Conor Doherty on World Autism Awareness Day 2014, as I tried to take a “selfie” of the two of us wearing blue, gave his old Dad an unexpected hug. As in this pic, Conor brings us great joy but his autism is a disorder which restricts his life and causes him harm.
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Facing Autism in New Brunswick: SFARI, Once Again, Continues Misrepresenting High Functioning Autism/Aspergers Only Research As "Autism" Research
SFARI blog article depiction of a resting “Autism” brain accompanying review of study employing only Aspergers subjects as representing “autism” for comparison with non autistic resting brains SFARI continues its agenda of misrepresenting high functioning autism/aspergers only studies as representing “autism”. It has published, on its blog page, several study
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Emily Willingham Uses SFARI Pulpit To Misrepresent Severe Autism Disorder And Intellectual Disability
Emily Willingham argues that persons like my son, with severe autism disorder and intellectual disability, should remain invisible with the focus on those with “pure” autism and no intellectual disability SFARI has done Emily Willingham a favor, allowing her to use their site as a platform to further her efforts
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism Media Rarity: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Autism Series Includes Severe Autism And Family Impact
Julia Rendleman/Post-Gazette Jeffrey Maloney, 19, is comforted by his mother, Lisa, during a family outing at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. In a rarity in the mainstream media the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published an honest, informed article by Mark Roth and Julia Rendleman on the challenges faced by a family with two children on the autism
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: 8 Years Later: Autism Youth & Adult Residential Care & Treatment Still Abysmal in New Brunswick
In May 2007 I commented on this site about the abysmal state of Youth and Adult Residential Care in New Brunswick. That commentary included the October 2005 article by then Toronto Star journalist Kelly Toughill who is apparently now a Director and Associate Professor in the School of Journalism at
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Severe Autism Disorders: Conor’s Autism Progress: Teeth Brushing and Tickle Shaves!
Conor Doherty sporting a big smile after a quick tickle shave adventure with Dad this morning Many famous “autistics” were not diagnosed until they were adults and have turned their diagnoses into good career opportunities: John Elder Robison, Michelle Dawson, Ari Ne’eman and Mr. Ne’eman’s colleagues, the fellow corporate trustees of
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Autism Speaks Betrays Children, Adults With Severe Autism Disorders: Autism Speaks Blogger Calls Autism A Blessing
Since my 17 year old son was diagnosed with autistic disorder and profound developmental delays (and more recently, like many who share those conditions, with epileptic seizures) little has been done to advance our knowledge of causes, to find treatments or cures for autism disorders. In terms of our understanding
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Dear TPGA Autism Experts: Thanks For Advising Us to Love Our Autistic Son! If Only We Had Known Sooner!
During recent weeks the TPGA “autism experts”, have done a great favor to children, like my son, who suffer from severe autism disorders. The TPGA autism wizards told parents like me who speak candidly about the deficits that limit and impair his ability to function independently in this world that
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Wave of Attacks on Parents of Children with Severe Autism Disorders Is Reprehensible and Based in Pure Unadulterated Ignorance
I have never read or heard any parent of a severely autistic child excuse the murder of severely autistic children by a parent. The only people who make this allegation are those who themselves who object to parents speaking honestly about their children’s severe autism disorders. Those who use the
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: What Happens To Our Children When We Die? Maine Man Killed Himself and Adult Autistic Son in 2010
“Ginger Taylor commented on the pressures on families with autism and on the greatest fear of many parents of autistic children: “That is the big question — what happens to our child when we die. …. We understand their needs better than anyone else. It really breaks my heart hearing what
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: My Reply to Non Autism Expert Dr. David H. Gorski Also Known as ORAC
Dr. David H. Gorski, who is NOT an autism expert, somewhat ironically, attacks parents, professionals and journalists who disagree with his autism disorders opinions as “quacks” Dear Dr. David H. Gorski. Thank you for acknowledging your total lack of autism expertise. For the benefit of readers unfamiliar with your “style:” I
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: OTARC Panel: Dr. Giacomo Vivanti: Does Severe Autism Cause Intellectual Disability?
Excellent panel discussion by the La Trobe University Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre (OTARC) with Dr. Giacomo Vivanti, Dr. Cheryl Dissanjake and Dr. Cynthia Zierhut. The panel comments on the cultural representation of autism as genius in movies such as Rain Man and television series such as the Big Bang
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Severe Autism: Autism in the Shadows – Thank You Amy Mackin
“My son’s story is one of hope, not unlike the stories regularly broadcast on television, printed in magazines or making the rounds on YouTube. Yet the autism spectrum is wide and diverse, and many who suffer from severe autism will never reach the level of functioning that my child has
Continue readingFacing Autism in New Brunswick: Severe Autism Breakthrough: J. Cole Offers Sincere Apology And Acknowledges Existence of Severe Autism
Rapper J. Cole has offered what appears to this observer to be a very sincere apology, one offered without qualifications and one which actually offers a breakthrough for those who, like my son, suffer from severe autism. Unlike most prominent autism advocates rapper J. Cole actually acknowledged the existence of,
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: CNN’s Very High Functioning Autism Awareness Efforts Misrepresent Autism Disorders
CNN’s Portrayal of Autism In the Days Surrounding WAAD 2013 Middle – Jack and John Elder Robison – High Functioning Aspergers Bottom -Trevor Pacelli High Functioning PDD-NOS (Holli Dunn Photography) To no big surprise successful, very high functioning Asperger’s businsessman, author and family man John Elder Robison’s new book Bringing
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: Horrific Abuse of California Man With Severe Autism
CBSLA photo as Shown on the NY Daily News Shows Horrifying Abuse of Man with Severe Autism KCBS-TV Los Angeles “Mom Sickened” and the New York Daily News “Tantamount to Torture” report a story of horrific, torturous abuse by professional caregivers of a 31 year old autistic man with the reported
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: The Harsh Reality End of the Autism Spectrum
If you believe IACC Neurodiversity advocates present and past, Ari Ne’eman and Matthew Carey, autism is not something that should be cured. You won’t see much about the harsher aspects of life with autism disorders if you read their writings. In their view autism is nothing more than a
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