In commenting on autism issues in the context of American politics I can only do so as an outsider, a Canadian with no vote, but keenly aware that American events can have a dramatic impact on Canada. I have followed American presidential elections closely since my grade 3 teacher put pictures of President John F. Kennedy on our classroom bulletin board and I remember hearing the horrific news of his assassination one year later. I am heavily biased toward the Democrats, and admire many of them - Ted Kennedy, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Bill Richardson, Al Gore and Barack Obama. I still can not believe that Al Gore did not win in 2000.
With that declaration of bias again out in front though I am curious about Governor Palin's announcement yesterday that autism is an issue near and dear to her heart. Governor Palin has a nephew with autism. And that certainly identifies a personal connection to autism for the Governor but notwithstanding that personal connection what does she actually have in mind for autism programs? What plan, if any, does she have for autism? The answer, apparently, is none. The Governor spoke with KRNV News4's Shelby Sheehan:
"There are a lot of wasteful expenditures in the federal (government)," Palin said. "Let's get rid of those and put them into strengthening NIH (National Institutes of Health) and these other areas where we can help our kids with autism."
...."Here's the difference between John McCain and our ticket and Barack Obama and Joe Biden," she said. "We don't just talk the talk, we walk the walk. And that's why in not just that first speech, but in every speech I give, I talk about being an advocate and a friend in the White House for our families who have members who have these special needs."
The WKNV online reports that Governor Palin did not indicate what expenditures would be cut and what autism programs would be funded in a McCain-Palin administration. Stating over and over that you are an advocate for autistic persons appears to be a clear example of talking the talk but does not demonstrate that Governor Palin is prepared to walk the walk as she claims. As the report indicates Governor Palin has no actual plan for how to help autistic persons and their families.
WKNV reports that Senator Obama has specified what action he would take when, sorry IF, he becomes President (my bias again) :) The Obama plan can be found in full at Obama 08 BARACK OBAMA: SUPPORTING AMERICANS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM
DISORDERS. The elements of the Obama plan include:
1. Appoint Federal ASD Coordinator to Oversee All Federal ASD Efforts.
2. Fully Fund the Combating Autism Act and Federal Autism Research Initiatives.
3. Support Special Needs Education for Children with ASD.
4. Support Universal Screening.
5. Work Together.
Senator Obama, not Governor Palin, appears ready to walk the walk to help autistic persons and their families. Here in Canada it is not clear if Stephen Harper has even uttered the word "autism". The sweater PM has made it clear that a Harper government will do nothing to address Canada's autism crisis. Hopefully, if Senator Obama's historic presidency does come to be, he will have some positive influence on our Canadian Prime Minister with respect to autism issues.
On autism issues Canada is still looking for The Change We Need.
autism
I agree with your Obama-rama :) except for the fact that Obama has never indicated a willingness to look at the vaccine/autism potential connection. And, he has stated he is against "selective vaccination" ie. choice. I am against any steps towards mandatory vaccination. (I know we are safe in Canada, as we have the right to refuse treatment, and vaccinations break the skin and are therefore, treatment.)
ReplyDeleteI have heard that Obama is HEAVILY funded by the pharmaceutical industry, ie. the most money given to any candidate ever by the industry. I'm not American either, but I'm looking to them to do the needed research (as per Dr. Bernadine Healy), to identify susceptible subsets to vaccine injury, and to compare ND's of vaccinated to non-vaccinated children.
This interview really drove me crazy, especially when she said she and McCain don't just talk the talk, then she talked about talking.
ReplyDeleteRead my thoughts at http://specialneeds08.blogspot.com
Just out of curiosity:
ReplyDeleteDid you follow the advice to greatly decrease Slow Wave Sleep (SWS) when your son was 0 to 1 years old?
SWS is when memories are transferred from the Hippocampus to the Neocortex and is when much learning and development occurs in kids. If you see read academic research studies where they don't allow patients to get Slow Wave Sleep (Stage 3 and Stage 4 NREM Sleep Combined) the symptoms are similar to Autism. SWS is when babies die of SIDS though. You can basically stop infants from receiving SWS during their first year of life by putting a pacifier in their mouth and putting them to sleep on their back. Putting a Pacifier in a childs mouth when they are asleep and putting them to sleep on their backs acts exactly like a drug in that it completely diminishes slow wave sleep. Just a theory but in some kids this may cause them to present autism like symptoms. Autism started increasing in the U.S. in the 1990's. In 1992 10% of U.S. infants slept on their backs. By 1999 it was about 65%. And by 2007 it was up to 75% with only 10% of babies sleeping on their stomachs. Babies who sleep on their stomachs get lots of SWS and sleep a lot longer with less arousals. If your son had a flat head as and infant (or plagiocephaly or torticollis) this may be a possiblity you should look into. Just food for thought.