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string(1379) "<div class=\"field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden\"><div class=\"field-items\"><div class=\"field-item even\"><p>I am an auntie toa 8-yr old pdd boy. we have just retained full-time caregiving of him. we have many issues to work through and i\'m wondering if anyone has a checklist to rate most important to least. with everything going on we are kind of losing track of whats most important and working from there. thank you</p>
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string(1342) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I am an auntie toa 8-yr old pdd boy. we have just retained full-time caregiving of him. we have many issues to work through and i'm wondering if anyone has a checklist to rate most important to least. with everything going on we are kind of losing track of whats most important and working from there. thank you</p>
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<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/v188bvfQMgGbVwQ8v9QS4zU9yiw/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/v188bvfQMgGbVwQ8v9QS4zU9yiw/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
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[1]=>
array(9) {
["title"]=>
string(32) "What is going on in the Midwest?"
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string(73) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineAutismCommunity/~3/-ro15lU6rFM/11004"
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string(2095) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Less than two weeks after a mom at the end of her rope killed her three year old autistic daughter:<br /><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-12-autistic-girl-killed_N.htm">http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-12-autistic-girl-killed_N.htm</a></p>
<p>Calumet City, Illinois police shoot and kill an autistic teen for threatening them with a butter knife:<br /><a href="http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/calumet-city/autistic-teen-dies-after-being-shot-by-cal-city-police/article_29244117-d226-5669-a8f0-3ed0f1a3a330.html">http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/calumet-city/autistic-teen-dies-after-being-shot-by-cal-city-police/article_29244117-d226-5669-a8f0-3ed0f1a3a330.html</a></p>
<p>It was their 10th call to the house to subdue the teen, who had a pattern of violent meltdowns that apparently his parents never learned to handle.</p>
<p>It seems clear to me that both these autistic children would be alive today, if we had better training and emotional support for parents in Illinois.</p>
<p>And likely the police as well.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/381huPTPeAWNnmb6uotPXBo3c9I/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/381huPTPeAWNnmb6uotPXBo3c9I/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
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["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:09:43 +0000"
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string(2095) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Less than two weeks after a mom at the end of her rope killed her three year old autistic daughter:<br /><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-12-autistic-girl-killed_N.htm">http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-12-autistic-girl-killed_N.htm</a></p>
<p>Calumet City, Illinois police shoot and kill an autistic teen for threatening them with a butter knife:<br /><a href="http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/calumet-city/autistic-teen-dies-after-being-shot-by-cal-city-police/article_29244117-d226-5669-a8f0-3ed0f1a3a330.html">http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/calumet-city/autistic-teen-dies-after-being-shot-by-cal-city-police/article_29244117-d226-5669-a8f0-3ed0f1a3a330.html</a></p>
<p>It was their 10th call to the house to subdue the teen, who had a pattern of violent meltdowns that apparently his parents never learned to handle.</p>
<p>It seems clear to me that both these autistic children would be alive today, if we had better training and emotional support for parents in Illinois.</p>
<p>And likely the police as well.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/381huPTPeAWNnmb6uotPXBo3c9I/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/381huPTPeAWNnmb6uotPXBo3c9I/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
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string(11904) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Autism Research Report, December 2000</p>
<p>Dear Kind Tree folks,<br />I have been participating in a study on autism that I ran into while journeying forth from Tim's trusty Kind Tree site. The study is being conducted by the Autism Research Centre, Departments of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB.</p>
<p>They responded to my e-mail with a series of questionnaires, which took me much less time to fill out than the test makers had predicted. Even so, I have always found multiple-choice (I sometimes call them "multiple-guess") tests tricky, especially when my answers are supposed to describe myself - or my perceptions of myself. I would have answered many of these questions differently even ten years ago, let alone at my most severely autistic, as a small child. For instance, I still was a head-banger back as recently as six years ago. Every question seems to have its own extenuating circumstances, furthermore, which can make it difficult to make only one choice. Furthermore, it is difficult not to read into these tests the answer they want, rather than an honest answer. My tendency is to overcompensate in the other direction. Just another example of how autists or at least I tend to look at themselves from the outside as well as the inside.<br />Soon, I shall be receiving a DNA test, which requires me to swab my mouth ever so gently with a cotton swab and return the (slobbery) swabette to them for DNA analysis. I have excerpted the following italicized information from their November, 2000, Cambridge Autism Research newsletter, which<br />they e-mailed to me. It covers some of the test results, plus some other items I found interesting:</p>
<p>1. The first multiple-choice test was called the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). This test, which quantifies the autism spectrum, has both clinical and research uses. Clinically, it helps to screen adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome. For research, it is useful for looking at how people differ at different points along the autism spectrum. The questionnaire has also added evidence to the very notion that there is a continuum of autism conditions. The results of the AQ study will appear in the<br />Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (JADD) next year.</p>
<p>2. The second test, the Cambridge Behavior Scale, measured Empathy Quotient (EQ). Autism is often described as an empathy disorder. And indeed, scores on the questionnaire indicated that people with Asperger's or high-functioning autism appear to be less empathic than people without these conditions. We are currently investigating the very concept of empathy further. The result<br />of this research will hopefully lead to useful training programs for people with Asperger¹s or High-Functioning Autism.</p>
<p>3. Cambridge University has recently opened a new clinic: the Cambridge Lifespan Asperger Syndrome Service (CLASS). This clinic offers a diagnostic assessment for adults who may have Asperger Syndrome (AS) or high functioning autism (HFA). It is part of the local NHS Trust (Lifespan), and a charitable grant allows assessments to be made free of charge. Referrals are via GPs.</p>
<p>4. Folk physics and folk psychology<br />In our last newsletter, we reported that the obsessions of children with autism were more likely to relate to how things work and less likely to be related to how people work. The Obsessions study was published last year in the British Journal of Psychiatry. We also told you about the 3 individuals with AS who were at or near the top of their engineering, computer or math-based professions, but still had problems with social communication. A paper on these findings was also published last year, in Neurocase. These two sets of results supported the idea that people with an autism spectrum condition have problems in folk<br />psychology (reasoning about the social world), but their folk physics skills (reasoning about the physical world) are as good if not better than non-autistic people. Recently, we have investigated this idea further by using new tests of folk physics and folk psychology with children who have AS. As predicted, the children found the folk psychology test difficult. However, their performance on the folk physics test was superior to children who do not have AS. Finding an area of cognition where people with an autism spectrum condition have a real strength is just as important for long-term research as finding areas of weaknesses. The results of this research will appear in the<br />Journal of Developmental and Learning Disorders next year.</p>
<p>5. "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" Test<br />Many of you may be aware of the "Eyes Test," which asks people to judge what emotion someone is experiencing just by looking at their eyes. This is an advanced test of (one aspect of) social intelligence. Women are generally better at this than men, and adults with autism spectrum conditions tend to find the task quite difficult. We have recently improved the test and made it even more challenging, so that it gives a more accurate indication of someone's social intelligence. This can be helpful in identifying people with quite subtle social difficulties. The results of this research will appear in the Journal of Child Psychology and<br />Psychiatry next year.</p>
<p>6. Newborn babies<br />In many of our experiments, we find that men tend to perform more similarly to people with an autism spectrum condition than women do. In other words, males tend to be better at folk physics tasks and women tend to be better at folk psychology tests. Undoubtedly, the difference<br />between males and females is partly due to environmental influences, but we were interested in whether there was any evidence of an innate difference between males and females.<br />We therefore studied 100 newborn babies in the Rosie Maternity Hospital, Cambridge, and found that boys showed a stronger interest in a mechanical mobile, whilst girls showed a stronger interest in a face. Of course these are group averages: some boys preferred the face and some girls preferred the mechanical mobile. Nevertheless, the overall pattern of results suggest that these differences in folk physics and folk psychology are partly innate. Hormones or genes might contribute to the differences in males and females.</p>
<p>7. The amygdala theory of autism and brain scanning<br />Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a brain scanning technique which allows us to look at which areas of the brain are being used when volunteers are carrying out different tasks. We used fMRI to show that one particular area of the brain, the amygdala, was not activated by adults with autism when they were doing the Eyes Test (see above), but it was activated by adults without autism. Other evidence, such as abnormal size and structure, also suggests that the amygdala is one of the brain structures<br />which is abnormal in people with autism. This research was published last year in the European Journal of Neuroscience. We are just starting some new fMRI studies which will test the amygdala theory of autism and are looking for volunteers to participate.<br />Further information is given in the New Research section below.</p>
<p>8. Autism and Tourette Syndrome<br />Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurological condition characterised by involuntary movements and vocalisations known as tics. Following reports that some children with autism also had TS, we investigated the rate of TS in children with autism. Nearly 500 children with autism were checked for TS. About a third of the children had some sort of tic and 6.5% actually had TS, much higher than would be expected by chance. This study appeared in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry last year.<br />This result is important for two reasons. Firstly, finding that a child with autism also has TS allows the child's pharmacological management to be reviewed. Alleviation of tics can help to improve quality of life. Even for children with mild TS, not needing medication, knowledge of the condition can help parents and teachers in their continuing support for the child.<br />The other important implication of the result is that it suggests that autism and TS may have some causal factors in common. These causal factors could be genes, abnormal brain chemicals, structural abnormalities in the brain, or some combination of these factors.</p>
<p>9. Testosterone and social communication<br />A final study to tell you about was carried out with the babies of mothers who had had an amniocentesis (amnio) during pregnancy. Amnios allow the doctor to analyse a range of chemicals from early in the pregnancy. We analysed the hormone testosterone produced by the baby. When these babies had their 1st birthday, they were invited to our lab and were videotaped during play with their parent. A surprising result, but in line with an old theory of brain development, was that the babies whose prenatal testosterone was highest made the least eye contact, and vice versa. This intriguing little clue about the role of a chemical in the development of sociability is something we are obviously following up for its possible relevance to autism.</p>
<p>10. New research<br />We currently have three major new projects, which are based in Cambridge, England.<br />1. An fMRI (brain scanning) study which will further investigate the amygdala theory of autism (see above). This study is based in Cambridge and London. We are looking for right-handed males who have AS or HFA, who are either aged 10 to 14 years or are adults (18 years and over).<br />2. A study of the development of social intelligence in children. We are looking for children aged between 18 months and 3 years who have a diagnosis of HFA or specific language impairment. We will make observations whilst the children try some simple tasks. This study is based in Cambridge.<br />3. A genetic study of AS and HFA. You can take part in this one from the comfort of your own home! If you are an adult with AS or HFA or you are the parent of a child with one of these conditions, information about the genetic study should be enclosed.</p>
<p> For more information, contact Sally Wheelwright, Research Coordinator. Email: <a href="mailto:s.wheelwright@iop.kcl.ac.uk">s.wheelwright@iop.kcl.ac.uk</a><br />She can be reached at two addresses: Depts of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK. Tel: 01223 333550. Fax: 01223 333564<br />or Neuroimaging Research, ASB Bldg., 4 Windsor Walk, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park,<br />Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK. Tel: 020 7848<br />0424. Fax: 020 7848 0055</p>
<p>compiled by: Mary-Minn Sirag,<br />Kind Tree Board Member</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div>
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string(11904) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Autism Research Report, December 2000</p>
<p>Dear Kind Tree folks,<br />I have been participating in a study on autism that I ran into while journeying forth from Tim's trusty Kind Tree site. The study is being conducted by the Autism Research Centre, Departments of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB.</p>
<p>They responded to my e-mail with a series of questionnaires, which took me much less time to fill out than the test makers had predicted. Even so, I have always found multiple-choice (I sometimes call them "multiple-guess") tests tricky, especially when my answers are supposed to describe myself - or my perceptions of myself. I would have answered many of these questions differently even ten years ago, let alone at my most severely autistic, as a small child. For instance, I still was a head-banger back as recently as six years ago. Every question seems to have its own extenuating circumstances, furthermore, which can make it difficult to make only one choice. Furthermore, it is difficult not to read into these tests the answer they want, rather than an honest answer. My tendency is to overcompensate in the other direction. Just another example of how autists or at least I tend to look at themselves from the outside as well as the inside.<br />Soon, I shall be receiving a DNA test, which requires me to swab my mouth ever so gently with a cotton swab and return the (slobbery) swabette to them for DNA analysis. I have excerpted the following italicized information from their November, 2000, Cambridge Autism Research newsletter, which<br />they e-mailed to me. It covers some of the test results, plus some other items I found interesting:</p>
<p>1. The first multiple-choice test was called the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). This test, which quantifies the autism spectrum, has both clinical and research uses. Clinically, it helps to screen adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome. For research, it is useful for looking at how people differ at different points along the autism spectrum. The questionnaire has also added evidence to the very notion that there is a continuum of autism conditions. The results of the AQ study will appear in the<br />Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (JADD) next year.</p>
<p>2. The second test, the Cambridge Behavior Scale, measured Empathy Quotient (EQ). Autism is often described as an empathy disorder. And indeed, scores on the questionnaire indicated that people with Asperger's or high-functioning autism appear to be less empathic than people without these conditions. We are currently investigating the very concept of empathy further. The result<br />of this research will hopefully lead to useful training programs for people with Asperger¹s or High-Functioning Autism.</p>
<p>3. Cambridge University has recently opened a new clinic: the Cambridge Lifespan Asperger Syndrome Service (CLASS). This clinic offers a diagnostic assessment for adults who may have Asperger Syndrome (AS) or high functioning autism (HFA). It is part of the local NHS Trust (Lifespan), and a charitable grant allows assessments to be made free of charge. Referrals are via GPs.</p>
<p>4. Folk physics and folk psychology<br />In our last newsletter, we reported that the obsessions of children with autism were more likely to relate to how things work and less likely to be related to how people work. The Obsessions study was published last year in the British Journal of Psychiatry. We also told you about the 3 individuals with AS who were at or near the top of their engineering, computer or math-based professions, but still had problems with social communication. A paper on these findings was also published last year, in Neurocase. These two sets of results supported the idea that people with an autism spectrum condition have problems in folk<br />psychology (reasoning about the social world), but their folk physics skills (reasoning about the physical world) are as good if not better than non-autistic people. Recently, we have investigated this idea further by using new tests of folk physics and folk psychology with children who have AS. As predicted, the children found the folk psychology test difficult. However, their performance on the folk physics test was superior to children who do not have AS. Finding an area of cognition where people with an autism spectrum condition have a real strength is just as important for long-term research as finding areas of weaknesses. The results of this research will appear in the<br />Journal of Developmental and Learning Disorders next year.</p>
<p>5. "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" Test<br />Many of you may be aware of the "Eyes Test," which asks people to judge what emotion someone is experiencing just by looking at their eyes. This is an advanced test of (one aspect of) social intelligence. Women are generally better at this than men, and adults with autism spectrum conditions tend to find the task quite difficult. We have recently improved the test and made it even more challenging, so that it gives a more accurate indication of someone's social intelligence. This can be helpful in identifying people with quite subtle social difficulties. The results of this research will appear in the Journal of Child Psychology and<br />Psychiatry next year.</p>
<p>6. Newborn babies<br />In many of our experiments, we find that men tend to perform more similarly to people with an autism spectrum condition than women do. In other words, males tend to be better at folk physics tasks and women tend to be better at folk psychology tests. Undoubtedly, the difference<br />between males and females is partly due to environmental influences, but we were interested in whether there was any evidence of an innate difference between males and females.<br />We therefore studied 100 newborn babies in the Rosie Maternity Hospital, Cambridge, and found that boys showed a stronger interest in a mechanical mobile, whilst girls showed a stronger interest in a face. Of course these are group averages: some boys preferred the face and some girls preferred the mechanical mobile. Nevertheless, the overall pattern of results suggest that these differences in folk physics and folk psychology are partly innate. Hormones or genes might contribute to the differences in males and females.</p>
<p>7. The amygdala theory of autism and brain scanning<br />Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a brain scanning technique which allows us to look at which areas of the brain are being used when volunteers are carrying out different tasks. We used fMRI to show that one particular area of the brain, the amygdala, was not activated by adults with autism when they were doing the Eyes Test (see above), but it was activated by adults without autism. Other evidence, such as abnormal size and structure, also suggests that the amygdala is one of the brain structures<br />which is abnormal in people with autism. This research was published last year in the European Journal of Neuroscience. We are just starting some new fMRI studies which will test the amygdala theory of autism and are looking for volunteers to participate.<br />Further information is given in the New Research section below.</p>
<p>8. Autism and Tourette Syndrome<br />Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurological condition characterised by involuntary movements and vocalisations known as tics. Following reports that some children with autism also had TS, we investigated the rate of TS in children with autism. Nearly 500 children with autism were checked for TS. About a third of the children had some sort of tic and 6.5% actually had TS, much higher than would be expected by chance. This study appeared in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry last year.<br />This result is important for two reasons. Firstly, finding that a child with autism also has TS allows the child's pharmacological management to be reviewed. Alleviation of tics can help to improve quality of life. Even for children with mild TS, not needing medication, knowledge of the condition can help parents and teachers in their continuing support for the child.<br />The other important implication of the result is that it suggests that autism and TS may have some causal factors in common. These causal factors could be genes, abnormal brain chemicals, structural abnormalities in the brain, or some combination of these factors.</p>
<p>9. Testosterone and social communication<br />A final study to tell you about was carried out with the babies of mothers who had had an amniocentesis (amnio) during pregnancy. Amnios allow the doctor to analyse a range of chemicals from early in the pregnancy. We analysed the hormone testosterone produced by the baby. When these babies had their 1st birthday, they were invited to our lab and were videotaped during play with their parent. A surprising result, but in line with an old theory of brain development, was that the babies whose prenatal testosterone was highest made the least eye contact, and vice versa. This intriguing little clue about the role of a chemical in the development of sociability is something we are obviously following up for its possible relevance to autism.</p>
<p>10. New research<br />We currently have three major new projects, which are based in Cambridge, England.<br />1. An fMRI (brain scanning) study which will further investigate the amygdala theory of autism (see above). This study is based in Cambridge and London. We are looking for right-handed males who have AS or HFA, who are either aged 10 to 14 years or are adults (18 years and over).<br />2. A study of the development of social intelligence in children. We are looking for children aged between 18 months and 3 years who have a diagnosis of HFA or specific language impairment. We will make observations whilst the children try some simple tasks. This study is based in Cambridge.<br />3. A genetic study of AS and HFA. You can take part in this one from the comfort of your own home! If you are an adult with AS or HFA or you are the parent of a child with one of these conditions, information about the genetic study should be enclosed.</p>
<p> For more information, contact Sally Wheelwright, Research Coordinator. Email: <a href="mailto:s.wheelwright@iop.kcl.ac.uk">s.wheelwright@iop.kcl.ac.uk</a><br />She can be reached at two addresses: Depts of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK. Tel: 01223 333550. Fax: 01223 333564<br />or Neuroimaging Research, ASB Bldg., 4 Windsor Walk, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park,<br />Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK. Tel: 020 7848<br />0424. Fax: 020 7848 0055</p>
<p>compiled by: Mary-Minn Sirag,<br />Kind Tree Board Member</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div>
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array(9) {
["title"]=>
string(72) "Looking for parents who have more than one child on the autism spectrum."
["link"]=>
string(73) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineAutismCommunity/~3/iUw0U08QxPU/10999"
["description"]=>
string(2537) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>My name is Ilana Chilton and I am a second year graduate student in the Genetic Counseling program at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA. I am currently working on a Master’s Thesis project with a focus on autism, and am interested in understanding what it is like for a parent to receive a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder in more than one child. I am hoping that by collecting these stories, I will be able to educate genetic counselors and other health professionals about the experiences in families who have more than one child on the autism spectrum. Please see my Recruitment Notice below!</p>
<p>BRANDEIS MASTER'S THESIS PROJECT RECRUITMENT NOTICE:</p>
<p>Q. Are you a parent or caregiver with more than one child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?</p>
<p>If you answered YES, you have the opportunity to participate in a research study looking at parents’ experiences receiving an ASD diagnosis in more than one child.</p>
<p>Q. What will study participation involve?<br />
A one hour audiotaped face-to-face or telephone interview. All participants will receive a $25 gift card in appreciation of your time.</p>
<p>Q. When will the interviews take place?<br />
Interviews will take place during the month of February and will ideally be completed no later than February 29th, 2012.</p>
<p>If you are interested in participating in this study, please<br />
contact me by email at: <a href="mailto:ichilton@brandeis.edu">ichilton@brandeis.edu</a></p>
<p>I look forward to hearing from you!</p>
</div></div></div>
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["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:45:18 +0000"
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string(2537) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>My name is Ilana Chilton and I am a second year graduate student in the Genetic Counseling program at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA. I am currently working on a Master’s Thesis project with a focus on autism, and am interested in understanding what it is like for a parent to receive a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder in more than one child. I am hoping that by collecting these stories, I will be able to educate genetic counselors and other health professionals about the experiences in families who have more than one child on the autism spectrum. Please see my Recruitment Notice below!</p>
<p>BRANDEIS MASTER'S THESIS PROJECT RECRUITMENT NOTICE:</p>
<p>Q. Are you a parent or caregiver with more than one child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?</p>
<p>If you answered YES, you have the opportunity to participate in a research study looking at parents’ experiences receiving an ASD diagnosis in more than one child.</p>
<p>Q. What will study participation involve?<br />
A one hour audiotaped face-to-face or telephone interview. All participants will receive a $25 gift card in appreciation of your time.</p>
<p>Q. When will the interviews take place?<br />
Interviews will take place during the month of February and will ideally be completed no later than February 29th, 2012.</p>
<p>If you are interested in participating in this study, please<br />
contact me by email at: <a href="mailto:ichilton@brandeis.edu">ichilton@brandeis.edu</a></p>
<p>I look forward to hearing from you!</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/wQ-v6EIdcjIuDs5jRxtzOQQeGkI/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/wQ-v6EIdcjIuDs5jRxtzOQQeGkI/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
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[4]=>
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["title"]=>
string(27) "New Improved Autism Blogger"
["link"]=>
string(73) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineAutismCommunity/~3/n5RMIiggLs8/10998"
["description"]=>
string(1306) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I've been working very hard at upgrading Autism Blogger. You may notice a new look and feel, as well a much more simplified user interface. I got rid of quite a bit of clutter and made things as straight-forward as possible. Please let me know if you need help with this new version.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=n5RMIiggLs8:XrAm-yFeG_Q:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=n5RMIiggLs8:XrAm-yFeG_Q:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=n5RMIiggLs8:XrAm-yFeG_Q:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:46:57 +0000"
["dc"]=>
array(1) {
["creator"]=>
string(11) "Todd Fugere"
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["guid"]=>
string(35) "10998 at http://www.autism-blog.com"
["comments"]=>
string(46) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10998#comments"
["feedburner"]=>
array(1) {
["origlink"]=>
string(37) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10998"
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["summary"]=>
string(1306) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I've been working very hard at upgrading Autism Blogger. You may notice a new look and feel, as well a much more simplified user interface. I got rid of quite a bit of clutter and made things as straight-forward as possible. Please let me know if you need help with this new version.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=n5RMIiggLs8:XrAm-yFeG_Q:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=n5RMIiggLs8:XrAm-yFeG_Q:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=n5RMIiggLs8:XrAm-yFeG_Q:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
}
[5]=>
array(9) {
["title"]=>
string(17) "Playing with Toys"
["link"]=>
string(73) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineAutismCommunity/~3/t6C4NIKS18I/10995"
["description"]=>
string(1542) "<div class="field field-name-field-video field-type-youtube field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><iframe width="420"
height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/V-c50HNnPg0"
frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>This video for Real Look Autism.com shows us how a grandmother is using the "Imitate and Expand" strategy to play with her 2 1/2 year old grandson who is on the autism spectrum. He did not want to play with others and had few words.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=t6C4NIKS18I:0Ull7yrMbuM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=t6C4NIKS18I:0Ull7yrMbuM:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=t6C4NIKS18I:0Ull7yrMbuM:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:26:44 +0000"
["dc"]=>
array(1) {
["creator"]=>
string(11) "Todd Fugere"
}
["guid"]=>
string(35) "10995 at http://www.autism-blog.com"
["comments"]=>
string(46) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10995#comments"
["feedburner"]=>
array(1) {
["origlink"]=>
string(37) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10995"
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["summary"]=>
string(1542) "<div class="field field-name-field-video field-type-youtube field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><iframe width="420"
height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/V-c50HNnPg0"
frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>This video for Real Look Autism.com shows us how a grandmother is using the "Imitate and Expand" strategy to play with her 2 1/2 year old grandson who is on the autism spectrum. He did not want to play with others and had few words.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=t6C4NIKS18I:0Ull7yrMbuM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=t6C4NIKS18I:0Ull7yrMbuM:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=t6C4NIKS18I:0Ull7yrMbuM:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
}
[6]=>
array(9) {
["title"]=>
string(19) "The Faces of Autism"
["link"]=>
string(73) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineAutismCommunity/~3/LoNcW2EWh7s/10994"
["description"]=>
string(1409) "<div class="field field-name-field-video field-type-youtube field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><iframe width="420"
height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PnGJK48R6Ac"
frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Tribute to autistic son by his sister. Included are faces of other children on the autism spectrum.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=LoNcW2EWh7s:oWfyQ0fyVls:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=LoNcW2EWh7s:oWfyQ0fyVls:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=LoNcW2EWh7s:oWfyQ0fyVls:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:25:19 +0000"
["dc"]=>
array(1) {
["creator"]=>
string(11) "Todd Fugere"
}
["guid"]=>
string(35) "10994 at http://www.autism-blog.com"
["comments"]=>
string(46) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10994#comments"
["feedburner"]=>
array(1) {
["origlink"]=>
string(37) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10994"
}
["summary"]=>
string(1409) "<div class="field field-name-field-video field-type-youtube field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><iframe width="420"
height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PnGJK48R6Ac"
frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Tribute to autistic son by his sister. Included are faces of other children on the autism spectrum.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=LoNcW2EWh7s:oWfyQ0fyVls:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=LoNcW2EWh7s:oWfyQ0fyVls:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=LoNcW2EWh7s:oWfyQ0fyVls:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
}
[7]=>
array(9) {
["title"]=>
string(56) "HELP!!! >>> I FEAR MY UNDERSTANDING IS TOOOO LATE!!! <<<"
["link"]=>
string(73) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineAutismCommunity/~3/dR7MI6vcbbc/10990"
["description"]=>
string(6696) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I have just (in the last two weeks) realized what has mentally tortured my adult son all these years!!! ... When my daughter called & said mom, they have a specific diag. for Caden(who is 7) ... He has High Functioning Severe Autism Spectrum, I immediately began to recall the UNDIAGNOSED symptoms of my son(who is now 28). </p>
<p>I feel so BLESSED to at least now (even at this stage in my son's life) have the opportunity to recognize the immense burden he lives with & apologize to him before my life here is over! Because of the advancement in medical fields, my son-in-law & daughter will have a precious opportunity before them to make a positive difference in Caden's life! - Because they will UNDERSTAND how to help him!</p>
<p>Today I am 56 & yearn so desperately to go back when my only son was around 4 years old ... MY HEART HURTS for all of the times I sensed SOMETHING WAS JUST NOT RIGHT ... I trusted doctors, coaches, teachers ... but DENIED how I felt inside...(which was - there is something specific wrong because my little boy would NOT subject himself to certain behaviors on purpose without a reason!) I even questioned my pediatrician (was best of the best in Hixson) about his continued shaking of certain little toys...The team assured me that their daughter was doing exactlly the same thing & they felt it was nothing to focus on or worry about! I have wondererd a handful of times if that behavior meant anything for their daughter like it did for my son. :(</p>
<p>Anyways, they all gave generic diagnosis, adhd, dyslexia, visual-perceptual displasa, STILL, I did as I was encouraged to do -</p>
<p>I pressured him --- I pushed him --- I made the charts --- I was involved at every level of his public schooling --- then came 6th grade!!! </p>
<p> >>>> I FEEL I MADE THE BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER!!!
</p><p>I allowed the public school system to seperate him from the children that he had learned how to immitate and socialize with!!! </p>
<p>Although I was CLUELESS then (& so were the teachers & doctors) on what radically turned his world UPSIDE DOWN, I have just in the last two weeks (because of Caden's symptoms & diagnosis) realized how incredibly difficult it was for my son when I removed him from the class, the only comfortable contacts that he had adjusted himself to!!! </p>
<p>My son was labeled after intergrating him into special ed. & has N E V E R been the same! The great group of kids that he was socializing with, left him behind ONE by ONE! I watched as the year progressed and my son regressed!!! </p>
<p>HELPLESS, I was, ... as I witnessed something, SOMETHING happen right before my eyes!</p>
<p>By the begining of the next year his peers were all but history ... </p>
<p>I remember spending as much time with him as he would allow me to ... but, many of those times I would hammer him ... "Son, people love to be around you!" ... "Quit being so shy & make the first move to talk to other kids!" Deeper & Deeper I pushed him into a state of total withdrawal simply because of my lack of knowledge in how to help him. I remembering seeing him spend hours on end alone at such a fun & tender age! I even began to percieve his behavior as REBELLIOUS
</p><p>STILL, THERE WAS NO ONE TO UNDERSTAND!!! ... WHO HE WAS or WHERE HE WAS!</p>
<p>After the revelation of my grandson's diagnosis, I dove in head first hoping to identify some of the symptoms I vividly recall & those that are still present today ... sure enough, there he is ... DISCRIBED TO A TEE! I kept my feelings inside for a few days & then had to call my son. "I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU --- I AM BEGINING TO UNDERSTAND what you've been trying to tell me for the last 20 years!!!" My heart was grieved as I wept joyfully & said, "Son, I would be willing to go back in time & give up both my legs to be able to give you the UNDERSTANDING that you so desperately needed as a little boy! "Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me for letting you down when you needed me the most?"</p>
<p>The phone was silent but I knew he was there ... then I could almost, No, I'm sure of it ... I actually heard the relief in his tone say, but Mom, without your legs, who would have taken me fishing all those times!!! OMG!!! - WHAT A GIFT!!! - He opened the door (that he had closed years ago) simply because I am begining to UNDERSTAND WHO HE IS & WHERE HE IS!!!</p>
<p>I THANK GOD that my journey into recovering a real relationship with my precious son is simply linked to the ability to </p>
<p> UNDERSTANDING A REAL DIAGNOSIS!!!</p>
<p>That brings me to the reason for this blog. Is there more I can do to help him realize that his life is NOT spent. I'm afraid he will never reach out to anyone for advancing towards ways to help himself tolerate this dysfunction. Are there local avenues that I can help encourage him to take. Support groups perhaps with 20 to 30 or 40 year olds that have amazing ways to share that have helped them to overcome this world in which they live?</p>
<p>Oh, How Thankful I am ... that I know now what I didn't know then! ... jackie:) </p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zMph6-FVeCO093v_ssaMMQBy3N0/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zMph6-FVeCO093v_ssaMMQBy3N0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zMph6-FVeCO093v_ssaMMQBy3N0/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zMph6-FVeCO093v_ssaMMQBy3N0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=dR7MI6vcbbc:3mCDCr-EggM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=dR7MI6vcbbc:3mCDCr-EggM:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=dR7MI6vcbbc:3mCDCr-EggM:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:10:38 +0000"
["dc"]=>
array(1) {
["creator"]=>
string(8) "nannajpb"
}
["guid"]=>
string(35) "10990 at http://www.autism-blog.com"
["comments"]=>
string(46) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10990#comments"
["feedburner"]=>
array(1) {
["origlink"]=>
string(37) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10990"
}
["summary"]=>
string(6696) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I have just (in the last two weeks) realized what has mentally tortured my adult son all these years!!! ... When my daughter called & said mom, they have a specific diag. for Caden(who is 7) ... He has High Functioning Severe Autism Spectrum, I immediately began to recall the UNDIAGNOSED symptoms of my son(who is now 28). </p>
<p>I feel so BLESSED to at least now (even at this stage in my son's life) have the opportunity to recognize the immense burden he lives with & apologize to him before my life here is over! Because of the advancement in medical fields, my son-in-law & daughter will have a precious opportunity before them to make a positive difference in Caden's life! - Because they will UNDERSTAND how to help him!</p>
<p>Today I am 56 & yearn so desperately to go back when my only son was around 4 years old ... MY HEART HURTS for all of the times I sensed SOMETHING WAS JUST NOT RIGHT ... I trusted doctors, coaches, teachers ... but DENIED how I felt inside...(which was - there is something specific wrong because my little boy would NOT subject himself to certain behaviors on purpose without a reason!) I even questioned my pediatrician (was best of the best in Hixson) about his continued shaking of certain little toys...The team assured me that their daughter was doing exactlly the same thing & they felt it was nothing to focus on or worry about! I have wondererd a handful of times if that behavior meant anything for their daughter like it did for my son. :(</p>
<p>Anyways, they all gave generic diagnosis, adhd, dyslexia, visual-perceptual displasa, STILL, I did as I was encouraged to do -</p>
<p>I pressured him --- I pushed him --- I made the charts --- I was involved at every level of his public schooling --- then came 6th grade!!! </p>
<p> >>>> I FEEL I MADE THE BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER!!!
</p><p>I allowed the public school system to seperate him from the children that he had learned how to immitate and socialize with!!! </p>
<p>Although I was CLUELESS then (& so were the teachers & doctors) on what radically turned his world UPSIDE DOWN, I have just in the last two weeks (because of Caden's symptoms & diagnosis) realized how incredibly difficult it was for my son when I removed him from the class, the only comfortable contacts that he had adjusted himself to!!! </p>
<p>My son was labeled after intergrating him into special ed. & has N E V E R been the same! The great group of kids that he was socializing with, left him behind ONE by ONE! I watched as the year progressed and my son regressed!!! </p>
<p>HELPLESS, I was, ... as I witnessed something, SOMETHING happen right before my eyes!</p>
<p>By the begining of the next year his peers were all but history ... </p>
<p>I remember spending as much time with him as he would allow me to ... but, many of those times I would hammer him ... "Son, people love to be around you!" ... "Quit being so shy & make the first move to talk to other kids!" Deeper & Deeper I pushed him into a state of total withdrawal simply because of my lack of knowledge in how to help him. I remembering seeing him spend hours on end alone at such a fun & tender age! I even began to percieve his behavior as REBELLIOUS
</p><p>STILL, THERE WAS NO ONE TO UNDERSTAND!!! ... WHO HE WAS or WHERE HE WAS!</p>
<p>After the revelation of my grandson's diagnosis, I dove in head first hoping to identify some of the symptoms I vividly recall & those that are still present today ... sure enough, there he is ... DISCRIBED TO A TEE! I kept my feelings inside for a few days & then had to call my son. "I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU --- I AM BEGINING TO UNDERSTAND what you've been trying to tell me for the last 20 years!!!" My heart was grieved as I wept joyfully & said, "Son, I would be willing to go back in time & give up both my legs to be able to give you the UNDERSTANDING that you so desperately needed as a little boy! "Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me for letting you down when you needed me the most?"</p>
<p>The phone was silent but I knew he was there ... then I could almost, No, I'm sure of it ... I actually heard the relief in his tone say, but Mom, without your legs, who would have taken me fishing all those times!!! OMG!!! - WHAT A GIFT!!! - He opened the door (that he had closed years ago) simply because I am begining to UNDERSTAND WHO HE IS & WHERE HE IS!!!</p>
<p>I THANK GOD that my journey into recovering a real relationship with my precious son is simply linked to the ability to </p>
<p> UNDERSTANDING A REAL DIAGNOSIS!!!</p>
<p>That brings me to the reason for this blog. Is there more I can do to help him realize that his life is NOT spent. I'm afraid he will never reach out to anyone for advancing towards ways to help himself tolerate this dysfunction. Are there local avenues that I can help encourage him to take. Support groups perhaps with 20 to 30 or 40 year olds that have amazing ways to share that have helped them to overcome this world in which they live?</p>
<p>Oh, How Thankful I am ... that I know now what I didn't know then! ... jackie:) </p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zMph6-FVeCO093v_ssaMMQBy3N0/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zMph6-FVeCO093v_ssaMMQBy3N0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zMph6-FVeCO093v_ssaMMQBy3N0/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zMph6-FVeCO093v_ssaMMQBy3N0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=dR7MI6vcbbc:3mCDCr-EggM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=dR7MI6vcbbc:3mCDCr-EggM:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=dR7MI6vcbbc:3mCDCr-EggM:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
}
[8]=>
array(9) {
["title"]=>
string(21) "On Living With Autism"
["link"]=>
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string(6073) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>By Mary-Minn Sirag, October, 2000</p>
<p>I am basically a textbook autist. A stoical and aloof baby, I lost speech and regressed at about 18 months. I was diagnosed when I was a little over 2. When I was 3-1/2, my IQ was measured on several tests at 68. I sat up when I was almost two, learned to walk when I was about 4, and started to sputter words at 4-1/2 years.</p>
<p>Through a series of difficult but fortunate circumstances, I was mainstreamed through school, college and work. I "swore off" off autism when I was about 5, and pretended to be "normal."</p>
<p>Until I was about 11, I was fairly oblivious to pain, and often could not tell the difference between being sick and well, let alone how to articulate it. I was sick a lot.</p>
<p>I developed social skills by imitating people I admired or envied; then, by studying behavior. This was analytic, not instinctual.</p>
<p>Throughout my life, I have been watching myself from several angles, including how others are perceiving me. I watch myself from outside, as well as inside.<br />
As an autist, I have been preoccupied with the concept of "normality," as in "what is it?" I gave up being normal in my early teens but continued to be fascinated with the idea. I have developed a fair amount of empathy by trying to understand non-autistic being. I spent the greater part of my 20s checking out society's underbelly, testing and examining society's ideas of evil and flouting danger.</p>
<p>I started reading abnormal psychology books in 7th grade, starting with Freud's case studies on hysteria. I read these books, hoping for some kind of expiating insight into my condition. Eventually, more people were writing books on autism, which I devoured. Pop-psych books are my favorite junk reading.<br />
I am more a conceptual than procedural learner. For instance, I found trig easier than long division and double-entry bookkeeping. I have an aptitude for foreign languages and alphabets, perhaps because they have no procedures, just fairly well-defined rules and patterns. I am flummoxed by dance steps and complicated game rules. I do better improvising.</p>
<p>I am terrified by suddenness. The sound of a siren or a jackhammer penetrates my central nervous system directly, almost bypassing my ears. I freak out when I fall, drop or spill something, am confronted with something illogical to me, am confused or overwhelmed. I think my razor sharp reflexes are partly a compensatory mechanism. I often catch things, and myself, in mid air.</p>
<p>I am synesthetic, blending smell and taste with color, and sound, to a lesser extent. I have a "photographic" memory for taste and smell, but am quite aphasic visually. I remember a conversation but not a face until I have met a person several times. I learn kinesthetically, from the inside rather than through observation.<br />
It has taken me decades to learn to multitask, which I do, more or less, by dividing tasks into many small sequential ones. I do better with one final deadline I can maneuver around.</p>
<p>I need rules to be explicit, since many social cues often elude me. I read people poorly and can be slow to react, especially to something emotionally charged. I am more perceptive with the written page, and speak less cogently than I write.</p>
<p>I sometimes confuse small-talk and conversation, and can be obtuse about distinguishing between being helpful and meddlesome. Bemused by such subtle put-downs as "interesting," I am constantly parsing clichés for their real intentions and origins.</p>
<p>Although I have developed an excellent work ethic, it has come slowly and with difficulty, through assiduous philosophical and ethical analysis. I question rules and social constraints until I understand how I’ll benefit or affect the "common good." Being entirely self-motivated, I work better with loose boundaries than tight ones. I am leery of authority, including my own.</p>
<p>My freakouts feel more like seizures than temper outbursts. They frighten people until they learn that, left alone, I recover quite rapidly. SIBs help me release the electrical rage I feel without hurting anybody or anything. I recently weaned myself from head-banging, but I still bite, hit and cut my arm.<br />
I try to avoid raising my voice, as the consequent rage erupts into blinding anger. I do not indulge in road rage, not even swearing under my breath. Although emotional, I try to avoid expressing heavy emotions. I try to forgive or rationalize whatever wrong I see but cannot change.</p>
<p>I have spent much of my life figuring out where I "come in," afraid of being "found out." Only after I discovered Kind Tree this summer have I started to "come out" with my autism.</p>
<p>I consider my life after 4 years old to have been a reincarnation back into an abandoned vessel; then, a reconstruction of all that was lost during that first failed attempt before I jumped ship.</p>
<p>Retrieved from: <a href="http://www.kindtree.org/html/stim.html#102000">http://www.kindtree.org/html/stim.html#102000</a></p>
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["pubdate"]=>
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string(6073) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>By Mary-Minn Sirag, October, 2000</p>
<p>I am basically a textbook autist. A stoical and aloof baby, I lost speech and regressed at about 18 months. I was diagnosed when I was a little over 2. When I was 3-1/2, my IQ was measured on several tests at 68. I sat up when I was almost two, learned to walk when I was about 4, and started to sputter words at 4-1/2 years.</p>
<p>Through a series of difficult but fortunate circumstances, I was mainstreamed through school, college and work. I "swore off" off autism when I was about 5, and pretended to be "normal."</p>
<p>Until I was about 11, I was fairly oblivious to pain, and often could not tell the difference between being sick and well, let alone how to articulate it. I was sick a lot.</p>
<p>I developed social skills by imitating people I admired or envied; then, by studying behavior. This was analytic, not instinctual.</p>
<p>Throughout my life, I have been watching myself from several angles, including how others are perceiving me. I watch myself from outside, as well as inside.<br />
As an autist, I have been preoccupied with the concept of "normality," as in "what is it?" I gave up being normal in my early teens but continued to be fascinated with the idea. I have developed a fair amount of empathy by trying to understand non-autistic being. I spent the greater part of my 20s checking out society's underbelly, testing and examining society's ideas of evil and flouting danger.</p>
<p>I started reading abnormal psychology books in 7th grade, starting with Freud's case studies on hysteria. I read these books, hoping for some kind of expiating insight into my condition. Eventually, more people were writing books on autism, which I devoured. Pop-psych books are my favorite junk reading.<br />
I am more a conceptual than procedural learner. For instance, I found trig easier than long division and double-entry bookkeeping. I have an aptitude for foreign languages and alphabets, perhaps because they have no procedures, just fairly well-defined rules and patterns. I am flummoxed by dance steps and complicated game rules. I do better improvising.</p>
<p>I am terrified by suddenness. The sound of a siren or a jackhammer penetrates my central nervous system directly, almost bypassing my ears. I freak out when I fall, drop or spill something, am confronted with something illogical to me, am confused or overwhelmed. I think my razor sharp reflexes are partly a compensatory mechanism. I often catch things, and myself, in mid air.</p>
<p>I am synesthetic, blending smell and taste with color, and sound, to a lesser extent. I have a "photographic" memory for taste and smell, but am quite aphasic visually. I remember a conversation but not a face until I have met a person several times. I learn kinesthetically, from the inside rather than through observation.<br />
It has taken me decades to learn to multitask, which I do, more or less, by dividing tasks into many small sequential ones. I do better with one final deadline I can maneuver around.</p>
<p>I need rules to be explicit, since many social cues often elude me. I read people poorly and can be slow to react, especially to something emotionally charged. I am more perceptive with the written page, and speak less cogently than I write.</p>
<p>I sometimes confuse small-talk and conversation, and can be obtuse about distinguishing between being helpful and meddlesome. Bemused by such subtle put-downs as "interesting," I am constantly parsing clichés for their real intentions and origins.</p>
<p>Although I have developed an excellent work ethic, it has come slowly and with difficulty, through assiduous philosophical and ethical analysis. I question rules and social constraints until I understand how I’ll benefit or affect the "common good." Being entirely self-motivated, I work better with loose boundaries than tight ones. I am leery of authority, including my own.</p>
<p>My freakouts feel more like seizures than temper outbursts. They frighten people until they learn that, left alone, I recover quite rapidly. SIBs help me release the electrical rage I feel without hurting anybody or anything. I recently weaned myself from head-banging, but I still bite, hit and cut my arm.<br />
I try to avoid raising my voice, as the consequent rage erupts into blinding anger. I do not indulge in road rage, not even swearing under my breath. Although emotional, I try to avoid expressing heavy emotions. I try to forgive or rationalize whatever wrong I see but cannot change.</p>
<p>I have spent much of my life figuring out where I "come in," afraid of being "found out." Only after I discovered Kind Tree this summer have I started to "come out" with my autism.</p>
<p>I consider my life after 4 years old to have been a reincarnation back into an abandoned vessel; then, a reconstruction of all that was lost during that first failed attempt before I jumped ship.</p>
<p>Retrieved from: <a href="http://www.kindtree.org/html/stim.html#102000">http://www.kindtree.org/html/stim.html#102000</a></p>
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["title"]=>
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string(2529) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Dear Parent:</p>
<p>We are seeking volunteers to participate in a research study about what it’s like to grow up with a sibling who has autism. Do you meet the following requirements?</p>
<p>1. Are you the parent of at least two children?</p>
<p>2. Does one of your children have an autism spectrum disorder?</p>
<p>3. Does one of your children not have an autism spectrum disorder?</p>
<p>4. Is your child without autism between the ages of 8 and 18 years?</p>
<p>If so, please consider volunteering by clicking on the link below. The survey will take approximately 45 minutes to complete and may be taken at a computer of your choice that has internet access. The first part of the survey will be taken by you. The second part will be taken by your child that does not have an autism spectrum disorder.</p>
<p>If you would like to volunteer to take this survey, please click on <a href="https://www.psychdata.com/s.asp?SID=144893">https://www.psychdata.com/s.asp?SID=144893</a> and read the consent information at the beginning of the survey. We will not collect your name or that of your child. However, there is a potential risk of loss of confidentiality in all email, downloading, and internet transactions.</p>
<p>If you have any questions, please contact Kathy DeOrnellas, Ph.D., Principal Investigator at <a href="mailto:kdeornellasphd@gmail.com">kdeornellasphd@gmail.com</a> or 940-898-2315 at Texas Woman’s University.</p>
<p>Thank you,</p>
<p>Kathy DeOrnellas, Ph.D.</p>
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string(2529) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Dear Parent:</p>
<p>We are seeking volunteers to participate in a research study about what it’s like to grow up with a sibling who has autism. Do you meet the following requirements?</p>
<p>1. Are you the parent of at least two children?</p>
<p>2. Does one of your children have an autism spectrum disorder?</p>
<p>3. Does one of your children not have an autism spectrum disorder?</p>
<p>4. Is your child without autism between the ages of 8 and 18 years?</p>
<p>If so, please consider volunteering by clicking on the link below. The survey will take approximately 45 minutes to complete and may be taken at a computer of your choice that has internet access. The first part of the survey will be taken by you. The second part will be taken by your child that does not have an autism spectrum disorder.</p>
<p>If you would like to volunteer to take this survey, please click on <a href="https://www.psychdata.com/s.asp?SID=144893">https://www.psychdata.com/s.asp?SID=144893</a> and read the consent information at the beginning of the survey. We will not collect your name or that of your child. However, there is a potential risk of loss of confidentiality in all email, downloading, and internet transactions.</p>
<p>If you have any questions, please contact Kathy DeOrnellas, Ph.D., Principal Investigator at <a href="mailto:kdeornellasphd@gmail.com">kdeornellasphd@gmail.com</a> or 940-898-2315 at Texas Woman’s University.</p>
<p>Thank you,</p>
<p>Kathy DeOrnellas, Ph.D.</p>
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string(1342) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I am an auntie toa 8-yr old pdd boy. we have just retained full-time caregiving of him. we have many issues to work through and i'm wondering if anyone has a checklist to rate most important to least. with everything going on we are kind of losing track of whats most important and working from there. thank you</p>
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string(1342) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I am an auntie toa 8-yr old pdd boy. we have just retained full-time caregiving of him. we have many issues to work through and i'm wondering if anyone has a checklist to rate most important to least. with everything going on we are kind of losing track of whats most important and working from there. thank you</p>
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["description"]=>
string(2095) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Less than two weeks after a mom at the end of her rope killed her three year old autistic daughter:<br /><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-12-autistic-girl-killed_N.htm">http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-12-autistic-girl-killed_N.htm</a></p>
<p>Calumet City, Illinois police shoot and kill an autistic teen for threatening them with a butter knife:<br /><a href="http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/calumet-city/autistic-teen-dies-after-being-shot-by-cal-city-police/article_29244117-d226-5669-a8f0-3ed0f1a3a330.html">http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/calumet-city/autistic-teen-dies-after-being-shot-by-cal-city-police/article_29244117-d226-5669-a8f0-3ed0f1a3a330.html</a></p>
<p>It was their 10th call to the house to subdue the teen, who had a pattern of violent meltdowns that apparently his parents never learned to handle.</p>
<p>It seems clear to me that both these autistic children would be alive today, if we had better training and emotional support for parents in Illinois.</p>
<p>And likely the police as well.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/381huPTPeAWNnmb6uotPXBo3c9I/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/381huPTPeAWNnmb6uotPXBo3c9I/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
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["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:09:43 +0000"
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string(35) "11004 at http://www.autism-blog.com"
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string(2095) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Less than two weeks after a mom at the end of her rope killed her three year old autistic daughter:<br /><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-12-autistic-girl-killed_N.htm">http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-01-12-autistic-girl-killed_N.htm</a></p>
<p>Calumet City, Illinois police shoot and kill an autistic teen for threatening them with a butter knife:<br /><a href="http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/calumet-city/autistic-teen-dies-after-being-shot-by-cal-city-police/article_29244117-d226-5669-a8f0-3ed0f1a3a330.html">http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/illinois/calumet-city/autistic-teen-dies-after-being-shot-by-cal-city-police/article_29244117-d226-5669-a8f0-3ed0f1a3a330.html</a></p>
<p>It was their 10th call to the house to subdue the teen, who had a pattern of violent meltdowns that apparently his parents never learned to handle.</p>
<p>It seems clear to me that both these autistic children would be alive today, if we had better training and emotional support for parents in Illinois.</p>
<p>And likely the police as well.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/381huPTPeAWNnmb6uotPXBo3c9I/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/381huPTPeAWNnmb6uotPXBo3c9I/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
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["title"]=>
string(22) "Autism Research Report"
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string(73) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineAutismCommunity/~3/6vFQiKnecQg/11002"
["description"]=>
string(11904) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Autism Research Report, December 2000</p>
<p>Dear Kind Tree folks,<br />I have been participating in a study on autism that I ran into while journeying forth from Tim's trusty Kind Tree site. The study is being conducted by the Autism Research Centre, Departments of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB.</p>
<p>They responded to my e-mail with a series of questionnaires, which took me much less time to fill out than the test makers had predicted. Even so, I have always found multiple-choice (I sometimes call them "multiple-guess") tests tricky, especially when my answers are supposed to describe myself - or my perceptions of myself. I would have answered many of these questions differently even ten years ago, let alone at my most severely autistic, as a small child. For instance, I still was a head-banger back as recently as six years ago. Every question seems to have its own extenuating circumstances, furthermore, which can make it difficult to make only one choice. Furthermore, it is difficult not to read into these tests the answer they want, rather than an honest answer. My tendency is to overcompensate in the other direction. Just another example of how autists or at least I tend to look at themselves from the outside as well as the inside.<br />Soon, I shall be receiving a DNA test, which requires me to swab my mouth ever so gently with a cotton swab and return the (slobbery) swabette to them for DNA analysis. I have excerpted the following italicized information from their November, 2000, Cambridge Autism Research newsletter, which<br />they e-mailed to me. It covers some of the test results, plus some other items I found interesting:</p>
<p>1. The first multiple-choice test was called the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). This test, which quantifies the autism spectrum, has both clinical and research uses. Clinically, it helps to screen adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome. For research, it is useful for looking at how people differ at different points along the autism spectrum. The questionnaire has also added evidence to the very notion that there is a continuum of autism conditions. The results of the AQ study will appear in the<br />Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (JADD) next year.</p>
<p>2. The second test, the Cambridge Behavior Scale, measured Empathy Quotient (EQ). Autism is often described as an empathy disorder. And indeed, scores on the questionnaire indicated that people with Asperger's or high-functioning autism appear to be less empathic than people without these conditions. We are currently investigating the very concept of empathy further. The result<br />of this research will hopefully lead to useful training programs for people with Asperger¹s or High-Functioning Autism.</p>
<p>3. Cambridge University has recently opened a new clinic: the Cambridge Lifespan Asperger Syndrome Service (CLASS). This clinic offers a diagnostic assessment for adults who may have Asperger Syndrome (AS) or high functioning autism (HFA). It is part of the local NHS Trust (Lifespan), and a charitable grant allows assessments to be made free of charge. Referrals are via GPs.</p>
<p>4. Folk physics and folk psychology<br />In our last newsletter, we reported that the obsessions of children with autism were more likely to relate to how things work and less likely to be related to how people work. The Obsessions study was published last year in the British Journal of Psychiatry. We also told you about the 3 individuals with AS who were at or near the top of their engineering, computer or math-based professions, but still had problems with social communication. A paper on these findings was also published last year, in Neurocase. These two sets of results supported the idea that people with an autism spectrum condition have problems in folk<br />psychology (reasoning about the social world), but their folk physics skills (reasoning about the physical world) are as good if not better than non-autistic people. Recently, we have investigated this idea further by using new tests of folk physics and folk psychology with children who have AS. As predicted, the children found the folk psychology test difficult. However, their performance on the folk physics test was superior to children who do not have AS. Finding an area of cognition where people with an autism spectrum condition have a real strength is just as important for long-term research as finding areas of weaknesses. The results of this research will appear in the<br />Journal of Developmental and Learning Disorders next year.</p>
<p>5. "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" Test<br />Many of you may be aware of the "Eyes Test," which asks people to judge what emotion someone is experiencing just by looking at their eyes. This is an advanced test of (one aspect of) social intelligence. Women are generally better at this than men, and adults with autism spectrum conditions tend to find the task quite difficult. We have recently improved the test and made it even more challenging, so that it gives a more accurate indication of someone's social intelligence. This can be helpful in identifying people with quite subtle social difficulties. The results of this research will appear in the Journal of Child Psychology and<br />Psychiatry next year.</p>
<p>6. Newborn babies<br />In many of our experiments, we find that men tend to perform more similarly to people with an autism spectrum condition than women do. In other words, males tend to be better at folk physics tasks and women tend to be better at folk psychology tests. Undoubtedly, the difference<br />between males and females is partly due to environmental influences, but we were interested in whether there was any evidence of an innate difference between males and females.<br />We therefore studied 100 newborn babies in the Rosie Maternity Hospital, Cambridge, and found that boys showed a stronger interest in a mechanical mobile, whilst girls showed a stronger interest in a face. Of course these are group averages: some boys preferred the face and some girls preferred the mechanical mobile. Nevertheless, the overall pattern of results suggest that these differences in folk physics and folk psychology are partly innate. Hormones or genes might contribute to the differences in males and females.</p>
<p>7. The amygdala theory of autism and brain scanning<br />Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a brain scanning technique which allows us to look at which areas of the brain are being used when volunteers are carrying out different tasks. We used fMRI to show that one particular area of the brain, the amygdala, was not activated by adults with autism when they were doing the Eyes Test (see above), but it was activated by adults without autism. Other evidence, such as abnormal size and structure, also suggests that the amygdala is one of the brain structures<br />which is abnormal in people with autism. This research was published last year in the European Journal of Neuroscience. We are just starting some new fMRI studies which will test the amygdala theory of autism and are looking for volunteers to participate.<br />Further information is given in the New Research section below.</p>
<p>8. Autism and Tourette Syndrome<br />Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurological condition characterised by involuntary movements and vocalisations known as tics. Following reports that some children with autism also had TS, we investigated the rate of TS in children with autism. Nearly 500 children with autism were checked for TS. About a third of the children had some sort of tic and 6.5% actually had TS, much higher than would be expected by chance. This study appeared in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry last year.<br />This result is important for two reasons. Firstly, finding that a child with autism also has TS allows the child's pharmacological management to be reviewed. Alleviation of tics can help to improve quality of life. Even for children with mild TS, not needing medication, knowledge of the condition can help parents and teachers in their continuing support for the child.<br />The other important implication of the result is that it suggests that autism and TS may have some causal factors in common. These causal factors could be genes, abnormal brain chemicals, structural abnormalities in the brain, or some combination of these factors.</p>
<p>9. Testosterone and social communication<br />A final study to tell you about was carried out with the babies of mothers who had had an amniocentesis (amnio) during pregnancy. Amnios allow the doctor to analyse a range of chemicals from early in the pregnancy. We analysed the hormone testosterone produced by the baby. When these babies had their 1st birthday, they were invited to our lab and were videotaped during play with their parent. A surprising result, but in line with an old theory of brain development, was that the babies whose prenatal testosterone was highest made the least eye contact, and vice versa. This intriguing little clue about the role of a chemical in the development of sociability is something we are obviously following up for its possible relevance to autism.</p>
<p>10. New research<br />We currently have three major new projects, which are based in Cambridge, England.<br />1. An fMRI (brain scanning) study which will further investigate the amygdala theory of autism (see above). This study is based in Cambridge and London. We are looking for right-handed males who have AS or HFA, who are either aged 10 to 14 years or are adults (18 years and over).<br />2. A study of the development of social intelligence in children. We are looking for children aged between 18 months and 3 years who have a diagnosis of HFA or specific language impairment. We will make observations whilst the children try some simple tasks. This study is based in Cambridge.<br />3. A genetic study of AS and HFA. You can take part in this one from the comfort of your own home! If you are an adult with AS or HFA or you are the parent of a child with one of these conditions, information about the genetic study should be enclosed.</p>
<p> For more information, contact Sally Wheelwright, Research Coordinator. Email: <a href="mailto:s.wheelwright@iop.kcl.ac.uk">s.wheelwright@iop.kcl.ac.uk</a><br />She can be reached at two addresses: Depts of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK. Tel: 01223 333550. Fax: 01223 333564<br />or Neuroimaging Research, ASB Bldg., 4 Windsor Walk, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park,<br />Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK. Tel: 020 7848<br />0424. Fax: 020 7848 0055</p>
<p>compiled by: Mary-Minn Sirag,<br />Kind Tree Board Member</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/rizfo-NfbxcMH2Rm40FUFhM_pS8/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/rizfo-NfbxcMH2Rm40FUFhM_pS8/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
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["pubdate"]=>
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string(11904) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Autism Research Report, December 2000</p>
<p>Dear Kind Tree folks,<br />I have been participating in a study on autism that I ran into while journeying forth from Tim's trusty Kind Tree site. The study is being conducted by the Autism Research Centre, Departments of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB.</p>
<p>They responded to my e-mail with a series of questionnaires, which took me much less time to fill out than the test makers had predicted. Even so, I have always found multiple-choice (I sometimes call them "multiple-guess") tests tricky, especially when my answers are supposed to describe myself - or my perceptions of myself. I would have answered many of these questions differently even ten years ago, let alone at my most severely autistic, as a small child. For instance, I still was a head-banger back as recently as six years ago. Every question seems to have its own extenuating circumstances, furthermore, which can make it difficult to make only one choice. Furthermore, it is difficult not to read into these tests the answer they want, rather than an honest answer. My tendency is to overcompensate in the other direction. Just another example of how autists or at least I tend to look at themselves from the outside as well as the inside.<br />Soon, I shall be receiving a DNA test, which requires me to swab my mouth ever so gently with a cotton swab and return the (slobbery) swabette to them for DNA analysis. I have excerpted the following italicized information from their November, 2000, Cambridge Autism Research newsletter, which<br />they e-mailed to me. It covers some of the test results, plus some other items I found interesting:</p>
<p>1. The first multiple-choice test was called the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ). This test, which quantifies the autism spectrum, has both clinical and research uses. Clinically, it helps to screen adults with high-functioning autism or Asperger's Syndrome. For research, it is useful for looking at how people differ at different points along the autism spectrum. The questionnaire has also added evidence to the very notion that there is a continuum of autism conditions. The results of the AQ study will appear in the<br />Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders (JADD) next year.</p>
<p>2. The second test, the Cambridge Behavior Scale, measured Empathy Quotient (EQ). Autism is often described as an empathy disorder. And indeed, scores on the questionnaire indicated that people with Asperger's or high-functioning autism appear to be less empathic than people without these conditions. We are currently investigating the very concept of empathy further. The result<br />of this research will hopefully lead to useful training programs for people with Asperger¹s or High-Functioning Autism.</p>
<p>3. Cambridge University has recently opened a new clinic: the Cambridge Lifespan Asperger Syndrome Service (CLASS). This clinic offers a diagnostic assessment for adults who may have Asperger Syndrome (AS) or high functioning autism (HFA). It is part of the local NHS Trust (Lifespan), and a charitable grant allows assessments to be made free of charge. Referrals are via GPs.</p>
<p>4. Folk physics and folk psychology<br />In our last newsletter, we reported that the obsessions of children with autism were more likely to relate to how things work and less likely to be related to how people work. The Obsessions study was published last year in the British Journal of Psychiatry. We also told you about the 3 individuals with AS who were at or near the top of their engineering, computer or math-based professions, but still had problems with social communication. A paper on these findings was also published last year, in Neurocase. These two sets of results supported the idea that people with an autism spectrum condition have problems in folk<br />psychology (reasoning about the social world), but their folk physics skills (reasoning about the physical world) are as good if not better than non-autistic people. Recently, we have investigated this idea further by using new tests of folk physics and folk psychology with children who have AS. As predicted, the children found the folk psychology test difficult. However, their performance on the folk physics test was superior to children who do not have AS. Finding an area of cognition where people with an autism spectrum condition have a real strength is just as important for long-term research as finding areas of weaknesses. The results of this research will appear in the<br />Journal of Developmental and Learning Disorders next year.</p>
<p>5. "Reading the Mind in the Eyes" Test<br />Many of you may be aware of the "Eyes Test," which asks people to judge what emotion someone is experiencing just by looking at their eyes. This is an advanced test of (one aspect of) social intelligence. Women are generally better at this than men, and adults with autism spectrum conditions tend to find the task quite difficult. We have recently improved the test and made it even more challenging, so that it gives a more accurate indication of someone's social intelligence. This can be helpful in identifying people with quite subtle social difficulties. The results of this research will appear in the Journal of Child Psychology and<br />Psychiatry next year.</p>
<p>6. Newborn babies<br />In many of our experiments, we find that men tend to perform more similarly to people with an autism spectrum condition than women do. In other words, males tend to be better at folk physics tasks and women tend to be better at folk psychology tests. Undoubtedly, the difference<br />between males and females is partly due to environmental influences, but we were interested in whether there was any evidence of an innate difference between males and females.<br />We therefore studied 100 newborn babies in the Rosie Maternity Hospital, Cambridge, and found that boys showed a stronger interest in a mechanical mobile, whilst girls showed a stronger interest in a face. Of course these are group averages: some boys preferred the face and some girls preferred the mechanical mobile. Nevertheless, the overall pattern of results suggest that these differences in folk physics and folk psychology are partly innate. Hormones or genes might contribute to the differences in males and females.</p>
<p>7. The amygdala theory of autism and brain scanning<br />Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a brain scanning technique which allows us to look at which areas of the brain are being used when volunteers are carrying out different tasks. We used fMRI to show that one particular area of the brain, the amygdala, was not activated by adults with autism when they were doing the Eyes Test (see above), but it was activated by adults without autism. Other evidence, such as abnormal size and structure, also suggests that the amygdala is one of the brain structures<br />which is abnormal in people with autism. This research was published last year in the European Journal of Neuroscience. We are just starting some new fMRI studies which will test the amygdala theory of autism and are looking for volunteers to participate.<br />Further information is given in the New Research section below.</p>
<p>8. Autism and Tourette Syndrome<br />Tourette Syndrome (TS) is a neurological condition characterised by involuntary movements and vocalisations known as tics. Following reports that some children with autism also had TS, we investigated the rate of TS in children with autism. Nearly 500 children with autism were checked for TS. About a third of the children had some sort of tic and 6.5% actually had TS, much higher than would be expected by chance. This study appeared in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry last year.<br />This result is important for two reasons. Firstly, finding that a child with autism also has TS allows the child's pharmacological management to be reviewed. Alleviation of tics can help to improve quality of life. Even for children with mild TS, not needing medication, knowledge of the condition can help parents and teachers in their continuing support for the child.<br />The other important implication of the result is that it suggests that autism and TS may have some causal factors in common. These causal factors could be genes, abnormal brain chemicals, structural abnormalities in the brain, or some combination of these factors.</p>
<p>9. Testosterone and social communication<br />A final study to tell you about was carried out with the babies of mothers who had had an amniocentesis (amnio) during pregnancy. Amnios allow the doctor to analyse a range of chemicals from early in the pregnancy. We analysed the hormone testosterone produced by the baby. When these babies had their 1st birthday, they were invited to our lab and were videotaped during play with their parent. A surprising result, but in line with an old theory of brain development, was that the babies whose prenatal testosterone was highest made the least eye contact, and vice versa. This intriguing little clue about the role of a chemical in the development of sociability is something we are obviously following up for its possible relevance to autism.</p>
<p>10. New research<br />We currently have three major new projects, which are based in Cambridge, England.<br />1. An fMRI (brain scanning) study which will further investigate the amygdala theory of autism (see above). This study is based in Cambridge and London. We are looking for right-handed males who have AS or HFA, who are either aged 10 to 14 years or are adults (18 years and over).<br />2. A study of the development of social intelligence in children. We are looking for children aged between 18 months and 3 years who have a diagnosis of HFA or specific language impairment. We will make observations whilst the children try some simple tasks. This study is based in Cambridge.<br />3. A genetic study of AS and HFA. You can take part in this one from the comfort of your own home! If you are an adult with AS or HFA or you are the parent of a child with one of these conditions, information about the genetic study should be enclosed.</p>
<p> For more information, contact Sally Wheelwright, Research Coordinator. Email: <a href="mailto:s.wheelwright@iop.kcl.ac.uk">s.wheelwright@iop.kcl.ac.uk</a><br />She can be reached at two addresses: Depts of Experimental Psychology and Psychiatry, Autism Research Centre, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, UK. Tel: 01223 333550. Fax: 01223 333564<br />or Neuroimaging Research, ASB Bldg., 4 Windsor Walk, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park,<br />Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF, UK. Tel: 020 7848<br />0424. Fax: 020 7848 0055</p>
<p>compiled by: Mary-Minn Sirag,<br />Kind Tree Board Member</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/rizfo-NfbxcMH2Rm40FUFhM_pS8/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/rizfo-NfbxcMH2Rm40FUFhM_pS8/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
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[3]=>
array(9) {
["title"]=>
string(72) "Looking for parents who have more than one child on the autism spectrum."
["link"]=>
string(73) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineAutismCommunity/~3/iUw0U08QxPU/10999"
["description"]=>
string(2537) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>My name is Ilana Chilton and I am a second year graduate student in the Genetic Counseling program at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA. I am currently working on a Master’s Thesis project with a focus on autism, and am interested in understanding what it is like for a parent to receive a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder in more than one child. I am hoping that by collecting these stories, I will be able to educate genetic counselors and other health professionals about the experiences in families who have more than one child on the autism spectrum. Please see my Recruitment Notice below!</p>
<p>BRANDEIS MASTER'S THESIS PROJECT RECRUITMENT NOTICE:</p>
<p>Q. Are you a parent or caregiver with more than one child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?</p>
<p>If you answered YES, you have the opportunity to participate in a research study looking at parents’ experiences receiving an ASD diagnosis in more than one child.</p>
<p>Q. What will study participation involve?<br />
A one hour audiotaped face-to-face or telephone interview. All participants will receive a $25 gift card in appreciation of your time.</p>
<p>Q. When will the interviews take place?<br />
Interviews will take place during the month of February and will ideally be completed no later than February 29th, 2012.</p>
<p>If you are interested in participating in this study, please<br />
contact me by email at: <a href="mailto:ichilton@brandeis.edu">ichilton@brandeis.edu</a></p>
<p>I look forward to hearing from you!</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/wQ-v6EIdcjIuDs5jRxtzOQQeGkI/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/wQ-v6EIdcjIuDs5jRxtzOQQeGkI/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/wQ-v6EIdcjIuDs5jRxtzOQQeGkI/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/wQ-v6EIdcjIuDs5jRxtzOQQeGkI/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=iUw0U08QxPU:dTnH6Yfzo3I:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=iUw0U08QxPU:dTnH6Yfzo3I:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=iUw0U08QxPU:dTnH6Yfzo3I:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:45:18 +0000"
["dc"]=>
array(1) {
["creator"]=>
string(8) "ichilton"
}
["guid"]=>
string(35) "10999 at http://www.autism-blog.com"
["comments"]=>
string(46) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10999#comments"
["feedburner"]=>
array(1) {
["origlink"]=>
string(37) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10999"
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["summary"]=>
string(2537) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>My name is Ilana Chilton and I am a second year graduate student in the Genetic Counseling program at Brandeis University in Waltham, MA. I am currently working on a Master’s Thesis project with a focus on autism, and am interested in understanding what it is like for a parent to receive a diagnosis of an autism spectrum disorder in more than one child. I am hoping that by collecting these stories, I will be able to educate genetic counselors and other health professionals about the experiences in families who have more than one child on the autism spectrum. Please see my Recruitment Notice below!</p>
<p>BRANDEIS MASTER'S THESIS PROJECT RECRUITMENT NOTICE:</p>
<p>Q. Are you a parent or caregiver with more than one child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?</p>
<p>If you answered YES, you have the opportunity to participate in a research study looking at parents’ experiences receiving an ASD diagnosis in more than one child.</p>
<p>Q. What will study participation involve?<br />
A one hour audiotaped face-to-face or telephone interview. All participants will receive a $25 gift card in appreciation of your time.</p>
<p>Q. When will the interviews take place?<br />
Interviews will take place during the month of February and will ideally be completed no later than February 29th, 2012.</p>
<p>If you are interested in participating in this study, please<br />
contact me by email at: <a href="mailto:ichilton@brandeis.edu">ichilton@brandeis.edu</a></p>
<p>I look forward to hearing from you!</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/wQ-v6EIdcjIuDs5jRxtzOQQeGkI/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/wQ-v6EIdcjIuDs5jRxtzOQQeGkI/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/wQ-v6EIdcjIuDs5jRxtzOQQeGkI/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/wQ-v6EIdcjIuDs5jRxtzOQQeGkI/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=iUw0U08QxPU:dTnH6Yfzo3I:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=iUw0U08QxPU:dTnH6Yfzo3I:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=iUw0U08QxPU:dTnH6Yfzo3I:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
}
[4]=>
array(9) {
["title"]=>
string(27) "New Improved Autism Blogger"
["link"]=>
string(73) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineAutismCommunity/~3/n5RMIiggLs8/10998"
["description"]=>
string(1306) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I've been working very hard at upgrading Autism Blogger. You may notice a new look and feel, as well a much more simplified user interface. I got rid of quite a bit of clutter and made things as straight-forward as possible. Please let me know if you need help with this new version.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=n5RMIiggLs8:XrAm-yFeG_Q:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=n5RMIiggLs8:XrAm-yFeG_Q:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=n5RMIiggLs8:XrAm-yFeG_Q:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Wed, 01 Feb 2012 19:46:57 +0000"
["dc"]=>
array(1) {
["creator"]=>
string(11) "Todd Fugere"
}
["guid"]=>
string(35) "10998 at http://www.autism-blog.com"
["comments"]=>
string(46) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10998#comments"
["feedburner"]=>
array(1) {
["origlink"]=>
string(37) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10998"
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["summary"]=>
string(1306) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I've been working very hard at upgrading Autism Blogger. You may notice a new look and feel, as well a much more simplified user interface. I got rid of quite a bit of clutter and made things as straight-forward as possible. Please let me know if you need help with this new version.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/JvMnC3vRflF6SX3I1E0z6QK38k0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=n5RMIiggLs8:XrAm-yFeG_Q:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=n5RMIiggLs8:XrAm-yFeG_Q:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=n5RMIiggLs8:XrAm-yFeG_Q:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
}
[5]=>
array(9) {
["title"]=>
string(17) "Playing with Toys"
["link"]=>
string(73) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineAutismCommunity/~3/t6C4NIKS18I/10995"
["description"]=>
string(1542) "<div class="field field-name-field-video field-type-youtube field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><iframe width="420"
height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/V-c50HNnPg0"
frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>This video for Real Look Autism.com shows us how a grandmother is using the "Imitate and Expand" strategy to play with her 2 1/2 year old grandson who is on the autism spectrum. He did not want to play with others and had few words.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=t6C4NIKS18I:0Ull7yrMbuM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=t6C4NIKS18I:0Ull7yrMbuM:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=t6C4NIKS18I:0Ull7yrMbuM:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:26:44 +0000"
["dc"]=>
array(1) {
["creator"]=>
string(11) "Todd Fugere"
}
["guid"]=>
string(35) "10995 at http://www.autism-blog.com"
["comments"]=>
string(46) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10995#comments"
["feedburner"]=>
array(1) {
["origlink"]=>
string(37) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10995"
}
["summary"]=>
string(1542) "<div class="field field-name-field-video field-type-youtube field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><iframe width="420"
height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/V-c50HNnPg0"
frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>This video for Real Look Autism.com shows us how a grandmother is using the "Imitate and Expand" strategy to play with her 2 1/2 year old grandson who is on the autism spectrum. He did not want to play with others and had few words.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/8tsKePBhpcFhvZCeKIJ2t3tsU7c/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=t6C4NIKS18I:0Ull7yrMbuM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=t6C4NIKS18I:0Ull7yrMbuM:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=t6C4NIKS18I:0Ull7yrMbuM:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
}
[6]=>
array(9) {
["title"]=>
string(19) "The Faces of Autism"
["link"]=>
string(73) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineAutismCommunity/~3/LoNcW2EWh7s/10994"
["description"]=>
string(1409) "<div class="field field-name-field-video field-type-youtube field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><iframe width="420"
height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PnGJK48R6Ac"
frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Tribute to autistic son by his sister. Included are faces of other children on the autism spectrum.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=LoNcW2EWh7s:oWfyQ0fyVls:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=LoNcW2EWh7s:oWfyQ0fyVls:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=LoNcW2EWh7s:oWfyQ0fyVls:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:25:19 +0000"
["dc"]=>
array(1) {
["creator"]=>
string(11) "Todd Fugere"
}
["guid"]=>
string(35) "10994 at http://www.autism-blog.com"
["comments"]=>
string(46) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10994#comments"
["feedburner"]=>
array(1) {
["origlink"]=>
string(37) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10994"
}
["summary"]=>
string(1409) "<div class="field field-name-field-video field-type-youtube field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><iframe width="420"
height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PnGJK48R6Ac"
frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Tribute to autistic son by his sister. Included are faces of other children on the autism spectrum.</p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/E79NEWZ1HXMSpJYfeK9D22DJmIY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=LoNcW2EWh7s:oWfyQ0fyVls:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=LoNcW2EWh7s:oWfyQ0fyVls:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=LoNcW2EWh7s:oWfyQ0fyVls:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
}
[7]=>
array(9) {
["title"]=>
string(56) "HELP!!! >>> I FEAR MY UNDERSTANDING IS TOOOO LATE!!! <<<"
["link"]=>
string(73) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineAutismCommunity/~3/dR7MI6vcbbc/10990"
["description"]=>
string(6696) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I have just (in the last two weeks) realized what has mentally tortured my adult son all these years!!! ... When my daughter called & said mom, they have a specific diag. for Caden(who is 7) ... He has High Functioning Severe Autism Spectrum, I immediately began to recall the UNDIAGNOSED symptoms of my son(who is now 28). </p>
<p>I feel so BLESSED to at least now (even at this stage in my son's life) have the opportunity to recognize the immense burden he lives with & apologize to him before my life here is over! Because of the advancement in medical fields, my son-in-law & daughter will have a precious opportunity before them to make a positive difference in Caden's life! - Because they will UNDERSTAND how to help him!</p>
<p>Today I am 56 & yearn so desperately to go back when my only son was around 4 years old ... MY HEART HURTS for all of the times I sensed SOMETHING WAS JUST NOT RIGHT ... I trusted doctors, coaches, teachers ... but DENIED how I felt inside...(which was - there is something specific wrong because my little boy would NOT subject himself to certain behaviors on purpose without a reason!) I even questioned my pediatrician (was best of the best in Hixson) about his continued shaking of certain little toys...The team assured me that their daughter was doing exactlly the same thing & they felt it was nothing to focus on or worry about! I have wondererd a handful of times if that behavior meant anything for their daughter like it did for my son. :(</p>
<p>Anyways, they all gave generic diagnosis, adhd, dyslexia, visual-perceptual displasa, STILL, I did as I was encouraged to do -</p>
<p>I pressured him --- I pushed him --- I made the charts --- I was involved at every level of his public schooling --- then came 6th grade!!! </p>
<p> >>>> I FEEL I MADE THE BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER!!!
</p><p>I allowed the public school system to seperate him from the children that he had learned how to immitate and socialize with!!! </p>
<p>Although I was CLUELESS then (& so were the teachers & doctors) on what radically turned his world UPSIDE DOWN, I have just in the last two weeks (because of Caden's symptoms & diagnosis) realized how incredibly difficult it was for my son when I removed him from the class, the only comfortable contacts that he had adjusted himself to!!! </p>
<p>My son was labeled after intergrating him into special ed. & has N E V E R been the same! The great group of kids that he was socializing with, left him behind ONE by ONE! I watched as the year progressed and my son regressed!!! </p>
<p>HELPLESS, I was, ... as I witnessed something, SOMETHING happen right before my eyes!</p>
<p>By the begining of the next year his peers were all but history ... </p>
<p>I remember spending as much time with him as he would allow me to ... but, many of those times I would hammer him ... "Son, people love to be around you!" ... "Quit being so shy & make the first move to talk to other kids!" Deeper & Deeper I pushed him into a state of total withdrawal simply because of my lack of knowledge in how to help him. I remembering seeing him spend hours on end alone at such a fun & tender age! I even began to percieve his behavior as REBELLIOUS
</p><p>STILL, THERE WAS NO ONE TO UNDERSTAND!!! ... WHO HE WAS or WHERE HE WAS!</p>
<p>After the revelation of my grandson's diagnosis, I dove in head first hoping to identify some of the symptoms I vividly recall & those that are still present today ... sure enough, there he is ... DISCRIBED TO A TEE! I kept my feelings inside for a few days & then had to call my son. "I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU --- I AM BEGINING TO UNDERSTAND what you've been trying to tell me for the last 20 years!!!" My heart was grieved as I wept joyfully & said, "Son, I would be willing to go back in time & give up both my legs to be able to give you the UNDERSTANDING that you so desperately needed as a little boy! "Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me for letting you down when you needed me the most?"</p>
<p>The phone was silent but I knew he was there ... then I could almost, No, I'm sure of it ... I actually heard the relief in his tone say, but Mom, without your legs, who would have taken me fishing all those times!!! OMG!!! - WHAT A GIFT!!! - He opened the door (that he had closed years ago) simply because I am begining to UNDERSTAND WHO HE IS & WHERE HE IS!!!</p>
<p>I THANK GOD that my journey into recovering a real relationship with my precious son is simply linked to the ability to </p>
<p> UNDERSTANDING A REAL DIAGNOSIS!!!</p>
<p>That brings me to the reason for this blog. Is there more I can do to help him realize that his life is NOT spent. I'm afraid he will never reach out to anyone for advancing towards ways to help himself tolerate this dysfunction. Are there local avenues that I can help encourage him to take. Support groups perhaps with 20 to 30 or 40 year olds that have amazing ways to share that have helped them to overcome this world in which they live?</p>
<p>Oh, How Thankful I am ... that I know now what I didn't know then! ... jackie:) </p>
</div></div></div>
<p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zMph6-FVeCO093v_ssaMMQBy3N0/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zMph6-FVeCO093v_ssaMMQBy3N0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/>
<a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zMph6-FVeCO093v_ssaMMQBy3N0/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/zMph6-FVeCO093v_ssaMMQBy3N0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><div class="feedflare">
<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=dR7MI6vcbbc:3mCDCr-EggM:yIl2AUoC8zA"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0"></img></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?a=dR7MI6vcbbc:3mCDCr-EggM:gIN9vFwOqvQ"><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/OnlineAutismCommunity?i=dR7MI6vcbbc:3mCDCr-EggM:gIN9vFwOqvQ" border="0"></img></a>
</div>"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:10:38 +0000"
["dc"]=>
array(1) {
["creator"]=>
string(8) "nannajpb"
}
["guid"]=>
string(35) "10990 at http://www.autism-blog.com"
["comments"]=>
string(46) "http://www.autism-blog.com/node/10990#comments"
["feedburner"]=>
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["summary"]=>
string(6696) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I have just (in the last two weeks) realized what has mentally tortured my adult son all these years!!! ... When my daughter called & said mom, they have a specific diag. for Caden(who is 7) ... He has High Functioning Severe Autism Spectrum, I immediately began to recall the UNDIAGNOSED symptoms of my son(who is now 28). </p>
<p>I feel so BLESSED to at least now (even at this stage in my son's life) have the opportunity to recognize the immense burden he lives with & apologize to him before my life here is over! Because of the advancement in medical fields, my son-in-law & daughter will have a precious opportunity before them to make a positive difference in Caden's life! - Because they will UNDERSTAND how to help him!</p>
<p>Today I am 56 & yearn so desperately to go back when my only son was around 4 years old ... MY HEART HURTS for all of the times I sensed SOMETHING WAS JUST NOT RIGHT ... I trusted doctors, coaches, teachers ... but DENIED how I felt inside...(which was - there is something specific wrong because my little boy would NOT subject himself to certain behaviors on purpose without a reason!) I even questioned my pediatrician (was best of the best in Hixson) about his continued shaking of certain little toys...The team assured me that their daughter was doing exactlly the same thing & they felt it was nothing to focus on or worry about! I have wondererd a handful of times if that behavior meant anything for their daughter like it did for my son. :(</p>
<p>Anyways, they all gave generic diagnosis, adhd, dyslexia, visual-perceptual displasa, STILL, I did as I was encouraged to do -</p>
<p>I pressured him --- I pushed him --- I made the charts --- I was involved at every level of his public schooling --- then came 6th grade!!! </p>
<p> >>>> I FEEL I MADE THE BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER!!!
</p><p>I allowed the public school system to seperate him from the children that he had learned how to immitate and socialize with!!! </p>
<p>Although I was CLUELESS then (& so were the teachers & doctors) on what radically turned his world UPSIDE DOWN, I have just in the last two weeks (because of Caden's symptoms & diagnosis) realized how incredibly difficult it was for my son when I removed him from the class, the only comfortable contacts that he had adjusted himself to!!! </p>
<p>My son was labeled after intergrating him into special ed. & has N E V E R been the same! The great group of kids that he was socializing with, left him behind ONE by ONE! I watched as the year progressed and my son regressed!!! </p>
<p>HELPLESS, I was, ... as I witnessed something, SOMETHING happen right before my eyes!</p>
<p>By the begining of the next year his peers were all but history ... </p>
<p>I remember spending as much time with him as he would allow me to ... but, many of those times I would hammer him ... "Son, people love to be around you!" ... "Quit being so shy & make the first move to talk to other kids!" Deeper & Deeper I pushed him into a state of total withdrawal simply because of my lack of knowledge in how to help him. I remembering seeing him spend hours on end alone at such a fun & tender age! I even began to percieve his behavior as REBELLIOUS
</p><p>STILL, THERE WAS NO ONE TO UNDERSTAND!!! ... WHO HE WAS or WHERE HE WAS!</p>
<p>After the revelation of my grandson's diagnosis, I dove in head first hoping to identify some of the symptoms I vividly recall & those that are still present today ... sure enough, there he is ... DISCRIBED TO A TEE! I kept my feelings inside for a few days & then had to call my son. "I HAVE SOMETHING TO TELL YOU --- I AM BEGINING TO UNDERSTAND what you've been trying to tell me for the last 20 years!!!" My heart was grieved as I wept joyfully & said, "Son, I would be willing to go back in time & give up both my legs to be able to give you the UNDERSTANDING that you so desperately needed as a little boy! "Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me for letting you down when you needed me the most?"</p>
<p>The phone was silent but I knew he was there ... then I could almost, No, I'm sure of it ... I actually heard the relief in his tone say, but Mom, without your legs, who would have taken me fishing all those times!!! OMG!!! - WHAT A GIFT!!! - He opened the door (that he had closed years ago) simply because I am begining to UNDERSTAND WHO HE IS & WHERE HE IS!!!</p>
<p>I THANK GOD that my journey into recovering a real relationship with my precious son is simply linked to the ability to </p>
<p> UNDERSTANDING A REAL DIAGNOSIS!!!</p>
<p>That brings me to the reason for this blog. Is there more I can do to help him realize that his life is NOT spent. I'm afraid he will never reach out to anyone for advancing towards ways to help himself tolerate this dysfunction. Are there local avenues that I can help encourage him to take. Support groups perhaps with 20 to 30 or 40 year olds that have amazing ways to share that have helped them to overcome this world in which they live?</p>
<p>Oh, How Thankful I am ... that I know now what I didn't know then! ... jackie:) </p>
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["title"]=>
string(21) "On Living With Autism"
["link"]=>
string(83) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineAutismCommunity/~3/vphBNnfZ65w/living-autism-1"
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string(6073) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>By Mary-Minn Sirag, October, 2000</p>
<p>I am basically a textbook autist. A stoical and aloof baby, I lost speech and regressed at about 18 months. I was diagnosed when I was a little over 2. When I was 3-1/2, my IQ was measured on several tests at 68. I sat up when I was almost two, learned to walk when I was about 4, and started to sputter words at 4-1/2 years.</p>
<p>Through a series of difficult but fortunate circumstances, I was mainstreamed through school, college and work. I "swore off" off autism when I was about 5, and pretended to be "normal."</p>
<p>Until I was about 11, I was fairly oblivious to pain, and often could not tell the difference between being sick and well, let alone how to articulate it. I was sick a lot.</p>
<p>I developed social skills by imitating people I admired or envied; then, by studying behavior. This was analytic, not instinctual.</p>
<p>Throughout my life, I have been watching myself from several angles, including how others are perceiving me. I watch myself from outside, as well as inside.<br />
As an autist, I have been preoccupied with the concept of "normality," as in "what is it?" I gave up being normal in my early teens but continued to be fascinated with the idea. I have developed a fair amount of empathy by trying to understand non-autistic being. I spent the greater part of my 20s checking out society's underbelly, testing and examining society's ideas of evil and flouting danger.</p>
<p>I started reading abnormal psychology books in 7th grade, starting with Freud's case studies on hysteria. I read these books, hoping for some kind of expiating insight into my condition. Eventually, more people were writing books on autism, which I devoured. Pop-psych books are my favorite junk reading.<br />
I am more a conceptual than procedural learner. For instance, I found trig easier than long division and double-entry bookkeeping. I have an aptitude for foreign languages and alphabets, perhaps because they have no procedures, just fairly well-defined rules and patterns. I am flummoxed by dance steps and complicated game rules. I do better improvising.</p>
<p>I am terrified by suddenness. The sound of a siren or a jackhammer penetrates my central nervous system directly, almost bypassing my ears. I freak out when I fall, drop or spill something, am confronted with something illogical to me, am confused or overwhelmed. I think my razor sharp reflexes are partly a compensatory mechanism. I often catch things, and myself, in mid air.</p>
<p>I am synesthetic, blending smell and taste with color, and sound, to a lesser extent. I have a "photographic" memory for taste and smell, but am quite aphasic visually. I remember a conversation but not a face until I have met a person several times. I learn kinesthetically, from the inside rather than through observation.<br />
It has taken me decades to learn to multitask, which I do, more or less, by dividing tasks into many small sequential ones. I do better with one final deadline I can maneuver around.</p>
<p>I need rules to be explicit, since many social cues often elude me. I read people poorly and can be slow to react, especially to something emotionally charged. I am more perceptive with the written page, and speak less cogently than I write.</p>
<p>I sometimes confuse small-talk and conversation, and can be obtuse about distinguishing between being helpful and meddlesome. Bemused by such subtle put-downs as "interesting," I am constantly parsing clichés for their real intentions and origins.</p>
<p>Although I have developed an excellent work ethic, it has come slowly and with difficulty, through assiduous philosophical and ethical analysis. I question rules and social constraints until I understand how I’ll benefit or affect the "common good." Being entirely self-motivated, I work better with loose boundaries than tight ones. I am leery of authority, including my own.</p>
<p>My freakouts feel more like seizures than temper outbursts. They frighten people until they learn that, left alone, I recover quite rapidly. SIBs help me release the electrical rage I feel without hurting anybody or anything. I recently weaned myself from head-banging, but I still bite, hit and cut my arm.<br />
I try to avoid raising my voice, as the consequent rage erupts into blinding anger. I do not indulge in road rage, not even swearing under my breath. Although emotional, I try to avoid expressing heavy emotions. I try to forgive or rationalize whatever wrong I see but cannot change.</p>
<p>I have spent much of my life figuring out where I "come in," afraid of being "found out." Only after I discovered Kind Tree this summer have I started to "come out" with my autism.</p>
<p>I consider my life after 4 years old to have been a reincarnation back into an abandoned vessel; then, a reconstruction of all that was lost during that first failed attempt before I jumped ship.</p>
<p>Retrieved from: <a href="http://www.kindtree.org/html/stim.html#102000">http://www.kindtree.org/html/stim.html#102000</a></p>
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["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:25:35 +0000"
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string(6073) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>By Mary-Minn Sirag, October, 2000</p>
<p>I am basically a textbook autist. A stoical and aloof baby, I lost speech and regressed at about 18 months. I was diagnosed when I was a little over 2. When I was 3-1/2, my IQ was measured on several tests at 68. I sat up when I was almost two, learned to walk when I was about 4, and started to sputter words at 4-1/2 years.</p>
<p>Through a series of difficult but fortunate circumstances, I was mainstreamed through school, college and work. I "swore off" off autism when I was about 5, and pretended to be "normal."</p>
<p>Until I was about 11, I was fairly oblivious to pain, and often could not tell the difference between being sick and well, let alone how to articulate it. I was sick a lot.</p>
<p>I developed social skills by imitating people I admired or envied; then, by studying behavior. This was analytic, not instinctual.</p>
<p>Throughout my life, I have been watching myself from several angles, including how others are perceiving me. I watch myself from outside, as well as inside.<br />
As an autist, I have been preoccupied with the concept of "normality," as in "what is it?" I gave up being normal in my early teens but continued to be fascinated with the idea. I have developed a fair amount of empathy by trying to understand non-autistic being. I spent the greater part of my 20s checking out society's underbelly, testing and examining society's ideas of evil and flouting danger.</p>
<p>I started reading abnormal psychology books in 7th grade, starting with Freud's case studies on hysteria. I read these books, hoping for some kind of expiating insight into my condition. Eventually, more people were writing books on autism, which I devoured. Pop-psych books are my favorite junk reading.<br />
I am more a conceptual than procedural learner. For instance, I found trig easier than long division and double-entry bookkeeping. I have an aptitude for foreign languages and alphabets, perhaps because they have no procedures, just fairly well-defined rules and patterns. I am flummoxed by dance steps and complicated game rules. I do better improvising.</p>
<p>I am terrified by suddenness. The sound of a siren or a jackhammer penetrates my central nervous system directly, almost bypassing my ears. I freak out when I fall, drop or spill something, am confronted with something illogical to me, am confused or overwhelmed. I think my razor sharp reflexes are partly a compensatory mechanism. I often catch things, and myself, in mid air.</p>
<p>I am synesthetic, blending smell and taste with color, and sound, to a lesser extent. I have a "photographic" memory for taste and smell, but am quite aphasic visually. I remember a conversation but not a face until I have met a person several times. I learn kinesthetically, from the inside rather than through observation.<br />
It has taken me decades to learn to multitask, which I do, more or less, by dividing tasks into many small sequential ones. I do better with one final deadline I can maneuver around.</p>
<p>I need rules to be explicit, since many social cues often elude me. I read people poorly and can be slow to react, especially to something emotionally charged. I am more perceptive with the written page, and speak less cogently than I write.</p>
<p>I sometimes confuse small-talk and conversation, and can be obtuse about distinguishing between being helpful and meddlesome. Bemused by such subtle put-downs as "interesting," I am constantly parsing clichés for their real intentions and origins.</p>
<p>Although I have developed an excellent work ethic, it has come slowly and with difficulty, through assiduous philosophical and ethical analysis. I question rules and social constraints until I understand how I’ll benefit or affect the "common good." Being entirely self-motivated, I work better with loose boundaries than tight ones. I am leery of authority, including my own.</p>
<p>My freakouts feel more like seizures than temper outbursts. They frighten people until they learn that, left alone, I recover quite rapidly. SIBs help me release the electrical rage I feel without hurting anybody or anything. I recently weaned myself from head-banging, but I still bite, hit and cut my arm.<br />
I try to avoid raising my voice, as the consequent rage erupts into blinding anger. I do not indulge in road rage, not even swearing under my breath. Although emotional, I try to avoid expressing heavy emotions. I try to forgive or rationalize whatever wrong I see but cannot change.</p>
<p>I have spent much of my life figuring out where I "come in," afraid of being "found out." Only after I discovered Kind Tree this summer have I started to "come out" with my autism.</p>
<p>I consider my life after 4 years old to have been a reincarnation back into an abandoned vessel; then, a reconstruction of all that was lost during that first failed attempt before I jumped ship.</p>
<p>Retrieved from: <a href="http://www.kindtree.org/html/stim.html#102000">http://www.kindtree.org/html/stim.html#102000</a></p>
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["title"]=>
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string(78) "http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineAutismCommunity/~3/aFknx9XhPgM/research-0"
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string(2529) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Dear Parent:</p>
<p>We are seeking volunteers to participate in a research study about what it’s like to grow up with a sibling who has autism. Do you meet the following requirements?</p>
<p>1. Are you the parent of at least two children?</p>
<p>2. Does one of your children have an autism spectrum disorder?</p>
<p>3. Does one of your children not have an autism spectrum disorder?</p>
<p>4. Is your child without autism between the ages of 8 and 18 years?</p>
<p>If so, please consider volunteering by clicking on the link below. The survey will take approximately 45 minutes to complete and may be taken at a computer of your choice that has internet access. The first part of the survey will be taken by you. The second part will be taken by your child that does not have an autism spectrum disorder.</p>
<p>If you would like to volunteer to take this survey, please click on <a href="https://www.psychdata.com/s.asp?SID=144893">https://www.psychdata.com/s.asp?SID=144893</a> and read the consent information at the beginning of the survey. We will not collect your name or that of your child. However, there is a potential risk of loss of confidentiality in all email, downloading, and internet transactions.</p>
<p>If you have any questions, please contact Kathy DeOrnellas, Ph.D., Principal Investigator at <a href="mailto:kdeornellasphd@gmail.com">kdeornellasphd@gmail.com</a> or 940-898-2315 at Texas Woman’s University.</p>
<p>Thank you,</p>
<p>Kathy DeOrnellas, Ph.D.</p>
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string(2529) "<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Dear Parent:</p>
<p>We are seeking volunteers to participate in a research study about what it’s like to grow up with a sibling who has autism. Do you meet the following requirements?</p>
<p>1. Are you the parent of at least two children?</p>
<p>2. Does one of your children have an autism spectrum disorder?</p>
<p>3. Does one of your children not have an autism spectrum disorder?</p>
<p>4. Is your child without autism between the ages of 8 and 18 years?</p>
<p>If so, please consider volunteering by clicking on the link below. The survey will take approximately 45 minutes to complete and may be taken at a computer of your choice that has internet access. The first part of the survey will be taken by you. The second part will be taken by your child that does not have an autism spectrum disorder.</p>
<p>If you would like to volunteer to take this survey, please click on <a href="https://www.psychdata.com/s.asp?SID=144893">https://www.psychdata.com/s.asp?SID=144893</a> and read the consent information at the beginning of the survey. We will not collect your name or that of your child. However, there is a potential risk of loss of confidentiality in all email, downloading, and internet transactions.</p>
<p>If you have any questions, please contact Kathy DeOrnellas, Ph.D., Principal Investigator at <a href="mailto:kdeornellasphd@gmail.com">kdeornellasphd@gmail.com</a> or 940-898-2315 at Texas Woman’s University.</p>
<p>Thank you,</p>
<p>Kathy DeOrnellas, Ph.D.</p>
</div></div></div>
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