“The fifth edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5) (APA in diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, Author, Washington, 2013) has decided to merge the subtypes of pervasive developmental disorders into a single category of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) on the assumption that they cannot
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Facing Autism in New Brunswick: 40% Intellectual Disability In Autism Disorders: Coincidence or Consequence?
I have never subscribed to the assumption that Intellectual Disability is a co-morbidity as described by the authors of a new study examining Intellectual Disability in Autism: (unrelated in etiology and causality from the ASD itself) I have been frustrated by the historical tendency of “autism” researchers to exclude intellectually
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: 10 Years of NB Government Inaction On Adult Autism Care: Is It Possible Our Elected Leaders Just Don’t Care?
It is increasingly difficult to be polite when discussing the lack of compassion demonstrated by NB governments towards New Brunswick’s adult autism population. As the letter from Gary Mayes to the Telegraph Journal in 2005 demonstrates, after two years, at that time, of flat refusals to act, the refusal of
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Conor Debunks TWO Autism Myths Eh!
Yesterday was Canada Day and Conor sported his Team Canada shirt to celebrate. He also debunked not one but TWO autism myths. Conor has received ABA based intervention at school for 8 years. Yet, contrary to the myth that ABA causes discomfort and harm to persons with autism disorders, Conor
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Happy Canada Day!
Canada flag photo by Harold L Doherty, very happy to be a Canadian, living in Canada, despite the lack of progress on the national autism front Today is Canada Day and I am very happy to be a Canadian living here in Canada. We can still enjoy living in
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Canada Loses an Autism Champion: Andy Scott Passed This Morning
Andy Scott With A Megaphone Supporting Autism Cause with Andrew Kavchak Canada has lost an autism champion with the passing this morning of former Fredericton MP Andy Scott. In a telephone conversation with a friend and fellow autism advocate elsewhere in Canada I once suggested the person contact their federal
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Will New Brunswick Ever Act To Provide Adult Autism Residential Care?
The Campbellton Based Restigouche Psychiatric Hospital is the Only NB Based Residential Care Option for Severely Autistic Adults in New Brunswick June 22, 2013 David Alward, Premier’s Council on Status of Disabled Persons Hugh J Flemming, Minister of Health Madeline Dube, Minister of Social Development Dorothy Shephard, Minister of Healthy and
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Conor Recovery … For Dad … Means Walking On The Trail Again
We have been very happy with the excellent care Conor received after his adverse drug reaction. Everyone involved, from our family doctor who saw us very quickly after our concerns arose, immediately advised cutting back on Conor’s meds and was at the ICU and pediatric wards as part of his
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Extremely Grateful
The Intensive Care Unit of the Dr. Everett Chalmers Hospital in Fredericton made a difference for our family. They saved our son Conor’s life after he suffered an adverse reaction to new anti seizure medication. They gave our son back to us. For that we are, as the CBC caption
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: CBC Inclusion Interviews: What Did Smith and Carr Mean By Inclusion?
CBC’s Terry Seguin conducted two very good interviews with outgoing NBTA President Heather Smith and EECD Minister Jody Carr over the last two days. However, neither of Terry’s guests gave a clear definition of what they meant by “inclusion“. The only clear definition of inclusion offered by the current administration
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: NBTA Acknowledges Education Department’s Obsession With Inclusion Philosophy
The New Brunswick Teachers Association has spoken up … sort of … about New Brunswick’s extreme inclusion philosophy. The NBTA to its credit acknowledges, finally, that inclusion is a philosophy not an educational plan as stated by outgoing NBTA President Heather Smith at a meeting of delegates from around the
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: CBC News Misrepresents Autism By Omitting Any Reference to Intellectual Disability
In “The new definition of autism” CBC News provides detailed descriptions of autism as represented by the five pervasive developmental disorders in the DSM-IV and the Autism Spectrum Disorder in the now published DSM5. With one major exception the article is a good summary of autism disorders pre and post
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Conor Goes For A Swim (and a Dive and a Slide) and Shows Terrific Progress In His Rhabdomyolysis Recovery
Conor home after a great swim adventure; making terrific progress on his recovery Conor’s autism and profound developmental delay were supplemented by two grand mal seizures between November 2012 and April 2013. The second seizure occurred two days after he began treatment with the anti seizure medication Lamotrogine. During the
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: DSM5 Autism Spectrum Disorder Has Arrived: Are Ari Ne’eman and John Elder Robison Still Autistic?
The DSM5 has been released and is now beginning to impact the world of autism. Most discussion of the DSM5’s New Autism Spectrum Disorder has ignored the effect of the language of mandatory criterion A which will act to exclude from autism diagnosis those with severe intellectual disability. Most of
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Conor’s Physiotherapy With CBC’s Terry Seguin
Conor is still recovering from Rhabdomyolysis, an adverse reaction to anti-seizure medication, Lamotrogine and needs phsyiotherapy to rebuild his damaged muscles, balance and co-ordination. Just being home is a huge help for Conor, back home with Mom, Dad, his brother and his familiar routines. One of those routines has been to
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Unthinking Autism Guide Shannon Rosa Attacks Autism Parents …. AGAIN.
Shannon Rosa, with the Twitter help of Seth Mnookin and Dr. Jon Brock is at it again, misrepresenting autism disorders and the state of knowledge about autism causation and of course blaming autism parents fighting for their children for the latest report of a professional caregiver abusing an autistic child because
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Conor Is Home From the Hospital!
Above Conor, and Mom, in the bottom pic, on the way home. Conor’s Mom stayed at the hospital with him 24/7, for 2 weeks Dad spelled her off at times and the nursing students also sat with Conor and gave Mom some breaks once he was moved from the Intensive
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Dr. Tom Insel’s Shameful DSM Retreat
Left – Transforming Diagnosis Insel Right – NIMH Is Not Abandoning the DSM Insel. In Transforming Diagnosis NIMH Director Thomas Insel said that the DSM was invalid, based on an antiquated system of diagnosis and …. patients deserve better. Then he retreated, tried to hide and claimed that people
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Adult Autism Care in New Brunswick: An Open Letter to Premier David Alward
May 6, 2013 Honourable Premier David Alward Respected Cabinet Ministers and Party Leaders Dear Premier Alward I am the Acting President of the Autism Society New Brunswick and a parent that was involved, with many other parents, in the advocacy that led to the establishment of the UNB-CEL autism
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Conor Is Safe Now But We Almost Lost Our Buddy: THANK YOU To ALL Who Saved Him!
In mid-April, pursuant to a neurologist’s advice, we started Conor on Lamotrogine, an anti-eleptic drug which is reputed to have benefited many people suffering from seizure activity. Hours after receiving his third dosage Conor suffered his second Grand Mal seizure, that we know of, since his first in November 2012.
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