Autism

Medical News Today: Autism
Record Number Of Researchers, Advocates, Parents Drawn To Autism Consortium Symposium For Autism Update

6 Nov 2009 | 5:00 am

The Autism Consortium, an innovative collaboration of researchers, clinicians, funders and families dedicated to catalyzing research and enhancing clinical care for autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), held its fourth annual symposium on October 28th, 2009, at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
Chelation Therapy Drug Found Safe And Beneficial For Children With Autism

6 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am

Two studies published by the Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in the October issue of BMC Clinical Pharmacology investigated the use of oral dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA), a prescription medicine approved by the FDA for treating lead poisoning, and used off-label in these studies for treating heavy metal toxicity in children with autism. In the investigations, DMSA was given to 65 children with autism (ages 3 -8 years) to determine its effects.
Big Brain Responses Triggered By Sights And Sounds Of Emotion

3 Nov 2009 | 6:00 am

Researchers at the University of York have identified a part of the brain that responds to both facial and vocal expressions of emotion. They used the MagnetoEncephaloGraphic (MEG) scanner at the York Neuroimaging Centre to test responses in a region of the brain known as the posterior superior temporal sulcus.
Symposium Raises Awareness Of Specialists And Pediatricians About GI Disorders In Autism And Identifies Critical Areas For Further Study

2 Nov 2009 | 1:00 am

Autism Speaks, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) will host one of the largest gatherings of researchers, clinicians and pediatric specialists to better understand the gastrointestinal (GI) problems in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).
October Is Autism Awareness Month In Canada

30 Oct 2009 | 5:00 am

An estimated one in 165 Canadian children under the age of six will be identified as having an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to the Autism Society Canada. Children with one of these disorders may exhibit difficulties in one or all of three general areas: verbal and non-verbal communication, social interaction or the presence of repetitive or stereotyped interests or behaviour. This affects communication with family members, peers, caregivers and teachers.

AspieWeb.net
Suicide Note

Zach

6 Nov 2009 | 11:18 pm

I commonly write suicide notes as a cry for help, but this time its for real. I knew Katelyn’s mother has been lying for a while. I hoped she would just grow out of it and realize I do truly love Katelyn and even though I screwed up and shes pregnant – I’m not going [...]
Enough Lieing

Zach

6 Nov 2009 | 2:14 pm

So, I am sick of this. I know Kate’s guardian is lying, I know Kate’s mom is lying. How do I know this? Its pretty simple when the story from Kate is different. Kate does not want to end the relationship with me, her mom and guardian are attempting to force her to. I found [...]
What Is Wrong With Suicide?

Zach

5 Nov 2009 | 5:18 pm

I don’t understand why suicide is a bad thing. My life has been ruined by someone I love and trusted. She accused me of fucking rape and I can’t even get up during sex. I’ve lost the love of my life, my daughter and everything I have. EVERYTHING. I want to die, but I’m told [...]
Washington DC Autism Speaks Protest

Zach

5 Nov 2009 | 3:22 pm

Recently Autistic people held an Autism Speaks protest in Washington DC on the national mall coinciding with an Autism Speaks fund raising event on the mall. Many Autistic people are upset about a recent fund raising video by Autism Speaks that uses fear and false statements to raise money for the organization. Similar protests have [...]
Assburgers Video Insulting?

Zach

5 Nov 2009 | 11:18 am

A friend of mine sent me this video. I don’t know if this is funny or extremely insulting. Its part of a series called ‘Retarded Policeman’ where some guy acts like a retard. In the video the ‘Retarded Policeman’ comes up to someone after pulling them over and states he is sad because he just [...]

Thoughts of an Autistic
U2 Live - A Review of the 360 Degrees Tour, 10/20/09

beau99

24 Oct 2009 | 7:04 am

Music concerts are great things. I love getting to go to them, especially as money as tight as it is right now. However, no future concert I attend will even remotely come to close to U2's greatness on October 20, 2009.This is something I wanted to do back in 2005 on the band's Vertigo Tour, but things came up and I couldn't attend either of the two shows here. This all changed, here in 2009, and it was money well spent.The band was running late, so naturally the Black Eyed Peas, who opened, started their opening set late to accommodate for this. I wasn't particularly looking forward to BEP -…
Can't wait for October 20

beau99

18 Sep 2009 | 11:21 pm

That is when I finally get the chance to see my favorite musical group, U2, in concert.I have been lucky enough to see some great groups live before, but have never had the chance to see U2 before. That has now changed, and I am now the happiest I have been in months. I'm so excited!
The Great Depression

beau99

24 Aug 2009 | 6:57 am

Excuse the title; I like to use wordplay sometimes to describe things.Unfortunately, all of the things I have had planned for the future are effectively on hold until further notice. The CD I'd planned on making? Delayed.The sports blogs I were going to start? Not happening.Fact is, while I have had depressed periods in the past, they cannot compare to the last months. Due to personal issues I don't wish to talk about publicly, I have been getting ever so closer to my breaking point. That is something I don't want to happen. So I feel as if I need to just sit back and do things on a smaller…
An announcement

beau99

16 May 2009 | 11:06 pm

As you are aware, I have been away from blogging on here for quite awhile, and have been focusing on Twitter as of late. Well, I am happy to report that I will be back on here in a few weeks, after I can get to a dentist for my most recent tooth issues.In addition, I am also in the process of starting two blogs related to sports. One will focus on sports from my state of Arizona, and will be located on the local-based website Fanster. The other will be dedicated to Formula 1 racing, of which I have been a dedicated fan since 1997. Both blogs will be linked here when they are up and…
Twitter

beau99

12 Apr 2009 | 5:37 am

Long time, no post.Basically I haven't had time to blog as much as I did before, so posts on here will be sporadic.However, I am on Twitter now. You may follow me on there if you so wish.www.twitter.com/beau99

Autism Twins
Red Behavior

27 Oct 2009 | 7:12 pm

There's a new sheriff in town and her name is The Color Chart. Employed in kindergarten classrooms across the region, she is an imposing tower of color blocks that rewards children by bestowing her color goodness to the um, behaved.BLUE for the exceptionally well-behaved, You went beyond the call of duty.GREEN for fair to middling behavior, You are doing a good job sitting still.YELLOW for poor
Glasses

25 Oct 2009 | 6:27 pm

I have always had perfect vision — that is until I entered my forties and found it increasingly difficult to read small print. Funny how all text everywhere suddenly seemed to get smaller and lighter. It was a revelation when I put on my first pair of glasses: I could see!Hearing that I needed them came as a shock and trying on pair after pair was an out-of-body experience. None looked right, the
Spelling Bee

21 Oct 2009 | 6:52 pm

Tired after a long day at school, a day that began at 3:30 a.m., he crawls into my lap, seeking a place to unfurl. His limbs are heavy and I hug him, breathing in the softness of his hair. "H… U… G…," I say, "spells HUG," I say and squeeze him again. He cocks his head to the side and studies my mouth. "K. I. S. S.," I try. "What does it spell?""KISS!" he says. I shouldn't be surprised, Sam did
Potty Redux

19 Oct 2009 | 6:32 am

Last night John came running to our room at 2:30 a.m. There's nothing new about this, he's been doing it (again) for months. Usually the impetus is a flooded bed and like robots we haul our leaden bodies out of bed and tag-team the changing of him and the sheets. Maybe 4 out of 10 times he will fall back asleep, but the norm is a cacophony of noises, laughter and silly talk — followed by the
A new way to look at it...

6 Oct 2009 | 7:36 am

Several weeks ago, I was the lucky winner of a beautiful poster from the Rugh Family Workshop via Autism Vox. Jamie and Jeffrey Rugh are a New Jersey couple with two children on the autism spectrum and artistic talent to spare. Their posters are vibrant and unique and are being produced to promote awareness, support and compassion for people with autism. They plan to add new posters every few

AGE OF AUTISM
Autism Research Institute on Chelation Therapy Studies for Individuals with Autism

Age of Autism

7 Nov 2009 | 2:46 am

The Autism Research Institute calls for further investigations into the use of chelation therapy for individuals with autism SAN DIEGO, Nov. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two studies published by theSouthwest College of Naturopathic Medicine in the October issue of BMC Clinical...
Age of Autism Commenter of the Week Hopes Our Kids Die of Viral Diseases

Age of Autism

7 Nov 2009 | 2:45 am

"Dr. Pissed" is our commenter of the week, on the Desiree Jennings Viral Video post and the winner of our Dr. Demento award. The award is not a T-shirt, but perhaps we could get our logo onto a product from...
Boston Globe Sends The Horse Boy Film to the Glue Factory

Age of Autism

7 Nov 2009 | 2:44 am

No one wants to say that a movie about two parents’ wish to alleviate their son’s autism is a bad idea. But when that wish produces an arduous trek across Mongolia in search of a shaman and when the movie...
Winner: Age of Autism Contest: Win Out of the Darkness by Daniel Faiella

Age of Autism

7 Nov 2009 | 2:00 am

Autism Dad in PA is our winner of copy of "Out of the Darkness: The Faiella Family's Journey to Recover their Autistic Son” by Daniel Faiella. The contest is closed. J.B. Handley wrote this in the foreword: "You feel overwhelmed....
Autism. Protest.

Age of Autism

6 Nov 2009 | 2:46 am

By Alison MacNeil On the days I can fit it in, I walk to keep my sanity. While I walk, I listen to all sorts of music. Lately, I’ve been listening to protest songs from the Civil Right’s Movement, things...

Blisstree
Will Texting Affect Childrens’ Spelling?

Mary Emma Allen

6 Nov 2009 | 10:00 pm

As more and more people (children and adults) use text messaging as a means of communication via their cell phones, will we find that correct spelling becomes obsolete? Image: sxc.hu Many young people use numbers and letters (4 instead of for, u for you) to speed up the process so they often don’t remember the correct spelling. Adults also have developed this trend, and I find myself (as a teacher, author and English minor) doing the same. However, most adults have learned to correctly spell. Many youngsters have not, so they begin to substitute the text spelling into their work…
Waterbutts – Rain Barrel Butts!

Jennifer Chait

6 Nov 2009 | 7:19 pm

So, earlier today I’m innocently looking for garden sheds, when I find this doozy of a product – the Waterbutt from ShackUp. Holy smokes. It may be a joke, or at least started out as one, but it actually looks like you can maybe find them and also it’s honestly a really fun idea. The Buttbutt is a rain barrel that can collect rain water from any standard drainpipe which is a good thing, since saving your rain water is smart. But man, to get this water you’ve got to tap into somewhere a little odd, as you can see in the image above. It even comes in three colors!
A Potty Question: Using the Potty

Eliza Ferree

6 Nov 2009 | 5:20 pm

This category is full of everything from getting kids ready for school to picking out those summer fun activities. So it shouldn’t surprize you that when someone emailed and asked me:IMG: Elizabeth Ferree My son is 3 years old and refusing use his potty chair. Any recommendations? My first question would be to ask if something has happened between said child and the toilet? I remember my 3 year old reacting the same way just after she learned to use her new potty, only it tried eating her. That’s what she said when she came running out of the bathroom holding her butt in her…
More Reasons to Re-Think Buying a House

Katelyn Thomas

6 Nov 2009 | 4:51 pm

Yesterday, I shared a few reasons to re-think buying a house. Today, I went to look at a few handyman specials and have a few more reasons to add to the list. And by the way…When they say handyman special? I think it is code for “This house should be condemned due to mold, structural and hazardous waste issues.” Wow. A scribbled sign on the door that says “Don’t drink the water.” After I read the sign, which the realtor pulled down because it was unauthorized, I took a closer look at the surrounding houses and saw that a lot of them had gallons of water lined up on their porches.
Giveaway: Think Confident, Be Confident

Cherie Burbach

6 Nov 2009 | 3:42 pm

I’m all for something that can lift us up. If a book or action can have us behave and think more positively, hey, why not? So that’s why I was particularly happy to read Think Confident, Be Confident by Leslie Sokol and Marci Fox. For those that have read “self help” books before, you’ll find more of the same motivating speech in this book. Where the book differs, however, is in a 4-step approach to conquering doubt. They take you through a series of steps (Label It, Question It, Rethink It, and Take Action.) While we sometimes know what it is we need to improve…

About.com: Autism
Share Your Autistic Child's Special Gifts

5 Nov 2009 | 2:28 am

People with autism often have special gifts and talents. Some are autistic savants - uniquely gifted prodigies in areas like math, music and language. Others surprise their parents, therapists and teachers with abilities that no one ever asked about - perfect pitch, an impressive talent for drafting and rendering, an amazing eye for morphological detail in plants and animals, or a terrific ability to learn and speak foreign languages. In recent days, I've read about autistic artist Stephen Wiltshire, and received a gorgeous, full-color coffee table book called Drawing Autism, which is stuffed…
Should the Diagnoses "Asperger Syndrome" and "PDD-NOS" Be Removed from the Diagnostic Manual?

3 Nov 2009 | 2:24 am

Could two major autism diagnoses vanish into the mist? According to an article in the New York Times, it's quite possible. Both Asperger syndrome and Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) are edging closer to the chopping block. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) may eliminate the terms: ...[if some] experts have their way, Asperger's syndrome and another mild form of autism, pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (P.D.D.-N.O.S. for short), will be folded into a single broad diagnosis,…
To Provide Autism Answers, Researchers Must Carefully Craft the Questions

2 Nov 2009 | 7:34 am

The burning questions surrounding autism are huge: what causes the disorder? what treats it? what cures it? While lay people want answers to these questions NOW, science is a slow and painstaking process. And while parents and caregivers may feel they already know the answers, researchers are more skeptical. These differences are appropriate. After all, researchers are following the scientific method in a (hopefully) objective manner, while parents and caregivers are raising kids and supporting adults who need help - right now. But while scientists are certainly right to take the…
Research Addresses Fears Surrounding Mercury in H1N1 Vaccine

2 Nov 2009 | 3:59 am

This morning, I read a NewsWise press release from Rochester General Research Institute which was clearly intended to alleviate parents concerns about the H1N1 vaccine. Here is a portion of the release: The injectable, multi-dose H1N1 vaccine contains the mercury-based preservative thimerosol to reduce risks of bacterial contamination. The presence of thimerosol has once again raised concerns whether there are risks posed to children when the tiny amount of mercury contained in thimerosol is included in a vaccine. In a recent issue of the Journal of Pediatrics, however, a team of…
Autism and Homeschooling: A Community Experience

1 Nov 2009 | 8:05 am

I just finished reading a comment from a reader who notes: I do not believe that homeschooling these [autistic] children is the best option as they need interaction with other children to aid their development. I simply had to respond. Those of us who homeschool their children - with or without autism - are accustomed to hearing others complain that homeschooling is isolating and therefore harmful to the child. But we homeschoolers know that homeschooling - done even reasonably well - is far less isolating for a child with autism than is a typical school setting. Sure, kids with autism may…

Topix: Autism
'I Am Autism' Advocacy Video Sparks Controversy

6 Nov 2009 | 5:24 pm

Few medical conditions rival autism as a magnet for controversy. Practically everything about the disorder - its cause, its treatment, the way it is diagnosed, how it is studied - is subject to bitter dispute, sometimes to the point of death threats .
Has 'autism' become a term of abuse?

6 Nov 2009 | 9:10 am

A French politician has used the term "autism" to criticise the Tory Party's policy on Europe.
Can cannabis improve autism?

5 Nov 2009 | 4:19 pm

The debate over its risks has split political and scientific opinion in Britain.
Autism: moving beyond the quest for a cure

5 Nov 2009 | 7:42 am

Dr Michael Fitzpatrick, author most recently of Defeating Autism: A Damaging Delusion , was invited by the Progress Educational Trust to speak at the debate 'From Autism to Asperger's: Disentangling the Genetics and Sociology of the Autistic Spectrum' which took place in the UK Houses of Parliament on the evening of 20 October.
France: 'Autistic Tories have castrated UK in Europe'

4 Nov 2009 | 6:53 pm

French Europe minister says David Cameron's pledge to reclaim EU powers is 'pathetic' and will leave Britain isolated Pierre Lellouche: 'It's very sad to see Britain just cutting itself out from the rest.

ScienceDaily.com
Clinical Tests Begin On Medication To Correct Fragile X Defect

3 Nov 2009 | 11:00 pm

Scientists are beginning a clinical trial of a potential medication designed to correct a central neurochemical defect underlying Fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability. There has to date been no medication that could alter the disorder's neurologic abnormalities. The study will evaluate safety, tolerability and optimal dosage in healthy volunteers.
Sights And Sounds Of Emotion Trigger Big Brain Responses

3 Nov 2009 | 5:00 pm

Researchers have identified a part of the brain that responds to both facial and vocal expressions of emotion. They used the MagnetoEncephaloGraphic (MEG) scanner at the York Neuroimaging Centre to test responses in a region of the brain known as the posterior superior temporal sulcus.
New 'Schizophrenia Gene' Prompts Researchers To Test Potential Drug Target

27 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm

Scientists report having used a commercially available drug to successfully "rescue" animal brain cells that they had intentionally damaged by manipulating a newly discovered gene that links susceptibility genes for schizophrenia and autism.
Rare Mutation Dramatically Increases Schizophrenia Risk

27 Oct 2009 | 8:00 am

Researchers have identified a mutation on human chromosome 16 that substantially increases risk for schizophrenia.
Could Drugs For Mood Disorders, Pain And Epilepsy Cause Psychiatric Disorders Later In Life?

25 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm

Young animals treated with commonly-prescribed drugs develop behavioral abnormalities in adulthood say researchers. The drugs tested include those used to treat epilepsy, mood disorders and pain.

Google News: Autism
Swine flu concerns close Mountain View autism program - San Jose Mercury News

Google Inc.

Swine flu concerns close Mountain View autism programSan Jose Mercury NewsA program for autistic preschoolers at Slater Elementary School in Mountain View was scheduled for closure today after several potential and more »
'I Am Autism': An Advocacy Video Sparks Protest - TIME

Google Inc.

'I Am Autism': An Advocacy Video Sparks ProtestTIME06, 2009 Few medical conditions rival autism as a magnet for controversy. Practically everything about the disorder — its cause, its treatment, and more »
Autism and politics - guardian.co.uk

Google Inc.

Autism and politicsguardian.co.ukAutism (including Asperger syndrome) is a serious, lifelong and disabling condition. Comments such as those attributed to Pierre Lellouche, France's Europe Has 'autism' become a term of abuse?BBC Newsall 4 news articles »
Parents in the autism community worry about H1N1 vaccine - WHYY

Google Inc.

The Star-Ledger - NJ.comParents in the autism community worry about H1N1 vaccineWHYYThis is a tough issue for parents of children with autism, says Theda Ellis, who directs Autism Delaware, a non-profit advocacy organization. Flu clinics, at last, but only for a few in WinchesterWinchester StarNAME IN THE NEWS Sarah Y. ParkHonolulu Star-BulletinHarvard poll finds only about a third of adults who sought vaccine were able Gaea TimesMyrtle Beach Sun News -MauiTime Weekly -India Business Blog (blog)all 4,895 news articles »
Chelation Therapy Drug Found Safe and Beneficial for Children With Autism - Reuters

Google Inc.

Chelation Therapy Drug Found Safe and Beneficial for Children With AutismReutersThe Autism Research Institute calls for further investigations into the use of chelation therapy for individuals with autism SAN DIEGO, Nov. and more »

Autism News Beat
The wisdom of the mob

autblog

4 Nov 2009 | 9:15 am

James Rainey of the LA Times examines the abuse hurled at Amy Wallace for her excellent coverage of vaccine rejectionism, and laments the rise of the Google scholar. “Readers who brush up against expertise believe they have become experts,” he writes. “The common man rebels against the notion that anyone — not professionals, not the government and certainly not the media — speaks with special authority.” Without the internet, America’s anti-vaccine movement would be kept in check, with periodic flare ups related to political climate and disease…
Olmsted Lied, People Laughed:The “Amish Anomaly” hoax

autblog

29 Oct 2009 | 11:10 am

By David N. Brown This is a PUBLIC DOMAIN document (dated 10/17/09). It may be copied, forwarded, cited, circulated or posted elsewhere. The author requests only that it not be altered from its current form. Dan Olmsted’s “big break” for coverage of the vaccine-caused autism coverage was a series of stories about two claims: that the Amish do not vaccinate, and that they do not have autism. He wrote at least six articles on this subject between March and October 2005. To this day, he continues to defend his work. Yet, his critics have long since demonstrated 3 facts: The…
Dr. Paul Offit given AAP President’s Award

autblog

23 Oct 2009 | 2:29 pm

Nobody has done more to educate the public, and the news and entertainment media, about vaccines and autism than Dr. Paul Offit. He’s granted scores of interviews, spoken at dozens of conferences, and still finds time to see patients, all while enduring the slings and arrows of an unhinged minority of anti-vaccine zealots. His book, Autism’s False Prophets, almost single-handedly changed the media narrative from “vaccines might cause autism” to “vaccine rejectionism is dangerous.” So it’s fitting that the American Academy of Pediatrics, an…
More editors think disease is bad

autblog

21 Oct 2009 | 7:50 pm

Vaccines have been moving up a notch or two recently on the national news agenda, due in part to the slow building panic over an impending H1N1 epidemic. As a result, more news editors have been green-lighting some hard-hitting, reality-based articles. You know, journalism. Most notable is Epidemic of Fear in Wired Magazine, an unapologetic, take-no-prisoners report by Wired newcomer Amy Wallace. Most of the story centers on a profile of Dr. Paul Offit, the man whom vaccine rejectionists love to hate. What makes the story exceptional is an absence of false balance that dilutes most vaccine…
Press not likely to fall for latest anti-vaccine ruse

autblog

14 Sep 2009 | 10:50 am

The fallout from NBC Dateline’s report about a disgraced UK physician continues. One of the anti-vaccine groups to feel the pain was the National Autism Association, whose major asset is its legitimate sounding name. Don’t let that fool you. One week after the episode appeared, the NAA issued a press release claiming that Dr. Paul Offit hid his financial interests from Matt Lauer and NBC Dateline, thus jeopardizing the nation’s swine flu vaccine program. Yet Lauer very clearly says in the interview: “Dr. Offit is a target. Not just for supporting vaccine safety, but…

Skinnykids
WAR!!!!

Mommy

30 Oct 2009 | 9:07 am

It's an olive monster vs. a swordsman in the battle to the death...or bedtime (whichever came first).
A day in October

Mommy

27 Oct 2009 | 9:45 pm

This morning I got the breadmaker out to make gluten-free bread for the kids. Michael loves to watch it work, so I sat him on the counter and he peered down through the clear top while the machine mixed and mixed. I got busy frying Laurel a couple eggs, and when I turned back to Michael I saw a wet glob of something on the clear lid."Michael, what is that?""Ummm...my booger.""Honey, you can't just put your boogers anywhere. You need to get a tissue.""No, I like putting it there."Later this morning Michael asked to play with some scissors and glue. Since he had already…
Foreshadowing

Mommy

27 Oct 2009 | 5:28 pm

I still have some loose ends to finish (like I don't think Mickey ever wore frog boots) but even if I didn't these won't be the kids' official Halloween pictures if for no other reason than we have TOO MANY PICTURES IN FRONT OF THE FENCE. Stay tuned...
Showdown

Mommy

27 Oct 2009 | 5:15 pm

When Michael was around 2.5 years old, all of his little girl pals suddenly clued into the Whole Princess Thing. It didn't seem to matter if the parents were anti-princess and had actively encouraged more gender-neutral play. The princess wave hit, and it hit HARD.So I've been a little confused about Laurel. Granted, she isn't the most feminine girl: she refuses to wear hair clips, and if she isn't busy wrestling Michael she's trying to lift the kitchen table into the air. It wasn't until this summer that she grudgingly agreed to wear a skirt, but even then I'd watch…
A bit dense

Mommy

23 Oct 2009 | 8:00 am

Yesterday I spent a good chunk of the afternoon neglecting the kids blogging and while I heard some loud noises, I didn't hear any cries of pain...so I figured everything was OK.And it was, except that when I emerged from the computer I found they had dumped ALL NINE bins of toys onto the floor. The NINE BINS that were SORTED and LABELED. The kids had turned the bins upside down and were using them as "rocks" to leap over the "river" of toys.And since this morning I'm once again holed up in front of the computer neglecting the kids blogging, it's obvious I haven't quite learned my…

Theoria cum Praxi » Autism
Autism and the “helicopter parent”

Brett

4 Nov 2009 | 10:01 pm

Every now and then someone will write an article - or a comment on an article - that pins the cause of autism on “overprotective” parents. These parents - also known as “helicopter parents” - are so involved in their kids lives, the argument goes, that they warp them into being autistic. (Almost the opposite of the old “refrigerator mother” theory, since this new “cause” is the result of too much - not too little - love and affection.) Before I go any further here, let me say emphatically and without qualification that I don’t believe…
Enjoying the scenery

Brett

14 Sep 2009 | 3:08 pm

Occasionally I’m asked what I think about being the parent of an autistic son. Over the years (about 16 now) I’ve had the chance to give it some thought, and I have to say that although my opinions on quite a few things related to autism have evolved - and some have outright changed - there is one thing that I’ve always believed: Parenting an autistic child is, first and foremost, nothing more - and nothing less - than parenting a child. Yes it is different, and sometimes (OK, much of the time) more difficult than being the parent of a “normal” child, but that…
What is your language?

Brett

29 Jul 2009 | 4:35 am

Another of my posts from the past, on a similar theme as my re-post last night of Knowledge in translation. This time, the translation in question is that between the language of autism and the language of the non-autistic. WHAT IS YOUR LANGUAGE Everyone has their own path to follow through life. Easy to say, somewhat harder to believe because most of our daily experiences involve others who live incredibly similar lives to ours. This sometimes gets in the way of us realizing that there are differences in this world, and that the path that we’ve chosen for ourselves - or that has been…
Technology makes it easy to ‘remember,’ the trick is learning how to forget

Brett

26 Jun 2009 | 4:16 am

As a follow up to my last post, The importance of forgetting, it seemed appropriate to republish the following, which I originally posted in March 2007. A blog post I wrote a year ago. Playing around with David Allen’s Getting Things Done. A recent article in Fast Company. Reading Steven Johnson’s book Mind Wide Open over Thanksgiving. Autism. All of these things came together in my mind over the past few days. (If the internet is a global cocktail party, and blogs are its conversations, I’m the guy who takes it all in and thinks of something to say as he’s driving home from the…
The starting gun

Brett

7 Jun 2009 | 9:00 pm

With high school and college graduation season in full swing, and as my son’s 18th birthday quickly approaches, it seems a fitting time to repost this blog entry I wrote for Left Brain/Right Brain back in October 2007. There was quite a bit of discussion when I first posted this, so visit the original post to read the comments too. One of my high school philosophy teachers (at a Jesuit high school here in St. Louis) used popular music of the time (70’s and early 80’s) as a tool in classes. I mostly remember using Supertramp (Crime of the Century) and some Pink Floyd (”Welcome to…

Action For Autism
Political abuse and the abuse of autism

Mike

5 Nov 2009 | 2:12 pm

“Political autism” has emerged again in a row within the European Union (EU). Despite taking Britain into the EEC (the forerunner of the EU) in 1973, the Conservatives have always been vulnerable to disputes between their pro-European wing and the euro-sceptics who are mistrustful of European federalism and keen to defend British independence. The Labour [...]
Mitochondrial disorder and autism

Mike

1 Nov 2009 | 11:48 pm

When Hannah Poling won her claim for an adverse vaccine reaction that triggered a pre-existing mitochondrial disorder and caused her to develop autistic symptoms it created quite a flurry in the autism world. The strange thing was there were at least 5000 families in the Autism Omnibus Proceedings who believed that vaccines had caused their child’s [...]
Congratulations to Dr Offit

Mike

24 Oct 2009 | 2:41 am

Liz Ditz at I speak of Dreams has just blogged the news that Paul Offit has been recognized with an award from the American Association of Pediatrics. Congratulations to Paul Offit, M.D. Paul Offit was one of the co-inventors of the rotavirus vaccine, Rotateq. He has written a number of books relating to vaccine issues, most [...]
Autism Act 2009

Mike

22 Oct 2009 | 5:42 am

Yes! The House of Lords gave The Autism Bill its third reading today. It now becomes The Autism Act 2009. I have posted the full story on LBRB. It is also up on the National Autistic Society site.
Don’t Write Me Off

Mike

13 Oct 2009 | 11:21 am

This is the slogan of the latest campaign from the National Autistic Society. It launched today at a reception in Parliament where over100 MPs heard NAS Council member Thomas Madar talk about his experience as an autistic adult and saw the latest campaign video. The campaign addresses the lack of support adults with autism face when looking for [...]

Andrea's Buzzing About:
What a great combo

andrea

29 Oct 2009 | 8:39 pm

ADHD + fussy baby: “See? There’s Bouncy Lady. We call her Grandma.”
The Catch

andrea

24 Oct 2009 | 3:52 pm

I’ve been having intermittent bouts of vertigo (some severe), along with worsening tinnitus and resulting difficulty understanding what people are saying. My GP said I got poor results on the tympanogram, and is sending me to an ENT, whom I see next week. I’m no longer driving on the highway, and take extra care if [...]
What you want

andrea

19 Oct 2009 | 10:48 am

I still feel queasy when I remember the words. Children have a certain disempowerment simply because they are young — they are naïve, less learned, and lack perspective. But this transcended childhood. It sank past the boundaries of adult to child, or parent to child, and trampled my self-identity and self-determination. My mom had found a way [...]
How to tell if

andrea

18 Oct 2009 | 9:43 pm

your bee is asleep: She still hasn’t groomed off the morning dew.
Sound check

andrea

15 Oct 2009 | 4:33 pm

“Testing, 1, 2, 3 …” Hooray, I got my MacBook back from the shop! It would completely lose the wireless signal two meters from the router, and kept getting hot. Due to teaching commitments, I wasn’t able to take it in until now, just a couple weeks before the AppleCare programme expired. Lessee … they replaced [...]

Asperger Square 8
Square Talk: The Social Model

27 Oct 2009 | 7:44 am
A Job Interview

21 Oct 2009 | 10:22 pm
Instead

14 Oct 2009 | 8:31 pm

You want to be helpful. Really. Useful. You were surprised, recently to find yourself finally seeing it, the harm that is done by groups like Autism Speaks. That video, that disembodied voice, Big Scary Voice and its claims of destruction, you saw this time how these omnipresent repetitions build a world where autistic people and people with other disabilities are shunned, marginalized, treated in so many ways as less than human. Less than real. You get it now. But what about that walk coming up? What about that inbox filling with walks and runs and bake sales and pledge drives and other…
The Daily Squawk: Redefining Canines

6 Oct 2009 | 8:51 am

Canine Advocates Urge Removal of Pomeranian, Shih Tzu, Others from the Dog Spectrum Should all dogs be considered equally doglike? Well known canine advocate Darrell Hogarty doesn’t think so. “People who live with some of these smaller breeds have become too vocal,” he explains. Hogarty believes that the enthusiasm of small dog aficionados obscures the problems of real dog owners. “They claim they can live in apartments and condos. The general public is starting to think that dogs like my Rotweiller don’t need large fences to keep them from bolting.” What’s worse, Hogarty says,…
For You

29 Sep 2009 | 8:10 am

For BruceYou said, "Here's your mirror and your ball and jacks."But they're not what I came for, and I'm sure you see that too.-For YouSo many times, there were no words, but swirls of emotion, pattern and image. Thoughts and feelings demanded saying, but I was mute. The other looked on with anticipation, then curiosity, then pity. Finally, I’d disappear from view. The other would move on to other others, those who communicated freely the complexity of longings within them. Sometimes there would be someone more patient, more able to see. When I had spent the few words I could muster, I…

Aspie Dad
Aspie Boy is Eight Years Old Today

dad

21 Oct 2009 | 3:55 pm

My how time flies… Things are still pretty crazy around here, I am still unemployed and home schooling, and Aspie Mom is progressing on her Ph.D. Not crazy things include Aspie Boy who, thanks to pharmaceuticals and therapies, is really coming along. Sometimes two steps forward and one step back, but I’m not sure that isn’t just childhood some of the time. No, I am positive it is.
Neurodiversity and Sci-Fi Fandom

dad

10 Sep 2009 | 11:23 am

This was over at Eliot’s and I’ve just got around to posting it here. I don’t know about you, but I am surprised when I meet a teen or adult Fan and they’re not on the spectrum. School is starting up soon. My son used to attend a preschool/kindergarten for special-needs kids and their siblings, and now he’s going on to a public school, though still in the special education program. He’s cool with it, but I am a little freaked. It has brought up a whole childhood can of worms regarding my less-than-lovely educational experience, and makes me reflect on issues of…
Otnay Ootay Artsmay

dad

20 Jul 2009 | 9:26 am

The corollary of ‘measure twice, cut once’ for computer use is something like, ‘README twice, click ‘upgrade automatically?” once. I knew — somewhere, just not front and center — that the auto-upgrade feature of WordPress would overwrite any code you may have inserted into the ‘classic’ or ‘default’ themes. So, the sidebar and footer are ‘default’ now. I knew that. I think I have backups around here, somewhere… (/rolls eyes)
Cue Alice Cooper’s “School’s Out”

dad

3 Jun 2009 | 12:06 pm

First grade is over and Aspie Boy is already telling us that he doesn’t want to see any homework because it’s SUMMER!
Aspie Boy’s Grandmother 1931 – 2009

dad

18 Apr 2009 | 6:58 pm

My mother passed away this morning. She was most of the way through a seven-week regimen of radiation and chemotherapy for a recurrence of a lung cancer that she was operated on for 4 years ago. The tumor had been reduced in size by 50%, but her lung function was simply not up to the task. My father passed in 1992. /sigh

Aspie Home-Education
Ridiculous rules for home schools

Paula

6 Nov 2009 | 1:32 pm

My six-year-old daughter is educated by me, at home. Are we about to become the state's latest scapegoats?Read more...Here, a reader asks whether home schooling their child will be beneficial.
What will they accuse us of next?

Paula

5 Nov 2009 | 11:13 am

Paula Rothermel: I was invited on two occasions to meet with Mr Badman. At our first interview Mr Badman was interested in what I had to say. His opening question was to ask me if home educating mothers suffered from Munchhausen's by Proxy. I thought this to be a curious starting point - that of questioning whether home education is a symptom of mental illness.Read more...
He-art project

Paula

4 Nov 2009 | 6:41 am

ART submitted by home-educated children from Sheffield and across the country, in a bid to share the reasons why they love learning outside school, has been put in the shop window for the public to see. After a month-long exhibition the He-art project will go on a national tour.Read more...
Home ed women's blogging

Paula

1 Nov 2009 | 4:53 am

Taken from here:Women bloggers inform as well as entertain. Grit, who home-educates her triplets in Britain and writes the excellent, spirited, funny and indescribable gritsday, is a case in point. “I started the blog because I was leading a bizarre life, the sort where fact and fiction blend into each other,” she says. “I was mothering triplets at home in a bomb site when my husband flew in from the West Bank. He changed his trousers and passport, then flew off to Jordan. Six weeks later he’d be in China and I’d be at home making trucks out of cardboard. Through writing I’ve come…
Teachers waterboarded my autistic son

Paula

24 Oct 2009 | 4:16 pm

Autistic teenager was reportedly held under running water, forced to eat his own vomit and made to sit in his soiled clothes for hours.Read more

thoughts from a spectrum dweller
too often people in recovery face barriers to finding and maintaining a good job

aspietalk

7 Nov 2009 | 1:02 am

Ralph Bilby, Program Director of the International Center for Clubhouse Development (ICCD), knows the critical importance of a good job for persons with persistent mental illness. He says, “I love what Ralph Aquila (Director of The Center for Reintegration) tells people, that employment isn’t the most important thing – it’s the only thing. The number [...]
Take meds or breathe?

aspietalk

6 Nov 2009 | 11:58 pm

Decisions, decisions. Where is the line between beneficial effects and intolerable side effects of medicine? I suppose it is different for everybody, but I am having a hard time placing it at the moment, or at least I was until I ended up in the emergency room on Tuesday. http://lbnuke.com/2006/03/24/take-meds-or-breathe/ [...]
employment issues for those with psychiatric disabilities

aspietalk

6 Nov 2009 | 11:46 pm

Like the song says, work is “more than a paycheck” – employment and a career commitment to participating in the labor force. Sociologists tell us that the two most important human activities are work and family. People who have been sidetracked with long years of managing illness and disability systems too often have lost the [...]
The Ripple Effect of Bipolar Disorder

aspietalk

6 Nov 2009 | 11:34 pm

The Ripple Effect of Bipolar Disorder Treatment should be more than just taming mania and depression. “Just getting rid of symptoms doesn’t help with finding a job,” Harvey says. “You may need to see a case manager for work rehabilitation. Getting back to work and social functioning should be part of treatment.” Indeed, bipolar disorder has “a [...]
lindsay lohan’s eharmony dating profile

aspietalk

6 Nov 2009 | 7:10 pm

the complete, official video is at this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6g85lp2wJc

Autism Street
Halloween Treat

Do'C

31 Oct 2009 | 3:40 pm

No trick here Autism Street readers. It’s a Halloween treat for all to enjoy (from one of my kids). Fear The Spongebob Zombie Pirate!
Unmitigated Anti-Vaccination Idiocy

Do'C

11 Oct 2009 | 12:39 am

Over at Age Of Autism (the self-proclaimed “Daily Web Newspaper of the Autism Epidemic”), chelation expert, J.B. “autism is a misdiagnosis for mercury poisoning” Handley, brings us more typical anti-vaccine nonsense. In his most recent (and David Kirby-like) post, Hepatitis B Vaccine: An Unmitigated Disaster, J.B. trots out the sciency. As most readers of AoA know, the Hep B vaccine was added to the CDC’s childhood immunization schedule in the early 1990s, requires four doses before a child is eighteen months old, and is the only vaccine on the CDC’s schedule that…
David Kirby - Still A Douchebag

Do'C

10 Oct 2009 | 9:43 pm

In a recent article at his Huffington Post blog, David Kirby comments on recent word that the HHS would revise it’s estimates of prevalence for autism spectrum disorders, based on new data for the 1996 birth year cohort. Not surprisingly, Kirby had questions. Also not surprisingly, even though he essentially discards Thimerosal and MMR, his question boils down to vaccines. From his post (a question he apparently attempted to ask on a conference call with the NIMH director, Dr. Thomas Insel). Note: there are now two very different versions - David Kirby apparently revised his post after…
No “Sympathy” For Jenny McCarthy

Do'C

17 Jul 2009 | 8:45 pm

The James Randi Educational Foundation’s TAM7 meeting took place in Las Vegas last week. This year’s meeting included a panel discussion entitled, “Anti Anti-Vaccination”. As scienceblogger, and panelist Orac notes in a recent post about “Enablers of the vaccine-autism manufactroversy“: One of the issues that came up over which there was somewhat of a disagreement is exactly how to deal with prominent antivaccine activists, people such as Jenny McCarthy. The majority opinion seemed to be that being too blunt or hurling insults is ineffectual if we want to…
See? Different IS Dangerous!

Do'C

28 Jun 2009 | 9:30 am

Wow, these two brave journalists barely escaped with their lives! As usual, The Onion adeptly spotlights the absurd with absurdity.

Social Skills for Kids
What Happens After High School?

Patricia Robinson MFT

2 Nov 2009 | 1:12 pm

The transition from high school to adulthood is a crucial time in the lives of many young adults on the Autism Spectrum, and it requires careful planning. I encourage the families I work with to start the planning process early. Many local resources, schools and supports groups may offer information, but frequently these events are only offered annually, so parents need to start gathering information early in the high school years. Get on those email lists!As an example, here in San Francisco’s East Bay, The Orion Academy holds a post secondary transition seminar annually in March. The…
Local Bay Area Special Education Resource

Patricia Robinson MFT

22 Oct 2009 | 2:27 pm

Special education and the legal issues surrounding it are very complex topics. Parents need to know their rights and responsibilities, and what their child is entitled to. For parents in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Leigh Law Group is presenting a workshop for parents and professionals on Special Education: Rights to Related Services in the Public Schools. The training event is November 14th, 2009, in San Francisco, and it’s only $10.00. I’ll state right up front that I’m not familiar with this group, and I don’t know the presenters, but the topic is so crucial, I’m guessing…
Book Review: No More Meltdowns by Jed Baker, Ph.D.

Patricia Robinson MFT

8 Oct 2009 | 10:18 am

No More Meltdowns by Jed Baker, Ph.D. is an excellent resource for parents trying to deal with their child’s out of control behavior, whether the kids have a diagnosis or not. This book is straightforward, with a simple step by step plan for dealing with tantrums and meltdowns. At the same time, there are plenty of detailed examples that show how to fit the simple plan to complex situations.Certainly parenting is tougher when children have special needs, like an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Asperger’s or Attention Deficit (ADHD or ADD). And frequently these parents have to also deal…
Playing Outside

Patricia Robinson MFT

30 Sep 2009 | 2:09 pm

Playing outside is one of the core experiences we all remember from childhood, but all too often it doesn’t happen for kids with special needs like Asperger’s, autism and ADHD. And that’s really a shame, because outdoor play is often the easiest way for all sorts of diverse personalities, abilities, and ages to interact. School politics can get very specific, with each child interacting with only the chosen few in a social clique. Different ages, groups and genders rarely mix at school. But kids aren’t quite so particular when it comes to neighborhood play. A lot of that just comes…
Using Behavior Charts

Patricia Robinson MFT

24 Sep 2009 | 1:50 pm

Raising a child with special needs like an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Asperger’s, or Attention Deficit (ADHD or ADD) is a challenge, and too often parents don’t notice all the progress they’re making. Instead the situation seems overwhelming and hopeless, and it’s as if things will never get easier for your family. The reality is that these kids do make progress. But, progress may come slowly, or in a “two steps forward one step back” pattern that may obscure all the growth. That’s where behavior charts can be so helpful. Behavior charts can be a great tool for keeping…

dkmnow
Disability Rights Community vs. Autism Speaks

dkmnow

10 Oct 2009 | 7:15 am

[sent to family and friends] The letter below is the latest step in a national and international protest against the U.S. organization known as Autism Speaks. Countless attempts have been made to impress upon the organization that its public rhetoric, policies and practices are profoundly harmful to ALL Autistic citizens, and that its leadership MUST [...]
Deficit-model feeds anti-Autistic prejudice

dkmnow

3 Jul 2009 | 9:20 pm

[Originally posted on June 24, 2009, as a comment on Helene Guldberg's Psychology Today article, "How the quack industry harms autistic children," an interview with Michael Fitzpatrick, discussing his book, Defeating Autism: A Damaging Delusion.] Not a bad article – especially in contrast to the kind of “information” that currently dominates popular opinion on the topic [...]
Learning By Example

dkmnow

25 May 2009 | 4:23 pm

Yes, mainstream “values” set the example. And, yes, our youth internalize those “values” and follow that example — albeit, sometimes too explicitly to suit our comfort and convenience: “The video was made by girls at a Spanaway, Washington school who apparently had a falling out with a classmate, Piper. The clip carries illustrations of Piper [...]
I resisted. But it was futile.

dkmnow

24 May 2009 | 8:42 am

Yes, it was inevitable. And now it’s done. I am now officially “Twitterpated.” The inexplicably enthusiastic should note, however, that I am NOT mobile, and email is still the most reliable way to contact me. Don’t Blackberry me before I’m dead. That is all. As you were. Posted in Uncategorized Tagged: twitter
New GAO Report: Schools Abuse Disabled Kids

dkmnow

19 May 2009 | 2:53 pm

["GAO" = Government Accountability Office, United States of America] From a new entry on the Mother Jones blog: GAO: Schools Abuse Disabled Kids — By Jen Phillips | Tue May 19, 2009 11:07 AM PST A new GAO report shows that the Judge Rotenberg Center in Massachusetts isn’t the only place where developmentally disabled and emotionally troubled kids have [...]

LBnuke
All Drupal All The Time – Too Bad I Can’t Breathe

Lori

6 Nov 2009 | 8:46 pm

Writing on the iPhone. Hard to breathe. Shaky. Strangely okay besides that. Sometimes writing helps. Been very busy lately. All Drupal all the time. Besides from the insane learning curve and non-intuitive UI, I am in awe of its power and flexibility. After more than 15 hours of video tutorials and reading tons of docs, I am finally understanding how it works and how the code is organized. I am learning while building a site for an awesome organization. Will link to it when it is done. If all goes according to plan, it will launch around Jan. 1st, 2010. Not mentioning the org. because there…
Letter in Response to Autism Speaks’ Exploitative Practice

Lori

1 Oct 2009 | 9:54 am

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network and other organizations representing the Cross-Disability Community are distributing this joint letter to the sponsors, donors and supporters of Autism Speaks following the organization’s latest offensive and damaging Public Service Announcement, “I am Autism“. If you are an organization that would like to sign on to the letter, please e-mail ASAN at info@autisticadvocacy.org before Close of Business Tuesday, October 6th, 2009. If you are an individual who would like to join ASAN’s upcoming protests of Autism Speaks in Ohio, New…
I’m Autistic: Another Awesome Video Response To Autism Speaks’ “I Am Autism”

Lori

27 Sep 2009 | 1:10 pm

Responses to the the Autism Speaks’ “I Am Autism” video have been growing quickly. Here is another awesome video response to the tune of “I Am Woman” by Helen Reddy. More Responses: ABFH has posted a list of video and blog/article responses here. Turner and Kowalski are collecting pictures with captions for their parody video. Send some in! Related posts:Letter in Response to Autism Speaks’ Exploitative PracticeProfessional Frontend Engineering VideoDon’t Speak For Me
Don’t Speak For Me

Lori

24 Sep 2009 | 12:42 pm

Check out this awesome response to the exceptionally horrible “I Am Autism” video by Autism Speaks. Link leads to Mike Stanton’s Action For Autism blog with video and commentary. This video is just one part of Autism Speaks’ crusade to educate the world about how horrible autistic people are and how they will destroy the happiness of anyone who crosses their path. If you haven’t seen the Autism Speaks video, it is exactly the same as this one except for the audio, which is almost the complete opposite. Lyrics are below. A list of responses to the Autism Speaks…
Tech Support Cheat Sheet

Lori

3 Sep 2009 | 9:57 pm

Tech Support Secrets (click to enlarge) From xkcd. Thanks to Joni Mueller for the link No related posts.

Normal Is Overrated
The spaces in my résumé

codeman38

25 Oct 2009 | 8:36 am

(This is my post for Disability Blog Carnival 59: Disability and Work.) I’ve never applied for a job in the traditional manner. Sure, I’ve done some work for my father’s office, and I’ve done some freelance work for organizations owned by his friends and associates. But this has all been through connections, through friends, family, and friends of family; I’ve never actively sought out a job on my own in the traditional way. But it’s not that I don’t want to— in fact, I would absolutely love to find a job that suits me well. It’s just that the…
Autism Speaks Hits A New Low

codeman38

23 Sep 2009 | 11:04 am

If you’ve been reading my blog, you probably know my stance toward Autism Speaks by now. It’s an organization I’ve always had my share of issues with; see my past posts on the subject for some idea of why. But this time, they’ve really outdone themselves. Before I explain what they’ve done to make me say that, I have to provide a bit of background information. You see, back in early August, Autism Speaks sent out this press release encouraging people to submit videos of autistic individuals for use in an upcoming film project. This project had huge names behind…
Assumptions, Assumptions

codeman38

1 May 2009 | 10:35 am

So it’s Blogging Against Disablism Day once again. I’d been thinking for the past couple days about what precisely I want to blog about today… and then it hit me yesterday. Assumptions. People tend to make assumptions of a person’s abilities and general nature based on that person’s appearance. But sometimes these assumptions turn out to be incorrect. Some people adjust their personal stereotypes to adjust for their errors; others cling to their assumptions and classify these cases as exceptions to the rule. You’re all probably familiar with this sort of…
Noodly executive functioning

codeman38

12 Apr 2009 | 2:08 pm

So, at my Aspie support group meeting last week, I finally learned how to cook spaghetti on my own. It was actually a lot simpler than I thought it’d be, and there was very little room for me to accidentally scald myself (something that has happened before in other attempts at cooking). And I was ready to cook some for myself tonight, since I figured most restaurants would probably be closed for Easter. I’d already gotten spaghetti noodles and sauce at the store; I’d already checked to make sure I had a pot to cook it in; I thought I was ready. Some of you probably see the…
A bit late, but still a worthy link…

codeman38

7 Apr 2009 | 5:27 pm

I’m a day late with this, but I just can’t go without linking Cara from The Curvature’s post “Things That Pain Me“. It’s about Yoko Ono’s partnership with Autism Speaks, and it links to my own post about said organization. I’m glad to see that those of us on the autism spectrum aren’t the only ones who have issues with Autism Speaks’ tactics and approaches. Thanks, Cara, for getting this out to an even wider audience.

A Photon In The Darkness
A “Made for Court” Study?

Prometheus

24 Oct 2009 | 2:05 pm

This month, the journal Neurotoxicology published a study about vaccines, mercury and neurolgical delay: Hewitson L, Houser LA, Stott C, Sackett G, Tomko JL, Atwood D, Blue L, Railey White E, Wakefield AJ. “Delayed acquisition of neonatal reflexes in newborn primates receiving a thimerosal-containing Hepatitis B vaccine: Influence of gestational age and birth weight.” Neurotoxicology. 2009 Oct 2. [Epub ahead of print] The full text of this article has been thoughtfully provided by the folks at “Thoughtful House” in Austin, Texas. Normally, when I read a scientific…
Deductive Mis-reasoning

Prometheus

16 Sep 2009 | 4:56 pm

At least once a day, I find myself confronting the aftermath of deductive reasoning gone wrong. Deductive reasoning is defined as “an argument (or reasoning) where the conclusion follows logically (or is a logical consequence) of its premises”. Many people - especially in ‘Blogland - are of the opinion that if their conclusions (or assertions) follow logically from their premises, that their conclusions must be true. Unfortunately, that is not so. Deductive reasoning (or deductive arguments) - according to the rules of Logic - can be either valid (if the conclusions are…
Read this ‘blog or the author gets it!

Prometheus

4 Aug 2009 | 9:11 am

In Mel Brooks’ comedy film Blazing Saddles (1974), there is a scene where Bart (played by Cleavon Little), the newly appointed black sheriff of Rock Ridge, is surrounded by a lynch mob. Seeing no way out, he points his pistol to his own head and shouts “Hold it! Next man makes a move, the n****r gets it!” After a few moments of quiet confusion, one of the mob leaders says, “Hold it, men. He’s not bluffing.” and lowers his rifle. Classic comedy, but not so funny when, as so often happens, life imitates art. A few days ago, I had a commenter who made an…
Just call me “Captain Buzz-Kill”

Prometheus

24 Jul 2009 | 4:17 pm

Over the years that I’ve been writing this ‘blog, I’ve often been accused of keeping people from “curing” or “helping” their autistic children. I’ve always wondered what they meant by that, since I’m not doing anything I know of to prevent people from seeking whatever treatments they want for themselves or their children. All I’m trying to do is give people information. If they are already happy with the information they have, if they have already found “The Truth”, all they have to do is ignore me. It’s really that…
Autism and MMR (More Measles Rubbish)

Prometheus

8 Jun 2009 | 3:08 pm

A reader sent me a comment from a parent of an autistic child. This parent had been told that their child’s “measles titre” was “five times normal”, which was offered as an explanation of why this child had autism. I assume that this information was provided by some form of “health care practitioner”, most likely of the “alternative” genre. The parent’s comments made it clear that they had also been told that this “elevated titre” was due to the MMR vaccine. Let’s deconstruct that argument. Measles Titres - what are…

The Rettdevil's Rants
10 Hz lights.

Kassiane

3 Nov 2009 | 11:52 pm

They're everywhere. But they don't need to be. It's actually probably illegal for them to be as many places as they are.Yeah, I get that I can't go clubbing. I don't care that I can't go clubbing, particularly. But I do care that walking through downtown is fraught with hazards. Not just being chased down the street by aggressive panhandlers (true story) or someone taking a stoplight as a suggestion or thinking they've got right of way on a right turn because they're bigger (that happens too), but 10 Hz lights.Everywhere.They're on emergency vehicles, which I don't really get. You're going to…
You aren't autism. We are. Shut up and listen.

Kassiane

23 Sep 2009 | 10:46 am

**Profanity ahead. It's well earned,**I saw the new Autism Speaks video shortly after finding out they've got a fundraiser in my stay-weird-pride-and-hippies-and-nonconformity city. And all I have to say to that is:Autism Speaks, shut the fuck up and get the fuck out. There are a number of bridges here. You like driving off bridges, right? Go pick one but leave us the hell alone. And do the right thing, the responsible thing, and leave your children with a responsible adult (you are neither of these things, either as individuals or a collective) while you do so.The vast majority of the…
Wow. Best. Post. Ever. And some other stuff.

Kassiane

29 Jul 2009 | 11:11 am

This post from Asperger Square 8 is pretty much one of the most important posts ever. Read it. Now. Are you back now? Ok. Because the reactions people have to it seem pretty distinct. Autistic people I know have reacted with recognition, and if they see it like I do, think it's pretty fucking sweet that people are putting it in words and pointing it out. I'm about at the point of wanting to print this shit out, make copies, and leave it at all the whiney-autie-mommy groups around my city. It's that powerful. It spells out the power dynamics that concretely, that clearly. In spite of all the…
Latest Mercury Malicia Target: Ari Ne'eman, ASAN president.

Kassiane

10 May 2009 | 7:31 pm

In an act of true and desperate crazy, the Mercury Malicia have truly outdone themselves.Not to be content with threatening doctors and their children, libeling them, and calling them extraordinarily derogatory names behind their computers, they've moved on to an ultimate act of BATSHIT INSANE: "Let's get Newsweek to assassinate Ari Ne'eman!"What. The. Fuck.People. Get the hell off my planet if you think this is ok. Now. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. AoA, this isn't acceptable. You know that you're associated with John Best, and either he knows he is so far in the wrong he has gone to…
Our protests may be symbolic, but they will reach someone nonetheless

Kassiane

9 Mar 2009 | 2:01 pm

Been away from the blog for a while. Life happens.But this is important.As most of you know, Lindt partnered with Autism Weeps to fund eradicating autism. They're having an unsung heroes of autism contest thing, in which they are taking essays nominating "unsung heroes who've made personal sacrifices in the name of fighting autism".Well screw the whole fighting autism thing. But we should--no, in the name of Nothing About Us Without Us, MUST--nominate our own, nominate autistic advocates who've fought the bigotry that they're spreading, autistic advocates who fight the systemic impossibility,…

Ballastexistenz
Blueberries

ballastexistenz

2 Nov 2009 | 3:53 pm

All of these articles are from one blog, flip flopping joy: berries. blue. The ABC Report about blueberry field abuse up close through others’ eyes Read those before responding to this post. This is the first time in my life that MY community has been highlighted on national television. I mean…the place I worked. The place I have memories of. The place my body has memories of. Not just “community” that I count myself a part of. ~has that ever happened to you? It changes how you see things. Because you see yourself for the first time through the eyes of others. Up close. You can…
Stuff I’ve been reading.

ballastexistenz

23 Oct 2009 | 4:09 pm

I am still in a mode where my brain is prepared to take in much more than it is prepared to spit out in the form of useful words, and I am still unaware of when this is going to change. However, I have for once been doing some reading of other blogs (including some fairly old stuff people have written), and therefore have links to various posts I find especially good or interesting: At The Perorations of Lady Bracknell, there is a post called Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire. If you’ve ever been tempted to think, “the social model of disability says that impairments aren’t…
Breathtaking to behold: talking back to dismissal

ballastexistenz

24 Jul 2009 | 5:03 pm

One of my biggest interests is the study of how oppression plays out, and how it is resisted, among communities that most people would consider minorities. (Note: Minority in amount of power, not in amount of numbers. So yes, women count.) Not some sort of study of victimhood the way some people would paint it, but rather how people resist becoming victims. It is breathtaking to behold communities where enough people have worked out the way things work, that when they are hit with the usual forms of sexism, racism, ableism, heterosexism, etc., they are ready for it. They have answers to the…
“Intentional” communities… not.

ballastexistenz

31 May 2009 | 3:15 pm

I wrote part of this in response to a post on the change.org autism blog called Down on the Farm, about “intentional communities” (which aren’t really) built for autistic people (but not by us or with our meaningful input) along with some non-autistic people (who have much more choice and power than we do) in ways where the power structure screams institution even if the shape of the walls doesn’t (some people believe institutions are defined by their shape and number of residents, which is neither the sociological definition nor my definition — the definition I…
update: Friday Protest at MPP’s office and CCAC, and Minna’s eating again for the time being

ballastexistenz

21 Jan 2009 | 1:05 am

I don’t know anything other than having received the following notice, but it seems like a very good sign. The notice I received contains places (far better than here) to get updated information: We Are Protesting: FRIDAY JANUARY 23rd from 8AM until NOON in front of MPP Rick Bartolucci’s office located at 93 Ceder st, corner of Ceder and Lisker, the Canada-Broker Building. Then at NOON we are Marching to the Community Care Access Centre which is located in the Rainbow Centre 40 Elm St, Suite 41-C the north east corner of the mall at the corner of ST Anne Rd and Notre Dame Ave. For…

Natural Variation - Autism Blog
Jonathan's Completely Dishonest Attack on My Latest Posts

Joseph

4 Nov 2009 | 11:04 am

Dear reader: Please go read Jon Mitchell's utterly dishonest attack on my two latest posts. It's titled Some neurodiversity potpurri.First of all, I'd like to inform Jon that even though I've said this blog is pro-neurodiversity, I'm not a leader of neurodiversity proponents or anything of the sort. All my opinions are personal and should in no way be seen as opinions put forth by something called neurodiversity. It's very uncool to try to use what I say (or what other bloggers say for that matter) as a way to attack the neurodiversity philosophy as a whole. Now, the most outrageous…
Marriage Among Autistics, Or Why the NHS Study Obliterates CADD

Joseph

2 Nov 2009 | 8:00 am

In the previous post I discussed data that contradicts the common belief that autistic adults are largely unemployed.In this post I want to discuss marriage. Marriage, again, is something that is considered very rare among autistics. It's a stereotype like any other stereotype, of course, but it's not an entirely unjustified one.Of all the autistics Leo Kanner wrote about, I believe only one (Robert F) is known to have married. Said Kanner:The contacts thus established led to the discovery that the boy-meets-girl issue was paramount in the talks of the companions. Again, there was a vaguely…
Unemployment Among Adult Autistics in the UK

Joseph

27 Oct 2009 | 6:25 am

I've previously criticized estimates of the "costs of autism" to society. The whole rationale of coming up with such estimates is objectionable to begin with, but I've also criticized what appear to be exaggerations in the figures that form the basis of these analyses.One key component of such estimates is "lost productivity" due to lack of employment and related metrics. I've pointed out that old data on the employment rate of adult autistics no longer applies. If you want to come up with cost estimates based on an ASD prevalence of 0.6% or 1%, you have to know the employment rate that…
Is It More Like 1.2% to 1.5%?

Joseph

8 Oct 2009 | 2:01 pm

Over two years ago I wrote a post titled Moving Toward a New Consensus Prevalence of 1% or Higher. At the time the prevalence of ASD was generally considered to be 0.6%. If you Google it, you'll find this figure is still the one that's cited most frequently. At present, no one has come out and precisely said the consensus prevalence has been revised to 1%, but I think that's pretty much where we're at. Consider what Roy Richard Grinker said recently to Time Magazine."It provides what scientists call convergent validity: no matter how you shake the bushes, you come up with this 1%," says…
Why is it so difficult to find the "autism gene"?

Joseph

16 May 2009 | 3:57 pm

There was media coverage recently about the discovery of the "first common" set of autism gene variants. The alleles are apparently found in 65% of autistic people. What's interesting is that they also occur in about 50% of non-autistic people. (Some sources say 60%.)That doesn't sound like a finding that, by itself, could be practically applied to the genetic screening of autistic people. I'm not too worried about that. Additionally, autism-related studies of this sort don't replicate a lot of times. It seems to be a very difficult problem. Why is that? I'm sure different people have…

AutismParents.NET!
Teaching a child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder to read

admin

6 Nov 2009 | 6:40 am

Teaching Reading to Children with ASD. What’s The Best Way? There is no one way to teach reading to children with ASD. Learning styles vary between children so a range of strategies should be... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Chicken Pox Vaccine and Death

admin

6 Nov 2009 | 6:30 am

Chicken-pox Vaccine & Death – New US Government Study - November 6, 2009 A newly published study from the US Centers for Disease Control is further formal confirmation chickenpox vaccine ... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
MMR does not equal ALL vaccines / ASD Kids with Seizures Subset

admin

5 Nov 2009 | 8:21 am

This makes me very sad because I Love(d) Wired Magazine: A Short History of Vaccine Panic by Amy Wallace. Amy, the MMR vaccine does not equal all vaccines! All I do know is that our lives changed on... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
I’ve got them Influenza A Virus Subtype H1N1 Blues

admin

3 Nov 2009 | 6:46 am

[[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
Special needs kids need special parents

admin

29 Oct 2009 | 3:25 pm

A few months ago this appeared in Dear Abby and got my blood boiling, Dear Abby, I’m frickin’ clueless … Autism Aunt Raises Money and Autism Dad’s Blood Pressure. Hopefully, clueless aunt got the... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

THE NEW REPUBLIC
O, Die Uberfrau and I

Socrates

28 Oct 2009 | 2:12 am

A guest post from Überfugg, formerly of Turner and Kowalski:Die Überfrau and I have Argued.*sniffle*We are no longer a Team. No more will she praise my creative and ground-breaking use of the Umlaut. No more will my sense of self-preservation bind my mood so faithfully to her Cycle. No more will I suffer the Guilt of furtively peeking at growing fullness of belly as she approaches Oestrus... ...
Goblins in Texas - Poopylungstuffing Fan Club 2

Socrates

25 Oct 2009 | 7:54 am
The Poopylungstuffing Fan Club

Socrates

18 Oct 2009 | 3:57 pm

A guest post from Überfugg from Turner And Kowalski.Hello New Republic readers. I'm usually to be found being pussy-whipped by my Mistress Kowalski, over on T&K, as we call it. I'm a white, Anglo-Saxon, heterosexual male, who likes looking at pictures of tits. Preferably, small pointy ones, attached to a very Bad Girls. The humility this requires to survive in the Euro-centric, post industrial,
Symphony For Space Shuttle and Seidel

Socrates

17 Oct 2009 | 1:52 pm
Prevent and Cure

Socrates

12 Oct 2009 | 3:18 pm

Soundtrack has re-jigged due to.. ahem... copyright issues...In an act of supreme artistic vandalism, the original soundtrack by Frankie Valli was ripped from the Gestalt by agents of Warner Music Group working undercover at YouTube, and forced to turn tricks down Melrose Avenue for nickels and dimes. Latterly the Bay City Rollers track used as a replacement has also been stuffed - so please view

The Art of Being Asperger Woman
Glossy Magazine Fotoshoot Part 2

30 Oct 2009 | 1:17 pm

FAQ 1: What is the LINDA magazine about? The magazine is called 'LINDA' and is a production of Mrs. Linda de Mol, a very well known Dutch tv presenter and actress. I have never met her personally. ShWe is one of the leading TV personalities in The Netherlands. FAQ about my contribution to this magazine. The magazine is now Holland's best selling glossy magazines with 110.000 editions sold each month. FAQ 2. What was the subject to talk about? A. Loneliness. FAQ 3. How did they find you? A. A journalist had posted a request on a internet message forum. In a kind of way this message board…
Update! Autism and Travel, Love.

29 Oct 2009 | 8:34 am

Been away for a while. I apologize if you came here to find there had been no update. The Love thing is doing well, LOVE gives much energy and adds a golden touch at Life I think. He is so caring and sweet and has much to offer me.I slowly come down to earth and realise that normal life continues... You might be interested to find out that- after such a long time of hesitation where and how to go on vacation- I finally choose Vienna, the city in which my grandmother was born, to be my destination. I booked a complete group bus tour with Half Board. The group counted about 40 other persons,…
It was fine...

28 Sep 2009 | 1:21 am

The first date in years has resulted in a very nice meeting between two people. Yes, the magic click was there. We had plenty to talk of and afterwards there were another 1000 questions to ask him. So, we decided to take things slow and become good friends... After a week of intense emotions it feels good life returns to normal, however I must say my daily structure and inner rest has been disturbed in a strange way by all this. No one will take away yesterdays experiences, whatever the future might bring. Between butterflies and both feet on the ground. Yes, he knows about my ASD and…
Yes, I am Dating again! HAPPY

26 Sep 2009 | 4:24 am

Many many times I read and heard people talking about romance telling me that things will come upon your path as you do not expect them to do so. So, here I am now, telling you what the others already knew, Yes, the love thing "could happen" if you are not digging for love too hard.Yes, I am dating again. This could be the first serious relationship after I got diagnosed some years ago. Things went very fast. Must tell you I do not know him in real life yet, but that will change this weekend. Execited but nervous. He is cute and understanding and has a life of his own and does understand what…
September Monday

14 Sep 2009 | 12:05 am

Yes, life has returned to normal. Although there are of extra activities this week, this may end up as the normal schedule. Hope you are all doing fine. Recently my thirties ended and now I am just a beginner at 40 years old. That is strange. Feels like leaving behind the young and restless days. Over the last weeks there have been many nice activities with friends, family and so on.Today I have to find out how to deal with an amount of extra free time without having made a schedule so far how to fill those extra hours. It could be tricky, but with help of some list those hours can be filled…

Sheila Schoonmaker
Revelation 3:3

Sheila

6 Nov 2009 | 9:41 am

“Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.” — Revelation 3:3 (King James Version) For those who don’t know who the “I” is referring to in the above verse, it is Christ. When He comes, it’s to bring judgment upon the world for five months before it’s completely destroyed. Even Kenneth Taylor knew judgment would follow Christ’s return. Otherwise he would not have paraphrased this…
Another Aspergers Documentary

Sheila

4 Nov 2009 | 7:24 pm

This three part video documentary is about a 14 year old Aspie boy named Rueben Walsh. As good as it portrays an example of Aspergers, what should always be keep in mind is that there are other vital factors which affect the way Aspies differ from one another. Reuben wants to remain true to his unique self, but without being so aliened from everyone else. You may notice (like when he is clothes shopping in Part 3) that he appears to be a potentially good example of the type of person Kazimierz Dabrowski describes in his Theory of Positive Disintegration. If you’re not up to reading what…
Autumnal Post-Equinox

Sheila

18 Oct 2009 | 11:47 am

↓ I can’t promise you much, but this ought to be enough tracks. ↓ ↑ End of Story ↑
Establishing boundaries verses explaining yourself.

Sheila

16 Oct 2009 | 8:28 am

Most adults probably establish personal boundaries automatically and therefore take that skill for granted. Only those who don’t do so, know how much of a challenge it is to discern the often times subtle difference between creating and maintaining boundaries verses explaining and defending yourself. Without experience, there will be many mistakes in how, when, and where boundary building is done. I can only guess that most neurotypicals have no problem with immediately discerning and applying the ideal incremental value of sternness necessary to get respect from the person…
My first impression of a GRASP meeting.

Sheila

15 Oct 2009 | 11:27 am

I had been thinking about going to a GRASP meeting for over a couple of years, but didn’t actually pray about God’s will on the matter until just recently. I was surprised by many things, starting with actually attending. Because of my sensitivity towards excess noise, smells, and artificial lights, New York City alone will give me a headache. Add to that, being with a group of strangers for a couple of hours (especially having to talk with everyone else listening), is definitely outside of my comfort zone. The last time I was in New York City was between 2-3 decades ago.

Reports from a Resident Alien
Why be proud of a disease?

chaoticidealism

5 Nov 2009 | 11:15 am

Well, for one, it's not a disease; it's a developmental disability (and some of the milder cases, you can make an argument for it not even being a disability). Autism is atypical development, not a dysfunction of some pre-existing order. Just like you couldn't say that someone with dyslexia or a learning disability has a "disease", you couldn't say it about autism. Second reason: Autism, by its nature, changes the way you learn and the way you process information. That changes your life and your experiences of the world to a great degree--and it affects your personality, too. Autism…
A Highly Recommended Skill

chaoticidealism

1 Nov 2009 | 8:34 pm

I've just noticed that I've gained a new skill: I can now do schoolwork or read while listening to music--IF the music is familiar.Music without words is best. Music with words has to be so familiar that I can predict not just the words but the different instrumental parts. But I've apparently learned, now, not to be distracted by music if the music is very predictable.Why is this so beneficial?Well, when I wear an mp3 player (they can actually be had for pretty cheap), I get a better effect than I do from earplugs. Earplugs only muffle noise, and in some odd situations…
Safe Place

chaoticidealism

29 Oct 2009 | 8:44 pm

One of my cats, Christy, is a little calico I'm fostering because she was so stressed at the shelter that her health started to suffer. She's always been nervous. Other cats make her nervous. Changes in schedule make her nervous. Sounds make her nervous. She doesn't relax anywhere.When she first came, after she came out of isolation she spent all her time hiding; so I gave her more places to hide--little cubbyholes, boxes, tunnels, and places where she could have a high vantage point, and her back to the wall. She spent a lot of time in these cubbyholes. I made sure she had a cubbyhole in…
Psychology Today: "Cowboy & Wills"

chaoticidealism

14 Oct 2009 | 12:09 pm

Yesterday at the library I was goofing off instead of doing physics homework, and happened upon the latest issue of Psychology Today. Lo and behold, an article on autism. It's a cute little story about an autistic kid who loves animals; and for a change said kid is in the majority who has got the hang of language. That's a good sign, in general, and the article itself isn't bad. But it contains one little annoying phrase that's pretty high on my peeve-o-meter; and the result is this letter to the editor.Two Minute Memoir: Cowboy and WillsI read "Cowboy and Wills" with great…
Not So Different?

chaoticidealism

12 Oct 2009 | 6:37 pm

A strategy that some people want to take when they try to increase acceptance is to emphasize the similarities between a minority individual and the "norm"; to try to explain to people that, "He's a lot like you. There's no need to reject him for being different because he's not really that different." It works pretty well with racial minorities, and to a degree with minority sexual orientations; and to some extent, it's even true of people with physical disabilities, because with these categories, the primary difference is one of culture and lifestyle, one which most…

drive mom crazy
A PBS Special called ‘This Emotional Life’

theamazinj

4 Nov 2009 | 4:54 pm

This is the trailer to the PBS Special documentary where I am featured in called ‘This Emotional Life”, which is about the search for happiness which airs on January 4, 2010. I hope this documentary will help others on the Autism Spectrum speak up and push themselves to become what they want in life. [...]
Article in New York Times about combining the Autism Diagnosis

theamazinj

3 Nov 2009 | 5:05 am

Is this helping or harming the Autism Spectrum community? Read the article in the New York times today and a post coming soon about my opinion. Autism is Autism is Autism just like a pulse is a pulse is a pulse! “Autistic” or just plain “Aspie” or is it just a individual striving for success just like [...]
Autistic Rights coming down the street…Neurodiversity!

theamazinj

2 Nov 2009 | 6:17 pm

posting later on, OUT, J
November Work Week Begins, getting to the next Level…

theamazinj

2 Nov 2009 | 5:09 am

As November began yesterday, there are a lot of different things going on in our minds. The people walking around us or driving in cars circling the perimeters to work, are functioning just to survive. Many things are happening, changes we can’t see at the moment and changes in front of our faces. [...]
Now for some fun

theamazinj

31 Oct 2009 | 11:45 am

Check this videos out! OUT, J

Wrong Planet - Asperger / Autism News
Michael John Carley and Autism Speaks: The Collaboration Thickens

Although (as far as I know) Michael John Carley of GRASP and Alison Tepper Singer of Autism Speaks are not literally in bed together, they have had such a cozy relationship over the past two years that the expression seems quite apropos.Most of us know Singer from her appearance in the Autism Every Day film, in which she attained worldwide infamy (and, if I recall correctly, a visit from child protective services) for saying, in front of her autistic daughter, that she had fantasized about driving off the George Washington Bridge with her daughter in the car. Carley's sordid history of…
Review and Video: Autism's False Prophets by Dr. Paul Offit

Autism’s False Prophets: Bad Medicine, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure is a well-referenced, historical work that explains the dangerous and unnecessary controversies that have put the lives of autistic children at risk. Offit sets up his book by explaining how he has become a major player in the field of immunology. He then explores the process by which the autism/vaccine controversy has been given so much attention. He describes how parents and physicians worked together to create treatments that when put under scientific scrutiny, have no real efficacy. Offit sets the tone of…
Tell PETA to Stop Exploiting the Autistic Community (Got Autism Billboard)

Recently, the organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) launched a new ad campaign entitled, "Got Autism?", misleadingly implying that the consumption of milk is associated with the cause of the autism spectrum. PETA is misinforming the public about autism and thus joining a long line of unscrupulous groups that have sought to try and spread fear about autism as a means of pushing their particular agendas.
Review: If You Could Say it in Words [Asperger Love Story] - October Premiere

If You Could Say it in Words is a great new film about an autistic protagonist Nelson and his experience with love. The film is premiering at the Derby City Film Festival on October 8, 2008 at 9:00 PM. I wrote about my initial impressions of the movie and conducted an interview in February. You will also find clips from the movie in my previous article. The film explores Nelson's Asperger's Syndrome without mentioning the diagnosis. The choice is intentional because many individuals with Asperger's remain undiagnosed. A recent documentary, Billy the Kid, similarly did not mention the…
Claire Danes to Play Temple Grandin in New HBO Biopic

Autistic Dr. Temple Grandin, a designer of livestock handling facilities and a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, is an icon in the Autistic Community. Her life has been a beacon and an inspirational story and after a long negotiation is getting her biography brought to HBO. Claire Danes is in negotiations to star as Grandin in the film which is currently moving forward after nine years. "I made a commitment to Temple that I was going to make it and make it right," said Emily Gerson Saines, one of the executive producers, who has a son with autism. "I never pushed…

Club 166
Stars and Rain

Club 166

28 Oct 2009 | 8:42 pm

I recently had occasion to visit China (I was invited to give a couple of lectures there), and took the opportunity to arrange a visit to a school for autistic children, Stars and Rain. Strictly speaking, Stars and Rain isn't so much a school for autistics as much as it is a school for their parents, who come (with their children) for 12 week courses in how to educate their child. There are very few resources for either diagnosis or treatment of autism in China, and Stars and Rain may have been the first school in China for autistics and their parents.The first person I met when I got there…
Dear Mr. Springsteen

Club 166

27 Sep 2009 | 11:48 am

photo credit-uchiuskacreative commons licenseBelow is the letter that I just e-mailed to Bruce Springsteen's publicist at mlaverty@shorefire.com . I encourage others to also write him and express your opinions.------------------------------------------Dear Mr. Springsteen,I am writing you regarding your upcoming concert that you are doing in conjunction with Autism Speaks.I have been a great fan of yours for years, and must admit that I got a little teary eyed when I read a story of how your music helped an autistic child learn to talk. My own son (who is autistic) also went through a stage…
When Will They Listen?

Club 166

22 Sep 2009 | 8:06 pm

One would have had to have been living in a cave in the greater disability community two years ago not to have noticed the Ransom Notes Campaign and the furor that followed it. In that campaign the NYU Child Study Center put out an ad campaign that implied that autistic individuals (as well as those with a number of other conditions) had been kidnapped. This imagery was (not surprisingly) extremely offensive to many in the greater disability community. After an intense counter campaign by disability advocacy groups, including ASAN, the Ransom Notes Campaign was stopped.The above video takes…
But At Least It Would Be a Graceful Death

Club 166

21 Sep 2009 | 5:50 pm

photo credit-mcvejacreative commons licenseSweet Pea tends to worry about the future. She'll come up with all sorts of things to worry about. Usually these are easily countered, and she is (temporarily) reassured. It's gotten that many of the same things come up over and over again, so I've developed almost automatic responses:"What if I don't like the job I get when I grow up?""Then you'll get another. I had a lot of different jobs before the one I have now"."What if a bad person breaks in our house and kidnaps me?""The doors and windows are all locked. And the police drive around all the…
Dogged Perseverence

Club 166

17 Sep 2009 | 7:22 pm

Some people may remember the story of the 5 year old Columbia, Il boy who had a service dog prescribed for him by his doctor, and had to fight a court battle in order to have the right to take the dog to his school. The Kalbfleisch family won a court order to have the dog allowed to accompany their son to school, after spending about $50,000 on attorney's fees fighting the school district, and another $10,000 for training the dog, which was trained by Wilderwood Service Dogs of Tennessee. The school district, which originally was willing to let Carter Kalbfleisch attend his home school,…

Whose Planet Is It Anyway?
Protesters Attacked by Flying Burrito Wrap

abfh

3 Nov 2009 | 5:37 pm

The ASAN members and cross-disability activists who protested at the Autism $peaks walk in Washington DC on Saturday, October 31st, resisted the temptation to dress in ghoulish Halloween costumes. Not everyone at the walk showed their level of maturity, however, as reported by a protester named Stan:"I was watching the first large group of Autism Speaks walkers, and one guy looked at us and threw a burrito wrap sandwich at us. It looked like he was throwing a burrito at us. It was like watching a Monty Python burrito attack."When I mentioned that I thought this deserved a blog post, another…
Segregated Workplaces

abfh

31 Oct 2009 | 5:19 pm

I've seen many blog and forum posts and articles about Specialisterne, the Danish company that recruits autistic workers for software testing positions, and similar enterprises that seek to hire autistics for jobs thought to be especially well suited to their talents. Quite often, these companies are described in glowing terms, along the lines of, "Look, wow, there's a business that actually hires autistics!"Well, okay, it's good that these companies have hired autistic workers who had been denied jobs elsewhere. But should it be seen as a fabulous, wow-inducing event when an employer simply…
Autism Speaks, We Need Answers

abfh

23 Oct 2009 | 11:44 am

Autism Speaks, which still hasn't learned its lesson about fear-mongering advertising and seems incapable of doing so, has decided to exploit a recent study of autism prevalence in the United States to incite even more false epidemic hysteria by way of a new fundraising campaign called "We Need Answers."autismspeaks.org/donate/we_need_answers.phpThe study found a parent-reported autism prevalence rate higher than previous US estimates, although not significantly different from the figures found in studies from the UK and other countries. Notwithstanding the fact that this new study merely…
Taking to the Streets

abfh

14 Oct 2009 | 6:52 am

People who don't understand that autism prevalence has remained stable often ask how there can't be an epidemic when they have seen large numbers of autistic children only in recent years. Where were all the autistic people before now?Of course, before the diagnostic criteria were broadened, most were not identified as autistic and were looked upon as part of the general population. Others were rarely or never seen in public because they were kept hidden away at home by their families or were sent to institutions.As reported by Hard Won Wisdom, it appears that at least one older autistic…
Supporting Allies

abfh

7 Oct 2009 | 11:35 am

This morning, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network released a joint letter from over 60 disability rights organizations calling on sponsors, donors, and supporters of Autism Speaks to end their support for the organization because of Autism Speaks' hateful attitudes and exploitative practices. ASAN also issued a press release and set up a petition site where individuals can endorse the letter.The disability rights advocates who are supporting ASAN and the autistic community in this effort are not receiving any financial benefit whatsoever from doing so. Rather, they are standing in solidarity…

Haddayr's Blog
Maine

Haddayr Copley-Woods

4 Nov 2009 | 7:29 am

just broke my heart. I really thought that New Englanders believed in live and let live, and equality. I really thought that we'd win this one.I feel like a naive kid saying it, but it's true: I just don't understand. Any of it.
Surviving Samhain/Halloween/Oíche na Sprideanna/All Hallows Eve

Haddayr Copley-Woods

31 Oct 2009 | 10:02 am

I suggest the following:Make a Parshall cross to keep out the Devil. We make one every year and he hasn't gotten in yet so you know they totally work: http://mysite.verizon.net/cbladey/parshal.htmlIf you absolutely must leave the house after dark, avoid crossroads. If you absolutely must be at a crossroads after dark, put a bent pin in your sleeve. If the Good Folk seize you anyway (and don't say I didn't warn you), whip off your coat, turn it inside out, and put it back on again. They will have no idea you're the same person.Here are some other ideas to protect yourselves, your loved ones,…
Amazing ride

Haddayr Copley-Woods

30 Oct 2009 | 8:37 am

It was too warm for being encased in rubber, but it's supposed to pour and pour today and it was raining when I first left.But.There was an incredible wind from the southwest, so it pretty much pushed me and a swirling cloud of leaves to work. Because the wind was to my back and side, not a single leaf got in my eyes or anything. They just swirled fantastically around me.I felt like a wicked witch. It was awesome.
Cliff Lee

Haddayr Copley-Woods

28 Oct 2009 | 7:58 pm

is my new boyfriend.
Interesting . . .

Haddayr Copley-Woods

27 Oct 2009 | 8:21 am

It would appear that even though I am nearly 40 years old and I even dated two football players in HS (weird ones, I grant you), I still bristle and snarl when I am confronted by a sea of letter jackets and their bevy of tall, blond escorts.A throng of them were leaving the elevator bays when I got to work this morning, and I was disappointed not only by my glare but also by the fact that when one of them bumped into me totally by accident I made it more of a slam by throwing my shoulder into it. I stood on the elevator, filled with shame, shaking my head at myself.As we rose upwards, the…

Liv's Journey...
Playing "Beat the Friggin Clock"

LIVSPARENTS

12 Oct 2009 | 8:30 pm

I'm sure I'm dating myself, and I'm sure I'm being a little too esoteric with this, early 70's, young lad addicted to daytime TV reference, but does anyone remember "Beat the Clock"? The show that had people trying to complete stunts within 60 seconds, that at first, seemed somewhat difficult but doable in the time frame, until the announcer pulled out the crazy twist, like doing the stunt in scuba flippers? Even if you never saw the show, you get the idea; but I think that God was a fan, fancy's Himself a game show host, and it seems I am the latest contestant.Or maybe He thinks he's…
Oakies

LIVSPARENTS

4 Oct 2009 | 8:30 pm

I crossed paths with a Texan today, who was looking to relocate to the NY/NJ area to find better schools for her autistic teenage son. It disturbed me that I had no good answers for her; and it was somewhat heartbreaking to hear of the tribulations she needed to go through to even get a district to give information, let alone, let her view their school.It struck me driving home, how much we have in common with the Okies during the Great Depression of the 1930's. For those of you unfamiliar, people from Oklahoma during the period, we fleeing a decade-long drought in search of a new home and…
Autism Sells

LIVSPARENTS

23 Sep 2009 | 8:59 pm

I originally thought that I could write a thoughtful, serious parody of the new Autism Speaks PSA, giving it a more reality and less of an "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" feel. But after I realized my biggest beef with it was it's blatant use of fear to 'sell' it's product; I just turned it in upon itself. If you compare the original transcription (Thanks Cody, for making my life easy), you can see how eloquently simple the needed changes were and how eerily fitting it becomes:man: I am Autism Speaks. I'm invisible to your autistic children, but if I can help it, I am visible to all you with…
Wow, I'm Slipping!

LIVSPARENTS

15 Sep 2009 | 9:47 am

Holi Canoli! I turn around and more than a month and a half has passed since my last post. It's not like there has not been material in the past 45 days, but most of my good ideas occurred inside my head, often as I am drifting off to sleep. I guess I could do a Twitter version:Vacation, late August...3 day trip to Cooperstown to relatives...I had entire posts in my head on generational frustrations of showing historical baseball in the hall of fame to boys who seem to care-less. My one liner to them "my only satisfaction is that you will be in this Baseball Hall of Fame 25 years from now…
Wright On!

LIVSPARENTS

30 Jul 2009 | 7:13 pm

Linda and I took a day off today, so to speak, and journeyed to the land of Washington Irving to Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry NY. Of course, days off that don't directly or indirectly involve our kids and/or autism are very rare, today was no exception. We attended an all day conference on Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy, to all you parents of special needs kids, I would highly highly recommend it. You receive two books and an all day talk with one of the founders of the Wrightslaw website, Peter Wright Esq. (but don't hold the lawyer title bias you, he's really a nice guy).

Whitterer on Autism
Hands free hair washing

Madeline

1 Nov 2009 | 10:58 pm

The hygiene of my children is very much a hands on affair. Having overcome the seasonal changes from baths in the winter, to showers in the summer and then back again, I can honestly say that the painful transition period has shortened considerably over the last decade, from months to a mere few weeks, testimonial to the fact that they continue to grow. I’m uncertain if I’m there in the bathroom to prevent escape, provide entertainment or minimize carnage, but in any event I consider that I could probably be using my time in a more constructive manner, elsewhere. That said it comes to my…
Do We not Bleed?

Madeline

25 Oct 2009 | 11:59 pm

The great thing about growing up is that life becomes so much more calm, relatively speaking. The bad thing about growing up is that the cues become more subtle, or at least they are for complacent, half witted parents, such as myself. Both the boys have gradually acquired a wide variety of coping mechanisms which they’re able to access more frequently these days. Since their outward behaviour is more conformist, I’m apt to forget that it’s still all there, just a scratch beneath the surface. Luckily for me, a little reminder here and there helps keep me grounded. The reminder arrives…
Blood Hounds

Madeline

18 Oct 2009 | 11:55 pm

I dry my hands carefully so I can put a fresh plaster on my finger, post washing up and then nip upstairs to bed down the smalls. I whip up the ladder to start with the smallest one on the top bunk. “Night, night luvvy.” “Agh!” “What’s the matter dear?” “Dat is dah worstest.” “What is?” “Dat smell?” “Hmm sorry about that. I was a bit heavy handed with the garlic tonight.” “Not food smell.” “Which smell?” “Yur finger stinks.” “My finger?” “Dah one wiv dah band aid.” “Can’t, I’ve only just washed them. Is it the soap? Doesn’t smell much…
All Systems Go – Cruise control

Madeline

11 Oct 2009 | 11:59 pm

We’ve always had problems with green, for as long as I can remember. Such a simple word that can be described in so many or few; a secondary colour, mix blue and yellow, use different proportions of each primary colour to produce different shades. But still those five letters elude him. It’s a little bit like when I try to remember something myself, some every day kind of a thing, like a film star’s name. I can see the boyish face, now morphed into middle age, it’s an easy name, I can see the roles he’s played but the name, that ever so average name is buried under pile of mis-filed…
Where oh where?

Madeline

4 Oct 2009 | 11:56 pm

Sometimes these things creep up on you when you least expect them. This one runs at me, bowls me over and catches me out on a day when we’re running behind schedule, loudly drowning in the minutiae of the early morning schedule, the one designed to have everyone ready for school on time, although we are rarely truly successful. It’s always an approximation of harried, as no-one around here will be hurried. The minutes tick by as we fall further and further behind, flustered and frustrated, just for a change. By the time he comes downstairs for the umpteenth time in a state of…

Left Brain/Right Brain
Time Magazine picks up “I am Autism” protests

Sullivan

6 Nov 2009 | 3:00 pm

Time magazine has an article online today, ‘I Am Autism’: An Advocacy Video Sparks Protest. The article notes the protests staged in response to the I Am Autism video. (I have made my own position clear on the video Autism Speaks media campaign…I am autism, Why I don’t like “I am Autism”, I am autism video removed from Autism Speaks’ website…or is it?, The Autism Speaks bait and switch with I am Autism, and ASAN’s Letter in Response to Autism Speaks’ Exploitative Practices.) Time starts out with the controversies in the autism…
AoA Circulates H1N1 Hoax

Guest Blogger

5 Nov 2009 | 11:49 pm

On October 27, AoA posted an article titled “Without Vaccine, Australia Shrugs Off Swine Flu”, By David Burd. This article consists of a string of claims clearly at odds with reality: “(Australia has) no vaccine available for H1N1 flu…” The University of Queensland claimed to have manufactured the first litre of an H1N1 vaccine made in Australia on June 29, 2009. Large-scale immunization began on September 28. “Australia recently ended its 2009 `Flu Season’ (their Winter in our Summer), with 186 flu-associated fatalities of 36,991 Aussies confirmed…
Political abuse and the abuse of autism

Mike Stanton

5 Nov 2009 | 2:11 pm

“Political autism” has emerged again in a row within the European Union (EU). Despite taking Britain into the EEC (the forerunner of the EU) in 1973, the Conservatives have always been vulnerable to disputes between their pro-European wing and the euro-sceptics who are mistrustful of European federalism and keen to defend British independence. The Labour Party has comparable factions within its ranks. Thus political leaders of both the main parties have always had to perform a tricky manoeuvre, demonstrating their European credentials to a business community that knows where its…
The ‘Connectivity’ Link between Autism and Dyslexia

Emily L. Williams

4 Nov 2009 | 7:29 am

In an article currently in press in The Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, University of Louisville researcher, Dr. Manuel Casanova, provides tantalizing evidence supporting his theory of altered neural connectivity in dyslexia. Casanova proposes that the underlying deficits in dyslexia are due to an increase in long-range connections and a matched decrease of short-range connections. This piggy-backs his earlier research on autism, in which his team reported decreased long-range and increased short-range connectivity in the autistic brain, the opposite as seen in dyslexia. In a…
Bye bye Aspergers?

Kev

4 Nov 2009 | 1:13 am

The recent article in the New York Times concerning the possibility of the ‘vanishing’ of Aspergers Syndrome from the next version of the DSM (due in 2012) only asks two people with the AS diagnosis (Temple Grandin and Ari Ne’eman) for their opinions. Nothing wrong with that as such but I’d like to hear what the AS community at large thinks. Temple thinks that the AS community is too large and too vocal to simply disappear but I think she’s missing the point somewhat. The point is (in my opinion) neatly encapsulated by Ari. He points out that AS isn’t…

Susan's Blog
I Have a Dream

Susan Senator

7 Nov 2009 | 3:21 am

Yesterday when Nat came home from school, I made him stand in the entryway so I could hug him. His face had a lot of stubble, and his skin was rough and smelled like food. I said, "Donnes-moi une baisse!" He looked at me, and kept walking. Then I said it again, pointing at my cheek. He pointed at his cheek. I said it once more, pointing at my cheek, and he did come over and kiss me. I exuded my usual joy with him and he went on his way, always the same, remove the jacket, remove the shoes, throw down the backpack, take out the pill bag and put it on the counter, run upstairs and unpack,…
Just Play Along With It

Susan Senator

4 Nov 2009 | 3:00 am

Here's why I hate competitive sports. In the end, it is all about winning. Winning by definition means somebody loses. Oh, right, so that next time they'll try harder to be the one who doesn't lose.Except when you've got a person who only just recently figured out how to play a game, and why it's a good thing to throw a ball away, so that it lands in one particular place as opposed to another. It turns out you have to do something with that ball if you catch it. Push it out of your hands, and everyone around you cheers. Get it to go into the basket, and they cheer even more. Plus, if you do…
Two "Survival Guide" Events

Susan Senator

3 Nov 2009 | 1:01 pm

I now have the first two events scheduled for my Autism Mom's Survival Guide book tour: Sat., April 3, 2pm, Gibson's Book Store, Concord NH; and Sat. April 17, 2pm., Borders in Chestnut Hill, Mass. If you have a special needs/autism group that wants to sponsor an event with a bookstore near you, let me know and I'll put you in touch with my publicist. This is usually how I do these things; an autism conference brings me out to wherever and partners with the local bookstore. (For Making Peace With Autism, I've been to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Wyoming, Toronto, Ohio, Pennsylvania, NJ, NYC, CT...)…
What, Me Worry?

Susan Senator

31 Oct 2009 | 7:32 pm

I spend so much time thinking about autism; studying it like a college course. I give talks and travel all over the place expounding on autism. The last few days I was in Washington serving on a panel alongside scientists, reviewing autism research grants. The cerebellum was working overtime. Autismautismautismautismautismautismautismautismautimsautismupthewazoo.I was asked over and over again, what, among other things, ist my plan for Nat when Ned and I are old and unable to care for him (or dead). I always say, "My plan is not to die." That is not much of a plan. So I spend a lot of time…
Weed and Feed -- But Cut Out the Screed

Susan Senator

30 Oct 2009 | 1:25 pm

The issue for autism parents should not be what they did and did not try. That should not be a divisive factor in our community. Why judge? Why not assume that each parent is doing the best they can, with the small margin of exceptions? How can someone judge from the outside what the inside of my family -- or my kid -- is like? In fact, how dare they? Some of the comments in my last post just blow my mind. I can't imagine equating advocacy in the State House with giving up on my kid. It just doesn't make sense. I also can't imagine making the broad statement that "most parents" don't have the…

Mother of Shrek
Challenging Behaviour

Casdok

20 Oct 2009 | 2:57 am

For me what has been the toughest - C’s Autism or his severe learning disability? Neither it’s his challenging behaviour that has shaped both our lives.What struck me very early on in Cs life was the injustice/stigma he has had to face on so many levels because of his behaviour that has challenged and people don’t see that he is a person first doing the best he can.I found this recently that I had written describing C’s early years. By C proofing the house, early specialist intervention and continued support, C has come a long way since then. It hasn’t been easy for either of us but…
Celebrating 21 years!

Casdok

27 Sep 2009 | 8:30 am

I want to bounce into C’s room singing ‘happy birthday’ giving him a big hug and showering him with kisses and presents. But I know what would happen if I did. And it is not about me.So I walk into C’s room, he spies me with his peripheral vision. And then he looks at me, head tilted upside down, fingers pressed into the corner of his eyes. C hums loudly to drown out anything I might say. So I whisper in short sentences not directed at him but to the birthday present I am holding. His humming becomes quieter as if he is straining to hear what I am describing. I don’t give C the…
Liberty Festival 2009

Casdok

6 Sep 2009 | 1:00 am

Liberty Festival; celebrating the contribution of Deaf and disabled people to London’s culture, in Trafalgar square. A lovely afternoon out with lots to see. I took C last year, but this year I went on my own which meant I could stand around and watch things – which I can’t do with C (unless its trains or feet!) There was much going on...From comedy to music.To aerial street art from Blue Eyed Soul and dance. The story Swan for children and talented Mouth and foot painters.Marc Brew showed a very touching performance ‘Nocturne’ which if C had been there I had visions of him…
Touch wood

Casdok

14 Aug 2009 | 7:05 am

I still can’t quite process the fact that C’s new home is working really well!!Learning from all the negative things the last home did, I talked at length with this new home - they have listened and put everything into practice.It hasn’t all been plain sailing – but it is positive. The last home C refused to let them take his helmet off. This time C is refusing to let them put it on him. Rather worrying for me, but his head banging has been minimal, and the staff have been learning fast. So he was obviously telling them he didn’t need it.Apart from listening to both C and I. The…
The future

Casdok

20 Jul 2009 | 11:57 pm

2 weeks till C moves. Sleep alludes me as thoughts run round my head. Visits to C’s new home are going as expected –difficult, traumatic. But each visit getting a little easier, its hard to know how much he understands. In this last year he has worn his helmet out – and I want to put him through a move again. The decisions we make for our children are over whelming at times.And both C and i have been managing our stress in different - but the same ways.After 2 years of searching for a home a specialist home I thought would meet C's needs where he could grow, and had the right experience…

Runman
Confederation Bridge to host Terry Fox Run again in 2010

jypsy

6 Nov 2009 | 9:44 am

Confederation Bridge to host Terry Fox Run again in 2010In recognition of the 30th anniversary of Terry Fox's ‘Marathon of Hope’; Confederation Bridge, in partnership with the Terry Fox Foundation, is pleased to announce the return of the Terry Fox Run at the Bridge on September 19, 2010. As a result the Bridge will be closed 6:00am – 1:00pm on the day of the Run.2010 will mark the second time the Confederation Bridge has hosted the Terry Fox Run. The event was previously held in 2005 to commemorate the Run’s 25th Anniversary, attracting 14,000 participants and raising $375,000 for…
Don't Forget your Pumpkins!

jypsy

6 Nov 2009 | 7:50 am

Bring your pumpkins to the Wally Rodd 10k on November 7th. Runners are invited to pay $1 to throw your pumpkin off the top of the Charlottetown Hotel ANDget your name in to win a week-end for 2 at the Rodd Charlottetown!All funds raised will be donated to the IWK. Give a Loonie, toss a pumpkin. Act like a child, help a child at the IWK.http://www.iwk.nshealth.ca
Islander to share Olympic experiences with students Kara Grant’s tour of P.E.I. schools begins today

jypsy

4 Nov 2009 | 5:17 am

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=300323&sc=99Islander to share Olympic experiences with students Kara Grant’s tour of P.E.I. schools begins today The Guardian Former Olympian Kara Grant will be touring Island schools starting today to give insight on the Olympian program heading into the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. Grant, from Stratford, recently joined the RBC Olympians Program. The program employs current and retired Olympic and Paralympic athletes to work as community ambassadors by inspiring and promoting Olympic values like teamwork, leadership and dedication through…
Cycling P.E.I. receives national award

jypsy

4 Nov 2009 | 5:15 am

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=299919&sc=99Cycling P.E.I. receives national award The Guardian Cycling P.E.I. was presented with one of the national body’s most prestigious awards at the sport’s annual general meeting at the Rodd Hotel in Charlottetown recently. Mark Bowlan, president of Cycling P.E.I., was presented with the Torchy Peden Award on behalf of the association for its recent outstanding growth in membership, efficiency in operations and administration and for its all-round development of the sport. The award is named after one of Canada’s greatest cyclists…
Dachstein daze - Flying time again - Mark Arendz

jypsy

4 Nov 2009 | 5:09 am

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=300071&sc=110Dachstein daze MARK ARENDZ The Guardian I have a few minutes now after I have just finished packing to go home after another successful training camp. I am wrapping up my very first high altitude, glacier skiing camp. The camp was in Ramsau am Dachstein, Austria. It is a beautiful country. Like most of central Europe it has traditional customs but also hidden modern features. This camp has been a tough one. The coupling of jet-lag (eight hours) and altitude (hotel at 1,700 metres, Dachstein glacier at 2,700 metres) made it very…

Odd One Out
Rhetorical Questions

lastcrazyhorn

18 Oct 2009 | 7:01 am

In my ongoing and disjointed attempt to help other people understand Asperger’s Syndrome, I have decided to discuss the problems I have with rhetorical questions. Via UsingEnglish.com: A rhetorical question is one that requires no answer because the answer is obvious and doesn’t need to be stated . The speaker (of the rhetorical question) is not looking for an answer but is making some kind of a point, as in an argument. Now, I also have some difficulty with certain types of sarcastic statements, but that’s largely because I’m not only somewhat gullible, but I have…
In Comparison . . .

lastcrazyhorn

6 Oct 2009 | 4:23 am

The reticulated python is positively cute.
I Like Mutants

lastcrazyhorn

4 Oct 2009 | 2:59 pm

Or perhaps just abnormally large/bizarre things. Either way . . . So like a few posts ago, I’ve got another couple of key words you ought to shove into Google; only this time, you can pick whether or not you want to look at images or text. “Titanoboa cerrejonensis.“ Sounds fun; don’t you think? I thought so. I even linked a couple of articles for you. Aren’t I nice? I linked them in the name itself. Click on of the two words above and you’ll be sent to one of the two articles. Personally I like the second of the two best, but that might just be…
Say It With Me

lastcrazyhorn

22 Sep 2009 | 4:12 am

Gotta wake up!!! It’s homework time and I have to stay awake to do it (at 6:03 am). I don’t think my state of wakefulness this morning was helped much by those really whacked out dreams I had last night. The little woman from Norway or Iceland, or wherever she was from, running around with a smoking American flag (the pole was smoking) was odd enough, but the fact that the flag was actually just a triggering device for all of her bombs was truly bizarre; and let’s not forget that odd cackling sound she kept making either. And then there were the two cops that followed…
Dag Hammarskjöld

lastcrazyhorn

12 Sep 2009 | 6:31 am

“To be ’sociable’ – to talk merely because convention forbids silence, to rub against one another in order to create the illusion of intimacy and contact: what an example of la condition humaine. Exhausting, naturally, like any improper use of our spiritual resources. In miniature, one of the many ways in which mankind successfully acts as its own scourge–in the hell of spiritual death.” - Dag Hammarskjöld; translated from Swedish by Leif Sjöberg & W.H. Auden. Likewise, he also wrote poetry; or possibly merely arranged his thoughts through a rhythmic…

Autism's Edges
Hearts Are Ungraded

18 Oct 2009 | 3:42 pm

Even though Sweet M's most recent drawings have not show her embedded in a community as she was last year, one of last week's shows her surrounded by hearts. You've gotta love this girl, and apparently plenty of people do. Art may be graded, but it seems hearts are not.
"Art Is Not for Grading"

10 Oct 2009 | 11:01 am

Sweet M had been holding up pretty well with the transitions that middle school has brought. There had been some tears, and there was the return to the image of the solitary flower, but she was mostly buoyant and enthusiastic, especially about the upcoming school dance and planning her birthday party.She was handling the two hours of homework each night. Yes, that was "two hours," not a typo. (
Putting Down Roots

9 Oct 2009 | 6:48 pm

One of the reasons that we worked so hard to keep Sweet M at her current school was that we could see from her drawings that something was changing in her sense of relatedness.These drawings from her series of flowers, trees, and cacti are from the fall and winter of last year . . .We're not art therapists, but it looked to Fathersvox and I that she was, bit by bit, feeling settled. Between
September's Questions

6 Oct 2009 | 3:51 am

The month of September brought us countless questions, often uttered between sobs of deep grief:Why do kids have to go to school?Why can't kids just stay home and learn?Why are the teachers always, always talking? They never stop talking.Will I go to college?How soon can I go to college?Can I go to college where you teach?If kids are really smart can they do high school in two years?Can I go to
To the Ends of the Earth

12 Jul 2009 | 2:55 pm

A willingness to go to the ends of the earth for our kids is something that autism seems to inspire in many of us, but few have done so as literally as Rupert Isaacson and his wife, Kristin Neff, who took their autistic son Rowan to the steppes of Mongolia to seek the help of shaman healers. The Horse Boy: A Father's Quest to Heal His Son is Isaacson's moving account of that journey and its many

Marla Baltes
On A Medicaid Paperwork Phone Calling Binge

3 Nov 2009 | 2:01 pm

Or something like that! I have been working hard the last few days to get Maizie's Medicaid Waiver stuff from hell finished (if there is such a thing as being finished), Respite Care Provider has been chosen and will be met with soon and Maizie was squeezed in for a last minute psychiatry appointment. Whew! I have been working on these seemingly simple tasks for weeks...no...months.I signed and mailed my divorce settlement papers today. I will be divorced in a few weeks! Wahoo! Writing this settlement has taken months. It is well written and takes Maizie's long term needs into account. J is…
Halloween Fun!

2 Nov 2009 | 2:29 pm

The girls arrived Friday night. It had been a long while since we saw the girls. Chris had a very rough month with the guard. Which means everyone had a rough month missing Chris. He is a commander and they are getting ready for a deployment to Afghanistan. For the entire month of October he was readying troops for the deployment. He worked from about five a.m. to eleven at night all week and most weekends. It was great to have him home and especially to have the girls with us as well.As you can see from the photo above Mimi and Maizie missed one another very much. They have grown very close…
Halloween Changes

29 Oct 2009 | 3:58 pm

Halloween has always been Maizie's favorite holiday. Every year Maizie would Trick or Treat with her cousin Daniel and Christian. This will be the first year Maizie and Christian will be apart on Halloween.I called Christian today, he has yet to talk to me or Maizie on the phone since we moved to Iowa. He refuses because he misses us too much. Christian came here for a week and we had so much fun. I often wish he was home schooled along with Maizie so I could bring him here during the school year too. I miss him terribly. I miss Daniel too but Daniel is a moody teenager and not so easy to…
Why I am Terrified of The Flu More than Ever

24 Oct 2009 | 9:37 pm

Since I was not blogging most of last Spring most of you did not even know that Maizie became very sick. We were still living at our home in Indiana. J (Maizie's Dad) had left us on Christmas Eve and our lives had been in total upheaval. Maizie was stressed to the max and crying daily missing her Dad.J had a visit with Maizie one night. He was gone with her about an hour when he had to bring her back due to her going into a bad CVS spell. J brought her in the house and within minutes he left.Maizie was so sick with this CVS bout. Me and Maizie were in the living room and it was around two in…
Welcome Baby Sam!

23 Oct 2009 | 5:08 pm

Today my little sister Melissa gave birth to her second child, Samuel Paul. I am so excited for her! He is too cute! Visit Melissa, Tim, Alex and baby Sam at Meljo blog.

The Voyage: life with autism in Northern Ireland
Accentuate the positive

21 Oct 2009 | 5:23 am

Life is stressful now more than ever. But something wonderful has been happening and my inability to blog lately means I have not focussed on it as I usually would. My boy Duncan is doing really well. He is happy, settled, more focussed, talks loads, understands speech more and can carry out more complex instructions. His reading ability continues to improve. He has played lots of computer games and uses YouTube instruction videos (which have occasionally increased his vocabulary in less than optimal ways) when he gets stuck since he knows I'm no help. He also gets his brother Thomas to help…
Forge ahead

1 Oct 2009 | 5:16 am

I've neglected to blog much over the past 2 months, and have been thinking about what I want to write here. I feel like I share too much sometimes, but also that there's much that I keep hidden. The past few months have been a time of personal reflection on what it is I need and want and how I can raise my children in an atmosphere of love and possibility. In recent years I have reconsidered many of my values and ideas about the world and with new insight, have discarded many assumptions and taken new notions on-board. This is the real voyage, it's scary and exciting but it will continue as…
Flipping and cycling

9 Sep 2009 | 4:55 am

We had a sporty weekend. Thomas and Lady had their jujitsu class after which Lady tried out to join the new competition squad set up by her cheerleading group. Thomas and I watched and she was great. Afterwards one of the coaches I didn't know asked if she'd like to join 2 other squad classes, in tumbling and acrobatics. Hell yeah! She is so keen on her gymnastics and has for ages been hoping that a time may come when she could join a squad. She is very happy and I am proud of her. She will be doing over 7 hours a week of gymnastics and would happily do twice that. Flipping ace!Gordon got…
Summer Ends

1 Sep 2009 | 8:31 am

The summer holidays have ended and for a few hours each day, my lot are just about the only children around not in school or nursery. We needed new wellies; walks through the forest and down to the beach tend to leave one's footwear rather mucky from September onwards. So we went to the shops and noticed for the first time in months how we stuck out, even more than usual.But since so many of their friends are in school and not tearing up and down the streets on bikes, my children were content to settle to some reading, writing and 'rithmetic (or Mathematics, as Thomas says gravely) and that…
Lady's birthday

18 Aug 2009 | 8:31 am

Lady with her Grandma and Pippi. My girl is growing up!A week has passed since Lady turned 11. I still don't understand how I can have so old a daughter! We celebrated with a party, friends, a clown boucy castle, copious quantities of junk food, party poppers and two home made cakes. Best of all, her BFF (best friend forever for those who don't speak Girl) and her sister came over from London for a few days with their mum. It's been 2 years since they last visited so we were very happy to have them over again. The girls had a few hours to reconnect, then the rest of the party people arrived.

Com(mentary)Aut(ism)World
It's no secret.

Jannalou

21 Oct 2009 | 2:47 pm

It's no secret that I have ADHD. I'm open about it. I talk about it whenever it seems appropriate.It's no secret that I don't think autism is The Worst Thing Ever. I've known a lot of kids and a lot of adults (both online and off) with autism spectrum disorders, and I have found them all incredibly interesting and entertaining (though sometimes frustrating) human beings.It's no secret that I don't currently take medication for my ADHD. I stopped in May 2008. I'm reconsidering that decision, based on the difficulties I've been having in my life since I stopped working full-time - that lack of…
I almost missed it - ten years ago today...

Jannalou

21 Aug 2009 | 8:23 pm

Ten years ago today, I embarked upon this strange and wonderful journey. It was the day I started my training in Lovaas-style Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA). I was one member of a five-person team of therapists who would be coming in to the family's home to work with their three-year old son. He would be scheduled for over 40 hours per week, so that if anyone missed one of their two-hour shifts, he would still be likely to get his full 40 hours in. That 40+ hours was scheduled across all seven days of the week, though there were only two sessions on Sunday - plus our weekly team meetings.
Respect, dignity, and rights.

Jannalou

10 Jul 2009 | 4:39 am

re⋅spect /rɪˈspɛkt/ [ri-spekt]–verb (used with object)to hold in esteem or honor: I cannot respect a cheat.to show regard or consideration for: to respect someone's rights.to refrain from intruding upon or interfering with: to respect a person's privacy.to relate or have reference to.(courtesy of Dictionary.com)dig⋅ni⋅ty /ˈdɪgnɪti/ [dig-ni-tee]–noun, plural -ties.bearing, conduct, or speech indicative of self-respect or appreciation of the formality or gravity of an occasion or situation.nobility or elevation of character; worthiness: dignity of sentiments.elevated rank,…
New e-zine.

Jannalou

24 Jun 2009 | 5:15 pm

In 2005, I had an idea for a magazine.Well, it took a while, but there is finally a web site up and I am hoping to have an issue out in October. Autisticonnections is going to include writing and artwork by individuals with autism, autism-related disorders, and other neurological disorders like ADHD. We will have poetry, fiction, and personal essays, and hopefully a few proper articles, as well. None of the contributors will be neurotypical, if at all possible.Please check out the web site at http://autisticonnections.org. I would love some volunteers to help me out with this project, and of…
Ableism is bigotry and discrimination at its worst.

Jannalou

17 Jun 2009 | 6:46 pm

One of my dear friends, J, has cerebral palsy and fibromyalgia. As a result, she has mobility issues that she handles quite nicely with her service dog and wheelchair. She is sometimes able to navigate without either, but as a general rule she prefers to bring her dog to help her get around. This dog was trained by her and is incredibly well-behaved. He wears a vest when he's working, so you know when you can't pet him. The two of them do presentations about disabilities and service dogs for schools and organizations.J and I met via NaNoWriMo, that writing contest I do every November (you…

What are they thinking?
SHE WORKS HARD FOR THE MONEY....

Mom26children

24 Oct 2009 | 9:05 am

After much thought and discussions with the people who matter most to me in this world, I have decided to rejoin the work force. With our children doing so well in life, after much hard work from many people, I decided to go back to work at a job that I enjoyed so much, many years ago.I was hired the day of my interview...much to my surprise...and welcomed back with open arms.I finished training on Friday, and will go full force into my career on Monday.Yep, at the ripe old age of almost 49 (in November), I will begin a career....who knew?The kids have done remarkably well with the…
THE HYPOCRISY OF THE AUTISM COMMUNITY...

Mom26children

24 Sep 2009 | 8:46 pm

This week, according to the news, John Travolta admitted his son had autism...big frickin' deal...we all knew it. We saw the pictures of Jett walking on his tippy-toes,flapping his hands and being held by his hands while he walked. We, in the autism community,knew they were raising a child with autism.Now, the autism community is pissed off because John and Kelly Travolta did notadmit this while their son was alive.What good would that have done?Because John and Kelly did not choose to exploit their child as other celebritieswith Autistic children have (um-hm....Jenny Mac), they were wrong?I…
PUUURRRR-FECT

Mom26children

7 Sep 2009 | 8:26 pm

Yes, even I get the occasional virus...it happens.Last Wednesday, I started to feel badly. By Friday...YIKES !!!Full-blown virus. Sore throat, achy body, tiredness....And NO !!! It is not the Swine Flu ....So, here is my story...I was laying on the couch, only to get up to fix theoccasional meal, or take out the occasional laundry andfold it...other than that, I did not do much "labor" thisLabor Day weekend.As I was lying on my couch, which is so comfortable that you cancrash there without wanting to, I had an occasional visitor.It was Kiernan...my 8 year old, non-verbal son....He crawled up…
EXPECTATIONS OF MOTHERHHOOD...

Mom26children

9 Aug 2009 | 8:41 pm

I remember back when I was 29 years old..yep, 20 years ago this year.I told my boss where I worked, at the Sheraton Centre Hotel in Midtown Manhattan,that I was going to have a baby.Patrick and I bought as many baby books as we could find at the local book stores.We read the month-by-month accounts of what should happen during my pregnancy.Sometimes they were right on target....most times not.I had a fairly easy pregnancy.We did the obligatory lamaze class with a very spectacular Jamaican woman in theEast Village...that was fun !!!Caitlin came fast and furious..so fast that the cab driver did…
FACE TO FACEBOOK...

Mom26children

6 Aug 2009 | 8:31 pm

I recently "friended" a person on Facebook, who by her Facebook name was acommenter on the Autism Speaks forum. This mother of a child with Autismtends to be more towards the Neurodiverse side than the BM side of treatingtheir child with Autism.She puts up with criticism well, and stands her ground without being hateful, so Iaccepted her "friend" request.Well. lo and behold, it was brought to my attention today that some scum bag ofa parent on the Autism Speaks forum has used this name to gain information fromsome of my true Facebook Friends.First and foremost...how really stupid is this…

Life With Joey
All quiet on the holiday front

Joeymom

6 Nov 2009 | 9:24 am

As we embark upon the Holiday Season, I am glad to report that we are, for the most part, quiet here. Joey has had normal ups and downs, and is working well with his speech therapist, Ms. Leslie. Still no word about OT, but that's OK for now, because I am still trying to pay off their bill that I thought was paid long ago, and I still have no clue how much I still owe because of the way they bill. Andy is his usual bouncy self. We have been mitigating the bounce factor by encouraging outside play. My plan for today was to work on the back yard, but unfortunately, I am in the grips of a sinus…
Halloween

Joeymom

1 Nov 2009 | 4:09 am

Yes, the Big Night arrived: time for Trick or Treat! A little light rain didn't hold us back. Fleece washes. So Buzz Lightyear and the Purple Chipmunk were out and about to get their share of sugary comestibles. I will say the boys did a fabulous job with their jack-o-lanterns. Neither of them wanted gooey hands this year, so JoeyAndyDad and I did most of the disgorging of slime, but I then had them draw their faces on, and I carved them out just as they were. Andy preferred round eyes (he has trouble making corners still), and Joey did lots of triangles. I also recommend those little…
Yes, here is your update: Unexpected!

Joeymom

30 Oct 2009 | 4:19 pm
Unexpected

Joeymom

30 Oct 2009 | 5:15 am

Around here, we collect the unexpected. Somewhere I have a little list of "Things You Never Thought You Would Ever Say." Such as "Please don't hit me with a llama, I'm trying to eat." But you take these things in stride, because when you became a parent, you took a parent oath. You know, when I took the Mommy Oath, I always wondered about the part that goes, "Children can be anything they want for Halloween. And if my son wants to be purple chipmunk for Halloween, by God, I will make him a purple chipmunk for Halloween!" When you ask, "Hey, sweetie, what do you want to be for Halloween?" you…
Happy Birthday, JoeyAndyDad!!!

Joeymom

27 Oct 2009 | 6:07 pm

We love you!

Hard Won Wisdom
Autismspeaks:

r.b.

4 Nov 2009 | 7:03 am
Self-injury and affect regulation.

r.b.

24 Oct 2009 | 11:33 am

I am currently obsessing on self-injury---especially among studies that doen't neccessarily include autism or intellectual disabilities. Abfh is right. There's a lot out there. It is a very common phenomena. I thought the following gave a logical reason for it--to ease bad feelings (negative affect). With a synopsis of 18 other studies, the author concludes that it helps them feel better (aka affect regulation function). 1: Clin Psychol Rev. 2007 Mar;27(2):226-39. Epub 2006 Oct 2. LinksThe functions of deliberate self-injury: a review of the…
Empathy or Evil, I don't know.....

r.b.

23 Oct 2009 | 5:30 am

Watch out...I am putting it out there. I may tick some of you off. I will try not to make an ass of myself! I'm just trying to understand.I was so worried about Aspie-Web-Net. At least we know he is alive. What he was going through was horribly hard on him. I have been so depressed before I could have cut my wrists, in fact, I was thinking the yesterday that know I know why people cut their wrists. Not because of the depression, per-se, but because your blood feels so thick, like it might be suffocating you. I've only been that depressed once in my life, and it…
In memory of Joyce, my muse!!!! (I still love you, honey...)

r.b.

21 Oct 2009 | 6:22 pm

I remember when I suffered from major depression, before Ben was even thought of. I considered cutting...My blood, my life felt so thick and slow, like it was killing me...If I let a little bit out, I could relieve the pressure....and it would be so pretty...and feel so good. I don't know why I never did. But I thought about it with pleasure. I guess just thinking about it made me feel better.When I was depressed, I used to hear and read "things will get better" when I wasn't being told in so many words to "snap out of it" and "quit being selfish". Without the…
I'm blogging and I can't shut up...ADAPT organization

r.b.

14 Oct 2009 | 2:11 pm

I was so impressed by what I saw on Sunday, Day one of the ADAPT Action!There were significant points of leadership I noticed in the first day of the ADAPT “Action”. (Let me re-iterate, it was a carefully thought out political ACTION). Beings as I was just there and not directly involved in any way I had the luxury of just noticing stuff... I've never led anything in my life, so it was all new to me. In case any of y'all might also be interested: Here goes!There seemed to be 2 divisions of leadership.In the first, I noticed a group of people who seemed very comfortable with the whole…

Autism Spectrum Disorders @ BellaOnline
California Services to Disabled Community

25 Oct 2009 | 5:51 pm

Information from the Office of Client's Rights Advocacy in relation to how Regional Center services have changed due to California budget issues.
Amendment IEP for Therapy

3 Oct 2009 | 4:43 pm

Occupational Therapy and Speech Therapy reasons for having an amended IEP meeting.
KEEN Programs for Children with Disabilities

18 Sep 2009 | 9:13 pm

Sharing experience of Kids Enjoy Exercise Now (KEEN) at one of the monthly sessions for children with disabilities.

Send Chocolate
Here I thought I needed to buy a bucket, as well...I have GOT to get my hearing checked!

T.

6 Nov 2009 | 3:15 pm

The chanting from the backseat was making me crazy. Here I was in stop-and-go traffic (after all, I live in Orange County, what else would it be??) and my littlest one was going on and on about something she found important and I found vaguely irritating. Halfway listening, I asked her, "What?" "Mommy, can I have a walrus?" I pondered for a moment...say what? So, she repeated herself, "I want a walrus! I want a walrus!" Now at this point, you are probably saying to yourself, if you are halfway normal, "A WHAT?" But not me. Used to bizarre requests because my son is the Master of the…
Lookie what I did!

T.

6 Nov 2009 | 4:41 am

Ok so you heard about my new bloggy (ad)venture, Trampled with Zebras, and totally have no idea what it means, right? Well, I wrote an explanation over at OCFamily about it, so go read it! Then comment, so I don't feel like that kid in the cafeteria who ends up sitting by herself at lunch! Ok? Thanks!! [mwah!] T, who appreciates you, really I do! Related articles by ZemantaWe are (OC) Family (sendchocolatenow.com)Something that totally made my day. (magnetoboldtoo.com)A break up letter (loraleeslooneytunes.com)Why I don't really care that I'm wearing Payless shoes to The White House (and…
We are (OC) Family

T.

3 Nov 2009 | 12:41 am

I just want to get this straight. I do live in Orange County, CA. Not the Orange County with the multi-million dollar houses. I don't live behind a locked gate, sipping vodka martinis in a hot tub. I haven't had any "work" done, besides the standard semi-exercise to keep my butt from sagging to my knees. I like yoga, and I flirt with Pilates, mess about a bit with karate, but don't have a personal trainer, and certainly not one with a six-pack named Del or Hans or Antony. I own a scale, but I never look at it. I would rather poke out an eye than to let anyone near my face with a syringe full…
When did teenagers start pushing thirty?

T.

2 Nov 2009 | 12:02 pm

Wonder why the kids on Glee look so good? It's because they are not kids at all! I am not some giggly teenager (but I do have one, though giggles are far and few between, maybe a "SQUUEEE" once in a while). That being said, I discovered an artist that I like, the song has potential, it is catchy. It just so happens that the song is by Mark Stalling, who plays Puck on Glee, the breakout new dramedy on Fox this season. Turns out Mark was in a band, called Jericho, and they have an album. Sadly, this song is not on the album. But I'll keep trying. This song seems radio-worthy to me. See what you…
We didn't even have to smell anybody's feet!

T.

1 Nov 2009 | 1:07 am

I have always liked Halloween, I suppose it is the theatre diva in me. A holiday that let's me get all dressed up like somebody else? Gimme more a dat! So this year, I toyed with the idea of Sylvia Plath (who apparently liked to bake) and a Lolita Goth, but figured it would just freak out my already-freaked-by-Halloween daughters. (also? as a teen, do you really want your mom to dress as a goth? Few things are probably scarier than that..a real horror show) So I nixed that idea, poured myself a drink and just decided to go easy this year. This is the first year that JBear came up with his own…

autism sucks
Bet you didn't know you were a writer!

7 Nov 2009 | 12:35 am

It's been a bit since we have posted, but we are still around. If you have experience with autism, consider writing here. All you need is your story. Email sendchocolatenow AT gmail DOT com Together, we can get through life with autism. Tina
Is the CDC quietly revising autism numbers behind our back?

26 Sep 2009 | 1:29 pm

I don't normally do this, but I am linking to the article on new autism rates I wrote at Examiner.com simply because I am still reeling at what I found out. I am having a hard time believing it but the CDC appears to be trying to bury new numbers as to the rates of autism in the US. The rate is now 1 in 100, or 1% of all kids in the United States will be diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. WHY isn't this all over the news? Your guess is as good as mine. Read the article. What do you think? T, who is NOT a Conspiracy Theorist, but is searching for an explanation Tina Cruz is a writer,…
A Super Mom I'm Not

11 Aug 2009 | 6:31 pm

This is my first time posting to this blog, so bear with me. Its just that this topic has been weighing heavy on my mind lately and it hit a chord on my blog, so I thought I'd share. ------- Scattered. Space Cadet. Flake. These are all terms I'm sure have been used to describe me. Maybe because over the years I've backed out of more than my fair share of commitments. Its gotten so bad that I now run when I see a well-intended parent seeking volunteers for some good cause. Its not that I have a fear of commitment, its just that I can never commit. If I do, the Murphy's Law that is my life…
Autism-Through A Sister's Eyes

28 Jul 2009 | 12:33 pm

Autism, a six letter word here meaning "a neurological disorder that can change lives and wreak much havoc" has taken residence in my home for years. Both of my siblings have been diagnosed with high functioning autism. Autism certainly isn't easy to live with. I share a room with my seven year old sister, a feat that requires much patience at times. How do you explain that at 8:00 in the morning, you don't yell at the cat to get out of the closet? (Who cares that the cat is wearing a tiara? I'm trying to sleep!) How do you explain that you can't understand someone when they are yelling at…
Now we are condoning discrimination? oh, HELL no!

12 Jun 2009 | 4:15 pm

Sorry, I am crossposting this on all of my sites. I simply feel the issue is too important to ignore. Thanks! You might remember earlier this year about the teacher from Port St. Lucie, FL who had her class vote on whether Alex Barton, a child with autism, could remain in her Kindergarten class. He was voted out, traumatized and refused to return to school. There was a great uproar and teacher Wendy Portillo was suspended without pay for a year with her tenure revoked. The school board quietly reversed its decision this week..please read the rest here, and trust me, you need to read it. Tina…

I Speak of Dreams
Blum's of San Francisco Coffe Crunch Cake -- Now With Activism!

Liz

2 Nov 2009 | 7:50 pm

Back in March of 2005, I published this memory of Blum's and the recipe for their coffee crunch cake. It has had a constant stream of comments over the year, most notably this one, from Sandy Weil I saw an article and recipe you had posted March 20, 2005 about your memories of the Blum's Coffee Crunch Cake. I thought you might find it interesting my father, Ernest Weil was the original baker who created the famous Crunch Cake while working at Blum's back in the mid 1940's. He left Blum's in 1948 to open his dream bakery, Fantasia Confections. He continued to make the Coffee Crunch Cake…
A "Project Steve" for Pro-Science, Pro-Vaccine Scientists, Physicians, and Health Care Professionals?

Liz

1 Nov 2009 | 12:47 am

Over at Confutata, Squillo observed I’ve been thinking about the apparent permeation of anti-vaccination attitudes into mainstream culture, and how the scientific community and its supporters could better combat it. What if we were to create a group similar to the Union of Concerned Scientists, focused on vaccination? I think what we need is something akin to the NCSE's "Project Steve" NCSE's "Project Steve" is a tongue-in-cheek parody of a long-standing creationist tradition of amassing lists of "scientists who doubt evolution" or "scientists who dissent from Darwinism." Creationists draw…
Amy Wallace's Pro-Vaccination, Pro-Science Article in Wired & Reactions to It

Liz

31 Oct 2009 | 12:24 pm

The short version: Who is Amy Wallace, and what's all the talk about? She published a pro-science, pro-vaccine article in Wired, and several anti-vaccine heavyweights mouthpieces with big bankrolls mounted sexist personal attacks. Update: On November 1, Dr. Isis of "Becoming a Domestic and Laboratory Goddess" published a post ridiculing J. B. Handley and asking her readers to also post their opinions on Handley's anti-vaccine stance and his misogyny. Scroll down to the bottom for the list.Update: Paul Smalera at True/Slant links here. See link…
Council for Exceptional Children -- Division for Learning Disabilites -- 2009 Conference

Liz

31 Oct 2009 | 9:29 am

I spent last Friday and Saturday at the Council for Exceptional Children -- Division for Learning Disabilites's annual conference, which always focuses on Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice. If you are involved in special education in any way, put it on your calendar for next year -- probably October 22 and 23, certainly in Baltimore. I already have it on mine. LD Blog has a complete list of sessions. Sessions I attended: Phonological Awareness Assessment and Instruction: A Sound Beginning by Paige C. Pullen Self-Regulated Strategy Development for Writing by…
African Americans on the Rodeo Circuit

Liz

31 Oct 2009 | 8:46 am

Most folk don't think of black people and rodeo in the same sentence. They are wrong. Bill Pickett invented bull-dogging. I missed this year's Bill Pickett local appearance--it closed July 11 in Hayward--but you can find out more at the site. There's also the Cowboys of Color National Rodeo Tour (the site also hosts the National Cowboys of Color Museum and Hall of Fame website; you can take a virtual tour.) Update: The more you know, the more you find out. An enormous Black Rodeo. Black Rodeo in Harlem . There's the Black Rodeo, and the Federation of Black Cowboys (Phone:…

Look Me In The Eye
What is Smart? Is intelligence like beauty, merely in the eye of the beholder?

6 Nov 2009 | 1:52 pm

"He's such a bright little boy!" My mother and her friends said stuff like that all the time, as they pointed to me when they thought I wasn't paying attention.Now that I'm grown, I can let them in on a secret: There was never a time when I didn't pay attention to grownups as a kid. I watched them really close, all the time. I may not have understood everything I heard, but I surely took it all in.But what did it mean? I got a new bike, and my mother said, "What a pretty red bicycle!" Everyone who saw it said the same thing. It was a nice, red bike. The attributes didn't change. It was always…
Looking through the window at holidays

2 Nov 2009 | 11:47 am

Most of the time I feel like I’ve blended in to nypical society pretty well, but the holidays always come to remind me that I’ll always be an outsider in certain ways. This Halloween was no exception.One problem with holidays is that it produces millions and millions of images, many of which by the poses and expressions serve to remind me of my own differences. I’d like to pose and smile like the people in the photos, but I can’t quite do it. Most of the time, I hardly notice how I look and carry myself relative to others, but at times like this I can’t miss it, and it kind of…
A few book reviews . . .

31 Oct 2009 | 4:30 pm

Two Tankers Down: The Greatest Small-Boat Rescue in U.S. Coast Guard History by Robert FrumpMy rating: 5 of 5 starsI really enjoyed this well-researched story of the breakup and loss of two WWII-surplus oil tankers off Cape Cod fifty-some years ago. It gives a real insight into what rescue service was like before the advent of helicopters and electronics, but after the end of the age of sail.View all my reviews >> Twenty Million Tons Under the Sea by Daniel V. GalleryMy rating: 3 of 5 starsThe author of this book commanded the US Navy ship that drove U505 to the surface during World War II,…
One more way to be rude

21 Oct 2009 | 1:12 pm

Thanks to modern technology, I now have one more way to seem rude while actually paying close attention. I made this discovery when my friend Jan invited me to the annual meeting of the Connecticut River Watershed Council. Come on, she said, It will be interesting. I’m feeling more social these days so I decided to go . . .The first part was kind of neat, because free food was involved. We started on a big outdoor patio that contained several tables covered with edible treats. I didn’t know any of the people except Jan, but I did recognize chocolate strawberries when I saw them, so I went…
The road goes ever on

16 Oct 2009 | 7:42 am

Some of you asked for more pictures from the road. Why? I don't know, but here they are . . . I left the Dams of Potsdam behind to start my journey home. I hoped to make the whole trip in daylight but I was defeated by navigational error. I actually started off on the wrong foot, taking the wrong road out of town. Luckily, I only went 22 miles on the wrong road. It's desolate enough up there that a person could go a lot farther than that with ease. I got turned around and headed for Lake Placid. As I climbed the weather went from cold to cold and snowy. I was glad to be running the road in…

Whose Planet Is It Anyway?
Protesters Attacked by Flying Burrito Wrap

abfh

3 Nov 2009 | 5:37 pm

The ASAN members and cross-disability activists who protested at the Autism $peaks walk in Washington DC on Saturday, October 31st, resisted the temptation to dress in ghoulish Halloween costumes. Not everyone at the walk showed their level of maturity, however, as reported by a protester named Stan:"I was watching the first large group of Autism Speaks walkers, and one guy looked at us and threw a burrito wrap sandwich at us. It looked like he was throwing a burrito at us. It was like watching a Monty Python burrito attack."When I mentioned that I thought this deserved a blog post, another…
Segregated Workplaces

abfh

31 Oct 2009 | 5:19 pm

I've seen many blog and forum posts and articles about Specialisterne, the Danish company that recruits autistic workers for software testing positions, and similar enterprises that seek to hire autistics for jobs thought to be especially well suited to their talents. Quite often, these companies are described in glowing terms, along the lines of, "Look, wow, there's a business that actually hires autistics!"Well, okay, it's good that these companies have hired autistic workers who had been denied jobs elsewhere. But should it be seen as a fabulous, wow-inducing event when an employer simply…
Autism Speaks, We Need Answers

abfh

23 Oct 2009 | 11:44 am

Autism Speaks, which still hasn't learned its lesson about fear-mongering advertising and seems incapable of doing so, has decided to exploit a recent study of autism prevalence in the United States to incite even more false epidemic hysteria by way of a new fundraising campaign called "We Need Answers."autismspeaks.org/donate/we_need_answers.phpThe study found a parent-reported autism prevalence rate higher than previous US estimates, although not significantly different from the figures found in studies from the UK and other countries. Notwithstanding the fact that this new study merely…
Taking to the Streets

abfh

14 Oct 2009 | 6:52 am

People who don't understand that autism prevalence has remained stable often ask how there can't be an epidemic when they have seen large numbers of autistic children only in recent years. Where were all the autistic people before now?Of course, before the diagnostic criteria were broadened, most were not identified as autistic and were looked upon as part of the general population. Others were rarely or never seen in public because they were kept hidden away at home by their families or were sent to institutions.As reported by Hard Won Wisdom, it appears that at least one older autistic…
Supporting Allies

abfh

7 Oct 2009 | 11:35 am

This morning, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network released a joint letter from over 60 disability rights organizations calling on sponsors, donors, and supporters of Autism Speaks to end their support for the organization because of Autism Speaks' hateful attitudes and exploitative practices. ASAN also issued a press release and set up a petition site where individuals can endorse the letter.The disability rights advocates who are supporting ASAN and the autistic community in this effort are not receiving any financial benefit whatsoever from doing so. Rather, they are standing in solidarity…

A life less ordinary?
Sigh. R-word still OK if "modern slang"

Emily

6 Nov 2009 | 3:55 pm

There is a blog called...get ready...Retarded in Love. It's written by a very very young person who thinks she can order her life Just. So. She's got a to-do list that includes getting pregnant on schedule and having, presumably, perfect and lovely healthy children. Dust off hands. All done.Some of you may be aware that a few of us contacted the blog's author, Michelle, about the title of her blog. Here is what I commented to her:It would be thoughtful of you to change the title of your blog...yes, this probably comes across as uptight oldness or just plain uptight, but people who actually…
Reading the signs

Emily

6 Nov 2009 | 6:41 am

Like a lot of kids, autistic or not, TH is not very good at articulating his feelings. In fact, he may not even be aware that he's having these feelings, yet he shows that they're there in many ways. We always know that something, something is on his mind when he silently materializes downstairs in the evenings, well after his bedtime, just to sit by me and hum or coo. We know there's really something going on when he wants me to come upstairs later and lie down to talk to him. And now we've got a new sign: he wants to come sleep next to me.And he did. Last night (or this morning, really), we…
TH is angry?

Emily

5 Nov 2009 | 6:54 am

If you know TH or have read enough about him here, you know that anger isn't an emotion he expresses a lot or even very clearly. His version of anger is to squinch up his face in a grimace for about 2 seconds. Then, the feeling appears to pass immediately, and he moves on.So, it's coming as a surprise to us this last week or two that he's expressed anger in two ways, talking to us about his anger at a specific aide at his school and actually getting physically angry with his BFF in gym class. Don't get me wrong. He's gotten annoyed with his younger brother Dubya and sneaked in a minor blow or…
Bullying?

Emily

4 Nov 2009 | 11:14 am

TH may be experiencing a little bit of bullying again at school. There are signs. Yesterday, he got in the car, made some vague allusions to children saying "violent" things to him, and then proceeded to be off the hook for the rest of the day: vocalizing, nonstop movement, flapping, completely out of focus. Homework was quite an adventure.He experiences bullying for the usual reasons, and he experiences the usual kinds of bullying. Sometimes, it's kids who "trick" him into doing something that he thinks he's doing for its inherent humor but that really is just making a fool out of him. Other…
The Mercola "Facts" poster

Emily

3 Nov 2009 | 12:00 pm

OK...there's a huge Mercola article alleging that the H1N1 pandemic is a "massive" illusion (created by, presumably, very large magicians with great big scary magic wands). I'm pondering tackling the entire article, but meanwhile, I think it'd be OK if I took on the "fact" sheet they offer to anyone who'd like to print it and hang it up in their communities. See below each "fact" (there's really only one true--in intent and content--fact on there) and my parsing of it. I'd aver that if this list of 10 "facts" has something squirrelly about it, that lengthy tome accompanying it might have a…

Adventures in Autism
Vaccine Choice Supporter Chris Christie Wins NJ Governors Race

Ginger Taylor

3 Nov 2009 | 8:23 pm

New Jersey, highest autism rate in the nation, no philosophical exemption for vaccination, and a governor that has been less than helpful to our community.Exit Corzine, enter Christie.Let's hold Governor Christie's feet to the fire. From Life Health Choices:MEDIA ADVISORYLouise Kuo Habakuslouise@lifehealthchoices.com917-553-4634Citizens Demanding Vaccination Choice Carry Republican Chris Christie To New Jersey Governorship November 3, 2009, Middletown, NJ – In an unprecedented and historic move, Chris Christie put pen to paper last week and made an official campaign promise to citizens of…
Chris Christie Supporing Parental Choice in Vaccination in his Bid for Governor of NJ

Ginger Taylor

30 Oct 2009 | 3:18 pm

Welcome news as Corzine has admitted that the only thing he gets more calls about than autism is tolls, yet has failed to follow through on the committements he made to our community. Corzine needs to go. From Louise Kuo Habakus of Life Health Choices:A PERSONAL APPEAL TO VOTE FOR CHRIS CHRISTIEI'm making a personal appeal to our community. Please join me in voting Chris Christie for Governor on Tuesday, November 3rd.Whether you live in New Jersey or not, this e-mail is for you.I'm asking you to forward this to everyone you know. This is a bona fide "get out the vote" from someone who…
The Dangers of Mercury in the H1N1 Vaccine

Ginger Taylor

26 Oct 2009 | 7:36 am

Last night I attended a SAD 75 (a Maine school district) public meeting on the H1N1 response and school vaccine clinics. It was a strange experience for me, as I feel like I had stepped back in time to a day ten years ago when giving mercury to children was no big deal, perfectly safe, just like candy really.I pointed out a number of problems with doing so, which I assumed were common knowledge, that proved at the very least that mercury containing vaccines were not desirable and I will list some of those here for those of you who watched the meeting on TV and wanted references to my points.
Child Vaccinated at School Against Parents Wishes

Ginger Taylor

25 Oct 2009 | 2:00 pm

That didn't take long.
The Sparkle Effect

Ginger Taylor

22 Oct 2009 | 10:56 am

I need to post more beautiful little stories like this of people loving our children:Cheerleaders Welcome Special Needs to the Squad

The Family Room
Yes, my friends, this is a pep talk

Susan E.

19 Oct 2009 | 11:32 pm

Yet another study showing that children on the autism spectrum have roughly the same mercury levels as those without; a family, for their 15 seconds of fame, pretends their son floated off in a makeshift balloon (I'm not even going to bother linking this), and H1N1 continues to send chills up the spines of everyone I know, parents or not. The truth is, we're in a good groove. "Mommy's happy," Isaac told me today. And then, "You look better." This because I have spent the last week fighting H1N1, trying by turns to rest, get some work done, and wipe down…
Autism is a color

Susan E.

23 Sep 2009 | 9:35 pm

There is something about autism that taps into the most primal beliefs we have about the nature of consciousness, of intelligence, of humanity. There's a fairytale quality to the way the media portray autism, and I mean this in two diametrically opposite ways: both the happy/quirky/technicolor and the clammy/dread-inducing/Grimm's tales sense of the word.Depending on who you believe, autism is an epidemic, a scourge, a pathology, a condition, a series of genetic variations, a difference, an asset, or all or none of these things. There are as many autisms as there are people with…
I'm baaack!

Susan E.

23 Sep 2009 | 8:30 pm

It's been a long summer, and an all-consuming one, but I'm back now. I'll save you the lengthy explanation: it was a combination of real life, of wanting just to be rather than say, and of wanting to spend every spare minute (of which there were precious few) with my boys. Here's what we did this summer: Isaac turned six, lost his first tooth and learned how to do a "forward roll" in gymnastics I learned how to make fried chicken J. started on a long-contemplated book project Oh and there was reading, and IEPs, and trips to the beach, and seeing old and new…
Vocational services for adults with autism

Susan E.

14 Jun 2009 | 6:02 pm

I spent the earlier part of this week in Phoenix, where I attended the dedication of a room at a brand-new vocational center for adults with autism. It's part of the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center (SARRC), and it gave me a peek into what's possible when people think broadly and imaginatively about what it takes to serve our community. The center, called the Opus West Vocational and Life Skills Academy, provides training in daily living skills, vocational skills, as well as job readiness and placement services for adults with autism. Everything was conceived to support…
Stretch your normal

Susan E.

16 May 2009 | 8:04 am

[Scene: ISAAC is at home with ANA, his nanny. She is trying to get him to eat his carrots.]ANA: Isaac, papi, have a carrot!ISAAC: No.ANA: Isaac, come on these carrots are so good! [Eats one]. Mmmmmm!ISAAC: Ana likes the carrots, Ana can eat the carrots.And here we are. He walks into assembly at school now, completely untroubled. Months ago, he refused to go near the place with its linoleum floors, bright lights and deafening clamor. The anxiety is still there, as is the elevator obsession, joined by a new companion: buses.These days, I awake as often as not to a recitation of our municipal…

Hyperlexicon
non sequitur

Christa

3 Nov 2009 | 5:03 pm

As Ben runs down our sidewalkMe: What's wrong? Do you want to run away? Ben: Yeah. Me: Why? Ben: All you need is caffeineNot on my birthdayBen: Mommy, it's your very last birthday. Me: Why? Ben: Because you're the only one who gets a present. Ben: Daddy took me to the doctor and the doctor said that one day you went to the doctor and said that you used to take a bath in the morning.Ben: I have a question for you. What if you open six packages and one suitcase? Me: I don't know. What?Ben: It will turn into dollars. Me: Why? Ben: Because you forgot to put dollars into it.Me: Can I have a kiss?
I'm going to my room (post script)

Christa

28 Oct 2009 | 10:52 am

I realized, after corresponding with a few of you about my last post, that I'd left out an important bit of nuance.We aren't "sending Ben to his room" in the traditional time-out sense. In fact, it's been really important that we don't treat this as a punishment.Again, thanks to Jordan at Communication Therapy for framing it this way. We suggest to Ben that he go to his room the way a helpful but deadpan maitre'd at a fancy restaurant would offer a very important, stinky cigar-smoking patron a booth far from other customers."Sir, I believe you would be much more comfortable in our private…
Discrete Trials of Frustration (or: Thank you, Wii)

Christa

25 Oct 2009 | 11:50 pm

We have a Wii at our house. Wii is this Nintendo video game where you move around like you're really doing stuff and these characters in the game really do what you're doing and, well... (So, okay. If you are Amish, or have been backpacking for the better part of two years, or are able to be blissfully unaware of popular consumer culture and you don't know what I'm talking about, it's a little hard to explain. You can go here to find out what Wii is.)Anyway, we have one and Ben really enjoys it.He likes the standard Wii games that come with the whole console-controller-thingy: like bowling,…
Dispatches from Kindergarten (and a blatant fundraising appeal)

Christa

6 Oct 2009 | 10:48 am

A few weeks ago, Ben started Kindergarten in a big public school. It's the kind of school where there are bells for each period, and students line up on the blacktop before school starts, and everyone has an assigned desk with his or her name on it, and the hallways have shiny linoleum floors.At Ben's new school, the students call the teachers "Ms." or "Mr." rather than by their first names, and the principal comes to work in a neatly tailored suit every day, even when the temperatures climb into the 80s. Families are encouraged - but not required - to send their children to school in a…
How to watch TV

Christa

14 Sep 2009 | 7:43 pm

Here's a primer on TV viewing from Ben (as imagined by me)___________________First of all, let's get one thing straight. When I say "TV" I mean DVDs of movies or other shows you can get from NetFlix, the video store, the library or the bookstore. Also shows that my dad downloads for me on the big computer.I do not understand why anyone would watch just whatever is "on" at the moment or anything that doesn't have scene selection. I have some movies and shows on VHS cassette, as opposed to DVD. These do not have scene selection, and they are not optimal.First, when you start your movie, go to…

Kim Stagliano
2 Nov 2009 | 4:37 pm

Kim Rossi Stagliano

2 Nov 2009 | 4:37 pm

Dear Dingbat at William Raveis Real Estate Marketing:"Find a home from your cell!" probably isn't the smartest email subject line you could have written to promote your new cell phone app. I am picturing inmates poring over ranches, Colonials, contemporaries. "Ah, JohnnyTheShiv, someday we'll bust outta here and I'll buy you that Cape Cod on Elm Street with the loot I stashed under the stairs at my Grandma's house."
31 Oct 2009 | 8:22 am

Kim Rossi Stagliano

31 Oct 2009 | 8:22 am

Happy Halloween from Dominican Academy, Plainville MA (sort of)Halloween maybe 1986 or 1987. Martha was my roommate - love her Trivial Pursuit card costume! That was my 5th grade uniform. The waist is elastic. It still has the red and blue ball point pen markings in some of the squares that I drew in while drifting mentally away from class, as usual. Sr. Lourdette was my teacher. She was the best. I also have my 6th grade blue and red jumper. And a couple of jackets from cheerleading for the Plainville Packers and dancing for the Young Sophisticates dancing school. Dig the Polaroid film and…
30 Oct 2009 | 6:46 am

Kim Rossi Stagliano

30 Oct 2009 | 6:46 am

Suck It Willliams SonomaI blogged about the outrageously priced Halloween cakes in the Williams Sonoma catalog. I know, I know, it's Williams Sonoma, it's supposed to be grossly overpriced, right? Now - I happen to love W-S. I ask for a gift card from there each Christmas. My husband used to sell them fine products that they promptly marked up so high you needed a fine linen embroidered hankie to wipe the blood off your nose.They showcased three darling Halloween cakes from some bakery somewhere. the cakes were $89 or $99 dollars. And they were tiny! An 8" tall cake is not going to feed…
29 Oct 2009 | 6:35 am

Kim Rossi Stagliano

29 Oct 2009 | 6:35 am

Who me?A friend sent me this letter the other day. It seems that the tone, tenor and general insanity of this letter writer reminded my friend of someone.... I'm shocked, I tell you. I did not write this letter. I do now wonder if I have a long lost sister. Read it and have a good laugh.Dear Mr. Thatcher,I have been a loyal user of your 'Always' maxi pads for over 20 years and Iappreciate many of their features. Why, without the LeakGuard Core orDri-Weave absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsadancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach intight,…
28 Oct 2009 | 5:03 am

Kim Rossi Stagliano

28 Oct 2009 | 5:03 am

Writing, Ranting, ReadingWritingMy book is coming along pretty well. I got feedback from my editor that didn't start with, "We've burned your contract. What were we thinking?" which was a relief. RantingI'm pretty annoyed with the soda/beverage industry. Have you seen the ridiculous ad against the Soda Tax - the angry Melina Kanakaredes looking model is with her child in the grocery store lamenting that they can't buy crappy junk food - BECAUSE OF THE TAX ON SODA. Lady, lay off the soda. Skip the Lucky Charms. Buy the broccoli.ReadingJust finished A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. I'm…

like a shark
ability

Drama Mama

26 Oct 2009 | 8:26 am

The other day, I brought Ted, my number-one-all-time-greatest student - my most incredible actor and thinker - to a special meeting with the top theatre educator in the country. (Drama Mama pulled a few strings) They had an hour long one on one to talk about colleges, auditions, and future plans.Ted, as I've mentioned before, is one of ours.Ted has played every substantial role I've thrown him effortlessly. His vocabulary and astute understanding of literature has played a huge role in his understanding of text and dramatic structure. His comic timing is genius. Like, someone who has studied…
No pressure.

Drama Mama

11 Oct 2009 | 6:01 pm

The tribe has spoken.You need to know what is going on with The Fabulous Miss M.I have been remiss - tending to my umpteen duties at work - and I've been ignoring your needs.I'm sorry.You know I could never quit you.You had me at hello.Anyhoo, let's catch up. When last we met, Miss M was entering the rough and choppy seas of NT tween girls in a world-renowned chorus. Talk about drama for the mama.Oy.For those of you flooding my email, yes, she is doing splendidly; she loves singing and is thrilled by music theory lessons (I shit you not).She organizes her two looooooong rehearsal days -…
independent leave

Drama Mama

8 Sep 2009 | 8:53 pm

To my teammates...my sisters in parenthood...I felt you with me every moment of this very long day. Thank you. I think our girl did it for us.I spent most of the day in knots, looking at the clock.I haven't done that in a long, long time.When I picked up Miss M at school, I nervously made my way across the yard, telling myself to keep calm at all costs. I knew that we would have a brief ride to her chorus rehearsal, and I couldn't get her worked up.Her teacher stopped me. "Drama?" she started, as my heart began to sink, "Miss M is having a hard time focusing back to school. I know it's only…
okay, so i'm begging

Drama Mama

7 Sep 2009 | 8:00 pm

I know what you're thinking.So I hardly ever call. I post rarely.But I'm positively begging for your help.You see, tomorrow? Miss M becomes the member of a world-class chorus. She will run with some of the most talented and typical girls in the city.She auditioned. She was accepted.She waited for a soprano slot to open.She starts tomorrow.Listen.I hear you. Don't think I can't hear you over here.I know she's been working her ass off. She controls herself, she regulates herself, she is appropriate.I know all this.On Saturday, Roxie started her first day at a world-class ballet school. Again,…
deeeeep thoughts.

Drama Mama

30 Aug 2009 | 9:23 am

I don't know about you, but one of the things that has been hardest to accept as a parent of a special needs kid has been the silence.It's like being a comedian and working to the worst audience ever.I used to pick my daughter up after school. I made the grave error of asking how her day was? What did you do? Who did you play with?Nada. Zip. Zero. No response.It drove me batty. I would sometimes reply for her, under my breath. (Oh, I had a great day, Mommy! I played with six girls on the monkey bars!)I later concluded that Miss M was DONE, that her temporary check-out was merely her way of…

speak softly....
I’ve been gone

V.

6 Nov 2009 | 7:12 am

Literally, and figuratively. Gone with life and school and events for The Book but also gone with the same kind of vague malaise that came over me last fall. Living in Southern California, I forget that my East Coast body is wired for fall to be a time of restlessness and ennui, and that I am meant somehow to be walking paths covered in fallen leaves, thinking about the previous year, the winter to come, the spring ahead of that. I’ve always felt a kind of synchronicity with the Jewish High Holy days traditions of taking stock in the fall, and making atonement. I received a lovely…
The Debutante Ball

V.

17 Oct 2009 | 6:27 am

I first became aware of The Debutante Ball when fellow writers Gail Konop Baker and Kristina Riggle introduced me to the site. Both Gail and Kris were in the process of publishing their first books (Cancer Is A Bitch and Real Life and Liars, respectively) and on The Debutante Ball they mused on the internal and external processes that take place in the months before their books were published. The insights were fascinating, and just the kind of details a writer craves when she herself is the midst of writing: what will it be like, what will it look like, what does it feel like? I have…
Rebecca Steinitz on This Lovely Life and books in general

V.

5 Oct 2009 | 12:24 pm

I have had the great pleasure of knowing Rebecca Steinitz for a while now, although we have yet to have the even greater pleasure of meeting in person, despite a flurry of text messages last winter in NYC that nearly had us getting together on the Upper West Side, somewhere near Gray’s Papaya I do believe. Today, Rebecca has a fantastic interview in Between the Lines, about reading, her books (check out her color coded shelving system that will make you woozy with envy) and yes, This Lovely Life. Head on over, read and comment and share the joy of an avid book reader and lover. …
Back home

V.

28 Sep 2009 | 7:30 pm

After a glorious week in Minneapolis and Chicago. Go on over to read Kate Hopper reporting on the Mother Words Reading, with some photos of the event, including this one in which my mouth is open and my hands are excessively gesturing, for reasons I cannot fathom. Sorry for the tiny, distant quality. The Loft, and Kate, and Kate St. Vincent Vogl were everything I could have imagined, and more. The space is ideal for reading: hearing one’s voice, seeing the audience, getting a sense of one’s reception. The walls are warm and the vibe utterly welcoming. Later in the…
At the library

V.

20 Sep 2009 | 8:09 am

Here it be, my new spot: After the early morning rise, some coffee, and sending The Girl off to school (junior high! The bookbags are so huge!), I’m back to packing my lunch and spending the day at the library. This is my favorite parking spot. If I get there early enough, I cruise in beneath the olive tree, take a last bite of my breakfast, shut off my phone and haul my things inside. I’ve written before about the value of discipline and hard work and finding the right “spot.” I drafted most of This Lovely Life in bed, but did the hard work of revision in…

Squidalicious
Mali and the Mathematics of Fibbing

Squid

5 Nov 2009 | 5:08 pm

Here's Mali and her friend Trinian, off to shoot dragons and eleven-year-old boys during her friend Merlin's birthday party. Look at that determined walk -- she had absolutely no fear when it came to battling the older kids with her mini-Nerf gun."No fear" has always been her standard operating mode. It's served her well for almost five years. As have bravado and enthusiasm. But she's almost five, she's becoming more tuned into social dynamics, and she's starting to change.Example: She is starting to fib. About anything. About nothing. When it really doesn't matter. Why? I suspect she's…
Cat Heaven

Squid

31 Oct 2009 | 8:15 pm

I'm sure that's where Pat the Cat has gone. It's been four weeks since he waltzed out the door with the other cats in the morning, then for the first time in his life didn't come back for dinner. He had been getting stiff and frail, so we are telling ourselves he did a typical feline hide-and-die somewhere in the multi-acre wild canyon below our house.Seymour and I found Pat the tiny flea-ridden kitten in a Charlotte, NC rental truck yard, during a 1994 Brooklyn -> Bay Area relocation trip. He rode across the country in my lap and received flea baths in many I-40 motel sinks. He was…
The Sharer

Squid

28 Oct 2009 | 9:50 pm

Leo made it all the way through our cavernous new Costco without much fuss over the baguette he requested and which I placed in our cart. He so desperately wanted to attack it and shove it in his mouth while we wound our way through the aisles between the bakery section and checkout! But I told him he would have to wait, and that he could have a bite once we got back to our car. He made a few more requests for his bread and hit his head once or twice along the way, but was easily calmed, and -- so you know our benchmark -- I rate one or two yells/head slaps strictly mathematically, i.e.,…
Please ask for *Luv Ya Bunches* at your local Scholastic Book Fair

Squid

26 Oct 2009 | 3:54 pm

Written by an anonymous friend who very much wants her message to be passed on, so feel free:You might or might not have heard by now about the recent brouhaha over Lauren Myracle’s new book *Luv Ya Bunches*. If you haven’t, here’s the story in a nutshell: Myracle wrote a book that features, among other things, a girl with two moms; Scholastic wrote her editor a note asking her to change it to standard hetero parents so they wouldn’t have trouble featuring the title at book fairs; Myracle refused to change it, and (not particularly surprisingly) Scholastic is not offering Luv Ya…
Leave Photobooth Pix On My Desktop, Will You?

Squid

24 Oct 2009 | 12:29 pm

Though they both have nice healthy pink tongues, don't you think? Oral hygiene is important.

The Karianna Spectrum
Stick a Fork in It

6 Nov 2009 | 7:58 pm

The day began with Splig seeing me lug my suitcase to the van. His eyes grew wide, then wet. I had debated whether to tell him I was leaving (as the honest mom would do) or just sort of not, and have Daddy break the news when picking him up at school. I thought about the "sneak away" for fear of Super-Extra Separation Anxiety. Unfortunately, Splig continues to melt when I leave him (regardless of for what activity) but according to those "in charge" is peppy and smiles within 30 seconds.... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
A Bit Twisted

5 Nov 2009 | 7:41 pm

If it were not for , I wouldn't be posting. It was that sort of day when things seemed aligned, and yet they were so aligned that they could be tipped over like dominoes. Yesterday I experienced one of those "shoot the messenger" days, plus had a client angry because I hadn't responded to emails that he sent to an imaginary address. Today I went to a meeting I didn't find out about until yesterday, but arrived late because I had already made a commitment that ended the same time this... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
All Hail the Hills!

4 Nov 2009 | 9:51 am

Something funny happened today. I decided to run up Big Bertha. See, she and I go way back. She appears a tad after the .75 mile mark into a 2.7 loop. Right after her, the coveted 1.0 is painted on the concrete. She is the first Big Hill after a bunch of tiny ones. On days when I want a really quick outing, I turn around at that mile marker, then sail down her quickly. When I was a walker, Big Bertha was when I'd start to sweat. Pushing Splig's stroller up Big Bertha was horrendous. Even... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
How Not to Get My Business

3 Nov 2009 | 10:25 am

Yesterday as I made my way around town doing errands, I came across one of those people sitting behind a table with an American flag. There is frequently someone sitting somewhere, wanting some sort of petition signed. When I shop elsewhere, I can remark, "Oh, I'm from out of town," but when I'm in town, that extra beat before I answer will give me away if I lie. I'll say "I'm not interested," "no thanks," or "not today." But often, they'll pester. "I can't sign; my husband works for the... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
The Humor School in My Head

2 Nov 2009 | 4:31 pm

A few weeks ago, a new student joined the Cat's class. Much to my surprise and delight, the Cat became friends with him. I kept hearing about this one student, and was glad that the Cat enjoyed meeting someone new. But then the Cat started singing silly potty-talk songs, explaining that his new friend had taught them to him. Each day, he comes to the car with something new to teach his brother. (And thus, Splig will be the instructor for his friends.) And each time, he says the new kid taught... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]

motherofconfusion
Tantrum Tuesday

Genevieve Hinson

3 Nov 2009 | 9:03 am

Oh, that’s right. Cry your eyes out — it’s Tantrum Tuesday! Some of my all-time fave photos are of my kid’s throwing big ones. Yes, my melon is a bit tweaked — but it is what it is. If you have some fave photos and belong to Flickr, please join and add them to the [...] No related posts.
Something About Fresno, episode 3

Genevieve Hinson

1 Nov 2009 | 10:30 am

Interview with Keith Kelley about Fresno West Coalition of Economic Development and Risk Takers, Dream Makers. Share and Enjoy: Related posts:Something About Fresno, episode 1Something About Fresno, episode 2: The Ronald McDonald HouseFresno Flair past & present Related posts:Something About Fresno, episode 1Something About Fresno, episode 2: The Ronald McDonald HouseFresno Flair past & present
Sugar Cake Loveee: Gone Ghostly

Genevieve Hinson

1 Nov 2009 | 10:22 am

My first holiday-themed & tiered cake. Here are some cupcakes I created for the Mommy Matters childbirth class last week. Share and Enjoy: Related posts:Sugar Cake Loveeeee Related posts:Sugar Cake Loveeeee
Sugar Cake Loveeeee

Genevieve Hinson

27 Oct 2009 | 8:26 am

My latest cupcake creations. Share and Enjoy: Related posts:Sugar Cake Loveee: Gone Ghostly Related posts:Sugar Cake Loveee: Gone Ghostly
STP rocks the Paul Paul

Genevieve Hinson

22 Oct 2009 | 6:19 pm

The Stone Temple Pilots rocked the Paul Paul theater at the Fresno Fair last Thursday for the second time. The fans were older than I expected. Then I realized these were the same folks that threw the devil fingers and pumped their fists to the music while caterwauling “Burnnnn, burn, burn … Burn your wicked [...] No related posts.

Stimeyland
They're Never Going to Let Me Forget

4 Nov 2009 | 6:04 pm

In case you missed this...Here is Quinn's artist's rendition of the event:Remember when I was so happy that he was starting to draw?I take it all back.
Sibling Responsibility

3 Nov 2009 | 12:38 pm

I've always thought that Jack is so lucky to have two such wonderful brothers. As a very shy young person myself, I know how important it is to have a sibling to help you out. I have vivid memories of my sister being asked to hang out with me during elementary school recess because she had friends and I didn't.However, no matter how glad I am that Jack has Sam and Quinn to help and teach him, it also pains me a little bit to give them the extra responsibility of helping to take care of him.Most of what I ask them to do are things kids would already do for neurotypical siblings. For instance,…
The Force Was Strong at My House

1 Nov 2009 | 7:43 pm

This post is mainly for my mother.A long time ago (you know, Saturday), in a galaxy far, far away (a.k.a. Maryland)...Two Jedis faced off against Darth Vader.Or you can refer to them as Charlie's Angels in Space.This is quite possibly my favorite photo in the history of time.Gadzooks! An ally for Jack!But in the end, all enjoyed the spoils of war.I hope you all had as fun and chocolatey of a Halloween as we did.
We Interrupt This Halloween to Bring You the Greatest Compliment Ever

31 Oct 2009 | 4:38 pm

I think that pretty much stands on its own, but if you want the back story, here it is.ShallowGal has been looking for advice on Twitter all week long. Like, how do you keep a four-year-old happy in a looooong line that will ultimately result in his being given a flu shot?And like any normal person, I suggested The Big Lie approach.(If you're not familiar with the twitter timeline concept, read the second one first.)And then, tonight, she needed more help. Seriously. How does the woman get dressed in the morning? She was going to a party and didn't know what to do about trick or treaters…
Scary (Pretend) Halloween (II)

30 Oct 2009 | 5:47 pm

(Super) Scary Thing #1:The very scariest thing about this Halloween (oh, please, let it be the scariest) was when I got a call from my sister-in-law, S, yesterday to tell me that my sister was in the hospital for complications from H1N1.That was scary enough, but then a couple of hours later S called back and started using words and phrases such as "blood pressure bottomed out" and "unresponsive" and "blood clot" and "ICU."Fortunately, the latter two didn't pan out and she's back at home now. But, oh my god, I don't think I've been that scared since Loon Day. Especially since she's in New…

My Life As It Is
Do You Know The Story About The Boy Who Cried Wolf?

5 Nov 2009 | 6:27 am

I'm beginning to feel like that boy.I'm busy, but I'll post. But then no post.I'm still busy, but I'll post. But then no post.But, I really am busy. Busy enjoying life as it is. And it's different from last year.Working full time is kicking my butt. Teaching the Adapted TKD is kicking my butt. Being on my son's school PTA Board is kicking my butt. But I love it all.And why, if all this is kicking my butt did I find myself checking out the PhD programs at GMU and UMD again, for the umpteenth time? Especially when I post on Facebook that there is just not enough time and where does it go?In…
Waving a Small Hand Hello (again)....

12 Oct 2009 | 5:58 pm

Umm. Hello out there (waves hand). If there is anyone out there still....I'm still here, although I know it's hard to believe with all this lack of posting. But it's a good lack of posting. Not a too-much-to-say, lost-at-words, stuff-I-can't/shouldn't-write-about lack of posting. It's more like a I'm-busier-than-ever, but it's all-OK-busy.Loving my job - which I knew I would as I subbed this position 3/4 time last school year. Switching to full time has been everything I expected - loving the challenge and hating trying to find that right balance. I'm on the PTA Board at Adam's school. One of…
On Monday

11 Sep 2009 | 5:36 pm

I start my new job. After several interviews with no offers, teachers reporting back to work, and kids going back to school, I finally got an offer.The best part - it's a position that I did last year but now I'm contracted. A position I absolutely loved. A position that uses everything I learned in the ABA/BCBA coursework from the past 2 years.Summer may be over, but I'm not sad. I'm excited to start this new adventure :)
The End Of Summer

5 Sep 2009 | 7:40 am

I haven't been around much this summer.At least here on this blog.But maybe in real life too.It's been a long summer. Happy, stressed, frustrating, upsetting, relaxing, learning, and hopeful times.I think I'll be ready to start writing again soon.
"The Dangerous Days of Daniel X: Watch The Skies"

27 Aug 2009 | 6:19 pm

Once again, MotherTalk has offered me (well, actually Adam) a book to enjoy. Adam loved The Dangerous Days of Daniel X, and now James Patterson has written the second novel in the series.And here's the scoop from Adam:What did you think of the book?I thought it was a really good book and it had a really interesting plot to it. I think that Number Five sounded really cool and I really want to have the powers and surgical operations that he had.Who was your favorite character?Daniel X - because he is so awesome at crime fighting and he knows all these martial arts and rocket launchers. What was…

Bringsmejoy
Our Autism Puzzle, One Piece.

bringsmejoy

29 Oct 2009 | 7:49 pm

Many people ask me to tell our story of how we came to know that Brandon was diagnosed with Autism. So I thought I would do a series of posts to tell you more about the story of Brandon. On March 14th 2004 a beautiful baby boy, Brandon was born to two very proud parents. He was premature but he was perfectly healthy. Brandon left the hospital and went home. A few weeks went by, when we began to notice something not normal with Brandon. He would stiffen up, his eyes would go back and to the left, and he would stare for about 20 seconds. This went on for a couple days and we asked our doctor…
From Haircuts to Movies, Autistic Families Get Welcome From Businesses – ABC News

bringsmejoy

22 Oct 2009 | 3:52 am

It is great to see as more and more people become aware about Autism how business are responding to meet their needs. Whether it be getting a haircut or watching a movie at the theater both are not easy for an Autistic child to process but businesses are helping. Read this story from ABC news it shows how businesses are helping. Posted in Autism
Horse ranch helping autistic children, needs help.

bringsmejoy

18 Oct 2009 | 4:46 am

more about "9NEWS.com | Colorado’s Online News Le…", posted with vodpod Posted in Autism
Curemark continues work on autism treatment

bringsmejoy

17 Oct 2009 | 6:11 pm

A possible treatment for Autism that is encouraging. A drug company called Curemark is start clinical trails fo a new mediation that may help some children battle and maybe even defeat Autism only time will tell but it is nice to see companies trying. To read more click here. Posted in Autism
Is autism genetic? Researchers zero in on an answer

bringsmejoy

16 Oct 2009 | 6:01 pm

Parents of autistic children often align themselves with one of two categories: those who believe that genes cause the disorder, and those who are convinced that environmental factors are to blame. And then there are people who are not sure, which is where I stand. I truly believe there is not enough research on either side to point to a reason. Which is why we need more research on the causes no matter what they are. With Autism rates skyrocketing we need answer yesterday. Please read this article on some recent genetic theories. Posted in Autism

from here to there and back
Spiders, shipwrecks and a new recipe

kristen

6 Nov 2009 | 6:11 am

My son and his fellow third graders have been studying non-fiction books in reading workshop this week, and so, we have had the pleasure of learning all sorts of interesting facts. For example, did you know that spiders inject their prey (flies and other bugs) with a poison that turns their insides to mush so [...]
A bright spot

kristen

3 Nov 2009 | 6:50 pm

This afternoon I cut three yellow dahlias and two purple hydrangea from the garden. I put them in my favorite vase—the one my mother bought for me in an antique store in Lancaster County, PA—and set them on the dining room table. These five blooms, that have somehow held on through the cold nights and the [...]
A picture perfect Halloween

kristen

1 Nov 2009 | 2:07 pm

And for a taste of something super delicious, I’m baking chocolate honey zucchini bread at our new cooking blog, (Never) Too Many Cooks. Hope to see you there.
If at first you don’t succeed…

kristen

30 Oct 2009 | 4:09 am

I made something new for dinner last night. And implemented a new family rule. I told my son that from now on he has to at least taste whatever I make for dinner, but if he doesn’t like it, he can ask for a bowl of cereal. I’ve so far managed to avoid becoming a short [...]
Turning point

kristen

28 Oct 2009 | 6:02 am

I’m heading into virgin territory with the revisions. So far, the second half of the book is nearly all new. I mentioned that I changed the timeline and tweaked some characters and it seems that was enough to render much of what was previously written useless. The deeper I get into this second half, the more [...]

The Quirk Factor: Resistance is futile...
10 inches!

mommy~dearest

5 Nov 2009 | 5:39 pm

NOT what I am talking about, you pervy little pervertons...Better late than never, but I gots me a spiffy new haircut. And yes, I really did get ten inches lopped off.Midlife crisis? Diversionary tactic? Crazy? I dunno. You decide.Pardon the phone, but seriously how else so you take a pic of your own hair?The back looks kind of funky in this one- was not happy...I conned Jaysen into taking that one. Not too shabby for a kid who'd rather be playing Mario.
Halloweenies 2009

mommy~dearest

1 Nov 2009 | 4:38 am

I love Hallowe'en. It's my absolutely favoritest holiday of the year. Every year, I look forward to the possibility that Jaysen has gotten over his costuming phobia - costumes are cool, as long as there's nothing on his face, and as long as Mom doesn't dress up. See here.But this year, seemed different.This was the first year my sensory-evasive son, conquered his issues and actually touched the pumpkin guts.Not only did he touch them, he actually got in there and dug around in the pumpkin!Granted, he only used one hand, but still- he was covered in pumpkin yuck, fingers to elbow, and was…
One mom.

mommy~dearest

22 Oct 2009 | 5:21 pm

Going back to Jaysen's birthday party, I am amazed at how many parents just drop their kids off and run like Forrest Gump. I know I may be a tad overprotective, but even if Jaysen didn't have the issues he has, I don't know how comfortable I'd feel just dropping him off at someone's house whom I've never met. And I'm usually the only mom at other birthday parties. Aside from my friends, one mom stayed.One mom.Kids were having a blast, the mom and I strike up a little chat.Then the magic words came."My son has expressive receptive language disorder."Ah.That's why you stayed.Needless to say, we…
Bad mom

mommy~dearest

21 Oct 2009 | 4:55 pm

Oh crappity crappiness...I effed up.Big time.Just last week, I was the best mom in America. This week, I suck.How did that happen?!?Today was picture day, and I flippin' totally forgot.Craaaaap.Sent Jaysen to school in a T-shirt, and even thought "wow- his hair is so messed up, I'm going to see if I can talk him into wearing this hat".And obviously, forgot to send any money.Don't even talk to me about re-takes. It says in huge red lettering: Important! Payment options must be completed on or before Picture Day. They even capitalized Picture Day. 'Cuz it's that important, yo.My kid will be…
Best party ever.

mommy~dearest

19 Oct 2009 | 6:34 am

I? Am the best mom ever.At least I feel that way after pulling this party off...Jaysen's birthday party was an absolute smash!Let's see...There were 15 kids, (12 girls, 3 boys. I know...pimp.) and everyone had such a blast.Nelson, "The Safari Guy" was amazing. Not to mention is caa-uuuute!He started out hiding crystals and shiny rocks in the backyard, and had the "adventurers" try to find 'em. That was really cool to see the kids working together to find these itty-bitty treasures hidden in the grass and foliage. Then we went inside for a totally interactive animal adventure.There was a…

Elvis Sightings
Almost 200

5 Nov 2009 | 7:39 pm

The title of this post will surely have faithful readers scratching their heads and saying, "Didn't we have a big fooferaw about Post #200 back in the summer sometime?"To which I respond, "Yup."This is the almost-200 miles I have run since I started keeping track in February, when I ran my first 5K race.This morning's 5K run at 5am (a clear frosty moonlit morning) brought me up to 199.I plan to hit the 200 mark running with some women from church this weekend. This year's Women's Retreat is this Saturday, right here in town rather than up in the wild woods, but I'm sure we'll manage a wild…
Direct from the Researcher

2 Nov 2009 | 4:13 pm

Another week, another amazing LEND opportunity!The center that hosts "my" LEND program has an ongoing brown-bag research-seminar series where distinguished researchers come in for one-hour presentations on their ongoing work. One of the LEND assignments involves attending one of these presentations each semester and reporting back. My interdisciplinary team (with an autism focus) chose to attend last Friday's presentation: “Gene x Environment Interactions Contributing to Autism: Lessons Learned from the UC-Davis Center for Children’s Environmental Health and Disease Prevention,”…
A Case of the Shreds

1 Nov 2009 | 6:06 pm

Joy loves her pillow, the one she sleeps with in her tented crib.As in, I mean she luuuuuvs her pillow. I think the word I'm looking for is... well, humping. Although her senior barista tactfully refers to it as "making friends with her pillow."This pillow-relationship seems to have entered a new phase this week, however. As the week progressed, I started to notice that her threadbare old pillowcase was starting to collect little rips. I threw it out, only to have the phenomenon happen a second time with another old pillowcase. So I tossed that one too, and this morning pulled out one from…
You're Always Doing Something

30 Oct 2009 | 3:50 am

You're always doing something,said seven-year-old Rose to me yesterday morning.(She was home from school due to teacher's-union conference; I was home because Joy's been under the weather, so it couldn't be a babysitter day.)I'd been swirling around picking up shoes, vacuuming, rinsing dishes, re-allocating piles of paper, my usual morning flurry. I thought for sure this was a comment on my swirling, and wondered if she thought it was a good thing or not."What do you mean, honey?" I asked."Well," she replied, "Even if you're trying not to breathe and stand as still as you can" -- and she…
Future Musings

26 Oct 2009 | 4:59 pm

I've got a brain-full again, with this LEND program stuff. And a schedule-full. Friday was the busy-est day I've had in a long time. Clinic observation, lunch conversation, interdisciplinary team meeting, lecture on ASDs, autism self-advocate/parent panel, trainee meeting for those of us with a special autism focus, an hour home for supper, then a glorious evening of Boggle-playing.Spin, spin, spin! And almost every part of it (well, except slurping down the supper) was reflection-worthy.But I'm only going to blog about the panel. Four speakers, a 30-something-year-old man who has autism, his…

Coach for Asperger's
Anger Management and Asperger’s, Part II: The Feeling of Anger

Patricia Robinson MFT

4 Nov 2009 | 2:06 pm

Anger management skills are important for everyone, not just those with Asperger’s and autism. But for those on the spectrum, managing anger may be especially difficult. In my post of 10/1/09, I discussed understanding anger. In today’s post, I’ll be discussing the actual physical sensation of anger. Like all emotions, anger comes with a physical feeling. And that’s important, because often that physical feeling is the first subtle clue that the emotion is present. Many individuals experience anger as a tightness in the hands, arms, and jaw. Some people may get a stomachache or a…
Transitioning to Adulthood

Patricia Robinson MFT

2 Nov 2009 | 1:20 pm

This blog is aimed at teens and adults with Asperger's and autism, and my other blog, Social Skills for Kids is really written for the parents of younger kids with ASDs. However, frequently the two areas overlap, and I'm not sure where to best post material. (In fact, I'm thinking about combining both blogs into one with more info.)If you're a teen or parent of a teen, please check out my latest post on Social Skills for Kids on the importance of transition planning for the post high school years .
Thinking About Other’s Minds

Patricia Robinson MFT

22 Oct 2009 | 9:47 pm

Rebecca Saxe is a neuroscientist at MIT, studying Theory of Mind. Theory of Mind is the understanding about how we think about ourselves and others, or as Simon Baron-Cohen phrased it in Theory of Mind in Normal Development and Autism, (2001), “to be able to reflect on the contents of one’s own and other’s minds.” This is an important concept from the viewpoint of autism and Asperger’s, because many researchers attribute deficits in Theory of Mind to some of the struggles those on the autism spectrum might be having. Rebecca Saxe has been researching the brain using fMRI, and…
Book Review: Mother in the Middle by Sybil Lockhart

Patricia Robinson MFT

9 Oct 2009 | 5:08 pm

Mother in the Middle is a fascinating book, a moving and personal memoir of a woman’s experience with raising small children while at the same time caring for a parent with Alzheimer’s. But the author is also a neurobiologist, and she beautifully interweaves her own technical perspective into the work. It’s this unique juxtaposition that makes this memoir stand out from others.Usually, I review books about careers, business, social skills or autism and Asperger’s on this blog. And this is not a book about any of those topics. But I think it’s appropriate for this blog anyway. Human…
Anger Management and Asperger's Part 1: Understanding Anger

Patricia Robinson MFT

1 Oct 2009 | 11:48 am

Anger management is an problem for many individuals, whether or not they have Asperger’s or an ASD. It’s one of the topics that gets searched for most frequently by readers of this blog. In an earlier post I referenced an Anger Management article I wrote for Autism Asperger’s Digest Magazine, but until now I haven’t written anything on anger management specifically for this blog. Because anger management is such a big topic, I’m not going to attempt to cover it all in one post. We’ve all had that feeling of anger growing, and getting out of control. Sometimes when we lose our…

Disability Scoop
Employment Drought Continues For People With Disabilities

Michelle Diament

6 Nov 2009 | 7:50 am

An increasing number of people with disabilities were unemployed in October, the Labor Department said Friday.
Survey: Employers Remain Hesitant To Hire People With Disabilities

Michelle Diament

5 Nov 2009 | 11:54 am

Anxiety about having to fire an underperforming employee with a disability is the number one reason employers shy away from such hires.
Bally’s Fitness Cons Man With Disabilities Into Membership, Family Says

Shaun Heasley

4 Nov 2009 | 11:02 am

A man with developmental disabilities was duped into a gym membership when representatives of Bally's Total Fitness showed up at his door.
People With Disabilities In UK Twice As Likely To Live In Poverty

Michelle Diament

4 Nov 2009 | 10:29 am

Discrimination and poverty are increasing problems for people with disabilities in the United Kingdom, an annual survey finds.
Principals Want More Special Education Teachers, Consistency In IDEA

Shaun Heasley

4 Nov 2009 | 10:03 am

Lawmakers should work to establish consistency in the implementation of services when Congress meets next year to reauthorize the IDEA, a group of educators says.

Spectrum Siblings
Asperger’s and College Parties

frogger11758

31 Oct 2009 | 7:58 am

After staying at a house notorious for its parties this summer and becoming good friends with the people who live there, I have begun to attend parties this semester, an activity I had never done before. There were many reasons I didn’t attend my first two years: too many strangers very loud and unexpected noises close space with a ton of jostling all of which can be very irritating to the Aspie. My first plan for this semester was to arrive two hours before the party (note that the holders were good friends of mine), and then leave after a half-hour of partying because the environment…
Ask an Aspie: Autistic Adolescents at College

frogger11758

26 Oct 2009 | 6:41 am

This question was recently asked in Ask an Aspie, and it’s a topic I wanted to talk about anyway, so here goes: My 18 year old aspie son left for college in August and has not initiated any sort of communication with any of his friends or family. Is this a usual aspie response to a new situation and should I be frequently checking up with him. I almost have to say I will show on his doorstop to get a response and then it is extremely limited. First, I’d like to tell the reader that she’s not alone. Almost all of my friends have had arguments with their parents about how…
Help Make This Blog Better

frogger11758

23 Oct 2009 | 7:37 am

With my blogoversary only a week away, it is time to start considering my goals for my second year of blogging. So if you are a relatively consistent or veteran reader, please answer any/all of the following questions in the comment section: Which features do you find most useful on this blog? Which do you find most interesting? Which features do you find least useful/interesting? What topics would you like to see discussed in year two of Spectrum Siblings? What other changes would you like to see made to this blog? If you can recall, name (or describe) a few post which you found to be…
Creating Conversations: Using Scripts productively

frogger11758

20 Oct 2009 | 1:19 pm

I mentioned when I started working with ESL students that I thought some of their resources might also be useful for autistic individuals and vice versa. And though I had found a few connections, the first real solid link was founded yesterday. I do oral practice with students whose native language is Mandarin but who plan to pursue graduate work in either America or the UK. These last two weeks, the students have been bringing in their own materials that they wish to read aloud, in whatever area they think they need the most help. One of the areas where they really struggle is…
Creating A Functional Schedule

frogger11758

18 Oct 2009 | 10:59 am

One of my greatest weaknessess is in the area of executive functioning. I am simply a terrible planner. I can never keep track of all my activities and often find mself scrambling at the last minute to finish something I could have done stress-free a week ago. I’ve tried planners and to-do lists, reminders on my computer and phone, but nothing could really get me organized. This semester, however, has been stress-free when it comes to homework. I’ve yet to find myself doing at the last minute what I should have done previously. The reason? I finally have a method of organization…

Social Skills for Kids
What Happens After High School?

Patricia Robinson MFT

2 Nov 2009 | 1:12 pm

The transition from high school to adulthood is a crucial time in the lives of many young adults on the Autism Spectrum, and it requires careful planning. I encourage the families I work with to start the planning process early. Many local resources, schools and supports groups may offer information, but frequently these events are only offered annually, so parents need to start gathering information early in the high school years. Get on those email lists!As an example, here in San Francisco’s East Bay, The Orion Academy holds a post secondary transition seminar annually in March. The…
Local Bay Area Special Education Resource

Patricia Robinson MFT

22 Oct 2009 | 2:27 pm

Special education and the legal issues surrounding it are very complex topics. Parents need to know their rights and responsibilities, and what their child is entitled to. For parents in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Leigh Law Group is presenting a workshop for parents and professionals on Special Education: Rights to Related Services in the Public Schools. The training event is November 14th, 2009, in San Francisco, and it’s only $10.00. I’ll state right up front that I’m not familiar with this group, and I don’t know the presenters, but the topic is so crucial, I’m…
Book Review: No More Meltdowns by Jed Baker, Ph.D.

Patricia Robinson MFT

8 Oct 2009 | 10:18 am

No More Meltdowns by Jed Baker, Ph.D. is an excellent resource for parents trying to deal with their child’s out of control behavior, whether the kids have a diagnosis or not. This book is straightforward, with a simple step by step plan for dealing with tantrums and meltdowns. At the same time, there are plenty of detailed examples that show how to fit the simple plan to complex situations.Certainly parenting is tougher when children have special needs, like an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Asperger’s or Attention Deficit (ADHD or ADD). And frequently these parents have to also deal…
Playing Outside

Patricia Robinson MFT

30 Sep 2009 | 2:09 pm

Playing outside is one of the core experiences we all remember from childhood, but all too often it doesn’t happen for kids with special needs like Asperger’s, autism and ADHD. And that’s really a shame, because outdoor play is often the easiest way for all sorts of diverse personalities, abilities, and ages to interact. School politics can get very specific, with each child interacting with only the chosen few in a social clique. Different ages, groups and genders rarely mix at school. But kids aren’t quite so particular when it comes to neighborhood play. A lot of that just comes…
Using Behavior Charts

Patricia Robinson MFT

24 Sep 2009 | 1:50 pm

Raising a child with special needs like an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Asperger’s, or Attention Deficit (ADHD or ADD) is a challenge, and too often parents don’t notice all the progress they’re making. Instead the situation seems overwhelming and hopeless, and it’s as if things will never get easier for your family. The reality is that these kids do make progress. But, progress may come slowly, or in a “two steps forward one step back” pattern that may obscure all the growth. That’s where behavior charts can be so helpful. Behavior charts can be a great tool for…

Asperger Square 8
Square Talk: The Social Model

27 Oct 2009 | 7:44 am
A Job Interview

21 Oct 2009 | 10:22 pm
Instead

14 Oct 2009 | 8:31 pm

You want to be helpful. Really. Useful. You were surprised, recently to find yourself finally seeing it, the harm that is done by groups like Autism Speaks. That video, that disembodied voice, Big Scary Voice and its claims of destruction, you saw this time how these omnipresent repetitions build a world where autistic people and people with other disabilities are shunned, marginalized, treated in so many ways as less than human. Less than real. You get it now. But what about that walk coming up? What about that inbox filling with walks and runs and bake sales and pledge drives and other…
The Daily Squawk: Redefining Canines

6 Oct 2009 | 8:51 am

Canine Advocates Urge Removal of Pomeranian, Shih Tzu, Others from the Dog Spectrum Should all dogs be considered equally doglike? Well known canine advocate Darrell Hogarty doesn’t think so. “People who live with some of these smaller breeds have become too vocal,” he explains. Hogarty believes that the enthusiasm of small dog aficionados obscures the problems of real dog owners. “They claim they can live in apartments and condos. The general public is starting to think that dogs like my Rotweiller don’t need large fences to keep them from bolting.” What’s worse, Hogarty says,…
For You

29 Sep 2009 | 8:10 am

For BruceYou said, "Here's your mirror and your ball and jacks."But they're not what I came for, and I'm sure you see that too.-For YouSo many times, there were no words, but swirls of emotion, pattern and image. Thoughts and feelings demanded saying, but I was mute. The other looked on with anticipation, then curiosity, then pity. Finally, I’d disappear from view. The other would move on to other others, those who communicated freely the complexity of longings within them. Sometimes there would be someone more patient, more able to see. When I had spent the few words I could muster, I…

AspieWeb
Suicide Note

Zach

6 Nov 2009 | 11:18 pm

I commonly write suicide notes as a cry for help, but this time its for real. I knew Katelyn’s mother has been lying for a while. I hoped she would just grow out of it and realize I do truly love Katelyn and even though I screwed up and shes pregnant – I’m not going [...]
Enough Lieing

Zach

6 Nov 2009 | 2:14 pm

So, I am sick of this. I know Kate’s guardian is lying, I know Kate’s mom is lying. How do I know this? Its pretty simple when the story from Kate is different. Kate does not want to end the relationship with me, her mom and guardian are attempting to force her to. I found [...]
What Is Wrong With Suicide?

Zach

5 Nov 2009 | 5:18 pm

I don’t understand why suicide is a bad thing. My life has been ruined by someone I love and trusted. She accused me of fucking rape and I can’t even get up during sex. I’ve lost the love of my life, my daughter and everything I have. EVERYTHING. I want to die, but I’m told [...]
Washington DC Autism Speaks Protest

Zach

5 Nov 2009 | 3:22 pm

Recently Autistic people held an Autism Speaks protest in Washington DC on the national mall coinciding with an Autism Speaks fund raising event on the mall. Many Autistic people are upset about a recent fund raising video by Autism Speaks that uses fear and false statements to raise money for the organization. Similar protests have [...]
Assburgers Video Insulting?

Zach

5 Nov 2009 | 11:18 am

A friend of mine sent me this video. I don’t know if this is funny or extremely insulting. Its part of a series called ‘Retarded Policeman’ where some guy acts like a retard. In the video the ‘Retarded Policeman’ comes up to someone after pulling them over and states he is sad because he just [...]

Autism & Public School: My Experience
Imagination

Janice Ellen Wright

16 Oct 2009 | 7:44 am

This is just too cute, Marni's latest blog post is about her son's developing imagination and includes an audio clip of him pretending to be on the phone with Superman.As I said in a comment, the transcript alone is adorable, but the audio is too cute for words.
Today's Lesson from After School

Janice Ellen Wright

30 Sep 2009 | 3:25 pm

You shouldn't call people's babies ugly.Nuff said.(DB is actually doing fine in after-school, and the coordinator is awesome with him. But he is a piece of work!
Dietary Issues and Autism

Janice Ellen Wright

30 Sep 2009 | 4:41 am

This post could also be titled: Rowing Out to Meet the Boat I Missed...Last week was Autism Awareness Week at DietsinReview.com. I was honored that they asked me to write about my experiences with the GFCF diet, so even though we only did the "CF" part I was happy to oblige. (I don't think I've ever had that many links in one paragraph before!)It was interesting to choose an angle to talk about, since the posts are limited to 350 words. Would I talk about how, once I shared with other moms at school the improvements I'd seen, 2 of them tried it, and several others said something like, "Oh,…
Anger Management with PDD

Janice Ellen Wright

20 Sep 2009 | 8:47 am

On Friday, DuckyBoy got THREE Consequence Reports. Needless to say Husband and I were NOT happy.First he tackled his cluster teacher when she got upset that he kept bonking into her while swinging his arms. (I'm gonna guess they were standing in line and, therefore, supposed to be standing relatively still.)Then he punched her when she gave him a Consequence Report for tackling her!This was all before noon. Then, after lunch at recess, he hit a classmate over the head with his lunchbox (thank goodness it was a soft one, not one of his metal ones; that's a story for another day) when she said…
A Little Bit of Teasing

Janice Ellen Wright

16 Sep 2009 | 11:13 am

DuckyBoy is doing great so far in second grade, and he loves the after-school program. "Mommy, after-school makes school fun!" he said when I picked him up the first day.The downside of 2 hours of less-structured time with his peers is the chance for situations he doesn't know how to deal with.Yesterday, he mentioned being teased. It came up recently at the playground by our home, too -- and I just don't know what to tell him to say or do. At the playground he had a Transformer toy and another kid wanted him to either let him see it or transform it to robot mode from vehicle mode, and DB…

OTPlan.com
Dot Dot Paint

Develop your child's fine motor skills and strengthen grasp and manual control.
Colorful Bookmark

In this activity the child will work on developing his fine motor skills through drawing, cutting, and pasting stickers as he creates a colorful bookmark.
Snack Time

This activity assists in improving the child's functional performance with snack preparation and encourages self feeding.
Sensory Salad

In this activity the child gets to use his imagination as he works on promoting his fine motor skills and his ability to process tactile input. This is a fun activity to do in a small group for social interaction and promotion of language.
Textured Paper Painting

This activity allows the child to create a unique paper texture. The goal is to promote the child's fine motor skills and control by utilizing both hands, cutting, and painting. The use of finger paint allows the child to work on processing tactile input.

Facing Autism in New Brunswick
CARD Study Finds Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Ineffective Treatment for Children with Autism

Autism Reality NB

7 Nov 2009 | 1:19 am

CARD, the Center for Autism and Related Disorders, Inc., has conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled trial which found that HBOT, consisting of 24% oxygen delivered at 1.3 atmospheres of pressure, does not have a significant effect on symptoms of autism. The study is summarized on the CARD blog.autism
Respectful Insolence Is A "Science" Blog?

Autism Reality NB

6 Nov 2009 | 5:18 pm

Respectful Insolence is reportedly a "science" blog. Orac the blog author is a medical doctor, a surgeon who uses the internet to do nothing more than trash and smear anyone who disagrees with his "scientific" views or whom he disapproves of for any reason. Most of his blog comments are unsupported by anything other than childish name calling. His 1o most recent blogs starting with November 6, 2009:1. Desiree Jennings "cured" of her "vaccine-induced dystonia"? November 6, 2009Despite the comment title Orac actually spends the first few paragraphs attacking Suzanne Somers before moving on to…
Up All Day and Night - Severe Autism Self Injurious Behavior Video From CDFoakley

Autism Reality NB

6 Nov 2009 | 6:23 am

The following video from CDFoakley is not easy to watch. The severely autistic youth featured is engaged in serious self injurious behavior. Those who love and care for him pay a huge price. The video talks of families struggling alone and government agencies that just don't help. Maybe if the media would stop promoting the self indulgent agendas of the barely autistic and started focusing on the harsh realities of the severely autistic governments would get the message.Maybe they would understand the truth about severe autism realities and stop focusing on real autism issues.Maybe media and…
Autism Priorities and the DSM V: Media Ignores Invisible, Severely Autistic in DSM V Discussions

Autism Reality NB

6 Nov 2009 | 2:28 am

The invisible autistics, the severely autistic, those with Autistic Disorder, profound developmental delays, cognitive and intellectual deficits, those who can not live independently, who live on hospital wards and in large, antiquated psychiatric institutions do not make regular appearances in the New York Times and its junior Canadian cousin the Globe and Mail. Nor do they appear regularly on the various CBC television and radio shows that have fawned over Michelle Dawson, Amanda Baggs and more recently Ari Ne'eman. In the big, mainstream media discussions, and opinions about the proposed…
H1N1 Vaccine, Cure or Cause? Moncton Wildcats Hockey Players Contract H1N1 AFTER Receiving H1N1 Vaccine

Autism Reality NB

4 Nov 2009 | 10:26 pm

Since getting the shot, 17 Wildcats have caught mild cases of the flu. Two have confirmed cases of H1N1, and the other 15 suspected. All the sick players are quarantined, and several games have been cancelled.The Globe and Mail, Nov 4, 2009So how effective IS the H1N1 Swine Flu vaccine? Seventeen athletic teenagers whose health would be monitored closely by their hockey team contract H1N1 immediately after receiving the vaccine? Did the vaccine actually cause them to contract H1N1? Hopefully cases where healthy individuals contract H1N1 immediately after receiving the vaccine will be…

Everyday Adventures
Sensory stuff

lonestar

25 Oct 2009 | 9:05 pm

So I just wrote a long, rambling post (in draft mode) trying to sort out my thoughts about the sensory challenges we've been having lately, mostly with Bearhug. When it comes to classic autism, his is the mildest of my three boys (with Bitty the most affected and Cuddlebug somewhere in the middle), but Bearhug's sensory challenges are the most severe of my three. He is really struggling lately - at home, school, even church. It seems to be a combination of overstimulation, various changes in the routine, difficulty focusing, and somehow just general out-of-sync-ness (to borrow the term from…
Magic Marker Monday: Flowers

lonestar

25 Oct 2009 | 9:03 pm

Bearhug brought this home from school. It looks like it may be of the same vase that Cuddlebug painted at school but it's interesting to see how different Bearhug's interpretation of it was :).For more Magic Marker Monday, visit 5 Minutes for Special Needs.If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.Thanks for reading my feed! Feel free to stop by and leave a comment to let me know what you think :).
Cuddlebug and Bearhug on the go

lonestar

24 Oct 2009 | 9:01 am

Some pictures from our trip:Cuddlebug enjoyed the view from the window of the train at the airport, while Bearhug was focused on his pizza :). We encountered lots of big escalators at the airports (we visited three that day). Cuddlebug insisted on riding the escalators, while Bearhug was terrified of them, so we compromised by letting Cuddlebug ride up and back down, and then we all took the elevator together.We went to a pizza / game place where the boys had fun riding bumper cars (great for sensory-seekers!) and playing air hockey.They got tired of hitting the puck back and forth and…
Social story: Airplane ride

lonestar

23 Oct 2009 | 8:02 pm

I made this for the boys before our trip, thought it might be helpful to share.New experiences, however fun or exciting, can be really stressful for Cuddlebug and Bearhug so the goal of this was to walk through what to expect step-by-step. With flying, I knew there would be a lot of steps involved and wanted to help them transition as smoothly as possible from one area to the next as we went through the process of getting checked in, going through security, finding our gate, waiting, boarding, etc. The fewer surprises the better :).I put the pages together in powerpoint and then printed them…
Alex Barton Update

lonestar

23 Oct 2009 | 4:55 am

As you may remember, Alex Barton was the little boy whose teacher had him "voted out" of his kindergarten class by his peers. He is now an honor student at another school that is obviously doing a much better job of meeting his educational needs.I saw this on Fox & Friends yesterday, I am really glad to see that he is doing well. And he was cracking me up doing "thumbs up" and big grins (to the cameraman?) while his mom was talking :). What a cutie!If you enjoyed this post, get free updates by email or RSS.Thanks for reading my feed! Feel free to stop by and leave a comment to let me know…

Fickle Feline
Disappearing Act.

Kat

26 Oct 2009 | 5:47 pm

One of the hardest things for any parent to do is look at his or her child and say "my child is not like the other children, something is wrong". Even harder is picking up the phone, and calling a doctor to schedule an appointment, telling a nurse why you are in to see the doctor, and then having a doctor examine your child to confirm your suspicions. And so starts the journey for many parents
The Journey.

Kat

13 Oct 2009 | 6:27 pm

I was speaking with blueballoon's Director of Behaviour Therapy tonight, about Max, Autism, the journey, my frustrations. I have been feeling really anxious about Max lately. Wanting answers. To know where we are going. What's the plan? What about junior kindergarten? Is Max getting everything he needs? Are we doing absolutely everything we can for him? How does he stack up next to other
Video Killed Radio Star.

Kat

10 Oct 2009 | 5:50 pm

It's been a while since I posted a bunch of videos, so I thought I'd show everyone what we were up to on this beautiful fall day. Cam & I discussed Obama being nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize (we think he will absolutely do something to deserve it - other than being the 1st black president, but we question the timing of it). We also seem to agree that the Ontario Government really, REALLY
The Things I Wish For.

Kat

6 Oct 2009 | 8:37 pm

I've been feeling a lot of mixed emotions lately. Excited when I witness tangible displays of Max's progress, contrasted with moments of clarity where I see just how different my little boy is from all of the other little boys. Earlier this week, when I picked Max up to take him for his usual afternoon of therapy at blueballoon, I noticed that there was a note taped to his cubby at daycare. On
I Dare You Not to Smile.

Kat

5 Oct 2009 | 8:30 pm

Gadget Girl strikes again (checking my blackberry email and texting my boss, no doubt):I can't say "no" to her now, how will I manage when she actually starts asking for more than her "baba" and to be picked up?Was there ever any question who was running the show?

The Bon Bon Gazette
Happy GFCF Halloween Cupcakes

29 Oct 2009 | 3:26 pm

Halloween means class parties. Which means lots of treats that my son is unable to partake in. So, what's a mom to do?Make GFCF cupcakes for the whole class to enjoy.. of course!These are one bite mini GFCF cupcakes - made with Pamela's Luscious Chocolate Cake Mix. Topped with dairy free frosting and Halloween Pumpkin Peeps - yep, peeps are Gluten Free!Yummy!Related Posts:Halloween doesn’t have to be frightening: Autism, GFCF ....GFCF kids can enjoy Halloween too! Dealing with Special Diets- Gluten & Casein Free & Food Allergies at HalloweenHappy Halloween!
Brick SEPTA & Challenger Halloween Festival

25 Oct 2009 | 11:58 am

Today was a perfect fall day. Sunny and crisp! Despite me having a wicked case of laryngitis, we headed out to the Brick SEPTA & Challenger sponsored Halloween festival. There was a hayride, pumpkin painting, food & treats, and inflatables. All of the kids had a blast - as usual. Alex was dressed as a hot dog which got a lot of giggles and smiles. A few friends that are 'in the know' asked if he was a gluten free hot dog. Belle didn't want to wreck her Sleeping Beauty costume so she dressed up from 'the costume reserve' (I hit Target after Halloween when the costumes go to 90% off so…
Betty Crocker Gluten Free Fruit Snacks Giveaway

24 Oct 2009 | 4:58 pm

...Betty Crocker has done it again!I was excited to learn that Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks are now GLUTEN FREE! In the past I have shyed away from these types of packaged grocery store snacks but after revisiting the ingredients, I have had a change of heart. Each packet is under 100 calories, made with real fruit, a source of vitamin C, and low fat. Yes, they do have sugars and corn syrup but I think in moderation they aren't the enemy!I've been tossing one of these packaged snacks in my son's lunch box the past few weeks and he's enjoyed them quite a bit. He especially liked the…
Tried CHREESE? Gluten Dairy & Soy Free Cheese!

23 Oct 2009 | 12:03 pm

One of the reasons why a lot of people give up on the GFCF diet is that kid cuisine tends to revolve around WHEAT and DAIRY. Think about it - Pizza, Chicken Nuggets, Macaroni & Cheese, Grilled Cheese. All of these things are GFCF laden. It can be tough. Before my son started on "the diet" he lived on these things also. He would drink milk, gulp down yogurt tubes, and could make his own KRAFT EZ-MAC as a kindergardener. In the beginning it was so tough to try to make him GFCF substitutes for his kiddie cuisine items that he loved so much.Macaroni and Cheese was a tough one, but I found a…
The PIXAR Lamp!

2 Oct 2009 | 11:32 am

One of the highlights of our trip to Disney was taking Alex to the PIXAR section at Hollywood Studios.Where he got to see a real signing and dancing PIXAR Lamp. Needless to say this was kind of like a dream come true for him since he is obsessed with the PIXAR Lamp and, well.. he basically worships it. A couple times an hour the Pixar lamp comes out and from behind the black shutters and does a song and dance. Related Links:A Very Pixar ChristmasAll he wants for Christmas is a PIXAR lamp

Autism Science Foundation
NIH Awards More than 50 New Autism Grants

autismsciencefoundation

4 Nov 2009 | 7:55 am

(From the NIH) The National Institutes of Health has awarded more than 50 autism research grants, totaling more than $65 million, which will be supported with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. These grants are the result of the largest funding opportunity for research on autism spectrum disorders (ASD) to date, announced in March 2009. Awards were based on the quality of the proposed study and how well it addressed short-term research objectives detailed in the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee’s (IACC’s) Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research.
Paul Offit Recieves AAP Outstanding Service Award

autismsciencefoundation

24 Oct 2009 | 7:03 am

Dr. Paul Offit The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) presented Paul Offit, MD, FAAP, with the President’s Certificate for Outstanding Service at the National Conference and Exhibition of the AAP earlier this week. The award recognizes an individual’s outstanding service and long-term, personal dedication to the mission of the AAP and to the health, safety and well-being of children. Dr. Offit is a pediatrician, chief of infectious diseases and the director of the vaccine education center at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He serves as a board member of the Autism Science…
Autism Proceedings: End of Story

autismsciencefoundation

22 Oct 2009 | 4:50 pm

By Jonathan Rabinovitz Stanford Medical School Advocacy groups can play a vital role in advancing treatment of a disease, but a small but vocal group of parents of children with autism may be hindering as much as helping the latest efforts to promote research on the disorder. Case in point: when the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee meets on Oct. 23 to consider revisions to its strategic plan for autism research, it will no longer include one of its most esteemed scientists: Story Landis, PhD, director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Landis had chosen…
Misplaced Fear: Resolving the Fear Around Vaccines and Autism

autismsciencefoundation

21 Oct 2009 | 5:48 pm

By Lydia McCoy Executive Director of the Colorado Children’s Immunization Coalition. Thimerosal and the MMR vaccine do not cause autism. There I said it. I know parents are scared. I know parents just want to do what is best for their children. I also know that vaccines are not the thing to fear, it is disease that should be feared. Measles is not something that any child needs to endure. The MMR vaccine has been incredibly powerful in protecting children and our entire community. “The measles vaccination has resulted in a decrease in reported measles cases from about 500,000 cases and…
H1N1 Influenza Virus, H1N1 Vaccine and Mitochondrial Disease

autismsciencefoundation

20 Oct 2009 | 1:15 pm

By Bruce Cohen, M.D. Dr. Cohen is a staff neurologist in the Neuroscience Institute at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Dr. Cohen served nine years on the Board of Trustees of the UMDF from 1998-2006 and is currently Secretary of the UMDF’s Scientific and Medical Advisory Board. He has been the chairman or co-chairman of the 2000, 2005 and 2008 UMDF Annual Symposium and will be the CME Chairman for the 2009 meeting. There have been questions regarding recommendations about people with mitochondrial disease receiving the H1N1 vaccine. The Scientific and Medical Advisory Board (SMAB) of the…

Autism Jabberwocky
Mercury in the Blood

MJ

28 Oct 2009 | 7:43 am

Mercury in bottle via usepagov (flickr)Mercury and autism. These two words go together as well as matches do in a dynamite factor. For more than the a decade, a controversy has raged about whether exposure to mercury can cause autism. Some think that the mercury that used to be contained in vaccines played a role in the rise of autism while others think that mercury is completely harmless and would drink it like Kool-Aid if they could.Regardless of your opinion about mercury, you have to admit that it is a health risk and it is concerning that our exposure to it from the…
Left Brain Right Brain's Jabberwocky

MJ

26 Oct 2009 | 8:54 pm

Jabberwocky (noun)Nonsensical speech or writingI think this one word sums up quite nicely where the once interesting site Left Brain Right Brain is heading. I may not have agreed with much of what they have said but at least they were able make their points clearly and intelligently. But lately, clarity and intelligence seem to be heading out the window to be replaced with dogma, nonsense, and mean-spiritedness.Consider the recent anonymous stalking of the mother whose child has autism. I don't like to resort to name calling but I have no other words to describe this…
What about Dr. Thomas Insel?

MJ

21 Oct 2009 | 7:45 pm

Photo Courtesy of U.S. ArmyDr. Thomas Insel is the Director of the National Institute of Mental Health as well as the chair of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC). These two roles put him in a key position to dictate the direction of autism research for the foreseeable future and to determine how federal funds are spent in this country. Given what the success he has achieved, I have to assume that he is an intelligent person and is knowledgeable about mental health issues.But I have to wonder at some his actions relating to autism.
Dr. Landis Leaves a Trail of Genius at the IACC

MJ

20 Oct 2009 | 6:13 pm

Base photo via net_efektNote to self - if I pass notes at a public committee hearing that disparage a college, parents, or an advocacy group, remember to take they with me next time.I imagine that Dr. Landis, director of the National Institute of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and former member of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) is telling herself something along those line today. I usually try and stay away from stories that are run on Age of Autism but I think this one is kind of important. According to the story at Age of Autism,…
Wrong Planet, Right Ad?

MJ

11 Oct 2009 | 3:38 pm

I was reading something earlier today on the ever-so sophisticated wrongplanet.net when I ran into something that can only be described as hilarious. Most of the denizens of site are of the opinion that autism is built into the person and is a part of their identity. They view it not as a disorder but as a characteristic of who they are - like someone else might feel about their race or religion. These folks tend to take a very dim view of people who even hint that autism could be caused by any environmental factor.So, imagine my surprise when I happened to glance up to the top of the page…

AutMont
No More Asperger's or PDD-NOS Diagnoses?

3 Nov 2009 | 10:49 am

Experts who are revising the latest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), which will come out in or around 2012, are considering eliminating Asperger's Syndrome and PDD-NOS from the manual. Instead, they will be included under the larger diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD).A final proposal for the DSM-V should come out in January, at which time the public will be able to comment.There have been several good articles and/or blog posts on the topic, notably The New York Times, Disability Scoop, and Developmental Disabilities in the News.My son is…
Check Out Care.com for Free This Weekend

2 Nov 2009 | 9:39 am

Care.com is a childcare and housesitting service that helps people find local caregivers and facilitates interviews, reference checking, and background checks. This weekend, November 6-8, they are offering a free weekend of access.During the free weekend, all visitors to Care.com can check out the benefits of a premium membership at no charge. You'll be able to see full profiles for nearby care providers, contact them for interviews, check references, and request background checks.Not only do they list babysitters, nannies, senior caregivers, tutors, pet sitters, and housekeepers, but they…
Celebrate the Holidays with Kennedy Krieger

1 Nov 2009 | 5:37 pm

Bring your family and get a head start on your holiday shopping and entertainment at Kennedy Krieger's annual Festival of Trees.The three-day event features fairyland forests, gingerbread towns, toy train gardens, more than 100 craft vendors, holiday goodies, and activities for kids of all ages.It will take place November 27-29 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium (220 York Road). Festival hours are 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for seniors and kids aged 5-12. Children four and under are free. You can buy your…
Event Summary for the Week of November 2, 2009

1 Nov 2009 | 5:19 pm

Check out all of the amazing events on the AutMont Calendar for this week!Wednesday, November 4:JSSA Support Group for ParentsSeminar: Road to Adult ServicesParent Academy Workshop: Problem Solving with the SchoolWorkshop: DDA New Directions WaiverParent Academy Workshop: Speaking Up for Your ChildrenThursday, November 5:Parent Academy Workshop: Speaking Up for Your Children (in Spanish)Wrightslaw Special Education and Advocacy ConferenceParent Academy Workshop: Organization Matters in Middle SchoolFriday, November 6:Used Book Sale to Benefit The Arc of Montgomery CountySaturday, November…
IACC Full Committee Meeting

1 Nov 2009 | 5:06 pm

Another IACC (Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee) Full-Committee Meeting will be held Tuesday November 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).The agenda will include a discussion of recommendations for the annual update of the IACC Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research. The meeting is open to the public and pre-registration is recommended. You can register online. There will be a live webcast as well as a publicly accessible conference call. The conference call phone number is 888-577-8995 and the access code is 1991506.The meeting…