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 'family health'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:05:16 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592623&cid=t_185396_134_f&fid=35187&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDiabetesDaily%2F%7E3%2FB3U_aR7LtY8%2Fdiabetes-genetics-how-is-diabetes-inherited.php An estimated 2.5 to 3 million Americans have type 1 diabetes. My father was one of them. Diagnosed around age 10, he spent most of his life injecting insulin into his arms, stomach and legs. Eventually, his eye sight and heart could no longer function properly, and he passed away when I was in high school.Around this time, I was introduced to the subject of genetics. I thought back to all those check-ups at the Joslin clinic (now Joslin Diabetes Center) and realized that genetics was the reason everyone watched me and my sister so closely. Genetics was the reason my family was so scared when I starting gaining too much weight in middle school and freaked out every time my foot fell asleep or I was thirsty. Genetics.The loss of my father and timely introduction to genetics drove my decision... Diabetes Daily blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592623 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 21:05:07 +0100 4592623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4580894&cid=t_185396_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-i-want-her-to-know-about-diabetes%2F2011.03.13 After a tough low this morning: I want her to know that she was wanted so much, well before she arrived, and that her parents went to great lengths to make sure her arrival was as safe as they could manage. I want her to know that those moments when she has to wait while I test, or while I bolus, or the times when I have to set her in her crib and gulp down grape juice while she stands there with her big, brown eyes staring at me while her mouth tugs into an impatient smile, that I love her and I just need to deal with diabetes for a few seconds so I can be the best mommy I can. I want her to know that if my eyes don’t get better, it’s not her fault. It’s not my fault, either. The fault lies with diabetes. I want her to know that the reason I’ll sometimes frown at... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4580894 Sun, 13 Mar 2011 19:00:34 +0100 4580894 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4337940&cid=t_185396_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fconsider-medical-conditions-before-jumping-on-the-new-years-resolution-diet-and-exercise-bandwagon%2F2011.01.11 The first week of January was full of news reports of giving advice on your new diet and exercise program to help you lose the weight you’ve always wanted to. In a previous post and video I talk about some do’s and don’ts when planning for your weight loss New Year’s resolution. In the video below, I talk about some medical issues to keep in mind before starting your program. For example, do you have a family history of medical problems like high blood pressure or diabetes? If so, you may want to schedule an appointment with your personal physician before jumping on the diet and exercise bandwagon. If you find this video helpful, I invite you to check out other TV interviews at MikeSevilla.TV. Enjoy! *This blog post was originally published at Doctor Ano... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4337940 Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4337940 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179545&cid=t_185396_180_f&fid=38603&url=http%3A%2F%2Fzenhabits.net%2Fminimalist-gym%2F Post written by Leo Babauta. I’m a big subscriber to using whatever you can find to work out: pullups on trees, throw big boulders, flip logs or big tires, jump over things, sprint up hills (see Minimalist Fitness, part 1 & part 2). As a parent and a minimalist, I’d like to share my ultimate minimalist workout secret: my kids are my gym. Fellow parents, if you’re not doing this yet, I can’t recommend it highly enough. How are they my gym? Instead of paying hundreds of dollars (even thousands) a year for a gym, I use my kids to get in shape. How? Every way I can, but here’s a few: I carry them on my shoulders as we walk around town. We race each other to the corner, sprinting. Often up hills. I do pushups with them on my back. I lift them up in the air &#8... Zen Habits blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179545 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 16:37:07 +0100 4179545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4172347&cid=t_185396_180_f&fid=38603&url=http%3A%2F%2Fzenhabits.net%2Fminimalist-gym%2F Post written by Leo Babauta. I’m a big subscriber to using whatever you can find to work out: pullups on trees, throw big boulders, flip logs or big tires, jump over things, sprint up hills (see Minimalist Fitness, part 1 & part 2). As a parent and a minimalist, I’d like to share my ultimate minimalist workout secret: my kids are my gym. Fellow parents, if you’re not doing this yet, I can’t recommend it highly enough. How are they my gym? Instead of paying hundreds of dollars (even thousands) a year for a gym, I use my kids to get in shape. How? Every way I can, but here’s a few: I carry them on my shoulders as we walk around town. We race each other to the corner, sprinting. Often up hills. I do pushups with them on my back. I lift them up in the air &#8... Zen Habits blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4172347 Tue, 16 Nov 2010 16:37:07 +0100 4172347 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4168229&cid=t_185396_180_f&fid=38603&url=http%3A%2F%2Fzenhabits.net%2Fcar-free%2F ‘The civilized man has built a coach, but has lost the use of his feet.’ ~Ralph Waldo Emerson Post written by Leo Babauta. This past summer, my family (my wife, me, six kids) finally gave up our car. It was a liberating and scary experience. We’ve been dependent on our automobile for so many years that giving it up was unthinkable. If you own a car, it’s probably unthinkable to you too. We drove everywhere: to and from school and work, to music lessons and recitals, to soccer practice and all-day-long games at the soccer field, to family events (which were numerous), to grocery stores and malls and restaurants and movie theaters and bookstores and beauty salons (not for me, I’m bald … er, shaven), to pay bills and run errands, to go to the beach and the ... Zen Habits blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4168229 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 17:49:27 +0100 4168229 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4164524&cid=t_185396_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftalk-to-patients-before-running-tests%2F2010.11.14 The Associated Press ran a provocatively-titled piece recently, “Family health history: ‘best kept secret’ in care”, which noted how a geneticist at the Cleveland Clinic discovered that asking about family members and their history of breast, colon, or prostate cancer was better than simply doing genetic blood testing. Surprising? Hardly. This is what all medical students are taught. Talk to the patient. Get a detailed history and physical. Lab work and imaging studies are merely tools that can help support or refute a diagnosis. They provide a piece of the puzzle, but always must be considered in the full context of a patient. They alone do not provide the truth. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Saving Money and Surviving the H... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4164524 Sun, 14 Nov 2010 15:00:00 +0100 4164524 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4164525&cid=t_185396_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F5-tips-on-how-to-be-a-healthcare-survivalist%2F2010.11.13 There are plenty of “survivalists” out there who stock their basements with canned goods, getting ready for some unexpected (and unlikely) apocalypse. Meanwhile there are things that are much more likely to happen to you — like getting sick — which many of us don’t prepare for at all. So to help you get started, here are five important tips on how you can become a healthcare survivalist: 1.  Take care of your chronic conditions. Whether it’s high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, depression, asthma or any other kind of ailment, do what it takes to manage your own care. Take your medications and follow your doctors’ instructions. Why? Because if you don’t, your condition can get worse and lead to even more serious problems. As much of a pain as it may (... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4164525 Sat, 13 Nov 2010 22:00:47 +0100 4164525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3920841&cid=t_185396_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-dermatology-visit-10-tips-to-get-the-most-out-of-it%2F2010.08.31 Having a high-quality doctor’s visit takes effort on your doctor’s and yours. Here are 10 tips to get the most out of your next visit with a dermatologist: 1. Write down all the questions you have and things you want to discuss with me. Be sure to list any spots you’d like me to check or any moles that have changed. Have a loved one lightly mark spots on your skin they are concerned about. 2. Know your family history: Has anyone in your family had skin cancer? What type? Patients often have no idea if their parents have had melanoma. It matters. If possible, ask before seeing me. 3. Know your history well: Have you had skin cancer? What type? If you have had melanoma, then bring the detailed information about your cancer. Your prognosis depends on how serious the melanoma was, ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3920841 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:00:13 +0100 3920841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3159957&cid=t_185396_136_f&fid=39027&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lrdlc.dreamhosters.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fresolve%2F The holiday break is over. Well, not for me. I’m still relaxing at home. But it’s over for my wife and daughter. On Monday, Lexi reluctantly woke up early and went back to school. That evening, she finished her first pages of homework for the week, also reluctantly. My wife, Shawntel, resumed her night classes (medical assisting) this week as well. It was a nice break for us, though. Christmas eve was spent here (bro-in-law’s place). It went surprisingly well. No stress. No nausea. No back pain. At the end of the night, we were left with a fridge full of leftovers. Good times. On December 27, we went down to the Bay Area to visit my dad-in-law’s family for a post-Christmas party. It also went well. For New Year’s Eve, we headed to Elk Grove to visit my parents... Cancer, life, and me blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3159957 Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:32:27 +0100 3159957 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3082576&cid=t_185396_134_f&fid=35162&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FLemonadeLife%2F%7E3%2FUIj5Kyv_gRg%2F When I was 10 years old, I wanted to run away from home. I don’t remember why I wanted to run away. I was a young, very young, and probably upset at something my Mom and Dad wouldn’t let me do or maybe it something they made me do. Like clean my room or something, because what 10-year-old wants to clean their room? Anyway, I remember drawing up a map of my house and deciding I should leave in the middle of the night with a backpack. I could hitchhike and start a new life somewhere fresh, like Wyoming (I’ve always had a fantasy of living in a town of 200 people, working a roadstop diner. Strange dreams for a girl who lives in the largest city in the country). But I also remember realizing that if I ran away from home, I probably wouldn’t be able to get a job, because... Lemonade Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3082576 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:20:51 +0100 3082576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2934673&cid=t_185396_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FX7QD6dQvc0U%2F I was stunned to learn that New York City’s Bellevue Hospital was closing its birth center, leaving low income women in the city with no access to a birth center that accepts Medicaid. Why are childbirthing centers in this country struggling to survive when they ought to be spreading? We know that they provide a wellness-model of pregnancy and birthing (as opposed to a disease model that hospitals have traditionally taken), use best practices in birthing, have excellent clinical outcomes, and save money. Staffed and usually managed by certified nurse midwives, childbirthing centers have been endorsed by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. At the end of the Bush administration, someone in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services realized that there was no mandat... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2934673 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:10:12 +0100 2934673 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2934914&cid=t_185396_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F27%2Fa-milestone%2F On my facebook page this morning I wrote, “Kenn Chaplin is very grateful for all the 50th birthday greetings and to have reached such a milestone without doing myself too much irreparable harm.” It could have been much different. As a teenager I thought I wouldn’t live to see forty, nor would I want to. When diagnosed with [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2934914 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:39:13 +0100 2934914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2701460&cid=t_185396_46_f&fid=38787&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmsf.ca%2Fblogs%2Fphotos%2F2009%2F08%2F14%2Fcolombia-4%2F Photo: Pieter Ten Hoopen Quibdo, Colombia - November 2004 11 year-old Lydia lives with her mother and three sisters and brothers in the shantytown Obrero in the outskirts of Quibdo. The father has left them. Their home is a shed of two times two meters. Lydia takes care of the children when their mother works as maid. None of the children own an identity card that entitles to health care. (Source: MSF Blogs) MSF Blogs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2701460 Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:52:17 +0100 2701460 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2399123&cid=t_185396_135_f&fid=35247&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmyjourneywithaids.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F09%2Fmargaret-trudeau-to-release-book-on-experience-with-mental-illness%2F I have been inspired to read of Ms. Trudeau-Kemper’s progress and I very much look forward to her upcoming book. With a diagnosis on the bipolar continuum myself I can relate to the sense of relief she feels after years of erratic behaviour and depressive episodes. I think it’s marvelous that this historical figure in [...] (Source: My journey with AIDS) My journey with AIDS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2399123 Sat, 09 May 2009 08:06:57 +0100 2399123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2390200&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FvybfEG32M_w%2F I was speaking last night to the director of the new YAI Autism Center, for which I’ve written two blogs. “Beautifully written,” the good doctor said of them, so naturally I thought he was a pretty sharp guy. “I’m curious to see how the blog will develop,” he continued. “It seems that often when a center like ours has a blog, it finds itself having to take some stand. I was wondering what your views are?” Oh. In the whole cause-of-autism thing? Yes. I have no stand.  I usually answer that better minds than mine are working on this. Premature birth? Vaccines? Phases of the moon? All are good candidates. I’ve read up on the vaccine/mercury versus non-vaccine/mercury debate, most recently in Autism’s False Prophets, and I haven&... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2390200 Wed, 06 May 2009 16:18:20 +0100 2390200 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2376579&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FEgigvk3AQBc%2F Just seconds after Jill announced from the bathroom that Alex could squeeze out the toothpaste by himself I hear her announce, “And we have bleeding gums!” I’ve always been grateful for any toothbrushing that Alex did for himself. They taught him at school, and after an initial shakedown - he had to remember to brush the tops as well as the bottoms - at least it was another task he could handle by himself. But bleeding gums? My gums bleed sometime during dental cleanings, but I’m 47. Alex is 10. So now we turn to all those things they say you’re supposed to do and all of us feel guilty for not doing enough. Floss. A Waterpik on the low setting. Elemental teeth care, which in our case will be taught against the wall of sand that is autism. “Ned,” I... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2376579 Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:11:22 +0100 2376579 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349381&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FU-pyAgh9hHs%2F Sometimes when I wish I were writing on some other topic - knitting, say, or clutter - I think how those subjects can find their way via a twisty path back to Alex. Take knitting. Decades passed before I knit anything, and when I picked up needles again, it was because Alex had arrived and was in the hospital, and I was stressed and wanted to make him something. Wild Foote sock yarn/Deb Roby More years passed, and I picked up needles again about two years ago to make mittens for Alex and Ned because I’d read them The Mitten by Jan Brett, which reminded me of the great mittens my grandmother used to make for me. (I can’t find a picture of these awesome skunk mittens. Will have to take a picture of the ones I made.) This triggered a full-on knitting mania, which has stuck mainly ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349381 Sat, 11 Apr 2009 23:30:25 +0100 2349381 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2324264&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FoWz1yWkSPxQ%2F I’m not going to say much about Alex’s toilet training because: 1) I wouldn’t want him talking about mine; and 2) Jill handled it. I’ll never be able to thank her enough for causing this bullet of special-needs parenting to miss me. I’ve heard some hard stories about this topic and the autistic, and I’d like to do anything I could to help parents with teaching this sometimes heartbreaking life skill. Image: sxc.hu Aim, however, is another matter. (I’m no marksman, either, but in recent years my aim’s been flawless because I’ve been so tired I take the opportunity to have a seat.) I’ve been coaching Alex on a simple premise: hit the target. “Make it rain, doofus!” my big brother used to say to me (still does, and I&#821... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2324264 Wed, 08 Apr 2009 09:08:53 +0100 2324264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2324266&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F6SDbo8pppAA%2F Apparently I once said to Jeff there should be an autism hotline, kind of like a suicide hotline. I’m not sure what I had in mind, but I guess it would be a kind of clearinghouse for information as well as a source of support during tough moments. Image: sxc.hu This morning, I think we might have called the hotline to find out what to do when your son occasionally misses the target. And I don’t mean just a few drops or a little spray. I mean he pulled his t-shirt up to cover his face (because he does that now and then) and let fly. Soon I heard Jeff yelling and went into the bathroom to see what was going on, and Jeff fumed, “He’s flooded the floor!” I looked, and sure enough, it was a flood. Alex learned to use the toilet fairly easily, and it seems well fixed in his mind that i... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2324266 Sun, 05 Apr 2009 14:14:50 +0100 2324266 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2296860&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FOcVVgBUddZI%2F “UW researchers have discovered that people with autism have a more intense response to looking at faces (http://uwnews.washington.edu/ni/article.asp?articleID=48118) than the average Joe. The more social impairment, in fact, the more intense the response to someone’s face. The UW Autism Center’s Natalia Kleinhans says, ‘What we are seeing is hyper-excitability or over-arousal of the amygdala, which suggests that neurons in the amygdala are firing more than expected.’ The amygdala’s emotional tagging helps you make decisions, remember things, and identify faces. Without the right emotional response, face-recognition gets a little squirrely…” Image: sxc.hu There’s more. Kleinhans’ research abstract is at http://ajp.psychiatryonline... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2296860 Sat, 28 Mar 2009 00:35:42 +0100 2296860 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2262792&cid=t_185396_177_f&fid=38134&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbabybound.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F09%2Feverything-has-its-place-including-rage-and-panic%2F I must say, it is truly amazing how a simple comment from some horrible bitch stranger in the universe can have such an impact on one’s life.  Both good and bad.  While Jessica’s comment obviously effected an entire community of people in a very harmful way, the amazing responses of support kinda erased any of the damage she did.  At least it did for me.   We may be broken but dammit if you try to f. with us!  O no you di int.  We are one big troop of bad ass right hea.  I thank you all for your amazing - yet oddly hard core - words of support.  You all rock.  Now ladies, its time to put the guns away.  I think we got our point across.  Let’s just say it one last time and let it go ok?  Jessica Blair, you’re a whore. On that note, let’s move on to... B a b y B o u n d blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2262792 Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:53:25 +0100 2262792 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2074311&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FlCxl1pmVf30%2F Discussion was dominated by two stories, that of 13-year-old Adam Race, against whose parents a priest filed a restraining order, and of 5-year-old Alex Barton, who was voted out of his kindergarden class by his classmates, at the suggestion of his teacher, Wendy Portillo. These two incidents sparked some very heated and often acrimonious exchanges and remind me of why there’s a need to think about autistic persons and the community, in faith communities and all others. Also: It was reported that there had been 72 cases of measles so far in the US, the highest number since 2001—-and the number would only go up, while misinformation about vaccines continued. Sometimes it seems that everything, if not anything, could be said to cause autism (and that everything, and anything, has... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2074311 Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:47:21 +0100 2074311 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2017838&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FWl4OGrSUFt4%2F Lately hormones have been on my mind a lot. “It’s those hormones,” someone seems to say at least once a day in reference to Charlie. Not only has he grown some six inches this year (that’s what Jim and I have been estimating). Physically, he is really growing up: For the past few weeks, it’s become very apparent that his voice is changing (though I still hear, mixed in with new, lower tone, the familiar light voice that is Charlie’s). At times his moods seem to change in a split second or less. I’ve been remembering back to my own adolescence and to how waves of feelings seemed to arise in me with no warning, and how these weren’t always expressed in the best of ways, as I didn’t know how to express what I was experiencing—–... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2017838 Sat, 06 Dec 2008 07:25:59 +0100 2017838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1999141&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FKbYAZBv0GTQ%2F 35-year-old Kate Southern lost her mother, Dorothy, to brain cancer last week, and it’s unclear where she’ll live and who’ll take care of her. Today’s Illawarra Mercury describes Southern’s situation: Her two sisters, Jane Southern and Jenny Wilson, have been caring for her along with an in-home respite worker. But the worker will not be provided after December 22nd and there’s no residential placeent for Southern in Illawarra, where she currently attends a day care group. A placement in Queanbeyan, far from her family and her familiarity, has been offered and the Illawarra Mercury notes, Southern has been “pulling her hair out in clumps, terrified at the prospect of being separated from her family.” An article in today’s New York Times... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1999141 Sat, 29 Nov 2008 23:33:22 +0100 1999141 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1990893&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FrIWsFTm30h0%2F The poet John Donne talks about “trepidation of the spheres” and, I was thinking last night after settling Charlie in bed, that there’s been some trepidation in our little corner of the cosmos. This whole business of adolescence combined with an ongoing growth spurt has made our daily routine well, “interesting-er“: A neologism, but maybe that’s the best way to describe the latest chapter of life with Charlie. Throw in the fact that the holiday season is upon us, with Thanksgiving tomorrow and a half-day of school for Charlie and no school on Friday, a recipe for potential not-so-peaceful-easy-feeling-ness. A distinct air of deep tiredness seemed to haunt my college classes; I watched a couple of students, wearing floppy gray sweats, yanking their suitca... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1990893 Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:50:24 +0100 1990893 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1943425&cid=t_185396_134_f&fid=35162&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FLemonadeLife%2F%7E3%2F446132183%2F Upstairs, there are two sleeping children. A lively three-year-old girl and an adorable, blue-eyed baby boy. They are like any other pair of siblings. They like to watch cartoons, play with their toys that make the strangest noises, and run around the house. The only difference? The three-year-old has diabetes. When I started babysitting children with diabetes in high school, it seemed like the perfect calling. I have contemplated being a professional nanny for a child with diabetes, except I require a little thing called “health insurance” and I’m not entirely sure how one works that out. But being a 16-year-old high schooler with a boat load of first-hand diabetes experience, babysitting was the perfect after school job. I have babysat over the years about fifteen fam... Lemonade Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1943425 Sat, 08 Nov 2008 03:26:23 +0100 1943425 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1914716&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F_sW7TCcktw0%2F So maybe it had to do with finding myself driving through a most unexpected (in New Jersey) October snowfall to take Charlie to a medical appointment (the dentist, to be more precise) on a cold mid-afternoon on Tuesday—-but as I glanced at him in the rear view mirror, a strong sense of déja-vu came into my mind. I was driving down a wide avenue on a snowy afternoon, gray sky, and strapped in the middle of the backseat, in his carseat, was my little boy and there was something wrong with or inside of him and no one seemed to know what, or to be able to say what, and not the kindly pediatrician we’d just seen for the nth time…… I was remembering the late late fall days of 1998. We were living in St. Paul, Minnesota, then (I was a newly hired classics professor here) ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1914716 Wed, 29 Oct 2008 07:23:34 +0100 1914716 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1908840&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FfEMbc1CDGko%2F Autism gets mentioned for the first time in a presidential debate on October 15th; here’s more news: After Many Years, A Diagnosis Deborah Lipsky was in her 40s when she found out that has autism. There Goes Another Autism Myth While out riding his bike, Charlie hears another child crying and……. Denis Leary Does a Michael Savage I know Leary’s a comedian but some things just aren’t funny—-alumni from Emerson College don’t think so either. McCain and Obama Debate: Down Syndrome, Autism, Special Needs Disability historian Paul Longmore writes about Sarah Palin as “talking about special needs children” and Obama as having substantive plans for all people with disabilities” in the October 3rd Huffington Post Barney Can Wait What happened to all tho... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1908840 Sun, 26 Oct 2008 21:35:07 +0100 1908840 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1895056&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2Fr1SWLC_IBe8%2F Heralding an October 22nd lecture entitled “Are we ambitious enough about autism?” to be delivered by Autism Speaks co-found Bob Wright at the Treehouse charity in the UK Telegraph asks “Should we want to cure autism?” After raising my son Charlie for these past 11 years, my answer is that (in the words of a friend) curing autism is “neither possible nor desirable.” Autism is lifelong; it’s neither something that you catch or that you can be cured from, and focusing too much on trying to cure autism can distract from the pressing realities of teaching, supporting, taking care of, and being with people who are autistic. As I wrote in a March 2007 post, Acceptance vs. Cure: Is autism a difference, a manifestation of human diversity and variation—-... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1895056 Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:47:53 +0100 1895056 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1876129&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F-q4_-85MFCk%2F Having considered prenatal genetic testing and autism, what about the possible influence of the environment of the womb on a developing baby? An October 10th article in Slate with the provocative title of Womb Raider asks if future health problems occur during gestation: Recently, a study of 1,044 mother-child pairs found that 3-year-olds born to mothers who gained too much weight during pregnancy had increased odds of becoming overweight. Somehow, it seemed, these women metabolically programmed their kids to get fat. The Slate article immediately acknowledges the dangers of this particular line of thinking about children’s health: The notion that children’s futures are foretold early in life has strong narrative appeal (consider the stories of Aladdin, the Lion King, and Harry... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1876129 Tue, 14 Oct 2008 17:14:54 +0100 1876129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1859607&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FJ_fH6-qn0jY%2F The brain seeks patterns even when none exist, according to an October 3rd Scientific American podcast: When we feel like we don’t have command of our own fate, our brains often invent patterns that offer a sense of self-control. Some folks knock on wood or step over cracks in the sidewalk. Scientists call this illusory pattern perception. Work published in the October 3rd issue of the journal Science offers a look inside our heads as they try to make us feel less helpless. Researchers from the University of Texas at Austin devised six experiments to test students’ reactions to different situations of uncertainty. One experiment mimicked the stock market, while another asked students to search for images in television static. Time and again, students saw images where there were... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1859607 Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:00:26 +0100 1859607 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1859610&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F-BoBPA4ORQs%2F So after a sunny Sunday topped up with exuberant bike riding and one of his all-time favorite meals at his all-time favorite Jersey hamburger stand, Charlie woke up on Monday morning with heavy-duty sniffles, a gurgly cough, and a hot forehead. Jim had gone out to wait for the bus while I got Charlie ready and I found myself running out to tell Jim that Charlie wouldn’t be going to school today. I went back inside, where Charlie was standing up, rather wobbly, and assured him he could stay home and before you know it he was stretched out on some cushions with a sleeping bag over him, sound asleep. Jim came back in and asked the next, very pressing question: What were we going to do about work? It’s a perennial issue for us; it’s the perpetual dilemma of the working mom an... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1859610 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:09:04 +0100 1859610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1853662&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FrueevV3dxpU%2F Weekends used to be really tough for our family. Charlie thrives on the structure and busyness of school, and try as we might to fill Saturday and Sunday with activities, it just never seemed to be enough. Now that he’s older, and feeling very secure about his school situation, weekends have been better—-nonetheless, I think a lot about how necessary it is that Charlie will always have lots to do, will have work to do that is meaningful and uses his talents, for his whole life. Today’s Baltimore Sun has an article about vocational programs for autistic and developmentally disabled adults in Maryland. Located in Ellicott City, the Linwood Center provides vocational programs for individuals who are not able to find jobs in the community; some participants have also been abl... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1853662 Sun, 05 Oct 2008 21:18:41 +0100 1853662 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1837290&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F-tslVH4zbL0%2F Tomorrow, September 30th, is the deadline to submit a comment regarding the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)’s Draft Strategic Plan for ASD Research. Feedback is sought from ASD stakeholders which means—as you’re reading this blog—you: individuals with ASD and their families, scientists, health professionals, therapists, educators, officials of state and local programs for ASD, and the public at large. The draft Strategic Plan can be accessed via this webpage (scroll down for a link to a PDF file). (The draft Strategic Plan does not include cost estimates for implementation; a workgroup has been formed to advise about the IACC budgetary requirements needed to fulfill the research objectives described in the draft Strategic Plan.) Responses to the pla... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1837290 Mon, 29 Sep 2008 07:01:19 +0100 1837290 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1683092&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FVG5xFg66GA8%2F Discussions about vaccines and autism are mostly about children, and even children who are yet in utero and have yet to be conceived, who don’t have autism; as proponents of a vaccine-autism link claim, they want to get the thimerosal out and the schedule changed so that no more children will become autistic due to a vaccine. This is one reason why anti-vaccine/pro-vaccine safety advocates seems to be so (at the very least) hesitant and (as often stated) disdainful of evidence for genetic causes of autism. Autism is “preventable” (just say no to those shots, or at least that schedule and green ‘em in the process) and “treatable” (by unproven and potentially dangerous treatments like chelation that stem from also-nproven theories of what causes autism). A... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1683092 Wed, 06 Aug 2008 04:59:05 +0100 1683092 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1683093&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F-8H3n90TS-E%2F Our visit to the optometrist was inconclusive. She was able to test Charlie for acuity—-he’s 20/20 in his right eye and 20/25 in his left—-but, as she no longer dilates patients’ eyes (I gathered that the repetitive stress on her hands from gently coaxing kids to open their eyes for years had take something of a toll) and so could not do a full exam. Charlie, for the past few months (since around May) has been squinting a lot, sometimes both eyes, sometimes the left or right only. During the exam, he was squinting almost non-stop, so it wasn’t possible to examine his eyes too much. The optometrist noted that his right eye looks like it is looking out and away from the direction his other eye is; she’s noted in the past that Charlie’s eyes don&#8217... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1683093 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:28:32 +0100 1683093 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1679439&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FrHZpUB2nIYk%2F Charlie’s lunchbox is all packed and ready to go, except that he’s got just over a month to wait before the yellow school bus pulls into our parking lot. Summer school was over last Thursday and now begins the period that suggests why, to rewrite that famous line of T.S. Eliot’s, August is the cruelest month. Therapists and teachers do have to go on vacation sometime, schools shut their doors (ours are undergoing school sonstruction), and the dog days of summer cometh—-and hot and long unstructured days, which have tended to mean not the easiest of times for Charlie, who prefers the orderliness of bus waiting time, school, getting off the bus, snacks, loafing around (yes, that’s a schedule item), homework (he doesn’t have too much, yet), cello or piano p... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1679439 Tue, 05 Aug 2008 05:50:32 +0100 1679439 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1679442&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2FKSbaDniBkJ0%2F Friends are expecting babies, friends have recently had babies, friends are thinking about having babies. A discussion about the book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and autism in the summer school course I’m teaching ends with a question from one of the high-school students: “But what can you do to make sure your baby’s 100% ok?” Something called the “Ultimate Baby Shower” in Boston only seems likely to reinforce fears and worries in expecting mothers. Should they pay $2,195 down plus $125 a year to a company called ViaCord to store their umbilical cord blood? Parents are told that banking cord blood is an important precautionary measure “in case the child develops a life-threatening blood disease later in life.” Writes Bev... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1679442 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:07:14 +0100 1679442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1671479&cid=t_185396_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthbolt.net%2F2008%2F07%2F31%2Fa-new-way-to-track-your-familys-health-history-myfamilyhealthcom%2F Most of us know the importance of being familiar with our family’s health history. In fact, there is nary a doctor’s office visit where we’re not grilled on the diseases/afflictions that run through our gene pool. But sometimes it’s hard to remember it all, and sometimes we just don’t know all there is to know about Gram and Gramps, right? Well now there may be a viable solution: MyFamilyHealth.com. From the company, here are some of the benefits: MyFamilyHealth.com is the most advanced online family health history tracking tool and compliant with the latest recommendations from the US Department of Health and Human Services. The site addresses the key problems of how to effectively gather, organize and analyze this information, making it easier than ever bef... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1671479 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:30:53 +0100 1671479 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1658175&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F347532214%2F Much happened over the past two weeks but I want most of all to think about Evan Kamida, who passed away on July 24, just a few days shy of his eighth birthday. Please keep his mother Vicki Forman and Evan’s family in your thoughts and prayers—-and to honor his memory, here’s a small and lovely thing to do: Please take a photo of flowers at a swingset and post it to this Flickr pool. Shannon Des Roches Rosa and Jennifer Graf Gronenberg have posted more information. Thinking of Evan. Not a Team Player in the Office?—-Not Necessarily The difficulties that autistic individuals face in the workplace. Use of Restraints Increasing in Public Schools? Kids coming home with bruises on their wrists, arms, legs: That’s not supposed to happen in public school, and not at the ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1658175 Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:02:36 +0100 1658175 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1563970&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F325486829%2F Don’t know about you, but summer has so far been anything but slower-paced and lazy around here. A friend who’s also an academic likes to say that he got into “the business” for the three-months summers:  guess I take after Charlie, though, and do better with the same old same old routine of things. I’ve taken on some, or rather, some more administrative duties at work and start teaching summer school next week (a course on Psychology and Literature for high school students—-I suspect I’ll have some things to say regarding it here). It’s also Freshman Orientation time, and this morning was filled with calls to students about classes, putting together readings for the course, planning for a big activity next March the very thought of which is... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1563970 Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:04:01 +0100 1563970 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1560929&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F324720580%2F Tuesday morning Jim and I were interviewed for an autism documentary in the making. The director and his crew came to my office in Jersey City, which is in an old single-family house, with barely any space between it in and the neighboring houses (one of which contains my college’s mailroom). Jim and I were interviewed together, which was, frankly, fun. Not that we don’t spend rather a lot of time talking to each other, but it’s a different thing to be asked questions—about autism, neurodiversity, “recovery,” how I got started blogging, when we first thought “something” was up with Charlie, how we ended coming back to New Jersey in 2001—-with the camera on you. Amazingly, Jim and I managed not to interrupt each other. I spend (as you ca... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1560929 Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:40:17 +0100 1560929 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1538038&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F317662784%2F Charlie and I started the week on the West Coast, visiting my family (and Charlie missing his dad so much he tried to walk back to New Jersey)—came back on a red eye Tuesday morning and he was back in school on Wednesday.  Meanwhile: The Regression Question Do some children seem to be autistic from the time they are babies, while others develop normally and then lose skills? Is autism “innate” in some children and “regressive” in others? What Music Gives 13-year-old Thomas Gonzales plays trumpet, trombone, baritone and flugelhorn and has accepted an offer to be a professional member of Mariachi Nuevo Ensueño in Azusa, California. Believe Charlie and I take a red eye flight home from San Francisco; I watch the Spiderwick Chronicles and a cat gets out of its bag. Zap, You ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1538038 Sun, 22 Jun 2008 22:00:51 +0100 1538038 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1526408&cid=t_185396_137_f&fid=35357&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAlzheimersNotes%2F%7E3%2F314500554%2F AlzheimersNotes.com  “School’s out!  Summer vacation is here!” shout youngsters on their last day of school in the US.  This day sees no lingering at the school yard, but a rush to get on with warm weather activities.  The Lifestyles Channel celebrates this occasion with a round-up of posts from the various bloggers’ reflections about this season. Check out what everyone has to say by visiting, School’s Out (Or is it in?!), hosted by Gloria Gamat at the Cancer Commentary blog.  As Gloria mentions, school is in throughout some parts of the world this time of year, while students are getting our for vacation or graduating.  (Amazon image; click on pool for details) (c)2008 Mary Emma Allen Tags: Alzheimer's Notes, Alzheimers, Cancer Commentary, Emma, family... Alzheimer's Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1526408 Wed, 18 Jun 2008 10:00:43 +0100 1526408 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1522227&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F312450605%2F Main event of the week: Charlie’s last day in elementary school. And, yes, Tuesday. In the comments, a link to a Press-Enterprise article about an 11-year-old, Nicholas Dooley, who has autism and possibly another psychiatric disorder. So Goeth the Autism Epidemic The June 6th Times (UK) has an article on The autism epidemic commeth, which heralds the publication of a book entitled Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism by anthropologist Roy Richard Grinker. If You Happen to Be Near a TV from 7-9am Tomorrow… See below. Trying to Be Pretty Good Neighbors Are nasty neighbors affecting your home’s value? asks a report today on ABC news. Telling the Grandparents A man writes about his 3-year-old niece to Dear Abby: Apparently the little girl has been diagnosed with aut... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1522227 Sun, 15 Jun 2008 16:00:59 +0100 1522227 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1502631&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F307787142%2F Charlie kept saying this very phrase—-”You know you have the answer“—over and over as we drove home from the beach last night. He had a big smile on his face; he’d been calling out the name of his teacher and favorite instructor (as aides/paraprofessionals are called in my school district) over and over. It was a squelcher Sunday—over 90 degrees—-but Charlie and Jim had still gone for an hour-plus bike ride (with a stop for sodas in an air-conditioned convenience store), and a trip to the ocean was more than called for. It was nearing 4pm by the time we had gathered towels and changes of clothes and found the suntan lotion. I urged Charlie to take off his fleece vest and hooded coat, in favor of a lighter blue sweatshirt. “It’s hot toda... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1502631 Mon, 09 Jun 2008 05:43:41 +0100 1502631 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1494393&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F304528476%2F This article contains one such story.) However, as Dr. Myers and Pineda write: Side effect (or Side reaction) are symptoms and signs that occur either locally—such as pain or redness at the injection site—or in other parts of the body—such as headache or fever—because of a particular immunization or dose of a drug. A mild measles-like rash after measles vaccine is fairly common, for example. Serious, life-threatening allergic reactions can be side effects of vaccines, but occur very rarely. ……. An adverse event is something quite different from a side effect. A side effect is “caused by” the vaccine, whereas an adverse event is something that occurred at about the time. a vaccine was given, but which could have been caused by the vaccine or could have just occurred ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1494393 Wed, 04 Jun 2008 13:00:11 +0100 1494393 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1484947&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F302491988%2F Now that it is the first of June, my son is down to his last two weeks of being at the school he’s been at for the past two years. He starts Extended School Year in the middle of June; it’ll be at the middle school and with the teacher who’ll be Charlie’s teacher in the fall. Moving up and on. Here’s what got talked about here last week: Neurodiversity in New York Magazine New York Magazine has a long article by writer Andrew Solomon about, indeed, neurodiversity, the view that autism is not an illness, but a difference and a different way of being. An Invasion of MMR/Vaccine Misinformation To read an article about the MMR vaccine and autism in the May 26th Telegraph, you’d think there was plenty of reason for the “debate” to be “rei... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1484947 Sun, 01 Jun 2008 18:49:51 +0100 1484947 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1480781&cid=t_185396_137_f&fid=35357&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAlzheimersNotes%2F%7E3%2F301328622%2F AlzheimersNotes.com To keep you informed about the inside info on the health care industry, you now have Health Care Insiders at b5media.  Written by Jennifer Hinkel and Becky Ramsey, this blog will have the latest news on what’s going on in this arena that’s of great concern to most of us. Check out this blog, see if it has information and answers that will aid you as a caregiver as well as in your personal situation.  Let Jennifer and Becky know what information will be helpful for you. Health care is of concern to all of us as we encounter personal and family health situations.  How nice to have a place where we can find more information about it. (c)2008 Mary Emma Allen Tags: Alzheimer's health, Alzheimers, b5media, caregiver health, caregivers, family health, Hea... Alzheimer's Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1480781 Fri, 30 May 2008 15:30:09 +0100 1480781 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1467901&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F297843367%2F Up until last week, posts about “mercury” and “Jenny McCarthy” had the most comments—-after last week, the topic of religion and the restraining order filed against the parents of Adam Race generated a torrent of discussion that’s still going on). Priest Files Restraining Order Against Parents of Autistic 13-year-old Some 250-plus comments about Adam Race and the parish of St. Joseph’s in Bertha, Minnesota. A Mother and a Housewife Mothers and housewives can be pretty accomplished—-one whom I know (via the internet) is Kathleen Seidel, who writes the Neurodiversity weblog. Read with Care: New Study on Thimerosal and Neurodevelopmental Disorders A new study published in the Journal of Neurological Sciences that reports an association between ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1467901 Sun, 25 May 2008 17:00:39 +0100 1467901 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1442967&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F289908112%2F The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) coordinates research and efforts pertaining to autism spectrum disorder (ASD) within the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The IACC met this past Monday, May 12 in Washington, D.C. I had attended the November 2007 meeting and learned a great deal and was hoping to attend this May meeting. Jim had an event planed Monday night—-and then Jim heard that the event was (maybe) not going to happen, so I wrote a statement and submitted it and thought I might go, and then Jim heard that the Monday event might happen. Our Mother’s Day weekend was busy and a bit intense at times and I found myself one moment looking up train tickets on Amtrak and the next realizing that it was Sunday night and I hadn’t planned far en... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1442967 Wed, 14 May 2008 04:10:09 +0100 1442967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1434542&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F287862435%2F First, Happy Mother’s Day to every mother reading this and many more (my own included, of course)! An essay by Robert Hughes in today’s Chicago Tribune is entitled What Autism Means to a Father and much of what he says strikes home with me as a parent. Hughes captures how a parent feels as he or she strives so patiently to help an autistic child, and how bad a parent can feel when you’re not “doing the right thing,” even though you’re trying your best. Hughes’ son is 21 years old and, on being asked about the “meaning of the latest statistic on autistic births”—that 1 in 150 children in the US have autism—-Hughes offers this “emotional, seldom-discussed meaning to the 1 in 150 statistic”: It means that the chance... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1434542 Sun, 11 May 2008 04:33:33 +0100 1434542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1402144&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F278534373%2F After a lot of hesitation about riding his new bike, Charlie hoisted himself up, put his left foot on the left pedal, put his right foot on, and zoomed off with Jim easily catching up—that’s the image in my mind after a full week here. Parents Going Back to School Some parents of autistic children are returning to the classroom to study with a view towards helping their kids as they grow up. We Go to the Met Charlie and I spend a Saturday in Manhattan. So Much For Autism Awareness Robert Goldberg, the vice president of The Center for Medicine in the Public Interest in New York City writes about why Autism Awareness Month has become “not a noble search for a cure, but an annual war on the bookshelves, as scientists and activists - often with no medical proof - battle ov... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1402144 Sun, 27 Apr 2008 00:20:41 +0100 1402144 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1389035&cid=t_185396_158_f&fid=36021&url=http%3A%2F%2F3genfamily.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F04%2F21%2Fnew-3genfamilycom-our-new-website-is-now-live%2F By CK Wilde for 3GenFamily Blog 3GenFamily Blog has moved to a new location on the web. Please come visit us at 3GenFamily.com Long Distance Caregiving for a Parent While Raising Teens and Balancing Work and Home The past 16 months has been an amazing and eventful time for me as a long distance caregiver for my 83 year old father, parent of two teen boys, spouse and juggler of work and home life. When I started this blog, I had no idea I would meet so many dedicated and fascinating people also working to get the best information into the hands of readers like you. Because there is still a huge need for real answers to many of life’s toughest situations, I am expanding this blog to meet those needs. While I am grateful to Wordpress.com for having a perfect place to start a blog, it is... 3GenFamily Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1389035 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:27:15 +0100 1389035 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513384&cid=t_185396_158_f&fid=36021&url=http%3A%2F%2F3genfamily.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F04%2F21%2Fnew-3genfamilycom-our-new-website-is-now-live%2F By CK Wilde for 3GenFamily Blog 3GenFamily Blog has moved to a new location on the web. Please come visit us at 3GenFamily.com Long Distance Caregiving for a Parent While Raising Teens and Balancing Work and Home The past 16 months has been an amazing and eventful time for me as a long distance caregiver for my 83 year old father, parent of two teen boys, spouse and juggler of work and home life. When I started this blog, I had no idea I would meet so many dedicated and fascinating people also working to get the best information into the hands of readers like you. Because there is still a huge need for real answers to many of life’s toughest situations, I am expanding this blog to meet those needs. While I am grateful to WordPress.com for having a perfect place to start a blog, it is... 3GenFamily Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513384 Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:04:34 +0100 2513384 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1382404&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F273034745%2F There’s a video out on the web now called Autism Yesterday, echoing the title of another video that appeared in 2006, Autism Every Day. The latter video by director Lauren Thierry strove to present “what it’s like” for families to live with a child for autism. The other video, “Autism Yesterday,” presents the message that “autism is reversible” via biomedical interventions; autism could become a thing of yesterday if families chose to use such treatments (many of which we have used for my son, when he was younger). I’ve never been one for taking a lot of videos of my son. I suppose you could say, I’m too busy watching and being with him to be inclined to run and get the camera. It is certainly “life with an autistic son&#822... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1382404 Fri, 18 Apr 2008 17:36:32 +0100 1382404 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1306559&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F252634633%2F Drs. Paul and Kiely Law direct the Interactive Autism Network (IAN), which is an online database run by the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore. So far, over 21,000 families have completed online questionnaires and surveys about autism and themselves; IAN researchers are using the database to explore such topics as what treatments medications families have used for autistic children, stress in parents, whether intensive behavioral treatment works for older autistic children and adults, and more. Today’s Baltimore Sun profiles the Laws, whose 14 year old son, Isaac, is autistic. Issac has an interesting comment when the notion of “curing” autism arises: “It’s not one disorder, so the cures won’t be universally applicable,” Paul Law said. “T... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1306559 Sun, 16 Mar 2008 22:00:38 +0100 1306559 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1305824&cid=t_185396_158_f&fid=36021&url=http%3A%2F%2F3genfamily.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F03%2F15%2F3-reasons-why-you-must-keep-your-own-health-and-medical-records%2F Over the past 19 years since my first son was born, we have had a number of doctors care for us. Dr. G, our first pediatrician, was reassuring and supportive even when I was 2 hours late for the first baby check up. When Dr. G accepted a partnership opportunity 80 miles away, we moved to Dr. H who gave my children friendly, practical care until it was our turn to move away. Dr. H gave us a referral to Dr. B, a distinguished, elderly man trained in Europe. I really appreciated Dr. B’s concern and care when it came to treating my son’s asthma. Unfortunately, our insurance carrier changed and I was forced to find a different doctor who was accepted by the plan. That’s how Dr. F entered our lives. Every time we made a change, I dutifully requested that my sons’ medical ... 3GenFamily Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1305824 Sat, 15 Mar 2008 23:00:03 +0100 1305824 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1300361&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F250929605%2F As a recent post on Eye on DNA notes, genetic testing can reveal a lot of information, sometimes more than one knows what to do with. But testing can be helpful as families consider therapies and treatments and make plans. A new study published in the March issue of Neurology has found that, by analyzing eight common genetic mutations which account for two-thirds of cases of Rett’s Syndrome, researchers can access the severity of symptoms that someone with Rett’s might have. It is hoped that finding out such information might help families have a clearer sense of their child’s prognosis. Today’s Science Daily notes that the research was undertaken by an international collaboration, using information international collaboration based on information provided by &#8220... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1300361 Thu, 13 Mar 2008 19:00:57 +0100 1300361 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513385&cid=t_185396_158_f&fid=36021&url=http%3A%2F%2F3genfamily.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F02%2F29%2Fgoogle-doesnt-belong-in-the-health-records-business-heres-a-better-idea%2F 3GenFamily Blog has moved to a new location on the web. Please come visit us at 3GenFamily.com By CK Wilde for 3GenFamily Blog Sorry, Eric (Schmidt, CEO of Google). Google doesn’t belong in the health records business. For those of you who don’t follow Google’s business on a daily basis, here is a brief rundown of what has happened. Last year, Microsoft announced a new service called Health Vault to help individuals manage health records online. This is not a revolutionary idea. There are already several smaller companies on the Internet offering individuals the convenience of storing health records online so that they are more available when they are needed. Several of the large players in the business of providing technology to doctors offices and medical clinics also h... 3GenFamily Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513385 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:30:08 +0100 2513385 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1269592&cid=t_185396_158_f&fid=36021&url=http%3A%2F%2F3genfamily.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F02%2F29%2Fgoogle-doesnt-belong-in-the-health-records-business-heres-a-better-idea%2F Sorry, Eric (Schmidt, CEO of Google). Google doesn’t belong in the health records business. For those of you who don’t follow Google’s business on a daily basis, here is a brief rundown of what has happened. Last year, Microsoft announced a new service called Health Vault to help individuals manage health records online. This is not a revolutionary idea. There are already several smaller companies on the Internet offering individuals the convenience of storing health records online so that they are more available when they are needed. Several of the large players in the business of providing technology to doctors offices and medical clinics also have digital records initiatives. But, no one company has been able to gain serious momentum in digital health records. It is a ... 3GenFamily Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1269592 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:30:08 +0100 1269592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1268448&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F243415421%2F Children with special health care needs—-including autism, ADHD, asthma—are not consistently getting the care recommended by the government, and the care and services they receive varies from state to state. Go here to see state-by-state details of the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. From the February 28th Science Daily: The survey is especially significant because it finds that more than 10 million American children have a special health care need – that amounts to one in five households with children younger than 18. [my emphasis] While states perform well in specific areas, no state is providing all of the recommended care to the majority of their children with special health care needs. ……. - While nearly all children with special h... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1268448 Fri, 29 Feb 2008 17:02:11 +0100 1268448 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1255096&cid=t_185396_131_f&fid=34976&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftalk.dnadirect.com%2F2008%2F02%2F25%2Fny-times-insurance-fears-and-dna-testing%2F Amy Harmon looks at the issue of privacy, fear of discrimination, and the very real repercussions some people are facing as a result of the tension between important medical information and lack of comprehensive legislation to protect patients' genetic privacy. She quotes Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute at the NIH, “It’s pretty clear that the public is afraid of taking advantage of genetic testing. If that continues, the future of medicine that we would all like to see happen stands the chance of being dead on arrival.” I don't think it's as dire as that, but all of us -- patients, physicians, industry and thought leaders -- need to push for systemic solutions. (Source: DNA Direct Talk) DNA Direct Talk blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1255096 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:59:54 +0100 1255096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1237613&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F236362329%2F Neon-bright marquees and music (from B.B. King’s theater–Buckwheat Zydeco is playing) and tour buses driving up halfway onto 42nd street and Russian Spanish Korean Twi being spoken and the smell of the gyros and steam from the subway grates: That was what Charlie walked through, holding Jim’s arm and grinning, with my parents and me bringing up the rear on Saturday afternoon in New York City. Too much going on, same as the topics for the past two weeks’ posts. What’s It All About, Eli? (2): Keeping the FaithWhile the court case that the main character of ABC’s legal drama, Eli Stone, successfully argues in the show’s first episode involves vaccines and “mercuritol,” a stand-in for thimerasol that is claimed to have caused a child to b... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1237613 Sun, 17 Feb 2008 06:03:25 +0100 1237613 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1234652&cid=t_185396_131_f&fid=34976&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftalk.dnadirect.com%2F2008%2F02%2F15%2Fmore-on-twins-identical-twins-have-genetic-differences%2F Right on the tails of my last post comes ground-breaking news about identical twins: they don’t actually have identical genetics! (Darn close, but not 100% identical.) A study by University of Alabama, Birmingham researchers challenges the long-held belief that identical twins have identical genetics. They compared the DNA of sets of twins and discovered significant [...] (Source: DNA Direct Talk) DNA Direct Talk blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1234652 Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:39:01 +0100 1234652 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1225340&cid=t_185396_131_f&fid=34976&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftalk.dnadirect.com%2F2008%2F02%2F12%2Ffeatured-qa-do-twins-run-in-families%2F I’ve got twins on my mother’s side and twins on my father’s side, too. On my mother’s side, they seem to appear every other generation, so the joke among my cousins is “which one of us will have the twins?” Whether twins really do run in families or whether this is an old wives’ tale is [...] (Source: DNA Direct Talk) DNA Direct Talk blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1225340 Tue, 12 Feb 2008 19:27:17 +0100 1225340 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1220869&cid=t_185396_140_f&fid=35448&url=http%3A%2F%2Fseemedlikeagoodideathetime.com%2F2008%2F02%2F10%2Fon-not-being-around%2F by um/tpb Sorry, my BP Chick homies, about not being around lately. Life , lately, has resembled a low-budget movie playing in fast forward. Not a minute to myself except when I was puking over the side of the bed due to a virus or something. Don’t have time to make a long story out of this so I’ll just be using the list method. Puking, pooping virus for 2 days Eye appointment that ran for 2 1/2 hours followed by grocery shopping during the heaviest shopping days of the year around here….government check day. Collapsed tired that evening. Company Friday evening, Friday nite, and most of the day Saturday. “Leech”, my brother keeps calling. He’s quitting his job and going off on some crazy tangent again. I HAVE to give up on this one for a while or lose ... bipolar chicks blogging blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1220869 Sun, 10 Feb 2008 20:03:01 +0100 1220869 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1190016&cid=t_185396_158_f&fid=36021&url=http%3A%2F%2F3genfamily.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F01%2F30%2Ffive-easy-steps-to-shrink-your-risk-of-age-related-macular-degeneration-amd%2F A Good Friend Remembered A good friend of ours died the third week of December. We just received a note from his daughter responding to our holiday card. Unfortunately, it never reached him. We sent cards every year even though we were never quite sure our friend could read the card. AG, now in his 60’s, had worked with my husband some years ago. Macular degeneration wiped out his sight, and his ability to make a living as a computer programmer. His vision problems were already underway when he attended our wedding 20 years ago. He soldiered on, working from home and adapting his life to his condition. When his vision decreased to the point that he could not drive, he rode his bicycle for shopping and errands. AG amazed me with insistence on doing things for himself. He was determine... 3GenFamily Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1190016 Thu, 31 Jan 2008 04:29:18 +0100 1190016 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1167236&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F220637459%2F I’m preparing to teach a class in Roman History, which meets for the first time tomorrow, Tuesday. We’ll start ab urbe condita—from the time of Rome’s legendary founding in 753 BC—-and end sometime in Late Antiquity, with the unraveling of Romanum Imperium. One of the first things I plan to ask the class is what they know, or think they know, about the Romans and I’m semi-sure someone will mention the hypothesis about lead poisoning causing the decline of Rome—–just as, when anyone in the future teaches about the history of autism, there will be mention of the autism/MMR hypothesis (here’s some history on that by Kevin Leitch). To quote philosopher Santayana’s oft-paraphrased statement: “Those who cannot remember the past ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1167236 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 23:13:16 +0100 1167236 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1165339&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F220286699%2F “We put a lot of energy into birth to 3 and somewhat through the teen years, but depending on when they graduate, they fall off the end of the earth.” “Why put resources, energy and money into them and then have nothing when we know that if our young adults are supported into the next stage, they are going to do OK.” So Lois Rosenwald, co-director of the Connecticut Autism Spectrum Resource Center says in the January 20th Hartford Courant about autistic adults. Rosenwald was instrumental in developing a $1million pilot program that was created by the Connecticut legislature a few years ago “to assist adults of normal intelligence with diagnoses on what is called the autism spectrum”; it is the first such program (according to the Hartford Courant). T... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1165339 Mon, 21 Jan 2008 10:02:10 +0100 1165339 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1163251&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F220016325%2F Clicking on a mouse Downloading music Surfing the Web These are all new “technological milestones” in a child’s development, notes today’s New York Times. Charlie has #1 down and last night we were looking at some You Tube videos of ferris wheels together……. Share This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1163251 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 21:10:39 +0100 1163251 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1163252&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F219899125%2F Jim had to attend a work-related function Saturday night, so I took Charlie swimming at the YMCA, where there’s a special Saturday program that reserves one of the pools for autistic children only. I asked Charlie if he’d like to see a movie and he said “yes”—-and when I brought up the subject back at home, he said “yes” and then “no” and then “yes.” “How about Alvin and the Chipmunks?” I asked. “Yes,” said Charlie. And then, “No.” By this time, it was getting too late to see the computer animated version of Dave Seville and three squeaky-voiced creatures, so I asked Charlie about dinner. “Dinner, yes,” said Charlie. As he has been saying, with a pleased smile, “Chinese... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1163252 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 16:00:37 +0100 1163252 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1162857&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F219607519%2F Says Matthew Belmonte, a neuroscientist and assistant professor in the Department of Human Development at Cornell University, about Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay, a severely and minimally verbal autistic young man originally from India and now living in Austin, Texas, and the author of two books, The Mind Tree: A Miraculous Child Breaks the Silence of Autism and The Gold of the Sunbeams and Other Stories. “In a way, Tito is unusual in that he has done so well at independent and flexible communication. But I think the whole point is in another way, he’s not unusual at all. He’s typical. You see this guy with flapping hands and having all of these impulsive and compulsive behaviors and not able to communicate on our terms and you think maybe there’s not a lot going on ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1162857 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 00:00:51 +0100 1162857 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1162576&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F219494443%2F There was Mr. Richard, who had a disabled brother; at least a dozen special needs (many autistic) kids were on his bus (and no bus matron). There was the older woman from Russia who told me “your driveway is not convenient for me” and “my eyes are not good.” There were the two women, both grandmothers, who drove a beat-up burgundy minivan and whose saris were made of heavy brocades in the winter, and lighter fabrics when spring came (sometimes a little girl rode in the front passenger seat). There was Miss Linda, who greeted Charlie with a “Come on in, Charlie” and—even after she had been told that we had moved back in September—-still drove by where we used to live, just to be sure that Charlie did not need a ride. Now it’s Miss Valeri... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1162576 Sat, 19 Jan 2008 18:14:29 +0100 1162576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1158249&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F218448391%2F The jury in the trial of Karen McCarron has issued a verdict of guilty on all counts, report’s today’s Peoria Journal-Star. Share This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1158249 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 20:48:43 +0100 1158249 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1158250&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F218385397%2F Texas-based Tempest Tours is offering a “special tour for guests with autism. Tempest Tours’ president and founder Martin Lisius has a 9-year-old daughter, Maddy, who has autism. Says Lisius: “We created this expedition after receiving contacts from parents of children with autism who were curious about our tours…….Maddy is beautiful and bright. She and all ASD kids deserve the same exposure to new experiences that other children receive. Maddy loves to learn how things work. Storm chasing is a complex and rewarding process that will challenge any child’s mind and ignite imagination.” My own son often shows a lot of anxiety before a storm starts, as if he can sense the changes in the sky and the air pressure; when the actual storm—-rain an... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1158250 Thu, 17 Jan 2008 18:32:46 +0100 1158250 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1155929&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F217842824%2F A key legislative committee in Massachusetts is weighing a bill to significantly decrease the use of electric shock in “aversive therapy” at the Judge Rotenberg School (JRC) in Canton, according to WWLP. Senator Brian Joyce says that the treatment is “barbaric” and that it should be limited to those who present a clear risk of injury to themselves or others. A state investigation into the JRC was called for after an incident last summer in which two former students telephoned in and ordered shocks on a student still at the center. Some parents have spoken in support of the school as “saving the life” of their children, some of whom have autism, mental retardation, and developmental disabilities. Other serious administrative lapses and questionable practi... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1155929 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 21:01:17 +0100 1155929 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1155930&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F217742560%2F Closing statements were heard at 9am today in the trial of Karen McCarron, the former pathologist who is charged with suffocating her three-year-old autistic daughter, Katherine “Katie” McCarron on May 13, 2006. On Monday, psychiatrist Joseph Glenmullen testified that Karen McCarron was suffering from a psychotic disorder when she killed her daughter. Yesterday, another psychiatrist, Dr. Terry Killian, testified the opposite as reported in the Peoria Journal-Star: “People who are rational and in control of their senses do stupid things at times,” including murder, Killian said. “At that moment, they were angry enough to do something stupid.” Killian said he reviewed the hundreds of pages of documents in McCarron’s file and has interviewed her b... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1155930 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:22:22 +0100 1155930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1154036&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F217537031%2F On January 14th, drug company Wyeth said that a court in Maryland has rejected “some expert witnesses from testifying that exposure to thimerosal-containing vaccines can cause autism and rejected the compound’s link to autism”; the case in question involved an alleged vaccine injury. More than a few mothers I know have had their amalgam fillings replaced because of concerns about the mercury content: On January 15th, an EU scientific committee stated such fillings “pose no health risk to the human nervous system.” This is only one measure that parents have taken out of fears of a mercury-autism link. “Mercury in Retrograde” was the subtitle of the paper published last week in the Archives of General Psychiatry in which authors Robert Schechter, M... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1154036 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 09:30:18 +0100 1154036 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1154037&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F217404268%2F Post updated January 16, 1.05am. On Monday, psychiatrist Joseph Glenmullen testified that former pathologist Karen McCarron was suffering from psychotic depression when she killed her 3-year-old autistic daughter, Katherine “Katie” McCarron, on May 13, 2006. On Tuesday, January 15th, another psychiatrist, Dr. Terry Killian, took the stand and said McCarron knew what she was doing when she allegedly murdered her three year old daughter who had autism, HOI News reports:  The psychiatrist who took the stand Tuesday said there was nothing to suggest McCarron didn’t know killing her daughter was wrong. He said over 50 people saw McCarron around the time Katie was killed and no one thought she was psychotic. The doctor said McCarron has recurrent major depression. He said she... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1154037 Wed, 16 Jan 2008 03:28:29 +0100 1154037 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1150708&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F216698761%2F Psychiatrist Joseph Glenmullen testified today that former pathologist Karen McCarron was suffering from psychotic depression when she killed her 3-year-old autistic daughter, Katherine “Katie” McCarron, on May 13, 2006, today’s Peoria Journal-Star reports. According to Dr. Glenmullen, “McCarron’s statements to police during a videotaped confession showed she was out of touch with reality.” Dr. Glenmullen is a Clinical Instructor in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and is the author of books about antidepressant use. Today was the sixth day of McCarron’s trial. From WMBD/WYZZ TV: Harvard doctor Joseph Glenmullen testified he believed McCarron suffered from a major depressive disorder that became psychotic at the time of her daughter Katie’s dea... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1150708 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 22:54:34 +0100 1150708 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1149735&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F216414600%2F Charlie pulled two books out of the book shelf. Saying “Blue ocean!” he pointed to a patch of blue on the cover of The Littlest Angel. Saying “green bed!” he pointed to a pink cloud that, I suppose, could be considered to have sort of a chaise lounge shape. I pointed to each letter of “angel” and he read them out: “It says ‘angel’” I said. “A,” said Charlie; I was pointing, I realized, at the “a.” I ran my finger under the entire word: “Angel!” The other book was an old Barney book about “what will you do when you grow up?”. I pointed to the Barney logo at the top (the purple dinosaur’s name in a purple oval with a green oval behind) and asked “What does it say?” &#... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1149735 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 12:57:45 +0100 1149735 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1148203&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F216196013%2F Lose the Training Wheels is a Virginia-based program that teaches special need children to ride a bike. Children start using a specially adapted bike and can move on to using a conventional bike. You can read about their program here (with photos showing the adapted bikes) and see a schedule of camps that teach children to ride here. The January 9th Novato Advance describes the 4-day Learn to Ride Marin Bike Camp sponsored by Easter Seals Northern California. Here’s a description of the adapted bikes: Instead of having a back wheel like most two-wheel bicycles, the bikes have a roller with weights and the occupational therapists shift the weight once the child demonstrates competence when riding. When the child feels confident with one weight position the weights are shifted so t... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1148203 Mon, 14 Jan 2008 02:39:42 +0100 1148203 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1147278&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F216094203%2F Paddling by a teacher—-it happened to 4-year-old Austin Andrews, who is 4 years old and attends Livingston Parish School in Louisiana. From WAFB:  “I couldn’t believe he had this mark on him,” says Ashley Andrews. She says she discovered large whelps on her four-year-old son, Austin Andrews’ bottom, while undressing him after school last month. “I’ll ask him who gave him a bo-bo and he repeats bo-bo and doesn’t want to talk about it.” Austin’s parents, Ashley and Bill Andrews, have kept Austin home since December 14th from Live Oak Elementary School, where he was in preschool and received speech and occupational therapy. WAFB does quote Ashley Andrews saying that “‘On December 6th, we signed for him to have a paddl... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1147278 Sun, 13 Jan 2008 21:31:24 +0100 1147278 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1147279&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F216014395%2F Charlie has been taking piano lessons from the same wonderful teacher (at Innovative Piano) since July of 2006. We’ve been working our way through “Frosty the Snowman” and “Auld Lang Syne” over the holidays, and just added “The Blue Danube” to Charlie’s repertoire. Charlie’s teacher used to teach at an ABA school here in New Jersey and he incorporates ABA into his piano teaching, especially when he first taught Charlie to learn the notes on the piano (using letters velcored to the keys) and also to read music (by slowly introducing Charlie to the notes, to the treble and bass clefs; by including only one line of music at a time per page and gradually adding more lines to a page; by carefully and minimally prompting Charlie). The teacher... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1147279 Sun, 13 Jan 2008 17:30:10 +0100 1147279 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1146458&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F215786177%2F Researchers from Singapore have found that the aroma of chocolate chip cookies prompted splurging on expensive sweaters. Its not a perfect analogy, but who knows that it might not hurt to blow in some chocolate cookie scent into the room where you’re having an IEP meeting. Maybe it’ll prompt those Child Study Team members to agree to “spend a little more” on services……………     Photo courtesy of desertculinary via Flickr.      Share This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1146458 Sun, 13 Jan 2008 05:09:55 +0100 1146458 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1146460&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F215555530%2F The Onion offers its take on the new study countering an autism-vaccine link, with predictably stinging-you-in-the-eye results. One “Penelope Budisch, Concierge,” is “quoted”: “I am unmoved by these findings. The amount of scientific evidence I’ve made up in my mind is too significant to refute.” Funny but that last line doesn’t sound so far from the truth……… One hears too about mercury air pollution wafting over to us from China……. Share This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1146460 Sat, 12 Jan 2008 16:13:25 +0100 1146460 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1146462&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F215204682%2F On the fifth day of her trial, former pathologist Karen McCarron testified that she blamed herself for her daughter’s autism. WEEK reports that ……..McCarron told her defense attorney that she felt responsible for Katie’s autism because she allowed her the child [sic] to get vaccinated. Prosecutor Kevin Johnson took out a white plastic garbage bag similar to the bag that McCarron used to suffocate her daughter, Katherine “Katie” McCarron: Using his fist as the little girl’s head, he had McCarron demonstrate how she killed the child. When Johnson asked McCarron how long she held the bag over Katie’s head, McCarron replied for about two minutes until she stopped struggling and defecated on herself. The Los Angeles Times reports that Kati... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1146462 Fri, 11 Jan 2008 21:31:16 +0100 1146462 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1146463&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F215191572%2F Autism occurs in individuals regardless of race, ethnicity, family income and educational levels. But how might race, ethnicity, and other cultural factors affect whether or not a child is identified as autistic? A January 11th Newsday article by John Hildebrand looks at why affluent school districts Long Island, NY (including Half Hollow Hills, Manhasset and Roslyn) “classify more than five times as many of their students with autism as districts at the opposite end of the economic spectrum, including Brentwood, Copiague, Freeport and Hempstead.” The Newsday survey drew on state data from school districts whose enrollments were more than 500. Advocates who have compiled similar data voice concern that many poor, minority youngsters might not be getting the same extensive, ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1146463 Fri, 11 Jan 2008 20:58:45 +0100 1146463 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1139842&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F213975953%2F Katie Wright, whose parents Bob and Suzanne Wright are the founders of Autism Speaks, praises their efforts “to bring attention to the needs of our families” and criticizes the organization for not funding “impactful, breakthrough science”—-that is, “biomedical grants on GI disease, methylation pathways and toxicity, vaccinated and unvaccinated siblings.” Wright distinguishes between such biomedical research into alternative treatments what she calls “traditional research, that is, “endless gene research” (such as a new study in today’s New England Journal of Medicine about a region on chromosome 16 that appears to play an important role in susceptibility for ASDs) and also research on the brain (such as a new study about ho... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1139842 Wed, 09 Jan 2008 21:41:03 +0100 1139842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1138115&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F213645047%2F Lots of nights and driving in my car thinking the same. With Charlie, January and February are “moody” months—winter is settling in, the changing of the year—-so much for her (for you) to work through. I do “let” Charlie spend a lot of time at home “chilling out” with his blanket and things: It just seems to take more time for him to work through and experience changes. You’ve all had a lot to go through and more ahead: Your plans and thoughts are all ahead and onwards and you’ll get there. But a bit of rest along the way is good…… Not exactly surprisingly, proponents of the theory that mercury, and in particular mercury in the form of the preservative thimerosal, causes autism (such as Safe Minds), are less than pleas... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1138115 Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:09:35 +0100 1138115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1136906&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F213434172%2F With numerous, as in every, news source reporting about the new study about exposure to thimerosal during childhood not being a primary cause of autism, this comment posted by “Anonymous” on the Wall Street Journal’s Health Blog stands out: From my own observation: Moms of autistic kids are party goers or ex-party goers. Leaves me to think that birth control or drugs is the cause. Jim will back me up: I have never been either a party goer or even an ex-party goer and, well, let’s just say that if I ever ran for public office (absolutely positively no plans of ever doing that), I could answer certain questions in full honesty and in non-controversial, really boring ways. Really boring. So I’ll just repeat: Exposure to thimerosal during childhood is not a p... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1136906 Tue, 08 Jan 2008 22:12:14 +0100 1136906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1136907&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F213301168%2F I’m back in my office off of Kennedy Boulevard in Jersey City for the first time in 2008 and the numerous stacks of paper on my desk, side table, and the floor are telling me that a good resolution for the year would be to find some other way to organize them, or at least sort through them and relegate as many as possible to the recycle bin. But for the moment I’ll let a pile of old Greek and Latin quizzes stay put: 2008 is starting out with all kinds of things happening—the new study showing that thimerosal is not a primary cause of autism (and here’s another analysis on yet another very bad for antivacctionists from Orac)—-the start of Karen McCarron’s trial—-the New Jersey legislature “barely” approving a new school funding bill, who... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1136907 Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:17:53 +0100 1136907 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1133915&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F212501194%2F On July 21st, 2006, members of the disability rights group Not Dead Yet passed out pink ribbons at the third annual Disability Pride Parade in Chicago. The parade’s Master of Ceremonies, actor, writer, and director Tekki Lomnicki , read a statement that mentioned Katherine “Katie” McCarron, whose mother, Karen McCarron, is accused of killing her in May of 2006. Karen McCarron’s trial begins this morning. And this is a ribbon in remembrance of Katie. Share This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1133915 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 10:34:11 +0100 1133915 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1132723&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F212351805%2F We picked up Charlie’s Christmas present—-a new bike—this afternoon. Charlie made sure to put his helmet in the car and took it out with him, warbling and laughing as he ran into the store and beheld a shiney red and white mens-size Trek mountain bike. I held his old helmet while Jim helped him try on a new one. A man looking over a shelf of protein powders kind of looked our way and Jim and I sort of smiled and tried to remember who he was. Charlie got onto his new bike—it’s much taller than his old yellow one—and started pedaling out the back door, Jim following fast. I went to the counter to pay for the new helmet and found myself next to the kind of familiar man who, I realized, was Charlie’s dentist. “Is that his first new bike?”... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1132723 Mon, 07 Jan 2008 04:22:09 +0100 1132723 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1132187&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F212152707%2F Opening statements in the trial of Karen McCarron, who allegedly suffocated her three-year-old daughter with a plastic bag in May of 2006, will begin at 9am on Monday, January 7th, in Tazewell County Circuit Court for the jury of 12 people and three alternates. McCarron is charged with “two counts of first-degree murder, one count of obstructing justice and one count of concealment of a homicidal death and is free on $1 million bond.” Today’s Peoria Journal-Star reports that defense attorneys Marc Wolfe and Steve Baker have entered an insanity defense, “which essentially says McCarron committed the crime but should not be held criminally responsible because of her mental state.” The prosecutors—-Assistant Tazewell County state’s attorneys Kevin J... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1132187 Sun, 06 Jan 2008 18:16:19 +0100 1132187 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1131057&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F211412731%2F Below is the entire content (with some links added) of a January 4th article by David Mercer from the The Times (Munster, Indiana) about the trial of Karen McCarron, which is to start on Monday, January 7th. McCarron allegedly suffocated her three-year-old daughter, Katherine, with a plastic bag on May 13, 2006. The article provides some background about the case, which I have posted on frequently here. Mother charged in autistic daughter’s death headed to trial Just days after she and her father moved back to the family home in Morton, Ill., from North Carolina in May 2006, 3-year-old Katherine McCarron was dead. Police and prosecutors say the little girl’s mother _ a physician who apparently was unable to cope with her daughter’s severe autism _ suffocated her wi... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1131057 Sat, 05 Jan 2008 02:00:32 +0100 1131057 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1131059&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F211197265%2F 13-year-old Samantha Ruderham has recorded her own pop album of 10 sounds, I Have a Voice, the January 3rd Edinburgh News reports. Samantha is autistic; her parents were told that she might never learn to speak. Her mother notes that “her daughter had actually learned to sing before she could speak in complete sentences.” Some 180 copies of I Have a Voice have been sold so far, with the proceeds benefiting the Kaimes School, which Samantha attends. Mrs Ruderham said: “Samantha’s musical ability is not just about the singing, it’s what she does around the music. “She takes a song, and she’ll change it to make it her own by rephrasing it, or adding an ad lib. “This has helped her learn to communicate with people. There are times she can&#... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1131059 Fri, 04 Jan 2008 16:30:48 +0100 1131059 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1128772&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F210795394%2F Researchers reverse effects of sleep deprivation notes today’s Science Daily: Orexin-A, also known as hypocretin-1, is a naturally occurring peptide produced in the brain that regulates sleep. It’s secreted by a small number of neurons but affects many brain regions during the day and people who have normal amounts of orexin-A are able to maintain wakefulness. When people or animals are sleep-deprived, the brain attempts to produce more orexin-A, but often without enough success to achieve alertness past the normal day-night cycle. By administering “orexin-A either intravenously or via a nasal spray immediately prior to testing” to sleep-deprived monkeys, researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine found that the monkeys’ cognitive skills &#822... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1128772 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 23:30:03 +0100 1128772 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1126228&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F210177837%2F Jury selection for the trial of Karen McCarron began today, the Peoria-Journal Star reports. McCarron, a pathologist, is accused of suffocating her 3-year-old daughter, Katherine McCarron, who was autistic, with a plastic bag on May 13, 2006. Jury selection continues tomorrow and on Friday, and the trial is expected to begin on the morning of Monday the 7th. Some previous posts here are about what McCarron said in a confession made shortly after Katie was killed and about her lawyer’s repeated efforts to postpone the trial—and about why desperation should be a fact when raising a disabled child. In the words of her grandfather, Michael McCarron, Katherine was very well-loved, and beautiful, and precious, and happy. Share This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1126228 Thu, 03 Jan 2008 00:12:50 +0100 1126228 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1124277&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F209550685%2F As you’ve perhaps already heard, celeb autism mother Jenny Mccarthy has been named one of the 10 women who inspired us in 2007. The zany blond struck a serious note this year, going public with her son’s autism diagnosis. Her book Louder Than Words: A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism was honest, informative, down-to-earth and sometimes painful. McCarthy took a gamble, going public with her problems and shattering her fantasy image. Mothers everywhere thank her. “Honest” and “down-to-earth,” okay, okay. But “informative”? Only if you like your facts served up with a “zany” (read: questionable) adherence to the truth. A passage (see p. 82) that is set in 2004 or 2005 shows McCarthy looking up information on Google&#8212... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1124277 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 20:37:27 +0100 1124277 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1124278&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F209474550%2F What better way to start the new year than making your voice heard to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) about research priorities for the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)? You can contact the NIMH with your suggestions in response to a Request for Information (RFI): Research Priorities for the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Please send responses to iacc@mail.nih.gov no later than January 4, 2008. Keep in mind that research does not only refer to scientific studies on genetics, the environment, neuroscience, and the like: Research also refers to research about the delivery of services and treatments. Some commenters have pointed out, for instance, tha... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1124278 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:00:45 +0100 1124278 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1123720&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F209223175%2F Charlie ended 2007 one of his favorite ways: A train trip into lower Manhattan, a walk through Chinatown and Soho, and dinner at Whole Foods (it being New Year’s Eve, he got a double-course dinner of sushi and spring rolls). And now we’re back in Jersey and I’m trying to get some scratched-up Wiggles DVDs to play on Charlie’s computer………….. Wishing you a tremendous 2008! Share This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1123720 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 03:03:34 +0100 1123720 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1123354&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F209127723%2F As you most likely have noticed, I post a lot here about many—any—thing related or referring to autism, throughout the day (and night, I suppose—yes, I never go to sleep before 1am). Writing about my now 10 1/2 year old son Charlie was my original reason for blogging. My first blog was My Son Has Autism (June - December 2005) which evolved into Autismland, which I wrote from December 2005 to February of this year. In February, I discerned that it was time to stop writing about the details about Charlie’s life so publicly and so frequently. I do miss sharing our daily adventures about our “Autism Reality Show,” which was how I originally describe my first weblog. My Son Has Autism is still on the web (with photos) and most of Autismland can be read on thi... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1123354 Mon, 31 Dec 2007 21:35:43 +0100 1123354 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1123356&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F209004757%2F Being a teacher is one of the “most overrated careers” according to the December US News & World Report: The Appeal: Helping the next generation flower sounds like a great vocation. Plus you get summers off. Teachers have good job security, too, with benefits that are often more generous than those in the private sector. And…you get summers off. If you stick with the career, salaries can approach six figures. On top of that, you get summers off! The Reality: In many public schools, classes are grouped at random, which means one class can include special ed students, gifted kids, and foreign-born children who speak little English. Trying to meet all their needs can be exhausting, if not impossible. Government rules often put pressure on instructors to teach all st... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1123356 Mon, 31 Dec 2007 16:17:02 +0100 1123356 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1122171&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F208630839%2F ” ‘The bad news is, your child has autism. The good news is, it’s treatable. The bad news is, you can’t afford it,’ ” said Betty Lehman, executive director of the Autism Society of Colorado. “All of our school districts are independent,” Lehman said. “They don’t share resources; they don’t share information. The wheel is reinvented in every single school district.” “I even felt guilty taking a shower.” The third quotation is said by Jill Tappert, whose family is featured in an article, The Fight for Autism, in today’s Denver Post. Tappert’s 4-year-old daughter, Abby, is autistic; the Tapperts successfully sued their health insurance company, Anthem/Blue Cross, to cover ABA therapy—whic... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1122171 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 21:24:51 +0100 1122171 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1121743&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F208142141%2F Public outcry over the Judge Rotenburg Center (JRC) in Canton, Massachusetts, has focused on the school’s use of “shock therapy” for special needs students who have self-injurious and other “challenging” behaviors. The December 25th New York Times reported on some parents who defend the use of this type of “therapy” and About.com asked if such “aversive therapy” is a “tool for good or evil”? It was recently reported that, back in August, a former JRC student made a prank phone call to the JRC staff; the former student pretended to be a supervisor and directed a staff member to administer a number of shocks to two current students. Beyond the use of shock treatment, the prank phone call incident points to serious lapses in administ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1121743 Sat, 29 Dec 2007 18:44:48 +0100 1121743 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1121744&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F208089588%2F Whether in Piscataway, NJ or in Bahrain, school is the start. The Sneha centre for children with special needs is the only centre of its kind for specially challenged expatriate children in Bahrain. Pakistani Mohammed Rafeeq, a welder in Bahrain, could not afford the fees which were more than his salary. The Gulf Daily News notes that his 5-year-old daughter, Iman, has autism and Down Syndrome; she takes “medication everyday” and also, her father notes, “’stands in the sun for several hours without eating, drinking or caring about the heat.’” The Sneha centre is open only for a few hours in the morning (9am - 11am) and one hopes it will make at least a small difference for Iman and her family. The staff at the Sneha centre are volunteers from the Indian ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1121744 Sat, 29 Dec 2007 16:07:08 +0100 1121744 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1121283&cid=t_185396_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=1119294&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F207150982%2F Autism is not keeping 11-year-old Alex Wyatt down, today’s Enquirer Herald (South Carolina) notes. Diagnosed with autism at the age of 2, Alex was recently “awarded the ‘Soaring Eagle’ award for his class at Clover Middle School for being helpful and responsible in the classroom.” Alex is in a self-contained classroom for students “who need a little more teacher attention.” I’m reminded of what actor Peter Johnson, who stars in the movie The Child King, said in a recent WBZTV story: Johnson describes himself as having “Up” Syndrome. Today is our last day out here in California. Yesterday Jim and I went northwards to visit friends who we last saw 10 years ago when Charlie was just a few months old. Charlie made the trip up as a... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1119294 Thu, 27 Dec 2007 18:50:29 +0100 1119294 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1118227&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F206946619%2F A few days ago I noted that the word imus—as in shock-talk host Don Imus and his wife, Deirdre Imus (who has not infrequently publicized her views about an environmental cause of autism)—-has (at least) two meanings in Latin: “We go,” when imus is the first person plural, present tense, of the verb “go,” eo, ire, ii, iturum; and also “go, mouse!,” when imus is taken as i, mus, with i the second person singular imperative of eo, ire, ii, iturum and mus meaning, indeed, “mouse.” There is a third Latin meaning of imus: The word can also function as an adjective meaning “inmost, deepest, bottom-most, last“; in this instance, imus is the superlative form of the adjective inferus, which means “lower, southern, of the l... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1118227 Thu, 27 Dec 2007 10:25:48 +0100 1118227 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1115364&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F206005362%2F Holiday greetings several times over to all. A note about what follows: This post, which references a New York Times article on the JRC, is not exactly, the most “Christmas-y” of posts—but it is ultimately more about light than darkness. Midway through a Christmas Eve party, Charlie—-who had had his fill of nah mai fan (sticky rice), a bit of prime rib, and a can of ginger ale (shared with Jim)—-sat on a chair by the front door and started crying and keening. My parents sat with him, I saw with him, Jim pulled on his coat and took Charlie on a walk. Holidays mean a break from routine and numerous indulgences—no school, visits with relatives, traveling far from home, lots too eat, lots and lots of different faces to see and voices to hear—and I... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1115364 Tue, 25 Dec 2007 10:06:36 +0100 1115364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1115103&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F205700518%2F I noted that making Charlie’s transition to middle school—-to a new and bigger school, a new teacher, many new students—-was on my Christmas wish list. Disputes about the causes of autism, controversies about how autism is represented to the public, new studies about treatments: These come and go, but what’s constant for me is the day by day of life with Charlie. Will his winter coat last through the season; it already seems like his arms have grown and the sleeves are too short. Who will his teacher be in middle school? There is already an experience teacher for the autism classroom that is currently at the middle school, but I’m not sure if there will be room for Charlie in her classroom. Charlie happy and learning at school: This is the sine qua non for J... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1115103 Mon, 24 Dec 2007 17:02:53 +0100 1115103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1113419&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F204852056%2F Recalling the discussion about big heads a few days ago, I was drawn to theory that cooking is the secret to humans having big brains. Richard W. Wrangham, the Ruth B. Moore Professor of Biological Anthropology at Harvard University’s Peabody Museum, responds to a Q & A in the December 19th Scientific American: I tend to think of the advent of cooking as having a huge impact on the quality of the diet. In fact, I can’t think of any increase in the quality of diet in the history of life that is bigger. And repeatedly we have evidence in biology of increases in dietary quality affecting bodies. The food was softer, easier to eat, with a higher density of calories—so this led to smaller guts, and, since the food was providing more energy, we see more evidence of energy u... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1113419 Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:40:21 +0100 1113419 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1112681&cid=t_185396_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=1111887&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F204245467%2F “Ransom Notes” has come and gone: Some in the advertising world are noting that the ads were just “too hot to handle.” The December 20th The Scientist posts that Psychiatrist kills ads to pay ransom. And now, as Club 166 reminds us, comes the hard part. As one commenter asked, what would be an “effective public awareness campaign for child mental health”—-a campaign that would not only address issues of treatment, but of access to care? What about medication for children? Furious Seasons notes that the FDA’s psychopharmacologic drugs advisory committee lacks a consumer representative: Do parents of autistic children and autistic persons think they should have a say in this? (Just yesterday morning, after a holiday party with Charlie’s... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1111887 Fri, 21 Dec 2007 23:29:38 +0100 1111887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1108715&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F203686639%2F Back in June, scientists at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) genetically manipulated mice to have Fragile X Syndrome: Then, by inhibiting a brain enzyme, p21-activated kinase, or PAK (which “affects the number, size and shape of connections between neurons and the brain”), the scientists found that the “brain abnormalities in the FXS mice were reversed.” These findings were reported in the June 25-29 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. Fragile X is the most common form of heritable mental retardation and the leading identifiable cause of autism (responsible for about 5% of cases of autism). Today, the journal Neuron reports on the correction of Fragile X syndrome in mice. Many of the symptoms... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1108715 Thu, 20 Dec 2007 23:04:58 +0100 1108715 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1106272&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F202929527%2F UPDATE: Please go here to read a statement from the Autistic Self-Advocacy Network: “Nothing About Us, Without Us!” From Dr. Harold Koplewicz on the NYU Child Study Center’s website: The campaign succeeded in getting people’s attention and sparking dialogue, but much of the debate centered on the ads instead of the issues. We’ve received thousands of calls and letters from parents, mental health professionals, educators, advocates, and concerned third parties, all of whom are passionate about helping children. While many people praised the campaign and urged us to stay the course, others were troubled by it. Though we meant well, we’ve come to realize that we unintentionally hurt and offended some people. We’ve read all the emails, both pro and con, lis... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1106272 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 20:07:29 +0100 1106272 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1106273&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F202797687%2F I grabbed my bag and coffee and another bag with a miniature Christmas tree—a present for a co-worker—and headed out the door. Charlie, who had but a moment before had been lying (fully dressed) under the covers, ran out and poked his feet into Jim’s shoes. “Stay inside with Dad, Mom has to go to work!” I said, but Charlie was already thumping down the stairs after me. I put my things into the black car as he stood, serious but faintly smiling, on the sidewalk. Jim came down the stairs and I said good-bye. Charlie, disregarding of the morning cold in his short-sleeve black Puma t-shirt, scrunched up his shoulders, leaned forward a bit, and made some loud noise. The casual listener would most likely have presumed that someone was in distress. We knew that Cha... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1106273 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:07:03 +0100 1106273 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1104372&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F202553815%2F Mention what kind of “therapy” is done to treat students with autism, emotional/behavioral problems, and mental retardation at the Judge Rotenburg Center in Canton, MA—-aversion therapy that uses electric shock transmitted by a device called the Graduated Electronic Decelerator—-and most people will (at least) shudder and express their own shock that this kind of “treatment” goes on in the US, and that it is performed upon individuals with disabilities. As noted in the Examiner.com, Derrick Jeffries, who has Asperger Syndrome, and University of Delaware professor Nancy Weiss have started an online petition to call on the American Psychological Association to condemn the JRC’s shock therapy and other “aversive” treatments. More than 250 individu... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1104372 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 09:43:12 +0100 1104372 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1103501&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F202442435%2F I just got off the phone with a TV producer who wants to do a segment on the by-now-beyond infamous “Ransom Notes” ad campaign that the New York York University Child Study Center has created to raise what it deems “public awareness” about six childhood psychiatric disorders” that are (it says) “one of America’s last remaining silent public health epidemics.” The producer wished to interview someone who is critical of the campaign in northern New Jersey (that more or less describes me) and also to film an autistic child at home with his or her family. That won’t be us. I obviously write a lot about Charlie here, but, aside from a very occasional photo, my son is represented here through words alone. I especially like to describe our adv... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1103501 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 23:32:14 +0100 1103501 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1103502&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F202294374%2F A 14-year-girl from West Bloomfield (Michigan) has accused her father of raping her repeatedly while her mother did not intervene, today’s Detroit Free Press reports. The girl, who is autistic, does not speak and communicated about the alleged abuse via a keyboard at school, with an aide supporting her hand. Her 13-year-old brother, who has Asperger Syndrome, has told investigators that “he saw his father showering with his sister and naked with his sister.” The Detroit Free Press notes that the reliability of Facilitated Communication is a key issue in the case. This was reportedly typed by the girl: “My dad gets me up, bangs me and then we eat breakfast, he puts his hands on my private parts mom knows and doesn’t say anything.: In additional typed message... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1103502 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:32:02 +0100 1103502 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1100164&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F201959229%2F More than a few readers noted that that “big heads” run in their families (and more than few noted that this is not the case, too). A CNN video contains interviews with Dr. Eric Courchesne and Dr. Karen Pierce of UC San Diego, with brain scans of young autistic children in contrast to “typical” children. Dr. Pierce reports on a study in which parents of very young children are asked to fill out a questionnaire (one of the questions is “do you know if your child is happy?”); children who seem “at risk” for developmental delays will have their brains scanned, with the hope of detecting autism earlier in a child and starting Early Intervention. Reference is made to an autistic child being in a “deep, dark hole” and to pulling him out... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1100164 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 02:10:02 +0100 1100164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1100165&cid=t_185396_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=1097695&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F201359897%2F Updated 7.56pm EST with a link to a new post on “Ransom Notes.” Retailers face an ominous holiday sign is the headline for a just-posted story in the New York Times about slow sales of women’s clothing so far this holiday season: But the signs with the really chilling message are already up and around New York. We went to a friend’s party in Brooklyn last night and then onto lower Manhattan (more on that later….) and saw nary a Ransom Notes ad. But I think if we had gone to some more well-traveled places we would have seen them; friends in NYC note that they have definitely seen them. And while the ads seem to have been removed from the New York University Child Study Center’s website as of yesterday, they are now (as of approximately 5.40pm EST) bac... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1097695 Mon, 17 Dec 2007 01:00:15 +0100 1097695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1097696&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F201264530%2F The December 14th Guardian reports on a study that has found that geography, race, class and gender play a greater role in determining a child’s chances for getting help, over and above “the nature of the learning difficulty.” The study was done by Harry Daniels and Jill Porter of the University of Bath; their report states that: “There is a pervasive gender bias, with not only higher incidence amongst boys than girls, but earlier recognition of boys’ difficulties. Children from certain ethnic minority groups are more likely to be identified as having social emotional behavioural disorders than others…..Children with dyslexia and autism have powerful lobby groups and are over-represented within the system…children from more affluent backgrounds re... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1097696 Sun, 16 Dec 2007 18:15:20 +0100 1097696 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1097697&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F201222771%2F Billboard courtesy of Big Huge Labs Share This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1097697 Sun, 16 Dec 2007 16:05:48 +0100 1097697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1097473&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F201104348%2F It goes without saying that the New York University’s “Ransom Notes” ad campaign dominated discussions in the autism community for the past two weeks. The images of the ads have been removed from the Center’s website and (as of this posting) 649 signatures have been collected in an online petition. Here’s what else was going on about autism in the past two weeks:  Fever?The December 2007 volume of Pediatrics contains what its authors note is, to their knowledge, “the first to investigate behavioral changes associated with fever in children with ASD.” “Post-Autistic Economics” means……..?“Post-autistic economics” (PAE)—which is the name for a movement that challenges the assumptions of neoclassical economics and incorporates ideas from socio... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1097473 Sun, 16 Dec 2007 09:13:16 +0100 1097473 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1097250&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F200977528%2F “It had never occurred to me that Patrick’s classmates would not somehow intuitively understand that there was more to Patrick than what they were seeing.” Writes Laura Cichoracki in today’s South Bend Tribune about how her second-grade son Patrick, who has autism, “gained two dozen friends in less than an hour.” A presentation by the Michiana Regional Autism Center about sensory integration dysfunction went, Cichoracki says, a very long way in fostering understanding about her son: The kids were surprised to learn that Patrick is good at puzzles, knows all of the planets and likes outer space and is a big fan of video games. Then kids were allowed to ask whatever questions were on their mind, and they had some great ones. They wanted to know why Pa... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1097250 Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:55:32 +0100 1097250 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1097252&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F200799494%2F Update: As of this Saturday morning (around 11am EST), the images of the ransom notes have been removed from the New York University Child Study Center’s webpage. I have never taken a class in economics, or business, or marketing (I am a humanist—a teacher of Latin and classical Greek—through and through). But I know enough to know that even negative publicity is good: However provocative, harsh, and upsetting the message of the “Ransom Notes,” the ad campaign has certainly directed a lot of attention to the New York University Child Study Center. As the Wall Street Journal Health Blog notes, the center’s director, Dr. Harold Koplewicz, has found the “backlash from patient groups” to be “surprising and unexpected.” According to ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1097252 Sat, 15 Dec 2007 15:29:34 +0100 1097252 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1096684&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F200716888%2F Two recent cases involving abuse and neglect by caretakers of autistic and developmentally disabled persons underscore (to say the least) the great need for highly trained and carefully supervised aides for workers. My own son was improperly restrained using a basket hold in a previous school district so many times that he sometimes pretends that he is having a tantrum and wraps his arms around himself. There are ways to train workers in “crisis management” that emphasize the safety and calming of the autistic person with compassion and dignity. Such practices were not the case in the death of Jonathan Carey on February 15 of this year. Edwin Tirado, who was convicted of second degree manslaughter in the 13-year-old’s death, was sentenced today to the maximum sentence f... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1096684 Sat, 15 Dec 2007 10:48:16 +0100 1096684 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1096203&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F200426185%2F “Only when you really accept does the healing start.” So Mary Ward, a teacher at Southeast Halifax High School in North Carolina and the mother of Marvin, who is 3 years old and autistic, said to a special education advisory group about her experience raising her son. Ward is further quoted in the Independent-Messenger: “It’s very difficult for a mother to acknowledge that her beautiful child’s brain is wired different…and yet only when you really accept does the healing start.” ……. “One of the things I realized early on is I could be resentful the rest of my life and my child would still be autistic.” ……….. “He has the right to be autistic,” Ward said of her son. “And you have the right to respect that he is ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1096203 Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:49:25 +0100 1096203 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1094213&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F200048140%2F “It’s $100 a session. I have four kids. You almost have to pick and choose who gets therapy,” said Kathy Johnson, who has four autistic children. Ms. Johnson is quoted in today’s ABC12.com (Lansing, Michigan) news, in a story about how most services for autism are not covered by insurance. Charlie is our only child and I don’t face Ms. Johnson’s situation, but her words sound a familiar note for many parents. On the one hand it is great to know that we know so much more about how to teach autistic students; about how to accommodate for sensory needs, to understand that someone not responding quickly does not mean they do not understand, and much more. But how to fund all of these things? (And I’m not even considering the issue of how to discern... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1094213 Fri, 14 Dec 2007 02:21:49 +0100 1094213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1093159&cid=t_185396_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F199764161%2F I have been thinking about what type of list post to write here at A Hearty Life for a few days. We are having a theme type day here at our science and health channel today and our exact theme is “a top 5 holiday type list on your specific topic”. Hmm… we all know the food list, the traveling list and the what not to do list when it comes to cardiac health. So I have pondered over what would be new and fresh and useful, and have come up with the ol’ goose egg several times. But when I think about the words HEART- HOLIDAYS- HEALTH-LIFE, the same image keeps popping into my head… my family! How do I know that my heart is healthy? I take a look around and realize everything that I have and get that warm, loving, overwhelming feeling in my chest. I don’t car... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1093159 Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:19:20 +0100 1093159 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1091379&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F199590435%2F One of the objections to the NYU Child Study Center’s “Ransom Notes” ad campaign is that it portrays autism, Asperger Syndrome, ADHD, bulimia, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder as “kidnappers” who have abducted a child and are holding her or him “hostage.” Autism and the other conditions are seen as criminal elements—their crime being that they have made an otherwise normal child “sick.” This negative image associates autism, Asperger Syndrome, and the other conditions with the criminals. But there are real crimes committed by real persons against individuals with disabilities. Ayouth theater director in Seattle is accused of sexually abusing two teenage girls. As reported by the December 12th Fox News (Q 13), Benjamin... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1091379 Thu, 13 Dec 2007 06:21:30 +0100 1091379 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1090499&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F199383827%2F To endorse the disability community’s joint statement about the New York University Child Study Center’s “Ransom Notes” advertising campaign, please sign this online petition. And spread the word! Share This (Source: Autism Vox) Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1090499 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:51:23 +0100 1090499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1090500&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F199361249%2F Clothes maketh a difference?—– A mother notes that specially designed garments called Theratogs have (according to a December 7th ABC7News.com report) helped her 2 1/2 year old autistic daughter, Emily, to concentrate and focus better. Beverly Cusick, a physical therapist, invented TheraTogs, which were originally designed for children with “complex neuromotor disorders.” The clothes are made of a “patented, hand-washable composite fabric consisting of nylon and spandex with a foam backing”; this particular set is for children with sensory integration/sensory processing disorder, as well as autism. According to Cusick,  “[Theratogs] act like little muscle supports and little postural assists. The child gets to live in the changes I know I can g... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1090500 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 20:00:24 +0100 1090500 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1088749&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F199005059%2F Senator Barack Obama has unveiled his plan to empower Americans with Disabilities: This is an overview of the full plan (PDF file) and a short video message can be heard here in which Obama says “we must build a world free of unnecessary barriers, stereotypes, and discrimination……..policies must be developed, attitudes must be shaped, and buildings and organizations must be designed to ensure that everyone has a chance to get the education they need and live independently as full citizens in their communities.” Obama’s plan has four parts: (1) providing Americans with disabilities with the educational opportunities that they need to succeed; (2) ending discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity for persons with disabilities; (3) increasing the emp... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1088749 Wed, 12 Dec 2007 05:00:59 +0100 1088749 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1084258&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F198128592%2F Lionsgate Academy is a new charterschool for autistic children in grades 6 to 10 in the Twin Cities in Minnesota and is set to open its doors in fall of 2008, as noted today’s Star Tribune (subscription only; the school’s website provides more information). Currently, Lionsgate Academy is searching for a location; according to its newsletter, it is seeking a site and building that will be best suited for the learning and sensory needs of autistic children. Some of the criteria include “sufficient flexible indoor space, with minimal distractions”; proximity to “other community resources (such as businesses, sites of worship, or other schools) that can serve as places of integration and inclusion for our students with the greater community at large”; and a... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1084258 Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:39:26 +0100 1084258 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1081610&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F197220644%2F I live in the New Jersey suburbs precisely because it’s here that we’ve found the right kind of autism school program for Charlie. I work in Jersey City, which is an Abbott District, meaning that—-due to its socio-economic classification and other factors–it is considered a “special needs” school district, receives supplemental funding from the state, and is overseen by the state. It would be nice to live in Jersey City, much closer to my job, but it’s a suburban school district that can provide the sort of education and supports that Charlie needs; I’ve enough of a sense of the other problems in Jersey City schools from students who have student-taught in a local high school, and from a friend who teaches middle-school science. The Governor... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1081610 Sat, 08 Dec 2007 18:00:21 +0100 1081610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1080397&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F197080263%2F A number of readers expressed at least disagreement and often outrage at the New York University Child Study Center soon to be launched Ransom Notes public awareness campaign, whose message is that Millions Of Children [are] Held Hostage By Psychiatric Disorders. Billboards and advertisements in magazines (including New York Magazine, Newsweek, Parents, Education Update and Mental Health News) and in kiosks will start appearing in January. The “Ransom Notes” campaign is provided pro bono by BBDO, a worldwide advertising agency network with headquarters in New York—-though, as I wrote in a previous post, the shock value ads—which are designed to look like an actual ransom note and signed “Autism” or “Asperger Syndrome” or “ADHD”&#8... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1080397 Sat, 08 Dec 2007 09:50:52 +0100 1080397 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1080398&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F196946717%2F 14-year-old Kevin Wilson of Garland, Texas, was killed this morning: The middle schooler, who was autistic, apparently missed his bus and was walking to school. One driver swerved to avoid hitting him, but Kevin was struck by the car’s rear view mirror and spun into oncoming traffic, where he was run over by a second vehicle. Today’s CBS1tv.com reports:  A designated cross walk, with a crossing guard, is about one block from where the accident occurred. Officials say Bussey Middle School is about 2-3 blocks from accident scene and the school zone lights were on ………………. A police report confirms that the drivers of the two vehicles were outside of the school zone and weren’t speeding. Neither driver was cited. “From everyth... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1080398 Sat, 08 Dec 2007 01:48:58 +0100 1080398 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1072418&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F195724329%2F The New York University Child Study Center is launching a “Ransom Notes” public awareness campaign with the message that Millions Of Children [are] Held Hostage By Psychiatric Disorders. The ad for autism says:  We have your son. We will make sure he will no longer be able to care for himself or interact socially as long as he lives. This is only the beginning… and the ad for Asperger Syndrome says  We have your son. We are destroying his ability for social interaction and driving him into a life of complete isolation. It’s up to you now… and the ad for ADHD says  We are in possession of your son. We are making him squirm and fidget until he is a detriment to himself and those around him. Ignore this and your kid will pay… and the ad for bulimia says ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1072418 Wed, 05 Dec 2007 21:20:27 +0100 1072418 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1070274&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F195029552%2F Asperger’s Syndrome Gets a Very Public Face announces today’s Well blog by Tara Parker-Pope—–the “face” referred to is that of Heather Kuzmich, the 21-year-old art student who was eliminated last week from American’s Next Top Model. Notes Parker-Pope: One girl is frustrated when Heather, concentrating on packing a bag, doesn’t hear a request to move out of the way. At one point, the others laugh when they stake out their beds and Heather has no place to sleep. “I wish I could get the joke,” Heather laments. “You. You’re the joke,” retorts another model, Bianca, an 18-year-old college student who is from Queens. But while Heather’s odd mannerisms separate her from her roommates, those same traits translate as on-the-edge high f... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1070274 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 16:39:36 +0100 1070274 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1067806&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F194612939%2F There is a speech therapist all day in the autism support classroom at West Creek Hills Elementary School in the East Pennsboro Area School District in Pennsylvania, according to today’s Patriot News. The age range for the class is not specified; an 8-year-old girl, Makayla Zarker, is described as doing well in the class, where she also receives “increased occupational and physical therapy.” Some preschool special education classrooms in my school district also have a speech therapist (and also an occupational therapist) in the room all day (noting that, as this is a room for preschool children, school only lasts for half the day). When he was younger, Charlie was “pulled out” of the classroom to work 1:1 with a speech therapist and, too, with an occupational ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1067806 Mon, 03 Dec 2007 22:33:58 +0100 1067806 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1064246&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F193652242%2F Aidan and Blaise are brothers and are both autistic—-their father, Gregory Abowd, a human computer interaction professor at Georgia Tech, has invented Care Log, a computer and video system. Science Daily has a video of the technology, which consists of a camera mounted overhead; a button can be pressed to record “’something interesting’” (in the words of Professor Abbawd) and that moment recorded for future evaluation on a computer. A similar technology, Abaris, also catches discrete moments on video tape. Both systems seem useful for showing teachers and parents how they may unknowingly may be doing things that cause a child to become upset. While I’d personally feel a little odd about having a camera recording me in my own living room (just me sensing ... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1064246 Sat, 01 Dec 2007 23:47:32 +0100 1064246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1064247&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F193506050%2F I like to use the metaphor of the road to describe life with Charlie—-life raising an autistic child. Every day we move on in a long journey together. Once I carried him, first inside me and then in the crook of my left arm and on my hip, or Jim raised Charlie up high on his shoulders and then (because Charlie kept growing) piggy back. Then Charlie walked beside us hand in hand (sometimes straining our arms when he wanted to this way and we had to go somewhere else). He rarely holds my hand now and stays beside me, and sometimes even walks on ahead, and I find myself following his lead. Yesterday, Charlie was the reason I found myself taking the 5.12am train down to Washington, D.C., and in the rotunda of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, to be present at th... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1064247 Sat, 01 Dec 2007 16:49:44 +0100 1064247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1063555&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F193321970%2F It’s how you play the game.   David Kirby, on the other hand, persists in wanting to debate about whether or not vaccines or something in vaccines can be linked to autism, as he writes in the November 30th Huffington Post. The Autism-Vaccine Debate: Anything But Over begins with a boldface statement.    Memo to those who wanted the autism-vaccine contretemps to just go away: You lost.        Kirby cites three pieces of evidence: (1) A new CDS-fundedstudy “will explore genetic and environmental reasons for the rapid rise in diagnosed cases” is to “explore genetic and environmental reasons for the rapid rise in diagnosed cases.” Vaccines are one of various potential causes being studied, though Kirby’s presentation of the study might lead... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1063555 Sat, 01 Dec 2007 05:21:15 +0100 1063555 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1062897&cid=t_185396_133_f&fid=35096&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAutismVox%2F%7E3%2F193136613%2F My name is Kristina Chew and I am an Assistant Professor of Classics at Saint Peter’s College in Jersey City, New Jersey. I am the mother of Charlie Fisher, who is 10 1/2 years old and who has autism. I write a weblog about autism, Autism Vox, that attracts some 4000 visitors a day from around the world, from autistic adults and parents of autistic children, to doctors and teachers and journalists, and many more members of the public. According to some autism organizations, parent advocates, and the media, it is most important to find the causes of autism and to find treatments for autism. But finding out whether or not there is something in vaccines or in the environment that is causing autism is only one among many concerns in the autism community. Families with autistic children... Autism Vox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1062897 Fri, 30 Nov 2007 20:23:48 +0100 1062897