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AUTISM FIRST STEPS
AUTISM DAILY NEWSLETTER
Wednesday December 12, 2001
INDEX:
* Telltale signs of
autism
* Autistic man who communicates through art publishes book
* Push to secure passage of S-1133 for Autism Biomedical Research
* Autistic Kids Don't See the Face's Emotional Clues
* A son's rage, a family's fear - but hope is never lost
* Jury is told police officers kicked man in handcuffs
******************************
Telltale signs of autism
BY PENNY WARK
As part of The Times Christmas Appeal for The National Autistic
Society, our reporter reveals the difficulties of diagnosing the condition
Autism is a condition that responds not merely to treatment, but to
recognition. If a child is found to be autistic, the expectations around him
can change and pressure can be lifted, and with it the child’s anxiety. Yet, as
many parents discover, it can take years of being shunted from one health
professional to another before autism is diagnosed in a child. Although
awareness of autism is growing, there are still doctors who know little or
nothing about it. Especially at consultant level, says Dr Judith Gould, a
consultant clinical psychologist who is the director of the Centre of Social
and Communication Disorders, run by The National Autistic Society. “Senior
people are not always up to date and may not be aware of the spectrum of
autism,” she says. “There are still areas where they take a narrow view.” This
year The Times Christmas Appeal invites readers to help children with
autism by raising funds for The National Autistic Society. Over the past ten
years its Centre of Social and Communication Disorders has led the way in
training paediatricians, psychiatrists, psychologists and speech and language
therapists to diagnose autism. Two years ago a study carried out by the society
showed that 65 per cent of parents saw three or more professionals before
getting a firm diagnosis for their child. Forty per cent of parents waited more
than three years for a diagnosis, and 10 per cent waited ten years or more.
“Parents sometimes have a tremendous struggle to get through the system,” says
Dr Gould. “Our aim is for people to be seen locally, because then they can be
offered ongoing support. But training is essential because autism cannot be
diagnosed with a blood test or a brain scan; it is a matter of taking a history
and understanding different manifestations.” For a child of two-and-a-half to
three the indications revolve around social interaction. Autistic children do
not relate well to other children or their environment, they may hit out. They
like routines and are resistant to change. “The autistic child is more
interested in leaves on the trees or a particular toy than another toddler
sitting beside him. They lack a social instinct. “We think mothers usually know
within the first few months that something is not quite right about their baby.
He’s not alert and lively and curious and exploring in an appropriate way. “Or
if a baby is very passive, that is another indicator because it’s normal for
babies to cry and be demanding and want cuddles. An experienced clinician can
pick it up within the first year or 18 months. Most parents seek help when they
see that their child’s language and play isn’t developing,” says Dr Gould.
Parents concerned that their children may be autistic should see their GP and
ask for a referral to a child development centre. The earlier the diagnosis,
the better for the child and the family. Dr Gould has seen adults given the
diagnosis of Asperger’s syndrome at 50. Their condition has not been recognised
because they are passive, but they have led difficult lives in which they have
been teased and bullied. This need not happen, she points out, and training
professionals to diagnose the condition promptly is the way to make the lives
of those who have autism easier. The National Autistic Society: 020-7833
2299; helpline: 0870 600 8585
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/0,,72-2001571729,00.html
******************************
Autistic man who communicates through art
publishes book
Yomiuri Shimbun A 29-year-old autistic man, who learned to express himself
through art, recently published a book of his works titled "25 Years of
Painting--It's Progress." Kazunori Sasaki, 29, of Takaishi, Osaka
Prefecture, included 107 of his 1200 paintings in the book and plans to hold an
exhibition in February. His mother Ryoko, 60, said she hoped the book and
exhibition would show people that every person, even those with physical or
mental handicaps, can develop their talents. Because he had a speech
impediment, Kazunori used to play by himself at nursery school, Ryoko said. He
was first diagnosed as "having a tendency toward autism" just before
he entered primary school, she said. Around that time, Kazunori was always
sketching cars. "I thought he might be trying to convey a message through
his drawing," Ryoko said. She visited primary school teachers, Yoshiyuki
Sakaguchi and his wife Emiko, both now 75, of Izumiotsu in the prefecture. At
that time, Yoshiyuki taught painting and Emiko taught disabled children. At
their suggestion, Kazunori started attending Yoshiyuki's painting class. At
first, Kazunori found it difficult to sit at a desk for a long time, but
Yoshiyuki was happy to let him do his own thing. Gradually, Kazunori began
drawing pictures of cars and people and later of his family on excursions. He
would then chat about his pictures. His mother said that after Sasaki's father
died at age 46, Saski would paint pictures of the family altar complete with a
photo of his father. He would then say, "Dad, please come out."
Kazunori graduated from an evening high school and now works at a nursery
cafeteria in Sakai in the prefecture. He still attends the painting class and
has won an award in a national painting competition. "His passion and
desire to express emotion is outstanding. He grew up to be an excellent
artist," Yoshiyuki said. Ryoko said: "My son was able to develop
thanks to the help of those around him, including Mr. Sakaguchi. The book
reflects all the help and kindness he has received. I'm so grateful." In
the first page of the book, Kazunori included a handwritten message that reads,
"I would like to continue painting pictures that I love." His
paintings will be exhibited Feb. 6-10 at a gallery of the municipal cultural
hall in Sakai. To order the book, which costs 3,500 yen, send a postcard to
1-12-3-308 Ayazono, Takaishi, Osaka, 592-0014.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20011211wo35.htm
******************************
Push to secure passage of S-1133 for Autism
Biomedical Research
Dear New Jersey Families, Friends, and Professionals Concerned About
Autism:
The push to secure passage of S-1133 for Autism Biomedical Research in
New Jersey is well underway. We still need your efforts if we are to
succeed! Here is a quick status -
1. Trenton is getting lots of calls and letters. They are very much
aware of S-1133.
2. All senators we're aware of, including Senate Majority Leader
Bennett, say they support S-1133.
3. Acting Governor DiFrancesco - who refuses to allow the bill to be
posted for a vote in the Senate - has not budged, however.
4. Tomorrow the autism organizations in NJ are going to ask the Governor
for a meeting, so we can personally explain the importance of this bill.
We don't know yet if his office will agree.
5. We need to get more phone calls and faxes from parents, friends, and
professionals to Gov. DiFrancesco, Gov-Elect McGreevey, Sen. Bennett,
Senator Singer (the bill's sponsor), and individual senators. Per COSAC,
they track the public response and the higher our numbers the better our
chance of S-1133 being posted. So please keep the calls and faxes up!
6. Parents, relatives, and other friends of autism should try to contact
the NJ media to see if they'll do a story. If you have any sympathetic
media contacts please call them or let Geoff Dubrowsky of CAN - NJ
(trotts19@bellatlantic.net) know and we'll contact them.
Here are some talking point for those making calls or faxes:
1. [Background] Governor DiFrancesco is trying to freeze state spending
due to a faltering economy and tax revenues. Many programs have been
frozen. The Governor refuses to allow our bill to be posted for a vote
in the Senate. We have an
excellent argument for the benefits of S-1133, however, that mean that
our bill should be enacted. These arguments should be communicated to
the Governor as well as individual senators so they proactively urge him
to post the bill and sign it.
2. We are not asking for an increase in spending. We've gotten the
amount in S-1133 for the last 2 years. If the Governor decides not to
post S-1133, it means he is ELIMINATING spending for autism research.
Funding for other programs are being FROZEN, not eliminated.
3. We are in the midst of an autism epidemic. There are more cases of
autism diagnosed in this country than AIDS. When AIDs was increasing in
the 1980s and 1990s, their budgets were increased, not cut.
4. The cost to support an autistic individual is astronomic. This bill
is designed to find treatments and prevention, to lower future costs.
This bill will have a positive financial impact for NJ.
5. New Jersey has been able to attract larger amounts of Federal dollars
as a result of the research dollars from the state received in the past
two years. The return on investment for NJ from S-1133 will be even more
positive as NIH spends more on autism research.
6. The humanitarian aspect - there is a dire need to improve the lives
of these children and adults and their families by finding effective,
proven interventions.
[Note for those missing earlier posts: S-1133 appropriates $1.5 million
for each of five years to autism research at UMDNJ through the NJ
Governor's Council on Autism. The bill has passed the NJ Assembly and
the Health and Budget Committees of the Senate. It must be posted for a
vote in the Senate, voted on by the Senate and signed by the Governor by
the end of this year, or we'll have to start all over again and will
miss an entire year of funding. There is only one more Senate session
left this year - on December 17th - this is our deadline. The autism
groups of NJ have gotten single year appropriations of $1.5 million for
autism research for the past two years. Our Senators, Assemblymen, and
Governor Whitman have been very supportive. S-1133 continues these
efforts.]
[The names and contact information where you can fax or call are:
The Honorable Donald DiFrancesco
Governor, State of New Jersey
Tel: 609-292-6000
Fax: 609-292-3454
The Honorable James McGreevey
Office of the Governor Elect
Phone: 609-777-3501
Fax: 609-943-4825
The Honorable John O. Bennett
New Jersey State Senate
Tel: 732-842-4900
Fax: 732-842-5326
The Honorable Robert Singer
New Jersey State Senate
Phone: 732 901-0702
Fax: 732 901-0587
If you have time….
….It would be helpful to send a copy of your letter or make a phone call
to your own state senator. As a constituent, you have influence. Ask
your local senator if she/he will express their support to Governor
DiFrancesco for S-1133. To find your state senator, go to
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/html/members.htm. Enter your zip code and
the name of the Senator for your District will appear.
******************************
Autistic Kids Don't See the Face's Emotional
Clues
By Merritt McKinneyNEW YORK (Reuters
Health) - To the brains of young children with autism, smiles and frowns may be
indistinguishable, new research suggests.In a study of 3- and 4-year-olds with
the disorder, the children's brain activity did not change when they were shown
photographs of faces showing different emotions.In contrast, the brain activity
of normal children and developmentally delayed children of the same age varied
depending on the emotion apparent on each face.The findings were presented last
month at the International Meeting for Autism Research in San Diego,
California.``Children with autism do not appear to be able to pick up facial
signals and notice other people's emotions,'' according to the study's lead
author, Dr. Geraldine Dawson of the University of Washington at Seattle. ``They
can't read the signals or facial expressions of emotions in a normal way,'' she
said in a press release.This suggests that the brain problem behind the
inability to read emotions in the faces of others occurs early in life and
involves ``very basic brain systems,'' Dawson added.Knowing that children with
autism are not able to read facial expressions and notice emotions may help
parents of autistic children better understand how their children interact with
others, the Washington researcher said.The research ``also points to the
importance of interventions, such as behavioral interventions that reward
children for paying attention to facial cues,'' she said.Researchers at the
University of Washington are developing computer programs that help children
recognize and understand facial cues, Dawson noted.Autism, which often impairs
a child's ability to communicate and form relationships with other people,
usually begins within the first few years of life. Autism may also affect a
child's ability to respond properly to sights, sounds and touch. Though some
children with the disorder are mentally impaired, about one-third are
``high-functioning,'' meaning that they have a normal or near-normal IQ.In a
second study presented at the same meeting, a colleague of Dawson's, Dr. Stephen
Dager, reported that children with autism have larger brains than normal or
developmentally delayed children.Using a special form of magnetic resonance
imaging called PEPSI, or proton echo planar spectroscopic imaging, Dager's team
measured brain size in the same group of children studied by Dawson.On average,
autistic children's brains were 10% larger than other children's. Although
children with autism have a hard time recognizing emotions, an area of the
brain called the amygdala, which is involved with the normal expression of
emotion, was larger in autistic children.The researchers are not sure of the
meaning of the enlarged amygdala, but they are planning to view the children's
brains again at ages 6 and 9 to see how they change with age.In comments to
Reuters Health, Dawson said that one goal of autism research at the University
of Washington is ``to determine the brain bases of autism so that we can better
understand how to design behavioral and medical treatments.'' At the same time,
researchers are trying to improve diagnosis of autism by identifying the
earliest signs of the disorder, such as the failure to recognize emotions, she
said.``Early diagnosis is very important because the brain is much more plastic
during the early years of life,'' Dawson said. She noted that very early
intervention leads to ``a much better prognosis.''
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011211/hl/autism_1.html
******************************
A son's rage, a family's fear - but hope is
never lost
The Irish
Examiner 11 Dec 2001
Carl
O'Brien, Young Journalist of the Year, talks to brave Margaret, who fights on
for State care for her mentally handicapped and epileptic son. Jozsef can go on
the rampage for hours, sometimes most of the night, as he smashes almost
anything in sight. Windows are shattered. A fridge door is ripped off its
hinges. The washing machine is thrown into the backyard.And when the
21-year-old exhausts himself, he crumples into a ball like a baby and cries as
he sees the devastation he has wrought."He is a little boy behind it
all," says mother-of-seven Margaret Schlingloff, from Thurles, Co
Tipperary. "He has the mental age of an eleven-year-old. He can't see what
he's doing; he doesn't even know why he does it - it's just a blind rage."
Jozsef is mentally handicapped and epileptic. He needs therapy to tackle his
condition. But because he can't get any care, he will spend tonight locked up
in a remand centre.He has already threatened his mother with a knife. Next
week, he will appear in court for damaging a car. Who knows what will happen
next, says Margaret. Chances are he'll end up in jail, or worse.MARGARET is
stranded, but she is not alone.Department of Health figures show there are 600
people with a mental handicap or intellectual disability like Jozsef who do not
receive any care from the State.More than 3,000 people are on a waiting list
for an essential service. The number of people in need of residential care has
nearly trebled in 10 years. Respite services for many families are virtually
non-existent, say disability groups.While government spending on disability as
a proportion of our wealth has remained frozen for 10 years, during the same
period, spending on foreign aid is up by around 127%; expenditure on prisons is
up 25%, and money for sewage treatment is up by 50%.The National Health
Strategy, unveiled last month, promises to reform services across the board for
disabled people by giving each individual a chance to achieve their full
potential and maximum independence. Targets and deadlines are set out for
action. But in last week's Budget, spending on the area of mental handicap
actually fell, according to Séamus Greene of the National Parents and Siblings
Alliance. This, he says, shows there is no serious commitment to fundamentally
changing the status quo. "We've seen it in the Budget. By my figures,
there is a £10m drop in funding for people with mental handicaps. The people
who make these decision just don't know what it's like to be dealing with
someone with challenging behaviour."The Government parties, in their
Action Programme for the Millennium, promised "radical change to ensure
that the needs and aspirations of people with disabilities, their families,
carers and advocates, are comprehensively addressed." For people like
Jozsef Schlingoff, though, most of the radical changes in their lives have so
far been changes for the worse.EVEN when Jozsef flies into a rage, Margaret can
still see the 11-year-old boy deep inside."He is my son. I'd love to see
him with proper services, and it would be great to have him living at home,
going to school five days a week and being able to settle back into the family.
But I can't see that happening at the moment." Jozsef needs a full
psychological assessment to find out what his needs are. He needs behavioural
therapy to help him control his rages. He needs counselling to address his
emotional problems.But there is no treatment centre in the country for people
with epilepsy and behaviour problems.There is a unit in England which
specialises in treating people with epilepsy and behaviour problems. But
Margaret hasn't been able to get her health board to agree to send him there.
"If he got the services, he wouldn't be as bad as he's got. He needs to be
able to control his rages. It's starting to really scare me - it's almost like
he has a death wish."Jozsef was born prematurely but seemed normal up
until six yearsof age. "He was so content as a child," Margaret
recalls. "He would smile before he'd do anything. His sister used to fight
his battles for him if there was an argument with the other kids."When
Margaret came home from hospital with her newborn child, Jozsef, then aged six,
appeared to throw a cup of tea at her.It turned out to have been a minor
seizure in his arm. He was soon diagnosed with epilepsy and went downhill
dramatically over the next two years. He became incontinent. His development
slowed. At one stage he was having between 60 and 90 seizures a day.Instead of
therapy, he was prescribed drugs. Later on, a new doctor helped address some of
his problems. But when he turned 16, the rages began.He has been in and out of
special schools which have lacked the expertise to deal with him. He has even
been in a mental hospital, but was discharged into a B&B within days -
despite a warning from the chief medic that he should not be living in the open
community."He's been dumped out of the health system, so he's in the
judicial system now," says Margaret. "When you hear from them that
'oh, this isn't right for him,' it's usually a prelude before we take him
back."DEPARTMENT officials acknowledge that services for disabled people
are the "blackspot" of the health system.Part of the reason is the
increase in the number of disabled people. In the period from 1996 to 1998
alone, the total population of people with a mental handicap/intellectual
disability rose from 26,694 to 28,400. People are living longer and their needs
are changing. Some elderly parents can't cope at home with an ageing sibling.
Some older parents die and an emergency situation arises.The 10-year Health
Strategy promises an expansion of day places, training, residential and respite
care, and other support services to deal with these situations. The document
pledges to start inspections of all institutions and to review all disability allowances
and concessions during 2002.But despite the promises, the same cycle of
children being cold-shouldered by the State appears to be continuing, say
parents.Pat Walsh, a parent of a six-year-old autistic child and a member of
the autism taskforce, says we may be raising a new generation of people
destined to live in institutions if we don't act now. "There are other
people, like Paul O'Sullivan yesterday, who are in the pipeline. Parents are
continuing to go to courts to get education for their children. Unless we
provide early intervention, it's going to cost the State even more in the
long-run."The taskforce on autism recommends that the Government ensure a
child is assessed on suspicion of a difficulty, that parents have a choice of
education and that a complaints procedure be put in place.Mr Walsh says it is a
good blueprint. What we have to do is implement it and resource it. Now.Dr Mark
Harrold, a senior clinical psychologist who specialises in working with
handicapped, says there needs to be a seismic change in mindset when it comes
to the authorities."Families are made to feel like they are objects of
charity when they do receive something," he says. "In reality, they
are customers - they are consumers of a services and not getting the service they
should be getting." AS CHRISTMAS approaches, Jozsef will be let out of the
remand centre and will be allowed go home for a few days.It will be a holiday
period suffused with anxiety, happiness and dread for Margaret - thankful that
he is all right, but worried as to what he will do. "His time in the
remand centre is almost up. If he's thrown out of there he will have to return
home. And then we're into the same cycle of violence."I'm afraid to look
forward to see what will happen. He'll be back here. Maybe he'll really hurt
someone. He's not going to get any better the way things are
going."Margaret isn't willing to give up the fight to get what she says
her son needs. "You see in some older parents they lose the will to fight
on. You hear them, say, 'sure, what can you do?' But you have to battle on."
http://www.online.ie/news/irish_examiner/viewer.adp?article=1603730
******************************
Jury is told police officers kicked man in
handcuffs
By Tim Bryant
Of the Post-Dispatch
12/10/2001 09:36 PM
An autistic man suspected of stealing a purse endured "football-style
kicks" from two Bellefontaine Neighbors police officers who attacked him
after he was handcuffed, a federal prosecutor told a jury Monday.
Christopher Currinder, suffered a fractured rib in the arrest Dec. 20, 1999,
outside the Pizza Hut where he swept floors and did odd jobs.
Officers Kevin Rehg and Gary Bequette are charged with excessive use of force.
Bequette also is accused of tampering with a witness he allegedly told not to
speak with the FBI. Their trial began Monday in U.S. District Court downtown.
Defense lawyers told jurors in opening statements that Currinder's rib was
broken when he scuffled with two officers who arrived before Bequette and Rehg.
Bequette's attorney, Rick Barry, said the injury happened when Currinder, with
two officers hanging on him, fell on a concrete curb.
Michael Barr, of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, told jurors in
his opening statement that the incident began when a woman reported to police
that she suspected Currinder of taking her purse at the Aldi's Supermarket in
the 10000 block of Bellefontaine Road.
Police spotted Currinder, who is autistic, walking along Bellefontaine. He
denied taking the purse but ran when a Bellefontaine Neighbors officer tried to
question him further. The officer and a St. Louis County police officer caught
up with Currinder outside the Pizza Hut at Bellefontaine and Interstate 270,
where he worked.
Currinder, then 36, allegedly resisted arrest. The two officers reported that
they managed to handcuff him only after spraying him with Mace and pulling him
to the pavement. One of those officers radioed for help, bringing Bequette,
Rehg and others.
The government is not alleging that the original officers acted improperly. But
as Currinder lay handcuffed, the later-arriving Bequette and Rehg delivered
"football-style kicks" to the victim's side, Barr said.
Bequette, 60, joined the Bellefontaine Neighbors force in 1982. Rehg, 41,
joined in 1997. Both are suspended with pay pending the outcome of the trial,
likely to go to the jury before the end of the week.
Barry told jurors the defendants never touched Currinder. He also said the
claim of witness tampering was based on a misunderstanding of what his client
said.
Rehg's lawyer, Neil Bruntrager, said that witnesses who said they saw one or
two officers strike Currinder gave conflicting stories.
Barr said no other officers saw Currinder kicked because they were looking for
the purse reported stolen.
As it turned out, there was no stolen purse to find. The woman called police
later to report that the purse she had believed was taken from her at Aldi's
was still at her home.
Reporter Tim Bryant:
E-mail: tbryant@post-dispatch.com
Phone: 314-621-5154
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/News/CAF02C954DD176C986256B1F0016FFB0?OpenDocument&Headline=Jury%20is%20told%20police%20officers%20kicked%20man%20in%20handcuffs
******************************
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