The Kansas House Social Service Budget Committee voted to cut all remaining State General Funds used to support Kansans with developmental disabilities. The Appropriations Committee will consider these cuts next week.

My clients with developmental disabilities already face waiting periods of three to eight years for necessary services from the state. I understand the state’s fiscal crisis; however, I also understand that Kansans with developmental disabilities already face sparse service.  There is no fat to cut.

Missouri just passed a new law requiring health insurance coverage for Autism Spectrum Disorders.  In April 2009, the Missouri State Senate passed Assembly Bill 167, which requires insurance companies to provide coverage of evidence-based, medically necessary autism therapies.   The Missouri House completes the needed legislation for ASD coverage in Missouri.

In Kansas, Kate’s Law remains pending.  Kate’s Law would bring to Kansas insurance coverage for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Insurance covering autism is mandated by 15 other states, but understanding the coverage has proven to be a challenge.  Click here for Frequently Asked Questions about each state’s covereage.

The 15 states with insurance coverage are: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin.

A research team from Rutgers and Columbia reported that children on Medicaid are more likely than privately insured children to receive anti psychotic medication.  Privately insured children may manage their behavior without resorting to the medicine.  These anti psychotic drugs may have severe physical side effects resulting in lifelong medical problems, according to the New York Times.

Is autism diagnosed too often as a way to access services?

This film trailer from Autistic-Like: Graham’s Story describes one family’s experience with a possible mis-diagnosis of autism  For more info, visit the film’s web site:

Some of the children I represent survive their trauma and abuse better than others.  A researcher at the University of Kansas received a $1.7 million grant to study why some children show exceptional resiliency.

Yo Jackson, associate professor of applied behavioral science and clinical child psychology, will share the five year grant with, among others, Jackson County Children’s Division of the Missouri Department of Social Services, the Midwest Foster Care and Adoption Association in Jackson County, and faculty at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.

Kate’s Law would require health insurance to cover the diagnosis and treatment of Autism spectrum disorders.  Today, the Kansas House will vote on a motion to pull Kate’s law out of the House Insurance Committee and send it to the House floor for debate.

The motion needs 70 votes to pass.  If it passes, then a second motion will move the bill “above the line” where it can be debated and passed out of the House.

Learn how you can support this important legislation by checking the web site for the Kansas Coalition for Autism Legislation.

Students with ADHD who used medication improved their scores in both math and reading, according to a study published this week in Pediatrics.   The improvements were equivalent to about 0.19 grade levels in math and 0.29 grade levels in reading.

The report indicates that medication made less of a difference for students with an IEP (Individualized Education Program).  I wonder if this means that special education works, and may make medication less necessary.

Approximately 4.4 million (7.8%) children in the United States have been diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and 56% of affected children take prescription medications to treat the disorder.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is strongly linked with low academic achievement.   This study suggests that children with ADHD may benefit academically from medication and special education.  You may request your school to conduct an educational evaluation to determine if your child qualifies for special education.

Any kid can tell you that recess is the best part of the day.  Now scientists agree.  A study in this month’s journal of Pediatrics found that providing young students with one or more recess of at least fifteen minutes in length was associated with better class behavior.

I have often represented children with attention deficit disorder.  Sometimes teachers “punish” children with ADD or ADHD by depriving their recess.

The new study would support an argument that fidgety children need even more recess, not less.  This research could be used by parents at IEP or 504 meetings.  For example, required recess could be written into a child’s behavior plan.

The popular press widely reported three test cases in vaccine court on February 12.  In those cases, the families failed to prove that autism for their children was caused by childhood vaccines.

If that’s all you read, you might think the pharmaceutical industry won forever.  Not quite, though.  Last week, the vaccine court awarded over $800K to a family with autism.  The vaccine court believed that their child’s autism (actually, PDD NOS) was caused by a measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.  Read the details by clicking this link to the Huffington Post.

Zoloft plus therapy effectively reduced anxiety in children, according to a study funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.  Zoloft is a brand name for the anti-depressant drug sertraline.

The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.  It found that either the medication or therapy had benefits when used in isolation.  Still, the best results were obtained by combining the drug with therapy.

Setraline has been linked with suicidal thoughts and behavior in children with depression.  Advice must be sought from a qualified physician before attempting this treatment.

In my law practice, I see the results of untreated anxiety in children and teens.  The untreated disorder may lead to juvenile delinquency,  failure at school and stress on parents.