Autism Blogger

This is our old dog just chillin' out with the deer on our patio.  This was an evening routine for them for quite some time (at least until the deer ran out of weeds on the deck).  It just goes to show that even in the animal kingdom, acceptable boundaries can be crossed and unusual social relationships can thrive.

This is a picture I took at a tulip festival in Canada's capital a few years ago.  "We must overcome the notion that we must be regular... it robs you of the chance to be extraordinary and leads you to the mediocre." - Uta Hagen

I know we all get discouraged from time to time, particularly when it seems that our children are not making any progress; but perhaps this picture my hubby (who loves geology) took a few years ago can help to serve to remind us that with enough patience and some persistence, even solid rock can be taught to bend.

Her'e's the pic I can share. This was a Playboy Party in Vegas. She's far left =)

She's gaining strength & expected to be a hurricane by tonight......... dare we say it?

"HELLO DOLLY" ps San Antonio will just get rain, we're too far inland for hurricanes.

Yesterday the head woman at Hope Haven called twice and sucked up on my voicemail. She apoligized telling me they are usually very efficient and to call back and to schedule the services I deserve and yaya yaya...

Then early this morning another call came in, not recognizing the number I ignored it. It was the girl who did not show up last Friday. "Hi Holly...ummm... this is Ashley and I am calling ummm..." and a line about ummm scheduling hours. UMMMM... I think not. She sounds young and it is not very professional to repeat UMMM in place of a pause seperating sentences.

Am I being bitter by refusing all service? I could use it, but I have never had it so its not like I know what I am missing.

Ma is lookinng at an old manager job back and would be going from nights to day time normal hours. So I can have a chance to go out in the evening. Normal things can be done during normal hours. They are very interested in her, since she worked there until I got pregnant and had to transfer back to Spencer then had to quit because of lack of hours. Shehas the experience, and the customer appreciation. But ironically even if I have a chance to go do something in the evening I probably will end up at home anyways...

 Many parents take for granted their child's first step, first words and the first time they say "I love you."

But for the parents of autistic children, those milestones have even more meaning.

"It's a lot more difficult for a child with autism," said Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Olie Kolzig, whose son Carson, 7, is autistic. "When they finally speak their first word or say I love you, it really hits home. It's an emotion you can't describe unless you've gone through it. There's an unconditional love with these children; they are very special. I'm fortunate to have a son like Carson."

Kolzig and former Tri-City Americans teammate Stu Barnes (Dallas Stars) raise funds and bring awareness to autism with a summer golf tournament -- Olie and Stu's Desert Bash -- at Meadow Springs Country Club in Richland.

The seventh edition of the event, which ended Monday, raised a record $170,000, of which $47,000 was cash donations. The top auction item was a Mexican cruise that went for $12,000. Since the tournament began, it has raised more than $750,000 for the Carson Kolzig Foundation.

The event also had a call for scholarships and raised $8,000. The money will provide 80 families with the $100 tuition for next week's Southeastern Washington Autism Conference at Three Rivers Convention Center.

"It doesn't matter if it's $1 or $20,000, every dollar is vital," Kolzig said. "The big foundations like Autism Speaks are obviously more into the research part of it, where as the Carson Kolzig Foundation is more into the support of families that are affected now and we can help them now. We've got very, very generous people. People who want to do their part. No dollar goes unnoticed."

This year's tournament had a record 34 teams and a record number of sponsors.  read more »

CombiMatrix Corporation announced today that it has launched an updated version of its ATScan(tm) test for pre-disposition screening for autism, through its wholly owned subsidiary CombiMatrix Molecular Diagnostics (CMDX). The ATScan test has been updated to encompass recent discoveries published in the journal, Science, which confirm the role of several new genomic imbalances in the etiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) (Morrow et al., Science, 11 July 2008, Vol 321). 

Together with these most recent discoveries, a mounting collection of independent peer-reviewed studies have revealed a substantial causative role for genomic imbalances or genome copy number variations (CNVs) in autism (Christian et al., 2007, Human Molecular Genetics; Daly et al., 2008, New England Journal of Medicine). The detection of CNVs comprises the very basis of the pioneering ATScan test and is developed on CMDX's rigorously clinically validated array CGH platform and is available upon physician request at CMDX's California licensed and CLIA certified headquarters in Irvine, CA. The ATScan test is designed to detect all of the known genomic copy-number variations (CNVs), including these most recent discoveries associated with ASD.  read more »

Britney Spears was a surprise guest at a fundraiser for autism this Saturday in Los Angeles.

The benefit was to raise money for actress Jenny McCarthy's charity, Generation Rescue, an organization dedicated to autism research.

One guest told US Weekly that Spears, 26, "definitely looked happy" and was "smiling a lot" while sipping wine at her table. Another told People magazine that while Spears stayed close to her assistant, Brett, "she was very into the information" that was being presented. This was the pop star's first public appearance since news of her custody agreement broke last week.

Other stars in attendance included Charlie Sheen and his new bride, Brooke Mueller, as well as Robert Rodriguez and girlfriend, Rose McGowan, who danced all night, according to People.

Helping McCarthy with the event was long-time beau comedian Jim Carrey, who at one point took to the dance floor and challenged another guest to a dance battle.

McCarthy's son, Evan, 5, was diagnosed with autism three years ago but she only revealed his condition last May on The View. She's also recently published a book, Louder Than Words: A Mother's Journey in Healing Autism.

Mitochondrial Dysfunction is a very common problem amongst children on the spectrum. NEWS12 - LI Naturally host Mary Mucci spent hours with my colleague, Dr. Michael Gruttadauria and two moms of patients in his practice last week for an upcoming story on Autism and Mitochondrial Dysfunction.

See the story here:

https://www.news12.com/NewCDA/articles/media_pop?region=LI&id=174524

"There are two boys with Autism in my practice whose moms have given them baby brothers recently. We wanted to see if siblings of children on the spectrum indeed had metabolic issues and/or Mitochondrial Dysfunction. Metametrix donated their Organic Acids Profile for both families so we could test these two babies for clinical signs of metabolic imbalance/Mitochondrial Dysfunction."

"Because both babies are developing typically, both mom's were shocked to find out that their boys indeed had metabolic changes, including markers for Mitochondrial Dysfunction, come back in the test results."

"You can read more about Mitochondrial Dysfunction in the article below, and sign up for a FREE teleconference on Autism that I am hosting on August 14th at 7 pm EST by clicking this link which will take you to a registration page." www.justaskdrmike.com

   read more »

But I've read them all and I think you guys are wonderful!  I loved Perz's pun at the end of the Poop post--ha ha ha!

While my son was in school, I was frequently asked by his teachers (usually after some sort of incident occurred) whether or not I thought they should discipline my son.  I was always somewhat confused by the question.  Of course, what they probably really meant to ask was whether or not they should discipline my son "normally."

This is a far more sketchy question, because the answer invariably rests on what is perceived to be "normal" behavior and what is understood to be "normal" discipline; and I found it at times a difficult one to answer.  Here's why.

It seems to me that when most people think of discipline, they are frequently thinking about punishment and, in the case of younger children, are sometimes thinking exclusively about corporal forms of punishment, such as a swift swatting or spanking.  They are, in general, thinking about forcing a change in the child's behavior through the exhibition of superior power over the child.  If the child does not comply or "get" the punishment, more punishment is doled out, and on and on.

The root of the word "discipline" however is the same as the word "disciple."  It has to do with instruction and teaching, not punishment - "training, esp. of the mind and character, aimed at producing self-control, obedience, orderly conduct." (Canadian Oxford Dictionary)  The modern focus on forcing the "obedience" issue has developed over time as we seem to have forgotten the word's root.  read more »

Mon Jul 21, 6:59 PM ET

NEW YORK - Radio talk show host Michael Savage, who described 99 percent of children with autism as brats, said Monday he was trying to "boldly awaken" parents to his view that many people are being wrongly diagnosed.

Some parents of autistic children have called for Savage's firing after he described autism as a racket last week. "In 99 percent of the cases, it's a brat who hasn't been told to cut the act out," Savage said on his radio program last Wednesday.

Savage offered no apology in a message posted Monday on his Web site. He said greedy doctors and drug companies were creating a "national panic" by overdiagnosing autism, a mental disorder that inhibits a person's ability to communicate.

On his radio show last week, he said: "What do you mean they scream and they're silent? They don't have a father around to tell them, `Don't act like a moron. You'll get nowhere in life. Stop acting like a putz. Straighten up. Act like a man. Don't sit there crying and screaming, you idiot.'"

The government estimates about 1 in 150 children have some form of autism. But many experts believe these unsociable behaviors were just about as common 30 or 40 years ago and that the increase is mostly caused by a surge in special education services and a corresponding shift in diagnoses.  read more »