B.R.A.S.S.

Bend Redmond Asperger Syndrome Support.  Home to the "new" planet syndrome.

 

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Autism art by Cher

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"The number of students identified with autism spectrum disorders continues to grow exponentially. The National average has been estimated at 1 in 166. Figures just released in March, 2006 show Oregon is now 1 in 98.

The increase in ASD's prevalence is systemic across the entire United States and should be a urgent public health concern. The majority of the increase is attributed to young children and does not take in to consideration  those placed in private, home, residential or other placements. Nor does it take in count or recognize the adult population.  The increasing prevalence time trend provides additional evidence that  frequency is, and has been, increasing in the United States. The frequency of autism spectrum disorders now surpasses that of all types of cancer combined." A must read is:  US Department of Education Data on "Autism" Are Not Reliable for Tracking Autism Prevalence  by James R. Laidler, MD.  From the Department of Biology, Portland State University, Portland, Oregon.  Why are Oregon stats so high?  Are we better at diagnosing or is  mercury,  vaccinations, environmental factors or genetics a concern in Oregon?  Should Oregon families  be worried?

B.R.A.S.S.  is a support group for families with Asperger Syndrome in Central Oregon.  This site is dedicated to "all" families in all parts of the world and their loved one's "with" AS. 

"We might not always agree, ...but together we will make a difference."

"If there were no change, there would be no butterflies"
Author Unknown
 

 

Mary Broadhurst wins big in the 9th Circuit  

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT
FOREST GROVE SCHOOL DISTRICT, ü No. 05-35641 Plaintiff-Appellee,
v. ý D.C. No. CV-04-00331-MO
T.A., OPINION Defendant-Appellant. þ
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the District of Oregon
Michael W. Mosman, District Judge, Presiding
Argued and Submitted
March 11, 2008—Portland, Oregon
Filed April 28, 2008

In autistic boy's hands, paper and scissors express an amazing spectrum

 In Wil Kerner's world, happiness and grief — and all the feelings that come between — are puzzle pieces as alien as the curious construction-paper characters in the art he assembles on his grandmother's living-room carpet. What the autistic 12-year-old can't express verbally or in social interaction he can show through his carefully cut out geometric shapes assembled into characters in a paper collage, a talent the staff at Seattle's Harborview Medical Center calls a rare artistic gift. Large red circles become heads, delicate strips of fringed white paper become hair, and finely cut arches are shaped into eyebrows. The art — and the artist — intrigues those who study autism. Dr. Stephen Dager, interim director of the University of Washington's Autism Center, who has been studying brain anatomy and chemistry in autism, is mystified by Wil's artistic talents. Autistic people generally pay little attention to eyes during social interaction, studies show, and usually are unaware of others' emotions. Yet, Wil has the ability to mimic human emotion through his art. - Washington

Understanding Asperger Syndrome:   A Professor’s Guide
College can be a trying time in any individual's life. For adults with Asperger Syndrome this experience can be overwhelming. This title in the new DVD series Asperger Syndrome and Adulthood focuses on educating professors, teaching assistants, and others on what it means to be a college student on the spectrum and how they might best be able to help them

BEND, OREGON IS FORMING AN AUTISM ASSOCIATION! 
Next meeting is at ABBY’S PIZZA IN BEND Saturday, May 10 from 2 - 4 p.m.
 For more info:  Amber at (541)633-8293 or Kristi at (541) 388-8103

Autism Still on Rise in Oregon 
Oregon students have autism, triple the count 10 years ago and 11 percent higher than just a year ago, the state reported Wednesday. In many cases, educators say, schools lack the training, staffing and specialized programs to serve this group of students, who are being identified in growing numbers in every part of the state and across the nation. "We don't have enough autism specialists, and the resources we can bring to the table don't nearly cover the services that schools really need for these kids," says Jay Gense, assistant director of Columbia Regional Program, which helps provide services to autistic students in four counties. "Parents are saying 'My kid isn't getting everything he needs.' " Overall, the count of Oregon students with disabilities was virtually unchanged from a year ago, the state report showed. Nearly 49,000 of the 80,000 students in special education programs have learning disabilities or speech and language impairments. Overall, one in eight Oregon schoolchildren receives special education services -- a statistic that is in line with national statistics and which has held steady for years. The eye-popping exception is autism, where the numbers have risen sharply for a decade and show no signs of abating. The brain-based disability is known as autism spectrum disorder because the type and degree of impairment varies widely. It is characterized by profound difficulties with social interactions and communication and, frequently, an aversion to noise, light and other sensory input. Nationally, boys with autism outnumber girls 4-to-1. Researchers haven't figured out what causes autism, and there is no definitive test to show whether a person has it. Experts aren't sure whether the surge in autism is driven by a rising incidence of autism or by schools doing a better job of diagnosing the condition. Many say it is both.

Autism's Raising A Voice - Mark Leland's "Missing Pieces" Music & DVD


Mozart and the Whale
Starring Josh Hartnett and Radha Mitchell (Silent Hill, Man on Fire), Mozart and the Whale is a heartwarming romantic drama inspired by the true story of two people with Asperger's Syndrome (a form of autism). ~ Sony Pictures Home Entertainment scheduled to be released on DVD.  The emotional dysfunctions of two people suffering from an autistic disorder known as Asperger's syndrome threaten to derail the pair's emerging romance in director Petter Næss' affectionate tale of love among the mentally afflicted. For friendly taxi-driver Donald (Josh Hartnett), patterns and routines are of the utmost importance. In addition to his love for birds and his uncanny ability to process numbers, Donald does his best to give back to fellow Asperger's sufferers by leading an autism support group. When the lovely but intensely complicated Isabelle (Radha Mitchell) shows up at one of Donald's meetings, the good-natured cabbie finds that love can be as painful as it is elating. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide.  ...to order.
 

A GREAT article for children, siblings, partner's and spouses connected to AS
Growing up in an Asperger Family
by Maxine Aston
View as HTML or download as a PDF

I Love Someone

  with Autism.   

  Doesn't Everyone?

 

  "Solving the Puzzle One Piece at a Time."

"To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best night and day to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle any human being can fight and never stop fighting." - E.E. Cummings

 

 

 

 

 

"It takes one to lead, one to affect change and one to make a difference.  The power of "one!"

Make Every Month Autism Awareness Month!

 

   

 

  "I know of nobody who is purely Autistic or purely neurotypical.  Even God had some Autistic moments, which is why the planets all spin." ~ Jerry Newport

Send mail to opu@bendbroadband.com  with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2003-2008 Bend Redmond Asperger Syndrome Support

Updated 05/07/2008