Guest guest Posted December 4, 2006 Report Share Posted December 4, 2006 Sunday, December 3 , 2006 AUTISM IN THE NEWS Bernard Rimland, 78; author was the father of modern autism research Bernard Rimland, the San Diego research psychologist widely considered the father of modern autism research, died Tuesday at a care facility in El Cajon after a prolonged battle against prostate cancer. He was 78. Rimland's 1964 book "Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior," demolished the generally held view that autism was the psychological byproduct of "refrigerator mothers" — cold, unfeeling women who forced their children to withdraw into a protective shell of indifference. Read article. Cure Autism Now and Autism Speaks Announce Plans to Combine Operations Merger of Leading Autism Organizations Will Lead to Enhanced Research, Treatment and Advocacy Programs NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Autism Speaks and Cure Autism Now (CAN) have signed a memorandum of understanding to combine operations, uniting the nation’s two leading autism organizations and their cutting-edge programs for research, biomedical treatment and advocacy. The merger was announced today by Mark Roithmayr, president of Autism Speaks, and Bell, president and chief executive officer of CAN. Due diligence and final board approvals are expected to be concluded by February 1, 2007. The consolidated organization will be known as Autism Speaks, Inc. Read article. Ped Med: Autism research shifts to biology By LIDIA WASOWICZ UPI Senior Science Writer SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 30 (UPI) -- Researchers endeavoring to track autism to its core are shifting more of their attention from psychology to biology. Results trickling in from a number of investigations are implicating genes and abnormalities in brain anatomy and activity in autism, scientists said. "New tools of molecular biology are deepening our understanding of the biological basis of autism at a breathtaking pace," said Helen Tager-Flusberg, professor of anatomy, neurobiology and psychology, director of the Lab of Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience and director of the Autism Research Center of Excellence at Boston University School of Medicine. The idea is if vulnerable youngsters could be pinpointed in the delivery room and the environmental trigger of that susceptibility identified, it would be possible to keep the two apart -- and keep the disorder at bay, researchers explained. Read article. For all the autism news subscribe to the Schafer Autism Report. AUTISM ONE 2007 CONFERENCE We are pleased to announce the Autism One 2007 Conference will be held Wednesday, May 23 through Sunday, May 27, 2007 at the Westin O’Hare Hotel. There will be several exciting additions to the conference next year. First, we are introducing a new pre-conference day called Law Day, second, we will premier the Autism One Arts Festival. Law Day will train attorneys to better understand and fight for our needs. Over the last several years, much to my dismay, it has come to my attention that the legal profession is much like the medical profession in that neither understands the overwhelming amount of peer-reviewed scientific information that points to autism as an environmentally triggered assault on a subset of genetically susceptible individuals. In addition to needing to know the most up-to-date medical information, attorneys must also be better trained to demand that local school districts adhere to both the letter of the law and the spirit of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). While never embracing IDEA school districts have recently begun an alarming push-back policy by establishing legal funds and contracting with law firms to challenge each and every parental request. It is an attempt to deny our children’s rights by intimidation. It cannot be allowed to continue. The inaugural Law Day will train attorneys (parents are also welcome) to fight for and defend our children’s rights while advancing our cause through every available legal channel. The Autism One Arts Festival will be about joy and accomplishment and will run in conjunction with the main conference. Art is revealing and uplifting, bringing conception to perception and in many subtle and nuanced ways digs deeper than science. Many different types of art will be represented, much of it created by individuals with autism. Children with autism often display artistic gifts. We can encourage these gifts providing both a vehicle of expression and the possibility of some type of employment or career in the world of art. Art builds bridges – bridges to a wider audience to educate the public and advance the beauty of our children. AUTISM ONE RADIO Last week’s NEWSWEEK cover story is Growing Up With Autism. Featured is Chantal Sicile-Kira, host of The Real World of Autism With Chantal on Autism One Radio. The San Diego resident hosts "The Real World of Autism With Chantal" on the Autism One Radio Internet station and wrote "Adolescents on the Autism Spectrum" (Penguin, 2006). Like many youngsters with autism, finds new environments difficult. "If he walks into a new store," his mother says, "and there's horrendous fluorescent lighting, within 10 minutes I'll look down and he's starting to wet himself." Read article. December Debuts and coming attractions on Autism One Radio Tuesday, December 5th at 4:00pm ET Debut: Judith Bluestone: The Fabric of Autism: Weaving the Threads into a Cogent Theory In this dynamic multipart series we join Judith Bluestone to gain clarity through her gift of simplifying the many interrelated and often misinterpreted aspects of the Autism Spectrum. Judith, the renowned developer of the HANDLE approach and host De Michele, along with a cadre of practitioners, educators, parents, guardians, celebrity guests, and audience participants share and discover the foundations, evolutions, and case studies of HANDLE that breed hope through proven results. This is a cumulative and sequential series wherein you will learn of solutions focused on relieving the causes of ASD, not merely modifying behaviors. Join us for insights that untangle and re-weave the “The Fabric of Autism”. Tuesday December 5th at 2:30pm ET En Francais: L'Autisme Vu au Quotidien avec Chantal Sicile-Kira Topic: Conference Internationale Biomedicale et ABA a Paris (International Biomedical and ABA Conference in France) Guest: Dr. Corinne Skorupka, Presidente fondatrice de l'association Ariane. This is a major conference in France that covers both Biomedical and Verbal Behavior approaches to autism, the speakers for which includes: e Ferguson; Dr. Diane Lynch Fraser; Boyd Haley, PHD; Nataf, MD; Neubrander, MD; Corinne Skorupka, MD; & Anju Usman, MD. Thursday, December 7th at 2:00pm ET Debut: Saidah and Amber Burton Small: Heart of Sailing This program offers information about Heart of Sailing’s recreational therapy programs, including free weekly Daysails in various regions across the US. The program will focus on success stories and participants’ interviews, as well as other information and research about the therapeutic benefits of sailing for children with autism and other special needs. Interviews of participants and volunteers will provide more detailed information about therapeutic aspects including socialization, communication, teamwork, motor skills, and confidence building. The program will also serve as a travelogue by providing brief summaries of interesting cultural, social, and historical facts of the various Daysail regions. It will serve as a forum to connect parents and caregivers seeking alternative forms of therapy. Different regions will be highlighted, and the program will be offered in 4 different languages. Saturday, December 9th at 12:00 noon ET Dan Coulter: Life in the Asperger Lane Guest: King, a licensed clinical social worker who coaches and counsels people with Asperger Syndrome, along with family and others. and one of his sons have been diagnosed with AS. Tuesday, December 12th at 1:30 pm ET The Real World of Autism With Chantal Sicile-Kira Topic: Assistance Dogs for Children and Teens with Autism. Guest: Patty Dobbs Gross, Executive Director of North Star Foundation. Friday, December 15th at 12:00 noon ET In Arabic: Dr. Hosam Badr: The Autism Arabic Café Dedicated to the Spirit of Dr. Rimland: Dr. Badr speaks about Dr. Rimland and his role as the father of the biomedical treatment of autism. Sunday, December 17th at 1:00 pm ET na Moses: Hand in Hand Guest: Shirley Levi, visionary, artist, singer, songwriter & autism advocate Monday, December 18th at 12:00 noon ET Special presentation: and Sandy Waters: The Candy Store Guest: Ray, guitarist for McCartney Sunday, December 24th at 1:00 pm ET en Español na Moses: Mano en Mano Guest: Shirley Levi, visionary, artist, singer, songwriter & autism advocate Monday, December 25th at 10:00 am ET Christmas Special and Sandy Waters: The Candy Store Guest: Dr. Elmo of the hit song “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” Debut: (date to be announced) Tami Duncan : The Lyme and Autism Connection With autism numbers at such a high level, the amount of children infected with Lyme disease parallels this epidemic. It is estimated that up to 90% of children with autism also are infected with Lyme disease. The International Lyme and Associated Disease Society states that Autism and ADHD is one of the disorders that Lyme Disease can mimic. The symptoms of Lyme Disease are the same as those of autism. The Lyme and Autism Connection will explore testing, treatment options and how we can help our children begin to heal. DR. BERNARD RIMLAND, PH.D. 1928 - 2006 We join the worldwide autism community in mourning the death of Dr. Bernard Rimland. Voltaire said "Every man is guilty of all the good he didn't do." In the world of autism Dr. Rimland alone stands guiltless. Living outside of convention takes a certain kind of individual, a particular kind of courage. I submit it is Dr. Rimland’s courage that defines the modern autism movement. Dr. Rimland’s seminal work “Infantile Autism: The Syndrome and Its Implications for a Neural Theory of Behavior,” published in 1964, refuted the established “refrigerator mom” theory. His greatest strength, however, was not in refuting a hypothesis of blame, but in his decades-long, single-minded pursuit to find the truth behind the veil – in building bridges to recovery. Dr. Rimland intimately understood the disorder was most firmly rooted in the environmental medical ecosystem. "We don't have a complete picture of the scope of the problem. Nor even of its definition." - Dr. Gerberding, CDC Director. "We don't really understand that whole landscape very well." Dr. Insel, NIH Director. Against the prevailing zeitgeist of institutional stagnancy, Dr. Rimland, through the efforts of Defeat Autism Now!, developed "Autism: Effective Biomedical Treatments," a 300-plus page reference to understanding and treating autism, trained hundreds of physicians, and launched a worldwide campaign to overturn the prevailing paradigms by way of the Defeat Autism Now! conferences. In addition to co-founding Defeat Autism Now! Dr. Rimland also founded the Autism Society of America and the Autism Research Institute, which funded many of the most important research projects and served as the premier nexus of knowledge, collecting, tabulating, analyzing and disseminating state-of-the-art information. Certain individuals transcend their field by reaching out in understanding. Dr. Rimland became the conscience of the autism diaspora returning the lost to their homes, the dislocated to their faith, the children to themselves. Simple acts often tell more about a person than all their public accomplishments. Walking to lunch with Dr. Rimland years ago, he stopped, picked up some trash that was lying on the sidewalk, and deposited it in a corner bin. Watching a world-renowned scientist helping to brighten the streets of his hometown was to see a selfless act of humility and kindness… the egoless advocate step by step, imposing order in a world of disorder. Looking back on Dr. Rimland’s life it is easy to loose sight of the fact that first and foremost he was a father of an affected child. I believe the love for his son and for all our children was the driving force behind his passion. The active dialogue he started in 1964 will continue. For more than forty years Dr. Rimland refused to be shackled to the social structures we inherit. One man made a difference. One man turned the sins against tomorrow to an empyrean movement and helped save both me and my son. God Bless Dr. Rimland. Please let me know if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or ideas. Thank you. My Best, Ed Arranga 714.680.0792 http://AutismOne.org earranga@... To be removed from this list please reply with " Remove " in the subject line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.