AUTISM RATE RISES 43% IN NJ

https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-04-autism-percent-jersey.html

APRIL 11, 2019

Autism rate rises 43 percent in New Jersey, study finds

by Patti Verbanas, Rutgers University

NJ SUPPORT COORDINATION - Featuring Anthony, a rising young Artist with Disabilities

Congratulations Anthony on your success:

NJ SUPPORT COORDINATION is highlighting Anthony Zachares as our "THROWBACK THURSDAY" for this weeks segment! Look back on Wednesday, March 1st as we share our "Spotlight Wednesday" segment on Anthony. Your will be amazed at this young man's talent!!

https://www.facebook.com/njsupportcoordination/

CONTAMINATED WATER AND AUTISM

I've always said: "It's the Water...". And, I wouldn't be surprised if it's a cause of Autism too, instead of now pinpointing obese women, as they do many other things as the cause of Autism. Even though obese women may hold more toxins, as obese men would also, thin women have Autistic children too. Why not target the the most outstanding and possible cause, or one of the possible causes?

CONTAMINATED WATER AND AUTISM

I always said: "It's the Water...". And, I wouldn't be surprised if it's a cause of Autism too, instead of now pinpointing obese women, as they do many other things as the cause of Autism. Even though obese women may hold more toxins, as obese men would also, thin women have Autistic children too. Why not target the the most outstanding and possible cause, or one of the possible causes?

http://www.northjersey.com/news/sexual-mutations-in-fish-in-protected-waters-raise-alarm-1.1502648

NorthJersey.com : News

JANUARY 30, 2016, 10:06 PM    LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2016, 9:25 AM

Sexual mutations in fish in protected waters raise alarm
BY SCOTT FALLON

STAFF WRITER | 

THE RECOR

Male fish in two of North Jersey’s most protected areas have developed female sexual characteristics, suggesting parts of the Wallkill River in Sussex County and the Great Swamp in Morris County are contaminated with chemicals that throw hormone systems radically off.

Immature eggs were found growing in the testes of male bass caught at both national wildlife refuges, according to a recently published report by the U.S. Geological Survey. The reason the fish are developing female reproductive traits is unknown, but the research team says the bass were likely exposed to chemicals found in everything from agricultural runoff to hormone-based pharmaceuticals that cannot be filtered by sewage treatment plants.

Researchers don’t know if there are any adverse health implications for those who eat smallmouth bass from the Wallkill, a popular fishing spot in both New Jersey and New York. Fishing is not allowed in the Great Swamp.

The findings have alarmed many clean-water advocates, who say the problem may be more widespread considering that most fish in North Jersey swim in waters that are even more likely to be tainted than the Wallkill and Great Swamp, which are surrounded by protected land.

“It’s pretty sad when a place you consider pristine has a problem like this,” said Bill Sheehan, head of the Hackensack Riverkeeper advocacy group. “If this doesn’t show we have a water problem in this state, I don’t know what does.”

Little is known about how and why the gender transformations happen, but it appears to be a growing phenomenon worldwide. Male fish with female sex traits have been found across the globe, from small streams in Ireland and the Caspian Sea in Russia, to the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., and the Delaware River between New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Scientists suspect chemicals seeping into the waters are to blame for disrupting the hormones of the fish. The runoff from herbicides and pesticides and waste from farm animals carries estrogenic and anti-androgenic chemicals, which inhibit development of male characteristics while spurring development of female traits in some fish species. Sewage plants add to the hormone mix because they are not capable of filtering pharmaceuticals, like birth control bills, from human waste, or other medications that are flushed down the toilet, before the treated effluent is released back into waterways.

Largemouth bass

The Wallkill and Great Swamp were among 19 national wildlife refuges in the Northeast tested over the past seven years by the U.S. Geological Survey, whose results were published in a scientific journal in December. Researchers tested almost 300 fish and found that 85 percent of male smallmouth bass and 27 percent of male largemouth bass tested were “intersex” or had female reproductive characteristics.

All five of the smallmouth bass caught from the Wallkill were intersex. They were taken about 3 miles downstream from Sussex County’s wastewater treatment plant. One of the 16 largemouth bass researchers caught in a pond in the Great Swamp had characteristics of both genders. Researchers said there had been “historical evidence of pesticide storage and use” nearby.

“I truly didn’t know what to expect going into this, but it’s been a wake­-up call to me,” said Luke Iwanowicz, a research biologist for the agency and lead author of the report. “I always thought wildlife refuges were remote areas that were protected sanctuaries.”

The 7,700-acre Great Swamp is one of New Jersey’s oldest protected areas. It was made a national wildlife refuge in 1960 and is a popular hiking spot and field trip destination.

The Wallkill refuge was established in 1990 to help stem pollution and preserve the area that surrounds a 10-mile stretch of the river in Sussex County near the state border. Those efforts have helped the Wallkill remain a popular fishing spot in New Jersey for bass and other species. The river begins at Lake Mohawk and flows northeasterly into Orange and Ulster counties in New York before emptying 90 miles away into the Hudson River.

While the Wallkill doesn’t have significant industrial pollution entering its waters, unlike the Hackensack or Passaic rivers, some say it may be more susceptible to the kind of hormone disrupting chemicals that may affect the fish. Agricultural runoff and wastewater are the river’s major pollution sources.

“It’s not a matter of a giant chemical company discharging into the Wallkill like you see on ‘The Simpsons,’” said Jason West, executive director of the Wallkill Watershed Alliance, a New York group formed last year to help restore the river to health. “This is from everyday use from agriculture and our wastewater plants.”

No threat announced

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and other agencies have launched public campaigns discouraging people from disposing their medication in the toilet. But consumed medication that is not broken down or absorbed by the body often enters the waste stream through human waste.

“How to address the fact that wastewater treatment plants don’t capture all of these chemicals before discharging their effluent remains the subject of many studies that are looking at ecological impacts, relative health risks, and potential costs of various treatment technologies,” said Larry Hajna, a DEP spokesman.

State officials do not think there is a public health threat, saying it’s unlikely anglers consume large amounts of smallmouth bass, but acknowledge that research into the issue is in its infancy.

“The most recent USGS study adds to our knowledge of this issue and impacts to ecological systems, but the scientific community overall still has more questions than answers on human health impacts,” Hajna said.

Although the sample size is small at the two New Jersey sites, the fact that all fish caught in the Wallkill were mutated has prompted many environmentalists to call for a larger study to determine the cause, see if there are health implications and help develop possible solutions.

“We now know that it’s a problem, but there are still many unanswered questions,” said Dan Shapely of the Hudson Riverkeeper, who monitors water quality in the Wallkill, a tributary. “Essentially it’s an uncontrolled experiment. We have so many chemicals out there that can contribute to this.”

Rich Phelps, 64, spent much of his life fishing the Wallkill near his family farm in Orange County until about 10 years ago, when he started pulling fish that looked sick.

“There were tumors on them, parasites on them, some with nasty looking marks on them,” he said.

Phelps said the USGS study was too limited and more fish need to be studied. “I want to know what’s in the Wallkill,” he said. “I want to know what’s gone wrong there.”

Email: fallon@northjersey.com

Global issue

Male fish exhibiting female sexual characteristics have turned up in waterways across the globe, including the Wallkill River and Great Swamp in New Jersey. Others include:

• Susquehanna, Delaware and Ohio rivers in Pennsylvania
• Potomac River in Washington, D.C.
• Boulder Creek, Colo.
• Ohio River, Ohio
• Patuxent River, Md.
• Seneca River, N.Y.
• Concord River, Mass.
• St. Croix River, Maine
• Susquehanna River, Md.
• Caspian Sea, Russia
• Yellow River, China 

Police and Autism

With all the bad publicity about the police and the shootings that have occurred lately giving them a negative image, I have to shed light on the positive side of the police.

I have heard of horror stories of Disabled and Autistic people having serious encounters with the police.  Many of these tragedies are due to poor training and ignorance to the disability.

I want to commend the police departments who respond to the severely disabled Autistic people in Sussex and Warren County, New Jersey.

The Sparta, NJ Police Department has done a wonderful job with the Students and Adult Training Program Clients. 

The Warren/Sussex County State Police have been superb in their response to the Group Home Residents and handling the situations they are faced with.

Amazingly, these Police forces have been very well trained for this intense job.  They have been patient, understanding, and very helpful with the Autistic population.  They have handled the situations without causing any harm to this vulnerable and difficult population. 

These forces have had to respond to many Crisis situations that were very extreme and they have done everything in their power to handle the situation with regard to preserving precious human life and without causing harm to any Autistic child.

I am very impressed with how much they care and I hope they keep up the great work.

I want to thank them for all they have done and continue to do for people with Autism.

New Jersey Budget Cuts Affect the Disabled in a Cruel Way

The New Jersey budget cuts for 2010 will negatively affect helpless, vulnerable, disabled children and adults in a cruel way. I am the mother of a son with severe Autism placed in a New Jersey group home. The Governor wants to strip these residents of all their SSI checks.

For the last 8 years, 75% of the SSI check was taken by the State, leaving only 25% for their PNA, Guardianship Fee, and a small amount remained. This small amount that remained allowed home visits with the family for extended periods, purchase of clothing for the client, grooming money, and recreation and entertainment money. This was in the best interest of the loved one.

By the State of NJ taking all the SSI check and compensating by an increased PNA allowance of $100.00, up from $40.00 is not in the clients best interest as the money would go to the placement itself with no control by the parent/guardian.

These Group Homes for these severely disabled children and adults do not efficiently meet the needs of the clients. Money is wasted, used inappropriately, and their needs are not met. I have to cut my son's hair myself. His nails brake off because they do not cut them. He often comes home in 2 different undersized socks and someone else's underwear. You have to be constantly monitoring the Group Home and provide for your child.

The most important thing for the severely disabled person is family involvement. I take my son home 2 1/2 to 3 months out of the year and they allow me. It relieves the home of some of the burden because these clients are very behaviorally involved.

Why is Governor Christie so cruel as to take from the most vulnerable of the population? New Jersey has an obligtion to my son and his family to take care of his needs because he was born here and was disabled here. I blame the toxic enviornment he was born in -- New Jersey -- that made him this way. Why strip him of his petty cash that we depend on for family support to meet his needs?

The Governor is heartless. He never tasted tradgedy. It is so painful to have a severely disabled child that you become numb to everything. But, taking a sick child's petty money that means so much to his mental and physical well being is lower than low.

Where is the Governor's sacrafice and his highly paid staff's sacrafice? They are all well fed and well suited and well taken care of with taxpayer's money. Can't he leave well enough alone for the sake of a severly disabled child with Autism?


UPDATE: After writing several politicians, all with positive results, disabled children and adults WIN !!!