SCIENTOLOGY and AUTISM may have led to the DEATH OF JETT TRAVOLTA

JETT TRAVOLTA, 16, was found dead after hitting his head on a bathtub in the Travoltas' suite at an exclusive resort, police said.

JETT TRAVOLTA had a history of seizures and other medical problems, including complications resulting from Kawasaki disease, a rare lymph-node disorder that he suffered as a young child, Travolta told investigators on the island.

But there have been claims that JETT TRAVOLTA suffered from autism – a condition not recognised by the Scientology belief system pursued by Travolta and his actress wife Kelly Preston. The couple have denied through their lawyer that JETT TRAVOLTA was autistic.

Based on precepts laid down by science fiction writer L Ron Hubbard and whose Hollywood adherents also includes Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Scientology views mental illness as psychosomatic and says it should be treated through spiritual healing.

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It denounces psychology and psychiatry as pseudo-sciences and rejects the use of drugs to reject mental conditions. Autism is often associated with epilepsy and in the US nearly half of autistic children are prescribed with anti-convulsion drugs.

Travolta and Preston said that their son, who appeared confused or unsure of his surroundings in public, had suffered as a young child from Kawasaki disease, brought on by chemicals used to clean their carpets.

They also said that JETT TRAVOLTA had a history of seizures which some doctors said could have been the product of brain damage as a result of Kawasaki, a treatable disease characterized by high fever, skin rash and swelling of the lymph nodes that usually affects children under five.

JETT TRAVOLTA was found dead on Friday after apparently suffering a seizure and hitting his head on a bathtub while on a New Year's holiday with his parents and eight-year-old sister, Bahamian police said. His father, a keen pilot, flew the family there by private jet.

JETT TRAVOLTA's body was discovered by his caretaker, Jeff Kathrain, at around 10am in a bathtub in the Travoltas' suite at the Old Bahama Bay Resort Hotel on Grand Bahama Island, local police chief superintendent Basil Rahming said.

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JETT TRAVOLTA had a long history of seizures and other medical problems, including complications resulting from Kawasaki disease, a rare lymph-node disorder that causes severe rashes and fevers, Travolta told investigators.

Claims that JETT TRAVOLTA suffered from autism were given fresh impetus in 2007 after a Florida neighbour of the couple, whose daughter suffers from the condition, said he approached Travolta as "one autistic father to another".

The couple's lawyer Marty Singer bluntly rejected the claims. "The Travolta's are wonderful, loving parents, and their priority is their children," he said. "They have (taken) and they continue to take the best possible care of their children. To suggest anything to the contrary is very hurtful to a loving family and also would be false and defamatory."

Further to this are indications that the Travolta's belief in SCIENTOLOGY led them to not treat their Son JETT TRAVOLTA for his very curable KAWASAKI DISEASE. Here is a brief description of KAWASAKI DISEASE.

Kawasaki disease is an illness that involves the skin, mouth, and lymph nodes, and most often affects kids under age 5. The cause is unknown, but if the symptoms are recognized early, kids with Kawasaki disease can fully recover within a few days. Untreated, it can lead to serious complications that can affect the heart.

Kawasaki disease occurs in 19 out of every 100,000 kids in the United States. It is most common among children of Japanese and Korean descent, but can affect all ethnic groups.
Signs and Symptoms

Kawasaki disease can't be prevented, but usually has telltale symptoms and signs that appear in phases.

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The first phase, which can last for up to 2 weeks, usually involves a persistent fever higher than 104° Fahrenheit (39° Celsius) and lasts for at least 5 days.

Other symptoms that typically develop include:

* severe redness in the eyes
* a rash on the stomach, chest, and genitals
* red, dry, cracked lips
* swollen tongue with a white coating and big red bumps
* sore, irritated throat
* swollen palms of the hands and soles of the feet with a purple-red color
* swollen lymph nodes

During the second phase, which usually begins within 2 weeks of when the fever started, the skin on the hands and feet may begin to peel in large pieces. The child also may experience joint pain, diarrhea, vomiting, or abdominal pain. If your child shows any of these symptoms, call your doctor.
Complications

Doctors can manage the symptoms of Kawasaki disease if they catch it early. Symptoms often disappear within just 2 days of the start of treatment. If Kawasaki disease is treated within 10 days of the onset of symptoms, heart problems usually do not develop.

Cases that go untreated can lead to more serious complications, such as vasculitis, an inflammation of the blood vessels. This can be particularly dangerous because it can affect the coronary arteries, which supply blood to the heart.

In addition to the coronary arteries, the heart muscle, lining, valves, and the outer membrane that surrounds the heart can become inflamed. Arrhythmias (changes in the normal pattern of the heartbeat) or abnormal functioning of some heart valves also can occur.
Diagnosis

No single test can detect Kawasaki disease, so doctors usually diagnose it by evaluating the symptoms and ruling out other conditions.

Most kids diagnosed with Kawasaki disease will have a fever lasting 5 or more days and at least four of these symptoms:

* redness in both eyes
* changes around the lips, tongue, or mouth
* changes in the fingers and toes, such as swelling, discoloration, or peeling
* a rash in the trunk or genital area
* a large swollen lymph node in the neck
* red, swollen palms of hands and soles of feet

If Kawasaki disease is suspected, the doctor may order tests to monitor heart function (such as an echocardiogram) and might take blood and urine samples to rule out other conditions, such as scarlet fever, measles, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, or an allergic drug reaction.
Treatment

Treatment should begin as soon as possible, ideally within 10 days of when the fever begins. Usually, a child is treated with intravenous doses of gamma globulin (purified antibodies), an ingredient of blood that helps the body fight infection. The child also might be given a high dose of aspirin to reduce the risk of heart problems.

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