A Dream...Changed!

It was an evening after a charity basketball game at Randallstown High on May 7 , 2004 and a crowd of students and parents were leaving the school gym. Suddenly, shots rang out in the dark and a 16-year-old boy was lying in a pool of blood, along with three others. The most seriously wounded of the four was young William Thomas, a high school football player with dreams of NFL glory.

Within moments, this young life was changed, for the bullet had shattered his spinal cord. The dreams of NFL glory could be no more.



But this was not the end of the story. There was heart, determination, and grit within this young man, despite a body changed. But first, the injuries had to be treated and healed. Any dreams had to be deferred to the hard work of surgeries and grueling physical therapy. Life had to be learned with legs that did not work.

So, life started over. As the years passed, a new dream formed--one of inspiration and nonviolence. Life can still be good and can go on, as he shows others, whose lives have also changed similarly. Also, inspiration for students, now younger than he, who can learn how to pick yourself up in the midst of life's challenges and how greatly violence can shatter lives.

In the midst of all of his life worth living, today marks the day that William Thomas, now 24 years old, graduates with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from Morgan State University. Yes, it is a life changed and a dream changed, as well. Good luck to you, William Thomas! I am just so proud of you, though I have never met you.
(Many thanks to the Baltimore Sun for the facts of the story; the opinions are my own.)

The Wrong Appointee

For the past few days, controversy has been blooming over yet another State of Maryland political appointee - one David Geier, who sits on the Commission on Autism and is self-described as a "diagnostician" and an adminiatrator of ASD Centers, a franchise that operates in several different states. The father, Dr. Mark Geier, also with the ASD Centers, has been prescribing a potent hormone, lupron, to children diagnosed with autism, although the same Dr. Geier has no credentials as an endocrinologist, nor any specialized expertise as a pediatric psychiatrist or neuropsychiatrist.

Lupron is used to treat prostate cancer, endometriosis, and precocious puberty, by overstimulating the body's production of certain hormones, with the result that the body stops producing those hormones temporarily. It is not recommended for use in children. There are notable precautions and caveats regarding the administration of this medication, which means that certain precautions are required for those with particular medical conditions to be able to take the medication safely. One of the biggest risks is for osteoporosis, or bone loss, which we all know is a growing part of children's bodies. Also at risk are those with heart disease; among those who are diagnosed with autism-spectrum disorders are those with velo-cardio-facial syndrome, which places these youngsters at high risk.



I have worked with children and adolescents, who have been diagnosed with various autism-spectrum disorders, for more than 15 years as an ANCC board-certified registered nurse in psychiatric-mental health nursing, with a bachelors degree in nursing, and I can say that I have never heard of using Lupron for treating any aspect of autism-spectrum disorders. I have noticed that the issue of mercury from immunizations causing the disorders has not been upheld by the scientific evidence, and that mercury has not been used as a preservative in immunization serum for the past 10 years. Absolutely no evidence backs Lupron as a treatment for autism-spectrum disorders.

So, basically, these ASD Centers, Dr. Mark Geier, and David Geier, have been peddling what amounts to snake oil to desperate parents at a loss for a cure for what troubles their children. Basically, there is no cure for autism-spectrum disorders. However, that does not mean there is no hope or no treatment. There are a broad range of treatment for the disorder, including Sensory Integration, Special Education, Behavioral Treatment, Sign Language, Animal Therapy, Movement Therapy, Music Therapy, and psychiatric medications. I have utilized many of the above and have found them to be helpful to individuals with these disorders. Moreover, many of these treatments fall into the body of practices known as evidence-based practices. It is one way for parents to determine what are the legitimate treatments and many add to the quality of life for those affected by these disorders.

So, how did David Geier come to sit on this State commission, which offers advice to the Governor? If you are wondering, so am I, and I hope those responsible answer this question and remove David Geier forthwith. For those who are wondering, Dr. Mark Geier's medical license has been suspended by the Maryland Board of Physicians, although he maintains licenses in other states. May other states take note and investigate this duo, so other parents do not engage them to treat their vulnerable children with this useless and dangerous drug!

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