DSM5 Autism Do-Over Raises Concerns Down Under, Yeah?

Concerns have been raised in Australia over the DSM-5 Autism Do-Over, the new Autism Spectrum Disorder.  The fears echo those held by many in North America where studies have suggested a loss of autism diagnoses under the new DSM-5 diagostic criteria for autism with a possible loss of funding for autism treatment and services.

ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) News reports the concerns expressed by Autism Awareness Australia:

"Vicki Gibbs from Autism Spectrum Australia's diagnostic service said Australian research has found a significant number of autistic children would fail to meet the new criteria. "What our study found was of the 120-odd children that we assessed, about 23 per cent of those children who would have got a diagnosis under the existing DSM 4, we would not have been able to give a diagnosis under DSM 5, just because they didn't have enough of the symptoms," the clinical psychologist said."

As the parent of a 16 year old son with severe autistic disorder I learned long ago that unanticipated changes can have immediate repercussions for my son.  Meltdowns have been prompted by unanticipated and, sometimes, unnecessary changes in my son's routines and expectations.

Change itself can be very disruptive. It does not appear to be a lesson learned by the autism experts on the DSM5 committees ... yeah?

A Real Hero: Australian Cameraman Glenn Edwards Dives Into Creek and Saves Autistic Boy

Autism news is seldom this good.  Australian Nine Network cameraman Glenn Edwards dived into a swollen creek and saved an autistic boy, missing for 16 hours, from a swollen Creek. The story at CabooltureNews  quotes Mr. Edwards extensively and is very uplifting.

Well done Mr. Edwards.  Very well done!

Autism Still Rising in Australia

According to the Australian Broadcasting Company News two new independent studies from Melbourne's La Trobe University indicate that autism is on the rise in Australia. Official Australian estimates of 1 in 160 are now being challenged by the two studies one of which reports an incidence of 1 in 119 persons affected by an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. A second study from La Trobe using much smaller study group reports a 1 in 100 figure.

The usual "we don't know if the increase is real, or is the result of better diagnosis" stuff is quoted in the ABC News article. Maybe we should just assume that the increasing rates of autism in Australia, and elsewhere in the world, are due entirely to better diagnosis and increased awarness. Like the famous three monkeys we could cover our eyes and ears and ignore the autism epidemic.

Perhaps like Dorothy from the other Oz we can just click our heels three times and wish that autism were not actually rising, that there were no environmental factors causing increases in autism. Or maybe we could do the research necessary to determine what environmental factors are causing the autism increases.

We really don't need any wizards telling us it is all in our heads.

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Autism Reality in Queensland Australia

In Autism poses daily challenges the Rockhampton Morning Bulletin reports on some of the challenges facing the Filmer family in Queensland, Australia whose 3 sons have all been diagnosed with autism. All three have different levels of difficulty with communications:

ANDREW, 7, appears to be a very normal child, but he struggles to participate and is lagging behind his peers.

Douglas, 5, doesn't really know how to speak at all and communicates through a picture book and sign language.

And Rory, 3, can't always find the right words to use and is confused about how to interact with others.

The Filmers have to deal with their sons' range of communication skills, their sensory issues and public behavior challenges. They can rarely get out to dinner or a mall to go shopping with their three sons. The Filmers are facing autism reality in Queensland, Australia.

Autism reality is not all about a few high functioning persons blogging on the internret, appearing before judicial and political tribunals or media cameras and claiming to speak on behalf of all"autistics". For some persons with actual Autisticm Disorders, and the families who love and care for them, the realities of autism are a very challenging part of daily, family life. Whether that daily life takes place in New Brunswick, Canada or Queensland, Australia.

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Helping The Victims Of Autism: Honest Autism Reporting By The Melbourne Herald Sun

In Helping the victims of autism the Melbourne Herald Sun speaks honestly about the realities of autism in Australia. This is not a CBC style promotion of "joy of autism" nonsense that Canada's public broadcaster pushes incessantly. The Herald Sun article reports honestly on uncomfortable truths, the kinds of truths that parents of severely autistic children are all too familiar with:

Much about autism remains a mystery, but a few facts are indisputable: of the 285,000 kids born in Australia this year, about one in 160 - not much short of 2000 of them - will be on the autism spectrum.

And the number is rising significantly.

Some will be so disabled, and needing constant care, that normal life for them, their parents and siblings will be out of the question.

Others may suffer Asperger's Syndrome and be socially clumsy, but will lead independent lives.

The Herald Sun article is not all gloom and doom. There is hope for autism through treatment. The article features the Raymond family and their 4 year old son, Brandon, who has autism and has benefited from early intervention at the Learning for Life Autism Centre:

The centre runs early intervention programs for autistic children, intensive one-on-one sessions that help the kids work on simple tasks.

"It's intensive work - puzzles, drawing building blocks, things tat other kids do naturally by observing each other, where as Brandon has to be taught, step by step.

"I now feel like Brandon is part of my world.

``He not off doing his own little thing on his own little planet - he spends more time in our world, doing things with us. Learning For Life has changed our lives."

Thumbs up to the Melbourne Herald Sun for honest reporting on some of the challenges presented by autism disorders and what can be done to address those challenges.

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Autism in Australia: Aaron Naumann, An Australian With Autism, Speaks Out

The following are the words of Aaron Naumann, an Australian man with Autism, reprinted here with Aaron's permission:


Autism Spectrum Disorder needs to be recognized the same as any other mental disorder, so those affected can receive the help and support they require.

I am 20 years old and have Autism. At the moment, I have to pay more than AU$150 for medication which only lasts me 2 months.. The Australian Government doesn't accept Autism as a mental disorder, worthy of Government assistance. Before I turned legal age (18), the government payed for almost 90% of my medication. As soon as I turned 18, the government said... "No more help for you...".

I work full time, so I can afford it... But its the principle... Unless you are a child, or are legally insane, the government doesn't want to know and doesn't want to care about Autistic people.

The Governments need to recognize Autism and provide all with this "gift", all the assistance they require.

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Autism Reality In Australia and New Brunswick But Not On The CBC

If you follow the CBC's irresponsible promotion of the joy of autism ideology (Rethinking Autism, Positively Autistic) you wouldn't know that autism disorders are actually mental disorders that mean very difficult lives for those with low functioning autistic disorder. In Australia an all too common example of autism reality is reported by Michelle Hoctor in Autism sufferer dealt a double blow.

Ms Hoctor describes the autism reality of Kate Southern, 35, who lost her mother and primary carer to brain cancer earlier this week. Now she is due to be relocated to a group home in a location some distance from her remaining family members. After visiting and viewing the group home Ms Southern has begun tearing her hair out in clumps.

The challenges faced by Kate Southern are not uncommon to severely autistic persons. They occur here in New Brunswick Canada where an inadequate residential care system for autistic adults results in adults living on hospital wards, shipped out of the country or living in group homes with untrained staff, one of which recently closed on 24 hours notice.

The realities of autism aren't discussed much by the Toronto art gallery crowd at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that like to promote the autism is beautiful ideology of a few persons with Aspergers and High Functioning Autism.

Maybe someday the CBC "journalists" will Stumble Upon stories of lower functioning autistic persons like Kate Southern in Australia or Tiffany Pinckney in Toronto.

Maybe they will get away from their desks and examine all aspects of the autism spectrum of mental disorders.

Maybe the CBC "journalists" will discover the autistic persons who don't appear several times a year in media interviews because they live in residential and institutional care and can't communicate or understand the ideology that says that Autistic Disorder is not really a disorder after all.

Maybe, but I won't hold my breath waiting.

I will thank Michelle Hoctor and IllawarraMercury.com for some real autism reporting.

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A Memo To The Gutless Australian Anonymous Poster

A memo to the gutless Australian (thank you statcounter for the information) Anonymous Poster who posted their cheap hate mail commentary to this site at 7:17 am Atlantic time:

Boo!

Your gutless anonymous comment was not posted to this site. Feel free to continue submitting such cowardly, snivelling little attacks though. I enjoy reading them; knowing you are cowering in anonymity down under.

Have a good day bloke, mate, sheila ... or whatever you are.

autism

Missing Autistic Man Found Wandering In Australian Park

The Canberra Times reports that a 22 year old autistic man who ran away while walking with two other men to the tourist lookout inside the Goolman Conservation Park near Ipswich has been found safe and well with only a few bruises and scrapes.


The man, who was missing for nearly 20 hours, suffered only minor cuts and grazes despite braving heavy rainfall overnight and a minimum temperature of eight degrees.

autism

Autism Tragedy In Tasmania, Australia

AUTISM CAMPAIGNER SAYS THE TRAGEDY AT CLIFTON BEACH YESTERDAY HIGHLIGHTS THE TOTAL LACK OF ADEQUATE SERVICES AND A TOTAL LACK OF KNOWLEDGE WITHIN GOVERNMENT SERVICE PROVIDERS FOR THE CARING OF AUTISTIC CHILDREN IN TASMANIA.

ROGER LAW, Secretary of ATAC, (Action For Tasmanian Autistic Children) said today that the tragedy at Clifton Beach highlighted the total lack of services for Autistic children in Tasmania, and the lack of qualified and knowledgeable professional help for families with autistic children.

Mr Law said that on Friday afternoon, he and the missing boy's mother had been with the Commissioner for Children and had raised with him the appropriateness of housing two seriously disturbed autistic children, who did not like each other, in the same unit.

Mr Law queried why only one carer was left to look after these two very seriously disturbed autistic children, neither of whom had the capacity for language. Mr Law said he understands that the normal practice was for two carers to be rostered when both boys were present in the unit. He questioned whether this was a case of budget considerations getting in the way of best practice for vulnerable children in care?

Roger said he had no criticism of the Carer involved, who was known to him, and whom he had trusted to give respite for his own autistic grandson. He was a strong gentle giant of a man whom it appears was placed in an impossible situation by his employer and who [apparently] gave his own life trying to protect a seriously disabled child.

'His family is now another family thrown into tragedy by the lack of understanding of autism so prevalent in the government departments responsible for caring for these children.'

Mr Law called on the Government to immediately come to the aid of the family of the missing boy. as they are in shock and crisis.

'This tragedy would not have happened if the family were not in emergency accommodation awaiting placement with the Housing Department. It was normal practice for the son to stay with his family on Friday and Saturdays, but this was not possible because of the accommodation problem this week.'

Roger said that the boy's mother had tried desperately for seven months to get help in her own home to help her keep the boy, who was experiencing a total breakdown, with his family. When government services refused to give the aid she needed to keep her other children safe, she had no option but to leave her son with the authorities.

'What role did the neglect of these Government Services over an extended period of time play in this tragedy?' he asked.

The Coroner has already been asked to assess the role that lack of appropriate Government Services played in the death of another autistic youth last year.

'And now it appears to have happened again,' he said.

'Government Services do not learn.,' Mr Law said. 'Even now there is another tragedy waiting to happen. A very ill single mother with a severely autistic child is in crisis. ATAC had been able to obtain a government funded program for her son, and significant improvement was being made. The funding for this program has been withdrawn in an attempt to force her to place her son into school. This was in spite of warnings from a world-recognized expert that all the child's gains will be lost and that he will break down if returned to normal schooling.

'So we have a seriously ill mother having complex seizures on a daily basis with a seriously disabled son who is being refused help in her home by Government Services. And these Government Services are supposed to be helping disabled children and their families. This is another tragedy just waiting to happen!'

Mr Law instanced a case where the mother of another autistic child in care got funding from legal aid for her child to be examined and tested by an interstate expert in Autism Spectrum Disorder to get an alternative assessment of what was required for her child , and the Department refused to release the child for testing!

Roger went on to say that ATAC had just received a copy of the Californian Health Department's 'Guidelines for Best Practice in the Diagnosis of Autism', and that Tasmanian practices failed on all of the recommended best practice guidelines.

Mr Law said that there is a pressing need for a full independent enquiry into the services for people Autism in this State. He said that such was the paucity of Services in this State that international experts and interstate experts will need to be brought in to advise on changing the care of autistic children in this state,

ROGER CAN BE CONTACTED ON O3 6286 1316, MOB 04004271500

email; jerobi40@bigpond.com

web site for ATAC: http://www.atacc.biz/atac

http://melbarant.com/atac

autism

Autism In Tasmania - Autistic School Children Are Being Denied ABA

Autism activists in the Australia island state of Tasmania, Action for Tasmania's Autistic Children, are angry over the failure by the Department of Education to provide applied behavior analysis for autistic school children in Tasmania. As reported by ABC Tasmania, and in the ATAC Media Release of February 24, 2008, the group's secretary, Roger Law, claims that some aides for autistic children are being taken away and the department is avoiding providing ABA for the children:

""The only effective treatment for autism is applied behavioural analysis and very intensive, and because it's costly the schools have avoided it"

It seems that, no matter the jurisdiction, professional "educators" simply will not acknowledge that many autistic children need Applied Behavior Analysis to learn and develop. I would not be surprised if the Tasmanian "educators" trot out the old "one side does not fit all" cliché to justify their failure.

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“Paralysis by Analysis” - FEAT BC Comment On Harper Government National Autism Symposium

In Canada FEAT of BC has been a leader in fighting for ABA intervention for autistic children. The fight has been waged in several forums legal, media and increasingly the political arena. In this press release concerning the invitation only National Autism Symposium FEAT BC calls the Symposium what it is - an otherwise meaningless tool to create a false impression of action by a Conservative government which is outrageously indifferent to the plight of autistic children in Canada and, by comparison to the autism efforts of national governments of the United States and Australia, an international embarrassment.

November 7, 2007

“Paralysis by Analysis”

Vancouver, BC – Canada’s no longer so new Conservative government has convened a so-called ‘National Autism Research Symposium’ in Toronto later this week. “For what purpose one wonders,” asks Jean Lewis, a founding director of FEAT-BC [Families for Early Autism Treatment of BC]. “Like the ‘Child Health Summit’ held in Ottawa last April, this is another invitation-only talk-fest. It is designed to produce photo-ops and sound-bites that assist the government in a cynical exercise aimed at manufacturing a societal consensus concerning an approach to autism treatment and its funding; one that suits its transparently manipulative agenda. The exercise is sure to fail.”

This month marks the third anniversary of the Auton decision by the Supreme Court of Canada, in which the jurists stated unequivocally that the question of funding for autism treatment was for parliament and the legislatures. “In three years, all that Canada’s myopic political class and their blinkered bureaucratic acolytes have produced has been delay, disingenuous news releases and, in the case of Ontario, outright mendacity,” states Dr. Sabrina Freeman, founder and executive director of FEAT-BC. “In three years, how many children have been diagnosed with this devastating condition? How many opportunities to provide substantive help, and to learn, have been lost? How many families have come asunder? How much needless suffering has been inflicted, all due to a lack of political will to do the right thing?” While the federal government and its apologists parrot the public relations mantra that ‘more research is necessary’, Canadian courts found, over three years ago, that science-based, proven effective, treatment for autism is available.

In 2006, the United States Congress voted unanimously to put $945 million into combating autism. Recently, the Australian national government has pledged $190 million to this cause. Why is our federal government out of step? Could it be because autistic children and their exhausted parents have to date been absent from the electoral battlefield?

If so, that’s about to change, according to Lewis. “The reckless disregard of this Conservative federal government with respect to these disabled children and their desperate, and often destitute, families verges on the criminal,” says Jean Lewis. “Their callousness is breath-taking and will, come the next federal election, be met with a perfect political storm. That’s not a threat, it’s a promise.”

For further information, contact: Jean Lewis at 604-925-4401 or 604-290-5737, and jean.lewis@telus.net .

Autism Hell - The Most Painful Autism Decision

In Take My Son - A Family's Painful Autism Reality I commented on the story of Teresa Abernathy of Arizona who made the painful decision to give up her severely autistic son to the care of local authorities when they could no longer care for - or prevent his violent assaults on family members. The decision turned out well for the Abernathy family including the autistic son Colin who has prospered in care and has enjoyable visits with his family.

In Hell of autistic boy's mum Mercury, the Voice of Tasmania, presents the story of an Australian mother who had to abandon her 15 year old severely autistic son to Tasmanian state government officials. The mother attended a meeting with her son and the officials and then simply walked away from the meeting - leaving her son with the government officials. The mother claimed that the boy had been sexually assaulting her, his baby brother and his sister ( who herself has Aspergers ). The state in that area reportedly has not provided services to autistic people and their families leading to such drastic solutions. The mother does not believe she can take her son back but she would like to remain a part of her son's llife.

This mother made the most painful decision on behalf of her family - and her son. I hope it turns out as well as the Abernathy family's situation in Arizona.

Autistic People In My Back Yard? Rack Off Mate!

Autism awareness can not necessarily change human nature. In Victoria, Australia, residents near a church proposed as a day center for adults with autism have voiced their objections to the proposal, delaying approval by local authorities and potentially defeating the proposal. The story from the Star News Group does not provide any specifics of the objections. The good citizens involved appear to be fearful but why?


ADULT clients of Alpha Autism have experienced further delays in settling down in a permanent site in Keilor.

Alpha Autism will have to present its case to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) to use the Keilor Christ Church building as a day centre for adults with autism after more than four objections were submitted.

Alpha Autism chief executive officer Tracel Devereux said the Keilor clients had already been moved temporarily to other Alpha Autism sites outside the Brimbank area as the former site, the Keilor Scout Hall, had no heating and clients were getting too cold.

Alpha Autism submitted an application to Brimbank City Council to move into the Christ Church Keilor building on the corner of Church and Kennedy streets in Keilor.

The application stated that up to 25 adults with autism would spend time between 9am and 3pm, Monday to Friday, most weeks at the church building.

The application met objections from residents living nearby, with the objectors and the applicants addressing the council at a general purpose meeting on 26 June.

The application then followed processes and was approved by council last month.

More than four objections have been received by VCAT.

Ms Devereux said Alpha Autism had 14 days to respond to each objection.

“I’m very sadden by it,” she said.

“It is a very potent message to people with disabilities that they are not wanted.”

Ms Devereux said Alpha Autism had the support of the owner of the Christ Church building to pursue matter and Alpha would be applying to have the matter heard by VCAT as an urgent matter.

http://www.starnewsgroup.com.au/story/46939

Autism Reality - Australian Dad Pleads For Help For Institutionalized Adult Son

An Australian Dad is pleading for help for his autistic teen aged son who has been residing in a psychiatric care facility for the past two weeks after suffering an outbreak of aggression and hallucination. The problem is a lack of facilities with trained personnel in the Australian city of Victoria who can deal with his son's deficits. His son is in a seclusion room in the facility with no routine, no structure - essentially incarcerated. Chris's story in Australia differs little from similar stories in New Brunswick, Canada.

Swanston Centre Geelong Hospital

Here we have a smattering of group home facilities run by private operators and a psychiatric hospital (Centracare). I have been to Centracare in Saint John, New Brunswick and saw an adult autistic male in barely sufficient hospital garb in a seclusion room with a wet floor, just as his father had described seeing him on a previous visit as we drove to the facility.

The conditions there are much as described by this Australian Dad and just as heart wrenching. After Centracare our Province of New Brunswick has sent autistic youths to reside on the grounds of a youth correctional facility and exported autistic youths and adults to residential treatment facilities outside the province and even outside the country in neighboring Maine, USA.

For some autistic youths and adults, particularly those with actual Autism Disorder, such institutional life is their future.

Dad's plea for help with autistic son

Michaela Farrington

18Jul07

TEARS filled Wally Hannam's eyes yesterday as he described watching his autistic teenage son ``pacing like a caged animal'' in Geelong's Swanston Centre.

The Belmont father said his 16-year-old son Chris had been in the psychiatric care centre for two weeks, after he began hallucinating and became agitated. But he said his much-loved teenage child did not belong in a facility designed to provide acute psychiatric care for adults.

``It's so inappropriate for Chris to be there,'' Mr Hannam said yesterday, ``But he's stuck there.

``He's been there now for 13 nights.''

Mr Hannam is campaigning to have Chris moved to a facility for young people, where medical staff were used to caring for people with autism.

He was horrified to learn there wasn't a bed available anywhere in Victoria in a facility that could provide for Chris' needs _ his autism and his mental illness.

``The seclusion room where he is at now is driving him out of his skull, because he's locked up,'' he said, ``He doesn't understand.

``With autism, you need structure, you need routine, you need quiet.

``But yesterday, there were patients in there hitting the walls, banging to doors, screaming.

``It's an appalling situation.''

He said Swanston Centre staff had tried hard to make Chris comfortable, but they were just not equipped to help him.

Mr Hannam has devoted his life to caring for Chris, who also has an intellectual disability.

Until recently, the 16-year-old was happy at home with his pet chooks, climbing trees, riding his bike, going bird watching with his dad and chatting to the neighbour over the fence.

But he began hallucinating in recent months and became unsettled.

Mr Hannam sought medical help for his son, who had lost interest in everything.

``It's really taken hold of him. It's like it has robbed him of his personality,'' Mr Hannam said.

``It's heartbreaking.''

But while doctors searched for the right treatment, Chris grew more aggressive, lashing out, until Mr Hannam could no longer cope.

He agreed to admit his son to the Swanston Centre for a day or two until a bed in a more appropriate facility became available.

Two weeks on and the family is still waiting.

Barwon Health's clinical director of community and mental health Dr Tom Callaly yesterday agreed the centre was not the best long-term solution for Chris.

He said Barwon Health was seeking more appropriate care options.

But an exhausted Mr Hannam has begun to despair.

``I just want to pull the kid out of there now, but I realise that would just make things worse.''

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2007/07/18/5496_news.html

Autism Crisis - Australia

ABC is reporting on an Australian study which indicates that autism is costing Australia [ Population 20,823,333, May 14 07, Australian Bureau of Statistics] up to $7 billion a year; a reflection of a 10 fold increase in rates of Autism and Aspergers. Dr. James Morton of Autism Early Intervention Outcomes Unit says the problem has caught government unawares. Apparently the Australian government is as oblivious to the realities of autism as the Canadian government. Maybe Roy Grinker, Kristina Chew and others can offer some soothing anthropological perspective and some new literary metaphors to assist the Australian families who are struggling to help their autistic children acquire basic language and life skills.

http://tinyurl.com/38l6b

<span style="font-weight:bold;">Autism costing Aust up to $7b: report

A new report has found the treatment of autism and related conditions such as Asperger syndrome are costing the Australian economy up to $7 billion a year.

It was commissioned by Dr James Morton, one of the founders of the Autism Early Intervention Outcomes Unit.

Dr Morton says the report's release in Brisbane today has been timed to mark the start of Autism Awareness Week.

"It's really gone under the radar. It's exploded in the last 10 years. Some of the studies suggests that the incidence has increased 10-fold in the last decade," he said.

"I think that is why it's caught government unawares. It wasn't anywhere near the problem it is now 10 years ago."

Dr Morton says the official response to the rising incidence of autism has been too little, too late.

"I hope that this study brings [autism] to the community's attention and leads to funding for early detection and early intervention, which makes an enormous difference and is very under-funded in this country," he said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200705/s1921975.htm

Autism & ABA - "Life Just Keeps Getting Better" for Jack Fraser

Dealing with it ... autism sufferer Jack Fraser enjoys time with his mum Charmaine. / The Daily Telegraph

In "Autism epidemic being ignored" Sunday Telegraph, May 12, 2007, Zoe Taylor describes the autism epidemic in Australia where a recent federal government-funded review of research into autism concluded there was scientific evidence of the effectiveness of therapies including applied behaviour analysis – which draws on research dating back more than 40 years. Despite knowledge in Australia of the efficacy of ABA as an autism intervention the treatment remains underfunded, good news for those who view autism as a "joy" but bad news for families struggling to cope with the realities of autism, families trying to help their autistic children. Amongst the hardship though are stories such as those of Jack Fraser, a young autistic boy whose family has done whatever was necessary to fund ABA treatment for him, with great results for Jack.


Charmaine and Anthony Fraser had to move from Newcastle to Sydney and cash in their Super twice in order to fund ABA therapy for their son five-year-old son Jack.

The couple, from Wollstonecraft, face annual bills of around $60,000 for the treatment which includes one-on-one home therapy sessions every weekday morning and afternoon.

They have seen vast improvements in Jack, but he is unlikely to be able to attend a mainstream school so they are considering sending him to a specialist private school.

Mrs Fraser said she had no regrets about funding the therapy, but was angry there was no Government help.

She added: "When Jack was diagnosed we were devastated at that thought of what life might be like for him. Now he can talk. ABA is hard work, but it has opened up a whole range of opportunities for him. Life just keeps getting better."

http://www.news.com.au/sundaytelegraph/story/0,,21713139-5006007,00.html