Snow Cake - Movie Review - Turning what might have been an "illness of the week" tragedy into an affecting, entertaining entry for arthouse patrons, director Marc Evans, working from Angela Pell's screenplay, pulls it off in a small-scale way but with emotional sensitivity and a solid cast with particular appeal to the increasing numbers of people who have personal experience with autism.  Vivienne Freeman (Emily Hampshire), a young hitchhiker with more spirit than fear, enters a restaurant, scans it, and picks a man sitting alone to delight with her company. Alex Hughes (Alan Rickman), a laconic Englishman, barely tolerates the intrusion on his quiet privacy with a gabby adolescent and, after displaying what is, for him, considerable patience, rejects her suggestion to ride with him. He leaves, as alone as when he came in, and drives off.

Unstrange Minds: Remapping the World of Autism - Unstrange," a neologism coined by the poet E. E. Cummings, is very appropriately used in the title of this book. As Roy Richard Grinker states in his introduction, "the process of understanding autism itself parallels the work that anthropologists do, since the minds of people with autism are sometimes as hard to understand as foreign cultures." Grinker is a professor of anthropology at George Washington University and is interested in the intersection between culture and illness. He is also the father of a daughter with autism. In this beautifully written, captivating book, Grinker looks at autism from a cultural viewpoint and observes how culture dictates the way we view autism. He examines the historical events leading to the current rise in the prevalence of autism and critically inspects the available evidence. "Is there really more autism, or are we just seeing it more?" he asks. Grinker argues for the latter.   by Roy Richard Grinker; New York, Basic Books, 2006, 340 pages, $26.95 - Book Review

Autism in boys linked to hormone - Boys with autism and related disorders had higher levels of growth hormones than other boys, which may explain why children with the condition often have larger heads, according to government researchers. Boys with autism and autism spectrum disorders were also heavier than boys without these conditions, the teams at the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Cincinnati Children's Hospital reported. Other studies had already shown that children with autism have very rapid head growth in early life. Dr. Duane Alexander/ Dir. National Institute of Child Health & Human Development:  “The study authors have uncovered a promising new lead in the quest to understand autism. Future research will determine whether the higher hormone levels the researchers observed are related to abnormal head growth as well as to other features of autism."

Experts deny videogame 'addiction' - Doctors backed away on Sunday from a controversial proposal to designate videogame addiction as a mental disorder akin to alcoholism, saying psychiatrists should study the issue more. Addiction experts also strongly opposed the idea at a debate at the American Medical Association's annual meeting. They said more study is needed before excessive use of video and online games -- a problem that affects about 10 per cent of players -- could be considered a mental illness. "There is nothing here to suggest that this is a complex physiological disease state akin to alcoholism or other substance abuse disorders, and it doesn't get to have the word addiction attached to it," said Dr Stuart Gitlow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine and Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

MIT researcher offers hope for syndrome that causes retardation ... - Blocking a key brain chemical can reverse many of the symptoms of Fragile X Syndrome -- an inherited form of mental retardation often accompanied by autism -- in mice engineered to have the disease, an on-line scientific journal reported this afternoon. The findings raise the prospect that drugs with similar effects may someday help restore brain function in human children with the syndrome, and possibly with some forms of autism as well, said Susumu Tonegawa of MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, senior author of the paper in today's Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. About 100,000 Americans have Fragile X.  Mental retardation has long been thought to be permanent. But recent research increasingly suggests that even with diseases that strike after birth, the brain may be more fixable than previously believed. Earlier this year, scientists from Scotland reported that dramatic recoveries could be achieved in mice with Rett Syndrome, another genetic disease related to autism.

A girl's drowning spurs a New Brighton man to spread the word ... - When Bob Parrott heard the news about 5-year-old Kaylie Dickerson, he took it hard "I didn't sleep much last night," Parrott said. Dickerson had autism. She wandered away from her home in Blaine Thursday afternoon. Two hours later, her body was found in a nearby pond. "And to think, if we would have gotten the word out, it could have helped," Parrott said. Parrott is talking about Project Lifesaver, a radio tracking system designed to help people with autism or Alzheimer's; people who tend to wander away. The transmitter is about the size of a watch. It can be worn on the wrist or the ankle. If the person wearing it wanders off, police can use an antenna to track them down, within a one-mile radius, in minutes. "It's essentially bear-tracking technology," New Brighton Police Officer Tony Paetznick said. "It's old, but it's reliable technology."

A sad debate over a dreaded disability - A new study points out that mutations in two key proteins could cause autism.  Engulfed by debate and controversy over its causative factors, autism is a dreaded disability among parents for their child. Researchers the world over have identified various gene defects that can be associated with autism.  However, they have not been able to point out any one particular factor, environmental or genetic. Now, a new study has revealed that autism could be caused by mutations in two key proteins in the body.  That autism involves an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory connections between nerve cells was already known. Now, a team of scientists at the University of Texas has found that one protein increases the excitability of nerve cells while the other inhibits cell activity. 

Firstborns, eldest children have higher IQs - The study, published in the journal Science, suggests the study, published in the journal Science, suggests that it's how the kids are raised, not their birth order, that counts. Petter Kristensen, from the University of Oslo, and Tor Bjerkedal from the Norwegian Armed Forces Medical Services in Oslo examined data gathered from 241,310 Norwegian kids, all aged 18 or 19 years old at the time of intelligence testing.  They found that the mean IQ of first-born kids was just over 103, second-borns just over 100, and third-borns about 99. But if a child`s elder sibling had died, leaving him or her to be raised as first-born, their IQ shot up to match the peak scores of 103. Similarly if both of two elder siblings had expired, these third-born children had IQs matching that of first-borns.  thaThe study, published in the journal Science, suggests that it's how the kids are raised, not their birth order, that counts.

UCLA Study First to Show Autistic Brains Can Be Trained to ... / To understand the meaning of a conversation, kids automatically do what adults do —besides processing the meaning of words, they unconsciously "read" the expression on a person's face and listen to their tone of voice, then integrate that information with the context at hand to discern meaning, be it humor, anger, irony or straightforwardness.  Individuals with autism typically don't do this. They often miss the subtle meanings conveyed by a person's face and tone of voice, and thus have trouble determining the communicative intent of others. Neuroimaging studies have backed this up, showing that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) — including autism, pervasive developmental disorder and Asperger's syndrome — show reduced activity in the regions of the brain that respond to such cues.

Autistic girl found dead in pond after wandering away from home - An autistic 5-year-old girl was found dead in a pond Thursday afternoon after she wandered away from home. Police said Kaylie Dickerson's body was discovered around 3:45 p.m. in the retention pond roughly 400 yards from her home.

Nerve cell study may shed light on autism - A cell component related to rare cases of autism helps control nerve cell connections, Dallas scientists have found. Their new study provides a deeper understanding of how nerve cells connect in the brain and hints at what may go wrong in some cases of autism. If abnormal connections turn out to be a theme in the brains of autistic patients, researchers may be able to translate that knowledge into medications one day. "If we understand what the [nerve cell components] do, we may be able to design therapeutic strategies," said Ege Kavalali, a neuroscientist at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center who participated in the research. "It's early to think about, but maybe we can intervene."

The End of Stories: the Evolutionary Psychology of Evolutionary ... - The journal Nature published an editorial recently in which the editors criticized Senator Sam Brownback’s New York Times essay What I Think About Evolution. Senator Brownback wrote: Man was not an accident and reflects an image and likeness unique in the created order. Those aspects of evolutionary theory compatible with this truth are a welcome addition to human knowledge. Aspects of these theories that undermine this truth, however, should be firmly rejected as atheistic theology posing as science. In reply to Brownback, the editors at Nature made some stunning assertions: With all deference to the sensibilities of religious people, the idea that man was created in the image of God can surely be put aside an …the idea that human minds are the product of evolution is not atheistic theology. It is unassailable fact We’ll leave aside for now the truth of the editors’ quite radical assertion that God is, pace Laplace, an unnecessary hypothesis. The editorial’s claim that the human mind can be explained adequately by evolutionary psychology raises an important point, and a question. Evolutionary psychologists have analyzed many aspects of human culture and thought, from altruism, to adultery, autism, rape, jealousy, monogamy, and of course, quite prominently, religion. Traditional views of human nature and culture have been assailed by evolutionary psychologists, who are never at a loss for theories as to how our values and traditions have been caused by Darwinian mechanisms—the struggle for survival of bipedal hominids on the savannah.

A million children now suffer from mental health problems - More than a million children have mental health problems, a doubling of the number in a generation, devastating research reveals today.  An epidemic of disorders ranging from depression, anxiety and anorexia to violent delinquency has struck one in ten youngsters.  Last night experts blamed a damaging mix of family breakdown, junk food diets, marketing, binge-drinking, increasing availability of drugs, sexy images projected by magazines and mounting exam pressure for the trend. They warned that modern lifestyles were forcing youngsters to grow up more quickly than previous generations, robbing them of their childhoods.  The children's charity, NCH, called for urgent action to prevent mental health problems wrecking the prospects of a generation.  It issued the warning as separate figures showed that the number of children admitted to hospital suffering from eating disorders has shot up more than a third in the last ten years.

Dallas cell research sheds light on autism - A cell component related to rare cases of autism helps control nerve cell connections, Dallas scientists have found.  Their new study provides a deeper understanding of how nerve cells connect in the brain, and hints at what may go wrong in some cases of autism.  If abnormal connections turn out to be a theme in the brains of autistic patients, researchers may be able to translate that knowledge into medications one day.  “If we understand what the [nerve cell components] do, we may be able to design therapeutic strategies,” said Ege Kavalali, a neuroscientist at UT Southwestern Medical Center who participated in the research. “It’s early to think about, but maybe we can intervene.”  But researchers caution that many people with autism might have no problems with the components studied in the new UT Southwestern research. The research is described in the latest issue of the journal Neuron.

Lawsuit Alleges Vaccine Caused Autism / Lawyers representing some 5,000 parents of autistic children began making their case that the makers of vaccines administered during the first months of their child's life caused a neurological disorder - The parents, in a class action lawsuit that went to court this month, claim that thimerosal, a preservative added to vaccines that contains the toxic chemical mercury, caused their children to develop autism. Thimerosal is present most notably in the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine that children are required to receive in many states before starting kindergarten. Although several major scientific studies have found no connection between thimerosal and autism, the parents filing the suit point to the sharp rise in the number of autism diagnoses over the past decade and insist the increase is a direct result of mercury-laced vaccinations.

Parents to appeal autistic education ruling - The parents of a seven-year-old boy with autism have lodged a Supreme Court appeal against the High Court's decision not to compel the State to provide him with a particular type of education. Cian and Yvonne Ó Cuanacháin say their son, Seán, needs a type of education called Applied Behavioural Analysis or ABA. H owever, the High Court ruled that the alternative form of education being offered by the State was appropriate for him. Advertisement In a statement issued today, the Ó Cuanacháins said it was 18 months since they first stepped into the High Court and time was not on Seán's side. They said they were bewildered and devastated that the department provided special help by way of ABA education to children all over the country but had withheld that help from Seán. They said they were required to appeal the judgment of Mr Justice Michael Peart but it placed an untold burden on them as a family.

Autistic Children's Works Shown - If you're looking to purchase great artwork that also benefits a good cause, you'll want to stop by a special showing at downtown Atlanta gallery. The Krause Gallery is featuring art produced by children at The Marcus Institute with the help of nine professional artists who have been working with the children. Gallery owner, Benjamin Krause said, "If you look around the room, the work looks wonderful and if you look around the room , some of this work is amazing. I think people really got it. It wasn't just about kids work."  The art auction, "All The Same, All Different -- A Convergence of Artists," benefits the Early Intervention Program at The Marcus Institute, which is directed by Dr. Catherine Trapani .  Local artist David E. Peterson collaborated with nine artists-in-residence to share their work and creativity with children since August of last year. The artist include Michael Marshall, Scott Hall, Hadley Breckenridge, Brandon Morrison (IBLET), David D'Agostino, Shannon Feisot, Alberto Mier, Matt Colagiuri and Audry

'Kaspar' the robot helps autistic kids play - Autistic children in the U.K. are learning to develop play skills, which researchers hope will help them interact with others and develop socially, by spending time with Kaspar, a child-size robot.  A team of researchers at the University of Hertfordshire's School of Computer Science in the U.K. has developed the robot and is testing it in special-education schools in the region. Their research is part of the Interactive Robotic Social Mediators as Companions (IROMEC) project, which is funded by the European Union and besides the U.K. has participating organizations in the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and France.  The project's aim and, in particular, Kaspar -- an acronym for Kinesics and Synchronization in Personal Assistant Robotics -- is to investigate how robotic toys can become social "mediators" for human contact, helping autistic children interact with other children and adults, according to university researcher Ben Robins.

Lawsuit Alleges Vaccine Caused Autism / Lawyers representing some 5,000 parents of autistic children began making their case that the makers of vaccines administered during the first months of their child's life caused a neurological disorder - The parents, in a class action lawsuit that went to court this month, claim that thimerosal, a preservative added to vaccines that contains the toxic chemical mercury, caused their children to develop autism. Thimerosal is present most notably in the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine that children are required to receive in many states before starting kindergarten. Although several major scientific studies have found no connection between thimerosal and autism, the parents filing the suit point to the sharp rise in the number of autism diagnoses over the past decade and insist the increase is a direct result of mercury-laced vaccinations.

Links between vaccines and autism not present - In 1998, Dr. Andrew Wakefield conducted a study of 12 children with autism and certain gastroenteric problems. He published the study, co-authored with 12 other physicians, in The Lancet, a British, peer-reviewed medical journal. The supposed link between vaccinations and autism presented in this paper caused a scare in the United Kingdom that led to a massive decline in vaccinations the following year. The study was performed using flawed logic, and 10 of the 13 authors retracted the conclusions of the paper in response to the backlash brought about by the scientific community concerning the bad science performed in the study.  The "myth and fear" that Jennifer Boettner refers to in her letter, "Choice should be key factor in vaccinations" (SN 6/15), should be taken seriously. Her response really is just that - a myth and a scientifically unfounded fear.

Teachers, families cope with autism - With cases of the disorder on the rise nationwide, autism is a term that carries a complicated range of symptoms that remain unexplained, baffling neurologists for years. Autism often refers to an entire spectrum of neurological disorders with traits, ranging from mild to severe, affecting more than 1 million U.S. residents. "I have three students with autism in my class and they're all completely different," said Pam Taylor, special education teacher for South Lake Tahoe High School, in her classroom on Tuesday. The disorders can be as individual as the people affected, but social interaction bears the brunt of an autism diagnosis in most cases.

Autistic student turns her own tale of adoption into kids' book - Sauntering over to the library at Brunswick County's Union Elementary School, 11-year-old Heather Higgins runs into a custodian and tells her proudly, "I wrote a book." "You did? Really?" the custodian asks. Heather nods and walks on. Trailing behind her are her three biological siblings and her foster parents and sister, the young author's entourage. Heather sits down at a table with her foster mother, Susan Higgins, while her siblings disperse and go look for books. Heather and her brother Michael, 7, love to read, Higgins says. Both have been diagnosed with autism, which affects communication skills and social interaction in varying degrees. While Heather is outgoing, Michael, who has a more severe case of the disorder, is isolated and even more of an avid reader, having gotten an award in first grade for reading more than 200 books, their foster mother says. Heather talks about her newly released book, The Foal That Doesn't Have a Family, without shyness. Michael keeps to himself, lying on his belly on the library floor, engrossed in a book.

Autism Case Involving Mercury In Vaccines Heard By Federal Court ... - (Best Syndication) Plaintiffs in nearly 4,800 cases are watching nine test cases brought before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims concerning a link between autism and mercury in childhood vaccinations. Many experts say that there is no link, but some parents and watchdog groups claim otherwise. Since the diagnosis of autism is made around the time of childhood vaccinations, a suggested link between the two was made. Cases of autism have been on the rise and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes that 1 in 150 eight year old children suffer from the condition. Since earlier numbers indicated that one in several thousand children had the condition, the disease represents an epidemic.

Autism research pushed forward - Amid concern about New Jersey having America's highest autism rate, state senators Thursday pushed forward proposals to promote autism research. The Assembly-approved bills would establish a statewide autism registry and provide more money for research and treatment. The bills are among several autism-related proposals that can now be considered by the full Senate."New Jersey needs to increase the assistance we provide to families living with autism, as well as contribute to our collective scientific understanding of the autism spectrum disorders," said a bill sponsor, state Sen. Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen. The largest U.S. study of childhood autism found earlier this year that about 1 in 152 children nationwide have the disorder, with the highest rate -- 1 in 94 children -- found in New Jersey.

Emotions Run High Over Autism Causes - Former NBC chairman Bob Wright was so determined to help his grandson Christian when he was diagnosed with autism that he launched an ambitious crusade to find all possible causes and cures of this neurological disorder. His charity, Autism Speaks, quickly became a leader in the field, raising $15 million in just two years for research — more than any other group. Now, the Wrights find themselves party to the same debate that has divided activists lobbying for research, funding and public awareness.  Wright's daughter Katie complained that not enough is being done to investigate childhood vaccines, which she believes caused her son Christian's autism. He is now 6.  "We give 37 vaccines to babies under the age of 18 months. Nobody has shown that that's safe … multiple vaccines at once," Katie said on an April "Oprah Winfrey Show" appearance. "You look at food allergies, asthma, and autism — it's all connected."  Her support for a controversial theory led Katie's parents to issue a public repudiation stating, "Katie Wright is not a spokesperson for Autism Speaks. She is our daughter and we love her very much. Many of Katie's personal views differ from ours and do not represent or reflect the ongoing mission of Autism Speaks."

Parents, daughter clash on autism -  A year after their grandson Christian was diagnosed with autism in 2004, Bob Wright, the chairman of NBC/Universal, and his wife, Suzanne, founded Autism Speaks, a mega-charity dedicated to curing the neurological disorder that afflicts 1 of every 150 children in America today. The Wrights' venture was also an attempt to end the internecine warfare in the world of autism — where some are convinced the disorder is genetic and best treated with intensive therapy, and others blame preservatives in vaccinations and swear by supplements and diet to cleanse the body of heavy metals. With its high-powered board, world-class scientific advisers and celebrity fund-raisers such as Jerry Seinfeld and Paul Simon, the charity was a powerful voice, especially in Washington. It also made strides toward its goal of unity by merging with three existing autism organizations and raising millions of dollars for research into all potential causes and treatments. The Wrights call it the "big tent" approach. But now the fissures in the autism community have made their way into the Wright family, where father and daughter are not speaking after a public battle with themes familiar to thousands of families with autistic children.

Study To Search For More Answers On Autism Subject - A research study that may provide hope of finding an effective, alternative intervention for children with autism who do not respond to Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI), is being conducted under the leadership of McMaster University.  The study is designed to determine if participation in a functional behavioural skills program provided by therapists in one-on-one and group settings, and additional training for parents, will help those children who are not responding well to IBI.  While IBI is an effective treatment for many children with autism - a severe neurological disorder - it is extremely expensive and there are long waiting lists for the provincially funded programs. IBI for children at the severe end of the autism spectrum has been funded across Ontario since 2000. Recent research has shown that while many children improve, a substantial proportion of children in treatment do not make any significant gains in cognitive ability or behaviour, despite 20 to 40 hours weekly of therapy, at a cost of about $60,000 a year.  It is estimated that one in about 165 children in Canada is afflicted with some degree of autism spectrum disorder, which results in extreme difficulties in communicating, socializing and behaving, as well as severe developmental delays in some.

The autism conspiracy -  I take a keener interest in the autism-vaccine conspiracy nonsense, now that I'm taking my very young son to the doctors every few months for his shots. It bothers me no end that not every parent does the same, and that some are stubbornly clinging to the discredited notion that autism is caused by non-existent mercury-containing vaccines. Absent anything original to add to the debate, I recommend a column by Apoorva Mandavilli, which the editors of Nature have seen fit to make freely available to one and all. Here's a bit of what she has to say: I sympathize with these parents and can understand their need to find a reason for their children's suffering. But I trust in science, and I can't ignore the fact that so many peer-reviewed studies -- and every scientific panel entrusted with evaluating those studies -- has come to the same conclusion: neither the MMR vaccine nor thimerosal is associated with autism.

Victim's mother pleads for witnesses - The mother of a 35-year-old man found fatally stabbed beside a busy road on Sydney's northern beaches has made an emotional plea for witnesses to come forward. Police found Gerard Fleming lying on a footpath on Pittwater Road near Narrabeen shopping centre about 11.30pm on Saturday night. He had multiple stab wounds and later died in Royal North Shore Hospital. "I've lost my beautiful boy," his mother Margaret Fleming tearfully told reporters outside the Dee Why police station today. ..."We haven't established a motive for the offence at this time," Insp Arthurs also said. "Hopefully we'll be able to use all of the information obtained to put this jigsaw puzzle together." The dead man had Asperger's Syndrome, a condition linked to autism.

Who are the denialists? (Part IV) - t's time to talk about the anti-vaccine (or anti-vax) denialists. Considering the Autism Omnibus trial is underway to decide whether or not parents of autistic children can benefit from the vaccine-compensation program, a fund designed to compensate those who have had reactions to vaccines and shield vaccine makers from the civil suits which drove them out of the country in the early 1980s. I think it's topical and necessary to set the record straight about vaccines, their risks, and many benefits. To do this though, we'll have to talk about the history of and resistance to vaccination, the history of autism and the current alleged epidemic of autism, and the denialist arguments used by the anti-vaxxers to suggest that vaccines are linked to the disorder.

Bellini's book named Literary Work of the Year by Autism Society ... - The Autism Society of America, The Autism Society of America, a national organization advocating for autism research and services, recognized Building Social Relationships by Scott Bellini as its 2007 Literary Work of the Year. Bellini is the assistant director of the Indiana Resource Center for Autism, part of the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community at Indiana University. Building Social Relationships outlines a strategic process for recognizing and addressing social skills deficits based on the most current research on individuals with autism. Using real-world examples, Bellini describes common areas of difficulty and effective methods of teaching these skills. He distinguishes between skills deficits (knowing how to do something) and performance deficits (applying the learned skill) and discusses ways to help children bridge the gap between ability and action. The book can be used by parents, educators and clinicians to design individualized plans as well as group training programs.  The ASA awards, which were announced June 8, recognize contributions to autsim awareness, education and advocacy. "Through their talents and time, these honorees have made a difference in improving the lives of all affected by autism, and our ASA community thanks them," the organization said in their announcement.  a national organization advocating for autism research and services, recognized Building Social Relationships by Scott Bellini as its 2007 Literary Work of the Year.

Doctors React to Cases Against Vaccines - The U.S. Court of Federal Claims is weighing cases on whether immunizations potentially cause autism. But, what do doctors say about these cases?  The link between the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and autism has been hotly debated for many years.  Carmen B. Pingree School for Children with Autism Clinical Director P. Brent Petersen says he can find over a dozen studies saying vaccines do not cause autism. However, he says there aren't any studies that completely clear vaccines of blame. "I think that the vast preponderance of the evidence would show that there is not a connection," he says.  Petersen adds, "There may be, on occasion, a child who seems to be affected by the immunizations." Petersen says it's more dangerous to not immunize your child.

FPG Receives $8 Million For Autism Research - Two of the most often-used classroom approaches for teaching young children with autism have never been evaluated, until now. With a $3 million federal grant, FPG Child Development Institute (FPG) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will soon begin answering questions about the programs' efficacy.  Another $5 million federal grant will establish a national autism professional development center, which will help states incorporate effective practices for children with autism in classrooms, homes and communities.  Autism is characterized by impairment in communication skills, social interactions and repetitive patterns of behavior. In the past two decades the number of children diagnosed with autism has sky-rocketed 20 fold by some estimates. This rapid increase has placed great demand on early intervention and education agencies to provide effective educational and intervention services for children and their families.  "Research shows that if we intervene early, we can greatly enhance the lives of children with autism. This new work will help ensure not only that children are diagnosed as early as possible, but that when they are diagnosed they receive the most effective treatment by professionals who are prepared and knowledgeable," said Samuel L. Odom, FPG director and principal investigator for both grants.

EDUCATION TEACHING THE BIBLE TO CHILDREN WITH AUTISM 'Heart for ... - "It's the most important thing," said Whittaker, a Spotsylvania County resident. For years, Whittaker has shared her Catholic faith with her 10 children. But she has had to work harder to give her daughter Mary, who was diagnosed with autism at age 2, a meaningful religious education. Teaching her "was completely different," said Whittaker, who has led religious education classes, or CCD, at St. Matthew Catholic Church near Spotsylvania Courthouse. Her efforts have paid off. Now, at age 12, Mary has begun to interact with other children at church. With the number of autistic individuals on the rise, several area churches are offering religious special-education programs--not only so autistic individuals learn about their religion, but also to create a place for them in a ...

Leading Harvard Scientist conducts education programme on autism - Healthcare leaders, scientists, and top doctors from the Gulf region participated in the 'Autism Spectrum Disorder,' programme held at Dubai's Grand Hyatt Hotel.  Dr. Muhadditha Al Hashimi, CEO, Dubai Healthcare City, said: 'As the leading centre in the Middle East for excellence in medical services, education, and life science research and development, we organised this programme to increase awareness of autism. The programme discussed the latest research findings and steps to assist healthcare professionals in offering better care to those affected by this disease.'  Robert Thurer, MD, Chief Academic Officer of HMSDC and Executive Director of the Foundation, said: 'We are currently witnessing an explosion in knowledge and understanding of autism, including the genetic basis for the disease. At the same time, there is a critical need to provide today's doctors with clues to diagnose and treat the growing number of children with autism. This is a perfect example of the importance of linking laboratory research with clinical practice.'

Scientologist Travolta denies autistic son rumours - John Travolta and Kelly Preston have been accused of refusing to acknowledge their son Jett is autistic because scientology doesn't recognise the condition. Travolta, 53, has previously said there was nothing wrong with Jett, 15.  He also once said his condition was Kawasaki syndrome, a disease characterised by high fever, skin rash and swelling of the lymph nodes.  But parents of autistic children say that Travolta should join American celebrities Sylvester Stallone, Doug Flutie, Jenny McCarthy and Toni Braxton - who all have autistic children - in raising awareness and research funds to cure thedisease.  One magazine editor who has interviewed Travolta more than once says that the star's son is disabled.  But the star insists that nothing is wrong.

Autism's Rise May Reflect Broader Definition, Better Diagnosis - How widespread is autism? And is the condition, which centers on characteristics such as the inability to form personal relationships, being properly diagnosed? New York City-based YAI-National Institute for People With Disabilities is a not-for-profit organization that not only assists families who have members with a variety of developmental disabilities, but also holds a series of conferences that highlight the latest research into specific conditions. Earlier in May, YAI-National Institute for People With Disabilities held an autism conference that addressed the apparent increase in autism cases. One reason may be a broader definition of autism, says Dr. David Kaufman, medical director of Premier Healthcare, a Manhattan organization specializing in disability services.

Gene therapy: how science moved from hype to hope / ‘Magic bullets’ for killer diseases were once the medical goal, but only now is the true value of genetics being understood – and it’s the many, not the few, who will benefit - t was quite a vision of our genetic future. Shortly before the first drafts of the human genome were unveiled in 2001, Francis Collins spelt out in bold terms what the project he had pioneered would ultimately mean for medicine.  By 2010, scientists would understand how genes contribute to at least a dozen common illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease, the director of the US National Human Genome Research Institute said. Preventive therapies would soon be developed to match.  A new era of bespoke medicine lay ahead, in which drugs tailored to individuals’ genetic profiles would replace the traditional “one-size-fits-all” approach. Insights from humanity’s genetic code were poised to transform healthcare.

Much Ado About Mirror Neurons - Empathy, Autism, and Bias - Mirror neurons are theorized to be, according to some of the more heavily popularized literature these days, neurons which activate in the primate brain upon observation of another individual performing an action.  The most frequently cited experiments suggesting the presence and functionality of mirror neurons have involved macaque monkeys—these monkeys were fitted with electrodes which allowed scientists to observe particular activity patterns in neurons in the premotor cortex. The experiments sought to show a correlation between imitation, intention, and action that might shed light on the means by which primates (possibly including humans) may internally simulate the mental states of others. But did it succeed? Some might answer “yes”, and many since have attempted to correlate the mirror neuron experiment results with theories in autism research, since autism is commonly (though not necessarily accurately) associated with deficits in imitation, modeling, and empathy.

Sigourney Weaver finds Her Inner Autism - Weaver to advocate for autistic adults. Sigourney Weaver had to learn about life with autism, and after she spent a year with people across the vast spectrum of the condition Sigourney Weaver found she hardly needed to step out of her own two shoes. She said “What I ended up doing, in retrospect, was finding the autistic person in myself,” says the actress And she said that “I mean, that’s one thing you see very quickly, is we’re all on the spectrum. We all have different ways of stabilizing ourselves.” This is true I bet we all have a bit of autism in us somewhere. The film Snow Cake opens today at Landmark’s Hillcrest Cinemas and has arrived at a time of exploding awareness about autism spectrum disorders, the catch-all term for a range of conditions that share difficulties in the areas of speech, social interaction and repetitive behaviours and it will also help people with autism raise their voices in a plea for respect and acceptance. One of the most startling things she has learned is how variable the condition is there are as many expressions of autism as there are autistic people and I know how she feels because my son has a form of autism but no doctor will diagnose him as there are so many different types out there and is hard to say what one he has.