Hello Autism Optimists,
Autism Optimism is now .ca!
I'm building a new website and blog here:
www.autismoptimism.ca
Join the Autism Optimism Facebook Group to share stories, pictures, links, books, poetry and your thoughts on the spectrum!
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Cheers,
Wanda
Autism Optimism is moving!
Vaccination Deliberation?
Parents are concerned about the safety of vaccinations and the autism community has an on-going debate whether there is a the link between vaccines and autism. Ultimately, it's a parents decision to have their children vaccinated or to abstain from the popular practice. As a parent to a young man with autism I choose to put my younger son on a delayed vaccination schedule - just in case. That was our decision as a family and I do not feel the need to side with either extreme points of view in the vaccination debating community. Dr. Joe Schwarcz, author of the bestselling books, An Apple a Day, Foods That Fight Cancer brings us Science, Sense and Nonsense: 61 nourishing, healthy, bunk-free commentaries on the chemistry that affects us all. Feel free to read the excerpt below and use the information as you see fit.
A Case for Vaccination
By Joe Schwarcz, PhD.
Excerpt from Science, Sense and Nonsense (09/08)
AVOID! One of the most common words of advice heard these days. Avoid tap water. Avoid bottled water. Avoid butter. Avoid margarine. Avoid the sun. Avoid sweeteners. Avoid genetically modified foods. Avoid plastic bags. Avoid paper bags. Avoid preservatives. Avoid dairy. Avoid meat. Avoid soy. Avoid— ah, never mind. I could go on and on with a litany of such “avoids.” There are some valid points to be made with some of these, but there is one avoid that I cannot stomach. Advising parents to avoid childhood vaccination is scientifically unjustified and dangerous.
Vaccination just may be the most significant medical advance in history. It is difficult to estimate the number of lives saved, but it is in the many millions, to say nothing of the countless number of people who have been spared the misery of mumps, measles, whooping cough and polio. I can vouch for the agony of whooping cough myself. Feeling as if you are going to cough your lungs out is a memory that doesn’t leave you easily. I survived, but one of my classmates in grade two did not. And how often can one say that a disease has been completely wiped off the face of the Earth by a medical intervention? The last case of smallpox was recorded in 1978. The World Health Organization estimates that smallpox killed as many as 500 million people in the twentieth century and that as recently as 1967 it was responsible for two million annual deaths.
Other vaccines may not have eradicated diseases, but they have curbed their incidence very significantly. Cases of whooping cough in North America have declined from a pre-vaccination peak rate of about 300,000 per year to 10,000. Measles from a million cases a year to a hundred. Diphtheria and polio are almost nonexistent today in developed countries. The incidence of hepatitis B and tetanus have been reduced by a factor of forty, rubella by two hundred and mumps by four hundred. The effectiveness of immunization is simply beyond argument. How can there be an issue here? How can some parents choose not to vaccinate their children?
It really is a conundrum. But the answer likely lies in a growing distrust of the “medical establishment,” a discredited but widely publicized scientific study, inaccurate information being spread on the Internet, and a lack of understanding of the difference between an association and a cause-and-effect relationship. Although we may not think of it in such terms, the decisions we make in life often come down to a risk-benefit analysis. Whether it is flying in airplanes, eating smoked meat, taking cholesterol lowering medication, or vaccination, there are always pluses and minuses to consider. There is no denying that immunization does come with some risk. Rashes, joint pain and fever are well documented, as are occasional lapses in the speed with which safety issues concerning vaccines have been addressed. Oral polio vaccines, which were more convenient to administer than the injected form, were responsible for actually causing the disease in rare cases. Yet some twenty years were allowed to pass before switching back to the safer, injectable form. An infant vaccine against an intestinal infection that struck roughly four million babies a year in North America was found to cause an increase in life-threatening cases of bowel collapse and had to be abandoned. Although there is no scientific evidence linking the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal to any disease, it probably should have been removed from vaccines more speedily when ill effects attributed to mercury in other contexts became apparent.
Vaccines, in a sense, are becoming victims of their own success. As memories fade of the horrors of the original diseases that they prevent, more attention is being focused on possible harmful side effects. Indeed, one can judge the progress of society by looking at its worries. Instead of having to be concerned about millions dying from smallpox or coming down with measles or whooping cough, we worry about the possibility of vaccination being linked with some cases of autism. That suggestion was raised in 1998 by a paper published in the British medical journal The Lancet. Andrew Wakefield and twelve colleagues claimed that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) caused a bowel disease that then caused autism.
The report received extensive publicity and triggered public demonstrations against mandatory vaccination. Most scientists were skeptical of the Wakefield study, and their skepticism was borne out by the results of an investigation published in 2002 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Danish researchers had examined immunization records and autism diagnoses for all children born between 1991 and 1998 and found that unvaccinated children were just as likely to be diagnosed with autism as those who had received immunizations. The Lancet study was further discredited when it was revealed that Wakefield had failed to disclose he had received a large grant from a group of lawyers who were looking for ammunition in a lawsuit against vaccine manufacturers. In the end, ten of Wakefield’s co-authors retracted their support for the original research, saying that in retrospect the results as reported were not valid.
Other studies around the world also refuted the link between vaccines and autism, but a vocal group of anti-vaccine advocates maintains that a witch hunt has been organized against Wakefield to protect vaccination interests. Humbug. The fact is that autism commonly shows up at roughly the same age that vaccines are given, and an association can readily be mistaken for a cause-and effect relationship. But even if there really were a link between autism and vaccination, the anti-vaccine movement would still not be justified. The benefits overwhelm the risks.
In Britain, the consequences of the vaccine scare are already being seen in rising rates of mumps, rubella and measles. And Britain faces another problem: homeopaths are recommending that tourists travelling to malaria-stricken destinations use homeopathic remedies instead of well-tested prescription prophylaxis. This is ludicrous. Homeopathic products contain no active ingredient of any kind, so it comes as no surprise that a number of travellers have already paid for their folly with their health. Many homeopaths also advise their patients to avoid vaccines in lieu of a cacophony of implausible homeopathic medications. If indeed you are looking for something to avoid, how about this silly and dangerous advice?
Excerpted from Science, Sense and Nonsense Copyright © 2009 by Dr. Joe Schwarcz.
Excerpted by permission of Doubleday Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved.
A Case for Vaccination
By Joe Schwarcz, PhD.
Excerpt from Science, Sense and Nonsense (09/08)
AVOID! One of the most common words of advice heard these days. Avoid tap water. Avoid bottled water. Avoid butter. Avoid margarine. Avoid the sun. Avoid sweeteners. Avoid genetically modified foods. Avoid plastic bags. Avoid paper bags. Avoid preservatives. Avoid dairy. Avoid meat. Avoid soy. Avoid— ah, never mind. I could go on and on with a litany of such “avoids.” There are some valid points to be made with some of these, but there is one avoid that I cannot stomach. Advising parents to avoid childhood vaccination is scientifically unjustified and dangerous.
Vaccination just may be the most significant medical advance in history. It is difficult to estimate the number of lives saved, but it is in the many millions, to say nothing of the countless number of people who have been spared the misery of mumps, measles, whooping cough and polio. I can vouch for the agony of whooping cough myself. Feeling as if you are going to cough your lungs out is a memory that doesn’t leave you easily. I survived, but one of my classmates in grade two did not. And how often can one say that a disease has been completely wiped off the face of the Earth by a medical intervention? The last case of smallpox was recorded in 1978. The World Health Organization estimates that smallpox killed as many as 500 million people in the twentieth century and that as recently as 1967 it was responsible for two million annual deaths.
Other vaccines may not have eradicated diseases, but they have curbed their incidence very significantly. Cases of whooping cough in North America have declined from a pre-vaccination peak rate of about 300,000 per year to 10,000. Measles from a million cases a year to a hundred. Diphtheria and polio are almost nonexistent today in developed countries. The incidence of hepatitis B and tetanus have been reduced by a factor of forty, rubella by two hundred and mumps by four hundred. The effectiveness of immunization is simply beyond argument. How can there be an issue here? How can some parents choose not to vaccinate their children?
It really is a conundrum. But the answer likely lies in a growing distrust of the “medical establishment,” a discredited but widely publicized scientific study, inaccurate information being spread on the Internet, and a lack of understanding of the difference between an association and a cause-and-effect relationship. Although we may not think of it in such terms, the decisions we make in life often come down to a risk-benefit analysis. Whether it is flying in airplanes, eating smoked meat, taking cholesterol lowering medication, or vaccination, there are always pluses and minuses to consider. There is no denying that immunization does come with some risk. Rashes, joint pain and fever are well documented, as are occasional lapses in the speed with which safety issues concerning vaccines have been addressed. Oral polio vaccines, which were more convenient to administer than the injected form, were responsible for actually causing the disease in rare cases. Yet some twenty years were allowed to pass before switching back to the safer, injectable form. An infant vaccine against an intestinal infection that struck roughly four million babies a year in North America was found to cause an increase in life-threatening cases of bowel collapse and had to be abandoned. Although there is no scientific evidence linking the mercury-containing preservative thimerosal to any disease, it probably should have been removed from vaccines more speedily when ill effects attributed to mercury in other contexts became apparent.
Vaccines, in a sense, are becoming victims of their own success. As memories fade of the horrors of the original diseases that they prevent, more attention is being focused on possible harmful side effects. Indeed, one can judge the progress of society by looking at its worries. Instead of having to be concerned about millions dying from smallpox or coming down with measles or whooping cough, we worry about the possibility of vaccination being linked with some cases of autism. That suggestion was raised in 1998 by a paper published in the British medical journal The Lancet. Andrew Wakefield and twelve colleagues claimed that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR) caused a bowel disease that then caused autism.
The report received extensive publicity and triggered public demonstrations against mandatory vaccination. Most scientists were skeptical of the Wakefield study, and their skepticism was borne out by the results of an investigation published in 2002 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Danish researchers had examined immunization records and autism diagnoses for all children born between 1991 and 1998 and found that unvaccinated children were just as likely to be diagnosed with autism as those who had received immunizations. The Lancet study was further discredited when it was revealed that Wakefield had failed to disclose he had received a large grant from a group of lawyers who were looking for ammunition in a lawsuit against vaccine manufacturers. In the end, ten of Wakefield’s co-authors retracted their support for the original research, saying that in retrospect the results as reported were not valid.
Other studies around the world also refuted the link between vaccines and autism, but a vocal group of anti-vaccine advocates maintains that a witch hunt has been organized against Wakefield to protect vaccination interests. Humbug. The fact is that autism commonly shows up at roughly the same age that vaccines are given, and an association can readily be mistaken for a cause-and effect relationship. But even if there really were a link between autism and vaccination, the anti-vaccine movement would still not be justified. The benefits overwhelm the risks.
In Britain, the consequences of the vaccine scare are already being seen in rising rates of mumps, rubella and measles. And Britain faces another problem: homeopaths are recommending that tourists travelling to malaria-stricken destinations use homeopathic remedies instead of well-tested prescription prophylaxis. This is ludicrous. Homeopathic products contain no active ingredient of any kind, so it comes as no surprise that a number of travellers have already paid for their folly with their health. Many homeopaths also advise their patients to avoid vaccines in lieu of a cacophony of implausible homeopathic medications. If indeed you are looking for something to avoid, how about this silly and dangerous advice?
Excerpted from Science, Sense and Nonsense Copyright © 2009 by Dr. Joe Schwarcz.
Excerpted by permission of Doubleday Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved.
Hex on Rex!
First it was Michael Savage, then Denis Leary and now we have Rex Reed adding himself to the list of recent celebrity autism bashers. I'm very dismayed by the circumstances surrounding Reed's comments considering he was reviewing a movie called Adam which involves the topic of Aspergers. To add insult to injury, Reed comments that he knows people with Aspergers. So let me get this straight, this makes it alright for you to slam everyone on the spectrum then? Reed's stereotypical statements are hurtful and politically incorrect to say the least. I'm not sure if this haggard hasbeen is looking to get some attention- you know that old saying, "any press is good press" -or if he has a giant chip on his shoulder for individuals with ASD. I'm not going to repeat his comments here. If you want to bother reading Reed's review then click on my title Hex on Rex! To view an insiders review of the movie Adam then check out Jake Crosby in Age of Autism.
Picking up the pieces and moving on, once again.
Picking up the pieces and moving on, once again.
For the Love of Sports
What do you get when you give a boy with autism the opportunity to play sports? Optimism!
My son Kyle has been a sports fan, I would say since way back in the womb. I think he wanted to play soccer for all the kicks I had to endure! One of Kyle's first words in his very limited vocabulary as a child was- wait for it- hockey! It was the first word he learned to spell. His Dad had to cut down a hockey stick to fit his short stature and we lost a few vases but c'est la vie.
Flash forward to when Kyle was in his last year of a life skills program in high school. He was being prepared for the real world. They call it mainstreaming or transitioning into society. We all knew his graduation was going to be bitter sweet. It's a sad thing for some special needs students when their whole world is school staff, classmates and a safe environment. There isn't too many possibilities to look forward to in their post high school future. The fortunate can fit into an adult life skills or work training program but not all services and classes are available for all abilities. There's lots of fear, uncertainty and worst of all alienation.
Kyle is one of the lucky ones. He is very verbal and enjoys socializing. He loves physical activities, likes to be busy and he can be trained to do jobs with some supervision. Did I mention he loves sports? In preparation for Kyle's transition from high school to the real world we signed him up for a Support Worker with the VON. It was touch and go with a few candidates. Some didn't want to commit and some just didn't fit. Then there was Ian. Our VON coordinator said he was perfect for Kyle and guess what, he was all that and a bag of chips, as Kyle would say! Ian was in teacher's college and looking forward to coaching and teaching phys. ed. plus he was interested in the field of special needs. Well, as you can imagine the two guys got on like a house on fire! The one thing we all noticed was there was no communication gap between the two guys. Ian and Kyle participated in typical stuff like hanging out with Ian's friends, going to the movies, Tim Hortons, ball games, bowling, tennis, mini golf, horse racing, and billiards - just to name a few. Ian was a regular part of Kyle's life for the better part of two years but then Ian had to go and get a job, (bleep)! Actually, we were all very proud to hear that he started teaching high school in his home town. Unfortunately, it's an hour and a bit away but the guys still keep in touch through Facebook. I think the students in Ian's classes are a very privileged bunch to have him for a teacher even if they don't know it yet. Ian is also a sports writer for the Chatham-Kent Daily Post. He's written an awesome article about Kyle and how he was influenced by his unique view of sports. Kyle rarely keeps score, he's been known to root for both teams and it's high fives all around when a bowling buddy gets a strike! For Kyle it's all about the love of the game. That old adage, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game" really does apply here. Kyle would tell you that word for word and actually believe it too.
To see Ian's article click the blog title or go here:
http://ckdp.ca/autism-sports-optimism/
My son Kyle has been a sports fan, I would say since way back in the womb. I think he wanted to play soccer for all the kicks I had to endure! One of Kyle's first words in his very limited vocabulary as a child was- wait for it- hockey! It was the first word he learned to spell. His Dad had to cut down a hockey stick to fit his short stature and we lost a few vases but c'est la vie.
Flash forward to when Kyle was in his last year of a life skills program in high school. He was being prepared for the real world. They call it mainstreaming or transitioning into society. We all knew his graduation was going to be bitter sweet. It's a sad thing for some special needs students when their whole world is school staff, classmates and a safe environment. There isn't too many possibilities to look forward to in their post high school future. The fortunate can fit into an adult life skills or work training program but not all services and classes are available for all abilities. There's lots of fear, uncertainty and worst of all alienation.
Kyle is one of the lucky ones. He is very verbal and enjoys socializing. He loves physical activities, likes to be busy and he can be trained to do jobs with some supervision. Did I mention he loves sports? In preparation for Kyle's transition from high school to the real world we signed him up for a Support Worker with the VON. It was touch and go with a few candidates. Some didn't want to commit and some just didn't fit. Then there was Ian. Our VON coordinator said he was perfect for Kyle and guess what, he was all that and a bag of chips, as Kyle would say! Ian was in teacher's college and looking forward to coaching and teaching phys. ed. plus he was interested in the field of special needs. Well, as you can imagine the two guys got on like a house on fire! The one thing we all noticed was there was no communication gap between the two guys. Ian and Kyle participated in typical stuff like hanging out with Ian's friends, going to the movies, Tim Hortons, ball games, bowling, tennis, mini golf, horse racing, and billiards - just to name a few. Ian was a regular part of Kyle's life for the better part of two years but then Ian had to go and get a job, (bleep)! Actually, we were all very proud to hear that he started teaching high school in his home town. Unfortunately, it's an hour and a bit away but the guys still keep in touch through Facebook. I think the students in Ian's classes are a very privileged bunch to have him for a teacher even if they don't know it yet. Ian is also a sports writer for the Chatham-Kent Daily Post. He's written an awesome article about Kyle and how he was influenced by his unique view of sports. Kyle rarely keeps score, he's been known to root for both teams and it's high fives all around when a bowling buddy gets a strike! For Kyle it's all about the love of the game. That old adage, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game" really does apply here. Kyle would tell you that word for word and actually believe it too.
To see Ian's article click the blog title or go here:
http://ckdp.ca/autism-sports-optimism/
Teen with Autism Spectrum Disorder Missing in Toronto
Toronto police have been searching for 16 year old autistic teen since Wednesday, May, 27. On Tuesday evening Mason MacPhail was attending an all ages concert with his friends on Polson Street at The Docks. Mason became separated from his three friends at 9:30 p.m. Mason was supposed to meet friends at the venue's parking lot at 11:30 p.m. but he didn't show up. The last communication with Mason was through a text message to his mother that evening. Mason McPhail lives in Lindsay, Ontario and he is unfamiliar with Toronto and has a limited sense of direction.
See the story below.
http://www.cp24.com/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090527/090527_missingboys/20090527/?hub=CP24Home
See the story below.
http://www.cp24.com/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090527/090527_missingboys/20090527/?hub=CP24Home
Missing Autistic Boy Found Wimpering In The Woods
SUN MEDIA PHOTO
On Sunday evening in London, Ontario, four year old Daniel Connor went missing from his family home. His disappearance set off panic in his parents since the boy has autism. The nature of autism can make a child more vulnerable and gullible. After a search party involving volunteers, police officers, firefighters, paramedics and an RCMP helicopter, it was a neighbor who found Daniel. The neighbor, Al Tipping, participated in the all night lookout for Daniel. It was in the early hours of Monday morning that Tipping was alerted by the boy's wimpers in the woods. It's been reported that Daniel was missing for eleven hours and he is the youngest of eleven children. Daniel's mother Debora Connor is thankful for the quick response and assistance in her son's search.
All About Autism
Recently I was researching autism statistics in Canada and came across a catch-all website called Love To Know. Along with a myriad of other topics, the site has a great collection of reference material about autism and autism related issues. In particular I would like to recommend the Diagnosing Autism section for those parents concerned about their child. I can imagine that at times a parent may question their child's atypical behavior and wonder if it's "normal" so to speak. Sometimes a parent may have an inkling that their child might be displaying a typical autism behavior. If you arm yourself with autism terms or lingo, then this information can be a helpful tool when communicating with teachers or medical professionals. For instance, as a young mother, I didn't know that tip toe walking was a trait of autism. Before my son's diagnosis, not one therapist thought to ask or noted my son's peculiar walk. I thought my son's style of walking was just part of his unique offbeat nature. He would grow out of it, right? Twenty years ago I studied Child Psychology, but back then the information about autism gave only examples of the two extremes of the spectrum. I read about the autism trait of hand flapping but my son didn't display this behavior. He did, however, hold objects close to his ear and scratch them. As a child my son loved it when his Nana showed him how to hear the ocean in a conch shell! Now that my son is a young man I can ask him about his old autism behaviors. He says that he liked to scratch things because it was relaxing to concentrate on the sound. He says that he walked on his tip toes because it felt better to be taller!
So, if there's things you need to know then check the link below for more info.
If you know of any other great autism sites then add them by way of a comment below this post.
http://autism.lovetoknow.com/Main_Page
So, if there's things you need to know then check the link below for more info.
If you know of any other great autism sites then add them by way of a comment below this post.
http://autism.lovetoknow.com/Main_Page
Yoko's Autism Art Auctioned off Peace by Peace
Yesterday I reported that Yoko Ono's artwork mural called "Promise Piece" is being auctioned off, (ahem) peace by peace so to speak, in support of Autism Speaks. I had to check around to confirm the spelling because I thought Yoko might have spelled it peace in homage to her late husband's famous song "Give Peace a Chance". Puzzles, pieces, peace, whatever, it's all good if it's support of autism right? See the link below for more information on the auction and to view the mural in it's completed form.
http://imaginepeace.com/news/archives/6206
Yoko Ono Auctions Artwork for Autism Awareness
Today is World Autism Awareness Day! During the month of April, artist and singer Yoko Ono is holding an auction of her artwork in support of the non-profit organization Autism Speaks. The mural entitled "Promise Piece" is divided into 58 puzzle pieces, each signed by Ono who is famously or infamously recognized as the widow of former Beatles band member John Lennon.
To read the full story view the link below.
Fire-Man / Spider-Man Rescues Autistic Student
The first day of school proved to be too scary an ordeal for an autistic student in Bangkok, Thailand. The teacher from a special needs class alerted the local fire department that a boy was on the third floor balcony and could not be coaxed back inside. After a few failed attempts to coerce him off the balcony, his mother mentioned her son's superhero- Spider-Man. A quick witted fireman rushed back to the firehouse for an outfit change and returned as Spider-Man to rescue! To much relief, the boy succumbed to the safety of Spidey's arms. Kudos to the fireman for using his ingenuity and his costume collection to save the day!
To read more on this story see the links below.
http://cbs2.com/watercooler/spiderman.autism.thailand.2.966363.html
Obama Goes For the Gutter with his "Special Olympics" Bowling Joke
It hasn't even hit the 100 day mark for the new President and already the honeymoon is over. It's way over for me and thank you very much I'm Canadian!
This morning I received a few e-mails containing links concerning President Barack Obama's recent stint on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. To say the least I find it very disappointing and somewhat surprising that Obama would be so insensitive to the learning disabled community. In an attempt to make fun of himself, Obama commented that his low bowling score was suitable only for the Special Olympics. If a world leader finds it acceptable to be so callous then how can we expect the rest of society to be more sensitive when he sets such a poor example? In his effort to come off as self deprecating he ended up insulting a large segment of people and their supporters. As the mother to an autistic young man who participates in Special Olympics Bowling I find the President's comment to be offensive and disparaging. All I can say is, shame on you Barack Obama. Shame, shame, shame!!!
See the story and video links below.
See the story and video links below.
Fantasy and Mystery in a Sea of Self-Discovery Second Edition
The Anastasia Project by Loren John Presley is a science fiction fantasy that is both heartwarming and heart wrenching. The author takes us on a fantastic journey told through the eyes of a dolphin named Anastasia. The reader is introduced to Anastasia as a lost, lonely, and confused dolphin who awakens from a strange sleep. She can’t retrieve her memories or recall her name and doesn’t recognize her surroundings.
On the surface the story is presented as a dolphin’s mysterious adventure but there is a deeper meaning to be found in this dolphin’s tale. The author is also giving the reader a glimpse into his struggles with Clinical Depression. The dolphin travels deep into the ocean in search of her home, which is a metaphor for the author’s experience dealing with depression that sent him descending into the depths of despair “…all the way down to the dimly lit ocean floor.” Anastasia and Presley draw upon their strengths and courage to persevere and navigate through their strange new worlds. Both the dolphin and the author are on personal quests. As Anastasia searches for her lost memories and the safety of home, Presley is on his own mission of self-discovery and on his way to self-acceptance.
Presley portrays Anastasia feelings of hopelessness with her futile exploration of the ocean, “She almost would have liked to give up, not thinking of what she would do with herself if she did, but she felt inside she had to keep going. She must see herself through. Her innate determination would not let her give in so easily.”Presley’s rare insights can be attributed to his unique personal perspective living on the autism spectrum with the diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome. The author describes a common autistic trait through the dolphin’s experience with auditory sensitivities,
“The shrill ring pierced her sound-sensitive brain and throbbed sorely in her head.”The author expresses Anastasia’s loneliness and her desire for a sense of belonging, “Although a sense of serenity and beauty suffused the water and the reef, a disquieting sense of fear began to rise in her core; she found that she was alone.”
The Anastasia Project is written for young readers but I would recommend it to any adult who feels young at heart. The book is well written and eloquently descriptive. A delightful attention to detail can be seen with the bonus of wonderful illustrations sketched by the talented artists, Loren John Presley and Robyn Olague. If you have an appreciation for science fiction or you have a particular affinity for dolphins then this read will keep you riveted. If you are interested to learn from the author’s mixture of creative interpretation and personal experience dealing with Asperger’s Syndrome and Clinical Depression then this book is a definite must read. Loren John Presley is a unique author and artist with a brilliant mind, a creative spirit, an artistic flair, and so many insights to share! Fans of Presley’s writing will be looking forward to more stories from him in the near future!
Visit Loren John Presley's web page links here:
Visit Loren John Presley's web page links here:
Drug to Cure Learning Disabilities on the Horizon?
A Canadian research team discovered a link to a missing protein in the brain and the development of learning disabilities. The brain cell protein is known as Neto1 and it's job is to help the brain cells communicate with each other. Toronto researchers have also been testing drugs known as ampakines on Alzheimer's patients and witnessed promising results. The patients show improvement in the same area of the brain called the hippocampus which deals with learning and memory. It is undetermined which learning disabilites could also benefit from the drug but the researchers have expressed their guarded optimism.
For more information about the research see the CTV news health article at the link below.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090224/learning_disabilities_090224/20090224?hub=Health
For more information about the research see the CTV news health article at the link below.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090224/learning_disabilities_090224/20090224?hub=Health
Fantasy and Mystery in a Sea of Self- Discovery
Fantasy and Mystery in a Sea of Self- Discovery
The Anastasia Project by Loren John Presley is a science fiction fantasy that is both heartwarming and heart wrenching. The author takes us on a fantastic journey told through the eyes of a dolphin named Anastasia. The reader is introduced to Anastasia as a lost, lonely, and confused dolphin who awakens from a strange sleep. She can’t retrieve her memories or recall her name and doesn’t recognize her surroundings.
On the surface the story is presented as a dolphin’s mysterious adventure but there is a deeper meaning to be found in this dolphin’s tale. The author is also giving the reader a glimpse into his struggles with Clinical Depression. The dolphin travels deep into the ocean in search of her home, which is a metaphor for the author’s experience dealing with depression that sent him descending into the depths of despair “…all the way down to the dimly lit ocean floor.” Anastasia and Presley draw upon their strengths and courage to persevere and navigate through their strange new worlds. Both the dolphin and the author are on personal quests. As Anastasia searches for her lost memories and the safety of home, Presley is on his own mission of self-discovery and on his way to self-acceptance.
Presley portrays Anastasia feelings of hopelessness with her futile exploration of the ocean, “She almost would have liked to give up, not thinking of what she would do with herself if she did, but she felt inside she had to keep going. She must see herself through. Her innate determination would not let her give in so easily.”
Presley’s rare insights can be attributed to his unique personal perspective living on the autism spectrum with the diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome. The author describes a common autistic trait through the dolphin’s experience with auditory sensitivities, “The shrill ring pierced her sound-sensitive brain and throbbed sorely in her head.”
The author expresses Anastasia’s loneliness and her desire for a sense of belonging, “Although a sense of serenity and beauty suffused the water and the reef, a disquieting sense of fear began to rise in her core; she found that she was alone.”
The Anastasia Project is written for young readers but I would recommend it to any adult who feels young at heart. The book is well written and eloquently descriptive. A delightful attention to detail can be seen with the bonus of wonderful illustrations sketched by the talented artists, Loren John Presley and Robyn Olague.
If you have an appreciation for science fiction or you have a particular affinity for dolphins then this read will keep you riveted. If you are interested to learn from the author’s mixture of creative interpretation and personal experience dealing with Asperger’s Syndrome and Clinical Depression then this book is a definite must read. Loren John Presley is a unique author and artist with a brilliant mind, a creative spirit, an artistic flair, and so many insights to share! Fans of Presley’s writing will be looking forward to more stories from him in the near future.
Vist Loren John Presley's web page here:
http://www.facebook.com/ext/share.php?sid=98379175857&h=PN0hS&u=C0NQN
Did Jett Travolta Have Autism?
After hearing the news about Jett Travolta's death, seeing the photos and file footage of the Travolta family both my husband and I looked at each other and said "Jett had autism." As parents to an autistic child we can spot the signs. We later found out that Jett suffered from seizures which is common for some people on the autism spectrum. We were expecting over the next few days to hear some sort of public statement from a family member or representative stating that Jett had been diagnosed with autism and had died as a result of a seizure. Instead of this revelation there has just been gossip surrounding the 16 year old's untimely death and rumours about his nannies and Scientology's stance on treatments. I recently read an article reporting that John Travolta's brother Joey Travolta believed that Jett had autism and as a former teacher to special needs students he would know.
"John and Kelly have long denied suggestions that Jett had autism, saying instead that he suffered from seizures brought on by Kawasaki Syndrome."
I'm not sure if Jett was on the spectrum or if he had some other learning disability but it would surely help the autism community if this matter could be cleared up. It would be so disappointing if we learned that John and Kelly ignored their son's disability because their religion didn't recognize it or worse, decided to adopt a shame and secrecy stance in an attempt to hide their son's learning disability. So many celebrities come forward and help raise money and awareness for autism and other learning disabilities. It would be a real travesty if the Travoltas' fears of labelling their son outweighed the good they could have done to help the autism community. Maybe it's really none of our business and they do have their right to privacy even if they put themselves out there in the public eye for us all to gawk. Maybe my take on this is totally wrong and far be it for me to judge any family's decision when dealing with a disability. Stay tuned for more updates if the family decides to address their son's disability any further. I chose to post the photo above as it shows the tip-toe walking that tends to be a common autistic trait.
See the link below for the Joey Travolta story.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedishrag/2009/01/john-travolta-1.html
See the link below for the Joey Travolta story.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedishrag/2009/01/john-travolta-1.html
Celebrities Sound Off On Leary's Autism Comments
I'm afraid that Denis Leary is getting just what he wanted which is public exposure for his new book. Slamming the autism community with comments about lazy children and competitive parents, Leary resorted to the shock jock approach to getting . All the talk about the chapter Autism Schmautism in Leary's book "Why We Suck: A Feel-Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid" is better than doing a book tour for sure. To make matters worse he tried to dissuade the backlash mentioning his involvement with a friend of an autistic child. It's kind of like a racist saying " I'm no bigot, I have black friends." In any case, we're not buying it Denis! This comedian's attempt to make a funny at the expense of the autism community has resulted in adding to the public's misconceptions about the true nature of autism. Shame on you Denis! Hope you get burned trying to put the flames out on this one!
See comments from Jenny McCarthy and Holly Robinson Peete in the links below.
http://omg.yahoo.com/news/jenny-mccarthy-takes-on-denis-learys-autism-comments/14285
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27229732/
See comments from Jenny McCarthy and Holly Robinson Peete in the links below.
http://omg.yahoo.com/news/jenny-mccarthy-takes-on-denis-learys-autism-comments/14285
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27229732/
Be Leery of Denis Leary!
Another public figure has gone and done it again and by this I mean opening his mouth and spouting off gibberish as if he has any authority or clue to voice his opinion on the topic of autism! Actor Denis Leary has written a book and decided to mouth off about autistic children and basically he is full of sh*t! I don't know if he did this just to get people all rilled up so they would talk about him and his book or if he's trying out some new material for his stand up routine. Whatever the reason it's destructive to the autism community! I hope Jenny McCarthy gets a hold of his cell phone number and gives him a right good blasting! I used to be a fan but now I despise the man!
See the dumb ass' quote in the story links below.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedishrag/2008/10/denis-leary-you.html
See the dumb ass' quote in the story links below.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/thedishrag/2008/10/denis-leary-you.html
Jenny McCarthy Changes Her Tune From Cure To Recovery
I was doing some crunches this afternoon when I heard that Jenny McCarthy was going to be a guest on Ellen. I've been a supporter of her autism crusade efforts and I'm eager to read and review her new book. The only thing I've taken issue with in the past was Jenny's use of the word cure when referring to her son's autism. It was interesting to note that right at the top of the interview Ellen states something like " you're not claiming your son has been cured are you?" It seems as if Jenny's prior use of the word cure has given her some flack and a reason to backtrack on her previous claims of a cure. I'm glad to hear that she is now using the word recovery instead. Some may say I'm just arguing about semantics but I think it's important to use the correct terms so we don't give false hope. I'm all for recovery and wish all people with autism could be given the opportunity to do so!
See my earlier blog story here:
http://autismoptimism.blogspot.com/2008/04/autism-in-news-april-3-2008-jenny.html
See the links below for the Ellen show and Jenny's website.
http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2008/10/jenny_mccarthy_lands_in_ellens.php
http://www.generationrescue.org/
A New Weapon for the Brave Autism Crusade: Jenny McCarthy's MOTHER WARRIORS
Great news for Jenny McCarthy fans! The best selling author, autism advocate and actress has written a new book about courageous mothers in Mother Warriors. Jenny and her partner Jim Carrey appeared on the Oprah show to share inspirational stories of incredible women who have triumphed over the turmoil in their lives. I've been anticipating this book after reading and reviewing Jenny's last book about her son Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey In Healing Autism.
See the review here: http://wandalynnesbooknook.blogspot.com/
For details on the Oprah show see the link below:
http://www.oprah.com/dated/oprahshow/oprahshow_20080910_jenny
See the review here: http://wandalynnesbooknook.blogspot.com/
For details on the Oprah show see the link below:
http://www.oprah.com/dated/oprahshow/oprahshow_20080910_jenny
Autistic Man Swims Across Lake Ontario
It's been a tough couple of weeks dealing with the rotten smell from Mike Savage's garbage. Pheeew!!!
On a more positive note, Jay Serdula has challenged himself and the world to take notice of his learning disability and his athletic ability by swimming across Lake Ontario. A brave undertaking to say the least and certainly a more welcome positive light to shine on autism for a change!
See the links below.
http://torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/07/30/6306471.html
http://swim4aspergers.wordpress.com/about/
On a more positive note, Jay Serdula has challenged himself and the world to take notice of his learning disability and his athletic ability by swimming across Lake Ontario. A brave undertaking to say the least and certainly a more welcome positive light to shine on autism for a change!
See the links below.
http://torontosun.com/News/TorontoAndGTA/2008/07/30/6306471.html
http://swim4aspergers.wordpress.com/about/
Let's Take The Mike Away From Mike!
I'm not familiar with radio talk show host Mike Savage but I do know that he is sadly misguided and misinformed when it comes to the topic of autism. Apparently he referred to the autism epidemic as a fraud and the people diagnosed with autism as brats! Wow, isn't it a shame that people with a public platform are free to make general statements on asinine whims just because they sit in front of a mike and broadcast out over the airwaves? This kind of nonsense is harmful. It can put autism crusaders back a few steps because undoubtedly some listeners will agree with this jack a**'s point of view! I agree with the National Autism Association that there needs to be a retraction, an apology and equal time given in support of autism awareness. Looks as if I'm not missing much being deprived of the Savage talk show. Who's the real brat in this story?
Go to the link to read the full story.
http://www.healthinformer.net/parents-of-children-diagnosed-with-autism-demand-retraction-and-apology-from-mike-savage.html
Go to the link to read the full story.
http://www.healthinformer.net/parents-of-children-diagnosed-with-autism-demand-retraction-and-apology-from-mike-savage.html
Child With Autism Voted Out Of Classroom
What is the world coming to?! I couldn't believe what I was reading when a fellow autism mom alerted me to this sad story. A particularly insensitive Florida teacher, Wendy Portillo, decided to resort to Survivor style voting tactics in her classroom. Apparently a 5 year old boy named Alex with high functioning autism was being a disturbance in her classroom so she instructed the students to humiliate him with insults and vote whether to keep him in the class. The children were each given a chance to say what they didn't like about their classmate. The class voted and all but 2 said he had to go. Alex has been victimized and traumatized by both his teacher and his peers. The PATHETIC EXCUSE for a teacher has been reassigned. Hopefully this is just a step the board is taking before they fire her cruel @$$.
To see video of the boy's mother click below.
http://www.cbs12.com/video/index.php?bcpid=1137883291&bclid=1143359274&bctid=1576242234
Article to be seen below.
http://www.cbs12.com/news/port_4707872___article.html/teacher_behavior.html
To see video of the boy's mother click below.
http://www.cbs12.com/video/index.php?bcpid=1137883291&bclid=1143359274&bctid=1576242234
Article to be seen below.
http://www.cbs12.com/news/port_4707872___article.html/teacher_behavior.html
Autistic Teen Banned From Church
This story makes me sigh with exasperation. In this case a 13 year old boy with autism attends church services with his family. You would think that in this setting every accommodation should be made or at least attempted to let the youth and his family participate in the mass. Reports state that he was banned from attending the church after restraining was warranted. I just wonder if the congregation was frustrated by the disturbance and decided he just had to go. There is no mention of special accommodations being offered like a space or room available for disabled people or a volunteer to help assist the family during their time of worship. I don't know all the details but the end result points to a failure of a solution. As usual one of the bigger problems is public reaction to demonstrative individuals with autism or any person with a disorder that makes them stand out from the crowd. Instead of sympathy sometimes you get sneers.
See the link to the story below:
http://www.startribune.com/local/19085694.html?location_refer=Homepage
See the link to the story below:
http://www.startribune.com/local/19085694.html?location_refer=Homepage
Autism Hunger Strike
Autism in the News
May 10, 2008
Stefan Marinoiu is a father of a 15 year old boy with autism. Along with many others parents, Stefan is frustrated with the Ontario Provincial Government's lack of commitment to families living and struggling with autism. To show his level of desperation and garner some much need attention Stefan has resorted to going a hunger strike at Queen's Park in Toronto. On day 6 of his autism protest Stefan has gained some media attention and support from visitors and on-line fans. This tenatious man's actions go to the core of just how desperate the situation really is for autism funding and awareness.
See Stefan's story covered by the Toronto Sun at the link below.
http://www.torontosun.ca/Video/?fr_story=21d53247c78b07225dafce4bb0d1748056b36f8b
Walk Now For Autism
Just thought to mention that Autism Speaks is running it's Walk Now For Autism on Sunday June 8th @ Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto.
See the link below for a list of all event locations and more information.
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