Scared by althetrainer
The “it’s gotta be genetic” gang is running scared over the recent twins study which confirms the pardigm shift in autism causation from 100% genetic to a gene-environment interaction model and which places much greater emphasis …
Author: Autism Reality NB
Facing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism and Environment: Dr. Szatmari Gets It Backwards
The New York Times, to its credit, understands the implications of the recent twins study in terms of its potential to shake the old boys (and girls) network that has clung to the “it’s gotta be genetic” paradigm in exploring and understanding autism. …
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Firefighters Find and Rescue Man With Autism Lost in Sewer System
Firefighters in Downers Grove Illinois have found and rescued a 20 year old man with autism whose parents reported that he might be lost in the sewer system. Apparently after being notified by the family that the man might be in the sewer syste…
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Glenn Thibeault’s REAL National Autism Strategy
In the past 36 hours I have criticized CASDA’s claims to be advocating for a National Autism Strategy and to be presenting a unified national autism voice. Lawrie Mawlam of CASDA, a conscientious and courteous individual with whom I have had th…
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism Research Awakening: Environment Plays A Role In Causing Autism
“We have to look also at environmental factors, and from my point of view, the interaction between the genetic factors and the environmental factors … It looks like some shared environmental factors play a role in autism, and the study really poin…
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: CASDA National Autism Strategy Is Not A REAL National Autism Strategy: It Does Not Help Canadian Autistic Children and Adults
In looking at the National Autism Strategy information from a CASDA (Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance) conference held in Ottawa on June 8 2011, and which I have posted following this comment, I see that there is the suggestion for e…
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: TIME Promotes Myth That Many With Autism are Highly Intelligent
In Could Amanda Knox Have an Autism Spectrum Disorder? TIME adds its influential voice to those who propagate the myth that “many with autism are highly intelligent”.
Amanda Knox is the 23-year-old American college student who was convicted of…
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism and Wandering: Fredericton in 2003 and Abbotsford in 2011
The story of the autistic child in Abbotsford, Brisith Columbia (1,2) removed from her home with her caring father by provincial government officials has hit a nerve with many parents of autistic children including me. In Abbotsford the girl was …
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Blaming Autism Parents: The Self Described Science Bloggers
Harriet Hall, MD, photo by Sgerbic
There are a number of so called science bloggers on the internet that routinely attack any criticism of, or concerns about, vaccine safety. Because of the belief by many parents of autistic children…
Facing Autism in New Brunswick: Blaming Parents: Autism Families Torn Apart by Ignorance
Families with autistic children, parents who love their autistic children dearly, must endure much in order to live a normal life with their children, to be happy with their children to see them grow and develop to the best of their abilities n…
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Kim Oakley: Medical mysteries, autism and chronic self-injurious behavior
One of the blogs I follow, and list on the side bar of this blog, is Autism, Epilepsy and Self-Injurious Behavior by Kim Oakley. A couple of days ago Kim Oakley wrote on the subject of Medical mysteries, autism and chronic self-injurious behavi…
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: TAKEN: BC Government Takes Autistic Girl From Caring Dad
Derek Hoare shows a picture of himself with his daughter Ayn in happier timesJohn Van Putten Photo
The British Columbia government, Ministry of Children and Family Development, has taken an autistic girl from her father’s care after she w…
Facing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism Research: Which "Autism" Is Being Studied?
Neuron, Cover Page, 23 June, 2011 Volume 70, Issue 6
The abstract for the study Disrupted Neural Synchronization in Toddlers with Autism, reported in the current issue of Neuron, indicates that autism is tied to disrupted cortical synchronizatio…
Facing Autism in New Brunswick: CBC: New Brunswick Lacks Residential Care for Adults with Autism
Emma Smith and CBC did a feature (at minute 23:40) on last evening’s news on the lack of residential care available for New Brunswick adults with autism. I was interviewed along with some other parents and staff from the Autism Conne…
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism’s Compelling Question: What is Causing Spontaneous Mutations Linked to Autism?
“One compelling question is what is causing the mutations … The obvious conclusion one has to reach is that something environmental may well be the cause of these [spontaneous] changes in DNA”
Irva Hertz-Picciotto, autism researcher and professo…
Facing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism and Haircuts: Conor Has A Great Haircut Treat Adventure
Above: Conor after this morning’s haircut.
Below: Conor before this morning’s haircut.
Conor has full blown Autistic Disorder with profound developmental delays. Haircuts were a real challenge at one time. But things have improved dramatica…
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Edmonton Father Guilty of (Severely) Abusing Autistic Son
A 59 year old Edmonton father has been found guilty of abusing his autistic son. He was convicted of unlawful confinement, failing to provide the necessaries of life, assault with a weapon and assault. Alexandra Zabjek of the Edmonton Journal reports t…
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism Functioning Levels Are Important, Reality Based Distinctions, It Is Time To STOP Pretending They Do Not Exist
There are people whose opinions about autism are sought out by members of the media who promote the falsehood that there is no such thing as people who are low-functioning. Those who promote this falsehood should STOP doing so and they should stop rig…
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Here We Go Again: Citizenship and Immigration Canada Divides Family, Rules Son with Asperger’s and Tourette’s Medically Inadmissible
Here we go again.
Nicholas Keung, immigration reporter with the Toronto Star reports that a Toronto family will be ripped apart by a Citizenship and Immigration Canada ruling that University of Toronto professor Thomas Reynolds son Chris is is me…
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism and Environmental Pollution: Review Shows Serious Study Needed
EPA, United States Environmental Protection Agency
Judith Pinborough-Zimmerman, research assistant professor in the University of Utah’s Department of Psychiatry, has called for more serious study of links between toxic pollution and autism spectr…