Autism Reality from Professor Simon Baron-Cohen

I have not always been a fan of Professor Simon Baron-Cohen. He enjoys status as a world renowned autism expert, as the Director of the Autism Research Centre at Cambridge University, who has actually worked with autistic children from across the entire autism spectrum matter. When Professor Baron-Cohen talks about autism the world listen. In the past though, I have been concerned that he was contributing to the trivializing of autism, a serious neurological disorder, by some public comments apparently supportive of the view that autism should not be cured, that it is a "culture", or "way of life". Whether my interpretation of those remarks was accurate or not I admit to being pleasantly surprised by some of the autism facts articulated by Professor Baron-Cohen in Freedom of expression published December 15, 2007 in the TIMESONLINE.

In this article Professor Baron-Cohen addresses many of the myths and misconceptions about autism disorders and at the same time gently, but candidly, describes some of the realities of this disorder, realities which unfortunately are all too often ignored, or disputed, by some anti-autism cure ideologues:

"Autism comes by degrees. People with the milder form, Asperger’s syndrome, display communication difficulties and “obsessional” interests. In severe cases, however, it can be as if your child is locked in a glass bubble, staring vacantly past you as you desperately try to make eye-contact. The thought of never being able to fully communicate with your child, or to know what is going on inside his or her mind, can be heartbreaking."

This statement may seem straightforward and obvious to many. It certainly is to me as the father of a severely autistic boy on the threshold of his teen years. Yet there are many in the internet autism "community" who take offense at any attempt to distinguish between levels or degrees of autism severity. Professor Baron-Cohen's acknowledgment of this reality will be hard from them to dismiss. So too will his description of some autistic children as existing as though they were locked in glass bubbles with vacant stares. Such comments from other sources might elicit internet petitions protesting the "harsh-upsetting" language used to describe some children with autism. Professor Baron-Cohen is unlikely to receive the same treatment for his honesty.

The article contains other comments which should also be uncontroversial but which still generate considerable debate. Professor Baron-Cohen addresses misconceptions about autism such as those that blame autism on the MMR vaccine or bad parenting or those that attribute autism entirely to genetic causes:

Studies of twins have established that it is not 100 per cent genetic, since even among identical twins, when one has autism, the likelihood of both twins having autism is only about 60 per cent. This means there must also be an environmental component, but what it is remains unknown.

Professor Baron-Cohen clearly distinguishes between Autism and Aspergers and states that persons with autism may also have below average IQ, language difficulties and social avoidance on a much different level than those with Aspergers. This article reviews some of the recent research which has advanced our understanding of the neurological bases of autism disorders.

Professor Baron-Cohen also refers to a helpful autism educational approach being practiced at TreeHouse school which he describes but does not mention by name:

Schools such as TreeHouse in North London are excellent examples of what can be provided: small class sizes, at times even one-to-one teacher-child ratios, where teaching is aimed at building simple skills and rewarding the child for every small step they make. Specialist teachers shape such skills into more complex ones, giving the child the experience of success and thus self-confidence. Such schools have to be highly organised because such children have problems in coping with unexpected change.

The educational approach described by Professor Baron-Cohen sounds suspiciously like ABA
and a visit to the TreeHouse web site confirms that suspicion on the ABA and Teaching at Treehouse page:

ABA and Teaching at TreeHouse

ABA is the comprehensive application of scientific principles, such as reinforcement, to developing skills and promoting positive behaviour and learning. Specific teaching strategies, programmes and other interventions are individually tailored and adapted. The principals of ABA underpin the teaching and learning of pupils at TreeHouse school. The responses and progress of the pupils are very carefully defined and monitored through appropriate data collection methods. .......

It says much about the intensity of the anti-ABA ideological movement, led by Laurent Mottron and Michelle Dawson in Canada, that a distinguished Professor who has spent much of his adult career actually working with autistic children would feel the need to cloak his helpful advice concerning the effectiveness of ABA in educating autistic children. Nonetheless, with this article Professor Baron-Cohen has helped address many of the distortions and misconceptions that plague discussion of autism.

A large helping of autism reality from such a credible source makes for a fine holiday season gift for autistic children, adults, their families and caregivers.

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Autism News of the Year - 2007

These are my personal choices for top autism news of the year - 2007


Autism Research (Tie)

Autism genome scan reported.
Unified Theory of Autism published.


Autism Health Care

American Academy of Pediatric autism reports published:
Identification and Evaluation of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism Awareness (3 Way Tie)

Autism Every Day Video screening at the Sundance Film Fesitval.
Faces of Autism series published in the Vancouver Sun.
World Autism Awareness Day, April 2, declared by United Nations.

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Autism Vox Tells The NYT PART Of the Autism Story

In reaction to a provocative public service advertising campaign which highlighted some of the negative realities of autism and other mental disorders, Kristina Chew of Autism Vox did what she does day in and day out, she told part of the story of autism. In Campaign on Childhood Mental Illness Succeeds at Being Provocative Ms Chew gave the New York Times the "let's all feel good, say nice things, and sing Koombaya" part of the story of autism and she expressed indignation and outrage on behalf of parents of special-needs children, autistic adults, teachers, disability rights advocates and mental health professionals about the negative picture of autism presented by the campaign.

At Autism Vox Ms Chew rarely mentions any of the negative realities that actually result in autism diagnoses or that impair the lives of so many autistic children and adults and the family members and caregivers who love and care for them. Any expression of those negative realities whether it be the Autism Every Day video or the campaigns by people such as Jenny McCarthy to cure autism are met with hostility, scorn and ridicule at Autism Vox.

The campaign that Ms Chew attacks with her efforts is a campaign to help children with psychiatric disorders. In the Autism Vox Universe it is people trying to help children by telling the truth who are the enemy. In fact it is the truth that is the enemy at Autism Vox. And WHO are the real people behind the campaign? It is not NYU. It is those people who speak the truth about their children's conditions - honest, caring parents. It is they who inspired the campaign attacked by Ms Chew:

"According to Dr. Koplewicz, the campaign was inspired by filmed conversations of parents and children talking about life with a psychiatric disorder. “These families felt their children were trapped by their disorders,” he said.

John Osborn, the president and chief executive of BBDO New York, said the effort was intended to increase the sense of urgency about the diseases and encourage conversation. “It’s tricky because there are a lot of messages in the air, particularly at holiday time. That makes it a challenge to cut through the clutter.”

BBDO’s earlier ads for the Child Study Center — which included images of a child running happily through a sprinkler and a drawing of a child caught in a maze — “were wonderful, but they didn’t get this kind of attention from anyone,” Dr. Koplewicz said. “They were too pleasant and innocuous. That’s the reason we decided to go along with BBDO.”

He was further emboldened, he said, by the reaction of focus groups of women whose children have the disorders mentioned in the ads. “Everyone who participated felt the ads were informative,” he said. “While we knew the campaign was edgy and we knew it would be harsh and upsetting, the facts of mental illness are even more upsetting.

Thankfully the New York Times told both sides of the story. My son has Autism Disorder. He is severely autistic. I have a duty to speak the truth about his disorder, a sense of duty not on display at Autism Vox where parents speaking the truth are treated with contempt and outrage. It was encouraging to see the NYT present an explanation for the campaign.

Some day it might dawn on Ms Chew that parents speaking the truth about their children's autism disorders actually love their children every bit as much as she does, that we find joy in our children every single day of our time together with them. But unlike Ms Autism Vox we also understand that time IS in fact the enemy for most of our autistic children, that many WILL live their lives dependent on the cares of others, especially after we are gone. We live with the realities of self aggression and aggression to others. We live with the realities of ever present danger to our children presented by every day life. And we try to do something about it, for our children and for other autistic children and adults. And we do something rarely done at Autism Vox we speak the whole truth about autism

Ms Chew bragged to the New York Times about the 3,000 to 4,000 daily visitors to Autism Vox. What she failed to mention were the hundreds of thousands of parents across the United States and Canada fighting to treat and cure their autistic children, parents who, on behalf of the children they love, speak the truth, the whole truth, about autism. And like the campaign organizers at NYU we know that the facts of autism are more upsetting than the provocative imagery used in the awareness raising ransom notes campaign - for most of us anyway.

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Canada's Autism Disgrace

What is Canada's National Autism Strategy? The answer is simple; we don't have one. And as long as Stephen Harper's Reform-Alliance-Conservative government rules Canada with an iron fist we will not have a National Autism Strategy. My friends of Conservative background in Canada may not like it but that is the hard brutal truth. Canada will not have a real National Autism Strategy as long as Stephen Harper is Prime Minister of Canada.

We certainly had the beginnings of a National Autism Strategy with the passing of the Andy Scott-Peter Stoffer motion in the House of Commons. And MP Shawn Murphy fought the good fight with his private member's initiative; defeated in the House of Commons by the alliance between the Harper Conservatives and the separatist Bloc Quebecois. Senator Jim Munson has continued his valiant efforts to keep the need to address Canada's national autism crisis alive in the media but even those efforts are becoming more challenging as the Harper-Clement team simply ignores these initiatives, ignores the needs of autistic children and adults in Canada, and proves day in and day out that they don't give a damn about the fate of autistic Canadians.

The National Autism Strategy of Prime Minister Harper really amounted to nothing but a mediocre web site and a promise of a National Autism Symposium. The National Autism Symposium was postponed when it became clear that real autism advocates, parents fighting for their autistic children, wanted to attend the symposium. A second symposium was scheduled for November 8 and 9 in Toronto. The invitation process was itself secretive, parents were largely unrepresented and any outspoken advocates were intentionally excluded from the Symposium.

The lists of speakers and symposium themes were never made public. The list of Harper government, hand picked delegates, to the symposium was never made public although it is a good bet that anti-ABA activists like Michelle Dawson and Laurent Mottron would have been invited. The Quirks and Quarks duo rarely miss an opportunity to promote their fringe anti-ABA views, contrary to hundreds of studies over 5 decades and numerous reviews of those studies by organizations such as the US Office of the Surgeon General and the American Academy of Pediatrics, that ABA is a scientifically supported, evidence based, effective treatment for autism. Their long held, closed minded views, so at odds with mainstream professional opinion, come in handy when needed by a government seeking excuses to camouflage their do nothing approach to addressing Canada's National Crisis. Just a guess, but I am betting that the Harper team was quite happy to invite Mottron and Dawson to the invisible, forgotten, National Autism Symposium.

The Autism Symposium went ahead on November 8 and 9 in Toronto and Canadians STILL don't know a thing about what was said; or what conclusions, if any, were reached. It is likely though that the Harper spin doctors will ultimately issue a summary indicating that there is lack of agreement on issues on the effectiveness of any one intervention in treating autism. The results of hundreds of studies over five decades of research, the reviews by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Office of the US Surgeon General, the MADSEC Administrators, the New York and California state agencies, the Association for Science in Autism Treatment; all will be ignored.

The views of a few fringe anti-ABA activists will be used to prop up a cynical do nothing Harper autism policy. And Canada's National Autism Strategy will remain as nothing more than what it now is - Canada's Autism Disgrace.

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JAMA Article Highlights AAP Autism Reports

The current edition, of the Journal of the American Medical Association , includes an article by Tracy Hampton, PhD JAMA. 2007; 298(22):2610 highlighting the recent American Academy of Pediatrics autism reports. In Reports Help Identify and Manage Autism Doctor Hampton highlights the recommendation for early, 18 and 24 month, universal screening and the early intervention, particularly early behavioral intervention.

The most significant recommendation is to screen all children at age 18 months and 24 months. "This is the first time that the Academy has recommended universal screening rather than just when a parent is concerned," said co-author Chris Plauche Johnson, MD, MEd, clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.


....

The second AAP clinical report, Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, highlights early interventions that are important for effective treatment. The report advises intervention as soon as a diagnosis is seriously considered, for at least 25 hours per week in settings with a low student-to-teacher ratio. Parents should also be included in therapy sessions.

For controlling problems such as tantrums, aggressive behaviors, and self-injury, the report recommends behavior management strategies and, in some cases, medications.

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Flaws in N.B.'s new autism therapy system, say parents

The CBC is voicing the concerns of some parents in New Brunswick about the agency system in place for the provision of pre-school autism services. Hopefully, the concerns of the parents will be addressed. I disagree, however, with parent Cindy Havens who feels that families would be better off without the agencies.

Prior to the agencies there was a mess of service providers who were being paid to offer pre-school intervention for autistic children, there were no standards and no accountability. The agency system was introduced to address these issues and it has resulted in some great improvements, particularly in Fredericton. The province itself has provided audit information and has highlighted areas which need improvement.

The biggest problem pointed out by the parents is the fact that hours are eaten up on non-therapy time and counted toward the 20 hours for which funding is supplied, at least in the Moncton area where the parents quoted reside. The abolition of agencies though would likely result in more hours being eaten by non-therapy purposes as therapists would have to travel to homes to provide therapy instead of having the families come to agency offices to receive treatment. And it would be more difficult to maintain standards and conduct audits of services.

The parents have provided a valuable service by bringing their information forward. The solutions lie though in improving the agency system, not abolishing it. That could also include providing for more agencies as I know of at least one instance where an established therapist was "grandfathered" under the new agency system but was not permitted to continue to accept clients. Improve the agency system do not dismantle it. Not all of New Brunswick's autistic children prospered under the pre-agency system.

Flaws in N.B.'s new autism therapy system, say parents

Last Updated: Monday, December 10, 2007 | 9:24 AM AT

CBC News

Some parents of autistic children say their experience over the last 18 months with New Brunswick's latest therapy program has left them longing for a time when they were in charge of finding therapy for their kids and the government just paid the bill.

"It might have had its flaws, but it worked better for him [her son], and he made way more progress," said Cindy Havens, mother of two autistic children.

In Ontario parents have a choice between going to a government-run clinic or managing their own program, Havens said.

"And you know what? If you have the ability of choice, I think it makes a lot more people stand up and be more accountable, as opposed to have a monopoly."

A year and a half ago, the New Brunswick government signed contracts with seven privately run, community-based agencies to provide autism therapy to children five years old and younger.

Havens said she has observed a lot of problems with the new agency system, including a shortage of trained support workers and children not getting their 20 hours of therapy a week.

Another parent, Darryl Nowlan, said his child often doesn't get the full 20 hours of applied behaviour analysis each week.

Parents' meetings with the workers, paperwork, workers being off sick and training all take hours of therapy away each week, Nowlan said.

Some employees do paperwork on their own time so kids don't miss out on their hours, said Danielle Pelletier, program director at Autism Intervention Services in Fredericton. But a lack of clarity in the guidelines on the hours means each agency in the province operates differently, Pelletier said.

"Technically, everything that comes out that is offered to a child needs to be within the 20 hours a week," she said.

But even if the full 20 hours were being offered to a child, studies have shown it's not enough, Pelletier said.

American studies have indicated that with 30 hours a week of therapy, half the kids in therapy will become indistinguishable from non-autistic kids, she said.

"We've been operating for one year and we've come a long way, and I'm very thankful for what we have so far. But certainly we know that the research says that these kids need 30 hours a week of intervention. We get 20. So we know we will not achieve the outcomes that other programs get. Yet the children are still gaining and are still progressing," she said.

Nowlan said he would prefer to see his child get more hours and receive the therapy from a worker trained in applied behaviour analysis.

"Your kid gets into [applied behaviour analysis], they're going to get better," Nowlan said. "Things will get better for you and the child. This is more about trying to make it better than it is."

Only about 50 per cent of the workers at therapy centres have the behavioural training. The government's goal is to make that 100 per cent.

The program had to start somewhere, and the current hours and training levels are what the government could afford, said Family and Community Services Minister Mary Schryer.

Schryer, however, said she is surprised that therapy hours are being lost to meetings and paperwork.

"My understandings is that we have 20 hours of intervention," Schryer said. "We give each agency a set amount of dollars and the majority of that money is earmarked for intervention."

Audits of the new therapy system don't mention the loss of hours, but do refer to the difficulties of maintaining staff levels.

Workers are being lost from the therapy centres to the school system, according to the audits.

"It is difficult to keep staff, for different reasons. For sure, wages is one reason," Pelletier said. "It would be nice if we could pay our employees better, at least the equivalent of what they would get if they were in the school system."

It's difficult when the private sector and the public sector are competing for the same employees, Schryer said.

Autism and ABA - The Testimony of Dr. Phillip Strain

Michael Goldberg at Autism Bulletin has published an informative comment on the recent arbitral ruling in favor of a Colorado family which sought coverage for under their health insurance policy for Applied Behavior Analysis therapy for their autistic daughter. Mr. Goldberg noted the effort by the health insurance provider in media interviews to provide a narrow interpretation of the award and limit its use as a precedent in other cases. In his comment rebutting that effort he cited some of the testimony of Dr. Phillip Strain, who characterized ABA as broader than the original Lovaas methods and testified to its wide acceptance as an accepted autism intervention:

According to Dr. Strain, instead of being investigational and experimental, ABA therapy reduces problem behaviors 80 to 90 percent and studies have replicated these results repeatedly.

Finally, Dr. Strain testified that the ABA therapy received by Abby was endorsed by the National Academy of Sciences—the recognized authority in the United States for resolving scientific disputes. Dr. Strain's opinions were echoed b Dr. Huckabee, Abby's treater for autism. Both Dr. Strain's and Huckabee's opinions are supported by the National Institute of Mental Health's publication on Autism Spectrum Disorders: "Among the many methods available for treatment and education of people with autism, applied behavior analysis (ABA) has become widely accepted as an effective treatment. Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General states: 'Thirty years of research demonstrated the efficiency of applied behavior methods in reducing inappropriate behavior and increasing social behavior.'"

Mr. Goldberg also provides a helpful link to the brief summary of Dr. Strain's biography on the University of Colorado Denver web site:

Brief Bio-2004

Phil Strain, PhD, is a Professor of Educational Psychology and Director of the Positive Early Learning Experiences Center at the University of Colorado at Denver and Health Sciences Center. Throughout his 34 year career he has focused his professional efforts on developing, evaluating, and replicating behavioral intervention for young children with autism and children who engage in aggression and anti-social behavior prior age three. The results of his conceptual, methodological, and empirical work have been published in over 200 professional papers and intervention manuals have been translated for use throughout Europe, Asia, and South America. Dr. Strain has been the Principal Investigator for dozens of federal and state grants totaling over 34 million dollars.

His current work is focused on two areas. First, Dr. Strain is involved in replicating the LEAP Preschool model for young children with autism (one of 8 empirically-validated programs recognized by the National Academies of Science) across the U.S. Some 100 classrooms in 20 states are now replicating LEAP. Second, Dr. Strain is involved in a number of national consortia efforts to prevent and remediate severe behavior problems in young children.

Dr. Strain also maintains a busy schedule of professional service. He is on the editorial board of 10 journals, he is a grant reviewer for NIH and the U.S. Department of Education, he served recently on the National Academies of Science Ad Hoc Group on Early Intervention for Children with Autism, and he has been a consultant on early intervention practices to the Federal Interagency Coordinating Council, Canada, Italy, Ireland, Brazil, more than 20 states, and 25 Universities.

Dr. Strain is the recipient of career achievement awards from the Division for Early Childhood and the Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children. His research on peer-mediated social skill intervention was recognized as being one of the 10 most influential discoveries in the field of behavioral disorders.

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Autism and Learning - ABA Is Being Used To Help Autistic School Children

If you read only the writings of a few hard core anti-ABA activists like Dr. Laurent Mottron and his colleague Michelle Dawson, or their followers in the Neurodiversity movement, you would think that Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, is an oppressive violation of the rights of autistic children. You would not know that ABA is considered by thousands of autism experts, based on hundreds of studies over more than five decades of research to be an effective method of helping autistic children make continuing gains in learning, intellect, social and communication skills. Numerous responsible and respected agencies have reached the same conclusion, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, The US Surgeon General's Office, the Association for Science in Autism Treatment, and state and provincial agencies across Canada and the United States, including the best known in Maine, New York and California.

If you are a parent of a newly diagnosed autistic child I urge you to ignore the anti-ABA activists and read the material published by the responsible agencies I have listed above. And talk to parents who actually live with autistic children day in and day out and care for them who are helping their children with ABA. Finally consult with people like those at the May Institute who actually work with autistic children. And consult with people like those at the Half Hollows Hill school. There the teachers and other staff use the most effective known method of teaching students with autism Applied Behavior Analysis.

These people are not sitting in a Montreal research facility studying ways to prove that ABA is wrong. Nor are they working only with higher functioning autistic children. They work with autistic children from across the spectrum .... and they use ABA to help them learn .... because it works. The faculty and staff at Half Hollow Hills, like the professionals at the May Institute, know that autism works, not just because of the volumes of research telling them it works, but also from the daily experience of actually working with autistic children from across the autism spectrum and helping them learn by ABA methods. An experience not shared by anti-ABA activists Mottron and Dawson.

For a reality based view of ABA as actually used in helping autistic children read the Newsday article Half Hollow Hills teachers use reinforcement-and-reward strategies to teach their STUDENTS WITH AUTISM. Do not listen to the anti-ABA activists, get the input of people who know what they are talking about and who actually help autistic children day in and day out.

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TAAAPP - Autism's Confused Anti-Cure, Anti-Parent Movement

Despite the increasing body of knowledge revealing the neurological bases of autism, despite the fact that people who call themselves autistic either have, or are adopting by self-diagnosis, a medical diagnosis which defines autism as a disorder, despite the severe self inflicted injuries which threaten the health and lives of some autistic persons, despite the lives lived dependent on others in various dependent residential care facilities and institutions there are those, particularly on the internet who claim that autism is not a disorder and should not be cured.

There are some in the autism anti-cure movement who acknowledge that it is a disorder, particularly when they are seeking disability accommodation from employers or the provision of government services, but who still say that autism should not be cured. Implicit in this perspective is an anti-parent theme which emerges fully when parents describe candidly and honestly the realities faced by their autistic children particularly the more severely autistic children. Speculating about whether historical figures such as Einstein or Van Gogh were autistic is fine with the anti-cure movement. Touting any autistic savant, or accomplished autistic persons like Temple Grandin is politically correct but woe to the parent who dares speak honestly on behalf of their autistic child.

An interesting example of The Autism Anti-Cure Anti-Parent Perspective which I will refer to by the acronym TAAAPP can be found at Autism is NOT a disorder that NEEDS to be CURED a blogsite operated by someone called Cathy who does not disclose her interest in autism other than her obvious admiration for Michelle Dawson. Cathy only began blogging this month and has only blogged once - "comments re Facing Autism in New Brunswick". This comment contains two of the themes which identify the TAAAPP, anti-autism cure and anti-parent and I reproduce it here in its entirety:

comments re Facing Autism in New Brunswick

I have read this article in which Michelle Dawson(autistic) is mentionned and Erin Anderssen (mother of autistic individual).

I guess my main frustration is that individuals such as Erin are looking to somehow modify their childs behaviour. We live in a society that unfortunately is not tolerant of individuals.

I believe that Autism is not a disease to be cured. When is society going to change their way of thinking and allow for all differences, not just acceptable ones.

As far as specialized clinic's and residential care, shame on you parents that give up and take the easy road out.

Erin maybe if you spent more time with your son, rather than trying to denounce Michelle Dawsons "Scathing remarks" as you so put it, you might be surprised at the outcome.

Apart from Cathy's anti-cure belief she also expressly articulates, in the highlighted comments the anti-parent hostility that underlies much of the TAAAPP and Neurodiversity ideology. She expressly denounces parents who seek specialized clinical care and residential living for their autistic children. I am not sure if Cathy intended to denounce Erin Andersson of the Globe and Mail, or if her comments were directed at me personally, but she again makes it clear that parents should not be weighing in on autism issues on behalf of their autistic children - unless of course they agree with anti-cure icon Michelle Dawson. Cathy's logic is, unfortunately, confused by any measure, but it is a clear and concise reflection of the confused logic of Autism's Neurodiversity and TAAAPP ideologies.

For Cathy's benefit though I will plead guilty, guilty to her charge of trying to modify my son's behavior. Guilty of trying to modify his behavior to prevent him from banging his head on the wall until he injures himself, guilty of trying to modify his behavior to prevent him from biting his hands, wrists and ankles. I plead guilty to trying to modify his behavior to prevent him from walking into automobile traffic unaware of the consequences. I plead guilty to advocating for government funded pre-school, evidence based, autism interventions for my son and other autistic children. I plead guilty to advocating for autism trained teacher aides, resource teachers and autism suitable modified learning environments for my son and other autistic children.

Cathy, I thank you for showing me how intolerant I am in imposing on my autistic son Conor my beliefs that he should enjoy as full, enriched and rewarding a life, with as much independence, as possible.

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Autism Christmas Gift From The Grinch

We have an evening routine in our house.

At 9 pm I say, or holler if necessary , "TV Off", and Conor will run from wherever he is in the house to turn off the TV, wash, brush teeth and get in bed. (If the TV is not on, I turn it on so Conor can come in and turn it off). Routine is important for any child, especially one with autism, or at least with Conor. Sticking to routine has helped keep Conor's sleep disrupted nights (and mine) to a minimum.

Last night we abandoned the routine because at 9 pm (Atlantic) Ron Howard's movie version of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas was on television. It had already been a good night for Conor. We had done a lot of computer print offs from the PBS Kids web site and it was quiet in the house with his brother and mother off to see the Theatre New Brunswick production of A Christmas Carol. Conor sat down on the couch and watched the entire Grinch movie with Dad.

Conor watched the entire movie, relaxed, and with focused attention. He laughed numerous times throughout. (Often when the Grinch (Jim Carrey) made one of his incredible facial contortions). For me, it was a joy to be able to watch an entire movie with Conor, with him clearly following the whole movie, and enjoying it so much.

Thank you Dr. Seuss (Theodore Geisel), Ron Howard, Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen (Cindy Lou Who), Jeffrey Tambor (Mayor Augustus Maywho), Christine Baranski (Martha May Whovier) and the rest of the cast and excellent crew.

Thank you for a wonderful Christmas gift.

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Genetic Animal Model of Autism

The following press release from the Craig M. Powellreports on a study led by Thomas Südhof, M.D., professor and chairman of neuroscience at UT Southwestern, another important step forward in the Autism Knowledge Revolution that one day may result in treatment capable of reversing autism or some of the signficant elements of autism. Study researcher Craig M. Powell, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology and psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, who authored the press release of the study was careful to stress that for now behavioral therapy remains of central importance as an autism intervention:

“For now, the mainstay of autism treatment is still behavioral therapy. The earlier we can get patients involved with behavioral interventions, the better off people with autism will be.”








American College of Neuropsychopharmacology

ACNP

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Contact: Amy Levey (202) 745-5116
9:00 am (EST), Saturday, December 8, 2007 Sharon Reis (202) 745-5103

Study Finds First-Ever Genetic Animal Model of Autism
Research May Further Understanding of Autism in Humans

Boca Raton, FL, December 8, 2007 – By introducing a gene mutation in mice, investigators have created what they believe to be the first accurate model of autism not associated with a broader neuropsychiatric syndrome, according to research presented at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology annual meeting. This animal model could help researchers better understand abnormal brain function in autistic humans, which could help them identify and improve treatment strategies. Broader neuropsychiatric conditions include Fragile X, the most common cause of inherited mental impairment, and Rett Syndrome, a childhood neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by normal early development followed by slowed brain and head growth, seizures, and mental retardation.

Autism is a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by repetitive behaviors and by impairment in social interactions and communication skills. These symptoms can coexist with either enhanced or decreased cognitive abilities and skills.

“Prior to this study we knew next to nothing about the mechanisms of autism in the brain,” says study researcher Craig M. Powell, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology and psychiatry at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. “With this research, we can study changes in the brain that lead to autistic behaviors and symptoms, which may help us understand more about progression and treatment of the disorder.”

The research team, led by Thomas Südhof, M.D., professor and chairman of neuroscience at UT Southwestern, replaced the normal mouse neurologin-3 gene with a mutated neuroligin-3 gene associated with autism in humans. By doing so, the team was able to create a gene in the mice that is similar to the human autism disease gene. While the result amounted to a very small change in their genetic makeup, it perfectly mimicked the same small change occurring in some patients with human autism.

Dr. Powell studied the genetically altered mice and found that, when examined in behavioral tests that may reflect key signs of autism, they showed decreased social interaction with other mice; other traits, such as anxiety, coordination and pain sensitivity, were unaffected. These social interaction deficits, Dr. Powell says, are hallmark features of human autism. In addition, the mice showed enhanced spatial learning abilities, which may resemble the enhanced cognitive abilities in autistic savants (people who have a severe developmental or mental handicap as well as extraordinary mental abilities).

“These findings could be especially helpful in identifying novel treatment approaches. We already know that inhibitory chemical synaptic transmission from one neuron to the next is increased in this mouse model. Now we can test drugs that decrease this effect directly in the mice and ask whether this reverses their social interaction deficits,” Dr. Powell says. “For now, the mainstay of autism treatment is still behavioral therapy. The earlier we can get patients involved with behavioral interventions, the better off people with autism will be.” Dr. Powell adds that the model gives researchers insight into mouse brains which share important parallels with brains of living humans, which can only be studied in limited ways with the use of new brain imaging tools.

ACNP, founded in 1961, is a professional organization of more than 700 leading scientists, including four Nobel Laureates. The mission of ACNP is to further research and education in neuropsychopharmacology and related fields in the following ways: promoting the interaction of a broad range of scientific disciplines of brain and behavior in order to advance the understanding of prevention and treatment of disease of the nervous system including psychiatric, neurological, behavioral and addictive disorders; encouraging scientists to enter research careers in fields related to these disorders and their treatment; and ensuring the dissemination of relevant scientific advances.

autism

Autism Quote # 4 - The Most Accepted Hypothesis For Autism

We show that if Cdk5 fails to facilitate CASK, then there is a very profound defect in synapse formation, .... The most accepted hypothesis for autism is that there is a defect in synapse formation," .... mutations of genes directly connected to CASK have already been identified as being associated with autism.

Li-Huei Tsai, PhD, and Picower Professor of Neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

autism

Autism and ABA Conference: Issues and Recent Advancements in the Behavioral Treatment of Autism

More details on the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI)'s Second Annual Autism Conference from Friday, Feb. 8 to Sunday, Feb. 10 in Atlanta:

Second Annual Autism Conference Offers New Insight Into Treating Autistic Children; Distinguished Speakers to Address a Growing Challenge

As many as 1 in 150 children have autism. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is one of the most scientifically backed methods available for treating autism. Leading ABA researchers will soon be gathering to present the latest developments in this life-changing science.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) December 6, 2007 -- As many as 1 in 150 children have autism, a complex disorder marked by impairments in communication and social interaction, as well as repetitive, stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests and activities. Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is one of the most scientifically backed methods available for treating autism. Leading ABA researchers will soon be gathering to present the latest developments in this life-changing science.

The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI), along with its Autism and Parent Professional Partnership Special Interest Groups, will be hosting its Second Annual Autism Conference from Friday, Feb. 8 to Sunday, Feb. 10 in Atlanta. Last year's conference in Boston brought together over 1,600 attendees from across the globe.

This year's conference, "Issues and Recent Advancements in the Behavioral Treatment of Autism: Practical Strategies for Changing Behavior at Home and School," will focus on home- and community-based interventions as well as curriculum and instruction in the classroom.

The three-day conference will bring together 10 distinguished experts on ABA presenting resources and information that teachers, therapists and parents can use to improve the lives of children with autism. Presentation topics include:

• "Teaching the Social Dance" - strategies to teach young people with autism the verbal and non-verbal components to conversation
• "One Size Does Not Fit All" - ways to tailor treatments to individual needs to promise the best treatment outcome
• "From DT to DI: Using Direct Instruction to Teach Students with ASD" - how Direct Instruction (DI) can address the unique needs of learners with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) while supporting the acquisition of academic skills

This year's Autism Conference will be held at Atlanta's Hyatt Regency Hotel. New additions include exhibitor booths, a bookstore and author book signing by the 10 presenters.

For more information or to register for the conference, visit the ABAI web site. Registrations received by Tuesday, December 11, 2007 will qualify for a $25 discount. Pre-registration will close Tuesday, January 15, 2008.

Credentialed members of the news media may attend free of charge with advanced approval.

About ABA International:
The Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) is a nonprofit professional membership organization with the mission of developing, enhancing and supporting the growth and vitality of behavior analysis through research, education and practice. Founded in 1974, the association has approximately 5,000 members worldwide. Its affiliated chapters have a total membership of 12,000 worldwide.

World Autism Awareness Day, April 2, Designated by UN General Assembly

The Gulf Times reports that the UN General Assembly Third Committee has approved a draft resolution, which was introduced by Qatar and co-sponsored by 50 member states, on the designation of the World Autism Awareness Day to be observed annually on April 2 beginning in 2008.

Autism and the Missing Protein

The autism buzz in the news today arises from the publication in Neuron of a study led by Li-Huei Tsai, PhD, and Picower Professor of Neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) which suggests that a missing protein may be the key to autism. The brain protein helps synapses develop, the synapses through which neurons convey information, and which are the basis for memory and learning ability development.

As explained by Debbie Halber, Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT, in Missing protein may be key to autism, the study uncovers an enzyme, called Cdk5, that is a key to the activity of the missing protein. Cdk5 is a "kinase", an enzyme that changes proteins, and interacts with a protein called CASK, which is itself important for developing synapses. The absence of Cdk5 can result in the CASK not being present to perform its role:

""Without Cdk5, CASK was not in the right place at the right time, and failed to interact with essential presynaptic components. This, in turn, led to problems with calcium influx." The flow of calcium in and out of neurons affects processes central to nervous system development and plasticity--its ability to change in response to experience. Gene mutations and/or deletions in synaptic cell surface proteins and molecules called neurexins and neuroligins have been associated with autism. The problem with CASK recruitment investigated by the Tsai laboratory creates the same result as these genetic changes."

In comments reported on Reuters, in Missing protein may underlie autism: U.S. study, Tsai was clear about the significance of Cdk5 failing to facilitate CASK in the development of autism:

""We show that if Cdk5 fails to facilitate CASK, then there is a very profound defect in synapse formation, ....

The most accepted hypothesis for autism is that there is a defect in synapse formation," Tsai said, adding that mutations of genes directly connected to CASK have already been identified as being associated with autism.

Mutations of CASK and Cdk5 are also identified in certain patients with mental retardation.

"I think this study strongly suggests this pathway involving Cdk5 ... is intimately involved (in autism)," she said.

Hearing Impaired Man Tasered In His Own Bathroom

The focus of this blog is autism but I have for some time expressed my concerns about the use of Tasers. One reason for my concern is that some people die after being Tasered. Another is that, despite the fact the very real danger faced by policer officers every day they are on duty, many Taser victims are stunned simply because they were "non-compliant" with verbal commands. In the Vancouver tragedy the gentleman who was non-compliant, (if he was, the video doesn't even clearly show non-compliance), did not understand English. Some autistic persons, with limited communication skills and behavioral deficits have also been Tasered. A recent episode involving a hearing impaired man in Wichita, Kansas again illustrates the tendency of police forces to Taser citizens for non-compliance.

KWCH reports that Donnell Williams, a hearing impaired gentleman in Wichita, Kansas had just gotten out of his bathtub and was wearing only a towel around his waist when he saw police pointing Tasers at him. Williams, getting out of the tub, was not wearing his hearing aid without which he is essentially deaf. The police were responding to a false shooting call and were allegedly worried for their own safety when the towel wearing man refused to obey their commands to show his hands. Williams said ""I ain't never been so scared, I kept going to my ear yelling that I was scared. I can't hear! I can't hear!"

The officers who Tasered the hearing impaired gentleman in his own bathroom have apparently apologized.

autism

Autism Challenges During The Holidays

Autism does not take a vacation during the Christmas, or any other, holiday season. Autistic children can face additional challenges. In Autistic children face holiday challenges Dr. Alan Harchik chief operating officer of the May Institute, a nonprofit organization that provides educational, rehabilitative, and behavioral health care services to individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities, brain injury, mental illness, and behavioral health care needs, offers some sound advice for helping your autistic child, and you, during the holiday season with its many additional stresses.

One of the many helpful points made by Dr. Harchik is one which I am emphasizing because I did not adhere to it last Saturday with Conor:

Shopping: If your child accompanies you to the mall, supermarket, or department store, try to go early in the day or during the mid-week when it is likely to be less crowded.

Last Saturday Conor and I went for a couple of outings early in the day to local establishments and things went extremely well. Then, a bit over confident, I tried again later in the afternoon with a visit to the Sears store in Fredericton's largest, busiest mall. Conor indicated his displeasure as we approached the store and continued as we entered. Realizing by Conor's reaction I was pushing the envelope I turned around and took him back to the car to wait there for his mother but it was too late and Conor suffered a serious meltdown.

Last week Conor paid the price because I was not careful enough about holiday shopping crowd activity. You should probably heed Dr. Harchik's advice about avoiding crowded shopping visits later in the day. I know I will.

autism

A Parent's View of Autism in Columbia, Missouri

"I want him. I want him to be able to tell his mom that he loves her. It's more than a full time job, it is a hundred hour a week job. And she does it without fail. There is nothing more important to her than that kid..and there is nothing more important to him than her. But he can't say it. It's hard."

- Tim Miles, Father

"I want him to go to a birthday party and not scream and cry when they say happy birthday and want to blow out the candles. And be interested in his birthday presents. I love Will's quirks. I love that he is obsessed with automatic doors. We make fun little games of all these things. I'm ok with Will not being like every other child. I would love to have a conversation with him. I would love for him to say, 'Mom I want a turkey sandwich today.' I want him to notice what is around him. I want him to be able to say, 'I love you,' to me to his grandparents to his Dad, give us kisses and hugs. That is what I want more than anything."

- Deidre Miles, Mother

In A Parent's View of Autism Tim and Diedre Miles of Columbia, Missouri provide their views of autism, the views of parents of an autistic boy. Their son Will was diagnosed with autism at 14 months and they have worked with diet and occupational therapy in an ongoing effort help their son. The Miles' story is part of KOMU TV8 in Columbia Missouri's Combating Autism From Within blog series.

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Autism and Canada's Jurisdictional Shell Game

In Autism fight gaining momentum Susan Sherring of Sun Media interviews Senator Jim Munson and Autism Dad Andrew Kavchak and describes their efforts in fighting for a National Autism Strategy in Canada. The article also describes the Stephen Harper-Tony Clement non response to the Senate Committee autism report Pay Now Or Pay Letter. As stated by Senator Munson:

“As a nation, we have to take a look at all of this. We have an obligation as a society. For families with an autistic child, this is extremely expensive. You’ve got families breaking up, mortgaging their homes. I’m tired of the jurisdictional shell game,” he said.

“The bottom line is we have to put it all on the table. If we don’t, how are we ever going to have a national program? People are scrambling to get treatments for their sons and daughters.”

autism

Autism and the Fever Effect

Is there a fever effect in children with autism? Can a fever temporarily offer some temporary improvement to autistic children? Some parents have thought they actually noticed such a beneficial effect from fever when their autistic children were young. I know in the past I thought I saw such an effect from fever with Conor but I thought it was just my imagination. Now, a study published in Pediatrics, suggests there may in fact be something to it; a fever may have a beneficial effect on autistic children.

In Behaviors Associated With Fever in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders Laura K. Curran, Craig J. Newschaffer, Li-Ching Lee, Stephen O. Crawford, Michael V. Johnston, and Andrew W. Zimmerman studies 30 autistic children aged 2-18 during and after an episode of fever and documented improvements in behavior. The researchers found less "aberrant" behavior in terms of irritability, hyperactivity, stereotypy and inappropriate speech. The study authors are careful to point out several limitations in the study including possible information bias arising from data collection by parent reports and possible selection bias resulting from participation by a small fraction of eligible families from recruitment sources and make suggestions for reducing these possible biases in future studies. They clearly indicate that further study is needed to prove conclusively that the improvements are fever-specific effects. The study offers several possible biological mechanism explanations for the effects involving immunologic and neurobiological pathways, intracellular signaling, and synaptic plasticityL:

(1) neurobiological effects of selected proinflammatory16 and/or antiinflammatory cytokines, which have been found to be increased in cerebrospinal fluid (in the absence of fever) and postmortem brain tissue of individuals with autism17 and may be generated during different phases of responses to fever, (2) modification of neuronal and synaptic function secondary to variations in body temperature that influence neural conduction velocities or synaptic transmission,18 (3) modification of dynamic neural networks as a result of changes in cellular signal transduction and gene transcription that regulate synapse formation and function,19 (4) increased production of other stress-related proteins, such as heat-shock proteins, during fever that might modify energy consumption and mitochondrial activity,20 and (5) stimulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis leading to modifications of neurotransmitter production and interaction.

The Fever Effect may or may not be confirmed in future studies but it is another interesting new development in the Autism Knowledge Revolution.

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Autism Disappointment In Alberta

In Great expectations Calgary Sun reporter Tarina White reports on the disappointment facing families migrating to Alberta in search of well funded autism services in oil rich Alberta. She reports that, while Alberta may look best for autism services on paper, the reality is much different with long waits for services and few professionals to provide the services. Some families don't qualify for treatment and for some who do the service provided is not always. Families also face the same 6 year age cut off for services that exists in other Canadian provinces.

Add the stress of moving, leaving family, friends and support networks, finding work, and the cost of living and the Alberta Autism Dream may turn in to a nightmare for many families.

Tony Clement's Invisible Autism Symposium

Health Minister Tony Clement

Canada, courtesy of the federal government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper and Health Minister Tony Clement, has offered one of the weakest responses by any national government to the world autism crisis. To date it consists of a mediocre autism web site and an invisible national autism research symposium held on November 8 and 9 2007.

The delegates to this invisible symposium were hand picked to ensure compliance with the Harper-Clement agenda, the symposium was structured to ensure that serious debate would be avoided and ... absolutely no information has been released about the results of this secretive, elitist symposium of the compliant. Parents by law, necessity, and commonly accepted morality speak for their autistic children but they, and thereby their children, were not invited to Tony Clement's Invisible Autism Symposium. And so far, we have no idea what the Harper-Clement Autism Delegates discussed at the Invisible Autism Symposium held November 8 and 9 in Toronto.

Severe Autism Reality in Durham, Ontario (and Fredericton, New Brunswick)

Most [Vancouver Sun and Toronto Star excepted] mainstream media features deal with higher functioning autistic persons, particularly those who have overcome the obstacles presented by High Functioning Autism and Aspergers and accomplished incredible feats. Even purportedly low functioning autism interviews such as some of those repeatedly featured on CNN aren't really addressing the harder realities faced by severely autistic persons and their families.

Nor are you likely to read their stories on the so called Autism Hub blogger network where bloggers actually promote autism, openly mock families struggling to treat and cure their children of their autism and pompously tell parents to accept, respect and love their own children.

Challenges of autism 'massive mountain' to climb in newsdurhamregion.com is another exception to this media trend. It is an article by autism mom and Durham resident Christine J. Taylor describing realistically the life challenges faced by her severely autistic 12 1/2 year old son and their family:

Our boy is very loving, exceptionally handsome and an incredibly busy child. He is non-verbal (approximately 40 per cent of all people with autism are) and his cognitive skills are quite low. This, quite understandably, creates a tonne of frustration for him. The "tantrums" he has are exhausting. For him and for us.

He can become self-abusive, destructive and has no understanding of "danger."

...

While they're young, these kids are still being housed, clothed and fed by their parents. The children will get older and so will their parents. It is indescribably "gut wrenching" to think that one day, we may not be able to care for our son.

Ms Taylor in talking of her son and their family has described very well the realities faced by 11 1/2 year old Conor and our family. It is a reality you have to live to understand.

Qatar Leads World Autism Awareness Day Initiative

Map: U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

As reported in the Gulf Times, the move to have the UN General Assembly declare April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day is being led by Qatar. The UN Human Rights Committee has already adopted the resolution which was co-sponsored by 50 countries and is expected to to be adopted by the 192-nation UN General Assembly early this month.

Qatar’s UN ambassador Nassir al-Nasser said at the UN Office in New York on Tuesday that HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, and his wife HH Sheikha Mozah Nasser al-Misnad, took the initiative because of the high rate of autism in children in all regions of the world.

“HH Sheikha Mozah has made tremendous efforts to change the way the Qatari society views people with disability, and breaking the barrier of shame, of which this group and their families have been suffering,” he stated.

The draft resolution designates every April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day and asks all countries, UN bodies, international organisations and non-governmental groups to help raise autism awareness. The resolution describes autism as “a lifelong developmental disability that manifests itself during the first three years of life and results from a neurological disorder that affects the functioning of the brain.”

Autism Speaks has been actively supportive of the resolution and is sponsoring an epidemiological study to measure the scale of the global autism epidemic, working with more than 20 countries to collect and share data that could help in deciding policies and research into causes, diagnosis and treatment. Bob Wright of Autism Speaks stressed the importance of a unified global effort to deal with the world autism crisis:

"The resolution’s call for action and observances on April 2 will bring autism organisations from all around the world together “in a single voice to fight this terrible disorder,” said Wright.


“By bringing autism awareness to a global level, we’ll give it a voice to the millions of children worldwide who are undiagnosed, misunderstood, abused and looking for help,” he added."

autism

Appearance of Bias - Taser Company Cozy With Coronors

The Globe and Mail has reported on the cozy ties between Taser International and some coronors, the officials often responsible for investigating Taser related deaths; a cozy relationship which creates an appearance of bias on the part of one very prominent Canadian coronor.

In Taser firms picked up coroner's lecture tab the Globe reports that Taser International has paid hotel and travel expenses for prominent Canadian coronor Dr. James Cairns, Ontario's deputy chief coronor, who has given seminars "on the phenomenon of "excited delirium," a medically unrecognized term that the company often cites as a reason people die after being tasered". The article indicates that Dr. Cairns does not see any conflict of interest on his part. [The Globe & Mail also reports that Dr. Cairns admitted in testimony yesterday at an Ontario inquiry that he had helped shield disgraced pathologist Charles Smith.]

In Symposium aims to define 'excited delirium' DEATHS IN CUSTODY: TASER HELPS FUND RESEARCH the Globe and Mail reports on the second annual Sudden Death, Excited Delirium and In-Custody Death Conference underway in Las Vegas. Many of the nearly 20 talks touch on the role of Tasers. "The key issue is excited delirium, a collection of symptoms that is quickly becoming the leading explanation offered when a person dies in police custody or after a taser is used." Two researchers who presented disclosed that Taser International funds their research. As reported by the Globe & Mail, the Taser subsidized research presenters "conducted research on the negative effects of taser use on the human body; they found very few".

Increased Gray Matter and Abnormal Mirror Neuron System Functioning in Children with Autism

A study led by Manzar Ashtari, Ph.D., from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, and presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) suggests that the inability of autistic children to relate to people and life situations in an ordinary way may be the result of an abnormally functioning mirror neuron system.




The study uses a novel imaging technique to study autistic children and found increased gray matter in the brain areas that govern social processing and learning by observation. The amount of gray matter in the left parietal area of the brain correlated with IQ in the control children but not in autistic children. Decreased gray matter in the amygdala region of the brain correlated with severity of social impairment.



The abstract of the study Gray Matter Enlargement in Children with High Functioning Autism and Asperger Syndrome Using a Novel Method of Diffusion Based Morphometry is available on line. The study included 13 male patients diagnosed with high-functioning autism or Asperger syndrome and an IQ greater than 70 and 12 healthy control adolescents. Average age of the participants was about 11 years. Each of the patients underwent diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), a technique that tracks the movement of water molecules in the brain..

DTI is traditionally used to study the brain's white matter, as well as the brain fibers. However, Dr. Ashtari's team applied it to the assessment of gray matter by employing apparent diffusion coefficient based morphometry (ABM), a new method that highlights brain regions with potential gray matter volume changes. By adding ABM to DTI, the researchers can detect subtle regional or localized changes in the gray matter.

In addition to the gray matter abnormalities linked to the mirror neuron system, the results of this study revealed that the amount of gray matter in the left parietal area correlated with higher IQs in the control group, but not in the autistic children.

"In the normal brain, larger amounts of gray matter are associated with higher IQs," Dr. Ashtari said. "But in the autistic brain, increased gray matter does not correspond to IQ, because this gray matter is not functioning properly."

The autistic children also evidenced a significant decrease of gray matter in the right amygdala region that correlated with severity of social impairment. Children with lower gray matter volumes in this area of the brain had lower scores on reciprocity and social interaction measures.

"Impairments in these areas are the hallmark of autism spectrum disorders, and this finding may lead to greater understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of the core features of autism," said study co-author Joel Bregman, M.D., medical director of the Fay J. Lindner Center for Autism.

Autism is the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States and typically appears during the first three years of life. Children with autism are hindered in the areas of social interaction and communication skills. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 1.5 million Americans have autism.

Co-authors are S. Nichols, Ph.D., C. McIlree, M.S., L. Spritzer, B.S., A. Adesman, M.D., and B. Ardekani, Ph.D.

autism

Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis 2007 Conference Report

Autism and Behaviour Analysis ONTABA Conference 2007

By: Taline Sagharian

November 28, 2007

The Ontario Association for Behaviour Analysis (ONTABA) www.ontaba.org held their annual conference on November 15 and 16, 2007. The two-day conference provided an exciting opportunity for attendees to learn some of the most up-to-date and innovative methods of incorporating Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) techniques in various significant issues including autism.

During the Awards Ceremony segment, retired MPP Shelley Martel was presented with an honourary lifetime ONTABA membership award in recognition of her outstanding dedication and commitment to families and individuals with autism and in supporting ABA in Ontario . Ms. Martel said that she is thrilled to continue her involvement with the autism community and feels that there is great merit in developing an accreditation process for professionals working in the field of autism and ABA . “This is necessary to assure parents that high quality treatment services are being delivered to their children and that the money being invested in recruitment, training and retention, is being well-spent,” said Ms. Martel. “Models of regulation have been developed in other jurisdictions and we should examine those models to determine what would work in Ontario .” When asked why it would be paramount for the government to recognize and work with ONTABA in this development process, she said; “Since ONTABA has the expertise in behaviour analysis, it only makes sense for the Ontario government to work with ONTABA in developing any such criteria."

In his opening remarks, Dr. James Porter, now past president of ONTABA, announced the birth of the Canadian Association for Behaviour Analysis Inc. (CABA), for which he is the founder and will serve as its first president. The website will be uploaded in the next 48 hours http://www.cdnaba.org:80/ . “The primary focus will be on creating a national voice for behaviour analysis and behaviour analysts,” he said. “This includes helping to establish ethical, accountable behaviour analysis services with quality assurance in all provinces -- all regions -- from one end of Canada to the other through certification of behaviour analysts throughout Canada .”

Malcolm Stanley, executive member of the Ontario Autism Coalition (OAC) www.ontarioautismcoalition.com made a presentation on day two of the conference for which he received a standing ovation. The presentation pointed out that the ONTABA brand is based in the quality of ABA service and that there are dangers in the organization not being involved in ABA implementation strategies in Ontario . "Appropriation of the ABA concept by politicians and unqualified service providers weakens not only ONTABA but threatens the overall quality ABA service provided to all Ontario children (with autism)", said Mr. Stanley. “The OAC strongly urges ONTABA to aggressively 'police' the use of ABA-based word marks and concepts in the Ontario marketplace”, he said. The OAC is also pushing for ABA to be implemented under the guidance of ONTABA member professionals and offered a number of possible solutions such as the development of a professional college. "A key step in this process is the achievement of an agreement with the Provincial government to put in place a college for ABA professionals and ensure proper credentialing of ABA service providers," he said. "This strategic goal must be achieved by ONTABA before school programs are set up which ignore or disallow the presence of ONTABA and its members."

There was an abundant flow of energy throughout the two days. Indeed, it has been a remarkable year for autism in Ontario . There is no question that the newly formed relationship between autism advocates and ONTABA provides the critical backbone in the fight for the implementation of authentic ABA in our province. The first step in achieving this goal is for Ontario to embrace the existing international standards of board certification for those practicing ABA . However, qualifications specific to both autism and ABA expertise requires that the individuals overseeing the implementation of ABA for autism not only meet the international board certification standards, but that they also carry autism experience as outlined in the Autism SIG Guidelines for ABA Consumers http://www.behavior.org/autism/ABAAutismSIG_Gdlns_2007.pdf .

UN Committee Calls for World Autism Day, April 2

The United Nations Third Committee has approved, without a vote, a resolution sponsored by Qatar, calling on the General Assembly to designate April 2 as World Autism Day. Qatar, as the primary sponsor of the resolution issued a press release which follows. It is encouraging to see autism issues being moved on to the world stage. This kind of attention should help encourage those national governments, including the Government of Canada, which are doing little or nothing to address the autism crisis in their countries. It is no surprise that Autism Speaks, with co-founders Bob and Suzanne Wright, is at the forefront once again, in raising autism awareness, with a focus on addressing the real needs of autistic children and adults. Congratulations and a note of appreciation to Qatar the nation which has been the primary sponsor for the World Autism Day resolution.

Department of Public Information • News and Media Division • New York PRESS CONFERENCE BY QATAR ON WORLD AUTISM DAY RESOLUTION

Member States should break the “barrier of shame” of people suffering from autism and raise international awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of the brain disorder, which was estimated to affect 35 million people worldwide, Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, Permanent Representative of Qatar to the United Nations, urged this afternoon during a Headquarters press conference.

“ Qatar shares the concerns of a number of countries about the high rate of autism in children in all regions of the world,” Mr. Al-Nasser said. His comments come almost a month after the General Assembly’s Third Committee (Social, Cultural and Humanitarian) approved a draft resolution, 1 November (see Press Release GA/SHC/3899), introduced by Qatar’s delegation and co-sponsored by 50 Member States, to designate 2 April as World Autism Day. Once the draft resolution is adopted by the General Assembly, as expected, the Day will be observed annually starting in 2008.

Joining the Ambassador today was Bob Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks, a United States-based non-governmental organization that works to raise awareness of autism and fund research for its causes, prevention and treatment. “Combating autism is going to require worldwide effort. It is not politically, geographically or economically centred. It is an equal destroyer,” he said.

In the last two and a half years, Autism Speaks spent an estimated $60 million on scientific and medical research, he noted. In the United States, children diagnosed before the age of three and then properly treated had a 50 per cent chance of graduating from public school at an appropriate age level. However, many African-American and Hispanic children, and children from non-English-speaking households, were not diagnosed until age seven.

Suzanne Wright, also co-founder of Autism Speaks, said 1.5 million people had the complex brain disorder in the United States, and a new child was diagnosed with it every 20 minutes. An immediate global response was needed to address the epidemic, she urged.

During the Second Annual International Forum for Children with Special Needs held in Doha in April, Autism Speaks and Qatar’s Shaffalah Centre, which assists disabled children, announced plans to launch an Autism Speaks Programme in Qatar.

Also during the press conference, Jacqueline Aidenbaum Brandt, a mother of an autistic son, shed light on her personal experiences, including the misconception society had of the brain disorder and the concerns of parents of autistic children. She said people often mistook an autistic child for an unruly or poorly behaved one, blaming the parent instead of the disorder for the child’s behaviour. Caring for an autistic child was complex, as parents were left to grapple with whether the child would one day be independent, and how he or she would be cared for after the parents had died or were no longer able to do so.

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