Initiative seeks mandatory insurance coverage for autism ...

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Initiative seeks mandatory insurance coverage for autism treatment (Sun-Sentinel)

By Josh Hafenbrack | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
December 28, 2007

PALM BEACH - With an assist from Donald Trump, a national autism advocacy group launched an initiative Thursday to get the Florida Legislature and Gov. Charlie Crist to mandate that private insurance companies cover treatments related to the brain disorder.

Autism Speaks, a New York-based group, came to Trump's Mar-A-Lago estate to announce a lobbying initiative in Florida, California and Michigan aimed at requiring insurance companies to cover autism treatments, such as speech therapy and one-on-one sessions called applied behavioral analysis.

Private insurance policies exclude autism treatments, and can run parents $50,000 a year or more.

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In an interview, Donald Trump said he thinks the rising prevalence of autism is related to vaccinations of babies and toddlers, a topic that is hotly debated among parents and doctors.

One in 150 children is now diagnosed with autism, with the prevalence higher among boys.

"When I was growing up, autism wasn't really a factor," he said. "And now all of a sudden, it's an epidemic. Everybody has their theory, and my theory is the shots. They're getting these massive injections at one time. I think it's the vaccinations."

What vaccination are they talking about? Everything Ive read so far states that your born with ASD's. How can a vaccination shot re-wire a person's brain so that they think and perceive the world differently then everybody else? Has there been enough research on the brain and neurons of someone with an ASD, that Pharmaceutical companies have been able to create a drug or vaccination to alter the way neurons fire in infants causing them to be vaccinated with an ASD?

Im just curious as I believe your born with an ASD.

Well, if the vaccination theory is true, and I don't think it is, the vaccination interferes with brain development.

No one is born autistic. An infants brain is very underdeveloped. Autism is when the baby's brain development, the wiring process, deviates from normal timetables and other parameters.

The austitic brain is not "rewired." It is wired up differently during the period of intense brain development that occurs during the first few years of life.

No, I do think infants are indeed born with autism. It's also interesting to note in the diagnostic paperwork from the psychiatrist who found that I have Asperger's "Carmel was born with this condition". I have a lot of respect for his knowledge as he has many years of experience and studied under autism expert, Dr Tony Attwood.

The jury is still out on exactly why some children have "fully blown autism" and others have "Asperger's" or "HFA". I'd also like to see PDD-NOS replaced with "Borderline Autism" because it would then be more descriptive and easier to explain to other people.

It is also very likely that the developing foetus has very intense brain development during the mother's pregnancy and for some unknown reason, the brain wiring develops differently.

would this thing force them to cover OT services?

I don't know but I think it should. OT services often seem to really help people with autism and related conditions.

can you say sensory integration disorder? and can you say TheraTog... yeah... OT needs to be covered to thank you very much!