Presented by: RICHARD M. PETERSON - Pepperdine University School of Law

The IEP preparation, assessments, the meeting and follow up process can be one of the most confusing, controversial and incredibly tough experiences for any parents with a special needs child.

This meeting will attempt to provide:

• An overview of the components needed for an IEP
• Steps parents can take to prepare
• Commonly made mistakes that parents can identify and avoid

• Time 1 pm - 4 pm
• Fee:  FREE – no need to RSVP
• Location:  Vineyard Newport Church, 102 E. Baker, Costa Mesa

(Please do not contact the church for meeting details. They have graciously offered use of their facility, but are not affiliated with TACA.) And remember, we are still a non-faith based group!

Directions:
405 FWY South, Exit Bristol
Right on Bristol
Left on Baker
Go under FREEWAY.
The Vineyard Church is on the corner just after the freeway - turn left onto the freeway access road,
make FIRST right into the Vineyard's parking lot.

• Meets: 1st Sunday of every month,
• Time: 7-9 p.m.
• Location: Jumping Genius – 22750 Roscoe Blvd., West Hills
  (the corner of Roscoe Blvd. & Fallbrook Ave.)
• Info: Contact us

• Meets: 4th Tuesday evening
• Time: 6:30- 8:00 p.m.
• Info: Becky Estepp
• Location: NEW LOCATION AS OF April 2005:
  Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church
  17010 Pomerado Road, San Diego, CA 92128 - Rooms 22 A&B
• February 28 -- Diet Meeting.  Learn about GFCF, SCD, and Low Oxalate diets.  Join in a roundtable discussion about the best places locally to shop.  Bring your favorite recipe to share.
• March 28 -- Lisa Ackerman.  Topic: Who Pays for WHAT???
  Often deciphering the resources available to families with special needs children can be overwhelming, confusing and extremely frustrating.

• Meets: 3rd Saturday
• Time: 1:30–4:30 p.m.
• For more information, please contact NEW CONTACT TAMI DUNCAN
  

  Please note: TACA Corona will get a NEW LOCATION in January. Meeting Location:  Peppermint Ridge - 825 Magnolia Avenue, Corona CA  92879

• Date	Speaker Name	Topic	Biography
  2/18/06	Shannon Kenitz Executive Director of the International Hyperbaric Association	Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and autism.	Shannon Kenitz is the Executive Director of the International Hyperbarics Association, a non – profit organization that promotes Hyperbaric Therapy through education and research. Mrs. Kenitz earned a BS degree in Psychology at the University of Wisconsin –LaCrosse. She has been involved in the Hyperbaric medical field for the past three and half years and was in charge of the last two International Hyperbaric Symposiums for Cerebral Palsy and the Brain Injured Child. Mrs. Kenitz has extensive experience in clinical settings serving as the Executive of Public Relations and then Administrator of Ocean Hyperbaric Neurological Center under Dr. Richard Neubauer, one of the largest free standing hyperbaric clinics in the world. For the past year, she has been working on legislation and with insurance companies on reimbursement for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for off label indications. Mrs. Kenitz is currently working with the Autism Research Institute (ARI), putting together a multi- center research study for Hyperbaric Therapy and Autism. Mrs. Kenitz is a sought after speaker, lecturing at conferences such as American College for the Advancement in Medicine, Anti Aging, and Autism conferences, Stroke Association Support Groups and much more. Mrs. Kenitz knows first hand the struggles of having a child with a disability as her youngest daughter Grace was diagnosed with a rare Mitochondrial Disease that kept her in the hospital for the first three years of her life and now has been diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum. Hyperbaric Oxygen saved Gracie’s life which then led her mother to become an advocate for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, working nationally to change the laws regarding Hyperbaric Oxygen and Neurological conditions. Mrs. Kenitz resides in Madison, Wisconsin with her two daughters Lily and Grace.
  3/18/06	Dr. Kurt Woeller, D.O. of Stillpoint Center	“Autistic-Spectrum Disorders - Why You Need a Comprehensive Biomedical Approach and How to Get Started” A DAN! (Defeat Autism Now) doctor’s viewpoint and experience in implementing biomedical treatment for children and adults with an autistic-spectrum disorder.	Dr. Woeller is the medical director for Stillpoint Center for Integrative Medicine (www.mystillpoint.com) in Temecula, CA. He has been a DAN! (Defeat Autism Now) referral physician since 1997 specializing in biomedical assessment and treatment options for children and adults with autistic-spectrum disorders. His practice is dedicated to natural and integrative medicine treatment options for chronic health issues. Dr. Woeller also works as a physician consultant specializing in functional diagnostic medicine for Great Plains and BioHealth Diagnostics laboratories.
  4/15/06	Lisa Ackerman – TACA Founder	Who Pays for WHAT??? Often deciphering the resources available to families with special needs children can be overwhelming, confusing and extremely frustrating.	Provided from a parents perspective - this seminar focuses on California based resources and will cover: o Who pays for services before age 3 o Who pays for services after age 3 o What does a diagnosis qualify your child for? o Funding discussions include: state & federal resources, regional center, school district, health insurance and alternative funding available to families.
  5/20/06	Katherine Bowman Speech and Language Pathologist	TBA	TBA

• Meets: 3rd Monday of each month
• Location: Whole Foods Market on PCH in Torrance
• Time: 6:30 - 9:00 p.m.
• For more info: Contact us -
• SPECIAL NOTE: This group tends to be an advanced group with biomedical discussions. If you are a newly diagnosed family, you may wish to attend other locations for your first meeting.
• Information learned at the DAN Conference!

• Meets: 3rd Wednesday of every month
• Time: 6 p.m. "Happy Hour" with GFCF snacks and coffee 6:30-8:30 p.m. Speaker
• Location: Kaweah Delta Multi-Service Center Auditorium, 402 W. Acequia, Visalia
• Information: Please contact Lynne Arnold

• Meets: (typically) 2nd Tuesday of each month (except for February meeting)
• Location: Swain Center - 795 Farmers Lane, Suite 27
  Santa Rosa, CA
• Time: 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.
• For more info: Cathy Ference
• Special thanks to Dave Stillman for getting TACA Santa Rosa off the ground and running!
  • February 21, 2006 Starting the biomedical journey ( different date due to holiday) Presented by: Lisa Ackerman
    Biomedical treatments for autism spectrum disorders can be a confusing addition to traditional therapies. This seminar will cover:
    • Why you should consider biomedical treatments?
    • How to start?
    • What to look for?
    • What is available as an option?
    • How are these treatments paid for?
    This seminar will be presented by a parent – not a doctor – in hopes of providing some suggestions and insight for other parents with children on the spectrum

If you have a child with a severe learning disability (LD), you may qualify for valuable tax benefits. If your child has AD/HD, or other physical, mental, or emotional impairment, you may also qualify for tax benefits. Because tax laws are complex, and many tax preparers often do not have occasion to use these unique tax benefits, families are at risk of losing refunds worth many thousands of dollars. It's likely that 15-30 percent of families with a disabled child have one or more unclaimed tax benefits.

This guide provides a brief summary of the most significant federal income tax benefits and should not be considered legal advice. Tax decisions should not be made simply on the basis of the information provided here. You are advised to print out this guide and give a copy to your tax advisor. You should also explore potential state income tax benefits, which are too numerous for review in this guide.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 'Publications' represent the most accessible form of guidance to the tax rules for the general public, and relevant IRS publications are cited for each of the tax benefits listed below. The IRS also issues interpretations of the code and regulations called 'Revenue Rulings.' These interpretations are formal, binding policy statements. Tax professionals rely on revenue rulings in advising clients about tax liabilities and tax benefits. For example, Revenue Ruling 78-340, discussed later, authorizes a medical expense deduction for tuition or tutoring fees paid for a child with a severe LD who is attending a special school at the recommendation of the child's doctor.

Tip: Relative caretakers, such as grandparents or aunts, and non-relative caretakers, such as foster parents, also may qualify for tax benefits.

Tax Benefits: Deductions vs. Credits

It's important to distinguish between two different categories of tax benefits. One category is a deduction from taxable income or simply a deduction. The value of a deduction is based on the marginal tax rate of the taxpayer. If a person has a tax deduction worth $1,000, the actual value of the deduction will be determined by the taxpayer's tax rate. So a taxpayer in the lowest tax rate bracket, 10 percent, will have taxable income reduced by $1,000, and save $100 (10 percent of $1,000). However, a taxpayer in a higher bracket, for example, 28 percent, will have taxable income reduced by $1,000, and save $280 (28 percent of 1,000).

The second tax benefit is a tax credit, which is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in tax liability. An individual with a tax credit worth $1,000 will have his tax bill reduced by $1,000. This means that the actual amount of taxes is reduced by the amount of the tax credit. However, because tax laws and procedures are very complicated, other factors can influence the ultimate value to the taxpayer.

The following summarizes the principal tax benefits that may be available to families caring for children with severe learning disabilities.

Retroactive Claims for Refunds

The IRS allows taxpayers to file amended returns, and collect refunds for unclaimed tax benefits, retroactively up to three years. This means a taxpayer can file an amended return for the 2002 tax year (and also for the 2003 and 2004 tax years) and claim a refund if the return is filed not later than April 15, 2006. (See IRS Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax, 2005, at pp. 18-19.)

Medical Expense Deductions

The IRS has ruled that tuition costs for a special school that has a program designed to educate children with learning disabilities and amounts paid for a child's tutoring by a teacher specially trained and qualified to deal with severe learning disabilities may also be deducted. (Revenue Ruling 78-340, 1978-2 C.B. 124.) Special instruction or training or therapy, such as sign language instruction, speech therapy, and remedial reading instruction also would be deductible. Related books and materials can qualify for the medical expense deduction.

Generally, to qualify for the deduction, the child's doctor must recommend the special school, therapy, or tutoring, and there must be a medical diagnosis of a neurological disorder, such as severe LD, made by a medical professional. Transportation expenses to the special school or to the tutor also qualify for a medical expense deduction. If transportation is by car, the allowable expense in 2005 is fifteen cents per mile plus parking and tolls, or the actual cost of operating the vehicle.

Diagnostic evaluations also qualify for a medical expense deduction. This can include testing by a speech-language pathologist, psychologist, neurologist, or other person with professional qualifications.

Note: Expenses claimed as a medical expense deduction and later reimbursed by a school district or insurance company must be reported as taxable income for the year in which the reimbursements are received.

Not everyone who has medical expenses can use them on their tax return. Medical expenses must be claimed on Schedule A, Itemized Deductions, and are subject to certain limitations. First, the family must have itemized deductions that exceed their standard deduction in order to use Schedule A (about 65 percent of taxpayers do not itemize for this reason). Second, medical expenses are allowed as a deduction only to the extent that they exceed 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income, a significant threshold for many families. (See IRS Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses.)

Health Saving Accounts & Flexible Savings Arrangements

Alternative approaches to obtaining tax benefits in connection with medical expenses may involve use of a Health Saving Account (HSA) or a Flexible Savings Arrangement (FSA). An HSA allows a worker to use up to $5,250 in pretax income for medical expenses. An HSA may only be opened where the employee has a high deductible health insurance plan. Amounts placed in an HSA may be carried over to following years if not used.

A Flexible Savings Arrangement (FSA) can be part of a cafeteria plan of alternative fringe benefits offered by an employer. An employee can allocate pre-tax income to the account, and then withdraw it during the year to pay for medical expenses. Employers may also make contributions to the FSA, and the maximum amount is set by the terms of the employer plan. Two important conditions are that the amount to be placed in the account must be determined by the employee at the beginning of the year, and funds not used by the end of the year are lost. The employer's human resource office can provide more information. Also, see IRS Publication 969, Health Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Favored Health Plans.

Deduction for Disability Related Conferences

In May 2000 the IRS issued Revenue Ruling 2000-24, which offers guidance "and good news" for parents of children with disabilities. Parents who attend conferences to obtain medical information concerning treatment for and care of their child may deduct some of the costs of attending a medical conference relating to a dependent's chronic health condition. The important points to remember are:

Medical expenses are deductible only to the extent that they exceed 7.5 percent of an individual's adjusted gross income, and that limitation applies to this deduction as well;
Costs for admission and transportation to a medical conference relating to your dependent's chronic health condition are now deductible, if the costs are primarily for and essential to the care of the dependent.
Costs of meals and lodging related to a conference, however, are not deductible. (Note, however, lodging, up to $50 per night, is deductible if you must travel and stay at a hotel while your dependent is receiving medical treatment from a licensed physician in a hospital or a related or equivalent setting.)
Costs are "primarily for and essential to the care of the dependent" (and therefore deductible) if:
The parent attends the conference upon the recommendation of a medical provider treating the child;
The conference disseminates medical information concerning the child's condition that may be useful in making decisions about the treatment of or caring for the child;
The primary purpose of the visit is to attend the conference. While at the conference, the parent's social and recreational activities in the city he or she is visiting are secondary to attendance at the conference;
The conference deals with specific issues related to a medical condition and does not just relate to general health and well-being.
Child and Dependent Care Credit

The Child and Dependent Care Credit is allowed for work-related expenses incurred for dependents of the taxpayer. Generally the dependent must be under the age of 13. However, if the child has a disability and requires supervision, the age limit is waived. For example, a 16-year-old with severe AD/HD and a behavior disorder who cannot be left without adult supervision would be a qualifying child for this credit.

Expenses up to $3,000 per year for one qualifying dependent and up to $6,000 for two or more qualifying dependents are allowed. Expenses for regular childcare services, after-school programs, and summer camp qualify although overnight summer camp expenses do not. Payments to a relative to care for a child also qualify, as long as the relative is not a dependent of the taxpayer. The credit is calculated at 20-35 percent of allowable expenses, based on the family's adjusted gross income. The average credit is about $600 but can be as high as $2,100. (See IRS Publication 503, Child and Dependent Care Expenses.)

Exemption for Dependents

A taxpayer is entitled to claim an exemption for each qualified dependent. This may appear relatively straightforward, but caretakers, such as grandparents, aunts, or even foster parents, may overlook exemptions. Also, in some cases following a divorce, a non-custodial parent who provides the majority of support for a child with a severe LD, and also pays for medical/educational expenses related to the child's LD, may likewise qualify for both the exemption and medical expense deductions. A new definition of "qualifying child" took effect in the 2005 tax year; the most significant change is that the taxpayer need not show support for a "qualifying child" but the child must have lived with the taxpayer for more than six months during the tax year. For each dependent, there is an exemption from taxable income, worth $3,200 for the 2005 tax year. For a taxpayer with a marginal tax rate of 25 percent, each exemption will reduce the tax liability by $800. Equally important, the dependency status is required for some tax benefits such as the child and dependent care credit listed above. Also dependents under age 17 qualify for the Child Tax Credit, worth up to $1,000 per child. (See IRS Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction and Filing Information, and Instructions to Form 1040.)

Earned Income Tax Credit

Families filing a married joint return with adjusted gross income under $37,263 ($1,000 less for taxpayers filing as single or head of household) may qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) based on the presence of one or two "qualifying children" in the taxpayer's home. For EITC purposes, a "qualifying child" is a biological child, adopted child, step child, or foster child who resided with the taxpayer for more than six months during the calendar year, and is under age 19 at the end of the year. A "qualifying child" is also a child age 19-23 who is a full-time student for at least one semester. Finally, a severely disabled child is a "qualifying child" without regard to age, even into adulthood, as long as the child continues to live with his parent(s). Note that a "qualifying child" for EITC does not have to meet the requirements for a dependency exemption. EITC benefits are as high as $4,400 for families with two or more qualifying children, although the average EITC nationally is about $1,800. (See IRS Publication 596 for more information.)

Where to Get More Information

The IRS provides free booklets that cover each of the topics listed above. The titles listed below may be ordered by calling the IRS toll-free number: (800) 829-3676. Generally, taxpayers may order up to three copies of any publication or form. The following booklets may be helpful:

IRS Publication 17: "Your Federal Income Tax" (a comprehensive 300+ page guide)
IRS Publication 502: Medical and Dental Expenses
IRS Publication 503: Child and Dependent Care Expenses
IRS Publication 501: Exemptions, Standard Deduction and Filing Information
IRS Publication 596: Earned Income Tax Credit
IRS Publication 969, Health Savings Accounts and Other Tax-Favored Health Plans
Extensive information can also be obtained from the IRS. The American Bar Association Section on Taxation contains links to scores of tax related sites.

Tax Counseling and Tax Preparation Assistance

Certified Public Accountants (CPAs)represent one source of tax advisors, although not all CPAs have expertise in this area. Enrolled Agents are individuals licensed by the IRS to represent taxpayers, and this group generally has a high degree of expertise.

Typically, charges for a tax return with multiple deductions and credits will cost $150-300. Several national companies provide tax preparation and tax counseling services. Many operate only during the tax filing season but a small number in larger urban areas are open year round. Fees charged by these companies are slightly lower than the fees typically charged by CPAs and Enrolled Agents.

Some parents may not be able to afford fees charged by professional tax preparers, who generally seek payment in advance. An option for lower income clients is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. However, because of broad range in skills and expertise of volunteers, caution is recommended. Some large cities have one or more VITA programs that offer professional level services. A university accounting department or the local legal services program may be able to help you identify a high quality VITA program.

Disputes with the IRS

Disputes with the IRS are relatively rare; less than 1.5 percent of all individual income tax returns are subject to an IRS audit. However, if the IRS questions your return, and you feel an IRS agent is not responding properly, contact the Taxpayer Advocate for assistance -- toll-free: (877) 777-4778. Low Income Taxpayer Clinics are another source of help. The IRS funds more than 100 clinics to represent lower income taxpayers in disputes with the IRS or state revenue departments. Clinics assist taxpayers with income under 250 percent of the poverty level -- about $49,000 for a family of four. Some clinics, especially those attached to law schools, will represent higher income families. Information on the nearest clinic can be obtained from the general IRS toll-free inquiry number: (800) 829-1040. Families above this income level should call their county or state bar association.

Final Thoughts

This guide offers a brief summary of some, but not all, of the potential tax benefits that may be available to you. You should obtain copies of the IRS publications cited above and discuss with your tax advisor whether these benefits apply to you. Again, you should not rely on this guide alone to determine whether you should claim any of the tax benefits reviewed here.

© 2006 Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation Created: 01/12/2006

About the Contributors

Michael A. O'Connor is an attorney who promotes awareness of tax policies that benefit families. In addition, he represents parents in disputes with local school districts concerning special education services for learning disabled children. He is a Board Member of the Council of Parent Attorneys & Advocates (COPAA).

PR Newswire; 1/16/2006

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- She was a mother without hope. Diagnosed with autism, her six-year-old son, EJ, bit other children, threw tantrums and chairs. "He had no future," says Beatrice Tan, whose family stopped going to church -- too risky to put EJ in the nursery.
Now, after several months of specialized neurofeedback therapy at Drake Institute of Behavioral Medicine and medical associates (http://www.drakeinstitute.com/) in Los Angeles, EJ no longer bites: he hugs. He has friends, and "we have hope," says Beatrice, now back in church with EJ and husband, Ronnie. "We see autistic children coming out of their social comas, it's huge," says Dr. David F. Velkoff, Drake's medical director. "We're excited whenever we can help jump start a child's life."
A physician with a master's degree in psychology, Dr. Velkoff reports dramatic results for most of the 100 autistic children like EJ who Drake Institute has been treating over the last year at its four California clinics, with medical technology Drake first used to treat attention deficit disorder (ADD), then modified for autism.
Over the last 25 years, Drake has treated more than 5,000 children for attention deficit disorder (ADD/ADHD), he says, then last year began focusing on children also diagnosed with high-functioning autism or Asperger Syndrome. In treating their ADD, Drake staff found their autism symptoms dramatically improved as well.
"Like a lot of accidental advances in medicine, we stumbled onto it, but it's working," he says of Drake's medical mystery. "We think it helps these children rewire brain synapses, so life starts to make sense."
To make sense of their surprising progress, Drake cranked up an initial clinical study of 18 patients, all children with autism disorders and poor social skills. After 20-40 neurofeedback sessions, parents reported children were not only responding to peers, but interacting with new awareness to the feelings of others, says Dr. Velkoff.
"EJ used to ask, 'Mommy, why don't I have friends?'" says Beatrice Tan in a videotaped interview on Drake's website, http://www.drakeinstitute.com/. "I'd say, 'You have to be nicer, talk to them, don't take their toys, share!' It's no longer a problem." "Unfortunately, we can't help every child with autism, but we've seen big improvements in three out of four children we treat," says Dr. Velkoff. "Parents tell us they keep getting better even after treatment ends. We hear, 'it's a different child' all the time. Their lives begin to blossom."
It all makes sense, says Dr. Velkoff. According to Drake's study, autistic children were suddenly more "teachable" after neurofeedback treatments, requiring less time to learn how to handle situations that once confused them. "They are happier children now; they have fewer meltdowns," says Dr. Velkoff, praising anyone engaged in the fight against autism, especially patients and their "courageous parents." "It's been a frightening road for a lot of these families, but they're not alone in this fight," he says. "We've been so encouraged by the progress we've seen at Drake. Fate has dealt these children a difficult hand. We just want to help improve the odds."

By JULIA WATSON UPI Food Writer – January 18, 2006

A study published this week takes the mantra "you are what you eat" one stage further: It concludes what you eat could affect how you think.

The study, Feeding Minds, was done by Sustain, a Britain-based alliance for better food and farming, in conjunction with the Mental Health Foundation. It points out that over the past 50 years the delicate balance of vitamins, minerals and essential fats we consume has altered dramatically.

The nutrients we get from consumption of meat and fowl have been changed by the processed feed, hormones, antibiotics and pesticides they are provided in industrialized farming complexes.

We eat one-third less vegetables than 50 years ago and two-thirds less fish -- our main source of omega-3 fatty acids.

The measure of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids in battery farmed chickens, vital to the function of the human brain, has altered. Their fat content has increased in 30 years from 2 percent to 22 percent.

We consume saturated fat from processed foods and ready-meals that acts to slow down the brain's working process.

While doctors and scientists are skeptical of the connection it makes, the study says that these changes in our eating habits may be linked to depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, schizophrenia and even Alzheimer's.

The families who are members of Talk About Curing Autism would not be surprised by the findings. This support group, launched by a family with personal experience with autism, investigates any avenue that could improve life for anyone or family affected by autism.

Their firsthand experience has led many families in the autism community to agree with TACA that a diet free of gluten and casein can lessen the digestive and bowel issues sometimes found in children with autism spectrum disorder.

TACANOW.com concurs that because such a diet is considered an "alternative" therapy, "school administrators, medical personnel, and others often view it with skepticism." Those who have implemented it have also found that "for some children, eliminating gluten and casein helps lessen self-stimulating behaviors (and) increases focus."

According to a January 2005 article in Today's Dietitian by Kate Jackson, "Support for such a diet has come from recent research pointing to the presence of pathology in the gastrointestinal tracts of children with autism, the degree of which correlates to the severity of autistic symptoms. The problem is believed to be a leaky gut, and absorption difficulties are thought to influence brain function."

Gluten occurs in wheat, oats, barley, rye and most processed foods. It even appears in Play-Doh, many hygiene products and the adhesive used on stamps and stickers. Casein, or milk protein, is in all dairy products and is even used as a binder in canned tuna fish.

Even skeptics may wish to consider the influence in all individuals of diet upon brain function.

Dr. Andrew McCulloch, chief executive of the Mental Health Foundation, said that in some cases addressing mental health problems with changes in diet showed better results than using drugs or counseling.

Rebecca Foster, a nutrition scientist at the British Nutrition Foundation, is not ready yet to draw the conclusions reached by the Sustain and Mental Health Foundation study about the association between mental illness and dietary intake.

"However," she told the BBC, "the nutrient recommendations outlined in this report are in line with recommendations for good health, which should continue to be advocated by all health professionals."

For one-dish cooking of free-range chickens and fresh vegetables, French countrywomen own wonderful deep circular terracotta pots that are wider at the top than the base. Into this they slice whatever vegetables are to hand -- onions and a little garlic are essential, carrots, turnips, potatoes, parsnips, leeks are all good. They season them, throw in 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme. Then they lay a roasting chicken on top, salt and pepper it, slosh in a good glug or two of white wine, cover the whole well with foil and cook it in a 350 F oven for an hour and a half. Then they remove the cover, raise the heat to 400 F to allow the chicken to brown for 30 minutes before serving.

You can do the same in a lidded casserole, but because it isn't the same shape, gently soften your vegetables first in a little oil, drain them and spread over the base of the pan, then add the chicken. And add water or stock just to cover them; for a soupier meal, cover the dish and follow the previous instructions.

E-mail: consumerhealth@upi.com

http://tinyurl.com/8eqrw

Tuesday, January 17, 2006
By JESSICA ADLER H ERALD NEWS

To Andrew Piccirillo, the hyperbaric oxygen chamber seems like a spaceship. To his parents, the see-through, bed-sized capsule at Paterson's Barnert Hospital seems like a new bit of hope.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), which exposes a patient to increased atmospheric pressure and 100 percent oxygen-filled air (as opposed to the 20 percent we breathe in the environment), is typically used for people with chronic wounds, infections or gas poisonings. Most recently, HBOT made headlines when it was used to treat a West Virginia coal miner who suffered carbon monoxide poisoning.

Andrew, who is 10 years old, is autistic. His parents are giving HBOT a try – even though no studies have been done on the effectiveness of HBOT in treating autism; even though insurance doesn't cover the 90-minute, $200 HBOT "dives" for the treatment of autism; even though virtually every doctor who doesn't make money administering the treatment to autistic children is skeptical about using it for such patients.

"This happens often in the autism world -- something comes out and parents flock to it," said Paul A. Potito, executive director for the Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community (COSAC). "Parents are willing to try lots of things because the disease is so devastating."

The Piccirillos aren't blind to that phenomenon. Like other families battling autism, a cognitive disorder that impairs social and learning abilities to varying degrees, the Piccirillos face the daily reality of an emotionally and, at times, physically exhausting illness. They will, they say, try almost anything to make it better. That includes treatments -- chelation therapy, which allows for the release of heavy metal in a patient's urine and hormone treatment with Secretin -- viewed with great skepticism by the mainstream medical community.

"When you're faced with a disability like autism, where there is no F.D.A.-approved treatment for it; you're faced with trying all different things you think might work," says Andy Piccirillo, Andrew's dad. "I don't think (HBOT) is the cure, but I think everything we've done collectively has brought Andrew from a non-verbal state to being a kid that goes to school and participates in the classroom and is learning and has friends."

The Piccirillos heard about HBOT from a friend, another parent of an autistic child. It had done wonders for her 7-year-old son, she told them. After almost 40 HBOT sessions, the mother said, he was making more eye contact. His concentration had improved. His temper was better.

On Web sites for parents of autistic children, Piccirillo found similar accounts. At www.healing-arts.org, a Web site advocating holistic medicine, he found a study purporting to show that HBOT had effectively treated childhood encephalitis, or swelling of the brain: "Viral encephalitis," it said, "presents a model for the inflammation that may be part of autism."

But, many doctors warn, it's not a good idea to rely on "may be's."

"If there is a treatment for autism, the approach would probably depend on the underlying problem, and we don't know what the cause of autism is," said Dr. Jonathan Mink, associate professor of neurology and pediatrics and chief of child neurology at the University of Rochester. "There is little or no evidence that hyperbaric oxygen is helpful for established brain injury."

His skepticism is widely echoed.

"As far as what exactly it does in brain, based on everything we know about autism, I do not believe (HBOT) could possibly help," said Dr. Leonid Topper, a pediatric neurologist with Pediatric Neurology Associates in Morristown.

"It's like the old tonics out west that were good for rheumatoid arthritis, the liver and the kidney," said Ronald Jacobson, an associate clinical professor of neurology and pediatrics at New York Medical College and a pediatric neurologist with Pediatric Neurological Associates in Englewood. "When a treatment is proposed to be good for many, many conditions, people should be wary."

While doctors are skeptical of HBOT and point out that it can cause seizures and oxygen toxicity in a limited number of patients, most are mindful of the plight parents of autistic children face. Although he doesn't recommend HBOT, Jacobsen says, "I'm very sympathetic to patients trying anything, because there are not a lot of treatments that work."

While researching HBOT, Andy Piccirillo read accounts from those offering the therapy that boasted of its potential.

"Think of it like a charge not firing," said Geoffrey Saft, a chiropractor who administers HBOT to about three autistic children per day in his Corte Madera, Calif., office. "What we believe happens in hyperbaric therapy -- in the brain and nervous system -- is that it causes idle synapses that are not working right, to get going again."

Saft charges $80 per session, relatively little compared to the $100 to $900 charged at the approximately 300 centers offering hyperbaric therapy around the country. The more treatments a patient has, the more lasting its effects, Saft maintains, adding that those effects can include increased attention span and improved socialization. Eighty percent of his autistic patients, he says, experience some improvement.

"His language skills jumped -- really jumped -- and he's picking up more phrases and vocabulary," said Nancy, the parent who originally referred the Piccirillos to HBOT, of her son's improvement following more than 40 intermittent sessions. Nancy, who lives in didn't want her last name printed, since her son is so high-functioning that some don't know of his diagnosis, she said.

But skeptical doctors such as Mink call experiences like Nancy's "the placebo effect."

"We all know that a good expectation leads to a temporary perception of improvement," Mink said.

Piccirillo is used to such skepticism. Even though he knows HBOT isn't scientifically proven to be effective, Nancy's account provides hope.

"We have to be realistic judges of each therapy on our own," he said. "There is nothing proven, but if one out of 10 kids benefit from it, that's a good thing."

When the Piccarillos found out that HBOT was available 10 minutes from their Wayne home, at Barnert Hospital, they signed Andrew up for 10 sessions over two weeks. Last week, the little boy burst into the hospital room full of energy, carrying a DVD of "Buzz Lightyear," one of his favorites, and repeatedly quoting memorized excerpts of the book "The Three Little Pigs."

The redundant speech patterns and hyperactivity are two behaviors the Piccirillos hope will be helped by the HBOT.

When it was finally time to get into the oxygen chamber, "the magic school bus," as Andrew calls it, the boy laid calmly as he watched his movie.

At this point, Andrew is about halfway through his morning sessions, which will cost a total of $2,000 -- $150 per "dive," plus a $50 doctor's fee. The Piccirillos remain hopeful that they'll see some of the improvement described by their friend Nancy. If they notice any positive changes in Andrew's behavior, they'll continue the treatments in spurts.

Andy Piccirillo, an accountant, and his wife, a teacher, believe their insurance company will reverse its decision not to cover the HBOT for their son. Even if they have to pay out of pocket, though, they say they'll find a way to fund any treatment they think works, including HBOT.

"As parents, you do anything you can to make your child's life better," Piccirillo said. "We won't give up on him."

Reach Jessica Adler at (973) 569-7169 or adler@northjersey.com

Michael Karas/Herald News

Initial $2.26 Million Award Funds Project That Will Serve as a Unique Resource For Families and Researchers

For Immediate Release:  January 17, 2006

(New York, New York) -- Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness about the growing autism health crisis and raising funds for critical autism research, today announced that its board of directors has voted to fund a program for the development of a national autism database. Kennedy Krieger Institute, one of the nation’s leading treatment centers for autism and other developmental disorders, will develop the open, interactive database. Autism Speaks is making an initial three-year commitment to the project, beginning with an award of $2,266,000 for the first year. This is the first award of over a million dollars given out by Autism Speaks, which was founded in February 2005.

“The funding of this program is an important first step in Autism Speaks’ efforts to advance innovative autism research,” said Mark Roithmayr, president of Autism Speaks. “The database project has the potential to create a powerful tool for thousands of families, educators and researchers across the country and around the world.”

The national online autism database will serve as a shared resource to centralize registration of families and individuals with autism spectrum disorders and connect them with researchers, parents and other individuals with autism throughout the country and the world. In addition to supporting scientific investigation, it will provide individuals and families affected by autism with unprecedented information about the experiences of others and serve as an open resource for educators and policy makers. A longitudinal database will enable families and individuals to participate in an online study aimed at understanding the patterns of treatment use and responses to those treatments. Online community features including internal message boards, researcher chat sessions, member profiles, a calendar, and links to outside autism resources are also planned. The fostering of communication between families and the research community will not only lead to research of the highest quality, but also invite parents to have direct input regarding the scientific and policy questions to be investigated.

Dr. Paul Law of the Kennedy Krieger Institute will oversee the development of the resource. According to Law, parental and scientific advisory boards will have continual influence on the project so that both parent and research interests are constantly considered. The data collection and management processes will be designed with careful attention to confidentiality and medical ethics, added Law.

“Our expectation is that, by creating a unique network of research scientists and families, the database will become an unprecedented source of information that will dramatically increase our knowledge and understanding of autism spectrum disorders,” said Dr. Law.

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.

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. Autism Speaks was co-founded by Suzanne and Bob Wright in February, 2005 in response to the diagnosis of their grandson. Bob Wright is Chairman and CEO of NBC Universal and is Vice Chair of General Electric. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit its web site at www.autismspeaks.org.

About Kennedy Krieger Institute:

Internationally recognized for improving the lives of children with developmental disorders, Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD serves more than 12,000 children each year through inpatient and day treatment programs, outpatient clinics, home and community services and school-based programs. Kennedy Krieger provides a wide range of services for children with developmental concerns mild to severe, and is home to a team of investigators who are contributing to the understanding of how autism develops, while pioneering earlier autism diagnosis and interventions. Every year, more than 400 people come to Kennedy Krieger to train with experts in a wide variety of pediatric disciplines, including developmental medicine, psychology, physical therapy and special education. For more information, visit www.kennedykrieger.org.