The picture above was taken a few days ago. I believe anyone can look at the picture and see the happiness on my 19 year old severely autistic son Conor’s face. What is truly remarkable is that his happiness has been a constant feature of his life despite the very
Continue readingTag: severe autism
Facing Autism in New Brunswick: Would My Son With Severe Autism Disorder Be Happier If I Had Listened to Robison, Ne’eman, Silberman & Other Strangers?
The picture above was taken a few days ago. I believe anyone can look at the picture and see the happiness on my 19 year old severely autistic son Conor’s face. What is truly remarkable is that his happiness has been a constant featur…
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Would My Son With Severe Autism Disorder Be Happier If I Had Listened to Robison, Ne’eman, Silberman & Other Strangers?
The picture above was taken a few days ago. I believe anyone can look at the picture and see the happiness on my 19 year old severely autistic son Conor’s face. What is truly remarkable is that his happiness has been a constant feature of his life despite the very
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Sebastien’s Sad and Scary Adult Autism Reality in Moncton, New Brunswick
When autistic persons in New Brunswick turn 21 particularly severely autistic adults services many services will no longer be available. For severely autistic adults adulthood can be bleak, sad and scary. This is Sebastien’s story, a severely autistic 21 year old from Moncton, New Brunswick … as told by his
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Why Do New Brunswick Governments Ignore Needs of Severely Autistic Adults? When Will They Ever Learn?
The Restigouche Psychiatric Hospital on NB’s Northern Border Far From Most NB Families is a Massive Institution and the Present and Future Home for Severely Autistic Adults in the Inclusive Community of New Brunswick. My Son Conor Is A Great Joy But His Severe Autism Presents Many Challenges, As Things Stand He MAY
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Severe Autism With Intellectual Disability And Epilepsy Can Be Tough But It’s Still a Wonderful World
My Son Conor Wore The Blue on World Autism Awareness Day I understand some of the criticisms of the day and of thinking that wearing a color in itself creates autism awareness but as long as people raise real autism awareness of the challenges of autism disorders and the related
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: My Son With Autism Disorder And Jerry Seinfeld Have Nothing In Common; Not Even An Autism Disorder Diagnosis
(Grainy) Composite Photo 0f Jerry Seinfeld by Harold L Doherty, Moncton Coliseum, February 2012, 2 Years Before His Revelation That He “Might” Be “On “The Autism Spectrum” Picture by Harold L Doherty of My Son Conor Doherty On His 2nd Birthday, The Day Before His Autism Disorder Diagnosis Was Received
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Canada’s Autism Awareness Month Message: Autistic Children Become Autistic Adults
Autism Awareness Month: Autistic Children Become Autistic Adults October is Autism Awareness Month in Canada. As a father of an 18 year old son with severe autism disorder, profound developmental delays (like 50% of the autism spectrum according to the World Health Organization) and seizures which also affect many with
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Severe Autism Reality: Conor is Back from Dental Surgery AND Post Surgery Medications
After last Friday’s dental surgery, followed by nearly a week of 4x a day anti-biotics, and the occasional pain killer to deal with swelling and pain, (in addition to his regular seizure meds) it was great to get out for a Superstore trail walk with Conor on an amazingly perfect
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Today I Voted For My Autistic Son’s Future; Today I Voted NDP
Conor 18 1/2 with severe autism disorder, profound developmental delay, seizures, sensory issues and self aggressive behavior. Few, if any group home staff would be able or inclined to provide the care he needs, A residential care and treatment facility for Conor and other severely autistic adults with complex needs
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism and the Liberal Party 2014 Election Platform: Nothing on Autism – No Adult Autism Care Centre
The Liberal platform is published and there are no commitments to address autism issues, no mention of autism disorders. In particular there is no mention of any intention to change the current system of adult autism care from generic group homes lacking autism trained staff, hospital wards, the Regional (in
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism and the PC Election 2014 Platform: No Adult Autism Care, More Harmful Forced Classroom Inclusion of Severely Autistic Students
The PC Plan for New Brunswick does not include any provisions that will help severely autistic students or adults, the same people who have been harmed by PC policies during the Alward-Porter-Carr administration. In fact the the Platform brags about the Gordon Porter-Jody Carr harmful, discriminatory, inclusion remake and is
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: NB Adult Autism Residential Care Facility Needed: "It Is More Than Overdue" "When Will They Ever Learn?"
My 18 year old severely autistic son Conor waits for his slow poke Dad while we were out on a trail walk (Fredericton North Riverfront Trail). NB has known for 15 years (at least) that an adult autism residential care and treatment facility is badly needed. We are still waiting.
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Mother and Severely Autistic Son Evicted by Fredericton Non-Profit Housing Corporation Will Be Homeless Friday, August 1
“People with Autism Spectrum Disorder may be overly dependent on routines, highly sensitive to changes in their environment, or intensely focused on inappropriate items. … the symptoms of people with ASD will fall on a continuum, with some individuals showing mild symptoms and others having much more severe symptoms“ American
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Election 2014: Will Severely Autistic Adults Continue to Suffer Under An Alward Government As They Have Since 2010?
New Brunswick has made progress in early intervention and student autism services but adult autistic needs, particularly severely autistic adults, have been ignored, completely ignored during the last 4 years. The article below originally appeared during the last provincial election period posted on Tuesday, September 14, 2010. Zero progress, absolutely
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: NIMBY: New Brunswick Sends Severely Autistic Adults to NB’s Northern Border with Quebec and To Maine, Far From Most Families
NIMBY, Not In My Back Yard: Severely autistic NB youth and adults are sent out of the province to the Spurwink facility in Maine and to the Restigouche Regional Psychiatric Hospital in Campbellton on NB’s northern border with Quebec far from families and communities in NB’s more heavily populated south.
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Dear Mr Alward, Cardy, Coon, Gallant: New Brunswick Still Needs A Permanent Residential Care and Treatment Centre For Severely Autistic Adults
Photo of my son Conor from a few years ago submitted to the Aquinian for an article by then Aquinian journalism student Karissa Donkin. No progress in residential care and treatment for severely autistic adults in New Brunswick has been made since that article or since Conor’s autism diagnosis 16
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: Inclusion Done Right: Conor at Leo Hayes High School Resource Centre
Pictures above and below: Inclusion done right at Leo Hayes High School Resource Centre Pictures courtesy of Steve at the LHHS Resource Centre Inclusion done wrong is inclusion as advocated by Gordon Porter of the CACL and NBACL, and the current Conservative government which has very close ties to Mr
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
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