Owner: Facing Autism in New Brunswick URL:http://autisminnb.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:21:05 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Autism news, comment and discussion on autism disorders and autism related health care, education and public policy issues. Site statistics:Click here
Ultimate Autism Reality - Who Will Care For My Autistic Son When I Am Dead? 2008-03-09 05:59:00 The great and unshakable certainty in each person's life is that it ends, that at some point each of us dies. Most of us put that undeniable reality out of our minds as we go about our daily lives. We use euphemisms to describe the reality of death. We refer to the "time of our passing" or "when I am gone". In that way we are able to enjoy our time, the precious, fleeting moments that we have allotted to us. But for some of us it is not that easy to forget what waits for us. Some of us have a child that we know will not be able to live independently, to care for himself or herself as adults. That is the case for many parents of severely autistic children. Like many I wonder who will care for my autistic son when I am dead.In New Brunswick, Canada at this ti Read more:Ultimate
, Autism
, Autistic
World Autism Awareness Day Resolution 2008-03-08 14:57:00 United Nations A/RES/62/139Distr.: GeneralGeneral Assembly21 January 2008Sixty-second sessionAgenda item 66 (a)Resolution
adopted by the General Assembly[on the report of the Third Committee (A/62/435)]62/139. WorldAutismAwareness
DayThe General Assembly,Recalling the 2005 World Summit Outcome1 and the United Nations Millennium Declaration,2 as well as the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields,Recalling also the Convention on the Rights of the Child3 and the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, 4 according to which children with disabilities should enjoy a full and decent life, in conditions which ensure dignity, promote self-reliance and facilitate the child’s active participation in the community, as
Disgusting Autism News - Lunch Money Stolen From Autistic Student in California 2008-03-08 03:04:00 "We trusted this caregiver, the assistant teacher, with our child, the most precious thing we have, and she violated that trust day after day by victimizing her," Spitzer said. "And this was a victim that couldn't speak, that couldn't tell anybody she was hungry or that her teacher was stealing from her."- Shawn SpitzerShawn Spitzer was commenting in the LA Times, about the Teacher's Assistant sentenced to six months in jail for stealing lunch money on 57 occasions over a three month period from her severely autistic 13 year old daughter who cannot speak. Ms Spitzer had been puzzled by her daughter's behavior, heading straight for the refrigerator when she got home from school every day, even though she had always been given a lunch box of snacks and money to buy a hot meal. Using a hi Read more:Autism
, Autistic
, Lunch
, Money
, Student
, California
Disgusting Autism News In The OC - Teacher's Aide Accused of Abusing Autistic Student 2008-03-08 02:37:00 The ocregister reports that a teacher's aide has been arrested on suspicion of felony child abuse after two other staff members at Alton School reported that he had repeatedly hit a teenage autistic boy on the arm while he sat at his desk, twisted his am behind his back, and lifted him out of the chair to his feet. The aide reportedly told detectives that "he had "crossed the line" in dealing with the teenager."The aide is now being held in Orange County jail. I am guessing that he will not "cross the line" in dealing with guards at the jail.autism Read more:Autism
, Autistic
, Student
, Teacher
, Abusing
Disgusting Autism News - Home Alone In Oregon 2008-03-08 02:09:00 Some times the news about severely autistic children can be scary such as when, as all too frequently happens, the story is of a child with autism wandering away from home. In Oregon
though the story was much different. In Mother convicted of mistreatment for leaving autistic son home alone the Oregonian's Aimee Green reports the story of a Portland Oregon mother who left her 11-year-old severely autistic son alone at home so she could go to a local bar. A fire broke out and the boy was rescued by a fire fighter after a neighbor's 911 call. Fortunately, the boy is now in state custody.autism Read more:Autism
, Home Alone
Autism and Wandering, Missing Autistic Girl Found Safe 2008-03-07 15:01:00 It is sometimes difficult to listen to, or read, statements by a few celebrity, high functioning autistic persons, and others who embrace their ideology, who claim that autism is just another natural variation of the human condition, a difference to be embraced, a joy in itself. I have never pretended to accept this view. At least not for those, like my son, for whom autism presents serious life restrictions and risks. One of those dangerous, even life threatening risks, is the tendency of some autistics to wander off, to get lost ... or worse. In some cases things end well ..... in others they do not. This story has a good ending:MissingAutistic
Girl, 13, Found Safe, ... Janelle Halbrook had last been seen near Lake Center Middle School at Clarkman Street and Pioneer Boulevard ar Read more:Autism
, Wandering
Autism and Maternal Antibodies On The Johns Hopkins News-Letter 2008-03-07 12:50:00 In Maternal antibodies may cause autism, published in the March 6, 2008, issue of The John Hopkins
Newsletter Sam Ohmer discusses the recent study led by Hopkins pediatric neurologist Harvey Singer suggesting a possible connection between maternal antibodies and autism. The study focused on the role of the immune system in causing autism.Singer and his group found that, in some cases of autism, pregnant women's bodies actually raise antibodies against their babies, which sets off a series of events that slowed the normal development of the infants' brains. The team found that mothers of children with autism had heightened levels of certain antibodies during their pregnancies. "The presence of specific antibodies correlated with the presence of developmental regression in the affected ch Read more:Autism
, Johns
, Letter
More AutismPro Promotion But Where is the Evidence? 2008-03-05 13:34:00 New Brunswick media have been actively engaged in helping Virtual Experts Inc. promote AutismPro over the past 24 hours in New Brunswick. Not itself shy about tooting its own horn, see - Autism and AutismPro-Buzzwords Aplenty But Where's The Evidence
?, AutismPro - "Somewhat" Evidence Based or Not Evidence Based At All?, AutismPro and Autism Self Promotion, AutismPro has been actively promoted by CBC and the Telegraph Journal. Indications are that more feel good stories may be on the way from other media. The Telegraph Journal article reports the testimonial evidence of parents of an autistic child that the child made very impressive gains as a result of their use of AutismPro.The reality though is that every form of autism treatment or intervention known can offer similar testimonial
An Autism Message From BC for Alleged Federal Health Minister Tony Clement 2008-03-04 02:47:00 The Medicare for Autism
NOW rally held in Burnaby was a huge success. The message is being heard across Canada. Autism is a medical disorder. A well studied treatment is available and it should be covered under Canada's medicare system. The Global News video which follows includes some commentary from dedicated autism advocates Jean Lewis and David Marley.The video also includes some nice footage of parents and the children they love; the children they are doing everything they can to help. Nothing will be done, though, unless our federal politicians, people like Prime Minister
Harper and AllegedHealth
Minister Tony Clement can be convinced that it is in their political best interests to take action. "Health" Minister Clement prove you really are a Health Minister, take steps now Read more:Message
, Federal
Conor Loves The Snow 2008-03-03 17:08:00 This is one of the hardest winters we have experienced in this part of the world for a long time. But Conor
is not complaining about the snow. Heck no, the snow is no problem and autism is not an issue. Conor enjoys the snow, he loves the snow, just like so many other Canadian kids.autism
A Shout Out for New Blogger TJ Burke 2008-03-02 07:36:00 SAY IT LIKE IT IS is the title of the new blog by Fredericton-Nashwaaksis MLA and New Brunswick Justice Minister and Attorney General TJ Burke
. I commend Minister Burke for stepping out from behind the curtains of office and layers of bureaucracy to communicate directly with the people of New Brunswick. It may not surprise too many here in New Brunswick that I have taken advantage of Minister Burke's venture into the blogosphere to comment on his government's Transformational Change agenda and how it might impact on the lives of persons with autism disorders in New Brunswick.Welcome to the blogosphere Minister Burke! autism Read more:Blogger
Medicare for Autism Rally TODAY In Burnaby BC 2008-03-02 06:05:00 Sunday, March 2nd, 20082:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.Shadbolt Centre for the Arts6450 Deer Lake AvenueBurnabyWhy should you attend?Despite a decade of lobbying, collaborating and litigating – autism treatment is still excluded from our universal health care system. Canadian families are still bankrupting themselves in order to provide treatment for their autistic children.The current and limited funding provided through the provincial government’s social services ministries could evaporate tomorrow with the stroke of a bureaucrat’s pen. No legislation exists within these ministries to protect or enshrine our children’s medically necessary treatment.In 30 years of "advocacy", the only two initiatives which have achieved ANY success for our children and families has beenlitigation, and more Read more:Autism
, Rally
"Medicare for Autism Now!" Rally, Sunday, March 2nd at 2 PM 2008-03-01 01:58:00 "Medicare for Autism
Now!" RallySunday
, March
2nd, 20082:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.Shadbolt Centre for the Arts6450 Deer Lake AvenueBurnabyDon't forget the Medicare for Autism Now Rally tomorrow March 2nd in Burnaby! Medicare coverage of autism treatment, particularly ABA, would ensure that all autistic children in Canada receive ABA coverage without regard for accidents of geography. It would also help ensure that ABA services that are provided are protected from erosion or loss resulting from that minority, but still common, and often influential, type of bureaucrat who places his, or her, career agenda before the interests of the autistic children they are supposed to help.Come out and voice your support for Medicare for Autism NOW! Voice your support for autistic children and their
Where's Conor? Where Did Conor Go? 2008-02-27 12:39:00 Conor has autism disorder.He also has his own lively personality quite separate and apart from his autism. He is much more as a person than his autism. He is a lot of fun. While these pictures were being taken I was asking "Where's Conor?" "Where did Conor go?" (When my mouth wasn't covered).Conor enjoyed every second of our fun. And so did Dad.autism Read more:Conor
FEAT-BC “Campaign Kick-off Rally”: Sunday, March 2, 2008 2008-02-27 06:36:00 FEAT-BC “Campaign
Kick-off Rally
”: Sunday
, March
2, 2008 Vancouver, BC: - FEAT-BC [Families for Early Autism Treatment in BC] today announced it will be holding a “campaign kick-off rally” on Sunday, March 2, 2008, beginning at 2:00pm, at the Jack Shadbolt Centre for the Arts, 6450 Deer Lake Avenue, Burnaby. This rally launches the FEAT-BC goes coastal campaign, aimed at influencing the electoral outcome in more than a dozen targeted constituencies across Canada in the upcoming federal general election. “ In its Auton decision, the Supreme Court of Canada told parents of autistic children to ‘get political’ if they wanted to see their children no longer be orphans of the Medicare system,”states Jean Lewis, a founding director of FEAT-BC. “Well, we’re taking the
Autism Disorder Versus Asperger's Syndrome 2008-02-27 04:43:00 The Autism
Society of America has published a good overview of Autism Disorder and Asperger's Syndrome
on TylerPaper.com. The article contains a basic description of both Autism Disorder and Asperger's Syndrome and helps distinguish between the two similar but distinct disorders: What distinguishes Asperger's Syndrome from autism is the severity of the symptoms and the absence of language delays. To the untrained observer, a child with Asperger's may seem just like a normal child behaving differently. They may be socially awkward, not understanding of conventional social rules, or show a lack of empathy. They may make limited eye contact, seem to be unengaged in a conversation, and not understand the use of gestures. One of the major differences between Asperger's Syndrome and autism is
Charles LeBlanc's Other Blog 2008-02-26 07:39:00 Fans of Charles
LeBlanc's blog site "Charles LeBlanc Political ADHD Activist" have been surprised to see a blank white page where Charles' blog used to be located. Blogger has been having problems for the past 24 hours but Charles speculates that there may be more to it in the case of his blog site. Time will tell.In the meantime anyone wanting to see Charles' pics, and read what he and his guests have to say, can still do so at Charles LeBlancs Other Blog.
Autism Likely Caused By Interplay of Immune, Genetic and Environmental factors 2008-02-25 19:55:00 Following is the link to an abstract of an article, Antibodies against fetal brain in sera of mothers with autistic children, published in the February issue of the Journal of Neuroimmunology and the media release translating it into ordinary language for us mortals which implicates the mother's immune system as a possible contributing factor in causing autism.Lead investigator Harvey Singer, M.D., director of pediatric neurology at John Hopkins Children's Center, stresses that autism is a complex condition caused by an interplay of immune, genetics and environmental factors
. Further studies are needed to confirm that particular antibodies do indeed cross the placenta and cause damage to the fetal brain.Autism
's Origins: Mother's Antibody Production May Affect Fetal Brain B Read more:Immune
Autism Treatment Quotes 2007-2008 2008-02-25 10:55:00 "If we had done what so many people told us to do years ago, we wouldn't have the child we have today. We would have written her off. Then what would she be today? We never would have seen she could write these things. Can you imagine? We would have never have gotten out of her how articulate she is how intelligent she is. Now, she tells us stories, she teases her brother. She just does it in a different way, she does it with her computer."Arthur Fleishmann, Carly's Dad, discussing his, and his wife Tammy's, decision to provide Carly with early intensive ABA treatment, CTV, February 17, 2008The effectiveness of ABA-based intervention in ASDs has been well documented through 5 decades of research by using single-subject methodology21,25,27,28 and in controlled studies of comprehensive e Read more:Autism
, Treatment
, Quotes
Autism In Tasmania - Autistic School Children Are Being Denied ABA 2008-02-24 18:31:00 Autism activists in the Australia island state of Tasmania
, Action for Tasmania's AutisticChildren
, are angry over the failure by the Department of Education to provide applied behavior analysis for autistic school children in Tasmania. As reported by ABC Tasmania, and in the ATAC Media Release of February 24, 2008, the group's secretary, Roger Law, claims that some aides for autistic children are being taken away and the department is avoiding providing ABA for the children:""The only effective treatment for autism is applied behavioural analysis and very intensive, and because it's costly the schools have avoided it"It seems that, no matter the jurisdiction, professional "educators" simply will not acknowledge that many autistic children need Applied Behavior Analysis to learn and d Read more:Autism
, School
Autism Crisis In Scotland - Invisible Autistic Adults 2008-02-24 01:59:00 In Scotland
Lacks Autism
Services I commented on an article on healthcarerepublic on July 6, 2007 and the lack of services for people with autism in Scotland. That article, Call to find autism early in Scotland, focused on guidelines published by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) calling on doctors to look for signs of autism in children and adolescents, including problems with social interaction and play, speech and behaviours. The article also expressed the doubt of many professionals in Scotland that early diagnosis would make much difference because of the lack of autism services available in Scotland.In Revealed: ‘invisible’ adults living with autism, the Sunday Herald today reports, on an impending report by the National Autistic
Society, the lack of service Read more:Crisis
, Adults
Senator Jim Munson Continues National Autism Strategy Efforts 2008-02-23 04:29:00 Senator Jim Munson is continuing his campaign for a NationalAutismStrategy
. Senator Munson has been unrelenting in his efforts to help a constituency that Prime Minister Harper and Alleged Health Minister Tony Clement ignore - Canadians with autism. Speaking recently on Prince Edward Island Senator Munson stated that he would like to see the federal government take the lead in developing a National Autism Strategy to end the current patchwork of provincial programs" “It’s expensive but buying tanks is expensive too. “What we have now is a patchwork, scattergun approach to dealing with autism in individual provinces.” Senator Jim Munson, The Guardian, February 23, 2008autism Read more:Senator
Autism Reality - Two Autistic Men Go Missing in Chicago Area 2008-02-22 02:37:00 The reality of autism is much more than heart warming feel good stories. The reality of autism is not a culture, or a life style choice, for many severely affected persons with autism and their families. The news is often filled with such stories of autistic persons, children and adults, who wander off, and get lost, unable to look out for their own safety and well being. Sometimes such stories have happy conclusions. Other times ... they do not. I have commented in the past of a terrifying personal experience when my son left our home while I was talking on the phone. In the Chicago
area TWO autistic men wandered off, went missing, in the last week alone. In Family searches for missing man abc7chicago reports on 21 year old Jamaris Collins, who has the mental c Read more:Autism
, Autistic
, Missing
Vote 4 Autism March 3 In Alberta Election 2008 2008-02-21 05:59:00 Residents of Alberta
head to the polls on March
3 2008 to elect a new provincial government. The Autism
Society of Alberta and FEAT (Famlies For Effective Autism Treatments) of Alberta are both urging Albertans to Vote 4 Autism on March 3! The Autism Society of Alberta has prepared an Election
Paper list of autism questions for the candidates.Vote 4 Autism on March 3!autism
LDDI - Scientific Consensus Statement on Environmental Factors 2008-02-20 21:06:00 Immediately following is the press release from the Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative about the Scientific
Consensus Statement on Environmental Factors in the development of neurodevelopmental disorders including autism spectrum disorders. Here are the links for the complete LDDI Scientific Consensus Statement and the executive summary.FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEWednesday, February 20, 2008CONTACTS: Elise Miller, MEd - (360) 331-7904; emiller@iceh.orgSteve G. Gilbert, PhD, DABT – (206) 527-0926; sgilbert@innd.orgCONSENSUS STATEMENT: and Developmental Disabilities Initiative (LDDI) Publishes Scientific Consensus Statement on Environmental FactorsFebruary 20, 2008, Seattle, WA. The Collaborative on Health and the Environment’s Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiati
Autism Rising in Oregon 2008-03-13 04:28:00 More than 7,000 Oregon
students have autism, triple the count 10 years ago and 11 percent higher than just a year ago, the state reported Wednesday."The Oregonian, March 13, 2008Neurodiversity believers will automatically state that increases in autism in Oregon are due to changes in the definition, diagnostic criteria , and increased public awareness of autism disorders. They are partly correct in that such factors have occurred. And it is very reasonable to assume that such factors account for some of the increases in Oregon and elsewhere. But it is not reasonable to assume that the startling increases in autism disorder diagnoses is attributable entirely to definition change and social factors.The belief that these increases are due entirely to changes in how we view autism is a faith b Read more:Autism
, Rising
Autism and Mercury Debate - Is the Focus Too Narrow? 2008-03-12 04:12:00 I do not get too deeply involved in the blogger-internet debates over whether thimerosal causes, or contributes to autism. As a father of a boy with Autism
Disorder, and a humble small town lawyer, I rely on expert sources to interpret the data and report their conclusions, and the reasoning behind their conclusions, in a way that I can follow. I do not try to "argue" the positions of the scientific researchers into submission. To date, it is my understanding that the data does not support a vaccine/mercury/thimerosal connection to autism although further research and further data could modify that conclusion.I do read blogger and mainstream media commentary on the debate although I rarely find that these sources offer much real information and seldom depart from the "does thim Read more:Mercury
, Debate
, Focus
, Narrow
Low Functioning Autism, Laurent Mottron and Common Sense 2008-03-15 11:21:00 Dr. Laurent
Mottron is an icon of sorts of the Neurodiversity movement. A prominent autism researcher who has published voluminously if somewhat narrowly on autism subjects (tending to focus primarily on autistic savants, Aspergers syndrome and High Functioning Autistic persons) he has nonetheless lent his high functioning autism expertise to advocate in Canada against government funding of ABA treatment for autistic children whether they are low functioning or not. Together with anti-ABA activist Michelle Dawson, the good Dr. Mottron is one half of the Quirks and Quarks duo that has made representation to the Supreme Court of Canada (Auton case, Mottron filed an affidavit in support of Dawson's request for intervenor status), the Canadian Senate committee studying autism treatment and f Read more:Autism
, Common
, Sense
Autistic Self Injury - The Autism Story CNN Does Not Tell You 2008-03-15 03:31:00 CNN has offered a number of features on autism over the past few years. For reasons that remain unknown to many parents of autistic children CNN with all its resources and with its ability to speak to the world has chosen to obsess over Amanda Baggs, an allegedly low functioning autistic person, diagnosed with an autism disorder as a young woman, who amongst other abilities and accomplishments, was able to attend a college for gifted young people, (Simon's Rock College), make friends, and engage educators and professionals in discussion. Meanwhile CNN ignores the plight of millions of autistic people around the globe, including autistic children who hurt themselves quite severely.DailyRecord.co.uk is not as squeamish as CNN. In Help My Autistic
Daughter Before She Kills Herself, the Read more:Autism
, Injury
, CNN
Recommend Site To A Friend
