Canada, despite a private members motion championed by the late Fredericton MP Andy Scott and Nova Scotia MP Peter Stoffer which called for one, does not have a REAL National Autism Strategy. The failure to enact a REAL National Autism Strategy means that in some provinces very few autistic children
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Facing Autism in New Brunswick: Is 2015 The Year New Brunswick Finally Addresses Serious NB Adult Autism Residential Care and Treatment Needs?
During the 2010 New Brunswick election Dr. McDonnell, as noted above, was interviewed by CBC on the subject of adult autism care. The interview and analysis posted on the site are no longer available online but he stated at that time (bold highlighting added by me): Paul McDonnell, September, 2010
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism Society Canada Misrepresents Autism On Its Web Site Makeover By Hiding The Many with Autism AND Intellectual Disability
The Autism Society Canada web site was down briefly and I had hoped, notwithstanding past experience, that the ASC would have started presenting an accurate picture of autism disorders to the Canadian public and families with autism disorders. My hopes, faint as they might have been, were dashed again. ASC,
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: SUDEP The Global Conversation Combating The Myth That Seizures Do Not Kill
Many with autism disorders also suffer from epileptic seizures and should be aware of the risk of SUDEP, Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy. The following is a News Release about SUDEP the global conversation a joint effort of several epilepsy and SUDEP awareness ogranizations in the US, Canada and Australia:Families,
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Dear Elected Representatives: New Brunswick Needs Adult Autism Residential Care and Treatment
Dear Hon. Premier Gallant, Deputy Premier Horsman,Speaker Collins, Ministers, Party Leaders and Government Advisers: Re New Brunswick’s Lack of Adult Autism Care: I am sure that you are all grappling with important issues in these weeks following a provincial election. Many issues have generated intense discussion and serious attention from all
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Joy of Conor 2014
I will not pretend, I will never pretend, that autism is just a different way of thinking. Heather and I love our son too much to lie to the world about the nature of his autism realities, his severe autism, intellectual disability and epileptic seizures. Like many parents of autistic
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: DSM5 ASD Criterion D: No Clinically Signifcant Impairment in Current Functioning = No Autism
The DSM5 is certainly open to criticism; particularly in its combining of the pervasive developmental disorders into one Autism Spectrum Disorder ignoring the very large numbers of persons with DSM-IV Autistic Disorder who also suffer from Intellectual Disability. One point which did make sense in the Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnostic
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: The Seinfeld-Descartes Autism Diagnostic Tool: "I think I am Autistic therefore I am Autistic"
The Seinfeld-Descartes Autism Diagnostic Tool: I Think I Am Autistic Therefore I Am Autistic Many, especially many with very, very high functioning autism diagnoses have embraced Jerry Seinfeld’s new test for autism “conditions” one that the great comic borrowed from philosopher Rene Descartes: “I think I am autistic, therefore I
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: My Son With Autism Disorder And Jerry Seinfeld Have Nothing In Common; Not Even An Autism Disorder Diagnosis
(Grainy) Composite Photo 0f Jerry Seinfeld by Harold L Doherty, Moncton Coliseum, February 2012, 2 Years Before His Revelation That He “Might” Be “On “The Autism Spectrum” Picture by Harold L Doherty of My Son Conor Doherty On His 2nd Birthday, The Day Before His Autism Disorder Diagnosis Was Received
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: New Jersey Dad: "Reality Of Autism Is Often Very Grim"
I chose the name of my email account “AutismRealityNB@gmail.com” because, from my perspective, the harsh realities of autism disorders are usually ignored or worse, intentionally misrepresented, by the mainstream media, autism awareness organizations, some high functioning autism “self”advocates and even some parents and autism professionals. An online friend of mine
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: SUDEP Awareness Day and Autism Disorders
A much higher percentage of people with autism spectrum disorders suffer from epileptic seizures than among persons in the general population. At the severe end of the autism “spectrum” it has been estimated that as many as 39% also suffer from seizures. My severely autistic, intellectually challenged son Conor suffers
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism and the PC Election 2014 Platform: No Adult Autism Care, More Harmful Forced Classroom Inclusion of Severely Autistic Students
The PC Plan for New Brunswick does not include any provisions that will help severely autistic students or adults, the same people who have been harmed by PC policies during the Alward-Porter-Carr administration. In fact the the Platform brags about the Gordon Porter-Jody Carr harmful, discriminatory, inclusion remake and is
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Will Adult Autism Care Issues Be Considered During #nbvotes 2014?
New Brunswick election 2014 is underway with the NDP, Liberal, Green and PANB parties going all out to replace the PC party. Party signs are proliferating around the city of Fredericton. The Liberal Party kicked off big time in Fredericton with special guest federal Liberal leader Justin Trudeau and provincial
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Dear Mr Alward, Cardy, Coon, Gallant: New Brunswick Still Needs A Permanent Residential Care and Treatment Centre For Severely Autistic Adults
Photo of my son Conor from a few years ago submitted to the Aquinian for an article by then Aquinian journalism student Karissa Donkin. No progress in residential care and treatment for severely autistic adults in New Brunswick has been made since that article or since Conor’s autism diagnosis 16
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Shards of Severe Autism Reality
We were cleaning books and papers out of the “China Cabinet” in our kitchen today. We had never stored China there only photos, albums and papers. Like other China Cabinets though there were glass doors on the front through which you could view the China. Over time Conor had, on
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: US CDC Autism Prevalence Estimates Challenged
I didn’t see this autism “controversy” brewing. The authors of an article published in the Sage Autism journal have challenged the credibility of the US CDC autism prevalence figures. The full article is on line and free for viewing (PDF also available free) at: Should we believe the Centers for
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Is that Dentist Sticking The Needle in Your Mouth Properly Trained? How About the Therapist Working with Your Autistic Child?
NB Premier David Alward whose government has Produced a New Autism Intervention Policy with No Provision for Funding Training of Autism Support Workers treating New Brunswick’s autistic pre-schoolers. The next time you sit in a dentist’s chair will you have to wonder whether the dental assistant or even the dentist
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Inclusion Done Right: Conor at Leo Hayes High School Resource Centre
Pictures above and below: Inclusion done right at Leo Hayes High School Resource Centre Pictures courtesy of Steve at the LHHS Resource Centre Inclusion done wrong is inclusion as advocated by Gordon Porter of the CACL and NBACL, and the current Conservative government which has very close ties to Mr
Continue readingEh Types: Group Homes Are People’s Homes
I could write about how Doug Ford’s comments on a group home showed he was ignorant, selfish, and a shameless liar. I might as well write water is wet. Doug’s comments were despicable and the worst kind of populist fear mongering. In other words, exactly what you would expect to
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: For CNN and Francesca Happé Adult Autism Is A Bouquet of Pretty Pink Flowers
CNN which loves to portray high functioning autism and Aspergers as autism has done it again with a feature called “Autism Is Growing Up” which … of course … features only adult persons with High Functioning Autism and Aspergers. In fact CNN and its accomplice Francesca Happé present 7 full stories of
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