May 18, 2007
Nickel Belt MPP Martel to retire from electoral politics
Sudbury – Nickel Belt MPP Shelley Martel announced today that she won’t be running for re-election. After 20 years in the Ontario Legislature, Martel has decided to retire from electoral politics to pursue new interests and spend more time with her family.
“I’m announcing today that I will not be running for re-election this fall. I’ll continue to work as the MPP for Nickel Belt until just before midnight on October 10th and then I’ll formally retire from provincial politics,” Martel said.
“It’s been an enormous privilege to serve as the MPP, first for the riding of Sudbury East, and then for the riding of Nickel Belt. For 5 consecutive elections, the constituents in these two ridings, were very generous to give me enough votes to allow me to represent them at Queen’s Park I hope that regardless of their political stripes, most constituents will feel that I tried to represent them, tried hard to raise the issues that mattered to working families, and that in our riding office, we all tried hard to fix as many problems as we could,” she said.
Martel made the announcement surrounded by her family at the Steelworkers Hall where she won her first nomination to run for the NDP. That was on May 3, 1987. Since then, Martel has served both as an opposition MPP and a cabinet minister.
“When I look around the community, I’m proud I was part of an NDP government that invested the people’s money in projects I think made a difference like the Sudbury Southeast Bypass, the Lion’s Centre for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the IMAX at Science North, the boardwalk alongside of Lake Ramsey, the Ontario Breast Screening Program, the Family Residency Program at Laurentian University, the midwifery and nurses practitioner programs at Laurentian University, NORCAT and College Boreal,” Martel said.
“In opposition, I’m proud I fought to end government discrimination against Northern cancer patients, that I joined my colleague Peter Kormos to expose the mess at the Family Support Office, that I pushed for safe needles for health care workers and a minimum standard of care for residents in Ontario long-term care homes, and that I was able to fight to end government discrimination against children with autism over age 6 and highlight the desperate need to fund IBI treatment for these wonderful kids,” she said.
“Most of all, I’m proud of the tremendous work done over the years by my staff to try and resolve the day-to-day problems facing our constituents,” she said.
Martel says she has every intention of working as hard as she can from now until the end of election day, the day she will officially step aside as MPP. Her office will remain open and ready for business. She will be out and about in the riding and continue to hold her community clinics.
“Most importantly, I have every intention of working as hard as I can, with our new NDP candidate, to win Nickel Belt again in the next election, and to elect Howard Hampton the next premier of Ontario,” Martel said.
– 30 –
Media Inquiries: Jeffrey Ferrier (416) 357-6364
Howard Hampton statement on retirement of Shelley Martel
Sudbury – NDP Leader Howard Hampton today made the following remarks regarding Nickel Belt MPP Shelley Martel’s announcement that she will not seek
re-election in the upcoming provincial election.
“It is an honour and privilege to be here today in Sudbury to pay tribute to Shelley Martel. As MPP for Sudbury East and Nickel Belt, as a cabinet minister and as a caucus critic, Shelley has shown that she's a champion for her community, a tireless advocate for her constituents and a true friend to ordinary working families.
“Shelley has made a real positive difference - delivering investments for Northern communities, standing up for Medicare in Sudbury and communities across Ontario, and fighting for autistic children whose hopes have been dashed by the sitting government. And that's just the tip of the iceberg of Shelley's good work.
“As Leader of Ontario's NDP, speaking for New Democrats all across Ontario, I want to commend you - Shelley - for 20 years of outstanding public service. We're all so proud of you and all that we've accomplished together.
“It's never an easy day for a Leader when his longest-serving, most respected and most distinguished MPP announces it's time to move on from electoral politics. That's the kind of day today is.
“Shelley - I want you to know - that I'm behind you 100 per cent - and that I look forward to being there with you as you begin this exciting new chapter in your life - every step of the way - shoulder to shoulder - hand in hand. Thank you.”
Media Inquiries
Jeffrey Ferrier (416) 357-6364
This Important piece from the Ministry of Education Website regarding ABA in Schools.
PPM addressing ABA is now public. You can read it at the following site
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/extra/eng/ppm/140.html
Friday, May 18, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
News Articles for May 17th
Autism News Articles Mailing for May 17th
Top Priority NEWS
Ministry of Education
McGuinty Government Delivering More Support For Students With Autism
Nearly $6 Million Being Invested In New Autism Initiatives To Help
Students Succeed
TORONTO, May 17 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is improving the learning
environment for students with autism spectrum disorders by directing all
school boards to provide Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), Education Minister
Kathleen Wynne announced today.
"All students with autism deserve equal access to this vital teaching
approach that can improve their focus on individual projects and strengthen
their communication with other students in the classroom," said Wynne. "We are
implementing our plan to ensure students with autism receive the best
education possible."
The Ministry of Education instructed school boards today that they must
provide programs that use ABA methods to students who need it. This directive
is part of the government's response to the recommendations of Autism
Reference Group report, Making a Difference for Students with Autism Spectrum
Disorders in Ontario Schools: From Evidence to Action, received earlier this
year.
The implementation of ABA will be supported by extensive staff training
starting with six to eight representatives, including superintendents,
principals, teachers, teaching assistants, school support staff and Special
Education Advisory Committee members, from each school board over the next two
months. This will be followed by school team training - funded through a
$1-million investment - for up to 1,400 principals, educational assistants and
teachers over the summer months.
Additionally, the government has provided a grant of $2.75 million to the
Geneva Centre for Autism. "We are very grateful for the government's support
so we can provide further training on ABA approaches to school staff in the
fall," said Margaret Whelan, Executive Director of the Geneva Centre for
Autism. "This investment will allow educators to help more students with
autism succeed."
<<
The government is also taking the following initiatives recommended in the
reference group report:
- Implementing research-based collaborative approaches with school
staff and community groups to deliver autism services to students.
This will be supported through a $2-million investment
- Requiring principals to have transition plans for students with
autism when they start school, move between grades and schools, and
move on to colleges, universities or the workplace
- Creating a resource guide for teachers, educational assistants,
administrators and other staff on the most effective ways to teach
students with autism
- Encouraging school boards to establish multi-disciplinary teams that
include parents and provide input into a student's individual
education plan
- Meeting with the Minister's Advisory Council on Special Education
regarding implementation of the reference group report. The first
meeting will take place on June 7.
"The reference group's report has been very helpful as we work to ensure
that children and youth with autism spectrum disorder receive the supports
they need to achieve success," said Children and Youth Services Minister Mary
Anne Chambers. "Our government has been making great strides on several fronts
and we are determined to do more."
Other ways that the government is working together with the community to
support students with autism include:
- Assessing all children referred to the Autism Intervention Program
since July 2005 regardless of age
- Increasing the number of children receiving Intensive Behavioural
Intervention services outside of the classroom to more than 1,100 - a
105 per cent increase since April 2004
- Tripling the support for children with autism and their families
since 2003-04 - increased funding to nearly $130 million in 2007-08
- Increasing the number of qualified autism professionals graduating
each year from the Ontario College Graduate Certificate Program in
Autism and Behavioural Science to 220 by 2008-09
- Reducing the wait list for assessment by 69 per cent since 2004
- Training up to 1,600 childhood educators and child care workers and
5,000 educational assistants who work with children with autism
through the Geneva Centre for Autism
"I'm very pleased that the government is taking action so quickly in
response to the reference group's report," said Lynn Ziraldo, chair of the
Autism Reference Group. "This government has shown a strong commitment to
reaching every student with autism."
www.edu.gov.on.ca
www.ontario.ca/progress
>>
-30-
For further information: Michelle Despault, Minister's Office (416)
212-3747; Patricia MacNeil, Communications Branch, (416) 325-2676; Public
Inquiries: (416) 325-2929 or 1-800-387-5514, TTY: 1-800-263-2892
The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
Shortcut to: http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GPOE/2007/05/17/c2234.html?lmatch=&lang=_e.html
May 17, 2007
IBI THERAPISTS STILL BARRED FROM CLASSROOM
QUEEN’S PARK – NDP Health Critic Shelley Martel slammed the McGuinty Liberals today for failing to allow IBI therapists in the classroom for all children with autism.
“Over and over again, parents of children with autism have demanded this government allow their children’s IBI therapists into the classrooms. Today’s announcement by Minister Wynne in no way meets that demand, the money is not for IBI therapists,” said Martel.
Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) is a specialized form of applied behaviour analysis (ABA). Most teaching methods for all students already use ABA. Encouraging school boards to use ABA is not the same as providing the IBI treatment many students with autism need to learn in the classroom.
Dalton McGuinty’s track record on autism speaks for itself:
• The McGuinty Liberals only stopped the age 6 cut-off after Justice Kiteley of the Ontario Superior Court ruled in April 2005 that the McGuinty government was violating the Charter of Rights of Ontario’s autistic children on the basis of both their age and disability – 18 months after being elected.
• More children are on waiting lists. The wait list of children assessed and eligible for IBI therapy has grown to 1,280 children. When the Liberals were elected, only 89 children were waiting for IBI treatment to begin. The wait list has grown 1,400% under McGuinty’s watch.
• Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act demonstrate the McGuinty Liberals have diverted $59 million that was supposed to be spent on autism services and spent it elsewhere. Every year, it costs approximately $50,000 for an autistic child to receive the 40 hours per week of IBI treatment. The $59 million not spent from the Liberals’ autism budget could have provided IBI therapy to over 1,000 children.
• Currently, the Ministry of Education bars IBI therapists from the classroom.
“Allowing IBI therapists into the classroom would be a regulatory change. Other therapists, including speech therapists, are allowed into the classroom – but IBI therapists are not,” said Martel.
Martel urged the McGuinty government again to stop stalling and get on with the business of getting qualified IBI therapists into Ontario classrooms.
“I am calling on the premier to do the right thing for children with autism. Extend IBI treatment to all children who need it by allowing IBI therapists in the classroom -- without delay,” said Martel.
-30-
Media inquiries: Dan O’Brien (416) 325-2507
Pam is the host of Rogers Insights that films in Newmarket. Many of us
have been a guest of Pam's on the show, she is an amazing woman, runs a
fantastic show, and is also a listmate!!!!
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/toronto/story.html?id=261116b6-48f3-4932-881a-c48b334dcb7f&k=74811&p=1
National Post story - my daughter
>
>> Okay, everyone I know has to put up with me today! This full page
story
>> (with colour picture) was in the front section of the National Post
today
>> (I have many copies). My daughter received an email advising it was
>> going across the country.
>>
>> "'I know what it's like'"
>>
'I know what it's like'
Brampton teacher diagnosed with Asperger's inspires her autistic students
Karin Kloosterman, National Post
Published: Thursday, May 17, 2007
It is the middle of a lesson in the classroom at Greenbriar Public School in Brampton, and the boys, aged 12 to 14, take turns jumping on the trampoline in between listening to their teacher.
"It releases tension," teacher Carole Ann MacDonald says matter-of-factly, as she surveys a classroom that also includes terrariums, a beanbag chair, a sectional couch and, most importantly, three teaching assistants and a teacher for just nine students.
Ms. MacDonald knows, perhaps more than most, the need for an autistic child to have a release from the structure of a school day.
When she was a bit younger than these students, she was labelled "retarded" and severely disabled, and required a team of private tutors to get her through school. It was not until her final year of teacher's college, three years ago, that she was diagnosed with Asperger's, a form of autism.
Ms. MacDonald is considered by autism experts such as Dr. Kevin Stoddart to be among the highest functioning cases of Asperger's. She does not shake hands obsessively or have any noticeable physical tics. Her unusualness manifests itself in a way that is difficult to pinpoint.
In the classroom, where other teachers might give harsh words when students misbehave -- the boys on this particular day were eating, pacing the room and talking out of turn --Ms. MacDonald laughs.
Her laughter, punctuated by bursts of "ha" and her patient repetition of instructions, somehow diffuses the boys' frustrations to communicate. Inappropriate reactions, such as laughter, are among the traits that define Asperger's, which is a difficult disorder to diagnose.
The logistics of handling a busy day on a rotary teaching schedule is a challenge for someone with autism, who prefers order and structure.
"There are so many transitions all in one day. I teach science, then I switch to math, then I have to switch to drama and then I have to switch to teaching language," says Ms. MacDonald in one breath. "I rely a lot on the teaching assistants for support and understanding--[they] have no problem telling me, 'You need to switch subjects and keep focused.' "
It has taken Ms. MacDonald two decades to try to understand what made her different.
"The testing process was difficult, explains Ms. MacDonald, "It's not like you walk through the door and you are diagnosed. It mainly comes from a feeling inside -- that you know you are different from other people and you want to find out why.
"Obtaining my diagnosis involved a long process of looking into my family history and by the time they told me I had Asperger's, I already knew."
She found the label empowering. As for her students, "Some people say we shouldn't label kids because 'kids are not jam,' but I disagree. Without the labels, my pupils wouldn't get the right placement or funding."
Like a typical Asperger's person, Ms. MacDonald has no qualms talking openly about her personal life, even in class.
"Boys, I know what it's like to be suspended from school. I know what it's like to fail math class," she tells them. "I used to forget my tuba and was always late for school. It's OK. When you get to high school, cling to the smart kids in class. That's what I did."
'I know what it's like'
Brampton teacher diagnosed with Asperger's inspires her autistic students
Karin Kloosterman, National Post
Published: Thursday, May 17, 2007
She explains her candour with her students this way: "Kids need to know if a teacher is gay or disabled so they can have role models to identify with."
When she applied for her job, straight out of teacher's college, she already had an impeccable resume, which included master's-level courses from York University, but what won her the job was a sense that she offered "this sort of 'other' dimension to her understanding of the students," says Pat Lewis, the school's principal.
Brooks Masterson, a school psychologist, said that people with Asperger's are known for not understanding other people's views, because they lack a pragmatic language. "But as a teacher, Ms. MacDonald conveys empathy and enthusiasm. She is an advocate for them and experiences what they go through."
Social worker Barbara McFarlane, who worked with Ms. MacDonald last year, can offer some insight into why her teaching method works so well: "Us outsiders would see a child's ignoring instructions as a weakness. Carole Ann is able to get in touch with them and recognize when a child does not understand instructions."
She said that it is through Ms. MacDonald's work that "these kids have risen from the bottom of the totem pole to the top of the educational system. In some cases they are functioning at a higher level than the mainstream students."
Ms. MacDonald's mother, Pam, a Newmarket business woman, says her daughter has been so focused from a very early age.
"It was almost as if Carole Ann had an innate sense of what she needed in order to succeed, and an unstoppable determination to obtain it," says her mom. "If she was quiet, you knew she was taking something apart. She seemed to have no fear. I always thought she was just a very active child. I have subsequently learned that autistic children don't understand non-verbal cues, and need things explained very clearly; they can make inappropriate comments, and almost shut down in stressful situations."
Admittedly, Ms. MacDonald says, some educational staff might think her teaching concepts are strange, especially since previous teachers in the class spent their time preventing injury from outbursts or meltdowns.
"Some teachers told me that I should give my students the basic life skills in the hopes that one day they could be a cashier at Wal-Mart. I tell my students that they are not going to Wal-Mart. They are going to college and university," she says.
"Now we even have students in our class attending the gifted classes at the school."
Today, more than 19 families are on a waiting list to put their child in Greenbriar's autism class. One family even moved from Saskatchewan to get a placement.
"I tell the kids and parents that I have Asperger's," Ms. MacDonald says. "The parents look relieved."
>>
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/toronto/story.html?id=261116b6-48f3-4932-881a-c48b334dcb7f&k=74811
>>
>>
Toronto star
http://www.thestar.com/Unassigned/article/214895
May 17, 2007 04:30 AM
bruce campion-smith
OTTAWA BUREAU
OTTAWA–For more than a decade, the "Yes I Can!" nursery school in Toronto has taken in autistic and low-income kids for its award-winning summer programs, thanks to federal grants that made it possible to hire student counsellors.
But not this year. In a surprise move, the federal Conservative government has rejected the centre's request for $38,000, putting its program in peril.
"We got a rejection letter," executive director Janet MacDougall said yesterday. "We can't run camp. That's the bottom line."
Now MacDougall is dreading having to break the bad news to the parents of 45 children – all with autism – who have already signed up for the summer camp, run out of Bedford Park United Church, in north Toronto.
Over the winter, the Conservative government brought in a new name and a new mandate for its Canada Summer Jobs program.
And now, as students and organizations make their summer plans, those changes are having a big impact as organizations across the city – and the country – discover programs that have existed for years won't get government cash this year.
"It's devastating, although I knew something was wrong. I was calling and no one was calling me back," MacDougall said in an interview.
The summer jobs program is meant to help young Canadians obtain career information, develop skills and find good jobs, according to a government website. But last September, the Tories chopped the Youth Employment Strategy that helped about 50,000 people find work last summer, saving $55.4 million.
However, federal officials insist there's been no cut in funding to not-for-profit organizations, saying they will dole out $77.3 million in grants to community groups this year.
That's little comfort to MacDougall, whose program offers a summer camp for pre-schoolers with autism who "typically would not be able to go to camp anywhere else," she said.
"It's a camp where they actually get to practise and develop their social and language interactions with peers," she said.
In previous years, the camp has received funding to hire up to 30 university students and train them to work with the children and their special needs.
But in rejecting the camp's request for funding, the government says the nursery school scored poorly, despite its long record of service.
Awards won by the nursery school include the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education, and the Maria De Witt award for an outstanding community program. As well, some of the students who worked at the centre – more than 200 – have gone on to become doctors and speech pathologists, MacDougall said.
MacDougall is seeking an appeal of the decision.
The centre has an ally in local MP, Liberal John Godfrey (Don Valley West), who was impressed by his visits. "They do an extraordinary job and really help out parents who need some time off for themselves," he said. "I was just appalled ... I can't think of a more worthwhile thing for young people to be doing than helping autistic children."
But as the rejection letters go out, the changes promise to be felt across Greater Toronto.
Liberal MP Maria Minna (Beaches-East York) yesterday called on Human Resources Minister Monte Solberg to explain why Community Centre 55, which provides services to the underprivileged in her riding, had its funding cut after more than 30 years.
"Can he explain to my constituents why programs such as daycare and summer camp will be cancelled?" she said in the Commons.
Other Liberal MPs added their own tales of community groups that have lost their funding, including Rodger Cuzner (Cape Breton-Canso) who said student jobs will drop to 100 from 1,000 last year in his riding. "They were community jobs in museums, theatres, recreation programs," he said.
Liberal Mark Eyking (Sydney-Victoria) said "cuts" to the program have left hundreds of students without work. "Daycare operations, museums, recreation programs, minor sports leagues, seniors' clubs and small retail operations in remote areas, all have been denied funding," he told the Commons.
But Solberg defended the changes, saying unemployment rates for students are at their lowest level in 40 years. And he denied that funding for non-profit groups had been trimmed.
"We are giving quality job opportunities to students and helping not-for-profit organizations," Solberg said.
Later, a spokesperson for Solberg said that not-for-profit organizations in Ontario will get $21.1 million in funding, about the same as last year.
Program funding gives priority to organizations in high unemployment areas as well as those that hire students "with disabilities, aboriginal students, and students who are visible minorities," Lesley Harmer said in an email. "It is unfortunate that every year there are always more applications for funding than money available," she said.
Cuts kill camp for autistic children
May 17, 2007 04:30 AM
bruce campion-smith
OTTAWA BUREAU
OTTAWA–For more than a decade, the "Yes I Can!" nursery school in Toronto has taken in autistic and low-income kids for its award-winning summer programs, thanks to federal grants that made it possible to hire student counsellors.
But not this year. In a surprise move, the federal Conservative government has rejected the centre's request for $38,000, putting its program in peril.
"We got a rejection letter," executive director Janet MacDougall said yesterday. "We can't run camp. That's the bottom line."
Now MacDougall is dreading having to break the bad news to the parents of 45 children – all with autism – who have already signed up for the summer camp, run out of Bedford Park United Church, in north Toronto.
Over the winter, the Conservative government brought in a new name and a new mandate for its Canada Summer Jobs program.
And now, as students and organizations make their summer plans, those changes are having a big impact as organizations across the city – and the country – discover programs that have existed for years won't get government cash this year.
"It's devastating, although I knew something was wrong. I was calling and no one was calling me back," MacDougall said in an interview.
The summer jobs program is meant to help young Canadians obtain career information, develop skills and find good jobs, according to a government website. But last September, the Tories chopped the Youth Employment Strategy that helped about 50,000 people find work last summer, saving $55.4 million.
However, federal officials insist there's been no cut in funding to not-for-profit organizations, saying they will dole out $77.3 million in grants to community groups this year.
That's little comfort to MacDougall, whose program offers a summer camp for pre-schoolers with autism who "typically would not be able to go to camp anywhere else," she said.
"It's a camp where they actually get to practise and develop their social and language interactions with peers," she said.
In previous years, the camp has received funding to hire up to 30 university students and train them to work with the children and their special needs.
But in rejecting the camp's request for funding, the government says the nursery school scored poorly, despite its long record of service.
Awards won by the nursery school include the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education, and the Maria De Witt award for an outstanding community program. As well, some of the students who worked at the centre – more than 200 – have gone on to become doctors and speech pathologists, MacDougall said.
MacDougall is seeking an appeal of the decision.
The centre has an ally in local MP, Liberal John Godfrey (Don Valley West), who was impressed by his visits. "They do an extraordinary job and really help out parents who need some time off for themselves," he said. "I was just appalled ... I can't think of a more worthwhile thing for young people to be doing than helping autistic children."
But as the rejection letters go out, the changes promise to be felt across Greater Toronto.
Liberal MP Maria Minna (Beaches-East York) yesterday called on Human Resources Minister Monte Solberg to explain why Community Centre 55, which provides services to the underprivileged in her riding, had its funding cut after more than 30 years.
"Can he explain to my constituents why programs such as daycare and summer camp will be cancelled?" she said in the Commons.
Other Liberal MPs added their own tales of community groups that have lost their funding, including Rodger Cuzner (Cape Breton-Canso) who said student jobs will drop to 100 from 1,000 last year in his riding. "They were community jobs in museums, theatres, recreation programs," he said.
Liberal Mark Eyking (Sydney-Victoria) said "cuts" to the program have left hundreds of students without work. "Daycare operations, museums, recreation programs, minor sports leagues, seniors' clubs and small retail operations in remote areas, all have been denied funding," he told the Commons.
But Solberg defended the changes, saying unemployment rates for students are at their lowest level in 40 years. And he denied that funding for non-profit groups had been trimmed.
"We are giving quality job opportunities to students and helping not-for-profit organizations," Solberg said.
Later, a spokesperson for Solberg said that not-for-profit organizations in Ontario will get $21.1 million in funding, about the same as last year.
Program funding gives priority to organizations in high unemployment areas as well as those that hire students "with disabilities, aboriginal students, and students who are visible minorities," Lesley Harmer said in an email. "It is unfortunate that every year there are always more applications for funding than money available," she said.
From a Listmate:
Debates of the Senate (Hansard)
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Autism Society of Nova Scotia
Cutback to Funding for Jobs at Summer Day Camp
Hon. Jim Munson: Honourable senators, I rise on a troubling issue. Today I will read excerpts from the Halifax Chronicle-Herald. As honourable senators know, autism is a passion in my life since committees here in the Senate issued a report Pay Now Or Pay Later, Autism Families In Crisis, dealing with families with children with autism.
The excerpts of the article are:
Autism group has no cash for camp.
More than 40 autistic Halifax children may be left home for the summer because of changes to a federally funded student job program.
The Autism Society of Nova Scotia found out Monday afternoon it will not receive money through Canada Summer Jobs to hire staff to run its summer day camp.
Society executive director Vicky Harvey is scrambling to try to save what she terms an 'innovative and special program.'.
For the past five years, the society has run a summer day camp in July and August.
'These are kids who are significantly affected by autism,' Ms. Harvey said.
Besides giving children aged six to 16 a chance to attend a structured program, it also gives their caregivers a summer respite. But since last year, the federal program has had a name change — it used to be called Summer Career Placement — and has been revamped.
Funding is determined by a point system. . . .
Last year the autism camp had 30 staffers. Seven of those positions were funded through Service Canada. . . .
As Ms. Harvey goes on to say:
'We just finished interviewing quite a few people.' It costs about $110,000 to run the camp.
She said that she would be very disappointed to feel that we could not run this camp again this summer.
I would like the new Government of Canada to take a deep breath, to take a look at these particular student placement programs, and take a look, for goodness' sake, at their own website, Summer Work Experience. It says:
Canada Summer Jobs, a new initiative, provides wage subsidies to help Canadian employers of not-for-profit, public sector, and smaller private sector organizations with 50 or fewer employees create career-related summer jobs for students between the ages of 15 and 30 at the start of employment.
The initiative is specifically designed to help students having trouble finding summer jobs because of where they live and/ or other barriers.
I urge you to take a look at your program and for goodness' sake take a look at what is going on in Nova Scotia, and listen.
__________________________
House of Commons
HANSARD
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Summer Career Placements Program
Mr. Michael Savage (Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, FANE is a francophone organization.
What can the minister possibly have against the YWCA, the Canadian Diabetes Association, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Elizabeth Fry Society, and arts groups, all of which are non-partisan, non-profit organizations across Canada?
Last year the Autism Society of Nova Scotia had seven positions. This year? Nothing.
Organizations like these have a question for the government: “Why is the government shutting us out?”
When will the minister restore full funding to this program? When will he do what is right for these organizations across Canada?
Hon. Monte Solberg (Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, I guess the question is why the previous government routinely shut out thousands of groups every year that it did not fund.
The member speaks of autism. I want to point out that the Autism Resource Centre in Moncton will receive $29,000 this year from this government. Previously it got only $9,000.
This government is stepping up to the plate, helping groups that need the help and, more important, making sure students get the work experience that they need to succeed.
_________________________________________
Minister defends cuts to student job funding; Politics Monte Solberg says Tory government is 'helping groups that need the help
New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal
May 17, 2007
Page: A3
By: Rob Linke TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL
Student job funding in an MP's riding has to be one of the more tangible, readily understood examples of federal assistance at the local level.
But across New Brunswick this year, it's easier to find an MP railing about the funding than one crowing about it.
That's because under changes by the Conservative government, universities, hospitals, town recreation programs and community non-profit groups have discovered this week they're not getting the funding they have relied on for years.
Liberal and NDP MPs say their phones are ringing as much as ever as irate and confused constituents call to protest the outcomes of a new Conservative program.
"It is an unmitigated disaster," said Fredericton MP Andy Scott. "People are expressing a combination of shock and outrage."
Opposition MPs are themselves aghast at some of the reasons the cabinet minister responsible has offered for the changes.
Human Resources and Social Development Minister Monte Solberg has defended the changes on the grounds they no longer subsidize Tim Hortons or Wal-Mart or "Liberal friends."
In Fredericton alone, institutions that have gotten funding year after year who have been turned down flat this year include the University of New Brunswick, which applied for 47 positions, St. Thomas University (18), the city of Fredericton (29) and the town of Oromocto's recreation department (25), as well as dozens of smaller applicants.
Roughly 50 groups in the Saint John area have also been denied funding.
Saint John MP Paul Zed has invited Solberg to a community meeting over the issue in Saint John next Tuesday.
In Question Period Wednesday, Solberg was hit with five questions from across the floor.
He said students across the country are benefiting from the lowest unemployment rates in 40 years. Funding for the non-profit sector has stayed the same, as well.
And the government has said that employer surveys found a third of the jobs created under the Liberals would have been created even without the program.
When Nova Scotia Liberal MP Mike Savage rattled off a list of groups denied funds, Solberg had a Moncton example at hand.
"The Autism Resource Centre in Moncton will receive $29,000 this year from this government. Previously they only got $9,000.
"This government is stepping up to the plate, helping groups that need the help," he said.
In New Brunswick, the Liberal government funded $5.3 million in student jobs last year, but the Conservatives have kept only the $3.7 million that goes to subsidize student wages in the non-profit sector.
The Conservatives' Canada Summer Jobs program is also giving priority to proposals that employ students in areas with high crime and unemployment rates. That rules out New Brunswick entirely for crime, and much of the south of the province for unemployment, said Scott.
"This is what happens when you put people who don't fundamentally like government in charge of government," said Scott.
And NDP MP Yvon Godin said Acadie-Bathurst is still being hit hard by the changes.
"In my riding, where some areas have almost 20 per cent unemployment, they have turned down jobs in small municipalities and the tourism sector," he said. "I know of one museum that had four jobs that will not open, and another tourism centre that won't open.
"I'm getting calls from all over the place."
Godin said the department's local office has been told not to talk to MPs about the funding decisions.
"We've been told to talk to Moncton and they know nothing about our riding."
______________________________
Letters
New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal
May 17, 2007
Cuts could end boy's camp dream
This was the first year we were able to scrape enough money together to send our autistic nine year old to the YMCA Integrated Camp. Ever since we received acknowledgement of his accepted application Jeremiah has been an excited little boy.
Now how do I tell him he probably isn't going? He doesn't understand the government has pulled funding for it.
It certainly isn't the first time autistic children and adults have been dumped on by the federal and New Brunswick governments.
The current and former governments have dragged their feet or totally ignored the needs of its autistic citizens as well as others with disabilities.
I hope the Community Autism Centre Inc (CACI) runs their three afternoons a week Autism Camp this year as it is the only summer activity Jeremiah could get. He has attended that in previous years and enjoyed it. But I was hoping for something different this year a little closer to our home as we don't have a car. Going to CACI requires taking taxis back and forth. If the Y's camp is cancelled, hopefully our money will be refunded so I can pay for those taxis.
At least his sister's Cheerleading camp also run by the Y is a go. How typical, our autistic child gets left out.
LYN CATO
Saint John
____________________________
Funding pulled for nursery school camp for autistic children (Autistic-Camp)
May 17, 2007
OTTAWA - For more than a decade, the `Yes I Can!' nursery school in Toronto has offered summer programs for autistic and low-income kids.
But in a surprise move, the federal government has rejected the centre's request for $38,000, putting the program in peril.
Executive director Janet MacDougall says she now dreads having to tell the parents of 45 autistic children already signed up for the summer camp.
MacDougall says the program offers a summer camp for kids who typically would not be able to go to camp anywhere else.
In previous years, the camp received funding to hire up to 30 university students and train them to work with the children and their special needs.
But in rejecting the camp's request for funding, the government says the nursery school scored poorly, despite its long record of service. (Toronto Star)
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'I know what it's like'; Brampton teacher diagnosed with Asperger's inspires her autistic students
May 17, 2007
Page: A11
Section: Toronto
Edition: Toronto
By: Karin Kloosterman
It is the middle of a lesson in the classroom at Greenbriar Public School in Brampton, and the boys, aged 12 to 14, take turns jumping on the trampoline in between listening to their teacher.
"It releases tension," teacher Carole Ann MacDonald says matter-of-factly, as she surveys a classroom that also includes terrariums, a beanbag chair, a sectional couch and, most importantly, three teaching assistants and a teacher for just nine students.
Ms. MacDonald knows, perhaps more than most, the need for an autistic child to have a release from the structure of a school day.
When she was a bit younger than these students, she was labelled "retarded" and severely disabled, and required a team of private tutors to get her through school. It was not until her final year of teacher's college, three years ago, that she was diagnosed with Asperger's, a form of autism.
Ms. MacDonald is considered by autism experts such as Dr. Kevin Stoddart to be among the highest functioning cases of Asperger's. She does not shake hands obsessively or have any noticeable physical tics. Her unusualness manifests itself in a way that is difficult to pinpoint.
In the classroom, where other teachers might give harsh words when students misbehave -- the boys on this particular day were eating, pacing the room and talking out of turn --Ms. MacDonald laughs.
Her laughter, punctuated by bursts of "ha" and her patient repetition of instructions, somehow diffuses the boys' frustrations to communicate. Inappropriate reactions, such as laughter, are among the traits that define Asperger's, which is a difficult disorder to diagnose.
The logistics of handling a busy day on a rotary teaching schedule is a challenge for someone with autism, who prefers order and structure.
"There are so many transitions all in one day. I teach science, then I switch to math, then I have to switch to drama and then I have to switch to teaching language," says Ms. MacDonald in one breath. "I rely a lot on the teaching assistants for support and understanding--[they] have no problem telling me, 'You need to switch subjects and keep focused.' "
It has taken Ms. MacDonald two decades to try to understand what made her different.
"The testing process was difficult, explains Ms. MacDonald, "It's not like you walk through the door and you are diagnosed. It mainly comes from a feeling inside -- that you know you are different from other people and you want to find out why.
"Obtaining my diagnosis involved a long process of looking into my family history and by the time they told me I had Asperger's, I already knew."
She found the label empowering. As for her students, "Some people say we shouldn't label kids because 'kids are not jam,' but I disagree. Without the labels, my pupils wouldn't get the right placement or funding."
Like a typical Asperger's person, Ms. MacDonald has no qualms talking openly about her personal life, even in class.
"Boys, I know what it's like to be suspended from school. I know what it's like to fail math class," she tells them. "I used to forget my tuba and was always late for school. It's OK. When you get to high school, cling to the smart kids in class. That's what I did."
She explains her candour with her students this way: "Kids need to know if a teacher is gay or disabled so they can have role models to identify with."
When she applied for her job, straight out of teacher's college, she already had an impeccable resume, which included master's-level courses from York University, but what won her the job was a sense that she offered "this sort of 'other' dimension to her understanding of the students," says Pat Lewis, the school's principal.
Brooks Masterson, a school psychologist, said that people with Asperger's are known for not understanding other people's views, because they lack a pragmatic language. "But as a teacher, Ms. MacDonald conveys empathy and enthusiasm. She is an advocate for them and experiences what they go through."
Social worker Barbara McFarlane, who worked with Ms. MacDonald last year, can offer some insight into why her teaching method works so well: "Us outsiders would see a child's ignoring instructions as a weakness. Carole Ann is able to get in touch with them and recognize when a child does not understand instructions."
She said that it is through Ms. MacDonald's work that "these kids have risen from the bottom of the totem pole to the top of the educational system. In some cases they are functioning at a higher level than the mainstream students."
Ms. MacDonald's mother, Pam, a Newmarket business woman, says her daughter has been so focused from a very early age.
"It was almost as if Carole Ann had an innate sense of what she needed in order to succeed, and an unstoppable determination to obtain it," says her mom. "If she was quiet, you knew she was taking something apart. She seemed to have no fear. I always thought she was just a very active child. I have subsequently learned that autistic children don't understand non-verbal cues, and need things explained very clearly; they can make inappropriate comments, and almost shut down in stressful situations."
Admittedly, Ms. MacDonald says, some educational staff might think her teaching concepts are strange, especially since previous teachers in the class spent their time preventing injury from outbursts or meltdowns.
"Some teachers told me that I should give my students the basic life skills in the hopes that one day they could be a cashier at Wal-Mart. I tell my students that they are not going to Wal-Mart. They are going to college and university," she says.
"Now we even have students in our class attending the gifted classes at the school."
Today, more than 19 families are on a waiting list to put their child in Greenbriar's autism class. One family even moved from Saskatchewan to get a placement.
"I tell the kids and parents that I have Asperger's," Ms. MacDonald says. "The parents look relieved."
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Toys 'R' Us Raises More Than $1.1 Million to Help Autism Speaks Combat The Nation's Fastest-Growing Developmental Disorder; Support From the Toys 'R' Us Children's Fund Continues with National Sponsorship of the Autism Speaks Walk Now for Autism Program
May 17, 2007
WAYNE, N.J., May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Toys "R" Us and the Toys "R" Us Children's Fund announced that their nationwide campaign to benefit Autism Speaks raised more than $1.1 million to support crucial autism research and advocacy. For seven weeks, as part of Autism Awareness Month, all T
oys "R"
Us stores across the country, and www.Toysrus.com , collected cash donations in an effort to help solve the puzzle of autism. All money raised during the campaign will go directly to Autism Speaks to fund important autism research
programs and help provide a voice for children affected by the disorder.
"We were truly gratified by the tremendous outpouring of support we received from our customers, employees, and communities for this initiative that will further the important works of Autism Speaks," said Jerry Storch, Chairman and CEO, Toys "R" Us, Inc. "The mission of the Toys "R" Us Children's Fund is to help children in need, and we are pleased that our fundraising efforts will benefit the more than 1.5 million kids and families in the United States impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorders."
In conjunction with the fundraising campaign, Toys "R" Us created the "Ten Toys That Speak to Autism," a unique resource for families, friends and caregivers of children with autism. This special list features everyday toys that promote skills that contribute to an autistic child's developmen
t. The
list also includes early warning signs of autism to provide customers with important information on the disorder. The list continues to be available at www.Toysrus.com/autismspeaks .
"We are thrilled with the results of the Toys "R" Us in-store fundraising campaign, which far exceeded our expectations," said Mark Roithmayr, President of Autism Speaks. "Toys "R" Us has been a tremendous partner and because of its dedication to this campaign we are one step closer to finding a cure for autism."
In addition to the fundraising campaign, Toys "R" Us currently serves as the national sponsor of the Autism Speaks Walk Now for Autism program, a series of more than 60 fundraising walk events occurring over ten months in cities from coast-to-coast. Across the country, Toys "R" Us employees are joining in the effort by forming teams in their local communities to participate in the walk events.
About Toys "R" Us, Inc.
Toys "R" Us is the world's leading specialty toy retailer. Currently it sells merchandise through more than 1,500 stores, including 586 stores in the U.S. and 684 international toy stores, which includes licensed and franchise stores, and through its Internet site at www.Toysrus.com
. Babies "R" Us is the largest baby product specialty store chain in the world and a leader in the juvenile industry, and sells merchandise through 254 stores in the U.S. as well as on the Internet at www.Babiesrus.com .
SOURCE Toys "R" Us, Inc.
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How the feds help autism….(see first article about changes to federally funded program leaving autistic kids without assistants at camp).
________________________________
Autism group has no cash for camp
Halifax Chronicle Herald
May 16, 2007
Page: B3
Section: Metro
Byline: Davene Jeffrey Staff Reporter
More than 40 autistic Halifax children may be left home for the summer because of changes to a federally funded student job program.
The Autism Society of Nova Scotia found out Monday afternoon it will not receive money through Canada Summer Jobs to hire staff to run its summer day camp.
Society executive director Vicky Harvey is scrambling to try to save what she terms an "innovative and special program."
For the past five years, the society has run a summer day camp in July and August.
"These are kids who are significantly affected by autism," Ms. Harvey said.
Besides giving the children aged six to 16 a chance to attend a structured program, it also gives their caregivers a summer respite. But since last year, the federal program has had a name change - it used to be called Summer Career Placement - and has been revamped.
Funding is determined by a point system.
"A whole slew of community organizations that always receive student placements are just finding out right now that they have been shut out," says Dartmouth-Cole Harbour MP Mike Savage.
"It's absolutely outrageous that they would change this successful program and leave both students and really, really worthwhile community organizations in the lurch."
Changing the criteria for funding is pitting one deserving community organization against another, Mr. Savage said.
Last year the autism camp had 30 staffers. Seven of those positions were funded through Service Canada.
Children were able to attend one of two four-week sessions at a local church.
So far, Ms. Harvey's group has received 40 applications from families looking to send their children to camp this summer and she expects to receive many more.
Last year, 47 children attended the camp.
With an ever-increasing demand, Ms. Harvey had been considering offering two-week sessions this year so all the children would get an opportunity to attend camp.
Because of the children's needs, they receive one-on-one care. The summer students who work with them are paid $10 an hour.
"We just finished interviewing quite a few people," Ms. Harvey said It costs about $110,000 to run the camp. About $25,000 came from the summer job program.
Ms. Harvey said her organization is always looking for new funding and is not about to give up on the camp.
"I would be very disappointed to feel we couldn't do this, this summer."
Autism affects one in every 150 people, Ms. Harvey said.
According to its website, Canada Summer Jobs is designed to help students get jobs in areas where work is scarce, such as in high crime and/or high unemployment areas.( )
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Three Programs to Help Students With Autism, Other Special Needs Attend College Announced Today; College Living Experience Accepting Enrollment for 2007-08 Academic Year
May 15, 2007
NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A program to help students with autism and other special needs attend college is expanding to campuses in the Chicago, northern California and Washington, D.C., areas and is accepting applications for the 2007-2008 academic year.
College Living Experience (CLE) provides intensive assistance with academic, independent living and social skills to college students with special needs such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Asperger's Syndrome, non-verbal learning disorders and other learning disabilities as they attend college. CLE already operates programs in Austin, Texas, Denver and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Students from around the country can enroll at the location of their choice.
Students live in apartments near the local CLE offices and student centers while taking classes at community colleges, vocational schools or universities. CLE professional staff work closely with students to provide structured tutoring sessions, independent living skills training and social outings.
Students participating in the Chicago program may attend classes at Oakton Community College in suburban Skokie. Students at the Monterey, Calif., CLE may attend either Monterey Peninsula College or California State University at Monterey Bay, and students at the Rockville, Md., site near Washington, D.C., may attend Montgomery College. In addition, CLE will assist students who are accepted at any nearby college, university, technical or vocational school.
CLE provides intensive support in three primary areas to complement a student's higher-education goals:
-- Academics: Students attend three 50-minute tutoring sessions conducted
by professional tutors. They also attend a weekly course review and
study-hall sessions three or four times a week.
-- Independent living: CLE staff work individually with students to
introduce apartment living and provide support for the development of
life skills. Students receive assistance with establishing and
maintaining a checking account, paying monthly bills, shopping,
preparing meals, cleaning and managing other daily-living necessities.
-- Social skills: All students enrolled in CLE are paired with a mentor
who takes on the role of a big brother or big sister. Students also
have the chance to participate in social-skills groups that gather
around specific activities, such as bowling or movies. CLE also offers
a variety of events each week, such as attending art openings, a local
festival or a fishing outing.
"The greatest fear of parents of exceptional children is, 'What will happen to my child when I'm gone?,'" Mark Claypool, president and CEO of ESA, said. "Many parents never consider college as an option and they worry their children will not be prepared for independent adulthood. With the support and services of CLE, exceptional students can attend college, earn degrees and achieve the academic and social skills they need to live independently."
CLE is a division of Educational Services of America, the nation's leading national provider of special, alternative and post-secondary educational programs.
"By offering daily tutoring, independent living assistance, social events and access to a staff psychologist, we make sure all the needs of our students are met," Steven Roth, Ed. D., executive director of CLE, said. "We focus on students' needs so they can focus on their dreams."
For more information on CLE, visit www.cleinc.net or contact Patricia Giner, national director of admissions, at 800-486-5058.
About Educational Services of America
Educational Services of America is the nation's leading provider of K-12 and post-secondary alternative and special education programs. Based in Nashville, Tenn., ESA owns and operates more than 120 schools and programs in numerous states throughout the country. ESA provides highly personalized
academic and behavioral services for students through the following branded areas: College Living Experience, College Living Prep, ESA Exceptional Schools, Ombudsman Educational Services and Spectrum Center Schools. For more information, visit www.esa-education.com .
SOURCE Educational Services of America
_____________________________________
University of Missouri Study on Link Between Autism and Mercury a Discredit to Sound Science, Says SafeMinds; Undisclosed industry funding, unsubstantiated conclusions on vaccines, and study sample alteration undermine credibility on controversial topic
May 16, 2007
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A recent press release from the University of Missouri announced the results of a study on autism and Rh immune globulin (RhIg) injections, some of which contained a mercury preservative called thimerosal. SafeMinds reviewed information about this study and found several troublesome aspects, including undisclosed industry funding, unsubstantiated conclusions on vaccines and mercury, and deviation from acceptable scientific practice.
The study was funded by Johnson & Johnson, the largest manufacturer of RhIg products and the defendant in several lawsuits alleging a link between autism and mercury in RhIg. In an earlier 2005 poster presentation, the study authors acknowledged that the research was "supported by Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research," but the University of Missouri press release omits mention of this conflict of interest.
The press release headline falsely claims that the "Study Finds No Link Between Autism and Thimerosal in Vaccines." The study is about Rh immune globulin, and immune globulins are not vaccines. "The headline deceives the public," noted Mark Blaxill, director of SafeMinds. "It says an autism-mercury in vaccines link has been disproved when the research did not do so." In fact, the study failed to differentiate between mothers who received RhIg brands with mercury and those receiving the brand without mercury, rendering assessment of mercury's role in autism from RhIg indeterminate.
Changes to the research sample were made in the middle of the study. The 2005 sample contained 47 mothers with more than one child with autism, while the final 2007 study only had 16 mothers with more than one child with autism. The elimination of 31 "multiplex" families means that the original sample was altered, and not just added to, after initial results were obtained in contradiction of standard research practice meant to prevent manipulation of findings.
"An earlier analysis by SafeMinds of the poster presentation revealed numerous flaws in methods, analysis and interpretation," stated Mr. Blaxill. "We are concerned many of these flaws have not been corrected and quite possibly have been amplified in the published paper. While the poster results demonstrated an increased risk of autism in thimerosal-exposed children, the written interpretation of the data claimed the opposite."
Once SafeMinds has the opportunity to review the full paper, a full assessment will be completed. SafeMinds calls for unbiased studies on the potential link between autism and mercury exposures. More information on this study is available at http://www.safeminds.org
.
SOURCE SafeMinds
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Stamp faces brave new front Autistic son inspires McNeil to be great dad
The Calgary Sun
May 16, 2007
BY ERIC FRANCIS
The tears in Jay McNeil's eyes suggest the news hit every bit as hard as losing his father at age 11.
Even harder than the 18-wheeler that careened into him at age 25 and should have taken his life.
"My son..." started McNeil, pausing to deliver words no parent wants to utter, "has autism."
On the eve of accepting his second-straight President's Ring as the Calgary Stampeders' most inspirational player on and off the field, McNeil chose to pay tribute to his greatest inspiration by going public for the first time with the battle being waged by his four-year-old boy, Cuyler.
"When you get the news that your kid is autistic, it's devastating," said McNeil yesterday, wiping tears from his cheeks.
"But I wouldn't change it for the world. Every day we thank God for bringing him into our lives. He's the best kid you could ever ask for. He's got the best attitude and is the gentlest kid. He doesn't ever want to hurt anybody. He just wants to have fun."
It was more than a year ago McNeil and wife Tara noticed Cuyler's affinity for counting, which led doctors to send him to a developmental pediatrician.
"We knew he liked letters and numbers but we just thought he was a smart kid," said McNeil, who wasn't told of the diagnosis until last fall.
"When they sat us down to tell us it was hard -- I teared up. But when I was driving home I called my mom to tell her and I finally broke down. Thing is, I wouldn't want him any other way. We loved him and thought he was an awesome kid beforehand and it doesn't change who he is."
Autism is a developmental disability stemming from a disorder in the central nervous system. It can affect children by delaying social interaction, language or play.
"Most people wouldn't know -- we kind of haven't really said a whole lot," said McNeil, 36, who has registered Cuyler in a regular school for next year.
"It can range from mental retardation to kids that don't talk and may never talk.
"He's high functioning so we're pretty fortunate that way.
"There are lots of e-mails going around about autism and one from a mother who said she'd give anything to hear her son say 'I love you.' Cuyler will. As far as intelligence, he's as smart a kid as you'll find at that age."
Thankful he lives in Alberta, which has the highest autism funding in Canada, the London, Ont., native says 30 hours of one-on-one work with two aids every week has helped Cuyler make huge developmental leaps since September.
A longtime spokesman for CUPS who has made regular appearances at charity functions throughout his 13-year career, McNeil says he and Tara want to get involved with Autism fundraising.
Fortunate enough to have won two Grey Cups while playing in front of a handful of the game's top quarterbacks the last 13 years, the 300-lb. Stampeders offensive-lineman also feels blessed to have escaped death after experiencing two high-impact car accidents within an hour.
"My Jeep hit black ice and rolled end over end twice and then on its side," said McNeil of the 1996 accident on a North Dakota highway.
"The cops came and we were waiting for a tow truck and an 18-wheeler slid on the same ice and crushed all three cars we were in.
"I was sure the cop next to me was dead -- he was slumped over the wheel and unconscious and I didn't have a scratch on me. I was definitely lucky to be alive."
Despite his son's battles, not a day goes by the five-time all-star doesn't realize how charmed his life has been.
McNeil is revered by teammates and a fan favourite on a model franchise that will honour him at noon tomorrow with a soldout luncheon at the Convention Centre sure to get emotional when talk turns to his family.
"Whenever things get tough I think about Cuyler," said McNeil, only the third Stamp to win consecutive President's Rings as voted by teammates (the others being Alondra Johnson and Danny Barrett).
"He's easily the most inspirational thing in my life. Everything Tara and I do we think of him first. We just want to give him every chance to succeed."
Just like his big daddy.
Illustration: photo by Darren Makowichuk, Sun Media
Stampeders o-lineman Jay McNeil and his wife, Tara, pose with their son Cuyler yesterday at their home. McNeil, who is set to receive the President's Ring from the Stamps organization tomorrow, publicly stated that Cuyler was diagnosed with autism.
_____________________
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Title: Monday, May 14, 2007 1:00 p.m.
Date: 07/05/14
The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Mill Woods.
Mrs. Mather: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to
introduce to you and through you to members of the Assembly two
parents of children who are autistic, Kierstin Hatt and Eleanor Mui.
I would ask that they please rise for the warm and traditional
welcome of the Assembly.
Tabling Returns and Reports
The Speaker: Hon. members, the chair is tabling with the Assembly
the report by the Ethics Commissioner into allegations involving
hon. members – and I will mention their names because that is title
of the text – Ed Stelmach, Premier; David Hancock, Minister of
Health and Wellness; and Lyle Oberg, Minister of Finance. The
report is dated May 11, 2007, and this report was distributed to all
members earlier today.
The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona.
Dr. Pannu: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise to table a
letter from Kierstin Hatt and Brian Small of Camrose, Kimberly and
Brian Hockin of Wetaskiwin, Jody and Tomi Heiskanen of Red
Deer, and Eleanor and Andy Mui of Edmonton. These are parents
of children with autism. Their letter is to the Minister of Children’s
Services, presenting evidence of ministry failures to follow regulations
and existing procedures within the FSCD program, as adult
children with autism are denied treatment that they need and to
which they are entitled under the FSCD Act. This also results in
enormous additional burden to the families, to say nothing of the
waste of ministry resources . .
Support for Families with Autistic Children
Mrs. Mather: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Autism spectrum disorder
places a substantial burden on families with children affected by it.
In Alberta these families have been pushed to the breaking point by
the process in place for assessing the eligibility of autistic children
for specialized treatment. Every single year parents must travel
often far distances to prove that their children are indeed deserving
of treatment. Local multidisciplinary team processes are familycentred
and meet the requirements of the Family Support for
Children with Disabilities Act. To the Minister of Children’s
Services: will your department ensure that families can engage in the
multidisciplinary team, MDT, process with professionals in their
own communities?
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Ms Tarchuk: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. The first thing I want
to say is that we understand in Children’s Services that raising a
child with a disability can be very challenging. I’m really proud to
be part of a government that believes that these families deserve our
support and our help. I’d also like to point out that the Alberta
family support for children with disabilities program is unique in
Canada, and in my short time here I’ve heard that from people right
across this country. So just to start with those comments.
With respect to the eligibility process regarding autism, I will get
back to you with more information.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Mrs. Mather: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have heard several
complaints from families that are seeking funding for relationship
development interventions. They’re very concerned because
department regulations are not being followed, and they feel they
have been forced into unnecessary and expensive appeal processes.
To the Minister of Children’s Services: if your department has
agreed to fund RDI for one child, why is it later forcing some
parents into painful appeal processes to demonstrate that RDI meets
FSCD regulations?
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Ms Tarchuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding with
respect to autism is that the multidisciplinary teams provide
expertise. They try to determine a child’s needs in order to provide
the level required. So I do know that we are looking at different
delivery of services for the spectrum of autism. Once again, I will
get you more information on the eligibility process and get more
details for you.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Mrs. Mather: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again, I emphasize
the need for local input. Two parents have made the trip to Edmonton
again today to seek a fair resolution for their particular situations.
Their children cannot go without needed treatment any
longer. These parents have brought with them substantial documentation
of instances where ministry staff have failed to follow
department regulations and procedures. To the Minister of Children’s
Services: the concerns of these parents are reflective of larger
problems with the way this department treats people and families
with autistic children. Will you agree to meet with these parents
today and to hear first-hand how abusive the MDT appeal process
can be?
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Ms Tarchuk: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I will say is if
you could please ask those individuals to forward the documentation
to me, I will take a look at it as well as follow up and get that
information I told you earlier.
________________________
Please see the important post below from the FEAT BC message board regarding some of the difference between autism treatment in Canada and the US and most recent developments.
Thank you.
_________________________________________
By Isaac (Tamir) on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - 6:43 pm:
Hello Everyone,
Following up on recent commentary shared in this forum ("Canada's autism health policy amounts to all of a new website ... AND, a symposium!" http://tinyurl.com/2jhyot), we learn today, yet again, that things are quite different South of the border.
The legislature in the State of Wisconsin, has proposed a new law intended to MANDATE health insurance coverage for autism (http://tinyurl.com/32erkq). Two obvious implications of this development are that a) Wisconsin's polity clearly deems autism treatment to be a health issue (not social services or special education), and 2) they view it as a reasonable notion that health insurance companies be legally required to provide coverage for the cost of autism treatment.
Meanwhile, back in Can'tada, the health insurance "companies" can rest easy, since they (the provincial governments) are both the overseer of health insurance AND the provider, all rolled up into one bloated, inefficient socialist package. Put another way, the proverbial government 'fox' is guarding the Medicare 'chicken coop', and kids with autism don't even get to visit the farm.
It's a serious problem that there is no proper, effective health insurance oversight in Canada. It is shocking to know that over 30% of the health budget is squandered. And that’s quite a big number, when one considers that fully 1/3 of the typical provincial budget goes to health.
However, Health Canada does assure us that they fully understand the urgency of the national autism epidemic and that they are "moving forward" on this important issue, with a new web site ... AND, an autism symposium!
I wonder how much mileage this kind of government dithering and cynical spin would garner over in Wisconsin?
Isaac
From CTV:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070516/mental_disorders_babies_070516/20070516?hub=Health
Doctors try to diagnose disorders in babies
Updated Wed. May. 16 2007 2:23 PM ET
Associated Press
CHICAGO -- Within days of their birth, healthy babies will look you in the eye. By four months, they will delight in others. And by nine months, they will exchange smiles.
Jacob Day did none of those things. "We used to say it was like it burned his eyes to look at you," said his mother, Tamie Day of Antelope, Calif. "It was like a physically painful thing for him. It wasn't just that he wasn't looking at us; he was purposefully looking away."
Day, who has a psychology degree, suspected her son might have autism. She enrolled him in a study, published in April, that found that babies like Jacob are indeed at high risk for autism if they do not respond to their names by 12 months of age.
At 18 months, he was formally diagnosed with autism, about a year earlier than usual. Before he turned two, Jacob began daily intensive behaviour treatment designed to help him lead a more normal life.
He is part of a growing field in psychiatry called infant mental health. Doctors and scientists are increasingly looking for early signs in babies of autism, attention deficit disorder and other mental problems that just a generation ago, scarcely anyone thought could appear in children so young.
Some scientists even believe that intensive treatment in some susceptible babies can actually prevent autism, attention deficit disorder and other problems.
An influential Institute of Medicine report in 2000 helped energize this idea. The report emphasized the plasticity of babies' brains. It also explained how interacting with babies can change their brain wiring.
"We used to say 'nature versus nurture,' but now people really think it's 'nature through nurture,' "said the University of Chicago's Dr. Lawrence Gray.
Tamie Day noticed the first ominous clue the night she and her husband, Chris, brought Jacob home after his birth.
"We walked in the door and he wouldn't stop looking at our ceiling fan," she said. "The next day, that's all he would look at."
Babies typically begin making eye contact soon after birth, and "understand at a basic, perhaps hardwired level, that eyes are special - they look more at eyes than at other parts of the face," said Sally Ozonoff, an autism specialist at the University of California at Davis' MIND Institute.
When his mother expressed her autism concerns at Jacob's six-month checkup, the doctor said "we were being a little overzealous," Day said.
Still, there was no pointing, no clapping, no shared smiles, and when Jacob would laugh, it seemed like his own private joke. So his parents sought out UC-Davis specialists, who gave them the heartbreaking diagnosis.
Jacob, now 3 1/2, has made meaningful progress thanks to treatment, his mother said, including a breakthrough moment at age two. It still makes her cry to recall it.
She was giving Jacob a bath, playing the "itsy bitsy spider" finger game, when he looked up and really gazed into her eyes. "He was smiling up at me and I realized that was the first time he had done that," she said. "He has gorgeous blue eyes, and I was like, 'My God, your eyes are so beautiful.' "
Interest in infant mental health has been boosted by awareness of the prevalence of attention deficit disorders and autism, which U.S. officials said in February affects one in 150 U.S. children and may be more common than previously thought.
In April, researchers from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders presented a report emphasizing earlier diagnosis and treatment.
The report said that about 17 per cent of U.S. children have a developmental disability such as autism, mental retardation and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, but that fewer than half are diagnosed before starting school.
The authors say warning signs include failure to:
• Focus on sights and sounds by two months.
• Initiate joyful behavior with parents by four months.
• Exchange smiles and sounds with parents by eight to nine months.
• Take a parent's hand to find a toy and point to objects by 12 to 16 months.
Last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that pediatricians routinely evaluate children for developmental problems such as autism starting in infancy, and begin testing at age nine months.
"Waiting until a young child misses a major milestone such as walking or talking may result in late rather than early recognition . . . depriving the child and family of the benefits of early identification and intervention," the academy said.
Some critics worry that the trend will trigger needless diagnoses in children with normal variations in behaviour.
Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick, a London physician, said that while early recognition and treatment of true disorders are important, "the extension of these categories to include 20 to 30 per cent of all children reflects a social trend of pathologizing and medicalizing children's lives, which seems to reflect difficulties of parents and teachers in dealing with familiar problems of childhood development."
Dr. Stanley Greenspan, a psychiatry professor at George Washington University who co-authored the CDC-Interdisciplinary group report, said the idea is not to slap a label on babies and give them medication. Greenspan said the goal is to raise awareness about early warning signs and to encourage treatment to increase the chances that children can develop normally.
Research on identifying early clues and testing treatments is booming. For example:
• Dr. Fred Volkmar at Yale University is studying potential ways to diagnose autism in the first months of life, including whether looking at objects rather than people is a sign. "I think we're on the verge of being able to do a much better job" of diagnosing autism in infancy, Volkmar said.
• Researcher Stephen Porges at the University of Illinois at Chicago is starting a five-year study of whether excessive crying past 6 months of age might be an early sign of autism, attention deficit or other behavior problems.
• Greenspan is launching a multimillion-dollar study involving parents and babies at risk for autism or attention deficit disorder. One group will receive intensive behavior training, the other will not; both will be compared through age five.
While rigorous scientific evidence is needed to prove that early intervention succeeds, Greenspan said his work with patients has shown promise.
Jacob didn't say his first word, "more," until he was in treatment and almost two - about a year later than normal. He didn't say "mama" until he was three.
He gets 33 hours of weekly home treatment with trained college students, including six hours most days. The tab is US$70,000 yearly, paid for by California, one of the few states that pay, through state and federal funds, for early intensive autism treatment.
The London Free Press
Consistency is golden for children with autism
Nasmith, Cecilia
Local News - Wednesday, May 16, 2007 @ 09:00
While the Bates family of Cobourg tries to maintain a consistent household schedule for the sake of their six-year-old son Ryan, father Doug will be travelling to Toronto June 3 to participate in the third annual Ontario Walk Now For Autism.
In fact, he'll be doing it for Ryan, and all the other children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder - one in 150 by some estimates, so it's something society will have to address sooner or later.
Or, as the title of a March report by the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology put it, Pay Now Or Pay Later.
"There are not enough funds to take care of all these kids," Mr. Bates said. "They slip through the cracks."
What is really needed is a national strategy, as opposed to the patchwork of support now in place. While parents in Alberta benefit from generous government support, parents in Nova Scotia can count on none. Meanwhile, parents are faced with laying out significant amounts of money for the treatment, therapeutic programming and other things that might help their children.
Mr. Bates has heard of families forced to give up their homes. In his own case, he and his wife have sacrificed careers (his own at CIBC, wife Mary's at Hallmark Cards) to devote themselves to nurturing and advocating for young Ryan.
While Mr. Bates collects pledges, however, he will also be working to educate the community on autism, a complex neurobiological disorder with no known cause or cure. The current research tends to favour genetics, but Mr. Bates doubts it's that simple. Many parents, like him and his wife, may have one autistic child out of a family of three, he pointed out - obviously more research is needed. Mr. Bates is always glad to share his story so that other parents can get an idea what to look out for in their own children. In Ryan's case, he began showing differences in development before the age of two, such as intolerance of noise. His second birthday party was a torture for him because of the noise, his father recalls.
"Then he went into a regression where he sort of shut down. He would sit in front of the TV and just rock," he said.
Ryan made great strides in his speech, thanks to the Blairview-McMillan Rehabilitation Centre and Geneva Centre for Autism. A very slow progress ensued to bring him to where he is today.
"We want to let parents know there is hope," Mr. Bates said. "There's a lot of sacrifice we've made in terms of career decisions, money decisions, but we're very pleased that both our parents have been extremely supportive and our friends have been extremely supportive."
Every autistic child manifests the disorder in his or her own way, so every family with an autistic child has its own unique challenges.
But the cornerstone of it all is - here comes that word again - the consistency any autistic child needs.
People need to be aware, too, of behavioural tics some of these children manifest. Ryan tends to flap his hands repeatedly and to be very affectionate.
But while his little sister Katie (age four) and little brother Matthew (age one and a half) also have tics, they will presumably be absorbing the social graces that our culture has deemed to be normal. For example, if Ryan receives a birthday present he doesn't like, he will come right out and say so.
"You never have to worry about where you stand with Ryan," Mr. Bates admitted with a chuckle. But underneath the mannerisms is a wonderful little boy.
"Anybody who knows him falls in love with him right away," he said fondly.
"He is very smart, especially in some areas. He loves snakes so, if all goes well, we hope he can go into biology.
"He's extremely intuitive, and he remembers things so well that I don't need a calendar anymore. It's impressive - almost scary - what a memory he has."
But he has difficulty with change. Any break in routine - which Katie would take in stride - brings Ryan to tears. He can't understand why things have to change.
Right now, the Bates family is wrestling with Ryan's transition to Grade 1 next year at Notre Dame Elementary School. They're hoping he can have the same educational assistant that he's had in Senior Kindergarten, to whom he has responded so positively.
Mr. Bates has arranged to be at a display at Northumberland Mall May 20 and at Wal-Mart May 27. He has also distributed educational bookmarks which a number of locations are giving out, like McDonald's and Reid's Dairy.
The June 3 walk in which he will participate is a larger forum for encouraging improved national policy and sponsoring badly needed research. To learn more, visit canada.autismwalk.org
Or look for Mr. Bates when you shop over the next couple of weekends. cnasmith@northumberlandtoday.com
The Edmonton Sun
Dogs help autistic kids
New canine training school comes to Edmonton
By NICKI THOMAS, Special to Sun Media
Aidan Papadatos, 5, who has autism, poses for a photo with his new guide dog Leia outside his McLeod neighbourhood home Wednesday afternoon. David Bloom/SUN MEDIA
A six-year-old city boy with autism is the first local to be paired with a service dog from a new canine training school that has branched out to Edmonton.
“It will give us a chance to get out in the community like a normal family,” mother Karyn Papadatos told Sun Media Wednesday.
Aidan, who loves to run, has had several close calls involving traffic and water.
“Aidan should have died at least three times,” said his mom, adding he loves to memorize car licence plates and will often dart onto the street.
“And he will bolt toward any body of water, whether it’s a puddle or Niagara falls.”
Now when the family is in public, Aidan will be tethered to Leia, a black lab trained to listen to Papadatos’s commands.
“It will be nice to be able to go out in public and not have to hold on to my son,” she said, adding that Aidan has sensory issues and can’t hold hands.
Aidan has begun to develop a relationship with Leia despite the fact that children with Autism often don’t show emotion and find it difficult to bond.
A dog makes a difference
Since Leia has started sleeping in his room, Aidan, who suffers from nighttime euphoria, has slept through the night for the first time.
Having a canine companion will also help socialize Aidan, who, unlike some Autistic children, is verbal.
“People will come up and talk to him, he needs that exposure,” said his mother.
Papadatos travelled to Cambridge, Ont., recently for a intensive five-day training program run by the National Service Dogs (NSD), a non-profit charity that breeds and trains dogs for children with Autism and other special needs.
Chris Fowler, program director for NSD, is in town this week working with Leia and the Papadatoses, the first family in Edmonton to receive one of these dogs.
“There is a huge demand in Alberta. It’s the second largest province on the wait list,” said Fowler.
To meet the demand in Alberta, the foundation will be opening an office in Calgary.
Currently, the wait list for a dog is two and a half years.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2007/05/16/4186393.html
End of May 17th Mailing
Top Priority NEWS
Ministry of Education
McGuinty Government Delivering More Support For Students With Autism
Nearly $6 Million Being Invested In New Autism Initiatives To Help
Students Succeed
TORONTO, May 17 /CNW/ - The McGuinty government is improving the learning
environment for students with autism spectrum disorders by directing all
school boards to provide Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), Education Minister
Kathleen Wynne announced today.
"All students with autism deserve equal access to this vital teaching
approach that can improve their focus on individual projects and strengthen
their communication with other students in the classroom," said Wynne. "We are
implementing our plan to ensure students with autism receive the best
education possible."
The Ministry of Education instructed school boards today that they must
provide programs that use ABA methods to students who need it. This directive
is part of the government's response to the recommendations of Autism
Reference Group report, Making a Difference for Students with Autism Spectrum
Disorders in Ontario Schools: From Evidence to Action, received earlier this
year.
The implementation of ABA will be supported by extensive staff training
starting with six to eight representatives, including superintendents,
principals, teachers, teaching assistants, school support staff and Special
Education Advisory Committee members, from each school board over the next two
months. This will be followed by school team training - funded through a
$1-million investment - for up to 1,400 principals, educational assistants and
teachers over the summer months.
Additionally, the government has provided a grant of $2.75 million to the
Geneva Centre for Autism. "We are very grateful for the government's support
so we can provide further training on ABA approaches to school staff in the
fall," said Margaret Whelan, Executive Director of the Geneva Centre for
Autism. "This investment will allow educators to help more students with
autism succeed."
<<
The government is also taking the following initiatives recommended in the
reference group report:
- Implementing research-based collaborative approaches with school
staff and community groups to deliver autism services to students.
This will be supported through a $2-million investment
- Requiring principals to have transition plans for students with
autism when they start school, move between grades and schools, and
move on to colleges, universities or the workplace
- Creating a resource guide for teachers, educational assistants,
administrators and other staff on the most effective ways to teach
students with autism
- Encouraging school boards to establish multi-disciplinary teams that
include parents and provide input into a student's individual
education plan
- Meeting with the Minister's Advisory Council on Special Education
regarding implementation of the reference group report. The first
meeting will take place on June 7.
"The reference group's report has been very helpful as we work to ensure
that children and youth with autism spectrum disorder receive the supports
they need to achieve success," said Children and Youth Services Minister Mary
Anne Chambers. "Our government has been making great strides on several fronts
and we are determined to do more."
Other ways that the government is working together with the community to
support students with autism include:
- Assessing all children referred to the Autism Intervention Program
since July 2005 regardless of age
- Increasing the number of children receiving Intensive Behavioural
Intervention services outside of the classroom to more than 1,100 - a
105 per cent increase since April 2004
- Tripling the support for children with autism and their families
since 2003-04 - increased funding to nearly $130 million in 2007-08
- Increasing the number of qualified autism professionals graduating
each year from the Ontario College Graduate Certificate Program in
Autism and Behavioural Science to 220 by 2008-09
- Reducing the wait list for assessment by 69 per cent since 2004
- Training up to 1,600 childhood educators and child care workers and
5,000 educational assistants who work with children with autism
through the Geneva Centre for Autism
"I'm very pleased that the government is taking action so quickly in
response to the reference group's report," said Lynn Ziraldo, chair of the
Autism Reference Group. "This government has shown a strong commitment to
reaching every student with autism."
www.edu.gov.on.ca
www.ontario.ca/progress
>>
-30-
For further information: Michelle Despault, Minister's Office (416)
212-3747; Patricia MacNeil, Communications Branch, (416) 325-2676; Public
Inquiries: (416) 325-2929 or 1-800-387-5514, TTY: 1-800-263-2892
The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:
Shortcut to: http://ogov.newswire.ca/ontario/GPOE/2007/05/17/c2234.html?lmatch=&lang=_e.html
May 17, 2007
IBI THERAPISTS STILL BARRED FROM CLASSROOM
QUEEN’S PARK – NDP Health Critic Shelley Martel slammed the McGuinty Liberals today for failing to allow IBI therapists in the classroom for all children with autism.
“Over and over again, parents of children with autism have demanded this government allow their children’s IBI therapists into the classrooms. Today’s announcement by Minister Wynne in no way meets that demand, the money is not for IBI therapists,” said Martel.
Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI) is a specialized form of applied behaviour analysis (ABA). Most teaching methods for all students already use ABA. Encouraging school boards to use ABA is not the same as providing the IBI treatment many students with autism need to learn in the classroom.
Dalton McGuinty’s track record on autism speaks for itself:
• The McGuinty Liberals only stopped the age 6 cut-off after Justice Kiteley of the Ontario Superior Court ruled in April 2005 that the McGuinty government was violating the Charter of Rights of Ontario’s autistic children on the basis of both their age and disability – 18 months after being elected.
• More children are on waiting lists. The wait list of children assessed and eligible for IBI therapy has grown to 1,280 children. When the Liberals were elected, only 89 children were waiting for IBI treatment to begin. The wait list has grown 1,400% under McGuinty’s watch.
• Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act demonstrate the McGuinty Liberals have diverted $59 million that was supposed to be spent on autism services and spent it elsewhere. Every year, it costs approximately $50,000 for an autistic child to receive the 40 hours per week of IBI treatment. The $59 million not spent from the Liberals’ autism budget could have provided IBI therapy to over 1,000 children.
• Currently, the Ministry of Education bars IBI therapists from the classroom.
“Allowing IBI therapists into the classroom would be a regulatory change. Other therapists, including speech therapists, are allowed into the classroom – but IBI therapists are not,” said Martel.
Martel urged the McGuinty government again to stop stalling and get on with the business of getting qualified IBI therapists into Ontario classrooms.
“I am calling on the premier to do the right thing for children with autism. Extend IBI treatment to all children who need it by allowing IBI therapists in the classroom -- without delay,” said Martel.
-30-
Media inquiries: Dan O’Brien (416) 325-2507
Pam is the host of Rogers Insights that films in Newmarket. Many of us
have been a guest of Pam's on the show, she is an amazing woman, runs a
fantastic show, and is also a listmate!!!!
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/toronto/story.html?id=261116b6-48f3-4932-881a-c48b334dcb7f&k=74811&p=1
National Post story - my daughter
>
>> Okay, everyone I know has to put up with me today! This full page
story
>> (with colour picture) was in the front section of the National Post
today
>> (I have many copies). My daughter received an email advising it was
>> going across the country.
>>
>> "'I know what it's like'"
>>
'I know what it's like'
Brampton teacher diagnosed with Asperger's inspires her autistic students
Karin Kloosterman, National Post
Published: Thursday, May 17, 2007
It is the middle of a lesson in the classroom at Greenbriar Public School in Brampton, and the boys, aged 12 to 14, take turns jumping on the trampoline in between listening to their teacher.
"It releases tension," teacher Carole Ann MacDonald says matter-of-factly, as she surveys a classroom that also includes terrariums, a beanbag chair, a sectional couch and, most importantly, three teaching assistants and a teacher for just nine students.
Ms. MacDonald knows, perhaps more than most, the need for an autistic child to have a release from the structure of a school day.
When she was a bit younger than these students, she was labelled "retarded" and severely disabled, and required a team of private tutors to get her through school. It was not until her final year of teacher's college, three years ago, that she was diagnosed with Asperger's, a form of autism.
Ms. MacDonald is considered by autism experts such as Dr. Kevin Stoddart to be among the highest functioning cases of Asperger's. She does not shake hands obsessively or have any noticeable physical tics. Her unusualness manifests itself in a way that is difficult to pinpoint.
In the classroom, where other teachers might give harsh words when students misbehave -- the boys on this particular day were eating, pacing the room and talking out of turn --Ms. MacDonald laughs.
Her laughter, punctuated by bursts of "ha" and her patient repetition of instructions, somehow diffuses the boys' frustrations to communicate. Inappropriate reactions, such as laughter, are among the traits that define Asperger's, which is a difficult disorder to diagnose.
The logistics of handling a busy day on a rotary teaching schedule is a challenge for someone with autism, who prefers order and structure.
"There are so many transitions all in one day. I teach science, then I switch to math, then I have to switch to drama and then I have to switch to teaching language," says Ms. MacDonald in one breath. "I rely a lot on the teaching assistants for support and understanding--[they] have no problem telling me, 'You need to switch subjects and keep focused.' "
It has taken Ms. MacDonald two decades to try to understand what made her different.
"The testing process was difficult, explains Ms. MacDonald, "It's not like you walk through the door and you are diagnosed. It mainly comes from a feeling inside -- that you know you are different from other people and you want to find out why.
"Obtaining my diagnosis involved a long process of looking into my family history and by the time they told me I had Asperger's, I already knew."
She found the label empowering. As for her students, "Some people say we shouldn't label kids because 'kids are not jam,' but I disagree. Without the labels, my pupils wouldn't get the right placement or funding."
Like a typical Asperger's person, Ms. MacDonald has no qualms talking openly about her personal life, even in class.
"Boys, I know what it's like to be suspended from school. I know what it's like to fail math class," she tells them. "I used to forget my tuba and was always late for school. It's OK. When you get to high school, cling to the smart kids in class. That's what I did."
'I know what it's like'
Brampton teacher diagnosed with Asperger's inspires her autistic students
Karin Kloosterman, National Post
Published: Thursday, May 17, 2007
She explains her candour with her students this way: "Kids need to know if a teacher is gay or disabled so they can have role models to identify with."
When she applied for her job, straight out of teacher's college, she already had an impeccable resume, which included master's-level courses from York University, but what won her the job was a sense that she offered "this sort of 'other' dimension to her understanding of the students," says Pat Lewis, the school's principal.
Brooks Masterson, a school psychologist, said that people with Asperger's are known for not understanding other people's views, because they lack a pragmatic language. "But as a teacher, Ms. MacDonald conveys empathy and enthusiasm. She is an advocate for them and experiences what they go through."
Social worker Barbara McFarlane, who worked with Ms. MacDonald last year, can offer some insight into why her teaching method works so well: "Us outsiders would see a child's ignoring instructions as a weakness. Carole Ann is able to get in touch with them and recognize when a child does not understand instructions."
She said that it is through Ms. MacDonald's work that "these kids have risen from the bottom of the totem pole to the top of the educational system. In some cases they are functioning at a higher level than the mainstream students."
Ms. MacDonald's mother, Pam, a Newmarket business woman, says her daughter has been so focused from a very early age.
"It was almost as if Carole Ann had an innate sense of what she needed in order to succeed, and an unstoppable determination to obtain it," says her mom. "If she was quiet, you knew she was taking something apart. She seemed to have no fear. I always thought she was just a very active child. I have subsequently learned that autistic children don't understand non-verbal cues, and need things explained very clearly; they can make inappropriate comments, and almost shut down in stressful situations."
Admittedly, Ms. MacDonald says, some educational staff might think her teaching concepts are strange, especially since previous teachers in the class spent their time preventing injury from outbursts or meltdowns.
"Some teachers told me that I should give my students the basic life skills in the hopes that one day they could be a cashier at Wal-Mart. I tell my students that they are not going to Wal-Mart. They are going to college and university," she says.
"Now we even have students in our class attending the gifted classes at the school."
Today, more than 19 families are on a waiting list to put their child in Greenbriar's autism class. One family even moved from Saskatchewan to get a placement.
"I tell the kids and parents that I have Asperger's," Ms. MacDonald says. "The parents look relieved."
>>
http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/toronto/story.html?id=261116b6-48f3-4932-881a-c48b334dcb7f&k=74811
>>
>>
Toronto star
http://www.thestar.com/Unassigned/article/214895
May 17, 2007 04:30 AM
bruce campion-smith
OTTAWA BUREAU
OTTAWA–For more than a decade, the "Yes I Can!" nursery school in Toronto has taken in autistic and low-income kids for its award-winning summer programs, thanks to federal grants that made it possible to hire student counsellors.
But not this year. In a surprise move, the federal Conservative government has rejected the centre's request for $38,000, putting its program in peril.
"We got a rejection letter," executive director Janet MacDougall said yesterday. "We can't run camp. That's the bottom line."
Now MacDougall is dreading having to break the bad news to the parents of 45 children – all with autism – who have already signed up for the summer camp, run out of Bedford Park United Church, in north Toronto.
Over the winter, the Conservative government brought in a new name and a new mandate for its Canada Summer Jobs program.
And now, as students and organizations make their summer plans, those changes are having a big impact as organizations across the city – and the country – discover programs that have existed for years won't get government cash this year.
"It's devastating, although I knew something was wrong. I was calling and no one was calling me back," MacDougall said in an interview.
The summer jobs program is meant to help young Canadians obtain career information, develop skills and find good jobs, according to a government website. But last September, the Tories chopped the Youth Employment Strategy that helped about 50,000 people find work last summer, saving $55.4 million.
However, federal officials insist there's been no cut in funding to not-for-profit organizations, saying they will dole out $77.3 million in grants to community groups this year.
That's little comfort to MacDougall, whose program offers a summer camp for pre-schoolers with autism who "typically would not be able to go to camp anywhere else," she said.
"It's a camp where they actually get to practise and develop their social and language interactions with peers," she said.
In previous years, the camp has received funding to hire up to 30 university students and train them to work with the children and their special needs.
But in rejecting the camp's request for funding, the government says the nursery school scored poorly, despite its long record of service.
Awards won by the nursery school include the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education, and the Maria De Witt award for an outstanding community program. As well, some of the students who worked at the centre – more than 200 – have gone on to become doctors and speech pathologists, MacDougall said.
MacDougall is seeking an appeal of the decision.
The centre has an ally in local MP, Liberal John Godfrey (Don Valley West), who was impressed by his visits. "They do an extraordinary job and really help out parents who need some time off for themselves," he said. "I was just appalled ... I can't think of a more worthwhile thing for young people to be doing than helping autistic children."
But as the rejection letters go out, the changes promise to be felt across Greater Toronto.
Liberal MP Maria Minna (Beaches-East York) yesterday called on Human Resources Minister Monte Solberg to explain why Community Centre 55, which provides services to the underprivileged in her riding, had its funding cut after more than 30 years.
"Can he explain to my constituents why programs such as daycare and summer camp will be cancelled?" she said in the Commons.
Other Liberal MPs added their own tales of community groups that have lost their funding, including Rodger Cuzner (Cape Breton-Canso) who said student jobs will drop to 100 from 1,000 last year in his riding. "They were community jobs in museums, theatres, recreation programs," he said.
Liberal Mark Eyking (Sydney-Victoria) said "cuts" to the program have left hundreds of students without work. "Daycare operations, museums, recreation programs, minor sports leagues, seniors' clubs and small retail operations in remote areas, all have been denied funding," he told the Commons.
But Solberg defended the changes, saying unemployment rates for students are at their lowest level in 40 years. And he denied that funding for non-profit groups had been trimmed.
"We are giving quality job opportunities to students and helping not-for-profit organizations," Solberg said.
Later, a spokesperson for Solberg said that not-for-profit organizations in Ontario will get $21.1 million in funding, about the same as last year.
Program funding gives priority to organizations in high unemployment areas as well as those that hire students "with disabilities, aboriginal students, and students who are visible minorities," Lesley Harmer said in an email. "It is unfortunate that every year there are always more applications for funding than money available," she said.
Cuts kill camp for autistic children
May 17, 2007 04:30 AM
bruce campion-smith
OTTAWA BUREAU
OTTAWA–For more than a decade, the "Yes I Can!" nursery school in Toronto has taken in autistic and low-income kids for its award-winning summer programs, thanks to federal grants that made it possible to hire student counsellors.
But not this year. In a surprise move, the federal Conservative government has rejected the centre's request for $38,000, putting its program in peril.
"We got a rejection letter," executive director Janet MacDougall said yesterday. "We can't run camp. That's the bottom line."
Now MacDougall is dreading having to break the bad news to the parents of 45 children – all with autism – who have already signed up for the summer camp, run out of Bedford Park United Church, in north Toronto.
Over the winter, the Conservative government brought in a new name and a new mandate for its Canada Summer Jobs program.
And now, as students and organizations make their summer plans, those changes are having a big impact as organizations across the city – and the country – discover programs that have existed for years won't get government cash this year.
"It's devastating, although I knew something was wrong. I was calling and no one was calling me back," MacDougall said in an interview.
The summer jobs program is meant to help young Canadians obtain career information, develop skills and find good jobs, according to a government website. But last September, the Tories chopped the Youth Employment Strategy that helped about 50,000 people find work last summer, saving $55.4 million.
However, federal officials insist there's been no cut in funding to not-for-profit organizations, saying they will dole out $77.3 million in grants to community groups this year.
That's little comfort to MacDougall, whose program offers a summer camp for pre-schoolers with autism who "typically would not be able to go to camp anywhere else," she said.
"It's a camp where they actually get to practise and develop their social and language interactions with peers," she said.
In previous years, the camp has received funding to hire up to 30 university students and train them to work with the children and their special needs.
But in rejecting the camp's request for funding, the government says the nursery school scored poorly, despite its long record of service.
Awards won by the nursery school include the Prime Minister's Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Education, and the Maria De Witt award for an outstanding community program. As well, some of the students who worked at the centre – more than 200 – have gone on to become doctors and speech pathologists, MacDougall said.
MacDougall is seeking an appeal of the decision.
The centre has an ally in local MP, Liberal John Godfrey (Don Valley West), who was impressed by his visits. "They do an extraordinary job and really help out parents who need some time off for themselves," he said. "I was just appalled ... I can't think of a more worthwhile thing for young people to be doing than helping autistic children."
But as the rejection letters go out, the changes promise to be felt across Greater Toronto.
Liberal MP Maria Minna (Beaches-East York) yesterday called on Human Resources Minister Monte Solberg to explain why Community Centre 55, which provides services to the underprivileged in her riding, had its funding cut after more than 30 years.
"Can he explain to my constituents why programs such as daycare and summer camp will be cancelled?" she said in the Commons.
Other Liberal MPs added their own tales of community groups that have lost their funding, including Rodger Cuzner (Cape Breton-Canso) who said student jobs will drop to 100 from 1,000 last year in his riding. "They were community jobs in museums, theatres, recreation programs," he said.
Liberal Mark Eyking (Sydney-Victoria) said "cuts" to the program have left hundreds of students without work. "Daycare operations, museums, recreation programs, minor sports leagues, seniors' clubs and small retail operations in remote areas, all have been denied funding," he told the Commons.
But Solberg defended the changes, saying unemployment rates for students are at their lowest level in 40 years. And he denied that funding for non-profit groups had been trimmed.
"We are giving quality job opportunities to students and helping not-for-profit organizations," Solberg said.
Later, a spokesperson for Solberg said that not-for-profit organizations in Ontario will get $21.1 million in funding, about the same as last year.
Program funding gives priority to organizations in high unemployment areas as well as those that hire students "with disabilities, aboriginal students, and students who are visible minorities," Lesley Harmer said in an email. "It is unfortunate that every year there are always more applications for funding than money available," she said.
From a Listmate:
Debates of the Senate (Hansard)
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Autism Society of Nova Scotia
Cutback to Funding for Jobs at Summer Day Camp
Hon. Jim Munson: Honourable senators, I rise on a troubling issue. Today I will read excerpts from the Halifax Chronicle-Herald. As honourable senators know, autism is a passion in my life since committees here in the Senate issued a report Pay Now Or Pay Later, Autism Families In Crisis, dealing with families with children with autism.
The excerpts of the article are:
Autism group has no cash for camp.
More than 40 autistic Halifax children may be left home for the summer because of changes to a federally funded student job program.
The Autism Society of Nova Scotia found out Monday afternoon it will not receive money through Canada Summer Jobs to hire staff to run its summer day camp.
Society executive director Vicky Harvey is scrambling to try to save what she terms an 'innovative and special program.'.
For the past five years, the society has run a summer day camp in July and August.
'These are kids who are significantly affected by autism,' Ms. Harvey said.
Besides giving children aged six to 16 a chance to attend a structured program, it also gives their caregivers a summer respite. But since last year, the federal program has had a name change — it used to be called Summer Career Placement — and has been revamped.
Funding is determined by a point system. . . .
Last year the autism camp had 30 staffers. Seven of those positions were funded through Service Canada. . . .
As Ms. Harvey goes on to say:
'We just finished interviewing quite a few people.' It costs about $110,000 to run the camp.
She said that she would be very disappointed to feel that we could not run this camp again this summer.
I would like the new Government of Canada to take a deep breath, to take a look at these particular student placement programs, and take a look, for goodness' sake, at their own website, Summer Work Experience. It says:
Canada Summer Jobs, a new initiative, provides wage subsidies to help Canadian employers of not-for-profit, public sector, and smaller private sector organizations with 50 or fewer employees create career-related summer jobs for students between the ages of 15 and 30 at the start of employment.
The initiative is specifically designed to help students having trouble finding summer jobs because of where they live and/ or other barriers.
I urge you to take a look at your program and for goodness' sake take a look at what is going on in Nova Scotia, and listen.
__________________________
House of Commons
HANSARD
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Summer Career Placements Program
Mr. Michael Savage (Dartmouth—Cole Harbour, Lib.):
Mr. Speaker, FANE is a francophone organization.
What can the minister possibly have against the YWCA, the Canadian Diabetes Association, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Elizabeth Fry Society, and arts groups, all of which are non-partisan, non-profit organizations across Canada?
Last year the Autism Society of Nova Scotia had seven positions. This year? Nothing.
Organizations like these have a question for the government: “Why is the government shutting us out?”
When will the minister restore full funding to this program? When will he do what is right for these organizations across Canada?
Hon. Monte Solberg (Minister of Human Resources and Social Development, CPC):
Mr. Speaker, I guess the question is why the previous government routinely shut out thousands of groups every year that it did not fund.
The member speaks of autism. I want to point out that the Autism Resource Centre in Moncton will receive $29,000 this year from this government. Previously it got only $9,000.
This government is stepping up to the plate, helping groups that need the help and, more important, making sure students get the work experience that they need to succeed.
_________________________________________
Minister defends cuts to student job funding; Politics Monte Solberg says Tory government is 'helping groups that need the help
New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal
May 17, 2007
Page: A3
By: Rob Linke TELEGRAPH-JOURNAL
Student job funding in an MP's riding has to be one of the more tangible, readily understood examples of federal assistance at the local level.
But across New Brunswick this year, it's easier to find an MP railing about the funding than one crowing about it.
That's because under changes by the Conservative government, universities, hospitals, town recreation programs and community non-profit groups have discovered this week they're not getting the funding they have relied on for years.
Liberal and NDP MPs say their phones are ringing as much as ever as irate and confused constituents call to protest the outcomes of a new Conservative program.
"It is an unmitigated disaster," said Fredericton MP Andy Scott. "People are expressing a combination of shock and outrage."
Opposition MPs are themselves aghast at some of the reasons the cabinet minister responsible has offered for the changes.
Human Resources and Social Development Minister Monte Solberg has defended the changes on the grounds they no longer subsidize Tim Hortons or Wal-Mart or "Liberal friends."
In Fredericton alone, institutions that have gotten funding year after year who have been turned down flat this year include the University of New Brunswick, which applied for 47 positions, St. Thomas University (18), the city of Fredericton (29) and the town of Oromocto's recreation department (25), as well as dozens of smaller applicants.
Roughly 50 groups in the Saint John area have also been denied funding.
Saint John MP Paul Zed has invited Solberg to a community meeting over the issue in Saint John next Tuesday.
In Question Period Wednesday, Solberg was hit with five questions from across the floor.
He said students across the country are benefiting from the lowest unemployment rates in 40 years. Funding for the non-profit sector has stayed the same, as well.
And the government has said that employer surveys found a third of the jobs created under the Liberals would have been created even without the program.
When Nova Scotia Liberal MP Mike Savage rattled off a list of groups denied funds, Solberg had a Moncton example at hand.
"The Autism Resource Centre in Moncton will receive $29,000 this year from this government. Previously they only got $9,000.
"This government is stepping up to the plate, helping groups that need the help," he said.
In New Brunswick, the Liberal government funded $5.3 million in student jobs last year, but the Conservatives have kept only the $3.7 million that goes to subsidize student wages in the non-profit sector.
The Conservatives' Canada Summer Jobs program is also giving priority to proposals that employ students in areas with high crime and unemployment rates. That rules out New Brunswick entirely for crime, and much of the south of the province for unemployment, said Scott.
"This is what happens when you put people who don't fundamentally like government in charge of government," said Scott.
And NDP MP Yvon Godin said Acadie-Bathurst is still being hit hard by the changes.
"In my riding, where some areas have almost 20 per cent unemployment, they have turned down jobs in small municipalities and the tourism sector," he said. "I know of one museum that had four jobs that will not open, and another tourism centre that won't open.
"I'm getting calls from all over the place."
Godin said the department's local office has been told not to talk to MPs about the funding decisions.
"We've been told to talk to Moncton and they know nothing about our riding."
______________________________
Letters
New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal
May 17, 2007
Cuts could end boy's camp dream
This was the first year we were able to scrape enough money together to send our autistic nine year old to the YMCA Integrated Camp. Ever since we received acknowledgement of his accepted application Jeremiah has been an excited little boy.
Now how do I tell him he probably isn't going? He doesn't understand the government has pulled funding for it.
It certainly isn't the first time autistic children and adults have been dumped on by the federal and New Brunswick governments.
The current and former governments have dragged their feet or totally ignored the needs of its autistic citizens as well as others with disabilities.
I hope the Community Autism Centre Inc (CACI) runs their three afternoons a week Autism Camp this year as it is the only summer activity Jeremiah could get. He has attended that in previous years and enjoyed it. But I was hoping for something different this year a little closer to our home as we don't have a car. Going to CACI requires taking taxis back and forth. If the Y's camp is cancelled, hopefully our money will be refunded so I can pay for those taxis.
At least his sister's Cheerleading camp also run by the Y is a go. How typical, our autistic child gets left out.
LYN CATO
Saint John
____________________________
Funding pulled for nursery school camp for autistic children (Autistic-Camp)
May 17, 2007
OTTAWA - For more than a decade, the `Yes I Can!' nursery school in Toronto has offered summer programs for autistic and low-income kids.
But in a surprise move, the federal government has rejected the centre's request for $38,000, putting the program in peril.
Executive director Janet MacDougall says she now dreads having to tell the parents of 45 autistic children already signed up for the summer camp.
MacDougall says the program offers a summer camp for kids who typically would not be able to go to camp anywhere else.
In previous years, the camp received funding to hire up to 30 university students and train them to work with the children and their special needs.
But in rejecting the camp's request for funding, the government says the nursery school scored poorly, despite its long record of service. (Toronto Star)
_____________________________
'I know what it's like'; Brampton teacher diagnosed with Asperger's inspires her autistic students
May 17, 2007
Page: A11
Section: Toronto
Edition: Toronto
By: Karin Kloosterman
It is the middle of a lesson in the classroom at Greenbriar Public School in Brampton, and the boys, aged 12 to 14, take turns jumping on the trampoline in between listening to their teacher.
"It releases tension," teacher Carole Ann MacDonald says matter-of-factly, as she surveys a classroom that also includes terrariums, a beanbag chair, a sectional couch and, most importantly, three teaching assistants and a teacher for just nine students.
Ms. MacDonald knows, perhaps more than most, the need for an autistic child to have a release from the structure of a school day.
When she was a bit younger than these students, she was labelled "retarded" and severely disabled, and required a team of private tutors to get her through school. It was not until her final year of teacher's college, three years ago, that she was diagnosed with Asperger's, a form of autism.
Ms. MacDonald is considered by autism experts such as Dr. Kevin Stoddart to be among the highest functioning cases of Asperger's. She does not shake hands obsessively or have any noticeable physical tics. Her unusualness manifests itself in a way that is difficult to pinpoint.
In the classroom, where other teachers might give harsh words when students misbehave -- the boys on this particular day were eating, pacing the room and talking out of turn --Ms. MacDonald laughs.
Her laughter, punctuated by bursts of "ha" and her patient repetition of instructions, somehow diffuses the boys' frustrations to communicate. Inappropriate reactions, such as laughter, are among the traits that define Asperger's, which is a difficult disorder to diagnose.
The logistics of handling a busy day on a rotary teaching schedule is a challenge for someone with autism, who prefers order and structure.
"There are so many transitions all in one day. I teach science, then I switch to math, then I have to switch to drama and then I have to switch to teaching language," says Ms. MacDonald in one breath. "I rely a lot on the teaching assistants for support and understanding--[they] have no problem telling me, 'You need to switch subjects and keep focused.' "
It has taken Ms. MacDonald two decades to try to understand what made her different.
"The testing process was difficult, explains Ms. MacDonald, "It's not like you walk through the door and you are diagnosed. It mainly comes from a feeling inside -- that you know you are different from other people and you want to find out why.
"Obtaining my diagnosis involved a long process of looking into my family history and by the time they told me I had Asperger's, I already knew."
She found the label empowering. As for her students, "Some people say we shouldn't label kids because 'kids are not jam,' but I disagree. Without the labels, my pupils wouldn't get the right placement or funding."
Like a typical Asperger's person, Ms. MacDonald has no qualms talking openly about her personal life, even in class.
"Boys, I know what it's like to be suspended from school. I know what it's like to fail math class," she tells them. "I used to forget my tuba and was always late for school. It's OK. When you get to high school, cling to the smart kids in class. That's what I did."
She explains her candour with her students this way: "Kids need to know if a teacher is gay or disabled so they can have role models to identify with."
When she applied for her job, straight out of teacher's college, she already had an impeccable resume, which included master's-level courses from York University, but what won her the job was a sense that she offered "this sort of 'other' dimension to her understanding of the students," says Pat Lewis, the school's principal.
Brooks Masterson, a school psychologist, said that people with Asperger's are known for not understanding other people's views, because they lack a pragmatic language. "But as a teacher, Ms. MacDonald conveys empathy and enthusiasm. She is an advocate for them and experiences what they go through."
Social worker Barbara McFarlane, who worked with Ms. MacDonald last year, can offer some insight into why her teaching method works so well: "Us outsiders would see a child's ignoring instructions as a weakness. Carole Ann is able to get in touch with them and recognize when a child does not understand instructions."
She said that it is through Ms. MacDonald's work that "these kids have risen from the bottom of the totem pole to the top of the educational system. In some cases they are functioning at a higher level than the mainstream students."
Ms. MacDonald's mother, Pam, a Newmarket business woman, says her daughter has been so focused from a very early age.
"It was almost as if Carole Ann had an innate sense of what she needed in order to succeed, and an unstoppable determination to obtain it," says her mom. "If she was quiet, you knew she was taking something apart. She seemed to have no fear. I always thought she was just a very active child. I have subsequently learned that autistic children don't understand non-verbal cues, and need things explained very clearly; they can make inappropriate comments, and almost shut down in stressful situations."
Admittedly, Ms. MacDonald says, some educational staff might think her teaching concepts are strange, especially since previous teachers in the class spent their time preventing injury from outbursts or meltdowns.
"Some teachers told me that I should give my students the basic life skills in the hopes that one day they could be a cashier at Wal-Mart. I tell my students that they are not going to Wal-Mart. They are going to college and university," she says.
"Now we even have students in our class attending the gifted classes at the school."
Today, more than 19 families are on a waiting list to put their child in Greenbriar's autism class. One family even moved from Saskatchewan to get a placement.
"I tell the kids and parents that I have Asperger's," Ms. MacDonald says. "The parents look relieved."
_____________________________
Toys 'R' Us Raises More Than $1.1 Million to Help Autism Speaks Combat The Nation's Fastest-Growing Developmental Disorder; Support From the Toys 'R' Us Children's Fund Continues with National Sponsorship of the Autism Speaks Walk Now for Autism Program
May 17, 2007
WAYNE, N.J., May 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Toys "R" Us and the Toys "R" Us Children's Fund announced that their nationwide campaign to benefit Autism Speaks raised more than $1.1 million to support crucial autism research and advocacy. For seven weeks, as part of Autism Awareness Month, all T
oys "R"
Us stores across the country, and www.Toysrus.com , collected cash donations in an effort to help solve the puzzle of autism. All money raised during the campaign will go directly to Autism Speaks to fund important autism research
programs and help provide a voice for children affected by the disorder.
"We were truly gratified by the tremendous outpouring of support we received from our customers, employees, and communities for this initiative that will further the important works of Autism Speaks," said Jerry Storch, Chairman and CEO, Toys "R" Us, Inc. "The mission of the Toys "R" Us Children's Fund is to help children in need, and we are pleased that our fundraising efforts will benefit the more than 1.5 million kids and families in the United States impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorders."
In conjunction with the fundraising campaign, Toys "R" Us created the "Ten Toys That Speak to Autism," a unique resource for families, friends and caregivers of children with autism. This special list features everyday toys that promote skills that contribute to an autistic child's developmen
t. The
list also includes early warning signs of autism to provide customers with important information on the disorder. The list continues to be available at www.Toysrus.com/autismspeaks .
"We are thrilled with the results of the Toys "R" Us in-store fundraising campaign, which far exceeded our expectations," said Mark Roithmayr, President of Autism Speaks. "Toys "R" Us has been a tremendous partner and because of its dedication to this campaign we are one step closer to finding a cure for autism."
In addition to the fundraising campaign, Toys "R" Us currently serves as the national sponsor of the Autism Speaks Walk Now for Autism program, a series of more than 60 fundraising walk events occurring over ten months in cities from coast-to-coast. Across the country, Toys "R" Us employees are joining in the effort by forming teams in their local communities to participate in the walk events.
About Toys "R" Us, Inc.
Toys "R" Us is the world's leading specialty toy retailer. Currently it sells merchandise through more than 1,500 stores, including 586 stores in the U.S. and 684 international toy stores, which includes licensed and franchise stores, and through its Internet site at www.Toysrus.com
. Babies "R" Us is the largest baby product specialty store chain in the world and a leader in the juvenile industry, and sells merchandise through 254 stores in the U.S. as well as on the Internet at www.Babiesrus.com .
SOURCE Toys "R" Us, Inc.
_______________________________
How the feds help autism….(see first article about changes to federally funded program leaving autistic kids without assistants at camp).
________________________________
Autism group has no cash for camp
Halifax Chronicle Herald
May 16, 2007
Page: B3
Section: Metro
Byline: Davene Jeffrey Staff Reporter
More than 40 autistic Halifax children may be left home for the summer because of changes to a federally funded student job program.
The Autism Society of Nova Scotia found out Monday afternoon it will not receive money through Canada Summer Jobs to hire staff to run its summer day camp.
Society executive director Vicky Harvey is scrambling to try to save what she terms an "innovative and special program."
For the past five years, the society has run a summer day camp in July and August.
"These are kids who are significantly affected by autism," Ms. Harvey said.
Besides giving the children aged six to 16 a chance to attend a structured program, it also gives their caregivers a summer respite. But since last year, the federal program has had a name change - it used to be called Summer Career Placement - and has been revamped.
Funding is determined by a point system.
"A whole slew of community organizations that always receive student placements are just finding out right now that they have been shut out," says Dartmouth-Cole Harbour MP Mike Savage.
"It's absolutely outrageous that they would change this successful program and leave both students and really, really worthwhile community organizations in the lurch."
Changing the criteria for funding is pitting one deserving community organization against another, Mr. Savage said.
Last year the autism camp had 30 staffers. Seven of those positions were funded through Service Canada.
Children were able to attend one of two four-week sessions at a local church.
So far, Ms. Harvey's group has received 40 applications from families looking to send their children to camp this summer and she expects to receive many more.
Last year, 47 children attended the camp.
With an ever-increasing demand, Ms. Harvey had been considering offering two-week sessions this year so all the children would get an opportunity to attend camp.
Because of the children's needs, they receive one-on-one care. The summer students who work with them are paid $10 an hour.
"We just finished interviewing quite a few people," Ms. Harvey said It costs about $110,000 to run the camp. About $25,000 came from the summer job program.
Ms. Harvey said her organization is always looking for new funding and is not about to give up on the camp.
"I would be very disappointed to feel we couldn't do this, this summer."
Autism affects one in every 150 people, Ms. Harvey said.
According to its website, Canada Summer Jobs is designed to help students get jobs in areas where work is scarce, such as in high crime and/or high unemployment areas.( )
_______________________________
Three Programs to Help Students With Autism, Other Special Needs Attend College Announced Today; College Living Experience Accepting Enrollment for 2007-08 Academic Year
May 15, 2007
NASHVILLE, Tenn., May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A program to help students with autism and other special needs attend college is expanding to campuses in the Chicago, northern California and Washington, D.C., areas and is accepting applications for the 2007-2008 academic year.
College Living Experience (CLE) provides intensive assistance with academic, independent living and social skills to college students with special needs such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Asperger's Syndrome, non-verbal learning disorders and other learning disabilities as they attend college. CLE already operates programs in Austin, Texas, Denver and Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Students from around the country can enroll at the location of their choice.
Students live in apartments near the local CLE offices and student centers while taking classes at community colleges, vocational schools or universities. CLE professional staff work closely with students to provide structured tutoring sessions, independent living skills training and social outings.
Students participating in the Chicago program may attend classes at Oakton Community College in suburban Skokie. Students at the Monterey, Calif., CLE may attend either Monterey Peninsula College or California State University at Monterey Bay, and students at the Rockville, Md., site near Washington, D.C., may attend Montgomery College. In addition, CLE will assist students who are accepted at any nearby college, university, technical or vocational school.
CLE provides intensive support in three primary areas to complement a student's higher-education goals:
-- Academics: Students attend three 50-minute tutoring sessions conducted
by professional tutors. They also attend a weekly course review and
study-hall sessions three or four times a week.
-- Independent living: CLE staff work individually with students to
introduce apartment living and provide support for the development of
life skills. Students receive assistance with establishing and
maintaining a checking account, paying monthly bills, shopping,
preparing meals, cleaning and managing other daily-living necessities.
-- Social skills: All students enrolled in CLE are paired with a mentor
who takes on the role of a big brother or big sister. Students also
have the chance to participate in social-skills groups that gather
around specific activities, such as bowling or movies. CLE also offers
a variety of events each week, such as attending art openings, a local
festival or a fishing outing.
"The greatest fear of parents of exceptional children is, 'What will happen to my child when I'm gone?,'" Mark Claypool, president and CEO of ESA, said. "Many parents never consider college as an option and they worry their children will not be prepared for independent adulthood. With the support and services of CLE, exceptional students can attend college, earn degrees and achieve the academic and social skills they need to live independently."
CLE is a division of Educational Services of America, the nation's leading national provider of special, alternative and post-secondary educational programs.
"By offering daily tutoring, independent living assistance, social events and access to a staff psychologist, we make sure all the needs of our students are met," Steven Roth, Ed. D., executive director of CLE, said. "We focus on students' needs so they can focus on their dreams."
For more information on CLE, visit www.cleinc.net or contact Patricia Giner, national director of admissions, at 800-486-5058.
About Educational Services of America
Educational Services of America is the nation's leading provider of K-12 and post-secondary alternative and special education programs. Based in Nashville, Tenn., ESA owns and operates more than 120 schools and programs in numerous states throughout the country. ESA provides highly personalized
academic and behavioral services for students through the following branded areas: College Living Experience, College Living Prep, ESA Exceptional Schools, Ombudsman Educational Services and Spectrum Center Schools. For more information, visit www.esa-education.com .
SOURCE Educational Services of America
_____________________________________
University of Missouri Study on Link Between Autism and Mercury a Discredit to Sound Science, Says SafeMinds; Undisclosed industry funding, unsubstantiated conclusions on vaccines, and study sample alteration undermine credibility on controversial topic
May 16, 2007
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A recent press release from the University of Missouri announced the results of a study on autism and Rh immune globulin (RhIg) injections, some of which contained a mercury preservative called thimerosal. SafeMinds reviewed information about this study and found several troublesome aspects, including undisclosed industry funding, unsubstantiated conclusions on vaccines and mercury, and deviation from acceptable scientific practice.
The study was funded by Johnson & Johnson, the largest manufacturer of RhIg products and the defendant in several lawsuits alleging a link between autism and mercury in RhIg. In an earlier 2005 poster presentation, the study authors acknowledged that the research was "supported by Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research," but the University of Missouri press release omits mention of this conflict of interest.
The press release headline falsely claims that the "Study Finds No Link Between Autism and Thimerosal in Vaccines." The study is about Rh immune globulin, and immune globulins are not vaccines. "The headline deceives the public," noted Mark Blaxill, director of SafeMinds. "It says an autism-mercury in vaccines link has been disproved when the research did not do so." In fact, the study failed to differentiate between mothers who received RhIg brands with mercury and those receiving the brand without mercury, rendering assessment of mercury's role in autism from RhIg indeterminate.
Changes to the research sample were made in the middle of the study. The 2005 sample contained 47 mothers with more than one child with autism, while the final 2007 study only had 16 mothers with more than one child with autism. The elimination of 31 "multiplex" families means that the original sample was altered, and not just added to, after initial results were obtained in contradiction of standard research practice meant to prevent manipulation of findings.
"An earlier analysis by SafeMinds of the poster presentation revealed numerous flaws in methods, analysis and interpretation," stated Mr. Blaxill. "We are concerned many of these flaws have not been corrected and quite possibly have been amplified in the published paper. While the poster results demonstrated an increased risk of autism in thimerosal-exposed children, the written interpretation of the data claimed the opposite."
Once SafeMinds has the opportunity to review the full paper, a full assessment will be completed. SafeMinds calls for unbiased studies on the potential link between autism and mercury exposures. More information on this study is available at http://www.safeminds.org
.
SOURCE SafeMinds
___________________________
Stamp faces brave new front Autistic son inspires McNeil to be great dad
The Calgary Sun
May 16, 2007
BY ERIC FRANCIS
The tears in Jay McNeil's eyes suggest the news hit every bit as hard as losing his father at age 11.
Even harder than the 18-wheeler that careened into him at age 25 and should have taken his life.
"My son..." started McNeil, pausing to deliver words no parent wants to utter, "has autism."
On the eve of accepting his second-straight President's Ring as the Calgary Stampeders' most inspirational player on and off the field, McNeil chose to pay tribute to his greatest inspiration by going public for the first time with the battle being waged by his four-year-old boy, Cuyler.
"When you get the news that your kid is autistic, it's devastating," said McNeil yesterday, wiping tears from his cheeks.
"But I wouldn't change it for the world. Every day we thank God for bringing him into our lives. He's the best kid you could ever ask for. He's got the best attitude and is the gentlest kid. He doesn't ever want to hurt anybody. He just wants to have fun."
It was more than a year ago McNeil and wife Tara noticed Cuyler's affinity for counting, which led doctors to send him to a developmental pediatrician.
"We knew he liked letters and numbers but we just thought he was a smart kid," said McNeil, who wasn't told of the diagnosis until last fall.
"When they sat us down to tell us it was hard -- I teared up. But when I was driving home I called my mom to tell her and I finally broke down. Thing is, I wouldn't want him any other way. We loved him and thought he was an awesome kid beforehand and it doesn't change who he is."
Autism is a developmental disability stemming from a disorder in the central nervous system. It can affect children by delaying social interaction, language or play.
"Most people wouldn't know -- we kind of haven't really said a whole lot," said McNeil, 36, who has registered Cuyler in a regular school for next year.
"It can range from mental retardation to kids that don't talk and may never talk.
"He's high functioning so we're pretty fortunate that way.
"There are lots of e-mails going around about autism and one from a mother who said she'd give anything to hear her son say 'I love you.' Cuyler will. As far as intelligence, he's as smart a kid as you'll find at that age."
Thankful he lives in Alberta, which has the highest autism funding in Canada, the London, Ont., native says 30 hours of one-on-one work with two aids every week has helped Cuyler make huge developmental leaps since September.
A longtime spokesman for CUPS who has made regular appearances at charity functions throughout his 13-year career, McNeil says he and Tara want to get involved with Autism fundraising.
Fortunate enough to have won two Grey Cups while playing in front of a handful of the game's top quarterbacks the last 13 years, the 300-lb. Stampeders offensive-lineman also feels blessed to have escaped death after experiencing two high-impact car accidents within an hour.
"My Jeep hit black ice and rolled end over end twice and then on its side," said McNeil of the 1996 accident on a North Dakota highway.
"The cops came and we were waiting for a tow truck and an 18-wheeler slid on the same ice and crushed all three cars we were in.
"I was sure the cop next to me was dead -- he was slumped over the wheel and unconscious and I didn't have a scratch on me. I was definitely lucky to be alive."
Despite his son's battles, not a day goes by the five-time all-star doesn't realize how charmed his life has been.
McNeil is revered by teammates and a fan favourite on a model franchise that will honour him at noon tomorrow with a soldout luncheon at the Convention Centre sure to get emotional when talk turns to his family.
"Whenever things get tough I think about Cuyler," said McNeil, only the third Stamp to win consecutive President's Rings as voted by teammates (the others being Alondra Johnson and Danny Barrett).
"He's easily the most inspirational thing in my life. Everything Tara and I do we think of him first. We just want to give him every chance to succeed."
Just like his big daddy.
Illustration: photo by Darren Makowichuk, Sun Media
Stampeders o-lineman Jay McNeil and his wife, Tara, pose with their son Cuyler yesterday at their home. McNeil, who is set to receive the President's Ring from the Stamps organization tomorrow, publicly stated that Cuyler was diagnosed with autism.
_____________________
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Title: Monday, May 14, 2007 1:00 p.m.
Date: 07/05/14
The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Mill Woods.
Mrs. Mather: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to
introduce to you and through you to members of the Assembly two
parents of children who are autistic, Kierstin Hatt and Eleanor Mui.
I would ask that they please rise for the warm and traditional
welcome of the Assembly.
Tabling Returns and Reports
The Speaker: Hon. members, the chair is tabling with the Assembly
the report by the Ethics Commissioner into allegations involving
hon. members – and I will mention their names because that is title
of the text – Ed Stelmach, Premier; David Hancock, Minister of
Health and Wellness; and Lyle Oberg, Minister of Finance. The
report is dated May 11, 2007, and this report was distributed to all
members earlier today.
The Speaker: The hon. Member for Edmonton-Strathcona.
Dr. Pannu: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I rise to table a
letter from Kierstin Hatt and Brian Small of Camrose, Kimberly and
Brian Hockin of Wetaskiwin, Jody and Tomi Heiskanen of Red
Deer, and Eleanor and Andy Mui of Edmonton. These are parents
of children with autism. Their letter is to the Minister of Children’s
Services, presenting evidence of ministry failures to follow regulations
and existing procedures within the FSCD program, as adult
children with autism are denied treatment that they need and to
which they are entitled under the FSCD Act. This also results in
enormous additional burden to the families, to say nothing of the
waste of ministry resources . .
Support for Families with Autistic Children
Mrs. Mather: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Autism spectrum disorder
places a substantial burden on families with children affected by it.
In Alberta these families have been pushed to the breaking point by
the process in place for assessing the eligibility of autistic children
for specialized treatment. Every single year parents must travel
often far distances to prove that their children are indeed deserving
of treatment. Local multidisciplinary team processes are familycentred
and meet the requirements of the Family Support for
Children with Disabilities Act. To the Minister of Children’s
Services: will your department ensure that families can engage in the
multidisciplinary team, MDT, process with professionals in their
own communities?
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Ms Tarchuk: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. The first thing I want
to say is that we understand in Children’s Services that raising a
child with a disability can be very challenging. I’m really proud to
be part of a government that believes that these families deserve our
support and our help. I’d also like to point out that the Alberta
family support for children with disabilities program is unique in
Canada, and in my short time here I’ve heard that from people right
across this country. So just to start with those comments.
With respect to the eligibility process regarding autism, I will get
back to you with more information.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Mrs. Mather: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have heard several
complaints from families that are seeking funding for relationship
development interventions. They’re very concerned because
department regulations are not being followed, and they feel they
have been forced into unnecessary and expensive appeal processes.
To the Minister of Children’s Services: if your department has
agreed to fund RDI for one child, why is it later forcing some
parents into painful appeal processes to demonstrate that RDI meets
FSCD regulations?
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Ms Tarchuk: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding with
respect to autism is that the multidisciplinary teams provide
expertise. They try to determine a child’s needs in order to provide
the level required. So I do know that we are looking at different
delivery of services for the spectrum of autism. Once again, I will
get you more information on the eligibility process and get more
details for you.
The Speaker: The hon. member.
Mrs. Mather: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again, I emphasize
the need for local input. Two parents have made the trip to Edmonton
again today to seek a fair resolution for their particular situations.
Their children cannot go without needed treatment any
longer. These parents have brought with them substantial documentation
of instances where ministry staff have failed to follow
department regulations and procedures. To the Minister of Children’s
Services: the concerns of these parents are reflective of larger
problems with the way this department treats people and families
with autistic children. Will you agree to meet with these parents
today and to hear first-hand how abusive the MDT appeal process
can be?
The Speaker: The hon. minister.
Ms Tarchuk: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. What I will say is if
you could please ask those individuals to forward the documentation
to me, I will take a look at it as well as follow up and get that
information I told you earlier.
________________________
Please see the important post below from the FEAT BC message board regarding some of the difference between autism treatment in Canada and the US and most recent developments.
Thank you.
_________________________________________
By Isaac (Tamir) on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 - 6:43 pm:
Hello Everyone,
Following up on recent commentary shared in this forum ("Canada's autism health policy amounts to all of a new website ... AND, a symposium!" http://tinyurl.com/2jhyot), we learn today, yet again, that things are quite different South of the border.
The legislature in the State of Wisconsin, has proposed a new law intended to MANDATE health insurance coverage for autism (http://tinyurl.com/32erkq). Two obvious implications of this development are that a) Wisconsin's polity clearly deems autism treatment to be a health issue (not social services or special education), and 2) they view it as a reasonable notion that health insurance companies be legally required to provide coverage for the cost of autism treatment.
Meanwhile, back in Can'tada, the health insurance "companies" can rest easy, since they (the provincial governments) are both the overseer of health insurance AND the provider, all rolled up into one bloated, inefficient socialist package. Put another way, the proverbial government 'fox' is guarding the Medicare 'chicken coop', and kids with autism don't even get to visit the farm.
It's a serious problem that there is no proper, effective health insurance oversight in Canada. It is shocking to know that over 30% of the health budget is squandered. And that’s quite a big number, when one considers that fully 1/3 of the typical provincial budget goes to health.
However, Health Canada does assure us that they fully understand the urgency of the national autism epidemic and that they are "moving forward" on this important issue, with a new web site ... AND, an autism symposium!
I wonder how much mileage this kind of government dithering and cynical spin would garner over in Wisconsin?
Isaac
From CTV:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070516/mental_disorders_babies_070516/20070516?hub=Health
Doctors try to diagnose disorders in babies
Updated Wed. May. 16 2007 2:23 PM ET
Associated Press
CHICAGO -- Within days of their birth, healthy babies will look you in the eye. By four months, they will delight in others. And by nine months, they will exchange smiles.
Jacob Day did none of those things. "We used to say it was like it burned his eyes to look at you," said his mother, Tamie Day of Antelope, Calif. "It was like a physically painful thing for him. It wasn't just that he wasn't looking at us; he was purposefully looking away."
Day, who has a psychology degree, suspected her son might have autism. She enrolled him in a study, published in April, that found that babies like Jacob are indeed at high risk for autism if they do not respond to their names by 12 months of age.
At 18 months, he was formally diagnosed with autism, about a year earlier than usual. Before he turned two, Jacob began daily intensive behaviour treatment designed to help him lead a more normal life.
He is part of a growing field in psychiatry called infant mental health. Doctors and scientists are increasingly looking for early signs in babies of autism, attention deficit disorder and other mental problems that just a generation ago, scarcely anyone thought could appear in children so young.
Some scientists even believe that intensive treatment in some susceptible babies can actually prevent autism, attention deficit disorder and other problems.
An influential Institute of Medicine report in 2000 helped energize this idea. The report emphasized the plasticity of babies' brains. It also explained how interacting with babies can change their brain wiring.
"We used to say 'nature versus nurture,' but now people really think it's 'nature through nurture,' "said the University of Chicago's Dr. Lawrence Gray.
Tamie Day noticed the first ominous clue the night she and her husband, Chris, brought Jacob home after his birth.
"We walked in the door and he wouldn't stop looking at our ceiling fan," she said. "The next day, that's all he would look at."
Babies typically begin making eye contact soon after birth, and "understand at a basic, perhaps hardwired level, that eyes are special - they look more at eyes than at other parts of the face," said Sally Ozonoff, an autism specialist at the University of California at Davis' MIND Institute.
When his mother expressed her autism concerns at Jacob's six-month checkup, the doctor said "we were being a little overzealous," Day said.
Still, there was no pointing, no clapping, no shared smiles, and when Jacob would laugh, it seemed like his own private joke. So his parents sought out UC-Davis specialists, who gave them the heartbreaking diagnosis.
Jacob, now 3 1/2, has made meaningful progress thanks to treatment, his mother said, including a breakthrough moment at age two. It still makes her cry to recall it.
She was giving Jacob a bath, playing the "itsy bitsy spider" finger game, when he looked up and really gazed into her eyes. "He was smiling up at me and I realized that was the first time he had done that," she said. "He has gorgeous blue eyes, and I was like, 'My God, your eyes are so beautiful.' "
Interest in infant mental health has been boosted by awareness of the prevalence of attention deficit disorders and autism, which U.S. officials said in February affects one in 150 U.S. children and may be more common than previously thought.
In April, researchers from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Interdisciplinary Council on Developmental and Learning Disorders presented a report emphasizing earlier diagnosis and treatment.
The report said that about 17 per cent of U.S. children have a developmental disability such as autism, mental retardation and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, but that fewer than half are diagnosed before starting school.
The authors say warning signs include failure to:
• Focus on sights and sounds by two months.
• Initiate joyful behavior with parents by four months.
• Exchange smiles and sounds with parents by eight to nine months.
• Take a parent's hand to find a toy and point to objects by 12 to 16 months.
Last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that pediatricians routinely evaluate children for developmental problems such as autism starting in infancy, and begin testing at age nine months.
"Waiting until a young child misses a major milestone such as walking or talking may result in late rather than early recognition . . . depriving the child and family of the benefits of early identification and intervention," the academy said.
Some critics worry that the trend will trigger needless diagnoses in children with normal variations in behaviour.
Dr. Michael Fitzpatrick, a London physician, said that while early recognition and treatment of true disorders are important, "the extension of these categories to include 20 to 30 per cent of all children reflects a social trend of pathologizing and medicalizing children's lives, which seems to reflect difficulties of parents and teachers in dealing with familiar problems of childhood development."
Dr. Stanley Greenspan, a psychiatry professor at George Washington University who co-authored the CDC-Interdisciplinary group report, said the idea is not to slap a label on babies and give them medication. Greenspan said the goal is to raise awareness about early warning signs and to encourage treatment to increase the chances that children can develop normally.
Research on identifying early clues and testing treatments is booming. For example:
• Dr. Fred Volkmar at Yale University is studying potential ways to diagnose autism in the first months of life, including whether looking at objects rather than people is a sign. "I think we're on the verge of being able to do a much better job" of diagnosing autism in infancy, Volkmar said.
• Researcher Stephen Porges at the University of Illinois at Chicago is starting a five-year study of whether excessive crying past 6 months of age might be an early sign of autism, attention deficit or other behavior problems.
• Greenspan is launching a multimillion-dollar study involving parents and babies at risk for autism or attention deficit disorder. One group will receive intensive behavior training, the other will not; both will be compared through age five.
While rigorous scientific evidence is needed to prove that early intervention succeeds, Greenspan said his work with patients has shown promise.
Jacob didn't say his first word, "more," until he was in treatment and almost two - about a year later than normal. He didn't say "mama" until he was three.
He gets 33 hours of weekly home treatment with trained college students, including six hours most days. The tab is US$70,000 yearly, paid for by California, one of the few states that pay, through state and federal funds, for early intensive autism treatment.
The London Free Press
Consistency is golden for children with autism
Nasmith, Cecilia
Local News - Wednesday, May 16, 2007 @ 09:00
While the Bates family of Cobourg tries to maintain a consistent household schedule for the sake of their six-year-old son Ryan, father Doug will be travelling to Toronto June 3 to participate in the third annual Ontario Walk Now For Autism.
In fact, he'll be doing it for Ryan, and all the other children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder - one in 150 by some estimates, so it's something society will have to address sooner or later.
Or, as the title of a March report by the Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology put it, Pay Now Or Pay Later.
"There are not enough funds to take care of all these kids," Mr. Bates said. "They slip through the cracks."
What is really needed is a national strategy, as opposed to the patchwork of support now in place. While parents in Alberta benefit from generous government support, parents in Nova Scotia can count on none. Meanwhile, parents are faced with laying out significant amounts of money for the treatment, therapeutic programming and other things that might help their children.
Mr. Bates has heard of families forced to give up their homes. In his own case, he and his wife have sacrificed careers (his own at CIBC, wife Mary's at Hallmark Cards) to devote themselves to nurturing and advocating for young Ryan.
While Mr. Bates collects pledges, however, he will also be working to educate the community on autism, a complex neurobiological disorder with no known cause or cure. The current research tends to favour genetics, but Mr. Bates doubts it's that simple. Many parents, like him and his wife, may have one autistic child out of a family of three, he pointed out - obviously more research is needed. Mr. Bates is always glad to share his story so that other parents can get an idea what to look out for in their own children. In Ryan's case, he began showing differences in development before the age of two, such as intolerance of noise. His second birthday party was a torture for him because of the noise, his father recalls.
"Then he went into a regression where he sort of shut down. He would sit in front of the TV and just rock," he said.
Ryan made great strides in his speech, thanks to the Blairview-McMillan Rehabilitation Centre and Geneva Centre for Autism. A very slow progress ensued to bring him to where he is today.
"We want to let parents know there is hope," Mr. Bates said. "There's a lot of sacrifice we've made in terms of career decisions, money decisions, but we're very pleased that both our parents have been extremely supportive and our friends have been extremely supportive."
Every autistic child manifests the disorder in his or her own way, so every family with an autistic child has its own unique challenges.
But the cornerstone of it all is - here comes that word again - the consistency any autistic child needs.
People need to be aware, too, of behavioural tics some of these children manifest. Ryan tends to flap his hands repeatedly and to be very affectionate.
But while his little sister Katie (age four) and little brother Matthew (age one and a half) also have tics, they will presumably be absorbing the social graces that our culture has deemed to be normal. For example, if Ryan receives a birthday present he doesn't like, he will come right out and say so.
"You never have to worry about where you stand with Ryan," Mr. Bates admitted with a chuckle. But underneath the mannerisms is a wonderful little boy.
"Anybody who knows him falls in love with him right away," he said fondly.
"He is very smart, especially in some areas. He loves snakes so, if all goes well, we hope he can go into biology.
"He's extremely intuitive, and he remembers things so well that I don't need a calendar anymore. It's impressive - almost scary - what a memory he has."
But he has difficulty with change. Any break in routine - which Katie would take in stride - brings Ryan to tears. He can't understand why things have to change.
Right now, the Bates family is wrestling with Ryan's transition to Grade 1 next year at Notre Dame Elementary School. They're hoping he can have the same educational assistant that he's had in Senior Kindergarten, to whom he has responded so positively.
Mr. Bates has arranged to be at a display at Northumberland Mall May 20 and at Wal-Mart May 27. He has also distributed educational bookmarks which a number of locations are giving out, like McDonald's and Reid's Dairy.
The June 3 walk in which he will participate is a larger forum for encouraging improved national policy and sponsoring badly needed research. To learn more, visit canada.autismwalk.org
Or look for Mr. Bates when you shop over the next couple of weekends. cnasmith@northumberlandtoday.com
The Edmonton Sun
Dogs help autistic kids
New canine training school comes to Edmonton
By NICKI THOMAS, Special to Sun Media
Aidan Papadatos, 5, who has autism, poses for a photo with his new guide dog Leia outside his McLeod neighbourhood home Wednesday afternoon. David Bloom/SUN MEDIA
A six-year-old city boy with autism is the first local to be paired with a service dog from a new canine training school that has branched out to Edmonton.
“It will give us a chance to get out in the community like a normal family,” mother Karyn Papadatos told Sun Media Wednesday.
Aidan, who loves to run, has had several close calls involving traffic and water.
“Aidan should have died at least three times,” said his mom, adding he loves to memorize car licence plates and will often dart onto the street.
“And he will bolt toward any body of water, whether it’s a puddle or Niagara falls.”
Now when the family is in public, Aidan will be tethered to Leia, a black lab trained to listen to Papadatos’s commands.
“It will be nice to be able to go out in public and not have to hold on to my son,” she said, adding that Aidan has sensory issues and can’t hold hands.
Aidan has begun to develop a relationship with Leia despite the fact that children with Autism often don’t show emotion and find it difficult to bond.
A dog makes a difference
Since Leia has started sleeping in his room, Aidan, who suffers from nighttime euphoria, has slept through the night for the first time.
Having a canine companion will also help socialize Aidan, who, unlike some Autistic children, is verbal.
“People will come up and talk to him, he needs that exposure,” said his mother.
Papadatos travelled to Cambridge, Ont., recently for a intensive five-day training program run by the National Service Dogs (NSD), a non-profit charity that breeds and trains dogs for children with Autism and other special needs.
Chris Fowler, program director for NSD, is in town this week working with Leia and the Papadatoses, the first family in Edmonton to receive one of these dogs.
“There is a huge demand in Alberta. It’s the second largest province on the wait list,” said Fowler.
To meet the demand in Alberta, the foundation will be opening an office in Calgary.
Currently, the wait list for a dog is two and a half years.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2007/05/16/4186393.html
End of May 17th Mailing
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Mailing for May 14-15th 2007
May 14-15th Autism News Articles
Simcoe.com - Barrie Advance, etc.
Morrison to carry NDP colours
John Slykhuis
NDP leader Howard Hampton congratulated York-Simcoe’s New Democrat candidate Nancy Morrison during a nomination meeting in Bradford last Thursday.
May 08, 2007
The York-Simcoe provincial New Democratic Party is hoping for a repeat of the stunning 1990 upset that saw Bob Rae elected premier of Ontario.
The selection of child autism funding advocate Nancy Morrison was greeted with loud cheering from about 60 of the party faithful who gathered at the Bradford Community Centre last Thursday night, including party leader Howard Hampton and his wife and fellow MPP Shelley Martel.
The unprecedented show of NDP force in the riding included former Barrie-Simcoe-Bradford MPP Paul Wessenger. Mr. Wessenger and NDP candidate Larry O’Connor captured what is now part of each half of the new riding in 1990. Federal NDP candidate Sylvia Gerl was also part of the nomination meeting.
Both vowed to campaign for Ms. Morrison.
Ms. Morrison, 47, a Bradford resident and South Simcoe Police civilian employee, promised the audience she would not be “a one-issue candidate” with her focus on child autism funding, but would also work to support an immediate increase in the minimum wage to $10 per hour.
She said she would also move to clean up the site of an abandoned aluminum smelter in Georgina that critics charge is leaching toxins into an adjacent wetland linked directly to the Maskinonge River and Lake Simcoe.
Current York-North Tory MPP Julia Munro, who lives near the site, “has done nothing” in her 12 years in office to deal with the problem, Ms. Morrison charged.
“I will do what I can to get that cleaned up,” she said.
“Autism isn’t the only issue that is important to me,” she said, pointing to MPP salaries. “The Liberal government held a special extension just before Christmas to ram through a raise to give MPPs a minimum of $110,000 a year, and Premier McGuinty has gone to over $196,000 a year, which the Conservatives fully supported. The NDP voted against this. Meanwhile, the government doesn’t think the lowest income earners in this province are worth $10 an hour. Shame on them.”
Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton, who has been the party leader since 1996, succeeding Bob Rae, told the audience “I’ve had the opportunity to work with Nancy, so this is a personal commitment because I’ve seen how committed she is to work on behalf of community, to work on behalf of others in a very unselfish way,” he said.
Ms Morrison “embodies” NDP principles, he added.
“That’s why I’m so proud and pleased that she has come forward as our candidate. I don’t claim that we will necessarily win the next election. I just want to have enough new members like Nancy Morrison that we can have a substantial say in what the agenda is going to be after the next election.”
Mr. Hampton reiterated the NDP commitment to the working and middle class and a “share-the-wealth” philosophy.
“Every day when I turn to the business pages of the newspaper I see in big broad print that the economy is doing better than ever. That billions are being made on the stock market. That corporation executives’ pay and bonuses have skyrocketed like never before.
“That we are much wealthier today than we’ve every been — and yet as I make my way across Ontario from community to community, what I often see is ordinary families having to work longer and harder than ever to try to make ends meet and to try to provide for their children.”
Mr. Hampton said the NDP is also providing leadership in environmental areas such as global warming, and that if elected, his party would provide low-interest loans for people to buy energy-efficient appliances and things like solar panels. The money saved in the monthly energy bills could be applied to repayment, so the result will have no financial hardship on families, while saving energy and lowering greenhouse gases.
“I know where I come from, northern Ontario, the climate is changing. We used to go below zero by Halloween and stay below zero until sometime in April,” he said.
Mr. Hampton’s wife Shelley Martel, the MPP for Nickel Belt and the party’s health critic, said Ms. Morrison, “a very good friend of mine”, has been a champion for autistic children in the province.
Ms. Morrison and her husband Phil have twins, a boy, Sean, and girl, Meredith.
Her son is autistic and required intensive behavioural intervention.
Premier Dalton McGuinty broke his promise when he said, prior to the last election, funding for the therapy would continue after an autistic child reached the age of six, Ms Morrison said. The result was an anti-discrimination lawsuit by parents of autistic children that the McGuinty government fought against, Ms. Martel said.
“Despite everything else she has to do, Nancy was often in court in solidarity and support of those families.”
The lawsuit was defeated when an earlier favourable decision was overturned by the Ontario Court of Appeal last year.
In a letter to Ms Morrison prior to the last provincial election, Mr. McGuinty said if elected, his government would support intensive autism treatment beyond the age of six, calling the then Harris-government policy “discriminatory”.
That broken promise, Ms. Martel said, “speaks volumes about Dalton McGuinty...this letter shows McGuinty would have said anything to get elected, and he did”.
She praised Ms. Morrison as an “articulate, incredibly organized and determined advocate ... Any party would be very lucky to have an MPP prepared to work so hard.”
In addition to Mrs. Munro, Ms Morrison will also square off against Liberal candidate John Gilbank, a Jackson’s Point businessman.
The new riding includes Georgina, the Georgina Island Chippewa’s First Nation, East Gwillimbury, a northern slice of King Township, Bradford-West Gwillimbury and Innisfil.
---------------------------
The Barrie Examiner:
Printed from www.thebarrieexaminer.com web site Saturday, May 12, 2007 - © 2007 The Barrie Examiner
________________________________________
NDP selects Nancy Morrison to fight for York-Simcoe’s working families
News Release
Monday, May 07, 2007 - 07:00
Local News -
PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NDP selects Nancy Morrison to fight for York-Simcoe’s working families
Bradford, May 5 / - At a well attended gathering in the Bradford Community Centre on Thursday evening, York-Simcoe New Democrats unanimously selected Nancy Morrison to be their candidate in the upcoming provincial election in October.
NDP Leader Howard Hampton welcomed Morrison as the NDP candidate.
"The upcoming provincial election is about fairness and trust. It’s about deciding who you can count on to stand up for today's hard-working families. Nancy Morrison is a strong effective advocate. She will stand up to Dalton McGuinty and his broken promises and deliver real results for people in York-Simcoe and in the province," Hampton said.
"Nancy is Ontario's principal advocate for children with autism. As a mother of a son with autism, Nancy got Dalton McGuinty to promise to provide treatment to every child with autism in the province who needs it and to end the cutoff age of IBI treatment in schools. She continues to do everything she can to press McGuinty to keep that broken promise." said Bob Ridley, V.P., York-Simcoe NDP.
Shelley Martel, NDP MPP (Nickel Belt) and party critic for autism, who was also in attendance at the meeting, shared her deep respect for Morrison's conviction and passion. "Nancy's ability to hold Premier McGuinty responsible for his broken promises to children with autism and their families has been inspiring. Nancy will make an exceptional MPP for the people of York-Simcoe.”
During the meeting, a moment was taken to remember NDP member Carol McPherson who passed away in March. Paul Wessenger, former NDP MPP for Barrie/Simcoe/Bradford shared some of his thoughts and memories of Carol. Prior to being the Innisfil Enterprise owner and editor, Carol worked in Paul's administrative office when he was Parliamentary Assistant to Howard Hampton. "Carol was deeply committed to social justice, and to the promotion of equality for all individuals. Carol was a friend of this party, a friend of mine, and is deeply missed." said Wessenger.
In her acceptance speech, Nancy Morrison addressed several crucial issues facing voters of York-Simcoe. Morrison noted, “The Georgina smelter is unfortunately another broken Liberal promise that so desperately needs attention. My shock was to learn that our incumbent MPP lives within a few kms of that site. Yet, she has done little to hold the Liberals accountable for their promise to clean it up.”
On the minimum wage and MPP raises, Morrison said “The Liberal government held a special extension just before Christmas to ram through a raise to give MPP's a minimum of $110,000 a year, and Premier McGuinty has gone to over $196,000 a year, which the Conservatives fully supported. The NDP voted against this. Meanwhile, the government doesn't think the lowest income earners in this province are worth $10 an hour. Shame on them.”
“Liberal broken promises, and Conservative inaction. That is what this election is all about. Choosing the party and the representative that will take your concerns and ENSURE ACTION. Someone who won't sit complacent in their position. Someone who will continue to demonstrate their hard working advocacy, their integrity and honesty for the issues that are important to you.” continued Morrison.
Nancy Morrison, her husband and two children live in Bradford. She works for the South Simcoe Police Service.
The provincial election will be held October 10, 2007.
Yorkregion.com - Georgina, Newmarket Era Banner, etc.
NDP announces its York-Simcoe candidate
York-Simcoe NDP provincial candidate Nancy Morrison (right) has her hand raised by federal NDP candidate Sylvia Gerl. -
May 10, 2007 08:27 AM
By: John Slykhuis, Staff Writer
York North MPP Julia Munro "has done nothing" to deal with the pollution stemming from the abandoned aluminum smelter on Warden Avenue, the newly-chosen provincial New Democratic Party candidate for York-Simcoe charged last week.
"The Georgina smelter is unfortunately another broken Liberal promise that so desperately needs attention. My shock was to learn that our incumbent MPP lives within a few kilometres of that site. Yet, she has done little to hold the Liberals accountable for their promise to clean it up," Nancy Morrison told about 60 of the party faithful, including party leader Howard Hampton at the Bradford Community Centre last Thursday night.
Ms Morrison, 47, will square off against the veteran incumbent in the new riding in the provincial election Oct. 10.
She thanked Save the Maskinonge member Roland Peacock for taking her on a tour of the abandoned site and pointed to a large chunk of slag on display from the site.
"Autism isn't the only issue that is important to me," she said, noting the increase in MPP salaries.
"The Liberal government held a special extension just before Christmas to ram through a raise to give MPPs a minimum of $110,000 a year and Premier Dalton McGuinty has gone to (more than) $196,000 a year, which the Conservatives fully supported. The NDP voted against this. Meanwhile, the government doesn't think the lowest income earners in this province are worth $10 an hour. Shame on them."
Mr. Hampton, who is the Rainy River MPP and has been party leader since succeeding Bob Rae in 1996, was quick to compliment Ms Morrison's track record in the community.
"I've had the opportunity to work with Nancy so this is a personal commitment because I've seen how committed she is to work on behalf of community, to work on behalf of others in a very unselfish way," he said.
He's also happy she came forward as the candidate in the new riding because she embodies NDP principles, Mr. Hampton said.
"I don't claim that we will necessarily win the next election. I just want to have enough new members like Nancy Morrison that we can have a substantial say in what the agenda is going to be after the next election."
Shelley Martel, who is also Mr. Hampton's wife, is MPP for the Sudbury riding of Nickel Belt and the NDP's health critic. She also gave a ringing endorsement for Ms Morrison, describing her as, "a good friend of mine", who has been a champion for autistic children in the province.
Ms Morrison and her husband, Phil, have twins, a boy, Sean, and girl, Meredith.
Her son is autistic and required intensive behavioural intervention.
Mr. McGuinty broke his promise when he said, prior to the last election, funding for the therapy would continue after an autistic child reached the age of six, Ms Morrison said.
The result was an anti-discrimination lawsuit by parents of autistic children the McGuinty government fought against, Ms Martel said.
"Despite everything else she has to do, Nancy was often in court in solidarity and support of those families."
The lawsuit was defeated when an earlier favourable decision was overturned by the Ontario Court of Appeal last year.
In addition to Mrs. Munro, Ms Morrison will also square off against Liberal candidate John Gilbank, a Jackson's Point businessman.
The new riding includes Georgina, the Georgina Island Chippewas First Nation, East Gwillimbury, a northern slice of King Township, Bradford-West Gwillimbury and Innisfil.
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thetopic.ca - 2nd week in production, the Bradford edition of the Era Banner - second page
Environment, autism top issues for NDP candidate
By: John Slykhuis
York North MPP Julia Munro “has done nothing” to deal with the pollution stemming from the abandoned aluminum smelter on Warden Avenue, the newly chosen provincial New Democratic Party candidate for York-Simcoe charged last week.
“The Georgina smelter is unfortunately another broken Liberal promise that so desperately needs attention. My shock was to learn that our incumbent MPP lives within a few kilometres of that site, yet she has done little to hold the Liberals accountable for their promise to clean it up,” Nancy Morrison told about 60 of the party faithful, including leader Howard Hampton, at the Bradford Community Centre last Thursday night.
Ms Morrison is a Bradford resident and a civilian employee of the South Simcoe Police.
The meeting was chaired by Georgina Coun. Dave Szollosy, a long-time NDP supporter.
Shelley Martel, who is Mr. Hampton’s wife, is MPP for the Sudbury riding of Nickel Belt and the NDP’s health critic. She also gave a ringing endorsement for Ms Morrison, describing her as, “a good friend of mine,” who has been a champion for autistic children in the province.
Ms Morrison and her husband Phil have twins, a boy, Sean, and a girl, Meredith.
Her son is autistic and required intensive behavioural intervention.
Mr. McGuinty broke his promise when he said, prior to the last election, that funding for the therapy would continue after an autistic child reached the age of six, Ms Morrison said.
In a letter to Ms Morrison before the last election, Mr. McGuinty said, if elected, his government would support intensive autism treatment beyond the age of six, calling the policy of the Progressive Conservative government of the day “discriminatory.”
That broken promise, Ms Martel said, “speaks volumes about Dalton McGuinty...This letter shows (Mr.) McGuinty would have said anything to get elected and he did.”
The result was an anti-discrimination lawsuit by parents of autistic children that the McGuinty government fought, Ms Martel said.
“Despite everything else she has to do, Nancy was often in court in solidarity and support of those families.”
The lawsuit was defeated when an earlier decision was overturned by the Ontario Court of Appeal last year.
“Autism isn’t the only issue that is important to me,” she said, noting the increase in MPP salaries.
“The Liberal government held a special extension just before Christmas to ram through a raise to give MPPs a minimum of $110,000 a year and Premier McGuinty has gone to (more than) $196,000 a year, which the Conservatives fully supported. The NDP voted against this. Meanwhile, the government doesn’t think the lowest income earners in this province are worth $10 an hour. Shame on them.”
Mr. Hampton, who is the Rainy River MPP and has been party leader since succeeding Bob Rae in 1996, was quick to compliment Ms Morrison’s track record in the community.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Nancy so this is a personal commitment because I’ve seen how committed she is to work on behalf of community, to work on behalf of others in a very unselfish way,” he said.
Mr. Hampton said he’s also happy she came forward as the candidate because she embodies NDP principles.
“I don’t claim that we will necessarily win the next election. I just want to have enough new members like Nancy Morrison that we can have a substantial say in what the agenda is going to be after the next election.”
Mr. Hampton reiterated the NDP commitment to the working and middle class and a “share the wealth” philosophy.
“Every day when I turn to the business pages of the newspaper I see, in big broad print, that the economy is doing better than ever; that billions are being made on the stock market; that corporation executives’ pay and bonuses have skyrocketed like never before; that we are much wealthier today than we’ve every been — and yet as I make my way across Ontario from community to community, what I often see is ordinary families having to work longer and harder than ever to try to make ends meet and to try to provide for their children.”
The NDP is also providing leadership in environmental areas such as global warming and if elected, would provide low-interest loans for people to buy energy-efficient appliances and things such as solar panels, Mr. Hampton said.
In addition to Mrs. Munro, Ms Morrison will also square off against Liberal candidate John Gilbank, a Jackson’s Point businessman, in the Oct. 10 election.
The new riding includes Georgina, the Georgina Island Chippewas First Nation, East Gwillimbury, a northern slice of King Township, Bradford-West Gwillimbury and Innisfil.
Innsifil Scope:
Carol MacPherson remembered at NDP meeting
by Bill Rea
In addition to being prominent in the local media, Carol MacPherson devoted a lot of her time and energies to the New Democratic Party (NDP).
Members of the York - Simcoe provincial riding association took a couple of minutes out to remember Ms. MacPherson Thursday night at the nomination meeting.
Ms. MacPherson, former editor of the Innisfil Scope, died earlier this year of cancer.
"We all miss Carol," commented newly nominated candidate Nancy Morrison in her acceptance address. She recalled she had talked to Ms. MacPherson about the problems she was facing getting funding for treatment of her autistic son, and it was Ms. MacPherson who introduced her to MPP Shelley Martel, NDP critic for health and long-term care, seniors and autism issues.
Party leader Howard Hampton was at the meeting and spoke fondly of Ms. MacPherson, as did former Barrie- Simcoe- Bradford MPP Paul Wessinger. Ms. MacPherson went to work in his constituency office in 1991, and in '92, she became his legislative assistant at Queen's Park. She stayed in Toronto for a time and worked for the NDP caucus.
Wessinger also remembered her as a person who overcame adversity, pointing out she was a single parent who started a successful newspaper.
He remembered Ms. MacPherson as "a person of great enthusiasm an energy, and the the ability to work with people."
King Sentinel:
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The King Township Sentinel: Nancy Morrison to carry New Democrat colours in York - Simcoe
By Bill Rea
The Nancy Morrison, the newly nominated NDP candidate for York - Simcoe in the next provincial election, was flanked at Thursday's nomination meeting in Bradford by party leader Howard Hampton and Shelley Martel, NDP critic for health and long-term care, seniors and autism issues.
York - Simcoe New Democrats are getting themselves revved for the next provincial election, expected in October.
They spent Thursday night nominating their candidate, acclaiming Bradford resident Nancy Morrison. There were some heavy endorsements to back up the nomination, as both party Leader Howard Hampton and MPP Shelley Martel, NDP critic for health and long-term care, seniors and autism issues, were on hand.
The 48-year-old is the mother of twins, and one of the eight-year-olds was diagnosed with autism in 2002. It's the ordeal of seeing to his care that led to Morrison becoming politically active and involved with the party.
This is her first time in the political arena, and before the meeting Morrison admitted she was "nervous, excited, anxious" at the prospect.
"I am passionate about this area, this community and things that matter to it," she added.
Morrison is a civilian employee with the South Simcoe Police Service.
She was nominated by Innisfil resident Keith Lindsay, who praised her for her "passion," and for calling on Premier Dalton McGuinty to be accountable for promises made for autistic children.
"She's not just a one issue candidate," he added. "It speaks volumes about Dalton McGuinty, and I don't mean that in a positive way," she said, adding the letter showed and proud to have an MPP ready to work so hard," she declared.
Mcguinty would have said anything to get elected. "Any riding would be happy and pleased Hampton came prepared with a pep talk for the party faithful. "We are living in times which demand that all of us take a step back and think about where we're going and where the world is going," he commented.
He said he's been reading about how the economy is performing so well, and that millions are being made in the stock market. But he also travels from community to community and sees families that have to work longer and harder to make ends meet.
"I see a great divide," he said, adding studies continue to point to a society where some are better off while nomination was seconded by riding association vice-president Bob Ridley. "All of us are behind you, Nancy," he declared Morrison said she started getting involved with the party after meeting Martel while seeking help for her son. "The NDP have been such strong advocates for children," she declared during her acceptance address.
But she stressed autism is not her only issue.
She backed the party position that the minimum wage needs to be increased to $10 per hour. She pointed out the Liberal government at Queen's Park raised MPPs' salaries to $110,000, and the premier now makes $196,000. "They just don't understand the working class," she commented. Morrison said the Liberals' record of broken promises and the Progressive Conservatives' tendency for inaction are going to be what the upcoming election is all about. "Let's paint this province orange in October," she declared.
Martel told the audience she asked Morrison to consider running about a year ago, having been so impressed with her advocacy work.
"Nancy Morrison is going to make a great MPP," she declared. "She is a great candidate."
Martel recalled asking her to get a group of parents together to go to Queen's Park to lobby to stop having treatment for autistic children cut off when they turn six. Morrison got 100 of them together in June 2002.
"It didn't stop there," Martel said, mentioning that Morrison filed a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights commission in January 2003, on behalf of autistic children. There were 50 families involved with that effort, and Martel said both the Tories and Grits have fought their efforts.
Martel also praised Morrison for her "keen political instincts."
She said that in 2003, Morrison wrote to all three parties for their positions on autism, and she received a reply from McGuinty, stating the lack of funding was unfair and discriminatory.
As well, Martel complimented Morrison's ability as a communicator, commenting that she has set up an e-mail network for parents of autistic kids. In five years, she said she has received weekly updates, and sometimes even more frequent than that. "She has kept parents very much aware of what has been going on," she remarked.
On top of that, Martel said Morrison is a "tremendously hard worker."
Many are struggling harder than ever. "I think there's something wrong with that."
Hampton also addressed environmental issues, and climatic changes in Northern Ontario, where he's from. He remembered sub-zero temperatures as early as Halloween, and usable outdoor skating rinks as late as April. Now, they're lucky if they have five weeks in the winter for outdoor skating. He also remembered a time of warm summers, when tornadoes and floods were unheard of, or being able to drive around his riding in the summer without air conditioning.
There are some fundamental issues to be dealt with, he warned.
"We owe it to people to speak openly and frankly to people about what we want to do to face these challenges," Hampton declared, adding people can't continue down th same road.
He remarked that election campaigns are not always fought on the real issues, as they are often decided on who has the catchiest slogans or best ads. But he believes people want the parties to address issues openly and honestly. "New Democrats try to do that," he said.
Hampton added they have not just discovered environmental issues. "We've raised them constantly," he said.
He also warned that the environment can't be sustained by putting people out of work, and people today can't take care of themselves by telling their children to pick up the bills and clean up the mess.
Dealing with energy supplies needs attention too, Hampton said.
He charged that McGuinty has issued calls to "go nuclear," but the last nuclear plant at Darlington was supposed to cost about $4 billion, but it came in at $14.7 billion. That means consumers have to pay for debt reduction to cover that overrun. As well, nuclear waste has to be stored for thousands of years, and that's going to be costly too. Hampton said McGuinty seems content to let today's kids worry about that.
"It's not acceptable," he declared.
Hampton said he's not expected the party to win the coming election, but he wants to elect enough MPPs to give the party substantial say on what the agenda will be.
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/local/story.html?id=7cc9764f-bc6c-4103-b9c0-ae547767c7d4
Autism misunderstood by majority of people: author
Michelle Martin, The StarPhoenix
Published: Monday, May 14, 2007
The stigma attached to people with autism stems from a lack of understanding, said Stephen Shore, co-author of Understanding Autism for Dummies.
At an autism conference in Saskatoon, the Boston man said the only diagnosis carrying more stigma than autism is mental disability.
The brain disorder, usually diagnosed in early childhood, affects a person's behaviour and ability to communicate. Some children with autism may have difficulty communicating at all, while others may talk an unusual amount.
The disorder also affects adults, he said, noting the vast majority of adults with autism are under or unemployed.
"A lot of the reason is social," he said.
Shore, who was diagnosed with "autistic tendencies" as a tot, said some common misconceptions are that people with autism won't be able to live interdependently, be successfully employed or have relationships.
Living proof that these beliefs are misguided, Shore told his inspirational story to more than 100 parents, educators and adults with autism Saturday at TCU Place.
At age 21/2, Shore was recommended for institutionalization.
Fortunately, his parents didn't buy it.
"(They) accepted me for the person that I am, but at the same time realized there were significant challenges that needed to be overcome in order for me to lead a productive life," said Shore, who didn't speak until age four.
Today, the 45-year-old Shore is a regular speaker at conferences across North America and is set to complete his doctorate degree in special education at Boston University. He has authored several autism-related books and has been married for 17 years.
He included information from his doctoral research, which assesses educational and behavioural interventions, into his six-hour presentation in Saskatoon.
One intervention strategy he highlighted was the "daily life therapy" approach used at the Boston Higashi School, which addresses first the physical, then the emotional and finally the intellectual requirements of its students, all of whom have autism.
The conventional wisdom is that students with autism need one-on-one support, but the ratio at the school is more like six-to-one or 12-to-one, said Shore.
Students do much of their learning from their peers.
On a break from his presentation, Shore said it is important he share his experiences and insights so that people with autism can be effectively supported.
"I'm hoping that people will gain a better understanding of how people with autism perceive the world," he said at the conference, hosted by Autism Today.
Nafisa Chalchal, a conference attendee from Regina, said Shores' presentation helped her better understand the behaviour of her 11-year-old daughter, who has autism.
"I'm looking forward to training her for self-advocacy," she said.
mimartin@sp.canwest.com
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Only in Canada eh? NOT SO…Autism is costly around the world, this from Australia.
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2007/s1922504.htm
Autism costs community $7 billion annually: report
The World Today - Monday, 14 May , 2007 12:24:00
Reporter: Kathryn Roberts
ELEANOR HALL: With one in every 160 children in Australia diagnosed with autism, a new report has put the cost of the condition on the community at $7 billion a year.
The report was commissioned by Queensland's only private education facility for children with autism disorders.
The facility's founder, Dr James Morton, says the cost of providing early intervention programs would be far less than the cost of not doing so.
In Brisbane, Kathryn Roberts reports.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: When Judy Brewer Fischer's son was diagnosed with autism 10 years ago, there were few services in rural Australia where she lived, so the family was forced to move to Canberra to get help.
She says even there it was a struggle to access an early intervention program.
JUDY BREWER FISCHER: When I think back to that time, and I realise how hard it was for us and for all families, because autism was certainly not very well understood then, and … although it had been around, diagnosis was available for a long time.
What I'm horrified about is that it's not much better for families now, 10 years on.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: Judy Brewer Fischer says governments talk up the importance of education but fail to recognise children with special needs.
JUDY BREWER FISCHER: One thing that's really hit me this week has been with the Federal Budget delivery, and talk about education and every child reaching their potential, but children with various disabilities, but particularly with developmental disabilities just haven't had a look in.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: For her son, early intervention has made a world of difference. He has been able to attend a mainstream school, which means he can start his education. But the family isn't alone.
A landmark Australian study recently found that one in every 160 children in the six to 12 age group has an autism spectrum disorder.
The Advisory Board on Autism Spectrum Disorders, which commissioned the report, says those children need 15 to 20 hours of early intervention every week, but most receive just four or five hours.
And according to a new report out today, in the long run that's costing the community $7 billion a year.
Dr James Morton is the founder of Queensland's only private early intervention facility, which has released the report. He says the cost to the community includes healthcare, education, informal care and unemployment.
JAMES MORTON: The cost of providing every child with autism in Australia, adequate early intervention would be in the vicinity of between $50-million and $70-million a year.
The cost saving of providing every child with autism early intervention services is about $2.5-billion a year. So the costs of early intervention, even though they are high on an individual child basis, pale in comparison with downstream cost savings that are available if government were to invest in providing these services.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: Dr Morton established the Autism Early Intervention Outcomes Unit when his son was diagnosed with the condition.
JAMES MORTON: So by targeting those early years, we can take children who are non-verbal and teach them how to speak. We can teach them how to look people in the eye, we can teach them to engage, we can teach them how to learn in a mainstream environment.
And the aim is that by getting these children from early intervention to attend mainstream school, you're putting them on the pathway to eventual independence, to finding a job.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: Of the 12 children in the original group, nine are now in mainstream schooling with little or no assistance in the classroom. Around Australia, parents of children with autism have shared similar stories about their fight to access early intervention.
Meredith Ward from Autism Victoria says families are waiting three years to have their child diagnosed. Her son was able to access a program, which has given him vital communication skills.
MEREDITH WARD: When you have child with autism, they can't communicate with you. So, you're actually, you know, so there's lots of tantrum-ing and going on because the child can't make you understand what is it they want.
And so, by going into early intervention services with people who know and understand autism, you can start to work on ways to communicate with your child, to become connected with your child, because your child has up until that time, been totally disconnected from the world around them.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: Dr James Morton says what is needed is funding for diagnosis, early intervention programs, respite for families, and research.
Importantly, he says the Government needs to reconsider they way it hands out its funding because a centre like his misses out.
JAMES MORTON: The anomaly of the funding here is that if any of our children were to attend a mainstream centre, that centre would receive Federal Government funding of up to $19,000 to facilitate the inclusion of these children.
But centres such as ours, which are specialised centres, are specifically excluded from receiving this funding, so you've got kids receiving childcare in our centre, getting a high quality early education with no Federal Government funding, and you have children in a mainstream centre, getting no educational program and receiving $19,000 of Federal Government funding.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: A spokesman for the Federal Families and Community Services Minister Mal Brough, says he's looking closely at the issue even though these services are traditionally a state government responsibility.
ELEANOR HALL: Kathryn Roberts in Brisbane with that report.
This Article is American but it reflects many families who participate in family studies for Autism.
Public release date: 14-May-2007
Contact: Emily Butler
ebutler@spectrumscience.com
202-955-6222
Kennedy Krieger Institute
1 month post launch, Interactive Autism Network reports 13,000 participants
Families eager to accelerate autism research
(Baltimore, MD) -- The Interactive Autism Network (IAN)—the first national online autism registry spearheaded by the Kennedy Krieger Institute—has registered an unprecedented number of individuals and families living with autism. Never before have researchers been offered access to such a large pool of family-provided data on this puzzling disorder. In only one month, IAN (www.IANproject.org) has achieved significant milestones:
• More than 13,000 registered participants
• Representation in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Marshall Islands and Palau
• Diverse family registration, including: six sets of triplets, 37 sets of identical twins and 157 sets of fraternal twins
Researchers from institutions across the country have already begun to access IAN data to:
• Supplement and enhance current research studies
• Compare and validate existing research results obtained from smaller sample sizes
• Explore hypotheses for future research and search for parallels among individuals with autism and their families in a way that was not previously possible
"In one short month, IAN has become the country’s largest pool of autism data," said Dr. Paul Law, Director, Interactive Autism Network at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. "The fact that IAN has already become a vital resource for researchers, so early in its lifespan, bodes extremely well for the potential of this project, and ultimately, to the pursuit of answers in autism."
IAN has become successful in registering families largely due to the tight knit nature of the autism community and the outpouring of support from parents. Testimonials continue to echo the great need for and tremendous potential of IAN.
"What better opportunity to help our children, to help each other and to learn more about autism. We have been given the power to DO SOMETHING to combat autism. Go to the website, accept this responsibility & watch us change the future of this heartbreaking disorder."
###
Posted on CNN.com Health Blog by an IAN participant
IAN is funded by a grant from Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness about the growing autism health crisis and raising funds for critical autism research.
About the Kennedy Krieger Institute
Internationally recognized for improving the lives of children and adolescents with disorders and injuries of the brain and spinal cord, the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD serves more than 12,000 individuals each year through inpatient and outpatient clinics, home and community services and school-based programs. Kennedy Krieger provides a wide range of services for children with developmental concerns mild to severe, and is home to a team of investigators who are contributing to the understanding of how disorders develop while pioneering new interventions and earlier diagnosis. For more information on Kennedy Krieger Institute, visit www.kennedykrieger.org.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From Dr. Sam Yassine, Co-Founder of the Alliance for Families with Autism
An interview that Senator Art Eggleton and I had a week ago. It can be heard at the following web site
http://www.voiceprintcanada.com/component/option,com_mtree/task,listcats/cat_id,75/Itemid,68/
Science disputes autism's diet link
HAYLEY MICK
From Monday's Globe and Mail
May 8, 2007 at 9:13 AM EDT
TORONTO — Tina Szenasi's quest to cure her two autistic sons began with soy milk.
Ms. Szenasi switched to the milk substitute after reading testimonials from other parents who said their autistic children's symptoms had improved - even disappeared - when dairy and wheat were eliminated from their diet.
Her doctor dismissed it as farfetched. But the mother of three from Barrie, Ont., felt she had no choice but to try the gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet for her boys, whose neurological disorder made them easily distressed and socially isolated. Introducing the diet "gave me a sense of hope," she says.
She quickly transformed her kitchen into a culinary laboratory. Her butterless cookies crumbled. Cakes made using rice flour were a disaster. Grocery bills topped $500 each week as she ordered gluten-free bread and potato-based milk substitutes that weren't available in her small city.
But her sons improved within weeks, she says. Now, Adam, 11, often hugs his parents and has fewer tantrums. Alex, an eight-year-old soccer and video-game enthusiast, behaves like most other kids. "He's almost fully recovered, I think because of the dietary intervention," Ms. Szenasi says.
More Canadian parents are adopting the controversial diet for their autistic children as support spreads through a fringe group of health professionals, commercial websites and chat forums. Supporters say gluten and casein are not well digested by autistic kids, who often exhibit digestive problems and food allergies.
The protein compounds, they say, wreak havoc with the children's neurological development. To eliminate those triggers, parents spend thousands of extra dollars on special foods, vitamins and enzyme supplements as well as laboratory testing in the United States.
But most mainstream scientists remain skeptical of the gut-brain connection in autism. They say there's no scientific proof that the diet works. Some doctors warn that parents' desperation, paired with the mystery surrounding autism's causes, makes the field ripe - as a top American pediatric gastrointestinal specialist put it - for "charlatanism."
"If there's nothing else that you think is going to help and you're desperate, you'll do anything," said Wendy Roberts, the head of the autism research unit at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
The GFCF diet eliminates two major food groups from an autistic child's diet: dairy products, which have casein, and grains such as wheat, barley and rye, which contain gluten. Children on the diet often eat a lot of meat and vegetables, plus wheat and dairy alternatives. Some families add vitamin and enzyme supplements.
Even supporters say it isn't clear how the diet works. One explanation involves the "leaky gut syndrome." Undigested bits of protein, according to this theory, are absorbed through the intestine into the body, affecting the brain and producing symptoms associated with autism.
To date, only one double-blind controlled clinical trial - the gold standard for health research - has tested the diet. Published in March, 2006, in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, the study found that the group of children on the diet saw no significant improvements compared with the control group. Researchers say more testing is needed because the study was based on a small sample.
"The information that's out there suggests that the diet probably does not have a substantial effect on children's behaviours," says Lonnie Zwaigenbaum, a University of Alberta associate professor and director of autism research at Edmonton's Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital.
Yet almost every parent Dr. Zwaigenbaum sees has either tried the GFCF diet with their autistic child or heard of it, he says. Parents are leaping ahead before science has definitively proved whether such a treatment works, he says, because there are compelling anecdotal cases of improvement.
Autism's causes have long stumped experts. They know that genes play a major role - but increasingly, with diagnosis of the condition on the rise, researchers are looking to environmental triggers including prenatal hormones, toxins, food allergies and infections. As a result, treatments such as the GFCF diet, which focus on removing such triggers, are gaining ground.
"It's word of mouth," say Paul Cutler, a family doctor based in Niagara Falls, N.Y., who works one day a week in Burlington, Ont. "Thanks to the Internet, they're finding these alternatives."
About half of Dr. Cutler's 200 autistic patients are Canadian, and they travel to his offices from across Ontario and Quebec. He charges $150 for an initial assessment that includes a battery of tests - a cheap fee compared with other doctors, he says.
Dr. Cutler has been trained by a group called Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!), which holds annual conferences and instructional sessions for doctors from across North America. The group recommends biomedical treatments for autism that focus on intestinal problems, nutrition, detoxification and allergies. Twenty-six Canadian doctors are listed on the group's website as DAN! practitioners.
They include Wendy Edwards, a pediatrician in Chatham, Ont., who found the diet four years ago when her three-year-old son was diagnosed with autism. He improved so dramatically, she says, that the diet is now the first thing she recommends for autistic patients who travel to see her from across Ontario and even Manitoba. She also encourages other biomedical treatments, including supplements such as vitamin B6, magnesium and dimethylglycine, or DMG.
Some research suggests that up to 40 per cent of children with autism spectrum disorders could benefit from dietary changes, including the removal of gluten or casein, says Timothy Buie, a pediatric gastrointestinal specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
But Dr. Buie, who runs one of the largest practices for children with developmental disabilities in the United States, warns that parents may place so much hope in the diet that they falsely believe their child has improved. "The placebo response is gigantic," he says. "Parents can interpret a benefit because they want their kid to do better."
While parents travel to find doctors, they also ship urine and stool samples to U.S. labs to be analyzed for nutrient and vitamin deficiencies - tests that aren't widely available in Canada. One parent interviewed for this story said she paid up to $300 (U.S.) each for several lab tests.
Some in the industry may be peddling false hopes for big profit, critics warn. "People may choose to recommend things therapeutically that are in their financial interest," Dr. Buie says. "You walk out of a doctor's office and they give you a list of vitamins that they happen to be selling in their outside room."
Other doctors worry about the role of for-profit labs. "Many are not bona fide labs and they're making a fortune," says Dr. Roberts at Sick Kids in Toronto, who adds that parents have handed her results from U.S. labs that don't make any sense.
The Internet is where many parents go to share information, recipes and contacts. Brenda-Lee Olson from Terrace, B.C., moderates a popular online group called GFCFrecipes, whose membership has multiplied tenfold, to 3,400, in the past six years.
"It helps to know certain tricks," says Ms. Olson, who says many people don't believe her 17-year-old son is autistic, thanks to the diet. "The only way to get that information is from other parents."Ms. Szenasi says she'll keep her children on the diet despite the cost. She now keeps a folder stuffed with GFCF diet material at the health-food store where she works, so she can hand it out to other parents.
Shopping for answers
A week's worth of specialty foods for Tina Szenasi's family:
Dare fruit snacks $2.69
EnviroKidz rice bars $3.99
PC Organics potato chips $1.99
PC Organics bananas $1.67
PC Organics grapes $5.89
PC Organics carrots $2.99
Soy organic frozen dessert $6.99
So Nice cultured soy (5) $1.39 each
So Nice soy beverage $3.79
Hot Kid rice crisps (2) $2.49 each
PC Organics eggs $4.99
Tofutti soy-cheese slices $4.69
Piller's pepperoni sticks $6.99
PC natural peanut butter $3.69
EnviroKidz cereal $3.99
Nature's Path waffles $4.99
Glutino cookies $4.99
English Bay dairy-free drink $2.69
Rizopia rice pasta $2.49
PC Organics pasta sauce $3.99
PC beef burgers $7.99
Alexia organic fries $3.29
PC salad mix $4.99
Enjoy Life cookies $3.99
PC Organics popcorn $2.49
Quaker rice cakes $1.49
Organic strawberries $4.99
Organic blueberries $4.99
El Peto Italian bread $5.79
Ian's chicken cutlets $6.99
Total cost for week $132.43
Hayley Mick
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070508.wlautism08/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home
And this article, a continuation from Autism and Faces.
Public release date: 5-May-2007
Contact: Mark Wheeler
mwheeler@mednet.ucla.edu
310-794-2265
University of California - Los Angeles
A frown or a smile? Children with autism can't discern
http://scienceblogs.com/purepedantry/2007/05/more_on_autism_and_faces.php
Area of brain that plays a role in evaluating emotions shows no activity
When we have a conversation with someone, we not only hear what they say, we see what they say. Eyes can smolder or twinkle. Gazes can be direct or shifty. “Reading” these facial expressions gives context and meaning to the words we hear.
In a report to be presented May 5 at the International Meeting for Autism Research in Seatlle, researchers from UCLA will show that children with autism can’t do this. They hear and they see, of course, but the areas of the brain that normally respond to such visual cues simply do not respond.
Led by Mari Davies, a UCLA graduate student in psychology, and Susan Bookheimer, a professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, the research compared brain activity between 16 typically developing children and 16 high-functioning children with autism. While undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), both groups were shown a series of faces depicting angry, fearful, happy and neutral expressions. In half the faces, the eyes were averted; with the other half, the faces stared back at the children.
With the typically developing group, the researchers found significant differences in activity in a part of the brain called the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), which is known to play a role in evaluating emotions. While these children looked at the direct-gaze faces, the VLPFC became active; with the averted-gaze pictures, it quieted down. In contrast, the autistic children showed no activity in this region of the brain whether they were looking at faces with a direct or an indirect gaze.
“This part of the brain helps us discern the meaning and significance of what another person is thinking,” Davies said. “When responding to someone looking straight at you, as compared to someone who’s looking away, the brain discerns a difference. When the other person looks away, the brain quiets down.”
For instance, with angry expressions, the brain may quiet down, because when a negative gaze is averted, it is no longer seen as a direct threat. “Gaze has a huge impact on our brains because it conveys part of the meaning of that expression to the individual. It cues the individual to what is significant,” Davies said.
While the results show the key role of eye gaze in signaling communicative intent, it also shows that autistic children, even when gazing directly into someone’s eyes, don’t recognize visual cues and don’t process that information. That may be why children diagnosed with autism have varying degrees of impairment in communication skills and social interactions and display restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior.
“They don’t pick up what’s going on — they miss the nuances, the body language and facial expressions and sometimes miss the big picture and instead focus on minor, less socially relevant details,” Davies said. “That, in turn, affects interpersonal bonds.”
###
The research was funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Other study authors include Mirella Dapretto, Marian Sigman and Leigh Sepeta.
The Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA is an interdisciplinary research and education institute devoted to the understanding of complex human behavior, including the genetic, biological, behavioral and sociocultural underpinnings of normal behavior and the causes and consequences of neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition to conducting fundamental research, the institute faculty seeks to develop effective treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders, improve access to mental health services, and shape national health policy regarding neuropsychiatric disorders.
Family of boy with autism finalist in backyard makeover contest
Monday, May 14, 2007 -- Natalie Miller
Lianne Vigneualt worries about her six-year-old’s son safety, given the fact he recently scaled a family member’s fence “in about five seconds flat.”
Like many children with autism, Carter has a tendency to bolt. Without a fenced-in yard, playing outdoors puts his parents on guard constantly.
This prompted Vigneault to enter a contest she saw advertised on television recently. She is one of four contestants in the running to win a $25,000 backyard facelift courtesy of the Sunlight Multi-Action Outdoor Makeover Contest. Vigneault says she was asked to describe how she would spend the $25,000 and explained the need for a fence and possibly outdoor play equipment.
“Out of all of the Canadians (who entered) we were chosen as one of the four families to compete for the grand prize,” says Vigneault, who lives in Lisle, near Alliston.
Between May 7 and May 22, Canadians can vote for the contestant they feel deserves the outdoor makeover on the Sunlight website, www.sunlightlaundry.ca Synopses of the contestants’ stories are posted there.
“Currently we spend a lot of time outdoors,” says Vigneault. “Carter loves our backyard and so do we. But we are now needing the fence with the nice weather he has just become too quick at times to catch and there is no relax time outdoors as one of us always has to be ready to run. We have an acre of land that backs on to hundreds of acres of Base Borden forest. Our fear is that Carter will venture into the forest as well,” she explains.
Vigneault says she planned on having a chain-link fence installed but changed her mind after she saw Carter effortlessly climb the relative’s fence. “It is no longer an option.”
“We moved out of Angus to get on a less busy street but did not foresee the cost of a fence,” she says.
Carter is also receiving a National Service Dog in July but Vigneault fears other dogs may approach her son if they don’t have a fence.
Vigneault says the autism community has stepped up to support her story.
Finalists will be featured on the W Network and YTV. The host of YTV’s ZapX will fly to the winner’s hometown for a special appearance.
May 15th 2007 Mailing
CONFERENCE
8th A N N U A L C O N F E R E N C E
Autism Spectrum Disorder:
Adolescence and Beyond - II
This Email message from
The Associate Clinical Director of the New Haven Learning Centre.
“Our annual conference is coming up on Tuesday June 5th at the Glen Gould Studio.
The line up of speakers includes Dr. Richard Foxx, Dr. Bobby Newman (see below), Dr. Steven Scherer, and Dr. Wendy Roberts. The title of the conference is “Autism Spectrum Disorder: Adolescence and Beyond II”. I have attached a link to a PDF registration form that can be downloaded from our website and then faxed to our centre at the number below. There has been a minor change in that Dr. Bobby Newman will be replacing Dr. Peter Gerhardt (the PDF has not been updated).
We are hosting the conference in conjunction with the Autism Research Unit, Hospital for Sick Children. See a few specifics below.”
http://www.newhavenlearningcentre.com/Conference.html
8th A N N U A L C O N F E R E N C E
Autism Spectrum Disorder:
Adolescence and Beyond - II
CO-HOSTED BY NEW HAVEN LEARNING CENTRE AND THE AUTISM RESEARCH UNIT, THE HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN
CONFERENCE CHAIR: MARTHA TURNER
Tuesday, June 5, 2007 8:45am - 1:00 pm
Registration Deadline May 22, 2007
Location of Conference:
Glenn Gould Studio
CBC Building
250 Front Street, West
Toronto, Ontario
Please let me know if you need any more specific information.
Toli Anastassiou, M.A.,
Associate Clinical Director
New Haven Learning Centre
301 Lanor Avenue, Etobicoke, ON, M8W 2R1
tel: 416.259.4445 x16 fax: 416.259.2023
tolinewhaven@bellnet.ca
www.newhavenlearningcentre.com
Simcoe.com - Barrie Advance, etc.
Morrison to carry NDP colours
John Slykhuis
NDP leader Howard Hampton congratulated York-Simcoe’s New Democrat candidate Nancy Morrison during a nomination meeting in Bradford last Thursday.
May 08, 2007
The York-Simcoe provincial New Democratic Party is hoping for a repeat of the stunning 1990 upset that saw Bob Rae elected premier of Ontario.
The selection of child autism funding advocate Nancy Morrison was greeted with loud cheering from about 60 of the party faithful who gathered at the Bradford Community Centre last Thursday night, including party leader Howard Hampton and his wife and fellow MPP Shelley Martel.
The unprecedented show of NDP force in the riding included former Barrie-Simcoe-Bradford MPP Paul Wessenger. Mr. Wessenger and NDP candidate Larry O’Connor captured what is now part of each half of the new riding in 1990. Federal NDP candidate Sylvia Gerl was also part of the nomination meeting.
Both vowed to campaign for Ms. Morrison.
Ms. Morrison, 47, a Bradford resident and South Simcoe Police civilian employee, promised the audience she would not be “a one-issue candidate” with her focus on child autism funding, but would also work to support an immediate increase in the minimum wage to $10 per hour.
She said she would also move to clean up the site of an abandoned aluminum smelter in Georgina that critics charge is leaching toxins into an adjacent wetland linked directly to the Maskinonge River and Lake Simcoe.
Current York-North Tory MPP Julia Munro, who lives near the site, “has done nothing” in her 12 years in office to deal with the problem, Ms. Morrison charged.
“I will do what I can to get that cleaned up,” she said.
“Autism isn’t the only issue that is important to me,” she said, pointing to MPP salaries. “The Liberal government held a special extension just before Christmas to ram through a raise to give MPPs a minimum of $110,000 a year, and Premier McGuinty has gone to over $196,000 a year, which the Conservatives fully supported. The NDP voted against this. Meanwhile, the government doesn’t think the lowest income earners in this province are worth $10 an hour. Shame on them.”
Rainy River MPP Howard Hampton, who has been the party leader since 1996, succeeding Bob Rae, told the audience “I’ve had the opportunity to work with Nancy, so this is a personal commitment because I’ve seen how committed she is to work on behalf of community, to work on behalf of others in a very unselfish way,” he said.
Ms Morrison “embodies” NDP principles, he added.
“That’s why I’m so proud and pleased that she has come forward as our candidate. I don’t claim that we will necessarily win the next election. I just want to have enough new members like Nancy Morrison that we can have a substantial say in what the agenda is going to be after the next election.”
Mr. Hampton reiterated the NDP commitment to the working and middle class and a “share-the-wealth” philosophy.
“Every day when I turn to the business pages of the newspaper I see in big broad print that the economy is doing better than ever. That billions are being made on the stock market. That corporation executives’ pay and bonuses have skyrocketed like never before.
“That we are much wealthier today than we’ve every been — and yet as I make my way across Ontario from community to community, what I often see is ordinary families having to work longer and harder than ever to try to make ends meet and to try to provide for their children.”
Mr. Hampton said the NDP is also providing leadership in environmental areas such as global warming, and that if elected, his party would provide low-interest loans for people to buy energy-efficient appliances and things like solar panels. The money saved in the monthly energy bills could be applied to repayment, so the result will have no financial hardship on families, while saving energy and lowering greenhouse gases.
“I know where I come from, northern Ontario, the climate is changing. We used to go below zero by Halloween and stay below zero until sometime in April,” he said.
Mr. Hampton’s wife Shelley Martel, the MPP for Nickel Belt and the party’s health critic, said Ms. Morrison, “a very good friend of mine”, has been a champion for autistic children in the province.
Ms. Morrison and her husband Phil have twins, a boy, Sean, and girl, Meredith.
Her son is autistic and required intensive behavioural intervention.
Premier Dalton McGuinty broke his promise when he said, prior to the last election, funding for the therapy would continue after an autistic child reached the age of six, Ms Morrison said. The result was an anti-discrimination lawsuit by parents of autistic children that the McGuinty government fought against, Ms. Martel said.
“Despite everything else she has to do, Nancy was often in court in solidarity and support of those families.”
The lawsuit was defeated when an earlier favourable decision was overturned by the Ontario Court of Appeal last year.
In a letter to Ms Morrison prior to the last provincial election, Mr. McGuinty said if elected, his government would support intensive autism treatment beyond the age of six, calling the then Harris-government policy “discriminatory”.
That broken promise, Ms. Martel said, “speaks volumes about Dalton McGuinty...this letter shows McGuinty would have said anything to get elected, and he did”.
She praised Ms. Morrison as an “articulate, incredibly organized and determined advocate ... Any party would be very lucky to have an MPP prepared to work so hard.”
In addition to Mrs. Munro, Ms Morrison will also square off against Liberal candidate John Gilbank, a Jackson’s Point businessman.
The new riding includes Georgina, the Georgina Island Chippewa’s First Nation, East Gwillimbury, a northern slice of King Township, Bradford-West Gwillimbury and Innisfil.
---------------------------
The Barrie Examiner:
Printed from www.thebarrieexaminer.com web site Saturday, May 12, 2007 - © 2007 The Barrie Examiner
________________________________________
NDP selects Nancy Morrison to fight for York-Simcoe’s working families
News Release
Monday, May 07, 2007 - 07:00
Local News -
PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
NDP selects Nancy Morrison to fight for York-Simcoe’s working families
Bradford, May 5 / - At a well attended gathering in the Bradford Community Centre on Thursday evening, York-Simcoe New Democrats unanimously selected Nancy Morrison to be their candidate in the upcoming provincial election in October.
NDP Leader Howard Hampton welcomed Morrison as the NDP candidate.
"The upcoming provincial election is about fairness and trust. It’s about deciding who you can count on to stand up for today's hard-working families. Nancy Morrison is a strong effective advocate. She will stand up to Dalton McGuinty and his broken promises and deliver real results for people in York-Simcoe and in the province," Hampton said.
"Nancy is Ontario's principal advocate for children with autism. As a mother of a son with autism, Nancy got Dalton McGuinty to promise to provide treatment to every child with autism in the province who needs it and to end the cutoff age of IBI treatment in schools. She continues to do everything she can to press McGuinty to keep that broken promise." said Bob Ridley, V.P., York-Simcoe NDP.
Shelley Martel, NDP MPP (Nickel Belt) and party critic for autism, who was also in attendance at the meeting, shared her deep respect for Morrison's conviction and passion. "Nancy's ability to hold Premier McGuinty responsible for his broken promises to children with autism and their families has been inspiring. Nancy will make an exceptional MPP for the people of York-Simcoe.”
During the meeting, a moment was taken to remember NDP member Carol McPherson who passed away in March. Paul Wessenger, former NDP MPP for Barrie/Simcoe/Bradford shared some of his thoughts and memories of Carol. Prior to being the Innisfil Enterprise owner and editor, Carol worked in Paul's administrative office when he was Parliamentary Assistant to Howard Hampton. "Carol was deeply committed to social justice, and to the promotion of equality for all individuals. Carol was a friend of this party, a friend of mine, and is deeply missed." said Wessenger.
In her acceptance speech, Nancy Morrison addressed several crucial issues facing voters of York-Simcoe. Morrison noted, “The Georgina smelter is unfortunately another broken Liberal promise that so desperately needs attention. My shock was to learn that our incumbent MPP lives within a few kms of that site. Yet, she has done little to hold the Liberals accountable for their promise to clean it up.”
On the minimum wage and MPP raises, Morrison said “The Liberal government held a special extension just before Christmas to ram through a raise to give MPP's a minimum of $110,000 a year, and Premier McGuinty has gone to over $196,000 a year, which the Conservatives fully supported. The NDP voted against this. Meanwhile, the government doesn't think the lowest income earners in this province are worth $10 an hour. Shame on them.”
“Liberal broken promises, and Conservative inaction. That is what this election is all about. Choosing the party and the representative that will take your concerns and ENSURE ACTION. Someone who won't sit complacent in their position. Someone who will continue to demonstrate their hard working advocacy, their integrity and honesty for the issues that are important to you.” continued Morrison.
Nancy Morrison, her husband and two children live in Bradford. She works for the South Simcoe Police Service.
The provincial election will be held October 10, 2007.
Yorkregion.com - Georgina, Newmarket Era Banner, etc.
NDP announces its York-Simcoe candidate
York-Simcoe NDP provincial candidate Nancy Morrison (right) has her hand raised by federal NDP candidate Sylvia Gerl. -
May 10, 2007 08:27 AM
By: John Slykhuis, Staff Writer
York North MPP Julia Munro "has done nothing" to deal with the pollution stemming from the abandoned aluminum smelter on Warden Avenue, the newly-chosen provincial New Democratic Party candidate for York-Simcoe charged last week.
"The Georgina smelter is unfortunately another broken Liberal promise that so desperately needs attention. My shock was to learn that our incumbent MPP lives within a few kilometres of that site. Yet, she has done little to hold the Liberals accountable for their promise to clean it up," Nancy Morrison told about 60 of the party faithful, including party leader Howard Hampton at the Bradford Community Centre last Thursday night.
Ms Morrison, 47, will square off against the veteran incumbent in the new riding in the provincial election Oct. 10.
She thanked Save the Maskinonge member Roland Peacock for taking her on a tour of the abandoned site and pointed to a large chunk of slag on display from the site.
"Autism isn't the only issue that is important to me," she said, noting the increase in MPP salaries.
"The Liberal government held a special extension just before Christmas to ram through a raise to give MPPs a minimum of $110,000 a year and Premier Dalton McGuinty has gone to (more than) $196,000 a year, which the Conservatives fully supported. The NDP voted against this. Meanwhile, the government doesn't think the lowest income earners in this province are worth $10 an hour. Shame on them."
Mr. Hampton, who is the Rainy River MPP and has been party leader since succeeding Bob Rae in 1996, was quick to compliment Ms Morrison's track record in the community.
"I've had the opportunity to work with Nancy so this is a personal commitment because I've seen how committed she is to work on behalf of community, to work on behalf of others in a very unselfish way," he said.
He's also happy she came forward as the candidate in the new riding because she embodies NDP principles, Mr. Hampton said.
"I don't claim that we will necessarily win the next election. I just want to have enough new members like Nancy Morrison that we can have a substantial say in what the agenda is going to be after the next election."
Shelley Martel, who is also Mr. Hampton's wife, is MPP for the Sudbury riding of Nickel Belt and the NDP's health critic. She also gave a ringing endorsement for Ms Morrison, describing her as, "a good friend of mine", who has been a champion for autistic children in the province.
Ms Morrison and her husband, Phil, have twins, a boy, Sean, and girl, Meredith.
Her son is autistic and required intensive behavioural intervention.
Mr. McGuinty broke his promise when he said, prior to the last election, funding for the therapy would continue after an autistic child reached the age of six, Ms Morrison said.
The result was an anti-discrimination lawsuit by parents of autistic children the McGuinty government fought against, Ms Martel said.
"Despite everything else she has to do, Nancy was often in court in solidarity and support of those families."
The lawsuit was defeated when an earlier favourable decision was overturned by the Ontario Court of Appeal last year.
In addition to Mrs. Munro, Ms Morrison will also square off against Liberal candidate John Gilbank, a Jackson's Point businessman.
The new riding includes Georgina, the Georgina Island Chippewas First Nation, East Gwillimbury, a northern slice of King Township, Bradford-West Gwillimbury and Innisfil.
------------------------
thetopic.ca - 2nd week in production, the Bradford edition of the Era Banner - second page
Environment, autism top issues for NDP candidate
By: John Slykhuis
York North MPP Julia Munro “has done nothing” to deal with the pollution stemming from the abandoned aluminum smelter on Warden Avenue, the newly chosen provincial New Democratic Party candidate for York-Simcoe charged last week.
“The Georgina smelter is unfortunately another broken Liberal promise that so desperately needs attention. My shock was to learn that our incumbent MPP lives within a few kilometres of that site, yet she has done little to hold the Liberals accountable for their promise to clean it up,” Nancy Morrison told about 60 of the party faithful, including leader Howard Hampton, at the Bradford Community Centre last Thursday night.
Ms Morrison is a Bradford resident and a civilian employee of the South Simcoe Police.
The meeting was chaired by Georgina Coun. Dave Szollosy, a long-time NDP supporter.
Shelley Martel, who is Mr. Hampton’s wife, is MPP for the Sudbury riding of Nickel Belt and the NDP’s health critic. She also gave a ringing endorsement for Ms Morrison, describing her as, “a good friend of mine,” who has been a champion for autistic children in the province.
Ms Morrison and her husband Phil have twins, a boy, Sean, and a girl, Meredith.
Her son is autistic and required intensive behavioural intervention.
Mr. McGuinty broke his promise when he said, prior to the last election, that funding for the therapy would continue after an autistic child reached the age of six, Ms Morrison said.
In a letter to Ms Morrison before the last election, Mr. McGuinty said, if elected, his government would support intensive autism treatment beyond the age of six, calling the policy of the Progressive Conservative government of the day “discriminatory.”
That broken promise, Ms Martel said, “speaks volumes about Dalton McGuinty...This letter shows (Mr.) McGuinty would have said anything to get elected and he did.”
The result was an anti-discrimination lawsuit by parents of autistic children that the McGuinty government fought, Ms Martel said.
“Despite everything else she has to do, Nancy was often in court in solidarity and support of those families.”
The lawsuit was defeated when an earlier decision was overturned by the Ontario Court of Appeal last year.
“Autism isn’t the only issue that is important to me,” she said, noting the increase in MPP salaries.
“The Liberal government held a special extension just before Christmas to ram through a raise to give MPPs a minimum of $110,000 a year and Premier McGuinty has gone to (more than) $196,000 a year, which the Conservatives fully supported. The NDP voted against this. Meanwhile, the government doesn’t think the lowest income earners in this province are worth $10 an hour. Shame on them.”
Mr. Hampton, who is the Rainy River MPP and has been party leader since succeeding Bob Rae in 1996, was quick to compliment Ms Morrison’s track record in the community.
“I’ve had the opportunity to work with Nancy so this is a personal commitment because I’ve seen how committed she is to work on behalf of community, to work on behalf of others in a very unselfish way,” he said.
Mr. Hampton said he’s also happy she came forward as the candidate because she embodies NDP principles.
“I don’t claim that we will necessarily win the next election. I just want to have enough new members like Nancy Morrison that we can have a substantial say in what the agenda is going to be after the next election.”
Mr. Hampton reiterated the NDP commitment to the working and middle class and a “share the wealth” philosophy.
“Every day when I turn to the business pages of the newspaper I see, in big broad print, that the economy is doing better than ever; that billions are being made on the stock market; that corporation executives’ pay and bonuses have skyrocketed like never before; that we are much wealthier today than we’ve every been — and yet as I make my way across Ontario from community to community, what I often see is ordinary families having to work longer and harder than ever to try to make ends meet and to try to provide for their children.”
The NDP is also providing leadership in environmental areas such as global warming and if elected, would provide low-interest loans for people to buy energy-efficient appliances and things such as solar panels, Mr. Hampton said.
In addition to Mrs. Munro, Ms Morrison will also square off against Liberal candidate John Gilbank, a Jackson’s Point businessman, in the Oct. 10 election.
The new riding includes Georgina, the Georgina Island Chippewas First Nation, East Gwillimbury, a northern slice of King Township, Bradford-West Gwillimbury and Innisfil.
Innsifil Scope:
Carol MacPherson remembered at NDP meeting
by Bill Rea
In addition to being prominent in the local media, Carol MacPherson devoted a lot of her time and energies to the New Democratic Party (NDP).
Members of the York - Simcoe provincial riding association took a couple of minutes out to remember Ms. MacPherson Thursday night at the nomination meeting.
Ms. MacPherson, former editor of the Innisfil Scope, died earlier this year of cancer.
"We all miss Carol," commented newly nominated candidate Nancy Morrison in her acceptance address. She recalled she had talked to Ms. MacPherson about the problems she was facing getting funding for treatment of her autistic son, and it was Ms. MacPherson who introduced her to MPP Shelley Martel, NDP critic for health and long-term care, seniors and autism issues.
Party leader Howard Hampton was at the meeting and spoke fondly of Ms. MacPherson, as did former Barrie- Simcoe- Bradford MPP Paul Wessinger. Ms. MacPherson went to work in his constituency office in 1991, and in '92, she became his legislative assistant at Queen's Park. She stayed in Toronto for a time and worked for the NDP caucus.
Wessinger also remembered her as a person who overcame adversity, pointing out she was a single parent who started a successful newspaper.
He remembered Ms. MacPherson as "a person of great enthusiasm an energy, and the the ability to work with people."
King Sentinel:
----------------------------------------
The King Township Sentinel: Nancy Morrison to carry New Democrat colours in York - Simcoe
By Bill Rea
The Nancy Morrison, the newly nominated NDP candidate for York - Simcoe in the next provincial election, was flanked at Thursday's nomination meeting in Bradford by party leader Howard Hampton and Shelley Martel, NDP critic for health and long-term care, seniors and autism issues.
York - Simcoe New Democrats are getting themselves revved for the next provincial election, expected in October.
They spent Thursday night nominating their candidate, acclaiming Bradford resident Nancy Morrison. There were some heavy endorsements to back up the nomination, as both party Leader Howard Hampton and MPP Shelley Martel, NDP critic for health and long-term care, seniors and autism issues, were on hand.
The 48-year-old is the mother of twins, and one of the eight-year-olds was diagnosed with autism in 2002. It's the ordeal of seeing to his care that led to Morrison becoming politically active and involved with the party.
This is her first time in the political arena, and before the meeting Morrison admitted she was "nervous, excited, anxious" at the prospect.
"I am passionate about this area, this community and things that matter to it," she added.
Morrison is a civilian employee with the South Simcoe Police Service.
She was nominated by Innisfil resident Keith Lindsay, who praised her for her "passion," and for calling on Premier Dalton McGuinty to be accountable for promises made for autistic children.
"She's not just a one issue candidate," he added. "It speaks volumes about Dalton McGuinty, and I don't mean that in a positive way," she said, adding the letter showed and proud to have an MPP ready to work so hard," she declared.
Mcguinty would have said anything to get elected. "Any riding would be happy and pleased Hampton came prepared with a pep talk for the party faithful. "We are living in times which demand that all of us take a step back and think about where we're going and where the world is going," he commented.
He said he's been reading about how the economy is performing so well, and that millions are being made in the stock market. But he also travels from community to community and sees families that have to work longer and harder to make ends meet.
"I see a great divide," he said, adding studies continue to point to a society where some are better off while nomination was seconded by riding association vice-president Bob Ridley. "All of us are behind you, Nancy," he declared Morrison said she started getting involved with the party after meeting Martel while seeking help for her son. "The NDP have been such strong advocates for children," she declared during her acceptance address.
But she stressed autism is not her only issue.
She backed the party position that the minimum wage needs to be increased to $10 per hour. She pointed out the Liberal government at Queen's Park raised MPPs' salaries to $110,000, and the premier now makes $196,000. "They just don't understand the working class," she commented. Morrison said the Liberals' record of broken promises and the Progressive Conservatives' tendency for inaction are going to be what the upcoming election is all about. "Let's paint this province orange in October," she declared.
Martel told the audience she asked Morrison to consider running about a year ago, having been so impressed with her advocacy work.
"Nancy Morrison is going to make a great MPP," she declared. "She is a great candidate."
Martel recalled asking her to get a group of parents together to go to Queen's Park to lobby to stop having treatment for autistic children cut off when they turn six. Morrison got 100 of them together in June 2002.
"It didn't stop there," Martel said, mentioning that Morrison filed a complaint with the Ontario Human Rights commission in January 2003, on behalf of autistic children. There were 50 families involved with that effort, and Martel said both the Tories and Grits have fought their efforts.
Martel also praised Morrison for her "keen political instincts."
She said that in 2003, Morrison wrote to all three parties for their positions on autism, and she received a reply from McGuinty, stating the lack of funding was unfair and discriminatory.
As well, Martel complimented Morrison's ability as a communicator, commenting that she has set up an e-mail network for parents of autistic kids. In five years, she said she has received weekly updates, and sometimes even more frequent than that. "She has kept parents very much aware of what has been going on," she remarked.
On top of that, Martel said Morrison is a "tremendously hard worker."
Many are struggling harder than ever. "I think there's something wrong with that."
Hampton also addressed environmental issues, and climatic changes in Northern Ontario, where he's from. He remembered sub-zero temperatures as early as Halloween, and usable outdoor skating rinks as late as April. Now, they're lucky if they have five weeks in the winter for outdoor skating. He also remembered a time of warm summers, when tornadoes and floods were unheard of, or being able to drive around his riding in the summer without air conditioning.
There are some fundamental issues to be dealt with, he warned.
"We owe it to people to speak openly and frankly to people about what we want to do to face these challenges," Hampton declared, adding people can't continue down th same road.
He remarked that election campaigns are not always fought on the real issues, as they are often decided on who has the catchiest slogans or best ads. But he believes people want the parties to address issues openly and honestly. "New Democrats try to do that," he said.
Hampton added they have not just discovered environmental issues. "We've raised them constantly," he said.
He also warned that the environment can't be sustained by putting people out of work, and people today can't take care of themselves by telling their children to pick up the bills and clean up the mess.
Dealing with energy supplies needs attention too, Hampton said.
He charged that McGuinty has issued calls to "go nuclear," but the last nuclear plant at Darlington was supposed to cost about $4 billion, but it came in at $14.7 billion. That means consumers have to pay for debt reduction to cover that overrun. As well, nuclear waste has to be stored for thousands of years, and that's going to be costly too. Hampton said McGuinty seems content to let today's kids worry about that.
"It's not acceptable," he declared.
Hampton said he's not expected the party to win the coming election, but he wants to elect enough MPPs to give the party substantial say on what the agenda will be.
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/local/story.html?id=7cc9764f-bc6c-4103-b9c0-ae547767c7d4
Autism misunderstood by majority of people: author
Michelle Martin, The StarPhoenix
Published: Monday, May 14, 2007
The stigma attached to people with autism stems from a lack of understanding, said Stephen Shore, co-author of Understanding Autism for Dummies.
At an autism conference in Saskatoon, the Boston man said the only diagnosis carrying more stigma than autism is mental disability.
The brain disorder, usually diagnosed in early childhood, affects a person's behaviour and ability to communicate. Some children with autism may have difficulty communicating at all, while others may talk an unusual amount.
The disorder also affects adults, he said, noting the vast majority of adults with autism are under or unemployed.
"A lot of the reason is social," he said.
Shore, who was diagnosed with "autistic tendencies" as a tot, said some common misconceptions are that people with autism won't be able to live interdependently, be successfully employed or have relationships.
Living proof that these beliefs are misguided, Shore told his inspirational story to more than 100 parents, educators and adults with autism Saturday at TCU Place.
At age 21/2, Shore was recommended for institutionalization.
Fortunately, his parents didn't buy it.
"(They) accepted me for the person that I am, but at the same time realized there were significant challenges that needed to be overcome in order for me to lead a productive life," said Shore, who didn't speak until age four.
Today, the 45-year-old Shore is a regular speaker at conferences across North America and is set to complete his doctorate degree in special education at Boston University. He has authored several autism-related books and has been married for 17 years.
He included information from his doctoral research, which assesses educational and behavioural interventions, into his six-hour presentation in Saskatoon.
One intervention strategy he highlighted was the "daily life therapy" approach used at the Boston Higashi School, which addresses first the physical, then the emotional and finally the intellectual requirements of its students, all of whom have autism.
The conventional wisdom is that students with autism need one-on-one support, but the ratio at the school is more like six-to-one or 12-to-one, said Shore.
Students do much of their learning from their peers.
On a break from his presentation, Shore said it is important he share his experiences and insights so that people with autism can be effectively supported.
"I'm hoping that people will gain a better understanding of how people with autism perceive the world," he said at the conference, hosted by Autism Today.
Nafisa Chalchal, a conference attendee from Regina, said Shores' presentation helped her better understand the behaviour of her 11-year-old daughter, who has autism.
"I'm looking forward to training her for self-advocacy," she said.
mimartin@sp.canwest.com
++++++++++++++++++++
Only in Canada eh? NOT SO…Autism is costly around the world, this from Australia.
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2007/s1922504.htm
Autism costs community $7 billion annually: report
The World Today - Monday, 14 May , 2007 12:24:00
Reporter: Kathryn Roberts
ELEANOR HALL: With one in every 160 children in Australia diagnosed with autism, a new report has put the cost of the condition on the community at $7 billion a year.
The report was commissioned by Queensland's only private education facility for children with autism disorders.
The facility's founder, Dr James Morton, says the cost of providing early intervention programs would be far less than the cost of not doing so.
In Brisbane, Kathryn Roberts reports.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: When Judy Brewer Fischer's son was diagnosed with autism 10 years ago, there were few services in rural Australia where she lived, so the family was forced to move to Canberra to get help.
She says even there it was a struggle to access an early intervention program.
JUDY BREWER FISCHER: When I think back to that time, and I realise how hard it was for us and for all families, because autism was certainly not very well understood then, and … although it had been around, diagnosis was available for a long time.
What I'm horrified about is that it's not much better for families now, 10 years on.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: Judy Brewer Fischer says governments talk up the importance of education but fail to recognise children with special needs.
JUDY BREWER FISCHER: One thing that's really hit me this week has been with the Federal Budget delivery, and talk about education and every child reaching their potential, but children with various disabilities, but particularly with developmental disabilities just haven't had a look in.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: For her son, early intervention has made a world of difference. He has been able to attend a mainstream school, which means he can start his education. But the family isn't alone.
A landmark Australian study recently found that one in every 160 children in the six to 12 age group has an autism spectrum disorder.
The Advisory Board on Autism Spectrum Disorders, which commissioned the report, says those children need 15 to 20 hours of early intervention every week, but most receive just four or five hours.
And according to a new report out today, in the long run that's costing the community $7 billion a year.
Dr James Morton is the founder of Queensland's only private early intervention facility, which has released the report. He says the cost to the community includes healthcare, education, informal care and unemployment.
JAMES MORTON: The cost of providing every child with autism in Australia, adequate early intervention would be in the vicinity of between $50-million and $70-million a year.
The cost saving of providing every child with autism early intervention services is about $2.5-billion a year. So the costs of early intervention, even though they are high on an individual child basis, pale in comparison with downstream cost savings that are available if government were to invest in providing these services.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: Dr Morton established the Autism Early Intervention Outcomes Unit when his son was diagnosed with the condition.
JAMES MORTON: So by targeting those early years, we can take children who are non-verbal and teach them how to speak. We can teach them how to look people in the eye, we can teach them to engage, we can teach them how to learn in a mainstream environment.
And the aim is that by getting these children from early intervention to attend mainstream school, you're putting them on the pathway to eventual independence, to finding a job.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: Of the 12 children in the original group, nine are now in mainstream schooling with little or no assistance in the classroom. Around Australia, parents of children with autism have shared similar stories about their fight to access early intervention.
Meredith Ward from Autism Victoria says families are waiting three years to have their child diagnosed. Her son was able to access a program, which has given him vital communication skills.
MEREDITH WARD: When you have child with autism, they can't communicate with you. So, you're actually, you know, so there's lots of tantrum-ing and going on because the child can't make you understand what is it they want.
And so, by going into early intervention services with people who know and understand autism, you can start to work on ways to communicate with your child, to become connected with your child, because your child has up until that time, been totally disconnected from the world around them.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: Dr James Morton says what is needed is funding for diagnosis, early intervention programs, respite for families, and research.
Importantly, he says the Government needs to reconsider they way it hands out its funding because a centre like his misses out.
JAMES MORTON: The anomaly of the funding here is that if any of our children were to attend a mainstream centre, that centre would receive Federal Government funding of up to $19,000 to facilitate the inclusion of these children.
But centres such as ours, which are specialised centres, are specifically excluded from receiving this funding, so you've got kids receiving childcare in our centre, getting a high quality early education with no Federal Government funding, and you have children in a mainstream centre, getting no educational program and receiving $19,000 of Federal Government funding.
KATHRYN ROBERTS: A spokesman for the Federal Families and Community Services Minister Mal Brough, says he's looking closely at the issue even though these services are traditionally a state government responsibility.
ELEANOR HALL: Kathryn Roberts in Brisbane with that report.
This Article is American but it reflects many families who participate in family studies for Autism.
Public release date: 14-May-2007
Contact: Emily Butler
ebutler@spectrumscience.com
202-955-6222
Kennedy Krieger Institute
1 month post launch, Interactive Autism Network reports 13,000 participants
Families eager to accelerate autism research
(Baltimore, MD) -- The Interactive Autism Network (IAN)—the first national online autism registry spearheaded by the Kennedy Krieger Institute—has registered an unprecedented number of individuals and families living with autism. Never before have researchers been offered access to such a large pool of family-provided data on this puzzling disorder. In only one month, IAN (www.IANproject.org) has achieved significant milestones:
• More than 13,000 registered participants
• Representation in all 50 states as well as the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, Marshall Islands and Palau
• Diverse family registration, including: six sets of triplets, 37 sets of identical twins and 157 sets of fraternal twins
Researchers from institutions across the country have already begun to access IAN data to:
• Supplement and enhance current research studies
• Compare and validate existing research results obtained from smaller sample sizes
• Explore hypotheses for future research and search for parallels among individuals with autism and their families in a way that was not previously possible
"In one short month, IAN has become the country’s largest pool of autism data," said Dr. Paul Law, Director, Interactive Autism Network at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland. "The fact that IAN has already become a vital resource for researchers, so early in its lifespan, bodes extremely well for the potential of this project, and ultimately, to the pursuit of answers in autism."
IAN has become successful in registering families largely due to the tight knit nature of the autism community and the outpouring of support from parents. Testimonials continue to echo the great need for and tremendous potential of IAN.
"What better opportunity to help our children, to help each other and to learn more about autism. We have been given the power to DO SOMETHING to combat autism. Go to the website, accept this responsibility & watch us change the future of this heartbreaking disorder."
###
Posted on CNN.com Health Blog by an IAN participant
IAN is funded by a grant from Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness about the growing autism health crisis and raising funds for critical autism research.
About the Kennedy Krieger Institute
Internationally recognized for improving the lives of children and adolescents with disorders and injuries of the brain and spinal cord, the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD serves more than 12,000 individuals each year through inpatient and outpatient clinics, home and community services and school-based programs. Kennedy Krieger provides a wide range of services for children with developmental concerns mild to severe, and is home to a team of investigators who are contributing to the understanding of how disorders develop while pioneering new interventions and earlier diagnosis. For more information on Kennedy Krieger Institute, visit www.kennedykrieger.org.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
From Dr. Sam Yassine, Co-Founder of the Alliance for Families with Autism
An interview that Senator Art Eggleton and I had a week ago. It can be heard at the following web site
http://www.voiceprintcanada.com/component/option,com_mtree/task,listcats/cat_id,75/Itemid,68/
Science disputes autism's diet link
HAYLEY MICK
From Monday's Globe and Mail
May 8, 2007 at 9:13 AM EDT
TORONTO — Tina Szenasi's quest to cure her two autistic sons began with soy milk.
Ms. Szenasi switched to the milk substitute after reading testimonials from other parents who said their autistic children's symptoms had improved - even disappeared - when dairy and wheat were eliminated from their diet.
Her doctor dismissed it as farfetched. But the mother of three from Barrie, Ont., felt she had no choice but to try the gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet for her boys, whose neurological disorder made them easily distressed and socially isolated. Introducing the diet "gave me a sense of hope," she says.
She quickly transformed her kitchen into a culinary laboratory. Her butterless cookies crumbled. Cakes made using rice flour were a disaster. Grocery bills topped $500 each week as she ordered gluten-free bread and potato-based milk substitutes that weren't available in her small city.
But her sons improved within weeks, she says. Now, Adam, 11, often hugs his parents and has fewer tantrums. Alex, an eight-year-old soccer and video-game enthusiast, behaves like most other kids. "He's almost fully recovered, I think because of the dietary intervention," Ms. Szenasi says.
More Canadian parents are adopting the controversial diet for their autistic children as support spreads through a fringe group of health professionals, commercial websites and chat forums. Supporters say gluten and casein are not well digested by autistic kids, who often exhibit digestive problems and food allergies.
The protein compounds, they say, wreak havoc with the children's neurological development. To eliminate those triggers, parents spend thousands of extra dollars on special foods, vitamins and enzyme supplements as well as laboratory testing in the United States.
But most mainstream scientists remain skeptical of the gut-brain connection in autism. They say there's no scientific proof that the diet works. Some doctors warn that parents' desperation, paired with the mystery surrounding autism's causes, makes the field ripe - as a top American pediatric gastrointestinal specialist put it - for "charlatanism."
"If there's nothing else that you think is going to help and you're desperate, you'll do anything," said Wendy Roberts, the head of the autism research unit at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
The GFCF diet eliminates two major food groups from an autistic child's diet: dairy products, which have casein, and grains such as wheat, barley and rye, which contain gluten. Children on the diet often eat a lot of meat and vegetables, plus wheat and dairy alternatives. Some families add vitamin and enzyme supplements.
Even supporters say it isn't clear how the diet works. One explanation involves the "leaky gut syndrome." Undigested bits of protein, according to this theory, are absorbed through the intestine into the body, affecting the brain and producing symptoms associated with autism.
To date, only one double-blind controlled clinical trial - the gold standard for health research - has tested the diet. Published in March, 2006, in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, the study found that the group of children on the diet saw no significant improvements compared with the control group. Researchers say more testing is needed because the study was based on a small sample.
"The information that's out there suggests that the diet probably does not have a substantial effect on children's behaviours," says Lonnie Zwaigenbaum, a University of Alberta associate professor and director of autism research at Edmonton's Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital.
Yet almost every parent Dr. Zwaigenbaum sees has either tried the GFCF diet with their autistic child or heard of it, he says. Parents are leaping ahead before science has definitively proved whether such a treatment works, he says, because there are compelling anecdotal cases of improvement.
Autism's causes have long stumped experts. They know that genes play a major role - but increasingly, with diagnosis of the condition on the rise, researchers are looking to environmental triggers including prenatal hormones, toxins, food allergies and infections. As a result, treatments such as the GFCF diet, which focus on removing such triggers, are gaining ground.
"It's word of mouth," say Paul Cutler, a family doctor based in Niagara Falls, N.Y., who works one day a week in Burlington, Ont. "Thanks to the Internet, they're finding these alternatives."
About half of Dr. Cutler's 200 autistic patients are Canadian, and they travel to his offices from across Ontario and Quebec. He charges $150 for an initial assessment that includes a battery of tests - a cheap fee compared with other doctors, he says.
Dr. Cutler has been trained by a group called Defeat Autism Now! (DAN!), which holds annual conferences and instructional sessions for doctors from across North America. The group recommends biomedical treatments for autism that focus on intestinal problems, nutrition, detoxification and allergies. Twenty-six Canadian doctors are listed on the group's website as DAN! practitioners.
They include Wendy Edwards, a pediatrician in Chatham, Ont., who found the diet four years ago when her three-year-old son was diagnosed with autism. He improved so dramatically, she says, that the diet is now the first thing she recommends for autistic patients who travel to see her from across Ontario and even Manitoba. She also encourages other biomedical treatments, including supplements such as vitamin B6, magnesium and dimethylglycine, or DMG.
Some research suggests that up to 40 per cent of children with autism spectrum disorders could benefit from dietary changes, including the removal of gluten or casein, says Timothy Buie, a pediatric gastrointestinal specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
But Dr. Buie, who runs one of the largest practices for children with developmental disabilities in the United States, warns that parents may place so much hope in the diet that they falsely believe their child has improved. "The placebo response is gigantic," he says. "Parents can interpret a benefit because they want their kid to do better."
While parents travel to find doctors, they also ship urine and stool samples to U.S. labs to be analyzed for nutrient and vitamin deficiencies - tests that aren't widely available in Canada. One parent interviewed for this story said she paid up to $300 (U.S.) each for several lab tests.
Some in the industry may be peddling false hopes for big profit, critics warn. "People may choose to recommend things therapeutically that are in their financial interest," Dr. Buie says. "You walk out of a doctor's office and they give you a list of vitamins that they happen to be selling in their outside room."
Other doctors worry about the role of for-profit labs. "Many are not bona fide labs and they're making a fortune," says Dr. Roberts at Sick Kids in Toronto, who adds that parents have handed her results from U.S. labs that don't make any sense.
The Internet is where many parents go to share information, recipes and contacts. Brenda-Lee Olson from Terrace, B.C., moderates a popular online group called GFCFrecipes, whose membership has multiplied tenfold, to 3,400, in the past six years.
"It helps to know certain tricks," says Ms. Olson, who says many people don't believe her 17-year-old son is autistic, thanks to the diet. "The only way to get that information is from other parents."Ms. Szenasi says she'll keep her children on the diet despite the cost. She now keeps a folder stuffed with GFCF diet material at the health-food store where she works, so she can hand it out to other parents.
Shopping for answers
A week's worth of specialty foods for Tina Szenasi's family:
Dare fruit snacks $2.69
EnviroKidz rice bars $3.99
PC Organics potato chips $1.99
PC Organics bananas $1.67
PC Organics grapes $5.89
PC Organics carrots $2.99
Soy organic frozen dessert $6.99
So Nice cultured soy (5) $1.39 each
So Nice soy beverage $3.79
Hot Kid rice crisps (2) $2.49 each
PC Organics eggs $4.99
Tofutti soy-cheese slices $4.69
Piller's pepperoni sticks $6.99
PC natural peanut butter $3.69
EnviroKidz cereal $3.99
Nature's Path waffles $4.99
Glutino cookies $4.99
English Bay dairy-free drink $2.69
Rizopia rice pasta $2.49
PC Organics pasta sauce $3.99
PC beef burgers $7.99
Alexia organic fries $3.29
PC salad mix $4.99
Enjoy Life cookies $3.99
PC Organics popcorn $2.49
Quaker rice cakes $1.49
Organic strawberries $4.99
Organic blueberries $4.99
El Peto Italian bread $5.79
Ian's chicken cutlets $6.99
Total cost for week $132.43
Hayley Mick
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070508.wlautism08/BNStory/specialScienceandHealth/home
And this article, a continuation from Autism and Faces.
Public release date: 5-May-2007
Contact: Mark Wheeler
mwheeler@mednet.ucla.edu
310-794-2265
University of California - Los Angeles
A frown or a smile? Children with autism can't discern
http://scienceblogs.com/purepedantry/2007/05/more_on_autism_and_faces.php
Area of brain that plays a role in evaluating emotions shows no activity
When we have a conversation with someone, we not only hear what they say, we see what they say. Eyes can smolder or twinkle. Gazes can be direct or shifty. “Reading” these facial expressions gives context and meaning to the words we hear.
In a report to be presented May 5 at the International Meeting for Autism Research in Seatlle, researchers from UCLA will show that children with autism can’t do this. They hear and they see, of course, but the areas of the brain that normally respond to such visual cues simply do not respond.
Led by Mari Davies, a UCLA graduate student in psychology, and Susan Bookheimer, a professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, the research compared brain activity between 16 typically developing children and 16 high-functioning children with autism. While undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), both groups were shown a series of faces depicting angry, fearful, happy and neutral expressions. In half the faces, the eyes were averted; with the other half, the faces stared back at the children.
With the typically developing group, the researchers found significant differences in activity in a part of the brain called the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), which is known to play a role in evaluating emotions. While these children looked at the direct-gaze faces, the VLPFC became active; with the averted-gaze pictures, it quieted down. In contrast, the autistic children showed no activity in this region of the brain whether they were looking at faces with a direct or an indirect gaze.
“This part of the brain helps us discern the meaning and significance of what another person is thinking,” Davies said. “When responding to someone looking straight at you, as compared to someone who’s looking away, the brain discerns a difference. When the other person looks away, the brain quiets down.”
For instance, with angry expressions, the brain may quiet down, because when a negative gaze is averted, it is no longer seen as a direct threat. “Gaze has a huge impact on our brains because it conveys part of the meaning of that expression to the individual. It cues the individual to what is significant,” Davies said.
While the results show the key role of eye gaze in signaling communicative intent, it also shows that autistic children, even when gazing directly into someone’s eyes, don’t recognize visual cues and don’t process that information. That may be why children diagnosed with autism have varying degrees of impairment in communication skills and social interactions and display restricted, repetitive and stereotyped patterns of behavior.
“They don’t pick up what’s going on — they miss the nuances, the body language and facial expressions and sometimes miss the big picture and instead focus on minor, less socially relevant details,” Davies said. “That, in turn, affects interpersonal bonds.”
###
The research was funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Other study authors include Mirella Dapretto, Marian Sigman and Leigh Sepeta.
The Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA is an interdisciplinary research and education institute devoted to the understanding of complex human behavior, including the genetic, biological, behavioral and sociocultural underpinnings of normal behavior and the causes and consequences of neuropsychiatric disorders. In addition to conducting fundamental research, the institute faculty seeks to develop effective treatments for neurological and psychiatric disorders, improve access to mental health services, and shape national health policy regarding neuropsychiatric disorders.
Family of boy with autism finalist in backyard makeover contest
Monday, May 14, 2007 -- Natalie Miller
Lianne Vigneualt worries about her six-year-old’s son safety, given the fact he recently scaled a family member’s fence “in about five seconds flat.”
Like many children with autism, Carter has a tendency to bolt. Without a fenced-in yard, playing outdoors puts his parents on guard constantly.
This prompted Vigneault to enter a contest she saw advertised on television recently. She is one of four contestants in the running to win a $25,000 backyard facelift courtesy of the Sunlight Multi-Action Outdoor Makeover Contest. Vigneault says she was asked to describe how she would spend the $25,000 and explained the need for a fence and possibly outdoor play equipment.
“Out of all of the Canadians (who entered) we were chosen as one of the four families to compete for the grand prize,” says Vigneault, who lives in Lisle, near Alliston.
Between May 7 and May 22, Canadians can vote for the contestant they feel deserves the outdoor makeover on the Sunlight website, www.sunlightlaundry.ca Synopses of the contestants’ stories are posted there.
“Currently we spend a lot of time outdoors,” says Vigneault. “Carter loves our backyard and so do we. But we are now needing the fence with the nice weather he has just become too quick at times to catch and there is no relax time outdoors as one of us always has to be ready to run. We have an acre of land that backs on to hundreds of acres of Base Borden forest. Our fear is that Carter will venture into the forest as well,” she explains.
Vigneault says she planned on having a chain-link fence installed but changed her mind after she saw Carter effortlessly climb the relative’s fence. “It is no longer an option.”
“We moved out of Angus to get on a less busy street but did not foresee the cost of a fence,” she says.
Carter is also receiving a National Service Dog in July but Vigneault fears other dogs may approach her son if they don’t have a fence.
Vigneault says the autism community has stepped up to support her story.
Finalists will be featured on the W Network and YTV. The host of YTV’s ZapX will fly to the winner’s hometown for a special appearance.
May 15th 2007 Mailing
CONFERENCE
8th A N N U A L C O N F E R E N C E
Autism Spectrum Disorder:
Adolescence and Beyond - II
This Email message from
The Associate Clinical Director of the New Haven Learning Centre.
“Our annual conference is coming up on Tuesday June 5th at the Glen Gould Studio.
The line up of speakers includes Dr. Richard Foxx, Dr. Bobby Newman (see below), Dr. Steven Scherer, and Dr. Wendy Roberts. The title of the conference is “Autism Spectrum Disorder: Adolescence and Beyond II”. I have attached a link to a PDF registration form that can be downloaded from our website and then faxed to our centre at the number below. There has been a minor change in that Dr. Bobby Newman will be replacing Dr. Peter Gerhardt (the PDF has not been updated).
We are hosting the conference in conjunction with the Autism Research Unit, Hospital for Sick Children. See a few specifics below.”
http://www.newhavenlearningcentre.com/Conference.html
8th A N N U A L C O N F E R E N C E
Autism Spectrum Disorder:
Adolescence and Beyond - II
CO-HOSTED BY NEW HAVEN LEARNING CENTRE AND THE AUTISM RESEARCH UNIT, THE HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDREN
CONFERENCE CHAIR: MARTHA TURNER
Tuesday, June 5, 2007 8:45am - 1:00 pm
Registration Deadline May 22, 2007
Location of Conference:
Glenn Gould Studio
CBC Building
250 Front Street, West
Toronto, Ontario
Please let me know if you need any more specific information.
Toli Anastassiou, M.A.,
Associate Clinical Director
New Haven Learning Centre
301 Lanor Avenue, Etobicoke, ON, M8W 2R1
tel: 416.259.4445 x16 fax: 416.259.2023
tolinewhaven@bellnet.ca
www.newhavenlearningcentre.com
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