New Brunswick has an approach to adult autism disorder care and treatment that can most charitably be described as a Band Aid approach. There are many reasons for this Band Aid solution apart from the consistent waving of the “we are living in hard times” dismissal that usually accompanies
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Facing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism Disorders and the 1st International Epilepsy Day, February 9, 2015
Monday, February 9, 2015 is the first International Epilepsy Day, a joint initiative created by the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) scheduled to occur annually hereafter on the second Monday in February to promote epilepsy awareness around the world. Epileptic seizures are
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Our Happy Conor is Back! And Dad Is Happy Too!
The top photo above was taken a year and a half ago, shortly after Conor recoved from a very serious adverse reaction to his seizure med at the time, Lamtrogine, which resulted in two weeks in the hospital including an emergency room visit and 6 days in the ICU where
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism Jabberwocky, Excellent Autism Blogger, Signs Off
There are lots of autism blogs on the internet. One of the best autism blogs, possibly the very best, has been the Autism Jabberwocky blog which features the thoughtful, reality based, well informed and well written commentaries of “MJ” who has now indicated, in his comment, The End of the
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Joy of Conor 2014
I will not pretend, I will never pretend, that autism is just a different way of thinking. Heather and I love our son too much to lie to the world about the nature of his autism realities, his severe autism, intellectual disability and epileptic seizures. Like many parents of autistic
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: The Seinfeld-Descartes Autism Diagnostic Tool: "I think I am Autistic therefore I am Autistic"
The Seinfeld-Descartes Autism Diagnostic Tool: I Think I Am Autistic Therefore I Am Autistic Many, especially many with very, very high functioning autism diagnoses have embraced Jerry Seinfeld’s new test for autism “conditions” one that the great comic borrowed from philosopher Rene Descartes: “I think I am autistic, therefore I
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: New Jersey Dad: "Reality Of Autism Is Often Very Grim"
I chose the name of my email account “AutismRealityNB@gmail.com” because, from my perspective, the harsh realities of autism disorders are usually ignored or worse, intentionally misrepresented, by the mainstream media, autism awareness organizations, some high functioning autism “self”advocates and even some parents and autism professionals. An online friend of mine
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: UPDATE: Globe and Mail Health Columnist André Picard Abandons Evidence Based Autism Treatment Principle, Embraces SON-RISE PROGRAM®
André Picard is a Globe and Mail public health reporter with the Glboe and Mail which is promoting the Son-Rise Program®, a purported autism program with almost no evidence based support of its effectiveness, a program which is not even mentioned in the recent CMAJ (2014) article or the (2007)
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism Canada, With Some Help From the Globe and Mail, Promotes "Weak Evidence" Based Son-Rise Program®
Autism Canada suggests parents of autistic children should change course and head down a different trail, away from strong evidence based interventions like Applied Behaviour Analysis, toward programs with weak evidence base in support of their effectiveness like the Son-Rise Program®. The Globe and Mail has kindlly provided some support
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism Disorders and Transition To and Through School: A Small Suggestion
Conor visiting and preparing for his transition from middle school to high school by visiting the grounds of the school and seeing the Leo Hayes High School building. I have commented on transition planning in the school system before and I don’t know if what we did with our severely
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Canadian Autism Dad Says Thank You Florida Rep. Bill Posey
In Canada we could use more federal politicians speaking honestly and accurately, as Florida Rep Bill Posey has done in the US, about Canada’s autism crisis including the realities facing those with severe autism disorders and their families. Here in Canada we have seen very little national leadership in addressing Canada’s autism
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Conor One Year Later!
Above: Conor this morning before Mom drove him to school at the Leo Hayes High School Resource Centre. Mom and Dad are very happy to have our Conor with us healthy and happy. Below: One year ago Conor was in the Intensive Care Unit of the Chalmer’s Hospital for
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: DSM or ICD, Either Way Autism is a DISORDER, or Group of Disorders, Not "Just a Difference"
There are a number of very high functioning persons claiming to be autistic or claiming to have a “syndrome” or “different way of thinking”. Autism is a difference not a disorder they cry out in anger against all efforts to find treatments and cures, such efforts usually led by parents
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Canada’s Autism Disgrace 2007: 2014 Update
Photo from Ameriquebec.net In December 2007 I wrote Canada’s Autism Disgrace, describing the lack of a real National Autism Strategy in Canada. It is now 2014 and nothing has changed. Canada still lacks a real National Autism Strategy. The words I wrote in 2007, reprinted below, are as true and
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: IDEA Disorder, Intellectual Disability-Epilepsy-Autism Disorder, On World Autism Awareness Day
Conor a year ago at the local ICU where he stayed for 6 days while the ICU professionals worked to save his life and return him to us in good health after a serious adverse reaction to his seizure medications. Other parents of children with severe autism disorders and intellectual
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Early Autism Identification Breakthrough? That’s Funny, Conor Was Diagnosed 16 Years Ago At Age 2!
Above: Conor last month leaving school with his Mom on his 18th birthday Below: Conor 16 years ago on his 2nd birthday. The next day he received his autism diagnosis. Our son Conor recently turned 18. He has an autistic disorder diagnosis. He was originally diagnosed the day after his
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Research Into Early Autism Interventions – La Trobe University Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre (OTARC)
Another excellent, thorough discussion from LaTrobe University’s Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre (OTARC) focusing this time on early intervention research. “Published on 16 Mar 2014 Dr Kristelle Hudry, Dr Giacomo Vivanti, Dr John McEachin discuss the development and trends of research into early intervention. Topics covered include the neurodiversity
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism Reality Check: Autism Is Not A Person – It Is A Disorder, A Group of Disorders or A Group of Symptoms
Autism is not a person. Autism is defined by some authorities as a disorder, by others as “autisms” or a varied group of complex heterogeneous disorders and by still other authorities as a group of symptoms which together have come to be referred to as “autism”. Autism is not,
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Stanford Study Provides False Hope For Many Parents, Misrepresents Autism Disorders By Excluding Subjects With Intellectual Disability
A Stanford study which excluded autistic subjects with intellectual disability is being used to spread the false notion that autism is not a disability … just a difference. This misrepresentation of autism disorders appears in the August 16, 2013 San Jose Mercury News (I added the underlining, HLD): “Autistic kids
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Parent Observation Based Study: Children With Autism Disorders as Early as 12 Months Display Highly Elevated Range of Repetitive Behaviors
Some study results that don’t surprise me given the use of parent observation, the most, and perhaps only, reliable source of information concerning autism symptoms during children’s infancy: Longitudinal patterns of repetitive behavior in toddlers with autism Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, “Conclusions “These findings suggest that as early
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