By
Dr. Renee Tocco
June 29, 2010
NewsWithViews.com
The Ultimate Reality Show
In the past several years, America has been captivated by “Reality TV.” Tens of thousands of people live vicariously through the lives of celebrities and others as they get married, get divorced, have children, open restaurants and show the world the extreme drama that is somehow labeled “reality.” What is becoming evermore apparent is that the true realities of life in America, whether it’s in regards to politics, education or healthcare, is often given far less attention and true coverage in the media. In my area of research and study, there are several topics that unavoidably, we must start honestly discussing. This month, the opportunity to change the world of childhood illness has been laid on the table. However, I need the help of every supporter if I will achieve an incredible goal that is set before me. Several years ago, as a chiropractic physician, I dedicated my career to educating the public about prevention and recovery from pediatric illness and in particular autism.
In the past two years, I have been living and breathing my life’s mission. I founded Hope For Autism and also a nonprofit corporation, Heart For Autism. I have been interviewed countless times on news programs, I have taught dozens of webinars, I’ve spoken on conference calls, I frequently write articles, and have lectured at about 20 conferences for parents, doctors and educators. This month, I am releasing an educational film for families. But about a year ago, I decided that one of my ultimate goals was to have a talk show. And for that reason, I have spent time over the months planning and dreaming what my show will be like.
Never in my wildest dreams did I realize that this year I would have an opportunity to audition to have a show on a major network! I have the chance to win a mainstream talk show, produced by Harpo Productions that will highlight the chronic healthcare struggles of American children and bring natural solutions to the country. This is where you have an opportunity to help me accomplish this mission. The link below will take you to my three minute audition video where you can watch and cast your vote. The more votes I get, the better opportunity I will have to represent you and all others promoting natural healthcare.
To view the video and vote for Renee please click here.
Simply press the "back" button after voting to immediately vote again. It takes about 30 seconds to vote 20 times. Please do this as many times, every day through July 3rd! I just posted my audition a few days ago and I am already in the top 1o pages of health shows out of more than 100. But I need many more votes. If you have trouble voting, search video auditions for "tocco" and you will find it! Also, do not be alarmed if your vote does not immediately register. The votes are updated approximately every 15 minutes… but every vote counts!
It takes about 30 seconds to vote 20 times. Please do this as many times, every day through July 3rd! I just posted my audition a few days ago and I am already in the top 12 pages of health shows out of more than 100. But I need many more votes. If you have trouble voting, search video auditions for "tocco" and you will find it! Also, do not be alarmed if your vote does not immediately register. The votes are updated approximately every 15 minutes… but every vote counts!
The reality is that there is not a topic on the face of the earth that deserves the attention and discussion the explosion of childhood illness in the past two decades. The failure of our healthcare system is even apparent in our rates of infant mortality, or babies that die within the first year of life. With all of our technology, doctors and hospitals, we even have more infants dying now than ever. In the 1960’s we were in 12th place for infant mortality worldwide. Since then, we have slipped to the shameful 29th place.
A report released in 2008 by the Center For Disease Control stated:
"The U.S. infant mortality rate is higher than those in most other developed countries, and the gap between the U.S. infant mortality rate and the rates for the countries with the lowest infant mortality appears to be widening."
Recent Trends in Infant Mortality in the United States, CDC, 2008
When should we, as a country, begin to ask what is killing American babies? But infant death is just the tip of the iceberg when you consider other catastrophes we face. You see, we are now facing a healthcare crisis that we have never dealt with before in the history of mankind. In 2010, almost 2% of American boys have autism, which in nine cases out of ten, leads to lifelong disability. Autism affects more children than cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined. To give a comparison, autism only affected about 1 in 10,000 a couple of decades ago. The reason we know we have a true increase in autism is that nowhere on the face of the earth can we find an adult population where 1% are autistic. For the first time in history, in the next 10 -15 years, we will have about 1 million children that currently have autism entering adulthood and we are totally unprepared! And these statistics don’t include PDD, Asperger’s or other spectrum disorders.
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We don’t have the services, facilities or the funding allocated to care for the coming wave of autistic adults. But autism isn’t the only problem. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has increased 400%, affecting about 3 and a half million children. ADHD has a profound affect on our society. Here are some startling statistics about those suffering with ADHD. They are twice as likely to commit theft, 4-5X more likely to be a substance abuser, and 50% more likely to sell drugs. Parents of children with ADHD are 3x more likely to divorce due to the high amount of stress placed on the family. 35% of students with ADHD are expelled or drop out of school. They have about 4x more car accidents. Most devastating is the long-term consequences of the illness.
ADHD apparently predispositions a child for failure in society as research shows that 60-80% of prison inmates have the diagnosis. With less than 5% of the world’s population, the US consumes 90% of the world's Ritalin. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) classifies Ritalin as "Schedule II, which means it’s on the same list as amphetamine and cocaine. This means that the potential for Ritalin abuse is equivalent to that of cocaine. Research shows that laboratory animals have equal preference when given the choice to self-administer cocaine or Ritalin. Gene Haislip, retired assistant administrator of the DEA, said “We have become the only country in the world where children are prescribed such a vast quantity of stimulants that share virtually the same properties as cocaine." Critic John Lang wrote in 1997 that "Americans would be horrified to learn that millions of children across the nation are being given cocaine by their parents and doctors to make them behave better in school, [but that's] so close to the truth that it takes a chemist to tell the difference.” It was in 1961 that the FDA approved Ritalin for children with behavior problems. By 1975, 150,000 American children were taking this powerful pharmaceutical. By 1988 the number increased over 500 percent, to just about 1 million children.
And then by year 2000, over 8 million American children were taking Ritalin. Ritalin’s success in the American marketplace is unmatched by other drugs. But has anyone ever considered the consequences? To date, there has not been a single, long-term comprehensive study to show the effect this drug may have on brain development and future health. According to the FDA, however, we are warned that Ritalin is linked to "visual hallucinations, suicidal ideation, psychotic behavior, as well as aggression or violent behavior." Asthma now affects at least 6 million American children and deaths from Asthma have increased 56%. 20% of all U.S. children have allergies. These four disorders add up to 20 million or 1/3 of all American children affected. Depression never used to be a childhood diagnosis. Now, more school aged children than ever are growing up with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder. And I haven’t even mentioned childhood obesity. It is obvious that our country’s future depends on our ability to change the course of all of these trends. The only way to make a difference is to spread information about the prevention and treatment for the illnesses plaguing American children.
My show will have an incredible impact on our country. When a child receives a diagnosis, especially of autism, the whole family is greatly impacted and the condition affects every part of family life: the added financial burden, the career sacrifices, the marriage, holidays, vacation and leisure, sibling relationships and spirituality. Depending on the parent’s response, the family can either be strengthened or destroyed. In segments I will give parents the opportunity to share the heartbreak and the challenges they face, raising a child with an illness or disability. This will raise public compassion and encourage more people to be involved to make a difference. The estimated divorce rate in families affected by autism is near 80% and parents of a child with ADHD are three times more likely to divorce.
Professionals will give parents real life skills to cope with the stress of raising a disabled or sick child and will learn how to overcome emotions like guilt and grief. I will interview experts who can give parents practical tools to not only help give children with autism and other conditions the best quality of life, but that will also teach parents how to promote wellness for the whole family. Families need strategies to resolve everyday issues and to learn how to embrace and enjoy life. The economic impact of autism exceeds 90 billion dollars and is expected to more than double in the next decade.
However, autism currently receives less than 5% of the research funding of many less prevalent childhood diseases. I will coordinate events to raise funds for not only research but also for treatment for children that are underprivileged. But most importantly, my show will highlight stories of triumph over challenges, of healing and recovery! The most precious gift we can give families facing healthcare struggles is the message of hope for their precious children. I am dedicated to this cause regardless of the cost or sacrifice. The honest fact if that is I win my own show, it will be the biggest break of my life and will bring me light-years closer to my goals. But that would be the most insignificant part of the fairytale.
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The real victory would be for the millions of American families who are desperately looking for more public compassion, for practical ways to help their children, or who maybe just need a thread of hope to help them get through the week. America has become obsessed with reality TV. But my show will be the ultimate reality show – facing issues that affect million of American families and the future of our country. I would like to give a special thanks to NewsWithViews for their incredible support!
Again, to vote for Renee Tocco click here.
Please visit www.hopeforautism.us for more information.
� 2010 Dr. Renee Tocco - All Rights Reserved
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Dr. Renee Tocco, a chiropractic physician, was trained by top clinical researchers at the Autism Research Institute’s "Defeat Autism Now!" conference. She then furthered her studies under Dr. Shaw, of Great Plains Laboratory. In 2008, she founded the American Chiropractic Autism Board and is the curriculum coordinator for Hope For Autism (HFA), a BioNutritional Care training conference. She received her doctorate of chiropractic degree from Sherman College of Straight Chiropractic. She practices as the clinic director of BioNutritional Care in Mt. Pleasant, SC. The focus of Dr. Tocco’s practice is spinal structural rehabilitation and BioNutritional Care.
She is a national public speaker and trainer on methods to help children with various childhood illnesses. Her focus is on healthcare issues common among those who suffer from autism spectrum disorder and related conditions and effective natural care. She promotes a vitalistic healthcare approach and is dedicated to educating the public about non-invasive, natural healthcare.
Web site: www.hopeforautism.us
E-Mail: reneetoccodc@yahoo.com
