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NAA board members are interviewed by Kawish TV to commemorate Autism Awareness Month – April 2013

Sabeeha Rehman and Khalid Rehman were interviewed by Kawish TV on autism risk minimization, possible causes, early intervention, treatment options, safety, and what NAA has to offer. This interview is being aired several times during April 2013. Geared towards the Pakistani-American community, the interview is conducted in Urdu, the official language of Pakistan. Through this medium, NAA is reaching out to the ethnic community in New York to enhance autism awareness, and to educate parents about their choices.
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Read NAA NYM’s response to the New York Times Editorial, “A Welcome Retraction,” Feb. 6, 2010
See Letter To The Editor

To the Editor:

The editorial, ‘A Welcome Retraction’ (Editorial: Sat. February, 6, 2010), stating that ‘…The Lancet’s belated retraction will finally lay the damaging myth about autism and vaccines to rest’, is misleading.

Dr. Wakefield’s 1998 Lancet paper was a case study not research per se as is being characterized. The 1998 paper did not claim an association between autism and the MMR vaccine, but suggested that more study of a possible link with autism was warranted. The retraction is a politically-motivated attempt to squelch scientific investigation of vaccine safety.

The retraction sets a disturbing precedent, suggesting to clinicians and researchers that if their quest for truth leads to a controversial area, they run the risk of putting their careers in jeopardy. We must be willing to follow the science wherever it may lead. The retracted paper was about finding novel GI disease in children with autism, not about a connection between the MMR vaccine and autism. This retraction in no way exonerates the MMR vaccine as a contributing factor in the important quest to understand which environmental factors have caused the meteoric rise in autism.

Sabeeha Rehman, FACHE
President
National Autism Association New York Metro Chapter
New York, N.Y. Feb. 7, 2010

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Letter to the Editor, Staten Island Advance. November 28, 2008

Re: Autism Researchers: Our Alternative Methodologies Work

Dear Editor:

Thank you for your coverage of the presentation on autism by Drs J. Neubrander and Philip De Fina. The treatments that these physicians are advocating are referred to as “biomedical treatments”. The National Autism Association (NAA) is an advocate of biomedical treatments, which offers an approach to intervention that encompasses diet, vitamin supplements, detoxification, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, among others. Its success has been variable, and with good reason. Autism is a systemic disease, and the degree to which it affects the body and its various systems, is a consequence of a pre-disposing factors and environmental triggers. It therefore manifests itself differently in each child, and each child responds differently to each treatment.

Recognizing the dilemma that parents face, the New York Metro Chapter of the National Autism Association has focused on educating parents, caregivers and educators about their options, and the benefits and outcomes of various approaches to treating autism, including biomedical treatments. On a monthly basis, we bring leading experts, which include physicians, nutritionists, holistic practitioners, among others, to present to our community, empowering parents with information to make informed choices. In addition, our NAAvigator program maintains a roster of parent mentors who guide parents and help them navigate the system. The chapter covers all the boroughs of New York City, and its services can be accessed at its website: www.naanyc.org

Sabeeha Rehman, FACHE
President, NAA New York Metro Chapter

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Presentation to the Staten Island North Shore Rotary Club – October 16, 2008

Coverage from the Staten Island Advance:

Members of the North Shore Rotary met Thursday in the Staaten, West Brighton. District Governor Eric Storberg spoke about Rotary International’s “Make Dreams Real” and its goals of eradicating polio around the world. Guest speakers were Sabeeha Rehman, president of the National Autism Association’s New York Metro chapter, and Dr. Khalid Rehman.

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NAA New York Metro on WABC-TV Channel 7 at 6:30 p.m. ABC World News and 11:00 p.m. News. Autism Report.

September 4, 2008

WABC-TV aired a story on a new study reported in the Public Library of Science, that concludes that there is no link of the MMR vaccine and autism.
Responses from mothers of children with autism were solicited. Sorsha Anderson and Katie Wright, both mothers of a child with autism, were interviewed. Their interviews were aired at 6:00 pm and 11:00 pm News respectively.

Sorsha asserted the relationship of vaccines and autism, citing her child as a example. She stated that whereas there are many factors that contribute to autism, in Arthur’s case they had delayed vaccinating him until he was five years old. Once he received the MMR shot, he became ill. “He was sick during the shots. He remained sick. He began having GI problems; he began losing language, and losing the ability to maintain eye contact. And then he was diagnosed with autism. I think they are all related”, Sorsha said.
Katie stated that the fact that so many ASD kids do have G.I. disease and immune problems is not in dispute and does not change as a result of the study. This study should be a beginning – more research needs to be done on the subject to get answers. Christian developed G.I. disease at age 2 that disease affected his brain. No one is saying that autism is triggered by just the MMR or just mercury, but many vaccines together, antigen combinations, etc. have never been examined.

Both broadcasts aired edited versions of the interview. The comments of a pediatrician interviewed, who disputed the study, were not aired.

The broadcast can be seen at:
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MedicineCuttingEdge/story?id=5720092&page=1

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CBS’s Story on the Conte Family’s “Controversial Autism Treatment” – August 7, 2008

In the wake of the controversial remarks made by Michael Savage, CBS-TV approached NAA-NYM.
CBS was interested in using this incident to increase autism awareness, and requested that we arrange for an interview with a family affected by Autism.
Lisa Rudley was instrumental in making the connection with the Conte family.
Louis and Andrea Conte have 8 year-old triplet boys, two of whom are on the spectrum and have made progress through alternative therapies such as HBOT, diet, and chelation. Their story can be seen on the video clip.
Thank you, Louis and Andrea for sharing your story.

Read the transcript and watch the video

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NAA-NYM at Press Conference with Councilman David Weprin – July 27, 2008

NAA New York Metro was there at City Hall when Councilman David Weprin took a stand against the comments made by Michael Savage. The Councilman called the press conference to announce that he has sent a letter to the FCC Commissioner looking into the Michael Savage incident for possible FCC violations. He has called on WOR Radio President to pull the Savage show from the airwaves. He called for an apology from M. Savage and asked that advertisers pull their ads from “The Savage Nation”.

Sabeeha Rehman was interviewed by Fox News Channel 5 on the vaccine issue; and by Epoch Times on the role of the NAA New York Metro chapter in creating awareness, and educating parents and caregivers.

Sabeeha, Councilman Weprin, Khalid Fox news at rally press conference
Sabeeha Rehman, Councilman Weprin and Khalid Rehman Fox News posing a question to Sabeeha Rehman NAA at the press conference

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