read the interesting comments under the article, there is some interesting opinions on the article there, (and many comments are exactly what some of us are probably thinking) but please don't forget they are talking of autism, not TS.

 

Faith

[Chemar]

Faith

yes, the reason I posted it was FOR the discussion IN the article, not necessarily discussion here, altho some here have had chelation therapy and, most importantly to me, there was a new parent here just the other day who mentioned that their child has been prescribed ACTOS

[michele]

this article from Newsday.com caught my attention for the fact that it speaks of some of the alternative treatments being used to treat autism as "dangerous"...........

 

I did note the caution given re Actos, a diabetes drug being given "off-label" to autistic kids, and I remembered reading here recently that someone's doc had just prescribed this for their child with tics? PANDAS? ....sorry but I cant remember which thread this was in.........

 

anyway, it seemed an article worth bringing here for discussion.

 

http://www.newsday.com/news/health/ny-hsau...0,7750405.story

 

This is a good article but does seem biased. I agree with Faith that the comments are good. Obviously the person writing the article has not dealt with an Autistic child. My DAN Dr. does not feel the low dosages he precribes 30 mg of Actos are deadly and the complications are more from the diabetes usage then anything. He uses it for Autism and takes it himself and for his son. As with any drug there is dangers especially if they are being used for new cures. He said the biggest side effects he has seen would be getting sick from viral infections in the beginning because the immune system is shocked.

Michele

[kim]

I didn't read the comments, but a few statements in the article itself made me just a bit furious.

 

Like Faith, my boys are not autistic, have no add or adhd, tics are minimal. I am not a "desperate parent" (please noone take that wrong, that just seems to be a favorate phrase for these reporters when describing families using DAN methods of treatment).

 

The article states

 

Chelation therapy, Mulick said, is a potentially dangerous process that uses a compound that is supposed to remove heavy metals from children's tissues. Many parents believe mercury contained in routine vaccines is the cause of autism. A 5-year-old Pittsburgh boy with autism died in 2005 after undergoing chelation therapy, according to news accounts.

 

yet it was later discovered

 

Drug Error, Not Chelation Therapy, Killed Boy, Expert Says

http://www.pannaturopathic.com/chelationautism.html

 

and I guess this one death although so so tragic, caused by one of these "off the wall and dangerous alternative practioners" can not even come close to the track record of the "safer" mainstream med. world.

 

Medical errors kill tens of thousands annually, panel says

http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/9911/29/medical.errors/index.html

 

back box warnings....yes a good thing to be aware of indeed. Any and all info that we are made aware of the better! However, this artcle fails to mention

 

Antidepressants prescribed to children will have Black Box labels warnings

http://www.ahrp.org/infomail/04/10/15.php

 

And other drugs that may be familar to some here, barely dodged the black box warning recommendation

 

http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/Children-a...cleId=187202607

 

Nelson's committee was responding to the action of the FDA's Drug Safety and Risk Management (DSaRM) Advisory

Committee, which had voted in February to recommend adding a black box warning on labels for stimulants used in the treatment of ADHD.

 

I vote for biased and uninformed too! There are children who have been recovered using DAN methods!!!!!