The following commentary is from the blog Muslimah Next Door written by Dishad Ali. It addresses an issue that I have raised several times – the lack of real autism awareness created by autism awareness events. The author’s comments at Muslimah Next Door under the title When an Autism Awareness
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Facing Autism in New Brunswick: Blood Tests and Autism: Conor and the DECH Both Did Very Well Today! Thank You Very Much!
Our entire family has had nothing but good experiences at the Doctor Everett Chalmers Hospital, the “DECH”, in Fredericton and that trend continued this morning when we took Conor for blood tests at 7 am. The tests were required by the consulting neurologist to establish some base lines before starting
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism Severity: Verbal Communication Doesn’t Count? Crows Say Otherwise!
Photos by Harold L Doherty One of the more irrational features in some autism discussions is the claim that being non verbal is not a significant indicator of autism severity. Anyone who thinks that verbal communication is not a significant factor in daily functioning is fooling themselves. Communication is
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: World Autism Awareness Day 2014
If past is prologue very little awareness of the harsher realities of autism symptoms will be generated on this WAAD, April 2, 2013. Next year, in 2014, and for years thereafter, the streamlined DSM5 autism will also eliminate many on the very high functioning and low functioning ends of the
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: Canada’s World Autism Awareness Day Act: Great Preamble, Zero Action
On November 1, 2012 Canada passed An Act respecting World Autism Awareness Day an Act with a great preamble which provides for absolutely no action to ensure that effective evidence based early intervention for autism would be provided to all Canadian families affected by autism spectrum disorders. Talk, and rhetoric,
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Jody Carr Opens a Dialogue with the Autism Society New Brunswick
L: Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Jody Carr R: Autism Society New Brunswick Acting President Harold Doherty The Autism Society New Brunswick meeting last Saturday March 23, 2013 was scheduled to be a regular meeting with election of a new Board of Directors and routine business. That plan was
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: New Brunswick Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal Autism Advocate Recipients: Some Missing Names
I am not spurning the recognition nor arguing with the list of autism advocates recognized by the Autism Society Canada in partnership with the Governor General of Canada with Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medals. I do not seek medals of any kind or financial reward for my autism advocacy,
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: Jaden Lake’s Autism on the Hill Rally – Well Done Jaden!
Edmonton MP Mike Lake, whom I have met (at IMFAR 2012 in Toronto) and communicated with a few times about autism in Canada, have different perspectives on the proper role for Canada’s national government in addressing Canada’s autism crisis. The government of Stephen Harper, of which Mike Lake is a
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: Autism Society NB Special Guests
Anyone with an interest in autism in NB is invited to tomorrow’s meeting at MacLaggan Hall, UNB Fredericton Campus, doors open at 12:00 noon, meeting starts at 12:30 pm. Special guests expected to attend include: Minister of Education and Early Development Jody Carr Bill Innes, Director of Child Welfare
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: Autism Now 1 in 50? Round Up the Usual Suspects AGAIN
From last years increase of autism prevalence rates from 1 in 110 to 1 in 88 a new report, based on parental reporting now indicates a rate of 1 in 50. Time once again to call out Inspector Renault (looking much like Insel, Grinker and other autism can not really
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: Dad’s In the Hospital? Conor to the Rescue!
Last Thursday I was in substantial difficulty with a possible lung infection and an asthma attack. While waiting for my turn at the after hour’s clinic I rose from my seat and walked the few feat to the counter to check my place on the waiting list. As I did
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: Off To The Autism Resources Miramichi AGM!
I am thrilled to be heading off shortly for Miramichi to attend the Annual General Meeting of Autism Resources Miramichi Inc. at 139 Duke St. Starting at 12:00 noon. ARM has been kind enough to offer me an opportunity to speak and provide an overview of the history of
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: Conor’s Autism Diagnosis 15 Years Ago Today
Conor, 2nd Birthday, the day before he is diagnosed with PDD-NOS (subsequently changed to Autistic Disorder) Yesterday was Conor’s 17th birthday. Today is exactly 15 years since he was diagnosed with an autism disorder, PDD-NOS, the day after his second birthday shown in the pictures above. Shortly afterward he was
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: Conor’s Happy 17 Birthday Smurfday
Conor is 17 today! It’s his birthday Smurfday as we ordered a birthday cake at the local Superstore featuring the Smurfs, currently his favorite movie which we have recorded on our television DVR function. (Dad has seen it a few times too, little disappointed Gargamel wasn’t on the cake, just
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: Ottawa Citizen’s Bridge to Nowhere: Canada’s Broken Adult Autism Care System
Long time members of the Autism Society New Brunswick, particularly those from the Fredericton area, will recognize in the picture above former NB’er Linda Murphy and her daughter Ashley who has severe autism and is now 19. They are featured in Autism’s New Frontiers PART 2: ‘The bridge to nowhere’.
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: Talking Autism In New Brunswick With NDP Leader Dominic Cardy
Together with New Brunswick’s foremost autism expert, clinical psychologist and UNB Professor Emeritus (Psychology) Paul McDonnell, I enjoyed a visit to NB NDP headquarters on Prospect Street in Fredericton this afternoon for a direct, candid and open minded discussion about autism services in New Brunswick with NDP leader Dominic Cardy
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: The Damaging Impact Of Seizures On Individuals With Autism
Seizures and epilepsy are serious issues for persons with autism and their families as we learned first hand in our home on November 17, 2012 when Conor suffered a very serious seizure. Following is a publicity release issued in respect of Silently Seizing and author Caren Haines, RN (Haines also
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: No Meaningful Inclusion, No Community Living for NB Youth and Adults With Severe Autism Challenges
Resigchouche Regional Hospital Centre As an Autism Society New Brunswick representative I attended a meeting held at the Restigouche Regional Hospital Centre a few years ago to
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: UNDERdiagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities
A study presented at the IMFAR 2012 conference this spring in Toronto, Underdiagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Individuals with Intellectual Disabilies, seems to provide evidence contradicting the widely propagated assertion that the DSM-IV era has seen autism incorrectly diagnosed as a substitute diagnosis in many cases of intellectual disability.
Continue readingFacing Autism Symptoms in New Brunswick: Medicare’s Orphans: Jean Lewis On The Struggle for Autism Treatment In Canada
The video and clip below are from the Medicare for Autism Now web site and feature MFAN co-founder Jean Lewis, one of Canada’s foremost autism advocates, providing an articulate, personally informed summary of the struggle for autism treatment in Canada. Jean keeps the discussion on a non-partisan level and
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