DOCTOR: EVIDENCE DOESN'T SUPPORT FRENCH-FRY CLAIMS.Byline: CAROL ROCK Staff Writer A Valencia doctor who specializes in autism autism (ô`tĭzəm), developmental disability resulting from a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. It is characterized by the abnormal development of communication skills, social skills, and reasoning. said Tuesday there is no medical evidence linking the disorder with additives found in McDonald's french fries, a connection at the center of a lawsuit filed on behalf of a boy who ate them at a local store. The lawsuit was filed Friday against McDonald's Corp. and McDonald's Restaurants There are more than 30,000 McDonald's restaurants in 119 countries. Restaurants The first McDonald's was not a restaurant at all, but it was a sit-in stand. The company's early franchises were built to a standard pattern that did not offer seating; this was in part to prevent of California by Richard W. Brown as guardian of minor Roman Brown, who has autism. He alleges that gluten and casein casein (kā`sēn), well-defined group of proteins found in milk, constituting about 80% of the proteins in cow's milk, but only 40% in human milk. found in french fries caused Roman to experience increased aggression and tantrums. The fries in question came from the McDonald's restaurant at 27776 McBean Parkway in Valencia. After consuming the fries, the boy experienced behavioral problems, had difficulty communicating, could not care for himself and experienced digestive problems, according to the lawsuit. ``In most cases, elimination of gluten and casein from an autistic autistic /au·tis·tic/ (aw-tis´tik) characterized by or pertaining to autism. child's (diet) results in dramatic improvements in the child's condition,'' the lawsuit states. McDonald's used to state the fast-food giant's fries were gluten- and casein-free, but that changed in January 2006, when food companies were required by the Food and Drug Administration to include trans-fat information in their labeling. Currently, the company's Web site states its fries ``contain derivatives of wheat and dairy.'' Prior to the update, McDonald's included french fries in its list of suggested foods for those gluten-intolerant. ``There is no evidence that suggests the core symptoms of autism are affected by glutens and caseins,'' said Dr. Robin Berglund, a former UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX autism fellow who now specializes in autism and behavioral disorders in private practice in the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys. ``Patients with autism might also have digestive problems that cause a marked sensitivity to certain foods, but I have not seen any evidence that there is a connection between glutens and caseins and autism symptoms.'' Berglund said that the connections between nerve cells in the brain that cause autism are made in the first trimester of the mother's pregnancy. ``People dealing with autism are looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. hope, sometimes in situations that are very sad,'' he said. ``Or they might be looking to make money off people who are suffering. I think this (case) will be extremely hard to prove.'' Plaintiffs are seeking $15,000 for Roman Brown's medical expenses as well as a share of profits made by the company for the alleged misrepresentation misrepresentation In law, any false or misleading expression of fact, usually with the intent to deceive or defraud. It most commonly occurs in insurance and real-estate contracts. False advertising may also constitute misrepresentation. and unspecified compensatory and punitive damages Monetary compensation awarded to an injured party that goes beyond that which is necessary to compensate the individual for losses and that is intended to punish the wrongdoer. . In addition, they hope to make this a class-action lawsuit for other autistic children who may have been harmed by the corporation. Calls to Brown's attorney, Paul Alvarez, were not returned Tuesday. City News Service contributed to this story. carol.rock(at)dailynews.com (661) 257-5252 |
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