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
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Facing 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: 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: 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: 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: 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.
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism, Grand Mal Seizures, Meds: Conor Needs Some Kermit Komfort!
Conor enjoys some Kermit Komfort this morning while sleeping and awaiting a trip to see our family physician. It has been a very difficult week for my Buddy as we work through his seizure and medication issues. Hoping things turn for the better today!
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism and the Natural Environment: Conor Celebrates Earth Day Every Day
Today is Earth Day! Conor celebrated yesterday with some Run, Jump, Fly fun on the North Riverfront Trail here in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. We try to get outdoors and celebrate our natural environment with Conor every day, every chance we get.
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism Rising? Not According to Behavior Analyst Steve Taylor Who Proclaims That Autism Is 100% Genetic In Origin
Since my son was diagnosed with Autistic Disorder in 1998 the rates of diagnosed autism have risen dramatically from 1 in 500 to the current estimated rate of 1 in 88. There is common acknowledgement that a substantial increase resulted from the DSM-IV changes which pushed acceptance of Aspergers as
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism and Seizures: Conor’s Second Grand Mal Seizure (That We Know Of)
The pictures above were initially posted on this site on May 26, 2012, several months before Conor’s 1st known Grand Mal Seizure in November. As I posted then, external conditions were perfect and Conor was enjoying a favorite activity in a favorite location when he suddenly began hitting himself in
Continue readingFacing 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 in New Brunswick: Autism Speaks Reluctantly Confesses: 40% Of Persons On Autism Spectrum Have Intellectual Disability
Intellectual Disability remains the Elephant in the Autism Living Room;no one wants to admit it’s there or to talk about it It is politically incorrect in today’s autism world to acknowledge the existence of the invisible autistics, the one’s unlike Ari Ne’eman, John Elder Robison, Alex Plank and Michelle Dawson all
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 in New Brunswick: Conor’s Autism Advocacy Awards
The primary front line autism service providers, regardless of where one lives, are parents. In Canada at least parents have also been the first and most effective advocates for services for autistic children from BC to Ontario to New Brunswick to Newfoundland and all points between. For most parents recognition
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