The Sentinel

Illinois becomes the first state to restrict federal access to autism-related data

One in 31 children in the U.S. is diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum.

by Judith Ruiz-Branch
Illinois News Connection

CHICAGO - Illinois is the first state to block the federal government from accessing state data on autism.

The order, signed by Gov. JB Pritzker last week, is in response to federal efforts to create a mass data collection on autism.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. plans to use Medicare and Medicaid data to create an autism registry with the goal of finding the cause of what he called an "autism epidemic." Pritzker's order prohibits the collection in Illinois without consent from an individual or guardian.

Federal agencies said they would protect sensitive health information.

Jeff Chan, associate professor of special education at Northern Illinois University, said along with concerns about accidental disclosure of protected health information, right now there is no single cause or cure for autism and he is skeptical a database could change it

"I don't even know if we will ever find that one, single cause," Chan acknowledged. "There's a variety of factors in play on the genetic side and the environmental side that are all affecting parents and mothers and children, which eventually lead to the expression of those symptoms."

Federal agencies said they would protect sensitive health information. More than a dozen autism organizations and advocates are pushing back against the planned database and any rhetoric claiming autism is "curable" or is caused by vaccines.

One in 31 children in the U.S. is diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. Chan noted in Illinois the rate increased from one in 333 children in 2002 to one in 51 children in 2023. He added while cases are rising, the numbers are also influenced by earlier diagnosis and improved data collection.

Chan emphasized the importance of oversight of data and interpretation and cautioned about the potential for drawing conclusions from incomplete information or cherry-picking evidence.

"Anyone could collect data and they can interpret it differently, and they can spin it differently," Chan stressed. "That happens all the time. And that's happened in the past, especially about the causes of autism."

Chan advised caution regarding individuals with extreme theories. He acknowledged the difficulty parents and caregivers face in evaluating information and the importance of institutions to help navigate the evidence.

"There's people out there that, for whatever reason, are true believers about a particular narrative about autism," Chan explained. "You have to be a very careful consumer about what you take in and what evidence you choose to believe."

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Urbana's Yau heads back to state track meet

CHARLESTON - Urbana's Marley Yau runs 2:20.83 split while running the anchor leg of her squad's preliminary race at the 2024 IHSA Girls Track & Field State Finals. The Tigers' relay squad finished 4th in their heat and 12th overall to punch their ticket into Saturday's championship race. Yau, along with her sister Lorelie, Beatrice Ebel, and Sophia Sheyko-Frailey finished 11th overall in the title race with a time of 9:56.10. Yau, a sophomore, returns to the state meet on Friday to compete in the 800m run and the 4x400 relay.

Nine other members of the Urbana track program will also compete in Friday's prelims. Accompanying Yau to Charleston this week are Amber Sysouvanh (4x200), Asha Williams (4x200), Francette Musau (4x200, 4x400), Genisis Walker (4x400), Kaleigh Bell (Long Jump, 100m Dash, 4x200, 4x400), Laiyonna Harper (4x200, 4x400), Mya Sessi (4x200, 4x400), Savannah Finley (4x200, 4x400), and Syniyah Quenga (4x200, 4x400).

Tagged: IHSA track & field, state track, high school sports, central Illinois, Urbana Tigers, long jump, hurdles, 4x800, state qualifiers, Urbana relay team

Book Review |
Secrets of the Ocean: 15 Bedtime Stories Inspired by Nature

Dive into a book that turns bedtime into a learning moment. The stories are soft and soothing, yet they carry subtle messages about nature, conservation, and family—all delivered in a kid-friendly way.

by Esther Aardsma

Did you know an albatross can fly five million miles in its lifetime? Did you know a mimic octopus can copy as many as fifteen different other marine creatures? Did you know that when sea otters flip and twirl in the water, they are not just doing it for fun, but also to trap water bubbles in their fur for insulation against the sea’s cold?

In Secrets of the Ocean: 15 Bedtime Stories Inspired by Nature (2024), Alicia Klepeis presents fifteen gentle stories from sea life, each portraying a different microcosm of life in the ocean. The book is aimed toward the younger crowd and is probably most applicable for children aged ten and under, although some older children might find it interesting as well. Each story, most of which follows a family through its journey, is followed by several pages explaining the factual basis behind the story. Kaja Kajfež’s cozy illustrations lend a warm, soothing tone to the book—and the heavy-duty cover, with its embossed gold accents, is simply gorgeous.

Secrets of the Ocean lightly touches on topics of global warming, climate change, and pollution (especially plastics). One story includes what could potentially be a traumatic account of a turtle eating a plastic bag—although the story does not specify what happens to the turtle afterward, a child would naturally be agitated over it. The section of scientific facts included after that story does spell out that when animals eat plastic it does indeed “make them very ill or even kill them.”

A story focusing on a pod of orcas includes an illustration of a pair of orcas biting into a skate (which looks like a manta ray). The illustration is bloodless, but the skate looks like something that could be featured as the main character in a different anecdote. Mentions of mating, egg-laying, pregnancy, calving, etc., are frequent, although present in low-key terms, images, and details. The most confusing statement along those lines is “Seahorses are some of the only animals on Earth in which the males become pregnant and have babies.”

For land-locked Midwestern children, the ocean can be a nebulous, mysterious idea—it’s a completely different world than the day-to-day corn and soybeans, deer and squirrels. Secrets of the Ocean lovingly promises a glimpse into just that—the hidden treasures of the sea.

Esther Aardsma, a Champaign County native, currently resides in Thomasboro with her busy family. When she can, she pursues her passion for creativity, especially with words--and shares that love through editing, coaching one-on-one, and teaching classes.