NB Adult Autism Residential Care Facility Needed: "It Is More Than Overdue" "When Will They Ever Learn?"
My 18 year old severely autistic son Conor waits for his slow poke Dad while we were out on a trail walk (Fredericton North Riverfront Trail). NB has known for 11 years (at least) that an adult autism residential care and treatment facility is badly needed. We are still waiting. On June 18, 2014 I posted on Facing Autism in New Brunswick and on my Facebook page a letter I sent to NB's political party leaders in which I commented on the long overdue need for an adult autism care facility in NB that could provide care for the most severely autistic and expertise to group homes around the provinc...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - August 29, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
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 leader Brian Gallant. It was a lively, well organized event and the optimism was clear. I enjoyed my brief chat with the charming greeting ladies pictured outside the Fredericton Ex building. In a general sense I enjoy elections, I firmly believe, despite the many legitimate bases for criticism that they are th...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - August 23, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
More Science in Support of ABA Effectiveness for Autistic Children
The US Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality Review Therapies for Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Behavioral Interventions Update has found a dramatic increase in the scientific evidence backing the effectiveness of intensive behavioral therapy for children affected by autism. The report some 519 pages in length has been reviewed on the Autism Speaks Science Digest site: "We are finding more solid evidence, based on higher quality studies, that these early intensive behavioral interventions can be effective for young children on the autism spectrum, especially related to their cognitive and la...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - August 14, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
UPDATE: Globe and Mail Health Columnist André Picard Abandons Evidence Based Autism Treatment Principle, Embraces SON-RISE PROGRAM®
André Picard is a Globe and Mail public health reporter with the Glboe and Mail which is promoting the Son-Rise Program®, a purported autism program with almost no evidence based support of its effectiveness, a program which is not even mentioned in the recent CMAJ (2014) article or the (2007) AAP (reaffirmed 2010) autism reports reviewing the evidence, or lack thereof in support of various autism treatments. The 2000 MADSEC (Maine) review did expressly assess Son-Rise Program® as described in my initial commentary on this somewhat startling embrace by the Globe and Mail of a weak to non evidence based autism "tre...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - August 9, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
Time To Divide The Heterogeneous DSM-5 Autism Spectrum Disorder and Free the Invisible, Severely Autistic From Oppression
Associated Morbidity and Mortality Health care utilization and costs are substantially higher for children and adolescents with ASDs compared with children without ASDs,89–91 and available data suggest that mortality is increased as well (standardized mortality ratio: 2.4–2.6).92,93 The increased mortality in ASDs is thought to be largely, but not completely, accounted for by the increased mortality associated with mental retardation and epilepsy. The above information from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders, autism policy statement 2007, reaffirmed 2010, mak...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - August 7, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
Autism Canada, With Some Help From the Globe and Mail, Promotes "Weak Evidence" Based Son-Rise Program®
ConclusionsThere have been no studies of the Son-Rise Program’s effectiveness. Researchers should consider investigation using research protocols. Professionals considering Son-Rise should portray the method as without scientific evaluation of any kind, and should disclose this status to key decision makers influencing the child’s intervention."I added the bold underlining for emphasis. Autism Canada prides itself on being the "PREMIER" source for autism information in Canada. Its spokespersons, especially medical and other professionals, should disclose to parents attending their conferences and reading th...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - August 5, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
Mother and Severely Autistic Son Evicted by Fredericton Non-Profit Housing Corporation Will Be Homeless Friday, August 1
"People with Autism Spectrum Disorder may be overly dependent on routines, highly sensitive to changes in their environment, or intensely focused on inappropriate items. ... the symptoms of people with ASD will fall on a continuum, with some individuals showing mild symptoms and others having much more severe symptoms"American Psychiatric Association, Autism Spectrum Disorder Fact Sheet [Underlining added for emphasis - HLD]Mistie Delorey is a single mother currently residing in a property of the Fredericton Non-Profit Housing Corporation. Her son with severe autism will turn 7 two days from n...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - July 29, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
It's Still "Gotta Be Genetic" as Autism Genetic Research Re-Invents Itself Yet Again
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: Gene-Environment Interaction: Nearly all diseases result from a complex interaction between an individual’s genetic make-up and the environmental agents that he or she is exposed to.Genetic research has maintained a near monopoly over autism causation research dollars for many years and with that financial monopoly the belief that autism disorders are necessarily genetically caused or triggered. If holes appear in existing gene theories of autism causation the autism research world regroups and sends up a new model. As always with autism researc...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - July 21, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
Why ABA for Autism? Because Children with Autism Disorders Deserve Evidence-Based Intervention and ABA Meets That Standard
Autism Canada Foundation, a Canadian autism charity, promotes itself as "The PREMIER Resource for Information on Autism Spectrum Disorders" but typically downplays the importance of evidence support for ABA as the Premier autism intervention while promoting interventions with less substantial evidence bases as determined by study and credible authorities. Why criticize Autism Canada Foundation an autism charity? Why ABA for Autism? Why Evidence Based Intervention? Because, as stated by Couper and Sampson in the Medical Journal of Australia 11 years ago, ineffective therapies, while...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - July 20, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
Dear Canada Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance: Important Autism News for Your Members
The fight for a REAL National Autism Strategy including Medicare coverage of ABA for autism began more than 15 years ago in courts in BC and in the offices of Fredericton MP Andy Scott, joined by Nova Scotia MP Peter Stoffer, former PEI MP Shawn Murphy, and Ontario MP Glenn Thibeault and has continued under the leadership of the Medicare for Autism NOW! organizaton.Members of CASDA, the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorders Alliance, might be interested in the strong federal NDP statementof commitment to a REAL National Autism Strategy and Medicare ...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - July 19, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
Election 2014: Will Severely Autistic Adults Continue to Suffer Under An Alward Government As They Have Since 2010?
New Brunswick has made progress in early intervention and student autism services but adult autistic needs, particularly severely autistic adults, have been ignored, completely ignored during the last 4 years. The article below originally appeared during the last provincial election period posted on Tuesday, September 14, 2010. Zero progress, absolutely zero progress has been seen in adult autism care under the Alward government. Everyone has their priorities but for David Alward adults with severe autism disorders are not even on his list. Today we still banish severely autistic adults to the R...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - July 16, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
NDP Continues Strong Leadership for A Real National Autism Strategy
Tom Mulcair, Leader of Canada's Official Opposition NDP & Glenn Thibeaullt, Sudbury NDP MP Further to my question to NDP Leader Tom Mulcair and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau about their parties' support for a real National Autism Strategy I have received the following reply from NDP Leader Mulcair:Dear Mr. Doherty,Thank you for writing. We appreciate hearing of your advocacy work on behalf of your son and all individuals living with autism spectrum disorders.Please be assured that New Democrats are determined to help put the needs of Autistic children on the political map. The NDP supports the co...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - July 11, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
Dear Mr Mulcair and Mr. Trudeau: If You Become Prime Minister Will Your Government Introduce A Real National Autism Strategy to Help all Autistic Canadians?
Mr. Thomas J. MulcairLeader of the Official Opposition New Democratic Party of CanadaMr. Justin TrudeauLeader of the Liberal Partty of CanadaRe: Autism in CanadaI am the father of an 18 year old young man with severe Autism Spectrum Disorder and I have been advocating for the introduction and development of autism services in New Brunswick and Canada for more than 15 years since his autism disorder diagnosis at age 2. As a resident of Fredericton New Brunswick I was one of a group of parent autism advocates who had the privilege of working with the our former Liberal Member of Parliament, the late Andy Scott, t...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - July 4, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
Autism Disorders and Transition To and Through School: A Small Suggestion
Conor visiting and preparing for his transition from middle school to high school by visiting the grounds of the school and seeing the Leo Hayes High School building. I have commented on transition planning in the school system before and I don't know if what we did with our severely autistic, profoundly developmentally delayed son can be done under the new Department of Education and Early Childhood Development policies or the collective agreement negotiated by Finance Minister Higgs with CUPE Local 2745, the union representing aides. The essence of what we did though was to show Co...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - July 2, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
NIMBY: New Brunswick Sends Severely Autistic Adults to NB's Northern Border with Quebec and To Maine, Far From Most Families
NIMBY, Not In My Back Yard: Severely autistic NB youth and adults are sent out of the province to the Spurwink facility in Maine and to the Restigouche Regional Psychiatric Hospital in Campbellton on NB's northern border with Quebec far from families and communities in NB's more heavily populated south. The UK Daily Mail has reported the story of a family whose severely autistic son who was sent 250 miles away for treatment including for severe self injurious behavior. The distance involved during his stay of more than 2 years meant 500 mile round trips to visit their son who had never met his sister:Josh ...
Source: Facing Autism in New Brunswick - June 25, 2014 Category: Autism Authors: H L Doherty Source Type: blogs
