MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'Club 166' source. Sat, 15 Nov 2008 22:35:28 +0100 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/10/boo.html Well, it might not be the biggest pumpkin we've ever had (it's only about 10"/25cm high), but We planted it.We kept the rabbits and other animals from eating it.We harvested it.And then we carved it. The hardest part was in achieving consensus on what design to use. (Source: Club 166) Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1924477 Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:32:00 +0100 1924477 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/10/send-comments-to-nbc.html Last week I put up a post concerning a skit on NBC's Saturday Night Live, where the whole "joke" was making fun of a disabled person.Well NBC thinks it's so funny they have the clip up on the SNL web site.I just registered to make comments, and posted one myself.I invite others to do the same.Sorry there's no picture for this post. I'm rushing off to work. (Source: Club 166) Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1879858 Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:24:00 +0100 1879858 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/10/snl-and-disability-not-pretty.html So I tuned in to Saturday Night Live on Saturday evening (mostly to see what they would do after the Vice-Presidential debate this last week).They had a very funny opening, and a couple of good bits. Then they did this "Lawrence Welk" bit:It started out OK. I am old enough to remember going to my grandparents' house as a kid, and being forced to watch the Lawrence Welk Show whenever it was on. It was corny even back then, and seemed a fitting thing to lampoon. Then it got to about the 2 minute mark, where it appeared that the essence of the bit was how weird and disgusting the physically disabled sister was. I was totally disgusted. I guess that it's still OK to laugh at the disabled, even if you're SNL. (Source: Club 166) Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1853596 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 03:43:00 +0100 1853596 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/09/political-surprise.html photo credit-hjlcreative commons licenseNo, not that one. This political surprise was a lot more local.You could have knocked us over with a feather when we got this news.Buddy Boy, now 8 years old and in third grade, decided to run for the school council. To do so, candidates had to give a speech and make a poster. His poster simply said:Vote for Me!BuddyWe asked him what he said for his campaign speech. He said he told the kids that he would do whatever they said (sounds like he has a future as a politician).And then the real shocker-------He won!!!!His teacher assured Liz that she had not made a mistake, and Buddy Boy had indeed been elected by his classmates. Buddy Boy's teacher moderates the council, so she'll be able to facilitate his participation (yahoo! another free social skills ... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1788707 Sat, 13 Sep 2008 04:52:00 +0100 1788707 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/09/palin-speaks-to-us.html "To the families of special needs children all across this country, I have a message for you. For years you've sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters and I pledge to you that if we're elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House".Tomorrow, Republicans will be crowing about a lot of the great "lines" that were in Sarah Palin's speech.Tomorrow, Democrats will be bashing the Republicans.But tonight I rejoice that someone who will spend her life "walking the walk" of raising a child with special needs may end up having the ear of the President of the United States. The lines quoted above were heartfelt and spoken with a sincerity seldom heard from any politician.If Sarah Palin doesn't win this election, I want to hire her as an advocate for... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1759888 Thu, 04 Sep 2008 04:42:00 +0100 1759888 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/08/labels.html photo credit-kingnixoncreative commons licenseIn preparing for our recent cross country vehicular jaunt (i.e., vacation/holiday) I faced a bit of an ethical dilemma. The US National Parks Service offers a variety of different passes that are valid for admission to all national parks and forests. Besides these annual passes, it is also possible to purchase access for a limited period of time (usually 7 days) for a discounted amount.I had been vaguely aware of the Access Pass from a local autism online group. The Access Pass gives free lifetime admission to the parks to those with permanent disabilities (along with up to 3 other people traveling with them in the same non-commercial vehicle). I hadn't thought about it much, but now took the time to consider it.Was Buddy Boy permanently disabl... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1723449 Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:55:00 +0100 1723449 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/08/when-aspies-meet.html So, our first full day in Yellowstone Park we went to visit Old Faithful geyser. We hung around for the 35 minutes or so until the next eruption, and secured ourself a front row seat so the kids would get a good view. Afterwards, when asked how he liked it Buddy Boy replied "I thought it would be bigger". He had seen it in videos before we left, and evidently a 100 foot (30 odd meters) tall plume of water with steam in person didn't measure up to what he thought he saw in the video. But still he liked it, and wanted to stick around until the next eruption.We started walking around the large boardwalk that is in the general area of Old Faithful, and leads to a number of hot springs and other geyers. While we were walking, we passed another family group who had one young boy who was perhaps ... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1709110 Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:42:00 +0100 1709110 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/08/wordless-wednesday.html (Source: Club 166) Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1704707 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:25:00 +0100 1704707 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/08/where-in-world.html Are we??Who can figure out which state in the Continental U.S. we are in?This is a contest. But as I am a cheapskate, on the road, and am figuring this out as I go along, I don't have anything to give away. So for the prize, for the first one to figure out where we are, I'll e-mail you some scenic views from our vacation (holiday).Tonights clue is the picture up on top. If someone doesn't figure it out in 24 hours, I'll edit this post and add another clue.----------------------------------------------editThe first guess. The first guess!OK, Do'C got it on the first try. We actually spent the first night of our vacation in Iowa, but with apologies to any Iowans out there, I didn't take any pics that first night (though the kids and I did find a family of toads outside the motel while Liz wa... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1677006 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 03:46:00 +0100 1677006 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/08/comment-of-week-award.html photo credit-andybee21creative commons licenseHaving been tagged by Maddy a while ago with the dubious distinction of having the "Comment of the Week" on her blog (and she, in turn, was inspired for this award by Scribbit) I hereby, by the power invested in me as the owner of this blog, and without too many further commas in this endless sentence, bestow my first "Comment of the Week" award to my fellow Midwesterner Marla for her comment on my "Kids Say the Darndest Things" post where she said: I love it! Hey, I would be all for just 'compunicating' with our doctors. That would save a lot of time. ;) What a little smartie.Besides being a fellow Midwesterner and a parent to an autistic child thru adoption, Marla is a lot of things that I am not, like artistic (she has some great photos, c... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1674859 Sat, 02 Aug 2008 04:20:00 +0100 1674859 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/07/kids-say-darndest-things.html When I was young, Art Linkletter had a show on TV, one segment of which was "Kids Say the Darndest Things". He would interview young children (about 4-11 years old) and elicit some "unusual" answers from them.In the spirit of that show, here are two snippets of conversation involving Buddy Boy that Liz related to me.Buddy Boy went to his psychiatrist's office today, and Liz told Buddy Boy that he had to talk to the psychiatrist, and not just sit there and play with his Nintendo DS. So Buddy Boy went in there and after a bit said,"So, are you like an occupational therapist for the brain?""Not exactly. I'm actually a child and adolescent psychiatrist.""So do people come to you if they have problems with their brainstem?""No, actually, if they had problems with their brainstem I wouldn't be t... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1671511 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:48:00 +0100 1671511 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/07/no-more-training-wheels.html Sweet Pea is 6 now. Last year she briefly expressed the wish to take her training wheels off of her bicycle, so we tried it. It didn't work out so well (despite putting extra knee, wrist, and elbow pads on her, lot's of encouragement, etc.), so we put them back on.This year she decided that she wanted to try again. So about 6 weeks ago I lowered her seat all the way down, and helped her glide down the incline on the cul-de-sac next to our home, with her feet out to the sides to keep her balance/keep her from falling. We did that for two weeks, then I bribed her to put her feet up on the pedals while I started her off and had her glide down the incline.Well, one thing's led to another, and after two trips to a local parking lot with an ever so slight incline to it, I can say that those trai... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1658130 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:56:00 +0100 1658130 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/07/ribbit-from-headlines-aka-kneedeep-in.html photo credit-Parksy1964creative commons licenseAmongst all the commotion regarding Savage things said by one individual, Neandarthal comments from a Canadian source, and initial forays into genetic testing for autism, one little story seemed to slip under the radar.Human-frog hybrids reveal autism's secrets says the headline in The New Scientist magazine article.Human-frog hybrids might reveal the neurological secrets of autism. By fusing cells from the preserved brains of deceased autistic patients with the eggs of a carnivorous African frog called Xenopus, scientists have started investigating the way the brain cells of people with autism behave. ...The creation of chimeras, or combinations of two different species, is not new. But the creation of animal-human hybrids is a relatively new... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1649013 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 21:18:00 +0100 1649013 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/07/old-dog-new-tricks.html photo credit-Avolorecreative commons licenseWell, I did it today. I registered to go back to school.One would think that after spending most of my adult life in either higher education or advanced training, and after reaching an age where I should be actively planning my retirement, I would have more sense than this. Perhaps I am addicted to education. Or is it just Pomp and Circumstance?Over the last 2 years my interest in bioethics has increased. I regularly attend and participate in a monthly ethics conference at my institution, and have done some reading on the subject. We have discussed such issues as the exhibit of human bodies in Body World, sham surgery, and the "Ashley Treatment". So I have decided to formally add some credentials to myself in the area of bioethics. Rather than co... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1631046 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 22:22:00 +0100 1631046 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/07/how.html A few short weeks ago it looked like this:Now the first cherry tomatoes have come in:With more on the way:Some full size tomatoes:Carrots:Onions:and Beans:The pumpkins, watermelon, and cucumbers have spread all over the place, but no fruit yet. And unfortunately, after harvesting one early strawberry from the strawberry plants, no further fruit as of yet.But we remain optimistic. (Source: Club 166) Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1603040 Thu, 10 Jul 2008 03:52:00 +0100 1603040 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/06/practical-socialization.html I have long felt that while supporting Buddy Boy in his socialization skills by taking him to socialization classes was a good thing, that he got just as much good (and perhaps more) from the times I have taken him to McDonald's Play Places. When I take him to a Play Place, I try to let him go out and negotiate for himself, just giving him some tips ahead of time, reviewing casually some things afterward, and intervening (and sometimes hightailing it out of there) only as necessary.While Buddy Boy's great little surprise the other day is a "one off" for now (we're back to standard conversation mode), he did up and demonstrate a skill yesterday I haven't seen him do before.We took our annual outing to our local park's carnival that they hold every year in June. We have to pass this fair get... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1554429 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 18:07:00 +0100 1554429 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/06/planning-ahead.html buy one of these here. In looking thru my past posts, I realize that Buddy Boy and autism are the subject matter for the majority of my posts. Since autism is but a portion of our lives, I thought I might share a little story of something that happened with Sweet Pea yesterday. Out of the blue, Sweet Pea asked Liz who picked out the stones (headstones) when you were buried. Now no one's died recently, and I don't think she's watched something about people dying lately (I don't think they kill off characters on the Cartoon Network). So I don't know where this came from. So Liz responded with our usual "Why do you ask?", to which Sweet Pea responded that she wanted to know whether you picked out your own or someone else picked it out for you. Liz responded something to the effect that a ... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1551349 Sat, 28 Jun 2008 01:26:00 +0100 1551349 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/06/conversation.html photo credit-antony_mayfieldcreative commons licenseSo, we were all sitting and watching a video tonight from the library about slavery during the 1600's in America. It was really well done, and quite fascinating. Did you know that during this time period 20% of the population of New York was African-American? And that Carolina had twice as many slaves as there were whites? I never saw any of that in my history books in school.Buddy Boy was doing what he usually does, which is add his own running commentary (actually, it's more like interjecting facts he knows-or thinks he knows-about the subject). At one point he says "Mom, I have to tell you what I was going to tell you about before". "Can it wait?" Liz asked. "No, I need to tell you right now." "Is this something I won't like?" (we've b... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1546666 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 05:21:00 +0100 1546666 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/06/rivisitare.html To help celebrate the inclusion of Autism Hub Bloggers at the conference starting today at the University of San Diego, Steve D of One Dad's Opinion has asked for people to revisit a favorite post that they have written in the past. For my part, I have selected this one, originally posted on February 25, 2007. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------On Raising Cowboys...And them that don't know him won't like himAnd them that do sometimes won't know how to take himHe ain't wrong he's just differentbut his pride won't let him do things to make you think he's right...------------------------------ from "Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys" by Willie NelsonSo Yesterday I had occasion to drive 300 miles one way to another ... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1537928 Mon, 23 Jun 2008 02:01:00 +0100 1537928 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/06/mud-therapy.html The school year started out great, but got a bit stressful at the end. Fortunately the corollary to "All good things must come to an end" is "All bad things must also come to an end". So the year ended, and we have been getting back on an even keel.I am descended from a long line of Eastern European farmers. My ancestors were peasants that farmed the land in Europe, and one set of my Grandparents started out in this country as farmers in the middle of Wisconsin.So working the earth is in my genes, and you would think it would be second nature to me. Unfortunately I have not had a garden in more than 25 years (probably closer to 30). But Buddy Boy (who wants to be a farmer) had been bugging me this winter to put in a garden this year. My sister (who used to live about a mile from us, but no... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1535737 Sat, 21 Jun 2008 17:58:00 +0100 1535737 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/06/great-father-dies.html Tim Russert, 1950-2008Tim Russert, known to most Americans as the host and moderator of NBC's "Meet The Press", died suddenly today. He was 58 years old.He was an icon of American journalism, who asked tough but fair questions of politicians of all stripes. His interviews were always fair, and he never belittled or insulted the people he had on his show. That's pretty impressive, for someone who did it for almost 25 years.I thought he was just a darn good journalist until I read a book he wrote, "Wisdom of Our Fathers". I received this book as a Father's Day gift two years ago. This was a follow on book to one he wrote two years earlier, entitled "Big Russ and Me". In this first book on fatherhood Russert talks about his own father, who was a sanitation worker and a truck driver, and what ... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1518679 Sat, 14 Jun 2008 00:10:00 +0100 1518679 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/06/buddy-boys-home-photos.html Buddy Boy successfully made his First Communion this year, which we considered a big accomplishment. His most prized gift came from his godfather, Uncle Dave. Uncle Dave got him what Buddy Boy's been campaigning for for quite awhile-a camera.I've uploaded the first set of photos that I'm making public from Buddy Boy's first foray into photography. These are from around the house, most taken on the first day or two he had the camera. I didn't include ones he made of the family (sorry).Later I'll upload some ones he took on vacation. In addition to the two shots here, the rest of the photos can be found on Flickr. Enjoy! (Source: Club 166) Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1508349 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:11:00 +0100 1508349 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/06/respite-dolphins-mummies-and-tractors.html Buddy Boy's "Memory Extractor"I haven't been posting a whole lot lately, especially about personal stuff. Things got really hard for awhile, and it became a combination of not being able/wanting to lay out my personal problems to the whole world (I am basically the silent, keep it in, work it out yourself kind of guy) as well as using all of my spare energy to do my best to keep our family from disintegrating. School's been out for two whole weeks here. And we're finally getting back to some semblance of normalcy.The school year started out really well for Buddy Boy. The majority of his time was spent included in a regular classroom. Buddy Boy had the best darn teacher in the whole school for his regular class, Mrs. J. His special ed class teacher (Miss E.) worked well with Mrs. J., and pu... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1499921 Sat, 07 Jun 2008 20:24:00 +0100 1499921 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/06/great-place-to-visit-but.html photo credit-metrohicKScreative commons licenseFlorida is a great place to visit. There's all sorts of things to amuse and satisfy both kids and adults. There's NASA,photo credit-http2007creative commons licenseFlorida oranges,photo credit-Viewoftheworldcreative commons licensesandy beaches,photo credit-heather0714creative commons licenseand a park where a somewhat famous mouse lives.But while one could certainly have a great time visiting Florida with one's kids, it increasingly seems that Florida is not a place one would choose to live with their kids anytime soon. It would seem that Florida may soon have to change their motto from "The Sunshine State" to the "We Hate Kids" state.Christschool the other day had a great post about the Alex Barton/Portillo case that brought up issues such a... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1481843 Sun, 01 Jun 2008 05:03:00 +0100 1481843 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/05/education-survivor-and-hamburgers.html I think Amanda was the first to point out the recent abuse of a Kindergarten student in Port St. Lucie, Florida. And many others have since weighed in (scroll down the linked blog for a list of other posts). I would imagine the vast majority of those who read this blog have already heard about this, where a Kindergarten teacher thought it thoroughly appropriate to have a 5 year old student stand in front of the class while his classmates were instructed to tell him what they didn't like about him. The teacher then thought it would be a good idea to have his classmates vote on whether he should be allowed to stay in the class or not.They voted him out, by a vote of 14-2, in a move reminiscent of the American TV show, Survivor.The vast majority of blogging on this that I have seen quite righ... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1469657 Tue, 27 May 2008 04:11:00 +0100 1469657 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/05/justice-delayed.html photo credit-densaercreative commons licenseWell, it might be a case of too little, too late for many who have been tortured at the Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC) in the past, but I'll take anything at this point.Yesterday's Boston Globe reported that the JRC is being investigated, and that state investigators went in to the center last week and seized boxes of documents.I started writing about the JRC about 15 months ago, but they've been up to no good for a lot longer than that. The JRC is famous for using electric shocks in autistic individuals as a form of "aversive therapy". Inmates "Students" at the center wear backpacks with batteries and shocking devices which torturers "patient care technicians" can activate at any time by pushing a button. They shock children for such things as bei... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1449318 Fri, 16 May 2008 23:54:00 +0100 1449318 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/05/happy-mothers-day.html photo credit-tanakawhocreative commons licenseTo those that missed my post last year, it applies even more so now.And for a bit of humor, I suggest viewing "Because I'm the mom".Happy Mother's Day! (Source: Club 166) Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1434432 Sun, 11 May 2008 03:07:00 +0100 1434432 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/04/eugenics-with-smile.html When I was younger, I used to wonder how people who lived in Germany let the Holocaust occur. Over the years, I have come to believe that it was a series of small steps which seemed somewhat reasonable at the time, combined with a sense of "that doesn't apply to me" when many things came up, and finally, a tendency to believe those in authority.Today I think I saw up close and personal how things like the Holocaust get started.Peter Singer gave a talk today on a local campus. His topic was "Medical Decisions in Life and Death". After watching him today, I don't think that the devil wears Prada. Instead, he wears a rumpled shirt, smiles, is generally pleasant, and advocates for things like puppy dogs and poor people, right before he tries to convince the audience that some people are more v... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1411764 Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:34:00 +0100 1411764 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/04/good-bad-and-ugly.html The film, "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" is a complex yet wonderful western where sometimes crime does pay, and good goes unrewarded. Life has certainly been complex around our house for the last month, but unfortunately it's been far from wonderful. And the good has been far outweighed by the bad and the ugly lately.Buddy Boy started out this year having the best year he's had so far. He loved school, thrived with being included, identified with his classmates, and seemed to really blossom. Sure there were some minor rough spots, but overall it was shaping up to be a stellar year.Oh how quickly things can change. If things don't turn around very quickly, he'll be expelled from his school within a week or so, and I won't really blame them.But let's get back to the good. Buddy Boy made h... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1380532 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 01:58:00 +0100 1380532 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/04/kathleen-slapped-blogs-slap-back.html photo credit-azrainmancreative commons licenseI had heard of SLAPP suits (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) before in the context of lawsuits against environmental groups, but had never really paid much attention to them. Evidently the whole purpose of them is to harass people who are speaking out by costing them great deals of money to defend themselves.I'm sure that most everyone has heard about the ridiculous subpoena that Kathleen Seidel has been served with. While it appears that she has not been sued, this subpoena is pretty much an all encompassing fishing expedition meant to pursue one purpose, and one alone-silencing Kathleen Seidel. No one could reasonably believe that there was some grand conspiracy that involved paying off Kathleen to write her blog on neurodivers... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1352040 Sat, 05 Apr 2008 04:06:00 +0100 1352040 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/03/evidence-of-idiocy.html As if she hasn't done enough damage, I ran across this on another list that I am on:FOR WORLD AUTISM DAY: APRIL 2 – Jenny McCarthy & David Kirby for a fullhour on LARRY KING LIVEWednesday, April 2On World Autism Day, the controversy over vaccines! Do they contributeto autism, or is there a greater risk going without? Actress and motherof an autistic child, Jenny McCarthy, debates the issue with medicalprofessionals.Now Larry King doesn't strike me as being very balanced on this (he has had Jenny on several times regarding autism). But the one good question he did ask recently was regarding adult autistics, to which Jenny responded that she'd never met any. Since King is basically a celebrity junkie and not a journalist I guess I can't blame him for going with B grade celebrities that wil... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1336665 Sun, 30 Mar 2008 05:03:00 +0100 1336665 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/03/trump-card.html photo credit-iboy danielcreative commons licenseKristina Chew got me thinking today with her post on "Race, Diagnosis, and Identity". In it, she talks about her son Charlie's biracial (Asian/Caucasian) heritage, as well as his other difference, his autism. Kristina also references an article by Peggy Orenstein in the New York Times Magazine called "Mixed Messenger", which discusses Barack Obama's biracial status as a candidate, and being biracial in America today.When Liz and I were contemplating adoption, we thought long and hard about whether to adopt trans racially or not, which race children we would accept, and what sorts of disabilities we would accept (our children, Buddy Boy and Sweet Pea are biracial African-American/Caucasian). It all sounds so clinical, cold, and calculating, bu... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1325057 Tue, 25 Mar 2008 03:17:00 +0100 1325057 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/03/dont-help-them-arrest-them.html photo credit-piccadillywilsoncreative commons licenseIf there is anyone left that hasn't read Bev's excellent post "I Am Joe's Functioning Label", I highly encourage you to do so. I think that the phenomenon that she describes, whereby people slap certain labels on others, and then make all sorts of assumptions about them, applies to a story I read.According to the online version of the Kansas City Star,The sheriff is recommending charges in the case of a western Kansas woman who sat on her boyfriend’s toilet for so long that her body became stuck to the seat.Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple said Thursday he asked the county attorney to file charges against Kory McFarren for mistreatment of a dependent adult. The county attorney will decide whether any charges are brought. ...... McFarr... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1306045 Sun, 16 Mar 2008 21:14:00 +0100 1306045 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/03/serendipity.html Sometimes things just happen.I'm sure that the New York Democratic Party never envisioned Governor Eliot Spitzer resigning, which means David Paterson (the current Lieutenant Governor) takes over as the Governor of New York State for the next three years. There are probably scores of politicians in New York who now regret not pursuing the post of Lt. Governor. And there are probably a lot of New Yorkers that will be surprised to learn that their new Governor is not only Black, but legally blind.The position of Lieutenant Governor in New York has always been a somewhat weak one, and one that is not eagerly sought after. And no one ever envisioned the youthful and energetic Spitzer would ever need to be replaced. And when the job is playing second fiddle to one with an ego as large as Spitze... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1304947 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 23:28:00 +0100 1304947 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/03/what-makes-someone-be-so-cruel.html photo credit-exfordycreative commons licenseLike a lot of other people, I've been following the Poling case closely. But another case in the news caught my attention this week.This week, in the sleepy Mississippi river town of Alton, IL, 6 people have been charged in the death of a developmentally disabled woman who was 6 months pregnant. The 6 people charged range in age from 43 down to 12 years old. According to the storyPolice said the autopsy revealed Dixon died on January 31 after being repeatedly shot with a BB gun, being scalded with a hot liquid and being beaten on her head and body. They said Dixon's fetus also died.And lest we think that this horrid incident was a crime of passion,Police said the attacks lasted for four to eight weeks.I agree with others that it's not these thing... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1297776 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:12:00 +0100 1297776 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/03/features-of-autism-spectrum-disorder.html Of our two kids, one is on the autism spectrum. So I'm not surprised when I come home and see toys lined up as in the above picture, as people often write that such things are common. In retrospect, I also shouldn't be surprised that the same child that lined those toys up also had a lot of GI issues as a baby, likes to hide under tables at times, and is somewhat hyperactive. We have also had a lot of problems with toe walking, to the point of having to put leg casts on for several months. Even though not all of these things are listed in the DSM-IV, many children on the spectrum have these same issues, so it shouldn't be surprising that my child displays these features.Except for the fact that the child I'm referencing above is my younger one, Sweet Pea, who is most definitely not autisti... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1289766 Mon, 10 Mar 2008 02:53:00 +0100 1289766 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/03/in-case-there-was-any-doubt.html There are a lot of interviews out there with the Polings, following the announcement that the Vaccine Injury Compensation program had ruled in their favor. One of them I saw was over at ABC News.Two things struck me when I viewed the video that's up in the upper right corner on that page. The first is "What's their lawyer doing with them?" I mean, the decision is already in, and this is a civil case, not a criminal case. Were they afraid that they would say something incriminating? Or were they afraid that they would say something that would jeopardize the amount of the pending settlement?So then I looked up the lawyer. The lawyer is Cliff Shoemaker, who is no stranger to vaccine litigation. As it says on his website, "Today, Cliff is one of the lawyers focusing his attention on the nation... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1288398 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 15:17:00 +0100 1288398 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/03/its-not-our-fault.html photo credit-eatmeatnowcreative commons licenseThanks to S.L. for putting up a link to the Poling news conference on the CNN website.Kristina Chew has detailed this case (the case that some claim links vaccines to autism, but most see no such "concession" by the government) here and here.As I watched the news conference, I became increasingly frustrated, and then angry. You have this high power couple (he a neurologist, she a nurse turned lawyer) who obviously aren't hurting for money. Even if they haven't made it big yet, they certainly would have been able to provide for their daughter (as well as their two other kids) without the government settlement. So why did they feel compelled to go forward with this case? One thought kept coming back to me. I could almost here mom say,"We've been... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1284765 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 05:01:00 +0100 1284765 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/02/school-ups-and-downs.html photo credit-DJ1creative commons licenseMy apologies for not posting lately. Things have been busy (work, home, kid's school) and I just haven't had the feeling that I had anything of any importance to say lately. I don't really have anything that important to say today, for that matter, but felt more like posting.Overall, this has been a good year in school. So good for Buddy Boy that I haven't really talked about it, for fear of jinxing him. His second grade teacher is the best teacher in the school (at least that's what parents who have had kids in her class say, and I tend to agree). Mrs. J loves Buddy Boy, sees the positives, is great at motivating him, and is great at including him. Did I mention that he is included in the main gen ed classroom for the whole day, with the exception o... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1266578 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:34:00 +0100 1266578 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/02/facing-ignorance.html How do you counter ignorance? Especially when that ignorance preys on the deepest fears of parents, and reels in parents with compelling anecdotes, pseudo science, and tales of government conspiracies? Many parents, after getting a diagnosis of autism for their child, panic. They are confused, worried, and looking for direction. And rather than offer encouragement and hope for the future, many autism 'support groups', fueled by hope peddling purveyors of miraculous 'cures', tell these parents that their kids are autistic because of vaccines. That the government, doctors, and 'big pharma', all working together (both here and across the world) have all conspired together to suppress the fact that vaccines cause autism.How do you counter the passionate beliefs of a number of parents that have... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1238164 Mon, 18 Feb 2008 05:01:00 +0100 1238164 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/02/social-skills-school-of-hard-knocks.html photo credit-angela7dreamscreative commons licenseBuddy Boy has some OT time at school, where he basically plays games with other kids, and he also goes once a week to a private class where a facilitator does much the same with a group of kids. Buddy Boy relates reasonably well with adults, but has never done especially well with other kids.I've often pondered what were the reasons that Buddy Boy doesn't make friends, as well as the reasons that he is sometimes confrontational in encounters. It's not like he doesn't want friends. He laments at times that he doesn't have friends and isn't invited for sleepovers. From observing him at the park, I can say that he doesn't initiate encounters much with other kids, and doesn't respond much if other kids approach him. When I've tried making sugge... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1226734 Wed, 13 Feb 2008 05:34:00 +0100 1226734 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/02/carbamazepine-tegretol-and-asians.html photo credit-PPDIGITALcreative commons licenseI missed this when it first came out, but came across it this weekend and thought I'd pass it along.Asians (including those from south Asia) may have a genetic variation that makes them susceptible to very serious (sometimes fatal) skin reactions called Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis. If you are of Asian descent and your doctor recommends carbamazepine, genetic testing should be performed before you take this.Information for Healthcare ProfessionalsCarbamazepine (marketed as Carbatrol, Equetro, Tegretol, and generics)FDA ALERT [12/12/2007]: Dangerous or even fatal skin reactions (Stevens Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis), that can be caused by carbamazepine therapy, are significantly more common in patien... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1220837 Sun, 10 Feb 2008 17:59:00 +0100 1220837 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/02/turning-disability-tide.html One of the complaints that I have often seen in regards to how autism is treated by society is that autism is approached from a medical oriented/disease based perspective, and not a social model.In a recent JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 299 No. 3, Jan. 23, 2008) journal there is a commentary written by Lisa Iezzoni, M.D. (Institute for Health Policy, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston) and Vicki Freedman, Ph.D. (Department of Health Systems and Policy, School of Public Health, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark). The article is entitled "Turning the Disability Tide: The Importance of Definitions". Unfortunately the entire article is only available online if you (or the institution you work for) has a subscript... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1195866 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 21:55:00 +0100 1195866 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/01/mad-science.html No, this isn't about the Geier's, or any other practitioners of scientific hocus pocus.Mad Science! was the theme for Buddy Boy's birthday party with his classmates (was I only dreaming, or did we really have birthday parties when I was a kid that weren't "themed"-our parents would host them at the house, we'd play some silly games like pin the tail on the donkey or pitching clothespins into milk bottles, have some cake and call it a day). As readers of this blog will recall, I was just a bit anxious last week that we would have enough kids coming to even have a party. My unspoken fear was that Buddy Boy was being ostracized already as the "odd kid", and that no one wanted to attend his party because of that.Liz mounted a phone campaign to "follow up" with all of those that hadn't RSVP'd, ... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1181650 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 06:35:00 +0100 1181650 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/01/veni-vidi-villi.html I mentioned in my last post that Buddy Boy wanted to go see the Body World exhibit at our local science museum. I've had mixed feelings about this, as this exhibit has been surrounded by some controversy, and from what I had heard it sounded like it was more sensationalistic than educational. But a fair number of people that I know had gone to see it and were favorably impressed, so after talking with Liz and with Buddy Boy we decided to go.The exhibit, for those that aren't familiar with it, exhibits dissected human bodies posed in various poses. Most of these poses are somewhat artistic or athletic in nature. This type of exhibit has been made possible by a process called plastination that was developed by the founder/owner of Body World, Gunther von Hagens. There are 4 Body World exhibi... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1169680 Wed, 23 Jan 2008 03:00:00 +0100 1169680 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/01/birthday-celebration.html Buddy Boy turned 8 this past week. It seems like only yesterday I was holding him moments after he was born.Next weekend we are having a "kids" birthday party on Sunday, to which we've invited all of his classmates. We haven't had a kids party in a few years, so I don't know if it will come off OK or not. So far, out of a possible 20 kids, we've received 4 'No's', 2 'Yes's', and one verbal yes (from a classmate) without a formal RSVP. I'm praying for a few more 'Yes' responses. Doesn't anyone know what RSVP means anymore????But that's this coming weekend, and we'll deal with that then.This past weekend we had our family celebration, which went well. In case you don't remember, Buddy Boy has a thing for farm machines (especially combines), and has narrowed that of late to all things 'John D... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1167204 Tue, 22 Jan 2008 01:39:00 +0100 1167204 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/01/primum-non-nocere.html I was traveling all day yesterday, and didn't go online when I got home. So I missed that the verdict in the Karen McCarron case came in. As most everyone in the world with any connection with autism knows, in May, 2006 Karen McCarron murdered her child Katie by holding a garbage bag over her head until she suffocated and died. Her lawyer had argued that she was not guilty by reason of insanity, but the evidence said otherwise, as she actively tried to cover up her crime.Karen McCarron was a doctor. A person who was trained to heal. Since at least the late 19th century, the phrase "primum non nocere" (First, do no harm) has been a common medical aphorism. The admonition is to make doctors stop and consider any harmful effects their treatment might have, and make sure that the potential ben... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1161009 Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:51:00 +0100 1161009 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/01/playing-doctor.html photo credit-Brendan Adkinscreative commons license***Disclaimer-I am not a lawyer, so only a fool would take anything I say as legal advice ***On a local autism list that I am on, someone wanted to go observe in one of the special ed classrooms, but was told that they couldn't, because it would be a HIPAA violation.Huh???It never ceases to amaze me what utter nonsense people will spew at times, especially if it serves to cover their own butt in some way.HIPAA (for all of those outside the US, and anyone inside that US that has been asleep for the past several years, stands for Health Insurance Portability and Acountability Act. It is a law passed by congress in 1996 in the US that (amongst other things) is supposed to ensure that your private medical information stays private (except from... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1156768 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 02:49:00 +0100 1156768 http://club166.blogspot.com/2008/01/where-are-all-autistic-children-of.html This article and commentary were discussed by Kristina Chew. Mark Blaxill, a leading proponent of the "autism=mercury poisoning" line of thought, backpeddles somewhat without totally conceding that the theory is dead. Brett of 29 Marbles asks what it would take for either side to change their mind.Although I ultimately look to science to inform my opinions on things such as causality, I am not above referring to common sense, which is not a bad place to start when considering what kind of studies should be done.One of the things that has made me doubt the whole autism=mercury poisoning thing from the start are dentists, and the amalgams they place. Specifically, where are all the autistic kids who had dentists and dental assistants as parents? More specifically, where is the large group of... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1136856 Tue, 08 Jan 2008 20:36:00 +0100 1136856 http://club166.blogspot.com/2007/12/now-comes-hard-part.html Like many in the autism related blogosphere, I rejoiced yesterday when I heard that the NYU "Ransom Notes" campaign had been pulled by its director, Dr. Harold Koplewicz. I had blogged about my ethical concerns with this campaign, and felt that the campaign demeaned those who had those conditions, and would only further continued ostracizing and marginalizing by the public at large.It is a huge thing for someone to stop an ad campaign that is just getting underway. I am sure that there were a lot of people that had a lot invested in designing and implementing that campaign, and it was hard for them just to scrap it. It is a testament to Ari Ne'eman's astute perception of the exact tone to strike in opposing this campaign, and his organizing prowess that this victory took place.At the same ... Club 166 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1109806 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 23:56:00 +0100 1109806