MORE than two months after their specialist school closed due to a lack of funds, a group of eight autistic children still have no school places.

The former pupils at Achieve ABA in Donaghmede, north Dublin, have instead spent the past 10 weeks either at home or being taught by private tutors paid for by parents.

Following the closure of their school at the end of July after five years in operation, Education Minister Ruairi Quinn charged the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to find new places for the children.

However, parents have accused the NCSE of not doing enough to meet their children's educational needs and say it has referred them to unsuitable schools.

The NCSE has denied this and said it was satisfied that a school place was available for each of the children.

But in one case, a girl was referred to an all-boys school while in another a boy was told there was a place for him at a special school, despite his parents already being told he did not meet the enrolment criteria and could not attend.

Savings

Pat McCormack, a teacher and father of Meabh (7), said her two years at Achieve had been a period of "great advancement". However, since its closure he and his wife have had to pay for a tutor for their daughter.

"At the minute we're using our savings and are looking to take out a loan to continue funding her education for the rest of the year. For the last six weeks we can only afford a little over three days a week and the other days we're home-schooling," he explained.

He said it was indicative of a "lack of care or else poor administration" by the NCSE that it identified a place for Meabh in an all-boys' school.

She was also referred to a special school in Co Louth that would entail a 400km weekly commute from the family home in Donabate, Co Dublin. When Mr McCormack contacted this school he learnt it could not cater for Meabh as she is in the moderate autism spectrum and it only takes children with mild autism.

Mr McCormack said: "Meabh hasn't received any state funding in practically a year and a half. We believe Meabh is entitled to appropriate education.

"I'm petrified, like countless parents are around the country, about their child going into an unsuitable place and their child will -- not might -- regress and lose the skill sets they have learnt," he added.

Another parent, Daniel O'Mahony, said the NCSE had identified three "possible places" for his son Aidan (9), none of which were suitable.

The first place is not available until November and even then it is unclear if Aidan will meet the enrolment criteria, which are being reviewed. The second school is 24km from the family home while in the case of the third school, Aidan has previously been told he does not meet the entry criteria.

Despite being out of school since the end of July, Aidan has also been refused a home tuition allowance and his family is instead paying for a tutor.

"Just because it (NCSE) says it has identified possible places, it doesn't mean they are suitable," said Mr O'Mahony.

In a statement provided to the Irish Independent, the NCSE said it had engaged with the parents of all eight children who attended Achieve.

"The NCSE is satisfied that a school place is available for each child and will continue to engage with these parents -- in particular those who have not as yet opted to enrol their child in one of the schools listed," it said.

www.independent.ie/education/latest-news/eight-autistic-children-still-waiting-for-a-school-place-after-10-weeks-2900899.html

The rate of autism has increased over the years, and is still continuously growing.  People who are autistic or those who have Alzheimer’s disease are at high risk to wander away from home and with this, the rate also of missing cases involving people with autism, Alzheimer’s disease and dementia has also grown.

So, how can technology actually help the families as well as the other groups and individuals on this?  Some tracking devices such as radio and wristbands were already out in recent years, bringing peace of mind for families.  These devices promise the quick return of a loved one who has wandered away, and can even save his/her life.  It’s an example of technology addressing a specific need in healthcare and communication.

“If I would have known about some device that would have tracked him, I would have used it,” Melissa Kastner said, a mother who lost his autistic son after he wandered away.  “I would take out a loan to do it.”

One of the companies, Project Lifesaver, has supplied bracelets that can be tracked, and has already rescued about 2,400 people with a recovery rate of 100% and an average search time of about 30 minutes.

Another company called EmFinders also offers tracking device to locate and recover a missing person in just minutes.  The EmSeeQ is a metal device that requires two hands to open it so the person who is wearing it cannot easily remove it.  The device is water resistant, shock proof and rechargeable.

“It is the world’s smallest phone. It is a one-way phone that does not vibrate or make noise. It gives the longitude and latitude on a mapping system,” explained Sheenk of EmFinders.

“If the person continues to move, it can follow that person. It is constantly updating where that person is.”

The average cost for these kind of tracking devices ranges from $199 for family’s use to $3,900 for a community startup, plus a monthly service fee of $25 to $50.

On the other hand, aside from the tracking device, technology has also played a big part in the development of an autistic child.  As a matter of fact, a mother of an autistic child has thanked Steve Jobs for what Apple’s genius and mentor of creativity has contributed to technolog,y especially in the development and improvement in the growth of a child with autism.

siliconangle.com/blog/2011/10/10/technology-on-autism-a-ray-of-hope-and-possibility/

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 5 (HealthDay News) -- Scientists have genetically engineered mice whose symptoms closely mimic autism in humans.

Though this isn't the first "mouse model" for autism, the mice in this study come closer to mirroring all of the core symptoms of the developmental disorder in humans, said senior study author Matthew Anderson, an assistant professor of neurology and pathology and director of neuropathology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston. To create these mice, the researchers altered a gene previously believed to play a role in the development of autism.

Autism is characterized by problems with social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and restricted interests and behaviors.

The "autistic mice" showed similar traits. Unlike ordinary mice, the genetically engineered versions showed little interest in interacting with other mice. While regular mice vocalize when they're together -- especially in response to receiving something highly rewarding such as sugar -- the autistic mice stayed quiet. The autistic mice also excessively groomed themselves, suggesting a repetitive behavior, Anderson said.

The study is published in the Oct. 5 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

In the study, the mice were engineered to have abnormality in the Ube3a gene on a region of the chromosome called 15q11-13. That region had been previously implicated in autism, as well as in Angelman syndrome, which can lead to developmental delays, speech difficulties, seizures and walking or balance difficulties.

Specifically, the mice in the study were bred to have triple copies of the Ube3a gene.

Although the gene that researchers manipulated in the mice has been linked to only about 3 percent of autism cases, it's actually among the most common genetic causes of the condition, Anderson said.

Also, by strengthening the evidence that the particular gene abnormality is strongly linked to autism, researchers say the mice may one day be useful in testing new drugs that could counteract the effects of the gene abnormality.

"Now that we have a good surrogate, we can test medications to see if their communication and social interaction improves," he said.

By using mice as their test subjects, researchers were able to closely study the brain tissue of the mice to see what's going wrong. With the Ube3a duplication, researchers found that defects in a particular aspect of communications between neurons, called the excitatory synapses.

Mary Blue, a neuroscientist at Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, said the paper is "very comprehensive" and a good example of a model for autism in that "they are seeing changes in social behavior, changes in repetitive behavior and changes in 'ultrasonic' vocalizations."

But it's not the only mouse model for autism. Other scientists have created models by manipulating other genes, she said, including her own lab, which is working on a mouse model that mimics the serotonin deficits associated with autism.

And even the best mouse model can only take research so far, Blue added. It's widely accepted that a single gene isn't to blame for autism, but that a variety of genes and environmental influences play a role.

One thing researchers didn't find when they engineered their autistic mice were alterations in brain structure that have been associated with autism in humans, such as a temporary increase in brain volume seen in infants and toddlers who go on to receive an autismdiagnosis.

"Autism is multi-factorial. There can be genetic factors, but there is also an environmental aspect of it, which is what makes it very hard to model," she said.

And not everyone is convinced that any mouse could truly mimic the social and language deficits seen in people with autism, she added. "Most clinicians working with autism are not that interested in animal models because you can't model human communication in mice," she said. "Mice can't talk."

health.usnews.com/health-news/family-health/brain-and-behavior/articles/2011/10/05/scientists-engineer-mice-that-have-autism

Parents have reacted angrily to news that an overnight stay facility at a specialist school in Coventry could close.

The Corley School and Autism Support Centre, described as as a centre of excellence, currently allows pupils to sleep over and develop independence.

Coventry City Council has said closing the overnight facility would save approximately £384,000 per year.

The proposals will be discussed at a public meeting later.

John Montgomery, parent governor at the school, said: "It is known all over the county, it is recognised as far away as Bristol and London as a centre of excellence for autism control and tuition.

"We should be building on that, not retracting."

Councillor Lynnette Kelly, Cabinet Member for Education, said the funds saved would be used to help others with special educational needs and disability in Coventry.

She said: "The city council will be meeting with parents collectively and individually to ensure that adequate arrangements continue to be made for their child's social and independence training.

"I should like to emphasise that Corley Centre continues to be an important part of our very valued special school provision.

"I remain fully committed to meeting the special educational needs of the children at Corley Centre, but I need also to ensure that we have equitable and value-for-money provision for all our children with special educational needs and disability across the city."

Parents were informed of the proposed change to the services in a letter from the council on 30 September.

Sarah Gill, whose son uses the centre, said: "I think this is the tip of the iceberg. Taking away this facility will impact on these children tremendously because their condition is unique and no other school can provide what this school provides."

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-15181045

One second he stood next to an airline representative. The next he was peering into a small baby stroller that cradled the medical alert dog of one of his classmates. In his right hand was a thick stack of seemingly random papers: crumpled coupons, worn receipts, tiny pictures from magazines. They were Ted’s security blanket.

“This is going to be terrifying for him,” White said. “He flew prior to 9/11, but since then with all the new procedures and the long lines it has just become too daunting.”

Ted is autistic. He and seven other autistic young people were about to begin a journey that would take them miles without ever leaving the ground. They were all part of a recent collaboration between Emory University’s Autism Center, Hartsfield-Jackson and AirTran Airways that tries to help people with autism get used to the process of flying.

Commercial air travel can be taxing for anyone. But at a time when airport security procedures grow more and more complex, with full-body scanning and pat downs about as essential now to flying as a boarding pass, they can make air travel all the more difficult for those with autism.

Long waits, pushy crowds, constant noise — all components of contemporary air travel — can exacerbate a disorder in which hypersensitivity to sound, sights and smell are common. Those stimuli can trigger reactions in an autistic person that can easily be misread by those unfamiliar with the disorder. And that has the potential to prompt unwanted glances or comments from fellow passengers and greater scrutiny from airport security.

In execution, however, it laid bare the difficulty many families face when they fly with a family member who is autistic, no matter where that person is on the autism spectrum.

Parents soothe, console

For this exercise, many of the young people had their parents by their sides. Program managers from the Emory Autism Center worked to keep the crowd together as they wound their way through the clattering maze of ticketing, security, concourses and baggage claim. The parents did their best to soothe and console. Their smiles and reassuring voices belied their concern.

Ted’s mother called his name and reached toward him, a soft gesture that brought him near. On the spectrum of autism, Ted is considered nonverbal. He doesn’t do well in crowds. Waiting makes him anxious. He doesn’t look strangers in the eye. White is used to those behaviors.

What concerns her is that a Transportation Safety Administration official or other airport security person could possibly misread his actions and signal them as cause for alarm. Should their child break down in the terminal, let alone mid-flight, they then have to deal with the responses from other travelers.

“On a plane, some people with autism may become withdrawn or others may become more physical, say tapping the seat in front of them or rocking back and forth or being more vocal,” said Lisa Goring, vice president of family services for Autism Speaks, a national advocacy group. “The person with autism is not intentionally trying to make it challenging for another traveler. They just might not have another means of communicating what they are feeling.”

Three years ago a mother and her 2 1/2-year-old son who was autistic were removed from an American Eagle flight before takeoff in Raleigh-Durham because the child allegedly was uncontrollable.

Moving through security

On the day the Emory group went through a security checkpoint, TSA personnel had been alerted in advance. Sondra, Jennifer, Stephanie and the other young people moved through security relatively easily. With great assistance from their parents they showed their identification cards, removed their shoes, placed them on the scanner conveyor belt, then ambled through the metal detectors. Every step of the way their parents and airport employees told them what to expect. The repetition of the commands was key to helping them understand.

But Ted was having none of it. He didn’t want to let go of his paper security blanket. He didn’t want to take off his shoes. His mother tried coaxing him, demonstrating what he should do. Finally another person on the tour called out, “You can do it, Ted!” That little encouragement seemed to do the trick. He made it through the checkpoint and headed for the train with the rest of the group.

Last month the Autism Society, another national advocacy group, met with TSA officials at their annual conference to talk about ways to ease the travel experience of autistic passengers, said Amanda Glensky, a spokesperson for the society. For now families can choose to participate in the TSA’s expedited screening program, but it requires disclosure of a long list of personal information. There is also a “blue card” program that requires disclosure of medical documentation to the TSA.

Making travel easier

Here are a few tips from the national Autism Society that may make air travel less stressful.

• Tell the airline in advance and ask if there are any procedures or accommodations that can be made for the traveler with autism.
• Prior to traveling, use pictures, video, even miniature toy planes to acquaint the autistic passenger with what they will experience.
• Tell the flight crew in advance that you are traveling with someone who has autism and that you may need assistance. You may need to explain characteristics of the disorder.
• Bring familiar items that will put the person at ease, such as a favorite toy or book.
• Bring along music that the person with autism finds soothing so that he or she can listen to it through headphones.

www.ajc.com/lifestyle/young-autistic-adults-get-1192722.html

Football star Paul Scholes has revealed that his young son suffers from autism.

The disorder, which hinders communication skills and social interaction, is thought to affect around 0.2 per cent of the population.

And now former England and Manchester United ace Scholes has announced that his six-year-old son Aiden suffers with the condition and has learning difficulties.

The former Old Trafford playmaker makes the surprise revelation in his autobiography, Scholes: My Story, which is published today.

Despite his sporting success, Scholes has always been protective of his private life and shunned the celebrity lifestyle favoured by his team mates. 

Writing in the Sun, the football legend revealed Aiden's struggle with the life-altering disorder, saying his son is 'in his own little world'.

'We hope his condition improves but we're not banking on it, just doing everything we can to make sure he has a happy life,' Scholes wrote.

'He has a load of people trying to help him, speech and play therapists for example.'

He added that Aiden has discovered a love of swimming, and said: 'He'd be swimming every minute of the day if he could and on holiday we even feed him in the pool.'

Scholes's other children with wife Claire, 12-year-old Arron and Alicia, 10, cope 'brilliantly' with their brother's ongoing condition, according to their proud father.

The footballer, who retired last year after 20 years at Old Trafford, has been described as 'undoubtedly the greatest midfielder of his generation' by French hotshot Zinedine Zidane.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder believed to be genetically transmitted. Symptoms of the disorder usually start appearing in children before the age of three.

It is far more common in boys than girls, with a male to female ratio of more than four to one.

People who have autism find it difficult to communicate with others and generally have low empathy skills. They also often show obsessive and repetitive behaviour.

Children with autism usually cannot adapt to independent living as they move into adulthood.

Other famous figures whose children are autistic include Sylvester Stallone and John Travolta, whose son Jett died in 2009.

The young son of House of Commons Speaker John Bercow and his reality TV star wife Sally has also been diagnosed with the condition.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2043194/My-year-old-son-autism-reveals-England-ace-Paul-Scholes.html#ixzz1ZpCEjxy5

FREEHOLD, NJ - Monmouth County 9-1-1 operators are taking the lead when it comes to autism awareness. Public safety telecommunicators from the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office Communications Division are the first group of operators in the state who were trained on how to prepare themselves when responding to calls involving individuals with autism.  “Operators need to take a different approach when dealing with a 9-1-1 call regarding an individual with autism who is missing or hurt,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden.  “They must be equipped with information on autism, so they can effectively assist the caller, and, prepare first responders about the emergency situation involving an individual with autism.” 

Each of the sixty seven public safety telecommunicators from the Monmouth County 9-1-1 Communications Center were the first to receive five hours of training from Frank Hines, an autism awareness trainer with the New Jersey Department of Health, and, a parent of a child with autism.  According to the Centers for Disease Control, New Jersey has some of the highest rates of autism in the nation, with one in every 94 children being diagnosed as autistic.

“The increase of our autistic community has ultimately resulted in an increase of law enforcement and first responder contacts, and, that begins with 9-1-1 operators who take the call. That is why it’s vital they are equipped with the right information,” said Hines.

Through the training course, operators are briefed on what questions need to be asked when dealing with an emergency situation regarding an individual with autism. Those questions include if the individual is verbal or non verbal, how he or she interacts with people, what if any  unusual behaviors does the individual have, has the individual wandered off before, and, if so, where?  Individuals with autism often gravitate towards water, and, drowning is the leading cause of death among that population.  Once that information is gathered by the operators, they will pass it to responding agencies on how best to approach the situation, as well as decide if additional first responders need to be dispatched.  They can also inform parents about Project Lifesaver, an electronic monitoring program for individuals with autism and Alzheimers.

“Public safety telecommunicators and members of the law enforcement community need to be educated about this disorder or they can be at a disadvantage when it comes to assisting individuals with autism,” said Sheriff Golden. “I’m proud of the commitment the sheriff’s office has made which places our public safety telecommunicators at the forefront of autism awareness.” 

www.ahherald.com/newsbrief-mainmenu-2/monmouth-county-news/11765-monmouth-county-9-1-1-operators-step-into-the-forefront-on-autism-awareness

Special Learning, Inc., an online autism solutions company, introduces a new, unique service to help parents take the first important step in identifying whether their child should be evaluated for Autism.

Special Learning’s Autism Screening & Assessment Consultation Service uses results from its proprietary Early Autism Screening & Assessment Checklist to help users determine if a deeper analysis and evaluation from a BCBA is warranted. The screening and assessment tool was developed in conjunction with Dr. Mueller, a developmental psychologist with expertise in Autism diagnosis, and BCBAs from Special Learning’s Clinical Advisory Board.

This checklist can be used upon first observation of symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The checklist incorporates the standard definitions from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Version 4 (DSM-IV). This criteria is combined with input from professionals with deep clinical expertise to make this a very simple and user friendly early assessment tool. Upon completion of the form, this tool generates a simple report that provides basic interpretation of results and recommendations to determine the next steps.

Autism is quickly becoming one of the most prevalent disorders affecting children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2010), Autism affects 1 in 110 children in the United States alone. Early detection and proper intervention results in the greatest levels of outcomes for children. With proper application of intervention programs including Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), significant number of children can be mainstreamed into our general society. According to a study conducted at the University of Washington and funded by the National Institute of Mental Health,”those receiving two years of intensive therapy achieved major leaps in IQ score, big improvements in their use of language and significant gains in their ability to handle the kinds of everyday tasks necessary for a child to function at school and at play.”

Special Learning also offers an optional interpretation service in which an experienced Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) reviews and discusses the results from the assessment checklist. Equipped with results from the Special Learning Early Autism Screening Checklist or the deeper interpretation report, families and other concerned parties are provided with an objective tool that they can use with confidence to put a child on a path to leading a happy, fulfilling and independent life.

www.prweb.com/releases/2011/9/prweb8839331.htm

“I was just playing the piano for 9-10 hours a day,” she said last week.

Although she wasn’t officially diagnosed with autism while living in India, she had great difficulty understanding people and reading their cues. To this day, she struggles with these issues, including understanding emotions and sharing sympathy.

“Travel helped me in meeting more people and getting me out of my comfort zone and my shell,” said Suri, who has become a world-traveler.

Suri began playing the piano at age 5, and started giving recitals by age 9 in Chennai, India. When she was 14, she won an international piano competition, then was voted “most promising performer” five years in a row by visiting professors from the Trinity College of Music, London.

Suri won a scholarship to Princeton University at age 16. She earned her master’s degree in music composition at Manhattan School of Music. Suri currently serves as musical director at Park United Methodist Church in Weehawken and also as freelance pianist for Off-Broadway musicals and concerts. 

On Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 7:30 p.m., Suri and other world-class musicians will hold the first “Autism Benefit Concert,” an evening of classical music, to finance trips for children and adults with special needs.

The concert will be held in Weehawken, at Park United Methodist Church, 51 Clifton Terrace. “We want to increase awareness of autism, and raise funds to enable those who want to come on our trips, come for free,” said Suri. 

Travel and autism

Suri and her husband have created a company called Sensory Travel Network that plans and organizes trips for autistic children and adults.

The company plans one-day and weekend trips around the tri-state area to parks, beaches, and farms. At parks, like Harriman State Park, Bear Mountain, or the Shawangunk Mountain Range, they organize hiking lessons with the rangers to observe local fauna and flora. They get close to the water, with cautious supervision.

“Water is very therapeutic,” Suri said. “Participants have complete supervision, a ratio of two to one,” she added.

At farms and petting zoos, they interact with horses and other animals and pick veggies and fruits. “Animals are very calming to autistic kids and adults,” she said. “We’ll need to be careful when encouraging them to pet the animals, because some can have extreme sensory processing difficulties, so our initial recommendation will be to just visit and see the petting zoos.”

Suri said it is good to start with small trips and not do too much too soon.

“Long trips bring discomfort and changes make them very nervous, so it has to be gradual,” she said. Participants receive detailed itineraries and photos of the precise location of activities so they can become acquainted with where they are going. “Each person should bring their own food, as most [autistic persons] have a particular diet,” said Suri. She also provides snacks and refreshments.

The trips intend to help participants socialize and make friends. They also introduce different ways of learning.

“Autism is characterized by repetition and inflexibility,” said Suri. During the trips the participants are presented with other ways of learning by hands-on experience, rather by linear learning, memorizing facts, and repeating words from textbooks. 

The performers

Suri will be one of the performers at the benefit. Other performers run the gamut of musical disciplines. Erika Dyer, mezzo soprano, has a degree in voice performance from Boston University. Sonia Montez is a singer and guitarist who began her career at age 6 at “El Coro de los Niños de San Juan.” Sun Young is an autism music therapist who earned her bachelor’s degree in composition and her master’s degree in Music Therapy at New York University.

The Brandy String Trio will also perform. It includes Eric Cooper, cello; Pedro Vizzarro Vallejos, viola, and Audrey Lo, the violin.

“One in 110 people have autism across the United States,” Suri said. “We are doing this benefit to help them. There are a lot of residents in the area with autism. This is a way to help friends and family to raise awareness so that they know they are not alone, that we understand them, that we want to make them feel an active part of society.”

hudsonreporter.com/view/full_stories_home/15853795/article-Travel-and-autism-Concert-will-fund-trips-for-children-and-adults-with-special-needs-?instance=weehawken_story_left_column

Adolescents and children with Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often have difficulty in understanding, interacting and relating with others.  Impaired social-communication skills are typical in individuals with ASD.

New research suggests that intensive therapy can help children achieve the best outcomes, especially when it is given at an early age.

The leaders of the current study say that the intensive therapy helps children with autism improve social and communication skills.

Researchers reviewed data from more than a thousand children and adolescents with ASD.  They focused on changes demonstrated for social-communication skills.  These changes included facial expressions, gestures, sharing enjoyment, language comprehension and appropriate social responses.

‘It is important for children with autism to begin treatment as soon as possible.  The more intense or comprehensive the therapy, the better it is in terms of helping children improve social and communication skills,’ said clinical psychologist Dr. Micah Mazurek, assistant professor in the Department of Health Psychology at the University of Missouri.

Over time 95.4% of children demonstrated improvement for these skills with children who have received behavioural, speech and occupational therapy benefitting the most.  The best response to therapy was experienced by those with higher nonverbal IQs.

Analysis revealed that when age and symptom severity were controlled, the children who received more intensive treatment at a younger age, experienced far greater advancement in social-communication skills.

‘With regard to social-communicative symptom severity, our study reveals that it is not IQ alone that contributes to improvements over time,’ said Mazurek.

‘Instead, having a higher IQ may allow children to make greater gains in various types of treatments.  Although IQ scores of children with ASD may be strongly influenced by their capacity for attention and ability to comply with tasks, results indicate the need to design and examine alternative treatment approaches for those with intellectual impairments,’ Mazurek added.

For children who were nonverbal at the age of 5, the researchers found that IQ and intensity of speech therapy most significantly predicted the acquisition of speech.

The findings indicate that targeted, intensive treatments may be the most successful for the improvement of specific skills.

www.mentalhealthy.co.uk/news/953-autism-%E2%80%93-intensive-therapy-at-young-age-beneficial.html

Susanna Fomby will make her Broadway debut this weekend during a special, sold-out production of "The Lion King."

But Fomby, a special education teacher at the Westside school district's Westbrook Elementary, won't be on stage Sunday singing and dancing as one of the musical's famous felines or cackling hyenas.

She'll be working behind the scenes, as she has been for the past several days, helping to launch what's being billed as the first ever autism-friendly performance in Broadway history.

The production is part of a new Autism Theatre Initiative announced in August by the Theatre Development Fund, the nonprofit organization that runs the TKTS booths familiar to New York City theater-goers as a source of discount tickets.

The initiative's aim is to make theater-going accessible to children and adults with disorders on the autism spectrum, as well as their families.

Despite growing awareness of autism, such families often avoid public events, such as plays and movies, out of concern that their child's behaviors will draw stares or comments, even criticism. "It's still a big issue for families," said Wayne Fisher, director of the University of Nebraska Medical Center's Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Fisher, who is not involved in the New York City production, said it sounded "like a good idea." Today, one in 110 children are diagnosed with autism, compared with 3.3 per 10,000 in the 1980s. Autism is a developmental disorder that affects children's communication and social relationships. They also tend to have repetitive interests and behaviors.

Fomby got involved in "The Lion King" through a colleague at the City University of New York's Hunter College who has been among the consultants working on the project. Fomby, who moved to Omaha this summer, previously had organized autism-friendly movie showings while working in suburban Chicago. She started with field trips, then did family movie nights.

"You see the excitement in the kids," she said, "but you see just as much excitement in the parents because they have to do it (work with autism) every single moment of their day. To be able to relax and do something that typical families do, they truly appreciate that."

A few more such showings have begun to crop up over the last several years. In Omaha, Marcus Theatres this summer held several screenings in its "Reel Movies for Real Needs" film series for families of children with autism and other challenges. At least one other Omaha theater also has offered sensory-friendly screenings geared toward those with autism.

The Rose Theater offers dancing and acting classes for children with autism and has staged special performances for children with autism and their families. For several years, the Rose also has brought in guests to train its educators on working with students on the autism spectrum.

So what makes a show autism-friendly?

People with autism, Fomby said, see and hear things differently than other people. "It's lights, it's sounds, it's smells," Fomby said. "They're trying to filter all that stuff out and still act appropriately socially."

So "The Lion King" and the theater where it will be held — the Minskoff, one of Broadway's largest — have been adapted to help.

Lisa Carling, director of the Theatre Development Fund's accessibility programs, said the production has been modified slightly to make it less jarring. A strobe light that usually flashes when the lion Mufasa falls has been cut. So have steam bursts during a scene in the elephant graveyard. Volume also has been adjusted in places, although the changes are made electronically. "As far as the actors are concerned, it's a regular performance for them," she said.

The biggest differences may be in what's been added. At the suggestion of a father with two autistic sons, barriers have been placed in the lobby so patrons can wait in orderly lines rather than milling about, Carling said. During the show, volunteers inside the theater will hold up glow sticks at points in the performance where there may be bursts of applause so parents cover kids' ears or put on headphones. They'll also have "power cards" with relaxation tips — such as counting to 10 — for those who might be getting anxious.

Fomby was to be involved with preparing the theater itself, which will be equipped with different rooms where kids could take a break — play, color or receive therapy — if they're getting overloaded. She also was to help train theater staff.

And if it all goes well, there may be more performances, Fomby said. The autism-friendly version of "The Lion King" sold out the day tickets went on sale.

"It's kind of an experiment."

www.omaha.com/article/20111002/LIVEWELL01/710029915/1161 

An Oxfordshire charity is running workshops to show how dogs can help calm children with autism.

Dogs for the Disabled, based in Banbury, says it has helped 150 UK families with Parents Autism Workshops and Support (Paws) in the past year.

Suzanne Walker, from Barton, Oxfordshire, bought a dog for her son Joshua following one of the events.

She said it helped put the pet "to the best advantage of our family with a child who has special needs".

Joshua, 11, added: "When I'm stressed I go and see the dog, give her a cuddle and feel much better."

Role models

Joshua has Asperger syndrome, a form of autism, but has learned new life skills since the family bought a Jack Russell called Muri.

He said: "When I go for walks with my dog I get to go out on my own and it helps me to be independent. 

"I like playing with the dog and I think she loves me a lot."

Mrs Walker said: "It's got a very calming effect on Joshua and he can communicate with her really well. 

"It means he's got a little companion. The care side is important. It's a good skill for any child and he can learn life skills that are outside his own interests."

The workshops are run by animal behaviourist Katie Bristow-Wade.

She told the BBC the dogs were taught specific behaviour such as resting a head on a worried child's lap or lying on the end of a bed to help them sleep.

Pearls of wisdom

They also act as role models by having their teeth brushed and hair cut or washed to inspire the child to cooperate.

"We're sharing our pearls of wisdom to the general public with children of autism," Mrs Bristow-Wade added.

Caroline Hattersley, head of information, advice and advocacy at The National Autistic Society, said whilst a dog may help one person it might not be suitable for all.

She added: "People with autism can have sensory issues and may find the noise and smell of a pet overwhelming. 

"Looking after a pet can also take time and commitment and may not be possible for all families. 

"Some families have reported that their children have responded well to having a pet dog and that it may have helped to improve their behaviour. 

"The Paws workshops are an opportunity for families who are interested in getting a pet to access the information they need about the pros and cons of getting a dog, decide whether this is the right choice for them, and learn about the long-term support that is available as they raise their dog."

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-15078726

Michele LaMarche, BCBA, co-founder of Special Learning, Inc. was awarded the coveted Public/Non-Profit Best Practices Award for 2011. This award is sponsored by the Ohio Governor’s Council on People with Disabilities, a 21-member council appointed by and designed to work with the Governor of the State of Ohio to promote the inclusion of persons with disabilities, including those with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

The Public/Non-Profit Best Practices award is given every year to an organization or person with a successful record of promoting the inclusion of people with disabilities within the community and workforce. Through the Best Practices award, the Governor’s Council on People with Disabilities (GCPD) aims to inspire others to join and take part in improving the quality of life of individuals with disabilities.

In addition to being co-founder of Special Learning, Ms. LaMarche is the founder and Executive Director of Step By Step Academy (SBSA), a highly-regarded center-based non-profit Autism treatment center in Columbus, Ohio. Since its formation almost ten years ago, SBSA has touched the lives of over one thousand students through rigorous application of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) treatments, resulting in exceptional outcomes. Ms. LaMarche, with over fifteen years of professional experience in the field of ABA, uses her knowledge of behavioral treatment to produce groundbreaking, effective, empirically validated curricula, a critical factor in successfully mainstreaming hundreds of students with ASD. With her credentials and work through Special Learning and SBSA, she has changed the lives of countless individuals and families affected by ASD.

www.prweb.com/releases/autism/applied_behavior_analysis/prweb8816061.htm

As the school year gets underway, incoming students are adjusting to a new schedule and new teachers, navigating their classes and peer groups, and generally struggling to figure themselves out. But for children on the autism spectrum, the return to the classroom can be much more complex. What are some of the unique challenges that kids with autism face during back-to-school season?

As a former college professor and the mother of a 12-year-old boy on the autism spectrum, I can attest that the transition from carefree summer to the bustle and busyness of back-to-school season can be a particularly tough time. These are harrying days for all kids, but for those on the spectrum, the challenges are more intense and different in kind. Children with autism typically struggle with novelty, and a new school year can bring an overwhelming flood of novelty—new teachers and classmates, a new physical space to become acclimated to, a new schedule and routine, new demands and expectations both academically and behaviorally.

The change in seasons also affects children on the spectrum who are acutely sensitive to temperature and textures. One mom on my Facebook page told me that her autistic son hated having to wear socks again, and another lamented having to put her daughter’s open sandals away and enclose her feet in shoes. Less outdoor and active play time as the weather gets colder leads to an increase in irritability or anxiety in all children. For those on the spectrum, the loss of therapeutic activities like swimming, water and sand play, and time in nature even more strikingly affects their functioning.

Having to go to bed and wake up earlier can be harder for autistic children, too, who tend to have disordered sleep. Pressure to move quickly and efficiently in the morning to make that school bus is all the more stressful for children on the spectrum, who may struggle with everything from feeding themselves to tying their shoes. Parents share in many of these struggles. The elaborate rituals and routines autistic children often rely on to comfort themselves—lining up toys, counting every mailbox—can wreck the best-laid plans to get to school on time. I remember both my and my son Benj’s frustration when I told him he didn’t have time to put the “S” block down after the “R” block because we “had to be at school now.”

Once in school, the children are confronted with a flood of confusing and potentially upsetting stimuli. One autistic teen told me that getting used to new faces is especially challenging for her: “I have to learn how to decode the expressions.” Another said that the pitch, volume, and timbre of a slew of new voices always take a good deal of getting used to. Bells signaling the end or beginning of classes, whistles, and fire alarms are all new and aversive noises to children who suffer from acute sound sensitivity. We’ve often come to school to walk Benj through fire drills, and whenever there’s a new gym teacher, we’ve asked him or her to warn Benj before blowing a whistle. 

Problems can arise with teachers who aren't specially trained to handle autism. Ronald Leaf, a psychologist and director of Autism Partnership, located in Seal Beach, Calif., consults extensively with school districts throughout the United States. "These children are walking into a situation where they're faced with teachers and aides who have not received the necessary training," he told me. "It's chaotic, their routines have changed, there is a lack of consistency with the previous year, different kinds of curriculums. Invariably it's lack of training that is the biggest issue. It's not lack of caring, it's simply not knowing what to do."

Children with autism often can’t recount their experiences or express their feelings with ease and clarity, so parents can be at a loss to understand what their child is going through, and issues don’t get resolved as quickly as they would were the child able to report them immediately. Some years I’ve thought Benj was settling into school well only to be surprised by a call from a teacher announcing that he was in fact having serious trouble; in others, he’s seemed jumpy and worried at home but relatively calm to his teachers. And for parents of nonverbal autistic kids, the back-to-school period can be a very scary time as they wonder how their child is faring and can’t elicit any information at all from them.

And yet, there are some ways in which the back-to-school season is actually easier for children on the spectrum than for their neurotypical peers. Being back in school, with a regular schedule, clear expectations, and a calendar of events can be a huge relief after the unstructured, open-ended nature of summer. And being relatively impervious to peer pressure can protect these children from some of the typical back-to-school anxieties. One mother laughingly recounted, “My son has never worried about what to wear on the first day of school!” Another told me what a relief it was that her son didn’t insist on an expensive backpack like the ones his friends had.

Although every new school year has brought a flurry of calls and emails from the school expressing concerns or seeking my input, the most difficult periods in my parenting life have come when Benj has begun at a new school: his first year of preschool, in first grade, and last year when he began at a new middle-high school. During each of these adjustment periods, there has been a sense of crisis, a pervasive urgency for the first few months of school. I discuss this at length in my recently published memoir The Anti-Romantic Child.

But through extensive discussions involving all of Benj’s team (parents, therapists, teachers), the teachers have always eventually figured out ingenious ways to reach Benj through his strengths and to use those strengths to address his weaknesses. Every year, as Benj initially struggles, I put current teachers in touch with previous ones, I share reports on and evaluations of Benj, information about hyperlexia (the specific form of autism he has), and I help educate the teachers about what works best for my individual child.

I am profoundly grateful for the teachers, administrators, and schools that have taken the time to learn more about both autism and my quirky son. Their patience, compassion, and open-mindedness can inspire us all.

www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/09/24/back-to-school-with-autism-the-challenges-and-anxieties.html

WALLINGFORD - Off to the side of bright lights, video cameras and people browsing through works of art, Dylan Trowbridge of Meriden sat churning out riffs on an acoustic guitar, with his teacher Matt Power looking over his shoulder.

On Saturday, the Autism Spectrum Resource Center in Wallingford displayed the fruits, though they were still life drawings, of a successful new arts program started in the last year. Students showed off a variety of artistic talents from traditional drawing and painting to music such as Dillon's and another team worked with Cox Communications on video productions.

"It's just been wonderfully successful," said Executive Director Lois Rosenwald of the program. "It's wonderful to see what our kids can do."

One artist, Meghan Zagata, 15, of Hamden presented state Rep. Cathy Abercrombie, D-Meriden, with one of her charcoal drawings to show her appreciation for all the support Abercrombie has shown to people with the autism and the center.

"I want to thank you for everything you've done for us," Meghan said while handing Abercrombie an anime inspired version of the Mona Lisa.

"This is why I do what I do," Abercrombie said, choking up while talking about working in Hartford to help people with autism. "Students like you just have a great future."

Dylan, a student at Platt High School, said watching guitar tutorials on YouTube inspired him to learn. He teamed up with Power, who volunteers with the resource center, to learn how.

"It was a little difficult at first, but once you get used to it, it's pretty easy," Dylan said while strumming away.

On one side of the center, a video production center was set up with David Smith of Cox Public Access in Cheshire overseeing shooting for the public access show "On the Spectrum." Quinnipiac University media student and volunteer Josh Powers would sit down for a chat with student artists for segments to run on the show.

Smith began working with the center a little more than a year ago. Students from the center are involved with all aspects of production for the show. The idea came after meeting a child with autism and letting him try out some of the equipment.

"He didn't really talk very much but when you got him in front of the buttons and lights he really came alive," Smith said. "There were probably more kids just like that. So we got kids from the center into the Cheshire Cox studio. It's worked out really well."

He said all the students take turns with different aspect of production, but to move from up to other positions, the children go through an interview process. He said the program basically operates like a job with him as the boss.

The walls of the resource center were adorned with dozens of work from students. Parents and students browsed through the makeshift art gallery while enjoying snacks, talking about the artwork and taking a look at other opportunities the students could get involved with in the future.

www.myrecordjournal.com/wallingford/article_07eaeb0a-e726-11e0-9ab8-001cc4c002e0.html

Donations made through the campaign will provide specialized services to families who have a child with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD), especially military families living on bases with limited services. Last year, May Institute received pledges of more than $53,000 from federal employees around the globe.

A shortage of qualified providers and the lack of professional resources near installations mean that fewer than 10% of military children with ASD are receiving critical treatment and care. The Institute's participation in the CFC strengthens its ability to provide vital services to these military dependents and their families. 

"When a child is diagnosed with autism, the entire family is affected. For military families, the challenges multiply with deployments and transfers," says May Institute President and CEO Walter P. Christian, Ph.D., ABBP, ABPP. "The tremendous generosity of CFC donors makes it possible for us to provide critically needed resources for families affected by autism."

To be named a beneficiary of the CFC, May Institute underwent a rigorous review to demonstrate that it meets the highest standards of public accountability, and program and cost effectiveness. These standards are required by the U.S. government, and fewer than 50,000 charities (or 5%) of the millions of charities operating in the U.S. meet these standards.

The Independent Charities of America has also awarded May Institute with the highest honor – the Seal of Excellence. This award is given to less than 2,000 charities (or 4%) of the 50,000 charities in the CFC.

www.sacbee.com/2011/09/22/3929707/may-institute-supports-military.html

When I unwrapped my New York Times on Sunday, I was met with a surprise: A front-page, above-the-fold story about a young adult with autism. The story — a must-read, which you can do here — follows Justin Canha, a 20-year old with autism as he stretches towards adulthood and aspires to an independent life. The feature, written by Amy Harmon, who won a National Academies communication award last week for her  “Target: Cancer” series, is beautifully wrought and a joy to read. It’s already been praised as a brilliant and insightful piece of medical journalism on blogs and twitter.

But I want to praise it for something else. Many articles about autism focus on the highest-functioning people on the spectrum, who certainly struggle socially, but who are brilliant beyond average academically or in some other quirky way. (Often they have Asperger’s syndrome, which will no longer be a diagnosis with the publication of the fifth edition of the psychiatric handbook,  the DSM-5, in May 2013, merging into the broader autistic spectrum.) Instead, Harmon celebrates Justin, a young man with a knack for cartooning, but whose autism is more familiar to me than in any profile I’ve read thus far.

And I am quite familiar with autism, as my youngest brother, Jonah, is on the autistic spectrum. There was a point in my life when I had to explain what autism was nearly every time I spoke about him. But I rarely have to do that anymore. As soon as I mention his diagnosis, acquaintances sigh with recognition, as if they know what that means. And, no doubt, they know more than they once did: autism awareness has never been higher, with one in 110 children born now diagnosed. But I wish I were still given the chance to explain. Too frequently, they follow-up with statements about his intellectual gifts — “Oh, he must be really smart then.” — a sign of the influence of the stories about those with high-functioning autism.

I usually laugh, and respond, “ah, yes, he is smart.” But I don’t mean ‘smart’ in any way that society currently values. At nearly 16-years old, Jonah can’t count change or multiply. He has favorite books, but he flips through them too frantically to actually absorb the text. I swell with triumph whenever we have a conversation that lasts longer than 30 seconds, an actual exchange rather than repetitions of his favorite topics, which include pasta shapes, wheeled vehicles, and what we’re having for dinner that night. What I see as his ‘smartness’ is his view of the world, little influenced by the social and societal pressures that feed my own insecurities.

In her article, Harmon gets at that smartness in her descriptions of Justin. It’s very difficult to articulate but, given the expanse of a feature, she was able to do it through dialogue and his interactions with others. And my eyes teared up as I recognized Jonah, the kind of autism that I know and love so dearly, in an autistic character portrayed elsewhere.

I’m not trying to denigrate those profiles of high-functioning autistic people. Those people and those stories are important in their own right, for one. But additionally, from a journalism and awareness standpoint, it’s also so much easier for NTs — neurotypicals, as autistic people call us — to understand those who are high-functioning. After all, who hasn’t felt that they themselves had a useful skill that went unrecognized? Who hasn’t felt socially insecure, held back by their own (in)abilities?

Many stories are also told about the parents of autistic children. As Wired writer  Tim Carmody explains on his blog, Snarkmarket:

Most readers of newspapers and consumers of serious media are typical, healthy, middle-class adults. They sympathize best with fates that are either totally fantastic or resemble their own. Most people find it easier to imagine being the parent of an autistic child. They find it harder to imagine being autistic and struggling with the problems of autistic adults themselves.

In her piece, Harmon invites NTs to sympathize and understand an autistic adult in his own right. Autistic adults are in our society, and as the children now diagnosed with autism grow up, there will be even more. It is thus critical that assimilated folk learn to understand them and no longer ignore them, push them aside, or worse. Journalism can do that. Journalism can help people understand other people. And, as I toddle around in my baby-journalist shoes, that is truly inspiring.

So, thank you, Amy Harmon, for taking this step of bringing those non-genius autistic people, generally ignored after puberty, into public attention. Thank you for highlighting Justin’s trials and spilling light onto people undergoing similar ones.

But it means more than that for me. When I talk about Jonah, everyone asks, “What is he going to do when he grows up?” And, honestly, I don’t know. He still has five more years of school — he started public high school this year! — and I will not let anyone decide for him what he is capable of, and certainly not when he’s still a teenager. But I dream of a world where people see him on the street and don’t edge away, where society is more accepting of those whose brains are, well, atypical. I don’t know if society will ever find a productive role for lower functioning autistic people. But a society whose citizens put in the bit of effort required to understand the individual autistic people they encounter? That is something we can work toward.

blogs.scientificamerican.com/culturing-science/2011/09/20/learning-to-understand-non-genius-autistic-people/