Schools fight families over autism service dogs

At issue is whether the dogs are true ‘service’ pets or simply companions

Robin Scholz / AP Kaleb Drew, 6, grabs on to the tail of his autism service dog, Chewey, as they play in the backyard of their home after Kaleb's first day of school in Villa Grove, Ill., on Friday, Aug. 21. View related photos

CHICAGO - Like seeing-eye dogs for the blind, trained dogs are now being used to help autistic children deal with their disabilities. But some schools want to keep the animals out, and families are fighting back.

Two autistic elementary school students recently won court orders in Illinois allowing their dogs to accompany them to school. Their lawsuits follow others in California and Pennsylvania over schools' refusal to allow dogs that parents say calm their children, ease transitions and even keep the kids from running into traffic.

At issue is whether the dogs are true "service dogs" — essential to managing a disability — or simply companions that provide comfort.

School districts say they are not discriminating, just drawing the line to protect the safety and health of other students who may be allergic or scared of dogs.

"The school district has 650 students, not just one. So we have to balance," said Brandon Wright, attorney for the Villa Grove district in central Illinois, which objected to 6-year-old Kaleb Drew's plan to bring his yellow Labrador retriever, Chewey, to school.

Kaleb's family won a judge's order in July allowing the dog to come to class until a trial, set to start Nov. 10. That means when Kaleb starts his first full day of first grade Monday, Chewey will be by his side.

Service dogs have long been used by the blind, but training them to help those with autism is relatively new. While there's little research on how these animals affect autistic children, families like Kaleb's say they have seen marked improvement. And the support group Autism Speaks includes a list of dog-training groups among resources on its Web site.

Autism is a developmental disorder that involves behaviors such as poor eye contact, trouble communicating and repetitive movements such as rocking or hand-flapping. Those with the disorder are prone to outbursts and may have trouble with changes in their environment.

Calming canine influence
The dogs are trained to be a calming influence, providing a constant between home, school and other new places. Sometimes, as in Kaleb's case, the dogs are tethered to children to prevent them from running off in dangerous situations.

"It's done so much more than we thought it could," said Kaleb's mother, Nichelle Drew. "We want Kaleb to be able to experience more of life," and the dog has helped him do that, she said.

Chewey does not react when Kaleb "throws a fit" during times of transition from one activity to another, which calms him much more quickly, Drew said.

The tether fitted around Kaleb's waist helps the dog stop Kaleb from running into traffic at pickup time, as he is prone to do.

Under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act, "a person with autism would be considered a person with a disability in nearly all cases, and a service animal is any guide dog, signal dog or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to someone with a disability," said Alejandro Miyar, a spokesman for the Department of Justice.

Miyar declined comment on specific cases but said schools are required to make accommodations for disabled students to use a service animal. Illinois is among several states with similar laws.

Schools, though, can argue that the animals do not provide a functional service. Wright said Kaleb's school already provides him with adequate special services. Officials believe Chewey is more of a companion or comfort dog, not a true service dog.

Elizabeth Emken, vice president of government relations for Autism Speaks, said her 17-year-old autistic son has used a service dog for about two years.

Emken said the dog helps control her son's pacing and circling, but the family opted against allowing the boy to take the dog to school because she did not know if he would be able to manage the dog effectively.

Weighing the pros and cons
"Personally, I can see the pros and cons" of allowing the animals in schools, Emken said, though she believes schools should not ban the assistance.

Families of autistic kids elsewhere have fought similar battles, including recent cases in Manteca, Calif., about 70 miles northeast of San Francisco, and North Franklin Township, Pa., near Pittsburgh.

And cases involving other disabilities, including deafness and diabetes, have cropped up in other states.

On Thursday, a judge sided with a family in Columbia, near St. Louis, that sued over their school district's unwillingness to allow an autism service dog in a special education pre-kindergarten classroom.

Still, 5-year-old Carter Kalbfleisch will not have the dog with him when he starts classes Monday. A hearing is scheduled that day so the school can work out the logistics of accommodating the dog, which his family credits with helping stop the boy from running off and keeping him from eating things like rocks.

The case still could head to trial, though the family's attorney, Clay St. Clair, said Friday the initial ruling is based on the Illinois law allowing service animals in school. The district did not return calls.

"I don't know if it would have been a simpler issue if we were dealing with a guide dog or something the school board was a little more familiar with," St. Clair said.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Prescription drug abuse ravages a state's youth

Kentucky officials see an ‘epidemic’; officials say drugs coming from Florida

MOREHEAD, Ky. — Late in the morning last New Year's Day, Sam and Lynn Kissick received a devastating phone call that would tear their lives apart.

The caller informed them their 22-year-old daughter, Savannah, was being rushed by ambulance to the St. Claire Regional Medical Center in Morehead, Ky. She had long battled drug addiction, but it looked like this time, Savannah had overdosed on a combination of painkillers and sedatives while celebrating New Year's Eve.

After racing to the emergency room to be by Savannah's side, her parents were met by a physician with grim news. "I'm sorry, Mr. And Mrs. Kissick, but she didn't make it," he said.

Savannah had just become the latest fatality linked to prescription drug abuse, a fast-growing problem that killed more than 8,500 Americans in 2005, according to the latest available statistics from the Office of National Drug Control Policy.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration says nearly 7 million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, noting that is "more than the number who are abusing cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, ecstasy and inhalants combined." The DEA also reports that "opioid painkillers now cause more overdose deaths than cocaine and heroin combined."

"Something needs to be done, because it's killing our kids every day." said Lynn Kissick. "People need to stand up and take notice. Our kids are dying. They're dying because of these drugs."

A regional ‘epidemic’
While the problem exists in every state in the country, Kentucky led the nation in the use of prescription drugs for non-medical purposes during the last year, according to the state's Office of Drug Control Policy. Officials said prescription drug abuse is particularly acute in the cities and rural areas of Eastern Kentucky.

Last year alone, at least 485 people died in Kentucky from prescription drug overdoses, according to the state's Cabinet for Health and Family Services. Medical Examiners' records indicate the drugs most commonly found in those death cases were methadone, the painkillers oxycodone and hydrocodone, alprazolam (Xanax), morphine, diazepam (Valium) and fentanyl.

"It's an epidemic and I'm afraid we're losing a whole generation," said Beth Lewis Maze, the Chief Circuit Judge for the 21st Judicial Circuit in Kentucky. "These pain medications are so highly addictive that these young people are digging themselves a very deep hole."

In the region's newly formed drug court, Maze sees the ravages of prescription drug abuse at all levels of society. "I see good kids from good families, doctors, lawyers, teachers," she said.

Greenup County Coroner Neil Wright calls prescription drug abuse "public enemy number one." Half of the 50 deaths he logged last year were drug related, and "85 to 90 percent" of those calls involved prescription pill overdoses. "It affects everybody. I don't care, rich, poor, educated or non-educated, it affects everybody."

Down the street, Greenup County Sheriff Keith Cooper dug through the many evidence bags his deputies have filled with prescription pill bottles and cash seized during drug arrests.

NBC News / Vince Genova Lynn and Sam Kissick discuss the tragic death of their daughter as a result of a prescription drug overdose.

"We are drowning in a sea of prescription medication," said Cooper, who complained about the skyrocketing number of crimes committed by addicts searching for money to buy painkillers.

"It affects, quite literally, every kind, every type of crime that we have, the burglaries, the thefts, the accidents, the domestic disputes between families. It's breaking families up."

In neighboring Rowan County, where Savannah Kissick died, Chief Deputy Sheriff Roger Holbrook was arrested recently on federal charges that he had conspired to distribute oxycodone.

Crowded rehabilitation clinics
Pastor Wayne Ross runs the Shepherd’s Shelter adult drug and alcohol treatment center in Mount Sterling, Ky. His 50 available beds are filled with residents struggling to recover from drug addiction, almost all of them from prescription pill habits.

Savannah Kissick was one of his clients, and she had graduated from the recovery program. Her return to drug abuse and her death from an overdose shook Ross and the clinic staff members who had worked hard for her success.

"I cried, it breaks my heart," said Ross, who officiated at Savannah's funeral. "She's not the only one. We've been directly involved with five different people who have OD'd. Three of the funerals I did, myself, as a minister. It just breaks my heart."

Travel With Confidence This Summer…
HAVE YOU HAD YOUR SHOTS?
Kyler S. Knight, M.D.
Certified, American Board of Internal Medicine

Centuries ago, when settlers came to our shores from “across the pond,” they brought with them germs and bacteria that were alien to the natives who inhabited this country. The results were predictable: outbreaks of infectious diseases, like measles and influenza, that were often fatal to the Indians who came into contact with them for the first time. Today, when a person can travel to virtually anyplace in the world within a day and a half, the problem of encountering or transmitting unfamiliar organisms and diseases remains a threat. We can travel faster than the incubation period for many diseases. Thanks in part to the fact that Hollywood has dramatized the specter of spreading a deadly virus or bacteria by chance encounter with a traveler, many people are worried about protecting their health when travelling outside the United States for the first time.

“It is true that travelers to undeveloped or tropical countries have been known to contract some relatively rare or exotic diseases,” explained Internist Kyler S. Knight, M.D. “The disease may not surface for months after they return to this country and, when it does, it may be difficult to diagnose because it is so uncommon. Now that we live in such a global community, it is increasingly important for people who travel to research the destinations they plan to visit and to be alert for any specific health warnings. Then, it is up to them to get the necessary vaccines or immunizations and to keep good records on where they have been -- and when – in the event they should become ill after they return. Fortunately, this is not terribly difficult to do.”

There are also preventive measures travelers can take to stay healthy and to minimize their risk of “catching” infectious diseases. Since many serious diseases have been eradicated around the world thanks to persistent immunization efforts, preparing for an international trip today is not nearly as complicated as it would have been in the mid-1900’s. The types of preventive measures and vaccinations depend on the destination, the time of year in which the travel will take place, and how long the visitor intends to stay.

Obviously, preparing for a backpacking excursion to South America would call for a totally different medical intervention than would a train trip through the United Kingdom. This is not to say that travelers do not become ill while visiting other “civilized” countries, but the likelihood of encountering the rare, and sometimes life-threatening kinds of diseases is generally much less, and special immunizations are therefore not indicated or required.

“Many people tend to forget, however, that some of our routine immunizations need to be updated periodically,” advised Dr. Knight. “including tetanus, influenza and those for what people consider childhood illnesses – mumps and measles. For some destinations, travelers should consider having the hepatitis A shot. People who plan to visit the Pacific, Africa, Southeast Asia or the Amazon Region of South America are likely to need more aggressive preventive measures that may include inoculation or prophylaxis against typhoid, yellow fever or malaria, hepatitis B, cholera, or other bacteria or viruses.”

Dr. Knight points out that any time we disrupt our normal patterns of eating and sleeping, we become more susceptible or vulnerable to disease or infection. International travel, requiring long flights and time changes, can be particularly exhausting for some people. In those cases, he says, it is important to get rested up as soon as possible. Common sense tells us that getting off an intercontinental flight and getting immediately behind the wheel of a car for a long drive in unfamiliar territory is literally an accident just waiting to happen. He suggests that there are many things travelers can do to stay healthy on the road.

“Planning for a trip or vacation should involve a lot more than just booking reservations for hotels and transportation,” Knight recommended, “especially if you have any known medical problems. See your dentist and get that aching tooth fixed. Arrange for refills of any prescription medications so that you’ll have enough even if your trip is unexpectedly extended. If you have any serious or chronic health problems, it’s not a bad idea to take along key information about your medical history, including medication dosages and allergies, as well as anything else that might be helpful to medical personnel in an emergency. If you wear glasses or contacts, be sure to take along an extra pair or two, and don’t pack them all in the same place. If you rely on over-the-counter medications – for headaches or diarrhea especially -- that might be difficult to obtain where you are going, take a supply of those, too.”

Be sensible about what you eat and drink on foreign soil. Contaminated food and water/ice are the major sources of stomach or intestinal illness while traveling, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Travelers’ Diarrhea” (TD) can turn an otherwise sensational vacation into one spent within racing distance to the bathroom. The ailment may not be life threatening, but after a day or two of abdominal cramps and discomfort, some tourists have certainly wished they were dead. Any uncooked food could be contaminated, especially in areas where sanitation is not a local priority. Be especially wary of salads, fruits and raw vegetables, dairy products, improperly prepared meats, and shellfish. It’s best to rely on bottled water for brushing your teeth, and that or canned beverages for drinking. Even if you don’t ‘drink the water’ that’s what the local ice is made from, and it can make you just as sick.

“Take the trip in your mind first,” suggests Dr. Knight. “Visualize where you’ll be and anticipate what emergencies you might encounter – and plan for them. If you’ll be spending a lot of time outside, be sure to take along plenty of sunscreen and insect repellant if you’re visiting the warmer regions. A compact first aid kit is another useful travelling companion, and be sure to include all the minor remedies you are used to at home.”

“If youngsters will be traveling with you, arrange for their immunizations to be updated as far in advance as possible, and pack a supply of their medications, too. If your trip will be to an undeveloped country or to a tropical location, schedule an appointment for a consultation about any immunizations or vaccinations that are required for entry into those places at least six weeks before your planned departure. This will allow the immunity to develop before you leave and will help you be alert to other health risks you might encounter at your destination. Whether you will be traveling on business or for pleasure,” the doctor said, “the last thing you’ll need in an unfamiliar environment is to be sick or in pain, and careful planning can make all the difference – wherever you are in the world.”

Dr. Knight is a designated provider of the Yellow Fever Vaccine.

Aspirin and Heart Disease

You see the ads on television almost every day...you know the ones, where a young man and his dad are playing basketball and suddenly the man clutches his chest in obvious pain. A heart attack is the first thing that comes to your mind. The son runs to the gym bag nearby and gets help...a bottle of aspirin. Dad takes one and lives to see another day.

The commercial is advertising a popular brand of aspirin. You know it can help tame a headache, but do you believe aspirin can save your life? Well, according to the American Heart Association and researchers at Harvard Medical School there’s a reasonable chance it can. In October 1997, the AHA reported in its journal, Circulation, that up to 10,000 more people would survive heart attacks if they would chew one 325 milligram aspirin tablet when they first had chest pain or other sign of a heart attack. Other studies have come to similar conclusions. One found that heart attack patients who took aspirin when their symptoms began, and then daily for one month, significantly lowered their risk of dying and of having another heart attack or stroke over the people in the study who were given the placebo. Now, just about all researchers agree that patients should be given aspirin during the first hour -- during pre-hospital transport or in the Emergency Room -- if a heart attack is suspected.

In the late 1980’s, a report circulated in the medical community that astonished many who saw it for the first time. The study involved 22,000 male physicians, all in good health, who were divided into two groups: half of them took a buffered aspirin every other day, and the others were given a placebo. The findings made headline news around the country: for the doctors taking aspirin, the risk of a coronary was cut by almost half. Among those taking the aspirin, 104 heart attacks (with five deaths) occurred compared to 189 heart attacks -- 18 of them fatal -- among those taking the placebo. The statistics were too dramatic to ignore and -- to be fair -- the doctors monitoring the study recommended that the volunteers taking the placebo be advised of the results so that they, too, could take aspirin if they wished.

Since that study, there have been many research projects focusing on the effects of aspirin on heart disease and additional studies have confirmed that aspirin may also lower a woman’s risk for heart attack by 25 percent when taken one to six times a week. While it is true that heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women, people have traditionally thought heart attacks happen primarily to men. And, up until the past decade, women have been virtually excluded from cardiac research over the years. As one women’s rights activist put it, “The heartaches of women have gotten more attention in country-western songs than their heart attacks have received in clinical research.”

There are still some women who fail to recognize the symptoms of a cardiovascular “event” because they don’t believe it could happen to them. Fortunately, cardiovascular research today generally includes women. The National Institute of Health has conducted a study of 40,000 post-menopausal female nurses, for example, to evaluate the effects of aspirin as well as beta carotene and Vitamin E on their risk for cancer and cardiovascular disease.

How Aspirin Works...

Even before the potential effect of aspirin on heart disease was confirmed, aspirin had been the “anchor drug” in medicine cabinets across the country. Aspirin was officially introduced 100 years ago and has been marketed in its current form for more than 80 years. Aspirin is found in so many homes, however, that few people think of it as a drug. If it were introduced today, though, aspirin might have a difficult time being approved by the Food and Drug Administration, and might even be restricted to being dispensed by prescription only. It does have side effects and it is not for everyone.

The origin of the drug can be traced back to Hippocrates. he advised his followers to chew the leaves of the willow tree to alleviate pain. The Chinese have been using the bark of the same trees -- which contain salicin -- to control fever. In the early 1800’s different derivatives of this bark were tested and one -- acetylsalicylic acid, the chemical name for aspirin -- was found to be tolerated better than the others.

Aspirin can realistically be called a wonder drug because of the many remedial effects it can have on the human body. Basically, it interferes with the production of a series of chemicals in the body -- called prostaglandins -- that regulate many of the body’s vital functions. By blocking certain prostaglandins, aspirin lowers body temperature, relieves minor aches and pains, relieves inflammation and interferes with the role of blood platelets in forming clots. It is this last effect that appears to impact on risk for heart disease.

Blood clots are formed by platelets grouping together. Aspirin interferes with this process by making the platelets less “sticky” -- and therefore less successful in grouping together -- by inhibiting the manufacture of prostaglandins. This same blood “thinning” action that makes aspirin effective in reducing a person’s risk for heart disease is also the reason that some people are unable to take the drug.

Aspirin may well be one of the safest and most widely used drugs on the market today, but it also has some potentially serious side effects for those who cannot tolerate it. Aspirin can be hard on the stomach and cause nausea; it can aggravate gastric ulcers; and cause internal bleeding. It may increase the risk for stroke due to bleeding. Those who are allergic to aspirin can go into shock if they take it. And, aspirin is the trigger to a rare and sometimes fatal childhood disease, Reyes Syndrome, when taken following certain viral infections.

While it can certainly be an effective weapon against heart disease when used as part of a medically supervised program to modify the risks for heart disease, aspirin should not be considered a substitute for stopping smoking, for exercise, or for lowering cholesterol levels. The use of drugs -- even those sold over the counter -- should always be discussed with your physician. Ask your doctor to help you determine if the potential advantages of taking aspirin outweigh the risks in your individual case.