Time To Take Autism Seriously - Utah Man With Severe Autism Found

Even the cases of two young men with severe autism implicated in homicides, one involving his mother, are not enough to shake some "joy of autism" Neurodiversity followers from misrepresenting the realities of autism. Even some well intentioned, polite people just don't get it. They just refuse to see the harsher realities faced by some autistic persons.

In Utah another event highlighting the serious realities facing some with autism and their families has developed since Sunday evening when severely autistic 20 year old Justin Bailey went missing. It is now being reported on ParkRecord.com that Mr. Bailey has been found and appears to be OK.

Autistic children and adults go missing with some frequency. My own severely autistic son went missing while I was occupied on a business phone call several years ago. He crossed a busy commercial street near our home before a Good Samaritan stopped his vehicle and took him to an adjacent convenience store where the police were contacted and where I was able to retrieve him after calling 911.

Last year we were all relieved to learn that an autistic man, Keith Kennedy, was found alive in the woods and was OK almost a week after he wandered away from the camp at which he was staying in Wisconsin. It does not always end as well as it did for Keith Kennedy and Conor Doherty and as it apparently has for Justin Bailey.

Wandering, and the dangers of every day life that some severely autistic persons do not understand, are very real challenges that should not be ignored in an effort to present a "posautive" view of medical disorders, of autism disorders. We must continue to provide ABA to help autistic children develop to their fullest potential. We must seek even more effective treatments ..... and cures ..... for autism disorders.

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Autism Murder Charges - Time To Pull Our Heads Out Of The Sand

In recent days and weeks two severely autistic young men have been implicated in homicides. In one case, a young man with autism has been implicated in the death of his mother who publicly professed her deep love for her son and the joy that he brought to her. In each case the legal process will unfold and determinations will probably have to be made about the competency of the young men charged. The evidence and facts will determine each case, not the opinions of internet bloggers and media editorialists.

In a general sense though both cases, regardless of the outcomes of the legal processes, point to the need to discuss autism honestly, to describe realistically the challenges faced by persons with autism disorders and family members and others who care for them. As the father of a boy with Autistic Disorder, assessed with profound developmental delay I have seen our beloved son injure himself with biting, and expose himself to greater risks by putting his hand through glass windows and wandering off onto busy streets oblivious to the dangers of automobile traffic. I have also watched with dismay the persistent attempts by some persons with high functioning autism and Aspergers Disorder, and some misguided parents of autistic children, to whitewash the unpleasant realities faced by some persons with autism disorders, their family members and caregivers.

The end result, whether it be court proceedings, where I have occasionally appeared on behalf of some persons with Aspergers Disorder, or lives spent in institutions, two of which I have visited here in New Brunswick, Canada, is not always pretty. We do no favors, no favors at all, to the autistic persons in our lives, if we ignore the negative realities faced by some with autism challenges because other persons with higher functioning autism or Aspergers will feel offended.

Jim Sinclair, Amanda Baggs, Ari Ne'eman, Michelle Dawson, Jypsy, Estee Klar, Kristina Chew, Dora Raymaker and other Neurodiversity ideologues take offense whenever someone discusses negative autism realities. They sign petitions, launch media petitions and attempt to suppress any negative imagery or description of the more severe autism challenges. Such suppression will only prevent the development of possible cures and treatments, or prevent the application of existing well substantiated interventions like ABA. In fact Neurodiversity ideologues openly oppose existing, effective ABA and the search for future cures and treatments. Searches for causes and cures of autism are opposed relentlessly and those seeking cures for their own autistic children are villified by Neurodiversity ideologues. Even the reference to autism disorders as medical disorders is verboten.

Neurodiversity ideologues are unlikely to change. Their views are entrenched and tied to their own public careers as professional "autistics" or "enlightened" autism parents. The truth is that they discourage society from addressing the harsher realities of autism by effective therapy, treatment or cure. They help keep members of the public from understanding the full nature of autism, particularly as it affects the most severely autistic. Theirs is a movement whose aim is to keep everyone from facing autism reality. Theirs is a movement which wants society to keep our heads in the sand and ignore autism reality.

The murder charges against two young autistic men who may have had little control over their actions, who may have had no intent as the law, and society generally, understands that term should be a call that we all hear - a call to pull our heads out of the sand.

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Dr Wakefield's Formal Complaint Against Journalist Brian Deer

Some bloggers and mainstream media took as gospel, as decided fact, the allegations made against Dr. Andrew Wakefield by journalist Brian Deer in the Sunday Times (UK) last month. The article ran the week prior to the Vaccine Court's omnibus ruling in three cases involving allegations that vaccines caused autism and only 24 hours after Dr Wakefield claims he was informed of the story allegations. As reported by David Kirby at the Huffington Post, Dr. Wakefield has now filed a formal complaint against Mr Deer with the UK Press C0mplaints Commission. It should be must reading especially for those who accepted as decided facts the allegations made in the article.

Dr. Wakefield deals with the allegations in very specific, documented detail. As a lawyer who is regularly concerned with issues of fairness, proper notice and due process I am disgusted that a story such as Mr Deer's would run only 24 hours after giving notice to the person against whom the allegations are made. To make it worse the allegations were made against a person involved in a proceeding involving the same matters, a proceeding in which the journalist who wrote the article has been a key participant.

Some bloggers and mainstream journalists who accused Dr. Wakefield of data manipulation based on Mr. Deer's article may want to read Dr. Wakefield's complaint against Mr. Deer. They might also want to consider extending an apology to Dr. Wakefield.

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Does Vaccine Patent Holder Paul Offit Even Know What Autism Is?

Does vaccine patent holder Dr. Paul Offit even know what autism is?

Dr. Offit has been on a never ending crusade against parents of autistic children concerned about vaccine impacts on children, and professionals who share their concerns. The extent of his autism expertise has never been entirely clear though. Dr. Jon Poling questioned Dr. Offit's autism expertise in his Atlanta Journal Constitution guest editorial, Blinders won't reduce Autism, March 13, 2009. Wikipedia has a glowing summary of the heroic vaccine patent holder's career as a pediatrician specializing in infectious diseases, an internationally known expert on vaccines, immunology, and virology. The article makes no mention of any autism expertise or actual involvement by Dr Offit with autism disorders.

Unlike Dr. Offit I am not an internationally known expert on vaccines or any other medical topic. I have never visited a hospital and seen the effects of polio on children as Dr Offit has. I am just the humble father of a severely autistic 13 year old boy who has first hand knowledge of the realities of severe autism and the impact it can have on a child's life and prospects. I have been actively involved with local autism organizations and issues. And I have visited mental health facilities and witnessed first hand the realities of life for severely autistic persons living their adult lives in institutional care.

I was surprised to read in At risk: vaccines How a legal case could cripple one of modern medicine's greatest achievements, a 2007 Boston Globe guest editorial by vaccine patent holder Paul Offit, the following comment:

"although large quantities of mercury are clearly toxic to the brain, autism isn't a consequence of mercury poisoning; large, single-source mercury exposures in Minamata Bay and Iraq have caused seizures, mental retardation, and speech delay, but not autism"

Dr. Offit does not indicate what levels of mercury are NOT toxic to the brain but the startling aspect of Dr. Offit's comment is that he recognizes that mercury can cause seizures, mental retardation and speech delay but then declares that mercury can NOT cause autism?

Although not part of the express definition of autism both seizures and mental retardation
(cognitive deficits, intellectual deficits or whatever the euphemism treadmill is churning out these days to describe mental retardation), are often associated with Autistic Disorder.

Speech delay is in fact one of the definitional criteria for Autistic Disorder in the DSM:

qualitative impairments in communication as manifested by at least one of the following:

1. delay in, or total lack of, the development of spoken language (not accompanied by an attempt to compensate through alternative modes of communication such as gesture or mime)
2. in individuals with adequate speech, marked impairment in the ability to initiate or sustain a conversation with others
3. stereotyped and repetitive use of language or idiosyncratic language
4. lack of varied, spontaneous make-believe play or social imitative play appropriate to developmental level

As the parent of a 13 year old with Autistic Disorder, a child who is severely autistic, I would assume that a child with mental retardation, seizures and speech delay is probably autistic and would seek a professional diagnosis. I find it startling that Dr. Offit would mention these conditions as resulting from mercury exposure and not see any possible autism connection. He was either being disingenuous in not recognizing that these factors strongly suggest autism or he just does not know what autism is.

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Oregon Teen With Severe Autism Charged With Murder

OregonLive.com reports that an 18 year old man in Oregon described as severely autistic and non verbal will be charged with murder in the death of a woman who lived with his father. The district attorney processing the charge has indicated that there will likely be issues concerning the young man's competency to stand trial.

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Vaccine-Autism War: CBC Dirties Itself, Advocates Censorship of Vaccine and Autism Discussions

There was a day when I looked to the CBC as the shining example of what modern journalism should entail. That day is gone, long gone. Now the CBC has dirtied itself with an incompetent, one sided presentation of the vaccine autism debate and an express call for censorship of public health debates, specifically the vaccine-autism debate.

Autism, the raison d' être for this blog site, was once covered very well by the CBC as witnessed by David Suzuki's outstanding 1996 Nature of Things feature on autism, The Child Who Couldn't Play:

1996

The Child Who Couldn't Play (Autism) - a program that closely investigated autism and explored some avenues for treatment for young children with this condition. The program generated a substantial amount of interest from viewers - especially from parents of autistic children, eager for more information and relieved that the subject of autism was entering the public forum.

Now it offers repeated promotion of the "autism is beautiful ideology" in appearances by Dr. Laurent Mottron and Michelle Dawson and other persons with very high functioning autism and Aspergers on Quirks and Quarks and Positively Autistic. I have yet to see a recent CBC feature on the severely autistic children like my son, or those who injure themselves or reside in institutional care.

The CBC has sunk to an all time journalism low though with its express , and one sided advocacy, of censorship of the vaccine autism debates in Linking vaccines, autism tantamount to crying 'fire' where there isn't one, an article written by Stephen Strauss, whose"bio" somewhat oddly claims that "he still remains smitten by the enduring wisdom of the motto of Austrian writer Karl Kraus. Say what is." In "linking vaccines" Mr Strauss most definitely did NOT "say what is". Quite the contrary:

"In the interest of public health, and medical truth, and the emotional well-being of autism sufferers everywhere, the legal system should declare that promoting the vaccine/autism hypothesis is the modern equivalent of falsely crying "fire" in a crowded theatre."

Mr. Strauss argues that alleging a vaccine autism link is analogous to yelling fire in a crowded theater, an image often used to demonstrate one of the limits to free speech, uttering knowingly false statements which are reasonably foreseeable to result in harm to others. Mr. Strauss's example is misguided. The vaccine autism debate does not involve knowingly false statements. Far from it the issues involved are more complex and very much debatable.

Some very credible scientists and health authorities have indicated that the question of vaccines as possible causes or contributors to autism is an open question. Dr. Bernadine Healy, the former NIH and American Red Cross head, has twice stated that the question remains open, that the epidemiological studies relied on in support of vaccine safety are not particular enough to determine the impact of vaccines on more vulnerable population subsets. She has called for more studies to be done.

Dr. Julie Gerberding recent CDC director has also stated in connection with the vaccine autism debate that more studies COULD and SHOULD be done on the issue. A person of such high authority and credibility does not call for more studies to be done just for the hell of it. Dr. Gerberding has, amongst other things, pointed out that studies should look at autism rates in unvaccinated populations.

Perhaps Mr Strauss and the CBC are also unaware of the information found by CBS which, unlike the CBC and Mr. Strauss, actually examined some of the evidence on the "other" side of the vaccine debate and included in its reporting an interview with Dr. Healy in which she stated clearly her views that the vaccine autism connection is still an open question. CBS has also investigated and found more than a 1000 cases that have been settled before going to a decision. When cases are settled in favor of the plaintiff they accomplish the defendant government's goal of limiting their availability for use as legal precedents - or in public discussion of the issues involved.

As recently as last month an award was made to a child, Baily Banks, based on a 2007 vaccine court decision in which the court ruled in favor of the plaintiff's claim that the MMR vaccine caused brain injury resulting in autism in the plaintiff child. If Mr Strauss, or his "research assistants", if he has any, happen across this humble blog, the link to the Banks decision can be found at 2007 Banks v HHS.

The CBC and Mr. Strauss might also consider reading The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research - January 26, 2009. In that document the IACC states, somewhat curiously if the issue of a vaccine autism connection has in fact been conclusively decided, that:

To address public concerns regarding a possible vaccine/ASD link, it will be important over the next year for the IACC to engage the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) in mutually informative dialogues. The NVAC is a Federal advisory committee chartered to advise and make recommendations regarding the National Vaccine Program. Communication between the IACC and NVAC will permit each group to be informed by the expertise of the other, enhance coordination and foster more effective use of research resources on topics of mutual interest. Examples of such topics include: studies of the possible role of vaccines, vaccine components, and multiple vaccine administration in ASD causation and severity through a variety of approaches; and assessing the feasibility and design of an epidemiological study to determine whether health outcomes, including ASD, differ among populations with vaccinated, unvaccinated, and alternatively vaccinated groups.

One further suggestion to inform the next rant by Mr Strauss or the CBC on possible vaccine autism connections. They should review the public information available on the Poling case ,one of the settlements which found that vaccines aggravated a girl's mitochondrial disorder resulting in "autism like symptoms", one of the weasel expressions used in place of "autism" in settlements. In addition Mr. Strauss should read the editorial by Dr. Jon Poling, the child's father, in yesterday's Atlanta Journal Constitution:

Fortunately, the ‘better diagnosis’ myth has been soundly debunked. In the 2009 issue of Epidemiology, two authors analyzed 1990 through 2006 California Department of Developmental Services and U.S. Census data documenting an astronomical 700 to 800 percent rise in the disorder.

These scientists concluded that 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.

Before Mr. Strauss and CBC dismiss Dr. Poling contemptuously as another hysterical, misguided parent, they should be informed that he is also a neurologist and an assistant professor at the Medical College of Georgia. And the CBC's omniscient smearers of concerned parents should also remember that the government backed down in the case of Dr. Poling's daughter and settled.

In the interest of public health, and medical truth, and the emotional well-being of parents fighting to help their autistic children, and in the further interest of their own journalistic credibility, the CBC should withdraw the call for censorship made on its site and cease publishing such incendiary columns by ill informed, lightweight dilettantes like Mr Stephen Strauss.

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The Lights Are Dim On Autism Street Today

Yep, Hannah Poling’s case was conceded, but contrary to popular internet re-interpretations which claim a court “decision” about autism causation, the case was apparently never actually heard by the court - and no court ruling about whether or not Hannah’s autistic features were caused by vaccination was ever made.

D'oC, Autism Street, March 13, 2009, http://www.autismstreet.org/weblog/?p=325

D'oC must have been in a rush to attack today's editorial by Dr. Jon Poling. In the above statement D'oC actually feels compelled to announce to the world that no court ruling was ever made about whether or not Hannah's autistic "features", code for Hannah's autism, were caused by vaccination.

DUH.

The case was conceded D'oC, of course there was no court ruling.

That is what the government has done in vaccine court when a knowledgeable, well prepared litigant appears. It concedes BEFORE a court can rule and set a precedent against vaccines.

Maybe D'oC didn't have his morning java before scurrying to attack Dr. Poling's editorial.

ROFLMAO

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Vaccine-Autism War: Dr. Jon Poling Demolishes Credibility of Vaccine Patent Holder Dr. Paul Offit's Vaccine Safety Claims

"Fortunately, the ‘better diagnosis’ myth has been soundly debunked. In the 2009 issue of Epidemiology, two authors analyzed 1990 through 2006 California Department of Developmental Services and U.S. Census data documenting an astronomical 700 to 800 percent rise in the disorder.

These scientists concluded that 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."

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

Every cause needs its champions.

One such champion for the cause of parents seeking answers about their children's autism disorders and the growing autism epidemic is Dr. Jon Poling a neurologist and assistant professor at the Medical College of Georgia whose daughter, Hannah Poling, has been a successful petitioner in the US National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. That case in itself stands in defiance of the vaccine propaganda campaign, led by vaccine patent holder Dr. Paul Offit, which has decreed falsely that science has decided conclusively that vaccines are safe, play no role in autism and that parents who observed autistic onset in their children after vaccinations are hysterical and deluded.

Now on Friday March 13, 2009 Dr. Jon Poling has stood up and delivered a serious blow to the credibility of vaccine patent holder Dr. Offit and others who have gone to war against concerned parents with autistic children. In a guest editorial column in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Blinders won’t reduce autism, Dr. Poling calls into question Dr. Offit's autism expertise, or lack thereof, his lack of scientific objectivity and his smear campaign against parents of autistic children who have witnessed their children develop autism after vaccinations.

Blinders won't reduce autism should be must reading for anyone involved with, or interested in, the vaccine-autism war. It should actually be ordered as mandatory reading by editors at such media outlets as the New York Times, Globe and Mail and the CBC which have decreed an ened to further inquiry on the vaccine-autism connection or promoted mindlessly the pro-vaccine campaign of vaccine patent holder Dr. Paul Offit.

With strong voices like Dr. Jon Poling, Dr. Bernadine Healy, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and David Kirby the truth might yet be known about the environmental causes of autism, including any possible vaccine factors that might be involved in triggering autism in some children. They will have to continue the fight for knowledge against those, like vaccine patent holder Paul Offit, and journalist Andre Picard, who scream imperiously that further inquiry must cease. Let us hope they prevail.

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Are Low Functioning Autism Subjects Excluded From Autism Research?

How often do you see studies or reports about low functioning autism? It appears that research about "autism" is skewed towards research of high functioning autism and Aspergers as in the above notice requesting research participants for an Ontario autism study. If research is focused exclusively, or almost exclusively, on participants with high functioning autism or Aspergers how much do we really know about Autistic Disorder which, by definition, includes those with low functioning autism?

I entered the words "functioning autism" into the Google Scholar search bar. The first 3 pages, the first 30 entries, all referred to high functioning autism. 2 out of the 30 results referred to low functioning autism in connection with high functioning autism. None of the results referred solely to low functioning autism. Entry of the term high functioning autism in the Google Scholar search bar produced 56,800 results. Entry of the words low functioning autism produced 44,900 results.

I am not suggesting that such searches are probative, scientific or thorough. But they leave me with an impression that autism research tends to be skewed toward high functioning Autism (and Aspergers) and tends to exclude low functioning autistic subjects. If anyone knows of any surveys of the professional literature that have been done which might confirm or refute this impression I would be interested in reading them.

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Conor and Lindt Team Up with Autism Speaks

In these photos Conor, 13, with Autistic Disorder, a proud supporter of Autism Speaks, and proudly NOT represented by ASAN, expresses his own opinion about the Lindt company's Gold Bunny Giveback Program effort to support Autism Speaks in its autism awareness, advocacy and research efforts.

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Conor's Hour In Hell - Autism Reality At The Hospital

Much of the media coverage of autism disorders focuses on "autism is beautiful" ideology promoted by some, not all, persons at the high functioning end of the autism spectrum, those with high functioning autism and Aspergers. The alleged Autism Self Advocacy Network led by a very intelligent high functioning young man with Aspergers, who was only diagnosed with that disorder as an adult, has no problem promoting its views on the Canadian public broadcaster CBC and other major media outlets. Rarely are the realities of autism disorders for the severely autistic brought to public attention.

When the day comes that a CBC reporter leaves his or her cushy office confines and travels to a mental health care institution to observe the realities of severely autistic people living their lives in institutional care I will be very, very impressed. But I am not holding my breath waiting. And I am not sure they even know that the severely autistic exist in such circumstances to begin with. It is much easier and appealing for the journalism autism dilettantes to promote the "positively autistic" agenda and ignore brutal autism realities.

Parents of severely autistic children do not share with reporters at CBC, the New Yorker magazine, and other such media the luxury of autism ignorance. For us autism reality is part of daily life as it was yesterday when we visited the hospital with Conor for a pre-operative appointment. The appointment was to ask questions about Conor's health and have a doctor examine him prior to dental surgery later this month. The actual time with the examining doctor was very brief but after checking in at the appointed time, 8 am, we had to wait another hour before the doctor could see Conor. That hour was no pleasant for Conor, for us, or for those who were also waiting.

During the hour long wait Conor grew increasingly frustrated and agitated. His routine was disrupted. Ordinarily he would be heading to school which he loves. The hour wait was difficult for him and he grew very agitated, screaming, biting his hand several times and at times pulling my hair and pinching my face.

I am not complaining about the hospital staff or arrangements. People at the hospital did the best they could. The doctor had been delayed by a meeting that went on longer than expected. When he arrived he did the examination as quickly as possible knowing that Conor was upset. The staff were very helpful and sympathetic. A nurse went and obtained a popsicle for Conor which helped.

Nor am I complaining about Conor's behavior. In the past he has enjoyed "hospital adventures". Yesterday he did not. Yesterday, for one hour, Conor lived in hell. His behavior did not arise from "being bad" or "misbehaving". It arose because he has a serious disorder, Autistic Disorder, with limited ability to deal with circumstances beyond his control. Yesterday, for one hour, his Autistic Disorder hurt him.

That was autism reality yesterday for Conor. I love him dearly. Conor brings me tremendous joy every single day. I refuse to bend to the "autism is beautiful" propaganda spewed by a self centered group of people with little knowledge of the realities faced by my severely autistic son and who share no common reality with him; yet pretend, falsely, to speak on his behalf.

And I despise the lazy, incompetent journalism that promotes the agenda of the fortunate and ignores the reality of the unfortunate ... the severely autistic like my beloved son, Conor.

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Real Autism Advocacy: Lindt and Autism Speaks Team Up to Raise Autism Awareness And Funds For Autism

In the interests of full disclosure concerning the attached news release I have to admit that I have enjoyed my fair share of Lindt chocolate products especially the Excellence 99% cacao that Lindt offers. And I am supportive of Autism Speaks - one of the few autism advocacy organizations practicing reality based autism acceptance and raising funds for research to identify causes and possible treatments for autism.

Lindt & Sprungli Partners with Autism Speaks to Raise Awareness and Funds for Autism This Easter

Americans Encouraged to Build A Better Easter Basket Through Lindt Gold Bunny Giveback Program

STRATHAM, N.H., Feb. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Lindt & Sprungli, the world's leading producer of premium chocolate, and Autism Speaks, the nation's largest autism research and advocacy organization, today announced a partnership. The partnership will raise awareness and funds for autism, leading up to Easter and during the month of April, which is Autism Awareness Month. Lindt will support the non-profit through a donation given for each Lindt Gold Bunny purchased, and through participation at select Autism Speaks' Walk Now for Autism events. In addition, Lindt will honor individuals that have contributed to the autism cause, through a recognition program.

"Lindt USA is very excited to support Autism Speaks," said Thomas Linemayr, chief executive officer and president, Lindt USA. "This Easter, the Lindt Gold Bunny will not only help build nicer, premium Easter baskets but it will also bring hope and help to the millions of families impacted by autism across the country."

For every Lindt Gold Bunny sold from March 12th through April 12th Lindt will donate 10 cents to Autism Speaks up to a $100,000 donation. To further symbolize and support the partnership, Lindt has designed plush Lindt Gold Bunny Ears. The ears will be provided at select Walk Now for Autism events and can be purchased at Lindt Chocolate Shops and online at www.LindtGoldBunny.com.

"One in every 150 children is diagnosed with autism, making it the fastest growing serious developmental disability in the United States," said Mark Roithmayr, President of Autism Speaks. "We're thrilled to partner with Lindt to further support the families affected by this disorder."

For more information about the partnership, to purchase seasonal products or to send an Easter themed e-card to friends and family, please visit www.LindtGoldBunny.com. For more information about autism, Autism Speaks and the Walk Now for Autism events, please visit www.AutismSpeaks.org.

Founded in 1845, Lindt & Sprungli is a global leader in the premium chocolate category, offering high-quality products in more than 80 countries. Lindt & Sprungli operates eight production facilities in Europe and the United States and employs 6,300 worldwide. Lindt USA operates more than 100 retail stores throughout the country and maintains wide distribution through extensive retail and wholesale channels. For more information on Lindt, visit www.lindtusa.com.

About Autism Speaks

Autism Speaks is dedicated to increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders, to funding research into the causes, prevention and treatments for autism, and to advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families. It was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright, the grandparents of a child with autism. Bob Wright is Senior Advisor at Lee Equity Partners and served as vice chairman, General Electric, and chief executive officer of NBC and NBC Universal for more than twenty years. Autism Speaks merged with both the National Alliance for Autism Research (NAAR) and Cure Autism Now (CAN), bringing together the nation's three leading autism advocacy organizations. To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit www.autismspeaks.org

Website: http://www.lindtusa.com//


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Conor and Mom Show Off Their New Haircuts

Conor and Mom both got new haircuts yesterday and showed them off today for the camera.


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NARA - Neurodiversity's Autism Research Agenda

I am impressed by The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research - January 26, 2009. It is balanced and comprehensive with a clear focus on actually helping autistic persons and their families. There are of course competing perspectives on any important topic. Following is what I assume, based on past readings, the Neurodiversity movement might offer for an autism spectrum disorders research agenda:

1. Conduct research to demonstrate that high functioning autistic persons, and persons with Asperger's, have a different, in many cases superior, intelligence.

2. Conduct research to demonstrate that the cognitive deficits which afflict some persons with autistic disorder are unrelated to their autistic conditions. The mental retartdation and cognitive deficits shown by some with autistic disorders should not be associated with autism disorders but described as separate disorders.

3. Conduct research to prove that all of history's scientific, artistic, literary and philosophical geniuses were in fact autistic.

4. Conduct no research of possible environmental causes or triggers of autism. Autism is just a natural variation. It is a waste of time to conduct research of possible environmental causes of autism.

5. Conduct no research of the genetic bases of autism. If genetic markers of autism are found "autistics" could be the target of a genocidal eugenics campaign by evil Neurotypicals.

6. Conduct no research of possible treatments or cures of autism disorders. After all autism disorders are not really medical disorders at all. It is abuse, and a violation of their human rights, to treat or cure persons with autism spectrum disorders.

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Michelle Dawson's False Claims Allegations? Where's the Evidence?

Jonathan Mitchell of Autism's Gadfly has run afoul, like so many others have, of Michelle Dawson.

On the discussion board Misbehaviour of Behaviourists Ms Dawson has accused Jonathan of making false statements about her. Apparently Jonathan made a statement about Ms Dawson's communications with the IACC, the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee that might not have been correct; or at least not literally correct. Ms Dawson takes Jonathan to task over the issue at the Misbehaviour of Behaviourists. Then, out of left field, Ms Dawson also accuses me of making false claims about her as well:

Michelle Dawson	8995
03-06-2009 08:31 PM ET (US)

Edited by author 03-06-2009 08:32 PM

Still in the "pants-on-fire" dept., for what Mr Mitchell wrote on his blog, see /m8990. What Mr Mitchell has claimed on his blog is false. He made it up.

If Mr Mitchell did not make anything up, as he claims, then I'm sure he can provide sources to support his claim that I was "writing letters trying to influence the direction of NIMH autism research" and so was Mike S.

I suggest that as with Mr Doherty, no one should believe Mr Mitchell when he makes any claims about people he disagrees with, unless Mr Mitchell can provide sources (in this case, links to all the "letters" Mike S and I have written to the NIMH) to support his views.

Some day when I have a lot of spare time, I'll try to find and list all the false claims, misrepresentations, etc., made about me and my colleagues by Mr Mitchell and Mr Doherty.

As you can see Ms Dawson did not provide any specifics, particulars, examples, information or evidence of any kind whatsoever to substantiate her out of left field allegations against me. She just decreed that I have made false claims and informed her loyal subjects that some day, when she had the time, she would bother herself with substantiating her allegations. That my friends is the work of Michelle Dawson, autism researcher and anti-ABA activist.

To my knowledge the statements that I have consistently made about Ms Dawson are that:

1) She is an anti-ABA activist ( see the title of her forum (the Misbehaviour of Behaviourists), her appearances before the Supreme Court of Canada and the Canadian Senate in opposition to ABA for Canada's autistic children and her numerous media comments opposing ABA.)

2) That her anti-ABA views are inconsistent with the views of numerous credible authorities in the United States, like the US Surgeon General, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the MADSEC (Maine) Autism Task Force, the NY State Department of Health, and the Association for Science in Autism Treatment to name the most prominent.

I stand by these statements which are factually correct. And I caution anyone against putting too much weight on any of Michelle Dawson's allegations and statements that she has made against anyone, professional, reporter, parent or autistic person who dares to disagree with her views.

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A Canadian Autism Dad Says Thank You To The IACC

My friend Jonathan Mitchell, author of the Autism's Gadfly, blog, challenges the right of non-Americans to make demands of the IACC which has released The Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee Strategic Plan for Autism Spectrum Disorder Research - January 26, 2009.

I agree with Jonathan that Canadians, British and other non-Americans have no right to demand anything from American tax payer funded institutions. The IACC plan, after all, is distributing American tax dollars. At the same time we enjoy freedom of speech in our countries as well and the world wide web makes all of our opinions available for consumption. American agencies such as the IACC may choose to review our opinions , or not , as they determine appropriate. But we have the right in our countries to express our opinions, albeit we should all do so with proper respect for , and in the context of, jurisdictional issues such as those raised by Jonathan.

American health and research authorities have generally, in my opinion, made valuable contributions to the lives of autistic children and adults in Canada. I am pleased that the IACC has adopted a strategic plan which makes this positive influence likely to continue. In my humble opinion the plan might even enhance the positive role of American researchers and public health authorities in the lives of autistic children and adults in Canada and other countries. The world's knowledge of autism itself, of its causes and possible treatments and cures, will likely be substantially increased with the realization of this strategic plan.

The plan covers a lot of ground, it is balanced and comprehensive in its scope. It is respectful of diverse perspectives and suggests an accommodation of those perspectives in effective autism research initiatives. On an initial reading of the IACC plan there are a number of points that jump out at me. There is too much to canvass in this post. Everyone should read the plan themselves and review it.

I will make several comments about the various elements of the plan in subsequent posts but first and foremost I am impressed by the focus on attempting to find causes and cures for autism disorders, to help improve the lives of autistic persons and their families.

Overall I am very pleased with the research emphasis on possible environmental factors in causing or triggering autism disorders:

What do we need?

Although most scientists believe that risk factors for ASD are both genetic and environmental, there is considerable debate about whether potential environmental causes, genetic precursors, or interactions between genes and environmental factors should be the highest priority for research aimed at identifying the causes of ASD. To date, few studies have ruled in or ruled out specific environmental factors. While there are reports of associations of ASD with exposure to medications or toxicants prenatally, and to infections after birth, it is still not known whether any specific factor is necessary or sufficient to cause ASD. Similar to other disease areas, advancing research on the potential role of environmental factors requires resources and the attraction of scientific expertise. Bringing this to bear on autism will help focus the environmental factors to study, as well as the best approach for staging studies to examine environmental factors, interaction between factors, and between individual susceptibility and various environmental factors.

For example, some researchers believe that it is important to study a large number of exposures, or classes of exposure, that are known to affect brain development. Others support more tightly focused studies of one exposure or a limited number of exposures, with greatest biologic plausibility for interacting with known or suspected biologic or genetic ASD risk factors. In addition, it is also important to design studies that assess environmental exposure during the most relevant exposure windows: pregnancy and early development. In doing this research, it will be important for the field to develop sound standards for identifying and claiming that environmental factors contribute to ASD, as it would be for genetics.

To address public concerns regarding a possible vaccine/ASD link, it will be important over the next year for the IACC to engage the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) in mutually informative dialogues. The NVAC is a Federal advisory committee chartered to advise and make recommendations regarding the National Vaccine Program. Communication between the IACC and NVAC will permit each group to be informed by the expertise of the other, enhance coordination and foster more effective use of research resources on topics of mutual interest. Examples of such topics include: studies of the possible role of vaccines, vaccine components, and multiple vaccine administration in ASD causation and severity through a variety of approaches; and assessing the feasibility and design of an epidemiological study to determine whether health outcomes, including ASD, differ among populations with vaccinated, unvaccinated, and alternatively vaccinated groups.


Aspirational Goal: Causes of ASD will be Discovered that Inform Prognosis and Treatments and Lead to Prevention/Preemption of the Challenges and Disabilities Of ASD

Research Opportunities

* Genomic variations in ASD and the symptom profiles associated with these variations.

* Environmental influences in ASD and the symptom profiles associated with these influences.

* Family studies of the broader autism phenotype that can inform and define the heritability of ASD.

* Studies in simplex families that inform and define de novo gene differences and the role of the environment in inducing these differences.

* Standardized methods for collecting and storing biospecimen resources from well-characterized people with ASD as well as a comparison group for use in biologic, environmental and genetic studies of ASD.

* Case-control studies of unique subpopulations of people with ASD that identify novel risk factors.

* Monitor the scientific literature regarding possible associations of vaccines and other environmental factors (e.g., ultrasound, pesticides, pollutants) with ASD to identify emerging opportunities for research and indicated studies.

* Environmental and biological risk factors during pre- and early post-natal development in "at risk" samples.

* Cross-disciplinary collaborative efforts to identify and analyze biological mechanisms that underlie the interplay of genetic and environmental factors relevant to the risk and development of ASD, including co-occurring conditions.

* Convene ASD researchers on a regular basis to develop strategies and approaches for understanding gene - environment interactions.

* Exposure assessment -- efficient and accurate measures of key exposures for use in population and clinic based studies and standards for sample collection, storage, and analysis of biological materials.

Short-Term Objectives

* Initiate studies on at least five environmental factors identified in the recommendations from the 2007 IOM report "Autism and the Environment: Challenges and Opportunities for Research" as potential causes of ASD by 2010. IACC Recommended Budget: $23,600,000 over 2 years.

* Coordinate and implement the inclusion of approximately 20,000 subjects for genome-wide association studies, as well as a sample of 1,200 for sequencing studies to examine more than 50 candidate genes by 2011. IACC Recommended Budget: $43,700,000 over 4 years.

* Within the highest priority categories of exposures for ASD, identify and standardize at least three measures for identifying markers of environmental exposure in biospecimens by 2011. IACC Recommended Budget: $3,500,000 over 3 years.

* Initiate efforts to expand existing large case-control and other studies to enhance capabilities for targeted gene - environment research by 2011. IACC Recommended Budget: $27,800,000 over 5 years.

* Enhance existing case-control studies to enroll broad ethnically diverse populations affected by ASD by 2011. IACC Recommended Budget: $3,300,000 over 5 years.

Long-Term Objectives

* Determine the effect of at least five environmental factors on the risk for subtypes of ASD in the pre- and early postnatal period of development by 2015. IACC Recommended Budget: $25,100,000 over 7 years.

* Conduct a multi-site study of the subsequent pregnancies of 1,000 women with a child with ASD to assess the impact of environmental factors in a period most relevant to the progression of ASD by 2014. IACC Recommended Budget: $11,100,000 over 5 years.

* Identify genetic risk factors in at least 50% of people with ASD by 2014. IACC Recommended Budget: $33,900,000 over 6 years.

* Support ancillary studies within one or more large-scale, population-based surveillance and epidemiological studies, including U.S. populations, to collect nested, case-control data on environmental factors during preconception, and during prenatal and early postnatal development, as well as genetic data, that could be pooled (as needed), to analyze targets for potential gene/environment interactions by 2015. IACC Recommended Budget: $44,400,000 over 5 years.

The environmental focus of the strategic plan includes possible vaccine-autism connections. As one who is undecided on the vaccine-autism connections I believe this is a positive step forward. Anyone wishing to explore this issue in should read David Kirby's essay on the Huffington Post US Health Officials Back Study Idea on Vaccinated vs. Unvaccinated Children - Will Media Take Note?. The IACC strategic plan expressly states that it will consult with the National Vaccine Advisory Committee whose recommendations are reviewed by Mr Kirby in his article.


Ten years after Teresa Binstock complained about the "it's gotta be genetic" model of officially funded autism research and the impairment of our knowledge of autism causes, and possible treatments that results from that model, it appears that the IACC is moving toward a balanced genetic-environmental paradigm of autism research. The genetic-environmental paradigm embraced fully by the IACC bodes well for our future understanding of, and ability to treat, autism disorders. The Autism Knowledge Revolution is poised to pick up steam.

For this balanced, comprehensive strategic plan this Canadian father of a 13 year old year old with autistic disorder makes no demands but says thank you to the IACC and our American friends.

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Conor Likes the Computer AND the Headphones

Conor loves the computer. He goes on the laptop and watches various videos, especially O Canada and he loves to listen to the sound on the headphones. I don't know if he learned how to use them at school but Conor picks up the earphones, plugs them in and uses them no problem. And he enjoys listening on them which did surprise me a bit since the sound can be louder and more complex heard through the headphones.

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Stimulus Money Mr Harper? Spend Some On Autism

Prime Minister Harper and Opposition Leader Ignatieff are rumbling over stimulus spending to recharge our economy.

Mr Harper wants a blank cheque from the opposition to spend without specifying what he would spend the money on. He threatens (again, yawn) to call an election if he does not get his way (of course Mr. Harper threatened to call an election for the past 2-3 years whenever the opposition disagreed with his spending plans but ran crying like a school yard bully to the Governor General to shut down Parliament when they stood up to him and called his bluff last December). Mr I quite reasonably asks for some specifics before agreeing to sign Mr Harper's blank cheque but appears to offer few specifics himself. Well here is a suggestion from AutismRealityNB.

Take a good chunk of that money and spend it on a conference of Canada's health ministers to draft a REAL national autism strategy to address Canada's autism crisis. Canadian children and adults with autism face a patchwork quilt of available autism treatment and services across Canada. With 1 in 15o Canadians (using CDC estimates from the US instead of the politicized information available in Canada) being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders it is time that Mr Harper, his health minister of the day and his party's token autism dad Edmonton MP Mike Lake started addressing Canada's autism crisis. The minister's should focus on one objective - establishing a mechanism for transferring federal tax dollars to the provinces specifically to provide evidence based treatment for autism and to provide decent residential care for autistic adults.

Canadian autistic children and adults do not need the same small clique of "autism researchers" conducting the same studies that do nothing to help autistic children or adults. ( Guess: Will Dr. Laurent Mottron and Michelle Dawson publish yet another study proving how smart high functioning "autistics' really are in 2009?). Canadian autism researchers have done nothing to actually help autistic children and adults particularly those at the lower functioning end of the autism spectrum.

Put the money into services that will actually HELP autistic children and adults. Put the money into making ABA available to autistic children wherever their parents live in Canada because studies, and credible (in other words, American) agencies, have found that ABA intervention helps autistic children make serious gains in all domains. Put the money into badly needed services for autistic adults like decent, humane residential care facilities where people matter more than profit.

Stop the silly posturing and help autistic Canadians. Whether Mr Harper believes it or not autistic Canadians are, despite their autism, still Canadians.

Spend some stimulus money helping Canadians with autism disorders Mr. Harper.

That is my stimulus suggestion for our out of touch federal leadership.

An Open Autism Challenge To MP Mike Lake, Canada's Official Autism Dad

Mike Lake
Conservative Member of Parliament
Edmonton-Mill Woods-Beaumont

March 3, 2009

Mike Lake
Conservative Member of Parliament
Edmonton-Mill Woods-Beaumont

Dear Mr. Lake

I am the father of a 13 year old boy diagnosed with Autistic Disorder, assessed with profound developmental delays. I have in all candor been disappointed, very disappointed, with the positions you have taken in support of your party's refusal as Canada's governing party to take serious steps to address Canada's national autism crisis. I have read your statements in particular on treatment and funding of autism treatment for autism in Canada. I know that you do not need to be convinced of the benefits of ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) for the treatment of autism disorders. There have been several serious, credible reviews of the hundreds of studies which have examined the evidence basis in support of the effectiveness in treating autism. Apart from the ideological positions of a very small minority of professionals and autism advocates there has for some time been an overwhelming consensus endorsing ABA as an autism intervention. Yet you, as an autism father, and Member of Parliament, a member of the governing party in Canada, have taken no steps to ensure that funding mechanisms are put in place in conjunction with the federal and provincial governments to ensure provision of ABA for autistic children regardless of where their parents happen to live in Canada. I challenge you, as a fellow autism dad, one that has actually fought with some success to ensure the provision of autism services, to take steps while your party forms the government to ensure that all Canadian children with autism in need of ABA services are able to obtain them regardless of what province their parents live in.

As an autism advocate I have advocated with other parents for many years to obtain ABA interventions here in New Brunswick yet my name, although put forth, was twice rejected as a participant in the national autism symposium, along with many other serious parent autism advocates for ABA services for autistic children in Canada. You participated as a keynote speaker at that staged symposium. Although the symposium was obviously designed to cast doubt on the consensus of professional and parent support for ABA as an autism intervention the effort was undermined by the release just days prior to that event of the American Academy of Pediatrics Report, November 1, 2007, Management of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders which reviewed the professional literature and concluded much as the US Surgeon General, the New York State Department of Health, the MADSEC (Maine) Autism Task Force and the Association for Science in Autism Treatment that:

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

Your party has used you, as an autism father, to help quiet the voices of those who were seeking to amend the Canada Health Act to ensure that all autistic children would be able to receive ABA intervention in Canada. You faithfully quoted the party line that this could not be done for legal and constitutional reasons. Fine. Leave that argument aside.

You also voted on December 5, 2006, along with your party, in support of Andy Scott's private members' motion M-172, seconded by Peter Stoffer which called for the development of a National Autism Strategy on the following terms:

“(a) the development, in cooperation with provincial/territorial governments, of evidence based standards for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorder; (b) the development, in cooperation with provincial governments, of innovative funding methods for the care of those with autism spectrum disorder; (c) consulting with provincial/territorial governments and other stakeholders on the requirements of implementing a national surveillance program for autism spectrum disorder; and (d) the provision of additional federal funding for health research into autism spectrum disorder.”

Your name was clearly recorded on the yea side right between MP's Kramp and Lapierre:

YEAS -- POUR
...

Khan
Komarnicki
Kramp (Prince Edward—Hastings)
Lake
Lapierre
Lauzon

While some money has been spent on research, with unknown objectives, no steps have been taken in 2 1/2 years to to develop, in cooperation with provincial and territorial governments, innovative funding methods for the care of those with autism spectrum disorder. In other words no steps have been taken to actually help autistic children and adults now living in Canada. Perhaps in 30 years the additional research dollars offered to Canadian researchers might play some role in offering some help to autistic persons not yet born. But here and now, in Canada nothing has been done by your government to help living autistic Canadians.

I know that you, as a Conservative MP from an Edmonton, Alberta riding have little to worry about politically. You could spend your time advocating for the protection of Bigfoot and other mythological creatures and still win landslide re-election for years to come. But I challenge you as an autism father who has actually advocated with some success for autism services for my son and other autistic children in New Brunswick, as one autism dad to another, to actually do something on behalf of Canada's autistic children and adults. You are a member of the governing Conservative Party. You have allowed your status as an autism parent to be used to support your government's refusal to act to include autism treatment in the Canada Health Act.

I ask simply that you use your standing in the party on autism issues to ensure that Prime Minister Harper and Health Minister Aglukkaq call a meeting of provincial health ministers to discuss funding of autism treatment and services for autistic children and adults living in Canada. This much you have already promised. This much you can do.

I challenge you as one "autism dad" to another, as one that has gotten some things done here in New Brunswick, to use your position in the governing party to actually do something for autistic Canadian children and adults.

Respectfully,


Harold L Doherty
Fredericton NB

cc. Facing Autism in New Brunswick

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