Re: Autism?

[Ralph Ryder <Ralph@tcpub.demon.co.uk>]

Hello,

Can anyone help us?

The following is an article from the "Autism Research
Review International" Volume 8, number 1 1994.

No chromosome damage seen in Leominster children;
study disputed.

Concern over a cluster of autism cases in the
Massachusetts town of Leominster has prompted researchers
to investigate a possible link between the town's autism
rate and the residents exposure to toxins from near-by
plastics manufacturing sites.  Recently, Donna Spiker et
al. reported that chromosome test done on 14 children
from the Leominster area showed no abnormalities, "thus
failing to support the hypothesis that toxic exposure in
parents of autistic children is accompanied by
cytogenetic abnormalities in the children."

However, the researcher cautioned that current findings "
do not address questions about the epidemiology of autism
in this particular geographic area," and that the test
they performed may not detect some abnormalities.

Lori Altobeili. the mother who first called attention to
the Leominster pollution problem, expressed great
disappointment with the Stanford report.  "We thought
they were going to do an up-date DNA analysis to see if
there was any damage at gene level," Altobeili said.
"Instead they used 40 year old technology to do only a
gross visual examination of the chromosomes.  since the
kids look normal, we never suspected chromosome damage.
We are making arrangements with another laboratory to do
the kind of analysis we had in mind originally, which
will employ 1990s technology rather than 1950s methods.

The report:  "Failure to find cytogenetic abnormalities
in autistic children whos parents grew up near plastics
manufacturing sites,"  Donna Spiker,  Linda Lotspeich,
Joachim Halfmayer?  Helens Kraemer and Roland Claranello
..

Has anybody an update on this research or any other
information that might be of use to our member?

Wishing you good health

Ralph Ryder
 
Ralph Ryder
TC Publications & Communities Against Toxics
PO Box 29
Ellesmere Port
South Wirral
L66 3TX
Ralph@tcpub.demon.co.uk
Cats@gn.apc.org
Http://www.gn.apc.org/cats/

 
Ralph Ryder
PO Box 29
Ellesmere Port
South Wirral
L66 3TX
Tel/Fax 0151 339 5473
Email Ralph@tcpub.demon.co.uk