<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Posted by Kevin J. McMahon for the DDR. I am posting this notice for the DDR. If you wish to contact them directly use the contact number in the message. If you wish to contact me directly send mail to [log in to unmask] as I may remain a subscriber on this list. DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY REGISTRY (DDR) ---------------------------------- The DDR is a year-old non-profit organization formed to help meet the needs of parents and professionals working with children who have delays in motor, sensory motor, language, and social emotional areas, including attention deficits. Recent DDR activities include a survey seeking links between developmental delays and antibiotic use and a March 1995 conference titled "After the Diagnosis, Then What?". The mission of the DDR is to find healthy options for those supporting children with developmental delays and to prevent more children from being affected. We do this through our quarterly newsletter, periodic one and two day conferences and by selling materials that are compatible with our philosophy. Membership is $25 for students and retirees, $40 for families, $60 for professionals, $125 for organizations, and $100+ for individual sponsors. The DDR currently has over 1400 families registered. The dates of our next conferences are October 20th in Pennsylvania (co-sponsored by Special Needs Agency, a division of the Glatfelter Insurance Group and Allen Natural Foods), December 2nd in Northern Virginia, February 23-25, 1996 in San Diego, and March 15-17 in Stamford, CT. We are in the process of lining up speakers in the areas of immune system functioning, nutrition, occupational therapy, auditory training, vision, homeopathy, chiropractic kinesiology, osteopathy, and chemical sensitivity among other things. About half of the speakers will be the same as the conference in Maryland last March. The rest will be new. Audiotapes and copies of the conference manual from the March conference are still available. The DDR can now be reached at 7801 Norfolk Ave. #102, Bethesda, MD 20814 Telephone: 301-652-2263 Fax: 301-907-2427. Board of Directors: Kelly Dorfman, M.S., L.N., L.D. - President Nancy Lewis, O.D. - Vice President Sheri Present, OTR-L - Secretary Wrenn Reynolds - Treasurer Patricia S. Lemer, M.Ed., NCC - Executive Director Professional Advisory Board: Stephen Edelson, Ph.D. Alan R. Gaby, M.D. Michael J. Goldberg, M.D. J.N. Gordon, M.D., F.A.A.P. Celia Hinrichs, O.D. Richard E. Layton, M.D. Bernard Rimland, Ph.D. Michael Schmidt, B.S., CCN William R. Spear Serena Wieder, Ph.D. SURVEY SHOWS LINK BETWEEN ANTIBIOTICS AND DEVELOPMENTAL DELAYS IN CHILDREN A new, nationwide survey of nearly 700 children is showing a disturbing link between children with developmental delays and the amount of antibiotics they have taken. The survey, which included youngsters between the ages of one year and 12 years found that those who have taken more than 20 cycles of antibiotics in their lifetime are over 50% more likely to suffer developmental delays. Children who have had three or fewer found of antibiotics were half as likely to become developmentally delayed. The 9 month survey began in June 1994 by the Developmental Delay Registry, a multi-national database of 800 families, most of whom have children with developmental delays. The survey's other findings: o Nearly 75% of the delayed children were reported to be developing normally in their first year of life. o Developmentally delayed children were 37% more likely to have had 3 or more ear infections than unaffected children. o Affected children were nearly four times as likely to have had negative reactions to immunizations. o Affected children were twice as likely to have had ear tubes than unaffected children. Kelly Dorfman, a licensed nutritionist and co-founder of the Developmental Delay Registry cautions, "Parents should be put on notice that utilizing antibiotics prophylactically could jeopardize their children's development. We believe alternative approaches to treating ear infections should be considered." The incidence of children in the United States with developmental, behavioral and mental disorders is dramatically increasing. Conservative estimates show that in the last four years the number of children under age 18 with these disorders has grown from 4.8 million to 7.5 million. Included in these pervasive developmental disorders are autism, speech and language problems and multi-system developmental disorders. Symptoms range from skin irritations and sleep disturbances to repetitive behavior and loss of language. According to Patricia Lemer, a National Certified Counselor and co-founder of the Developmental Delay Registry, "The difference in the occurrence of developmental delays between children who take high doses of antibiotics and those who don't is astounding. We are urging the medical research community to conduct scientific, longitudinal studies to help us find out what is going on here."