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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."
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"If there were no change,
there would be no butterflies"
Author Unknown
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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
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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
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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
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"It takes one to
lead, one to affect change and one to make a difference. The
power of "one!"
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Make
Every Month Autism Awareness Month! |
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"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