Newfoundland's Autism Wait Lists - Canada Needs a REAL National Autism Strategy

There is discouraging news out of Newfoundland where, despite a feel good commitment to improve autism services by all three parties in the Newfoundland legislature in May, wait lists are delaying diagnosis and treatment as reported at The Telegram:

"parents are still contacting the Opposition Office with stories of waitlists up to 10 months before their children can be seen by the appropriate medical professionals.

“We recently spoke to a parent of a four-year-old boy in the Codroy Valley who has been advised that there are 70 children on the waitlist ahead of his son,” Jones said. “Staff at the Janeway could not provide an appointment for this child to be assessed for autism and was instead told that he would have to wait at least 7-10 months for his first appointment.”

In New Brunswick and some other Canadian provinces psychologists can also diagnose autism. It isn't clear from the article whether only that is true in Newfoundland or whether only medical doctors can diagnose autism. If, a change to permit diagnosis of autism by psychologists would obviously reduce diagnostic delay.

Whatever the reason it is clear that Canada needs a REAL National Autism Strategy to ensure that Canadian children, whatever their province or territory of residence, receive access to early diagnosis and evidence based interventions. Funding is one issue, the frozen bureaucratic mind set is another that prevents some children from receiving early intervention in Canada.

If you want to do a small part to help Canada toward adoption of a REAL National Autism Strategy you could visit Top Priorities for Canada, register and endorse the Canada Needs a REAL National Autism Strategy option. (Preferably as your No. 1 Priority)

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Australian Autism Advocate Nominated for Local Hero Award

The Wynnum Herald reports that Dr. James Morton, a clinical haematologist at South Brisbane’s Mater Hospital, has been nominated for a Local Hero Award for his work as an autism advocate. Dr. Morton helped create a leading treatment program in Australia for autistic children, the Autism Early Intervention Outcomes Unit (AEIOU) after his autistic son's early intervention program closed a year after his autism diagnosis at age 2.

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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