Facing Autism in New Brunswick: Run the Dream to Visit Conor's Birthplace Burlington

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Run the Dream to Visit Conor's Birthplace Burlington

I couldn't help noticing that Jonathan Howard's autism awareness raising Run the Dream will soon be heading to Burlington, Ontario. Conor and his older brother were both born at the Joseph Brant Memorial Hospital when we lived in Burlington (and Dad did the 4-5 hours commuting to and from the Eaton Centre in Toronto each day).

Jonathan has a positive autism message for autistic children and their families:

"I want children to dream like anything's possible. This run is my way of telling children and their parents to never stop dreaming."

BurlingtonPost.com, July 18, 2008

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Why ABA For Autism?

The effectiveness of ABA-based intervention in ASDs has been well documented through 5 decades of research by using single-subject methodology21,25,27,28 and in controlled studies of comprehensive early intensive behavioral intervention programs in university and community settings.29–40 Children who receive early intensive behavioral treatment have been shown to make substantial, sustained gains in IQ, language, academic performance, and adaptive behavior as well as some measures of social behavior, and their outcomes have been significantly better than those of children in control groups.31–4

American Academy of Pediatrics, Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism Research Awakening - Environment Plays Big Role, MUST Be Studied

My Autism Pledge For Conor

Today I pledge to continue; I Pledge to continue to fight for the availability of effective autism treatments; I Pledge to continue to fight for a real education for autistic children; I Pledge to continue to fight for decent residential care for autistic adults; I Pledge to continue to fight for a cure for autism; I Pledge to continue finding joy in my son but not in the autism disorder that restricts his life; Today, and every day, I Pledge to continue to hope for a better life for Conor and others with autism, through accommodation, care, respect, treatment, and some day, a cure; Today, and every day, I Pledge to continue to fight for the best possible life for Conor, my son with autistic disorder.

Dr. Jon Poling : Blinders Won’t Reduce Autism

"Fortunately, the ‘better diagnosis’ myth has been soundly debunked. ... only a smaller percentage of this staggering rise can be explained by means other than a true increase.

Because purely genetic diseases do not rise precipitously, the corollary to a true autism increase is clear — genes only load the gun and it is the environment that pulls the trigger. Autism is best redefined as an environmental disease with genetic susceptibilities."

We should be investing our research dollars into discovering environmental factors that we can change, not more poorly targeted genetic studies that offer no hope of early intervention. Pesticides, mercury, aluminum, several drugs, dietary factors, infectious agents and yes — vaccines — are all in the research agenda.

Dr. Jon Poling, Atlanta Journal Constitution, March 13, 2009