MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'airplane'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:09:17 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934648&cid=t_107203_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FdMtEbEqcnnw%2F Dehydration is a common problem for passengers when flying, due to the lack of humidity in the air within the plane. Besides the uncomfortable thirsty feeling dehydration brings, it can increase your feelings of travel fatigue and your risk of catching a cold. 1Above is a new product billing itself as “the world’s first aerotonic flight beverage.” In non-marketing speak, that means “drink to keep you hydrated while flying” (seriously, aerotonic is not even a real word, guys). The New Zealand-based company claims 1Above will deliver “electrolyte-enhanced hypotonic hydration, GRAPELO (a unique blend of circulation-supporting polyphenol extracts like those found in red wine), and essential daily nutrients.” Our advice? Skip the space-age tonics (1Above is currently only availa... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934648 Mon, 13 Jun 2011 19:32:36 +0100 4934648 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4696974&cid=t_107203_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2FnjbQv9hX4pM%2F As I was flying back from Miami last week, I was on a very full second leg flight from Houston to San Diego. I ended up in a center seat on a 737, with two lawyers on either side. (There is probably a joke here somewhere!) The guy to the right of me had a new Kindle with a deluxe case and night light. The guy to my left was reading a paperback book and had an iPhone. I had my trusty new iPad 2 on my lap. That’s when the comparisons started. I started up a conversation with the guy with the Kindle. He showed me how the e-ink screen worked and showed me the pop out night light. The case was leather and was about the size of a 6×9 inch book. When I took a look at the unit, the side window of the airplane was open, and the black and white screen was easy to read. It looked like a g... Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4696974 Sun, 10 Apr 2011 15:34:09 +0100 4696974 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954308&cid=t_107203_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F09%2Fan-emotional-timeline-of-911%2F As we approach the ninth anniversary of 9/11, researchers writing in Psychological Science this week analyzed 85,000 text pages sent through pagers during the 2 hours before and 18 hours after 9/11 took place. (You do remember what a pager is, don’t you?) WikiLeaks, the website in the news lately for other reasons, has made the 573,000 lines consisting of 6.4 million words freely available on its website for the past year. What would these 85,000 pages tell us about the human emotion that people were expressing during those 20 hours? Researchers’ favorite tool when it comes to text analysis is the good ole Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC). So it’s no surprise that’s what these researchers also turned to to analyze the word content of these communications for... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954308 Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:30:44 +0100 3954308 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2881292&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FrD6b9N3hKxA%2F The Net has certainly let loose the dogs of both support and criticism for some parents of children with ASD. In El Paso, Texas, parents and teachers around the world have chimed in regarding a 10-year-old with boy with Asperger’s who got a ticket for $260 for disrupting class. Students can be ticketed and their parents fined in the state for such actions, and the mom says her son kept falling asleep in class, made noise in the hall, and got down on the floor and refused to get up. She agrees the behavior is not okay and that he should be punished, but she disagrees that this punishment was “suitable” for what her son did, claiming he he didn’t hurt anyone or break anything. The ticket was later dismissed.  Local news outlet KFOX got several e-mails and comments rega... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2881292 Sun, 11 Oct 2009 16:09:11 +0100 2881292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2616691&cid=t_107203_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blisstree.com%2Fhealthbolt%2Fhealthbolt-healthy-travel-week%2F I’m off to California tomorrow for three weeks of sun, travel, wine, good food, and great company. But I didn’t want to leave all you Healthbolt reader’s high and dry, so I’ve been doing some pre-posting to keep you informed and entertained while I’m away.     And to start it of, here’s a safety video from Air New Zealand with whom I‘ll be flying with tomorrow. Can you spot what’s different from the usual safety videos? . . Yep, you got it. They are not wearing any clothes. It’s all body paint. Thankfully, it’s just a video and all the real flight personnel on my flight will be wearing real clothes (I hope!) (image source) Post from: Healthbolt (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2616691 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:57:29 +0100 2616691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2561498&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FBRO0JTYP7eg%2F Image world-war-2-airplane-model.com The 1/48th Corsair fighter plane was going to be my comeback piece, the plastic model kit (”hobby kit,” now that I’m almost 50 and can afford the good kids) to prove that my eyes were as sharp and my hands as steady as when I was 16 and building the bargain kits. I put it right up on top of the bookshelf, out of the way, with the now-empty boxes of the snap-together airplanes I did with the boys. “Airplane? Airplane?” Alex kept saying. I had some computer work in the afternoon while Ned built a model on his own, and as I’m making dinner now that pretty took us to about 7:30, when the dishes were put away and I decided that Alex was owed some airplane time. He didn’t help so much as watch: I felt a warmth to thin... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2561498 Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:33:03 +0100 2561498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2512507&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FpWZlSj0DAi0%2F Early on Father’s Day Alex held up his hand toward the top of the bookcase and kept saying “Airplane? Airplane?” He wanted the plastic model kits I keep up there, since my current apartment is a lifetime removed from the private basement bedroom I had in in high school, with its permanent card table splashed with enamel and covered with plastic parts of models under construction. Image: upload.wikimedia.org I’ve stored boxes up there of models the boys and I have built. Some months ago, I began buying plastic models, mostly planes, for the boys and me to do together. (I’m not the most experienced parent in the world, but I do think that if you’re going to try to ensnare your sons in one of your retrospective hobbies, you’d better get to it before ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2512507 Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:02:22 +0100 2512507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349172&cid=t_107203_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fit-takes-true-grit-to-live-a-life-with-chronic-pain%2F You don’t have to be John Wayne, although I would guess he exhibited a great deal of courage and grit when he battled cancer.  I believe we all have the ability to display true grit, courage and unbelievable valor. When you’re faced with a life that has changed, morphed or seemingly left you behind, you find out a great deal about yourself. I guess our grandparents would say, “Well, it shows what you’re made of.” Let’s see, what am I made of besides bad cartilage, a questionable rhythm in my heart, a bad sitter, crumbling ankles and skin that breaks out in the mildest display of sunshine. Surely I’m more than that. Aren’t I? I think most of us go through a state of shock, denial and anger. It depends entirely on us and the internal courage we can muster as to how long this... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349172 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:10:46 +0100 2349172 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074309&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F3V2zlo2fMfI%2F If Charlie’d had a younger sibling, would we have decided to participate in studies like this one at the University of Washington, as noted in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer: Autism researchers at the University of Washington are seeking parents who will allow them to do brain scans of their infants. …………. The UW scientists are looking for 84 six-month-old infants from California, Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho, Nevada and Alaska who have an older sibling who has been diagnosed with autism. They also need 34 infants with typically developing older brothers or sisters. Each child will be scanned three times over two years. Certainly I would have considered having a sibling of Charlie’s participate in such a study—-and then, after reading (wading... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074309 Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:18:15 +0100 2074309 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074310&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FyxCBntHJlxs%2F So you know how we made sure to have a very lowkey Thanksgiving and also to keep things real simple and understated for Charlie’s birthday, a holiday involving days off from school and an event that has been known to cause Charlie some serious consternation? In 2008, both of these days passed well and quietly for us, largely because we strove to make them Super No Big Deal in the biggest way. So you think I’d have applied the same tried and true formula to Christmas and New Year’s. Granted, since we take a 3000 mile airplane trip from New Jersey to California, and (as we traveled on Christmas Eve day, due to Charlie’s having his last day of school on December 23rd) no sooner had we landed and gotten to my parents’ house then we all got into a rented minivan an... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074310 Wed, 31 Dec 2008 08:07:40 +0100 2074310 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2065376&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2Fx5xmVSzx56U%2F Sometimes being Charlie’s mother just makes everything simple. For instance, since a quarter after noon on Tuesday when I walked out into the middle school hallway, Charlie leading the way, after a holiday party in his classroom (really just him and one other classmate and his mom and the four aides and Charlie’s teacher, as the other two boys had left early), I was focused on one thing and one thing only: Getting the three of us— Jim, Charlie, and me—and our stuff (and most of all, Charlie’s favorite things and the presents for my family) onto a 7.15am airplane at Newark Liberty Airport bound for San Francisco. While Jim worked on end-of-semester business in his office, Charlie and I did the usual things we do on a Tuesday afternoon, although it felt differen... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2065376 Thu, 25 Dec 2008 09:18:20 +0100 2065376 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1711781&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FxlV3giMYRcE%2F We’re on the beach and I look up and see a small airplane pulling a banner that advertises a certain movie whose words have been under discussion here. Kind of sums up much of the past two weeks. A “Feral Child” Found in Florida? In 2005, a girl named Danielle was found amid the most literal squalor and neglect; she was diagnosed with “environmental autism.” The Parent ActivistOnce the parent of an autistic child, always the activist (and I don’t mean about mercury). Amanda Peet Says Something Sensible“My main message to parents is that they should not be taking medical advice from me or any other celebrity. They should look to their pediatrician, the AAP and other experts.” Autism, Representation, and the Case of Hannah Poling The words one uses to descri... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1711781 Sun, 17 Aug 2008 19:29:33 +0100 1711781 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1709270&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2Ff4xiGCUfjts%2F This summer has seen its share of discussion of the challenges of traveling with special needs children (on airplanes, in particular); more recently, there’s been discussion of traveling with autism assistance dogs, too. The August 12th International Herald Tribune describes the difficulties of caring for a special needs child when you, the parent, have to travel for work. Some special needs children cannot understand that a parent is away. “When you have a child who doesn’t speak, I can’t explain anything,” said Candi Nichols Carter, a television producer in Chicago, and the creator of the children’s entertainment company It’s Hip Hop, Baby! “I had to go to Vegas for four days to work on a show,” she said. “I can’t explain ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1709270 Sat, 16 Aug 2008 06:26:29 +0100 1709270 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1692212&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F6-Zvc5bEfdU%2F There’s been lots of reports of autistic children benefiting from therapy dogs and of the dogs even attending school as “four-footed aides.” But there’s also been at least one account of a specially trained therapy dog being excluded from a school setting. And, this past July, Karen Shirk, the director of 4 Paws for Ability, and three trained autism assistance dogs were blocked from boarding a Qantas flight at the Los Angeles Airport, en route to traveling to Waikato in New Zealand. Three families there had spent two years fund-raising for the dogs and now have an additional $33,000 to pay for the transport of the dogs and the 4 Paws staff. Shirk had booked American Airlines tickets online and confirmed that service dogs were allowed in the cabin with passengers, bu... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1692212 Sat, 09 Aug 2008 07:50:08 +0100 1692212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1679440&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F2AleXd9pSrY%2F Reading another account of an autistic child, 11-year-old Alex Irvin, who found his way back to trailhead after three nights alone in the woods, I think back to the numerous stories about autistic children lost, wandering off, left behind that have been circulating this summer and conclude, I know why an autism consultant to Charlie’s school district talked about teaching kids to know when they are lost, and to know what to do (and what not to). You’ve got to know you’re lost first, so you can look for help. Tags: Airplane, asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, church, disabilities blog, disability, Family, family blog, first responder, Health, keep calm and carry on, lost, mantra, missing child, Parenting, pdd-nos, policeShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1679440 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 00:06:58 +0100 1679440 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1664351&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F350228347%2F I got a new phone yesterday. I’d been hesitant to this for a long time. Even though I knew I’d be able to have my same phone number ported over to the new phone, that little voice that says “well, you never know, could be……” kept running an endless loop in my head. Charlie, you see, has memorized my cell phone number and recites it perfectly. When we’re out in places like New York city, we’ve been placing a card with his name, mention of his having autism, and my cell number on his person. But if he knows the number, he can always have it with him. Meaning that, I always need to have the cell phone with me, and that phone always has to have the same number. Sure Charlie could memorize a new number, but who knows which number he might say at a... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1664351 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 07:04:35 +0100 1664351 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1658173&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F347810096%2F So what do you pack besides extra patience—-as noted in an article in today’s Ledger (Florida)—-when you hit the road/maybe not so friendly skies/boat/etc. with an autistic relative? Tags: Airplane, asd, asperger, autism, autism blog, car, cruise ship, disabilities blog, disability, disneyworld, Family, family blog, florida, Health, Parenting, pdd-nos, TravelShare This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1658173 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:00:09 +0100 1658173 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1640310&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F341251060%2F The first thing I have to say about being at BlogHer was that, because I didn’t have to keep looking for a boy at my back (not that I didn’t sometimes turn and scan the room for him; it’s a reflex)—-because I was on my own, I got a chance to look at some things a little more. I got in at the San Francisco Airport mid-Friday morning and took BART, and was briefly disoriented. When I growing up, BART ended at Daly City, not the airport, and went to Fremont, Concord, or Richmond. Now it goes out to Pittsburg/Bay Point and Millbrae and to Dublin/Pleasanton, places not unfamiliar to me but not familiar as BART stops. As I waited for the train, I remembered how, with my sister and father and Yeh-Yeh, my grandfather, we all took a ride on BART when it opened—a ride t... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1640310 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 06:25:09 +0100 1640310 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1637834&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F339084013%2F I’m speaking at the 2008 BlogHer conference in San Francisco, on a panel called MommyBlogging: Blogging About Our Children with Special Needs and with some other more than noteworthy mother-blogger-writers: If parenting in general can be isolating, it can be more so when raising a child with special needs. Susan Etlinger, Shannon Des Roches Rosa aka Squid Rosenberg, Kristina Chew, Jennifer Graf Groneberg and Vicki Forman are among those MommyBloggers who are blogging their experiences…and finding both a community…and a cause. Join them. Share your story. Find out how, to quote Vicki, “…to embrace and treasure what makes us all different. And the same.” The panel is this Saturday, July 19, 1:45-3:00 pm; heartfelt and lively discussion expected. As noted, ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1637834 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 15:18:46 +0100 1637834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1634974&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F338807823%2F It seems no wonder that right wing talker Michael Savage’s last name is, well, “Savage” after reading what he said about autism on his radio show. I’ll list the words he uses to refer to autism: moron, putz, idiot, fool, dummy, a girl, losers, beaten men More of Savage’s savagery is quoted on Left Brain/Right Brain. If Savage’s intent was to shock, using such words about autistic children is a no-brainer way to do it and perhaps ratings will spike as rightfully indignant autistic self-advocates and parents of autistic children respond. What troubles me in particular is Savage’s contention that autistic children are just brats behaving badly, and brats parented by laissez-faire “let it be” types of parents, especially in the wake of more... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1634974 Fri, 18 Jul 2008 08:22:44 +0100 1634974 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1618092&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F334557630%2F Charlie and I found ourselves in the pool every day last week and he got in two rounds of bowling. In today’s USNews and World Report, Nancy Shute reviews a number of recent studies on genetics, including the study published this week in Science. She also discusses why a clinical trial of chelation could provide parents with the “good information they desperately need in making choices about treatments.” More Unfriendly Skies 4 children, 2 disabled, Southwest Airlines. What’s Medically Necessary? Parents, insurers, schools, who pays? Chelation Study Put on Hold Citing safety concern, the NIMH puts the study on hold. Hans Reiser and the Asperger’s Defense: Troubling The “geek defense” and a troubling case Asymmetry in Infants and the Crab Crawl A new... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1618092 Sun, 13 Jul 2008 22:12:48 +0100 1618092 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1554478&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F322842875%2F I suppose it’s not surprising that the story of an autistic toddler and his mother being removed from an airplane got so much attention last week. Airplane is travel is neither so friendly nor so fun (or affordable) for anyone these days. The story of Jarret Farrell really home with me because, a couple of days before, Charlie and I had had our own difficult traveling moment. There’s no plans of Charlie having to fly anywhere till December when we go to visit my family in California (already bought the tickets—-I like to fly on red eyes or very early with Charlie so he’s very likely to sleep, and non-stop is a sine qua non). So our trips will be made possible courtesy of the usual, though with gas here in NJ hovering just under $4/gallon (I know it could be worse; m... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1554478 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 23:16:54 +0100 1554478 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1546746&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F320362727%2F Being different; being disruptive; looking different; smelling funny (according to those who think they don’t); yowling……… What do these apply to? Are these perhaps a few reasons why a 2 year old and his mother were kicked off an American Eagle plane, or a 13-year-old’s parents had a restraining order filed against them, or a 5 year old was voted out of his class? Well yes, but actually, nope. The different-looking-and-being, disruptive-behaving, smelling-funny, yowly individual I am referring to is……………..Po aka Kung Fu Panda. Charlie and I saw the movie Kung Fu Panda Tuesday evening. We haven’t seen a movie in a while and we had some free time on Tuesday and Charlie said “yes, movie!” when I asked him. I knew th... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1546746 Thu, 26 Jun 2008 08:41:41 +0100 1546746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1526331&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F314330677%2F Very late on Monday, Charlie and I took a red eye flight back to New Jersey from San Francisco. He set his mouth, clutched my dad’s blue jacket to his chest and handed it back just as we got into the line for the security check. No crying or painful encounters with airport security personnel. Charlie grabbed a plastic bin as I told him and took off his shoes and put them and his backpack in it (I slowed us up, with a bag, a backpack, and a laptop). The plane was slightly delayed—storms on the East Coast—-and I decided that, though Charlie was years beyond the 4-year-old age limit for pre-boarding, that we would get on early, so he’d know, we’re going home, just like I said we would, just believe me….. After a last-minute request for a drink of water, Ch... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1526331 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:35:27 +0100 1526331 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1526337&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F313650755%2F Summer school, that is—-Charlie’s first day of Extended School Year is tomorrow. (Yes, we’re back in Jersey, courtesy of a red eye to Newark Airport.) His last day of the regular school year was last Thursday so he’s only had a few days off. From experience, this very brief break is the best thing for Charlie, who’s most at ease when things are orderly and routine. I wasn’t surprised that he missed his dad and home (and that he tried to walk back to Jersey, all the way from California). I think it’s important to “shake things up” occasionally or the routine becomes like a box that we can’t get out of, and Charlie grows a little with each trip and the change it entails. One inevitable change of visiting the west coast is the time d... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1526337 Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:46:27 +0100 1526337 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1518735&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F311907605%2F Charlie has a few days off between the last day of school and the start of Extended School Year on Wednesday. We’ve only been visiting my family on the west coast once a year at Christmas for some time, as, for some years, the airplane rides had gotten too taxing for Charlie (and Jim and me). Last December, Charlie had done well with us adapting a strategy of flying very early or very late on a red-eye, so that he sleeps for most of the flight. So a couple of months ago we got tickets and Thursday night I was running around, lists running through my head of medications to pack, a belated birthday gift for a cousin’s daughter, a special photo book to share. Charlie was excited and not only did he stay up very late on Thursday (setting him up for a deep snooze on the early Friday... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1518735 Sat, 14 Jun 2008 17:07:29 +0100 1518735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1475315&cid=t_107203_151_f&fid=35823&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FAddictionInbox%2F%7E3%2F299895503%2Fannals-of-addiction-grace-slick.html From The Harder They Fall"There's a whole bunch of alcoholics on both sides of my family, but they function in the sense that everybody kept their jobs. There were no divorces, except for my grandmother, but she's not an alcoholic. She was just a wild child like I was. Our alcoholics all kept their jobs and stayed married...."The Airplane became famous as the original psychedelic band, but personally, I was more of a drinker. Anything that was around and easy I took--marijuana was very easy to score, but alcohol was my drug of choice. That's the genetic deal going on, where I'm an addict in the sense that anything I like I'm all over. Like flies on shit! And sometimes that works out fine. Right now I'm a painter. That's how I make my living and pay the mortgage...."In 1970, when I became p... Addiction Inbox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1475315 Wed, 28 May 2008 14:50:00 +0100 1475315 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1277840&cid=t_107203_132_f&fid=35024&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBlindscientist%2F%7E3%2F245598206%2F I’d pay nothing, would never pay a dime to get my genome sequenced. But, Dan Stoicescu is paying US$ 350,000 to get his. He is also retired at the age of 56, and apparently owned Actavis. “I’d rather spend my money on my genome than a Bentley or an airplane,” (…) Mr. Stoicescu said he worried about being seen as self-indulgent (though he donates much more each year to philanthropic causes), egotistical (for obvious reasons) or stupid (the cost of the technology, he knows, is dropping so fast that he would have certainly paid much less by waiting a few months). In my opinion he shouldn’t worry about being seen as a self-indulgent egotistical stupid person. He already is. Whoever drops the philanthropy excuse is a sure winner for the self-indulgent prize, anytime. ... Blind.Scientist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1277840 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 17:15:35 +0100 1277840 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1121283&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F207890976%2F Just as we turned off the highway to the exit near our condo, I heard Charlie cry out from the back seat: “No home! Bye bye home. Bye home.” We both said something acknowledging that that was exactly how Charlie should feel after one week in California with my parents more than happy to dote on him, eating one several-course Chinese meal after another, going for walks in Berkeley and over the Golden Gate Bridge, mid-morning naps on my parents’ cushy couch with the TV and a laptop with a photo show on. We only make the trip once a year and so have to pack in a year’s worth of visits with my grandmother, Ngin-Ngin, aunts and uncles, my great uncle, cousins on both sides. As Charlie is getting older and as he is an only child, I’ve come to feel more and more grat... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1121283 Sat, 29 Dec 2007 05:43:08 +0100 1121283 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1120787&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F207607596%2F The Ransom Notes “public awareness” campaign is over but the notion that autistic children have been “kidnapped” remains: See the December 28th Palm Beach Daily News (which also comments on the “epidemic nature of autism”). (Last time I checked my autistic was right here beside me—-on a Southwest Airlines flight from California back to Philadelphia.) Share This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1120787 Fri, 28 Dec 2007 16:20:28 +0100 1120787 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1112680&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F204516322%2F I noted the law of unintended consequences in reference to the aftermath of the Ransom Notes ad campaign: Our trip from New Jersey via Philadelphia to California to see my family for the holidays could be said rather to invoke good old Murphy’s Law: If something will go wrong when you’re trying to get on a 7.10am transcontinental airplane flight, it sure will, and our nearly missing the bus from Economy Parking to the airport was just the start. We checked our suitcases in and went up (to Charlie’s pleasure) the escalator, and found that the line to go through Security stretched back all the way to the moving walkway. We got in line. I noted the law of unintended consequences in reference to the aftermath of the Ransom Notes ad campaign: Our trip from New Jersey via... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1112680 Sat, 22 Dec 2007 08:52:33 +0100 1112680 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1112681&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F204390636%2F We got up at 3.45am and were more or less in the car, with suitcases, Charlie’s blue backpack and his special blue case. Jim had gotten home late from his office and, on only a very (very) few hours of sleep, he drove us down to the Philadelphia airport (we’ve had good experiences flying with Charlie on Southwest Airlines and they don’t fly out of any New Jersey airports, hence our taking a flight from Philly). After driving in circles, we found our way to Economy Parking, found a place, and pulled out our bags. “There’s the bus!” I said, pointing to a large bus that was full of airport-bound passengers, and nowhere near our car. “It’s leaving!” said Jim. “Charlie!” I said and turned and saw Charlie running past the pa... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1112681 Sat, 22 Dec 2007 02:47:03 +0100 1112681 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1100165&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F201826937%2F I don’t mean that kind of campaign, though one mother from Iowa has gotten Senator John McCain’s attention for her “autism campaign“; along with Senator Joe Lieberman, Senator McCain is calling for Senate hearings to consider “potential causes of autism.” The “Ransom Notes” public awareness “campaign” continues to generate much talk: Nancy L. Brown, Senior Research Associate at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (PAMF) Research Institute, hopes that “Ransom Notes” will come to California (where I’m headed to see my family at the end of the week and where more than a few parents and disability advocates have already gotten to work responding to “Ransom Notes”; now we won’t be traveling as we did BB... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1100165 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:30:22 +0100 1100165 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=933201&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F166667330%2F Money, books, finches, the calculus of parenthood, and a sort of fashion statement: How does it all add up? Who Pays For What? (2)Costs for special education are rising twice as fast for regular education in Massachusetts. Two New Autism BooksTwo recently published autism books are selling fast, Jenny McCarthy’s Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism and John Elder Robison’s Look Me in the Eye: My Life with Asperger’s. Language Genetics: Knots and FinchesIs language (like tying knots) unique to humans—is being able to talk and think in language part of being human? 3, 5, 8: What awaits?On some significant dates in the life of an autistic boy. Yet Another Theory About What Causes AutismThis one is not about mercury, or TV, or the environment……. Not a ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=933201 Sun, 07 Oct 2007 21:05:25 +0100 933201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=794216&cid=t_107203_107_f&fid=35762&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fscienceblogs%2Fgrrlscientist%2F%7E3%2F143408606%2Fwow_like_smuggling_hundreds_of.php tags: illegal animal trade, smuggling, reptiles, airplane Like, who would have thought?? I ran across a story today that is absolutely .. er .. astonishing. A 22-year-old um, er, primate from Saudi Arabia was caught at an airport smuggling reptiles out of Egypt in his carry-on luggage .. and when caught, he claimed the luckless animals were intended for "scientific research". Read the rest of this post... | Read the comments on this post... (Source: Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted)) Living the Scientific Life (Scientist, Interrupted) blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=794216 Sun, 12 Aug 2007 20:00:08 +0100 794216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=763661&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F138186311%2F At Chicago’s O’Hare airport, security finds “something” in my bag and calls me over to go through the contents. “You muat have lotions or perfume,” says security. He pulls out a cardboard box in which is another box. “Uh, maybe,” I say. I explain that the box in question was included in a “gift bag” with my BlogHer conference registration. Security opens the box and pulls out a packet of travel size lotions, shampoo, eye cream. “Do you have a ziploc bag?” My mind runs a fast check and it occurs to me that, had Charlie been with me, of course we would have had ziplocs. Ziplocs for multiple snack items from crackers to sliced fruit, for miniature puzzles, for legos that Charlie usually does not play with; once upon a tim... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=763661 Sat, 28 Jul 2007 06:55:49 +0100 763661 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=763046&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F138073164%2F When I checked the weather at 5am I saw four straight days of storm clouds and lightning—-so I was not surprised when my plane was delayed, with the result that, after taking the CTA and a bus that stopped about every 2 blocks, I had to run down to the end of the Navy Pier. I was only some 17 minutes late to speak with other bloggers about the Revolution Health website (I guess I’ve kept my stamina up in keeping in step with Charlie—-maybe I will be ready to run with him when he learns to roller blade.) The topic of the Revolution Health focus group was to talk about accessibility, usability, and more of their site (and I am curious to know what you think of it—would you use it?). Many of the focus group blogger participants mentioned that they use WebMD as a sourc... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=763046 Fri, 27 Jul 2007 20:35:37 +0100 763046 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=761538&cid=t_107203_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F137895344%2F 20 hours is how long I’ll be away from home today, this Friday the 27th of July. I’m attending the 2007 BlogHer conference in Chicago; I was invited to participate in a focus group at the kindly invitation of Revolution Health. Yes, I am not staying overnight in Chicago—-I’m taking a 5.30am train to the Newark airport, getting into Chicago just after 9.10am, taking public transporation (I think I have it figured out—I do not have Jim’s special sense for coordinating train and subway routes in my head) to the Navy Pier for the conference. Then it’s back to O’Hare airport to take a 10pm train back to Jersey where (as Jim plans) he and Charlie will be waiting in the black car at just after 1am. (So we’ll be able to get a bit of sleep befor... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=761538 Fri, 27 Jul 2007 09:27:46 +0100 761538 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=587879&cid=t_107203_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F05%2F02%2Fsomething-up-my-sleeve%2F Filed under: Breast Cancer, Prevention, Products, Cancer SurvivorsI hadn't been on an airplane since 2001. So all of the customs and rituals of airport safety were entirely new to me. I had no idea I 'd be told to remove my shoes before walking through the security contraption or that my baggage would be opened, searched, and inspected. It was a whole new world for me. Prior to 2001, none of these security measures were necessary. A compression sleeve wasn't either.A compression sleeve -- my own personal security device -- is my new travel companion. Designed to protect my arm from swelling caused by the combination of missing lymph nodes and airplane cabin pressure, this sleeve fits my arm from wrist to armpit. It's tight like a glove and while it's not a very apparent fashion statement, ... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=587879 Wed, 02 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 587879 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=501622&cid=t_107203_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F03%2F26%2Funique-travel-kit-for-people-with-diabetes%2F Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Childhood, Adult Onset, Lifestyle, Products, SupportHere are some fun travel facts about diabetes: an average Boeing 737 carries nearly 10 passengers who have diabetes. For every five cars on the road, there is one person with diabetes present. Whether you're going on a weekend getaway or a once-in-a-lifetime excursion across Europe, if you have diabetes, careful preparation is an essential component of getting ready for your trip. Accu-check has put together a free resource guide for people with diabetes to help them travel with ease and confidence. It offers some tips, lists and suggestions to help them prepare for the journey and enjoy the ride, worry-free. The diabetes travel kit includes: a brochure detailing tips like proper handling of test supplies and ... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=501622 Mon, 26 Mar 2007 04:00:00 +0100 501622