Jimmy's 8...

Yesterday was Jimmy's 8th birthday. We didn't make a big deal about as to not confuse him at his birthday party next weekend. My in-laws took Jacob for the weekend, so we had some one-on-one time Jimmy. I didn't understand that not only did have to run Jacob out to Waldorf but back too, so that ate a lot of time, but we made the best of it. I took Jimmy to Toys R Us this morning to use his birthday money from my inlaws. Usually he asks for very little when we were out shopping, but we did the aisle to aisle thing and he left with another MagnaDoodle (those things are gold to him), a monster set of Lincoln Logs, a Star Wars playset, yet another set of Yo Gabba Gabba, a Spiderman ball, and a box of rabbit shaped organic macaroni and cheese. Yeah, I can't explain that one either. We will probably get him something small for his birthday, as the other grandma still has to gift him. My mom is very practical, so it likely a modest toy and some cool new shoes. Jimmy likes the gift thing, so it should be a good time regardless.

With all the car time, it really illustrated the need for me to do something about his seatbelt behavior. He got out of his belt in the back and decided to lean across me to adjust my radio just as everyone was hitting the breaks for Wilson Bridge construction. After the ride back, I went to the laptop and order more Angel Guards. We went about a year without them, but they are very needed. Having him as a passenger has become a terrifying proposition. It is getting to the point where it isn't safe to have him ride in the back without an adult. Hopefully they will come this week, so I can relax a little bit.

A big week... Depeche Mode on Tuesday with T. She is moving back to me to the ever-lovely Gainesville. I am in my happy place. I think our husbands are in mourning. It will be nice to have the bestie around.

Best Wedding Entrance Ever...

I love when Perez shares things with the world.

Congrats to the happy couple!

An Interesting Little Discussion with the DH

He was reading his new Kyle Baker book and found out that in one of his new titles, he loosely drew on the story of the autistic kid in Oregon who was recruited into the Army... nearly. It didn't get as far as the Joshua Fry case, but this Baker character led into a discussion if the label of a disability alone should preclude someone from serving in the military. He thinks that if someone is up to the job and can perform it without accommodation, they should be permitted to serve. He is right, to an extent.

I guess I look at this through the lens of Jimmy, who at two days before he eighth birthday can barely string a sentence together or wipe his backside in the bathroom. Between the experience of raising him and working in education, I have seen a wide variety of children with autism. Some of them I can see living independently and having challenging employment. The kids that fall more closely in Jimmy's orbit - a life on their own is the unlikeliest of scenarios as I see it. I will be responsible for him for the rest of my life, because I think his ability to be responsible for himself is extremely limited.

So, as parents and guardians of these children, we take steps to manage their affairs through legal conservatorships. If you are not of sound mind, you can't legally enter a contract. Your conservator makes those judgments because you can't, decisions that allow you to live in the world, but limiting your risk. When we discussed this, he actually brought up Britney Spears' conservatorship. He thinks she is perfectly capable of enlisting. I said that my understanding is that she is bipolar, a medical diagnosis, and when the conservatorship was established, it was after a series of extremely questionable judgment and behavior. At the time when it was established, she had no business making decisions for herself - evidence the head shaving and Osama Lufti - so her dad legally inserted himself to keep her business going while getting her help and treatment. Conservatorships are legitimate and exist for a reason.

My biggest problem with the Fry case is the conservatorship. According to Fry's attorney, the grandmother told recruiter Matthew Teson about the conservatorship as well as his diagnosis. He didn't listen. When it the conservatorship was presented in front of the JAG, the JAG ignored this legally binding document in favor of the recruiting agreement. In that action, the JAG essentially said civilian laws and protections for the disabled don't matter. Not only did the Marines ignore the medical history of this young man, they ignored the laws of this country that should have protected him. Moreover, the people who, if the attorney is correct, broke the law (principally the recruiter) are not being held to the letter of the law or facing any sort of punishment. To me, that's absurd.

So I declined to give the Virginia Democrats money tonight..

I told them of the autism bill/Richard Saslaw debacle and while I would consider giving to candidates, the party doesn't get a dime from me until he starts working for the voters again, not the lobbyists. Fat lot of good it does to tell a telemarketer that on the phone, but hey, I felt better.

The Summer Update

I have mostly recovered from three weeks of flu and sinus infection. Had the vacation, as it was. This week is the week of the contractor. Getting estimates for flooring from the great flood of 2009, courtesy of the dishwasher. Electrician today. Tomorrow, Service Master will hopefully pick up their blowers. It's been sort of one thing after another for the first 22 days of the month. But there are 9 left... July is salvageble, right???

Jimmy is enjoying his time at Parks and Rec. He loves his trips to the pool. Summer school seems to be going pretty well, too. There has been an uptick on his elopement. The trip to Target was just a miserable failure yesterday. He had the new therapist going after him in a full sprint. Other than that, he has settled down nicely since we got home.

Jacob is making friends at camp. We have swimming lesson this week as well. He has his good days and his bad. I wish he listened a little better. He is hard to rein in... really hard. But when he is being sweet and well behaved, he is just the best kid to be around.

That's what I have so far... Three and a half more weeks until I got back to work. I am somewhere betweeen being excited about returning to work and wishing I had a little more of a break.

Special Needs Daycare CUP approved

The 123 ABC Little Learner's Academy CUP was approved today by the Manassas Park Governing Board this evening. While some daycares serve kids with special needs, this is the first daycare center in the Northern Virginia area that serves these children specifically, along with their typical siblings. This won't change Jimmy's arrangement in the near future, as we are very happy with Extended Care (especially with Jacob starting next year), this is an option I wish I had several years ago, when the boys were both younger. I think this will be a huge benefit to families who struggle to work and be comfortable with the level of care their special needs children are receiving in a daycare setting. I am thrilled to see this happen in my community.

More recruiting fun...

A scary comment on Huffington Post that I had to share.

"My son is 23 and a high-functioning autistic. We have been beseiged by recruiter phone calls for the last 4 years. At first, I ignored the calls. Then I started picking up the phone and informing the recruiter that my son is autistic. He cannot handle loud noises, crowds, certain textures of material, certain textures of food (he barfs when he SEES melted cheese), and many other impediments to a military job. They did not seem to care about his disability and made their spiel that he join up and be weeded out in boot camp. I don't think so. What I do not get is how they do not know which young people are autistic, down syndrome, etc. since these people are on Social Security Disability and the government could supply their names to military recruiters as "do not call" people. We apparently do not have enough "intelligence" to weed out developmentally disabled young people from recruiting efforts. Now that's a scary thought!"

This illustrates the abuses of recruiters who see people with disabilities as nothing more than fodder to meet their recruiting goals. If the disability angle doesn't shock you, think about the taxpayers money these recruiters waste by signing these people up to meet their goals, then indicating to parents that they will merely wash out later. This is appalling and why recruiters who engage in this behavior should be subject to criminal charges and incarceration.

Marine Corps E-Mail Address

If you want to share your concerns about the unequal administration of justice between the actions of Joshua Fry and those of recruiter Matthew Teson, contact the Marine Corps at marine.mail.fct@usmc.mil.

Joshua Fry Pleads Guilty and is Discharged from the Marine Corps

"Reporting from Camp Pendleton -- A 21-year-old Marine diagnosed with autism and bipolar disorder pleaded guilty Monday to desertion, possession of child pornography and fraudulent enlistment and received a three-year suspended sentence and a bad-conduct discharge.

A plea bargain approved by Maj. Gen. Michael Lehnert calls for Pvt. Joshua Fry to serve one year in the brig with credit for the 359 days already served while he was awaiting court-martial. As a result, Fry is set to leave the brig at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base by the end of the week, officials said."

I am glad Joshua Fry's enlistment is over and that he will be getting treatment for the pornography thing. I think justice will be fully served when the recruiter Matthew Teson sees a similar punishment for his crimes:

'According to a pre-trial motion filed by Fry's attorney, Marine recruiter Gunnery Sgt. Matthew Teson drove to a group home for the mentally disabled to pick up Fry and sign him up. The enlistment occurred despite a warning from Fry's legal guardian and grandmother that he was autistic, that he was not Marine material, and he could not sign a contract without her permission.

The lawyer's motion claims that Teson urged Fry to not mention that fact on his application."

Teson is even more guilty of the fraud charge because Fry's capacity for sound judgement is greatly diminished by his disability. Gunnery Sgt. Teson has no excuse. The military, especially its leadership, needs to remember that respect is earned, not bestowed. Sadly, actions like that of Teson are a black mark to all members of the military. He needs to be dealt with... severely.

Vacation over...

We have returned home from our vacation. The change of venue was probably the most stressful ever, with Jimmy running out the door towards the parking lot at one point. He really wanted no part of it. He had a two hour crying jag on Wednesday night. Thursday went fairly well, but it became this debate as to whether he slept with us or if I stayed up all night. After Jimmy's run, we literally barricaded ourselves in the timeshare, stacking chairs and the table against the door so he couldn't make another break for it. There was no internet, so Jimmy didn't have his YouTube. I had my lap top on the off chance that Bryce somehow got wireless and to play DVDs. To Jimmy, it was a representation of his frustration. He would just sit in front of it and tantrum. We enjoy it out there, but it wasn't working for Jimmy. So we are back...

I'm blocked!!

We are at a Burger King in Mt. Jackson. They use this webfilter called FortiGuard, which has this blog categorized as pornography. I have tried to report it, but their server and my computer are having an argument over cookies. So if you are considering FortiGuard as your webfiltering software, you might want to consider a better quality product.

Comcast Employee: "Stupid is a disability."

Sorry it has taken me so long to get this story up. I am on vacation finally (after having the dishwasher break, flood the basement, and having insurance adjusters and water remediation people in) and we have no internet. This is actually being posted from a local public library.

On the way out of town yesterday, I had to drop by the Comcast office to give them my payment for our internet since I forgot to drop in the mail. Getting that stamp on the envelope two days earlier would have saved me a world of aggravation. In the Manassas Park office, there isn’t a drop box to just put into and run. The woman in front of me was returning equipment. So I would up standing and waiting in the office for about 5 to 10 minutes while DH and the boys were out in the car waiting for me.

While I was standing in the lobby, the door to the “employees only” was standing wide open. Three men were in there, apparently talking about colleague, rather loudly, discussing his intellectual ability, using timeless quotes s like “Stupid is a disability,” “Is being stupid a disability?,” and “Yes, it’s a disability if you were born that way.”

You have to feel bad for their karma in life, that the person standing outside the door listening was the mother of a child with a developmental disability, a woman who has spent years involved with the local Special Education Advisory Committee, and who cares passionately for this community of people. I was offended by their conversation. If they had any experience with raising a child diagnosed with autism or mental retardation or another cognitive disability, these men would not have been having a conversation using those terms. My life with my child, while it has moments of humor, isn’t a joke or a laughing matter.

I know people will invoke the ideas of freedom of speech and say that my response was political correctness run amock. I beg to differ. Complain about political correctness all you want, but if you are making comments based on disability, race, ethnicity, or gender, you are likely going to offend someone. Being different somehow opens you up to a world of comments, in my case ranging “What’s his problem?” to “Autism? Can’t you spank that out of him?” to “Couldn’t they tell you something was wrong when you were pregnant?” The implication to that last comment being that I should have aborted him rather than bringing him in to world different than everyone else.

You have freedom of speech on your own time. When you are sitting in a Comcast work room, wearing a Comcast shirt, with in earshot of customers, your speech reflects your employer. If I am a paying customer, I have the right to register a complaint about it. Heck, if these guys were behind me in a checkout having the same conversation, I probably would have said something. In this case, I got the number for the supervisor to call and complain. I also told the men on the way out how offended I was and that I was going to be calling their supervisor. They tried to say that I hadn’t heard the whole conversation, they were talking about a co-worker, and it wasn’t offensive. I didn’t hear the whole conversation. But I heard enough to know that it offended me and they shouldn’t be saying these things within earshot of me, a customer.

I left a message for the supervisor, a woman named Jeanette. Ultimately, I got a call back from her supervisor, a man named Dave. I relayed the incident to him. He was very disturbed by my account and told me he would be following up with the entire staff in the branch, especially the four techs (the three who were initially there were joined by a fourth during the conversation.) It is important that they show better judgment in the workplace in the future, especially around customers. I would hope that they would be encouraged to volunteer within the Manassas disability community, a special education classroom, the Matthew Center, something to illustrate that living with development disability, people often dismissed as stupid, is really not something to joke about.

**How’s the vacation going? We’ll be amazed if we make it through today. Jimmy is having a rough time being away from school and home. Like I said, my life has moments of humor, but it is filled with moments that challenge you and diminishes your ability to do things people take for granted, like go to a timeshare.**

Congressman Wolf Co-Sponsors the Autism Treatment Acceleration Act

I just got Congressman Wolf's latest missive and I am pleased to see that he has joined the bipartisan efforts of Democrat Mike Doyle and Republican Chris Smith and the House Autism Caucus (we have a caucus, who knew???) in cosponsoring HR 2413, the ATAA, which addresses not only the insurance issue, but the need for services for adults with autism as well. The bill also has some initiatives to better coordination of communication, services, and research. I am thrilled that he has signed on to this and will support it. It is my hope my elected officials in the Senate, Mark Warner and Jim Webb will do the same for the Senate version!

My letter to the editor...

I sent a letter to the editor regarding HB 1588 and the need for mandated coverage for children with autism in Virginia. It got published - you see the flaws when you read it again (d'oh), but it was published essentially in its entirety. Kind of cool.

Autism Votes Ad - Stop Insurance Discrimination

Jennifer Hudson

I loved it.

The last time an autistic recruit made the news....

... two recruiters in Portland were punished.

Clearly, we aren't learning here, folks...

Another article on Joshua Fry

It gets worse... though the first article was vague on this point, this one makes it clear. The recruiter knew Joshua was autistic.

"In his court brief, Studenka said Gunnery Sgt. Matthew M. Teson is partly to blame because he enlisted Fry despite having heard about the young man's troubled past. Studenka accused Teson of being “deliberately ignorant of Fry's disqualifying condition and background.”

The Marine Corps didn't make Teson available for comment.

According to Studenka's brief, Teson met Fry around 2006 while Fry was attending Newport Harbor High School. That was before Fry's alleged theft, possession of stolen property and other behavioral problems led to his 15-month stint at the Devereux Cleo Wallace facility in Denver.

The center, where Fry graduated from high school, treats psychiatric, emotional and behavioral problems in people ages 8 to 21.

At one point, Studenka wrote, Teson called the Fry home in Orange County because he didn't know that Fry had been transferred to Devereux. Studenka said Mary Beth Fry answered the phone and told Teson that her grandson is autistic and not capable of becoming a Marine."

Joshua Fry is in the brig. He shouldn't be - he should be released from the military and returned to community based treatment. Matthew Teson should be locked up for perpetuating fraud upon the United States Government.

Case of autistic Marine brings recruiting problems to the forefront

This isn't the first case of recruiting a young man with autism into the military, but it is appalling. The man is under conservatorship, meaning he can't legally enter a contract. The recruiter knew that, according to the grandmother and conservator, and ignored it. The Marine's own judge ignored this fact as well. I am outraged that our military conduct themselves in this manner, with no respect for the law. The man, while verbal, clearly needs full time care and assisted living. The Marines wanted to give him a gun. Great. Autism should be grounds for exclusion from the military. Heck, if you have asthma, they don't let you in. Autism? Come on.

It's really hard to respect people in uniform when recruiters do shit like this.

If you are ever blue...

Take a few minutes and watch P.S. 22 and their chorus...

Matthew Center in Manassas needs volunteers...

If you have time this summer and are local, please consider helping out. The Matthew Center has worked with Jimmy since he was 3. They do amazing things for kids with autism.

From InsideNova.com:

Good morning, Prince William. I want to give huge cheers to the Matthew Center for their new summer camp program for kids with autism. It seems like yesterday that this school was merely a vision and now it’s a fabulous thriving center for very special kids.

Volunteers are needed in a host of ways; first and foremost to be 1:1 camp chaperones for boys 6 to 18 years old. This is a fun energetic position where you have the opportunity for the ultimate inspiring link to a kid. Four-hour training will cover strategies and skills needed for the position and certainly afford you a terrific resume-building opportunity as well. This position is suitable for teens17 and older that wants to pursue a career in social work, special education, speech therapy and psychology or if they already have worked with special needs kids. The other volunteer jobs include drivers for their 14-person van to take the kids to various mini field trips in the community two days a week for about 4 hours each trip. Volunteers must be at least 25 years old and have a clean driving record to qualify. Lastly, if you have a little experience with formatting a newsletter in electronic form, you could be a huge help with getting the news of the Matthew Center out to their constituents. For more information, please call Kerry at 571-329-7944.

Happiest in the water...

So I got a call from extended care, saying that the couldn't find Jimmy's swimsuit and they were headed for the pool in five minutes. Since it was just about the lunch hour, I ran home, found his suit, and met the van over at the pool. My plan was to chaperone these trips throughout the summer, so I could have some quality time with him while he interacted with his friends. Plus, I am nervous having him somewhere like that without me. But I knew a trip to the pool would thrill him, so I got him changed in the bathroom with Ms. W and went back to work.

When I went to pick him up at 4, his van was pulling up. He was the first group to go over, but part of the last one to return. He was having such a good time that no one wanted to bring him back. I am glad they were so thoughtful and he had such a good day.

The Senate is bringing funny back...

I like it when smart people make it to elected office, but to get funny as well is a great thing. Congrats to Al Franken... Senator Franken.

Miss Lightbulb's First Day of the Rest of Her Life

Sounds like Miss Lightbulb, Jimmy's beloved teacher, had a good first day at her new job. I am thrilled. Jimmy has asked for her everyday since school has ended, but I think of all of the good she has done for us and all of the good she will do for those suffering from Spina Bifida. She is one of the greatest people I know.

Jimmy saw his speech therapist today and she sent me a note, saying he clung to her. I get it. He misses the structure of school, so seeing her was probably overwhelming. He goes back for summer school starting Monday, so he will be happy camper again. But he will miss his Lightbulb.

I am tired. I have only one more day to got before I get about six weeks off. I need the break.

Mark Warner Should Support the Autism Treatment Acceleration Act

I got an e-mail from Friends of Mark Warner today, touting an op-ed piece that he wrote about legislation he introduced to support families like his who are caring for a parent facing Alzheimers.

"That's why I have introduced the Senior Navigation and Planning Act of 2009 (S.1263). At its heart, this bill helps Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to plan for their transition into senior life in non-crisis moments. Essentially, we are trying to help seniors, their families, and caregivers navigate through a complex health care system."

The op-ed is really well written and it is clear that families caring for the elders with Alzheimers are facing many of the same issues that families with autism deal with - the help navigating the healthcare system, adequate coverage and care, respite, and care training. This is a worthy bill and I support it 100%.

My frustration is this - I have called his office twice about the Autism Treatment Acceleration Act and its need of co-sponsors. The interns/staffers who have answered have seemed uninterested at best. I sent a more lengthy request through his website over a month ago (my memory), asking him to please sponsor the ATAA and to give me a response. I have yet to hear from his office. To my knowledge, he also has not signed on to sponsor the ATAA.

I hope in the fullness of time he will reconsider and support the ATAA with same enthusiasm that he is supporting S. 1263. Granted, Alzheimers has touched his family more closely, but with 1 in 150 children diagnosed with autism, I doubt Mark Warner (or Jim Webb or Frank Wolf) would have to look very far in his circle of family or friends to find someone whose life has been touched by autism.

Michael Jackson

As a kid, I was a Michael Jackson fan.  Who wasn't?  Sadly, the years were not kind to him in many ways.  But there is a part of me that will forever be a fan.  I am saddened at his loss, if for no other reason that the impact he had on people like the inmates of Cebu Prison, who have found inspiration in his music to do something positive in the unlikeliest of places.  I give you their tribute.

I hope Michael Jackson finds the peace that eluded him in this life.

Why won't my legislators in DC support the Autism Treatment Acceleration Act?

If you live in Virginia, please call them and ask...  I am thinking it is time for Jimmy and I to pay another visit to the Hill.  

Sen. Jim Webb
Phone: (202) 224-4024

Sen. Mark Warner
Phone: (202) 224-2023

Rep. Frank Wolf
Phone: (202) 225-5136

An Interesting Ruling...

"School districts "can avoid any liability for tuition reimbursement by providing a free appropriate public education to a child with a disability," said lawyer David Salmons, who argued the case for T.A. But "if they fail to do that, they may be responsible for private school tuition if the parents can show that it's an appropriate case.""

I Love Covers

School's out for the summer...

Well, the year is done. Completely for the boys, mostly for me. I have seven workdays left, but I can wear jeans, so it's all good. The simple things make me the happiest. I have roughly six weeks off, where I hope to get the garage capable of housing one car, more of our stuff unpacked, the wallpaper border up on the boys' walls, find the Wii Play disc, exercise, and just get stuff done. I need the time.

Jimmy has summer school, extended care, and therapy. Jacob has camp, soccer, and swimming lessons. I don't know what I have, but I hope for a little peace.

I will figure out the edit feature later...

From my backyard.  Jimmy's in the moon bounce, Jacob and Noah on the playset.  It was a good time.  Watching this will cause motion sickness.  I need to learn to edit properly.  A summer project, I am sure!

A Quick Post...

This past week was crazy... lots on the scheduled, killed the iPhone, had a going away party for Jimmy's teacher, and tonight is No Doubt with bestie T. Will catch everyone up later...

Congratulations Creigh Deeds

... On winning the Democratic primary. I have faith that you will work on the waiver situation, but I really want to hear you use the word mandate in relation to insuring autism. Intervention and treatment improves outcomes, keeps families whole, and creates taxpaying, productive autistic adults. Autism speaks. And we vote too. Mandating insurance coverage is the key to my vote in November. It simply must happen for my son, his classmates, and all autistic children in Virginia.

Primary Redux - My Vote

So I just got my response from Moran's camp regarding the insurance...

What raised the question was my conversation with Creigh Deeds.  Let me start by saying that I am a political novice.  I know that the key to many points is in the phrasing.  And since I don't speak the political language, it is only with thought after the fact that I realized the importance of this point.  

Mr. Deeds is a man who cares about people and does have a lot of sympathy into the plight of families like mine, having a child with a medical diagnosis and therapeutic needs that are not covered by insurance.  He wants to have more availability to the waivers program to help us keep our children in our homes, loved by their families.  When it comes to the insurance issue, he said the market would take care of it.  

Only in time, did I understand what that might mean.  No mandate.  The Post article said: 

"It's just right that it be covered," Deeds was quoted as saying.

He is absolutely right.  It is is the right thing to do.  If you are waiting for insurance companies to do the right thing, you will be waiting a LONG time.  With them, it's the bottom line.  Their bottom line.  Not worrying about the cost of lifetime care or institutionalization shouldered by the taxpayers and families.  

This was the response from Moran's camp when I raised that point:

"On the private insurers mandate for autism, the private market will definitely not take care of it. If the market were to work with regards to this issue, it would have done so already. There is a market failure here because, the private insurers don't want to cover any more than they have to and they have a very powerful lobby.  Brian believes that we are morally obligated to help families like yours and that is why he is committed to the private mandate. I hope that this email has answered your questions and that we can earn your vote tomorrow!"

With that, I think he just did.  

I appreciate what I have learned in quizzing these campaigns.  I am not going to be disappointed with whoever goes forward tomorrow.  I find it sort of ironic that the one I didn't personally speak with is getting my primary vote.  Moran's main policy piece addresses my issue in the way I would like to see this state go forward.  This staffer who I have been exchanging with (never sure who wants their name on a blog, so I am not mentioning it) is just so knowledgeable.  I hope to God he is going to Richmond with him.  

But yes, tomorrow I am voting for Brian Moran, with the hopes that he will go forward to improve the lives of all Virginians.  Including those who are living with autism.

Brian Moran's autism policy

I got an e-mail from Moran's campaign, directing me to his Healthy Virginia plan.  It does discuss mandating coverage and eliminating the waivers waitlist, two big points for me.  To get to that, you really need to download the .pdf Plan, but it is worth reading.

Will nail down my vote in a few hours.  Might even post the hows and whys.

Week in a nutshell...

My first Mike-less FAPT is tomorrow.  Oh, they'll be a post about that, I'm sure.  Tuesday I don't have anything scheduled yet.  Wednesday it is the summer Extended Care meeting and the final staff meeting on Thursday.  Nothing Friday - except getting ready for Miss Harris' going away party on Saturday!!!

Nothing going on this week.

(Oh, Tuesday I have to go vote in the primary - so now I have something then as well!!)

A Couple of Big Days...

Yesterday, I took Jimmy to Fredericksburg for his DD Waivers interview.  I have a few things to do, but he should be on the waiting list shortly - and I found out about a separate waiver that will provide some interim support.  The woman who did the evaluation was probably one of the nicest and most knowledgeable state people that I have encountered in my travels.  An absolute pleasure.  Even though our wait will be years long, I am relieved to finally be on the list to get Jimmy and my family more help.

Today, Jimmy and I had the pleasure of going to one of Creigh Deeds' last campaign stops before Tuesday's primary.  DH gave him $25 the other day, the first campaign contribution that he has made in about 15 years.  He really feels that his ability to represent that part of Virginia that isn't Northern/DC area well will serve Democrats better in November than the other two candidates.  Moreover, he really is still bitter about that eight years of Bush, his thinking being that under other DNC leadership, Gore would have won.  I am not sure that is a fair assertion, but I understand his frustration.  I however digress...

I like Deeds' message about making government work for people.  I also appreciate his love of Twitter.  After the article ran in the Post and my comments on my blog, I got this tweet from him...

your son, and others with autism, are not an afterthought to me now; nor will they be when I'm Gov. Everyone must be included

Capitalization and punctuation don't count on Twitter, but I appreciate the sentiment.  I am fairly certain he is getting my vote on Tuesday.  Now to figure out the other primary races.  Incidentally, my neighbor Jeanette Rishell is running again for House of Delegates.  I met her new campaign staff, two young women named Kendall and Alana.  Great girls and it will be great to see them around this year... I think they will do a better job than the last guys, though the incumbent is a great guy who co-sponsored the autism bill earlier this year.  He will be tough to beat.

Tomorrow, we are back to 9am therapy with Krislyn.  Oh my gosh, it's early.  I think we are going to do an outing to IHOP.  They'll be pleased to see us - the management of that store has been very supportive of our outings and it has been quite a while.

Autism Votes: The Virginia Primaries

I got mentioned in the Post... an article about autism and Virginia primaries.  I spoke the reporter for about 40 minutes and only had two paragraphs.  When he contacted me, I sent him the great letter that Terry McAuliffe sent me as well the text of my Twitter exchange with Creigh Deeds.  The article points out that Brian Moran has included the coverage issue in his Healthy Virginia plan.  So now I have go read that.  But I am pleased that the journalist decided to address this as part of the primary coverage.  1 in a 150 kids and shrinking by the day.  We need to be heard, for the sake of our children, both those with autism and those without, who will have a fiscal responsibility for this generation of kids for the rest of their lives.  

I was really surprised that this one point that I made with reporter didn't make the article - the next governor of Virginia should have a vision of the future that includes my son.  That's what I told Mr. Kunkle.  What I meant... In health care, in schools, in the workforce, his future is as important as other children, as the needs of our seniors, and anyone in between.  The man I vote for won't have Jimmy as an afterthought or expense, but as Virginian.

Dumbest Idea Ever...

I read an article online about American Airlines cashless cabin initiative, where you have to use a debit or credit card to buy snacks or headsets in the cabins.  My nieces fly unaccompanied all the time, so this concerns me greatly.  At 9 and 14, they don't have any card, yet I can't give them cash to make a purchase in the cabin.  I e-mailed American, which send me this response.

June 2, 2009

Dear Ms. Kirkland:

Thank you for your comment about our cashless cabin initiative.

We certainly understand that many young children do not carry a credit or debit card|We also understand that parents and guardians know what their children like to eat. We have always encouraged parents and guardians to pack food items from home they know their children will enjoy. Additionally, we do provide an escort pass so that you may accompany your child to their departure gate. This provides an opportunity for you to purchase food items that can be carried onboard as well. Please know however, our flight attendants have the discretion to provide our unaccompanied minors with a complimentary snack on flights where we offer food for purchase if they do not have their own. Additionally, soft drinks, juice and water are always complimentary.

Sincerely,

(Redacted because who really wants to find this when they Google themselves)
Customer Relations
American Airlines

This response concerns me. They only seem vaguely interested in accommodating unaccompanied children. They basically say pack a snack at home, buy something at the airport, or if the overworked, underpaid flight attendant who has just been harassed by the drunk who has consumed one too many Bloody Marys has an ounce of kindness left in her, she might just give the kids something. Insane. If you pack something for the kid, more than likely the will consume before they get on the plane. Hell, they don't let you take drinks past security. Hello? Even buying something in the airport, how many times does a kid get hungry by looking at the next guy's food. There's an idea... teach your kids to beg their fellow travelers to use their debit card for them. A pleasant flight for all involved right there.

The assumption is that if you have a plane ticket, you must have a credit or debit card. How classist of them! I know the cards simplify things in the cabin, but cash should be an option. I really hope the other airlines DO NOT follow suit.

Autism Hurts... especially when Jimmy has been jumping on your foot!

Jimmy has broken DH's foot. More specifically, several smaller bones a few weeks ago. He was in full tantrum and jump a little too often and hard. The foot has been painful for a few weeks, but he finally made it in to the doctor today (for unrelated swelling in the other foot - go figure!) So he is in a boot for four to six weeks and I am more responsible for the physical management of the kids for the time being. It means DH isn't likely to accompany us to the pool or anywhere else for a while and I am on my own.

Thank God there is only 14 more days school. My ability to multitask effectively is waning.

Ah, June...

Another Sunday begins another week.  Three weeks left of school.  I am sort of relieved as I need a break and have much to do to try to find my garage in the sea of boxes from last year's move.  I worry about Jimmy - I think the transition away from school will be a lot.  His classmate is gone and I think he knows Miss Harris isn't coming back.  Not only that, two of his IAs are moving on to other classrooms, which is going to be a complete disruption for him.  I am four months away from September and I am already fearing disaster.  He is also showing some severe OCD traits right now, so we likely have a medication change on the near horizon.

On the upside, he has much to engage him this summer.  Summer school and extended care in addition to therapy.  Swim lessons through a friend, a crucial skill for him.  I am just hoping I can keep him on an even keel for everyone's sanity.

I am sad she lost, but she is still wonderful...

Interesting Website

... Called Autism is Not the Boss.  Worth checking out...

What I am doing right now...

Having cleaned the house earlier, I am currently on the main level (DH brought work home.)  Jimmy is monopolizing my laptop and Jacob is watching a Spongebob Squarepants DVD.  All is as it should be.  I think my life can be measured in the quiet pauses between the chaos.  There is a little dull noise of a yellow seasponge, but we exist in companionable silence, together but engaged in our things at the moment.  It is rather cool.  Don't know how long it will last...

Do I need one more concert?

This would be a no brainer if it were July OR it were Nissan, but it's when I am back at work.  And requiring a rush hour drive to Columbia.  I want to soooo badly.  Aaaahhh!!!

T????

THE KILLERS
@ Merriweather Post Pavilion • Columbia, MD
August 31
6pm Gates

Thomas the Tank Engine Helps Autistic Kids Identify Emotions

From CNN.com

"Thomas the Tank Engine, whose television adventures on the fictional island of Sodor have delighted children around the world for years, is now on a real-life mission to help kids with autism.

Thomas the Tank Engine is part of a new online game to help autistic children recognize different emotions.

The steam locomotive and his friends are the stars of a new game in Australia, designed to help autistic children recognize emotions."

I actually found the link to the game at the Australian website. I am sending it to Jimmy's teacher to try with Jimmy and his friends.

Gotta Love Denis Leary

So this group Autism United posted the autism chapter of Denis Leary's book, allowing me to finally read it without actually having to line his pockets.  Wow, he is one hateful little man.  Nothing redeeming about him, not even his work for firefighters.

CHAPTER 6 AUTISM SHMAUTISM

In my day self-esteem came from actual performance and a clear understanding of your place in the world. The facts were laid out almost from the get-go-if you wanted to be a model and you were a girl you had to be tall and thin. If you wanted to play baseball there was no god dam wiffle ball or a special "soft" pretend, fakey baseball set up on top of a standing tee -- you had to learn how to hit an actual pitched HARD baseball. Which sometimes would hit you in the face if you didn't get out of the way fast enough. Which would break your face. Which would hurt like hell. If you wanted to be in a rock band you had to learn how to sing and actually pay an instrument. While on drugs. Lots of drugs. If you were ugly then you were ugly and there was very little hope you were going to change the way you looked unless the baseball that crushed your face rearranged the bones and let you come out the other end looking like George Fucking Clooney. These were the cold, hard facts of life and your parents were in charge of supplying you with every single one of them.

There is a huge boom in autism right now because inattentive mothers and competitive dads want an explanation for why their dumbass kids can't compete academically so they throw money into the happy laps of shinks and psychotherapists to get back diagnoses that help explain away the deficiencies of their junior morons. I don't give a shit what these crackerjack whackjobs tell you---yer kid is NOT autistic. He's just stupid. Or lazy. Or both.

87

I know a couple of autistic children and let me tell you something they both have in common-they are extremely bright and attentive and  much like Rain Man-have individual talents and abilities that would lay your empty little tyke's video game-addled soul to waste. A truly au tistic child may be able to reproduce music he or she hears with perfect pitch-entire classical pieces, the rock opera Tommy, the latest hit Broad way musical-over and over again. OR tell you instantly upon hearing what your birthday is-what day it has fallen on every year for the last four decades. What the weather was on those days. Who the president was at the time. What the number one song on the radio was just before singing it note for note and word for word. THAT'S an autistic child. Not some fat-assed simpleton whose brain has been fried by television and the Xbox and no proper daily attention from his or her supposedly caring parents.

Maybe your kid is not autistic. Maybe he's just a dolt. And thank your lucky stars for that. Face the facts. Autism is up and who knows why--parents who wasted time, their brain cells and a lot of healthy DNA on way too many recreational drugs is this doctor's guess---but I refuse to sit here and believe that half the idiotic offspring I come across even amongst my own friends and family are a part of that problem.

Seen in the Manassas McDonald's Drive Thru

The boys were beyond amazed...

GAO: Schools restrain, confine disabled children

From USA Today:

"Children with disabilities are being secluded from classmates and restrained against their will to control their behavior, a new investigative report finds — interventions that have led to harm and, in rare cases, deaths.

In many cases, the restraints happen even when students aren't physically aggressive or dangerous, says a report from the Government Accountability Office being released Tuesday."

These are fairly common practices that parents have to fight with the schools over their autistic kids.  I battled it during the Rifton chair incident during kindergarten.  I hope our story serves as a cautionary tale within this school division to not engage in these practices when handling special education students.  It was extremely mild as opposed to the ones cited in this article.  

A Little Political Round Up...

 An idle little exercise, searching for quotes and positions about autism online.  

 Terry McAuliffe 

 

 I will have to post the contents of that letter he sent me, or at least quote from it heavily.  It's  downstairs, so that will wait until tomorrow.  After the article in The New Republic, he sent  me a longer letter regarding his plan to help individuals with autism and their families.

 Creigh Deeds

From the Roanoke Times:

"Democratic gubernatorial candidate Sen. Creigh Deeds of Bath County attended the rally and called autism a "national epidemic."

"It's just right that it be covered," Deeds said. "I believe eventually if this bill does not pass, the market will provide coverage. But we cannot wait.""

Brian Moran

From his own campaign website:

"Brian Moran will set the goal of making Virginia the leader in Special Needs education by the 

end of his term."

Bob McDonnell

Seems like he has supported autism organizations in the past, but I can't find a solid quote or policy statement online.  If anyone can hook me up, I would like to include it.  The effort to help kids like Jimmy is a bipartisan one (evidenced by Jackson Miller's unfailing support of HB 1588), so I hope that I can come up with something.

Creigh Deeds Tweeted Me Back...

So I was messing around with Twitter this afternoon and I tried to tweet the candidates for governor of Virginia to ask them about their autism platform.  One of the democrats (or his staffer, but I think it might actually be him) actually responded.  He got my name wrong, but heck, he got the basic answer right...  I am so pleased.  

In fairness, I have had some correspondence with Terry McAuliffe's campaign on the issue and spoken to a Brian Moran staffer (I want to say it was Keith or Kevin) at length.  DH is swearing that he won't vote Moran because of his negativity towards McAuliffe about supporting Hillary Clinton over Obama.  He thought bringing it up was so stupid that he will not cast a vote for Moran now.  DH is now leaning Deeds.  I am still undecided, but I am going to take a close look at him.  I know more about McAuliffe as his folks have filled my mailbox.  ;)

Deeds' tweets are below.  It's great that he took the time to response off the cuff like that.  

1. @Realrtyblah. Bottom line is families need more support but so does growing adult population with autism. 140 characters not enough 4 policyabout 3 hours ago from TwitterBerry
       
2. @Realrtyblah. 1. Require insurance coverage 2.Autism is epidemic. Schools need to be better equiped. 3. Autism waivers need to be expandedabout 3 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Support the Autism Treatment Acceleration Act of 2009

Autism Treatment Acceleration Act of 2009 - Federal Autism Insurance Reform (S. 819, H.R. 2413)

In his Presidential campaign statement on Autism Spectrum Disorders, then-Senator Barack Obama committed to bringing autism insurance reform to our entire nation. His statement put forth that Obama and Biden "will mandate insurance coverage of autism treatment and will also continue to work with parents, physicians, providers, researchers, and schools to create opportunities and effective solutions for people with ASD."

In an effort to put his words into action President Obama has asked Illinois Senate colleage Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), along with Senator Robert Casey (D-PA) and Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) to introduce comprehensive autism legislation, including a section addressing broad based federal autism insurance reform. The companion bill in the House (H.R. 2413) has been introduced by Representatives Mike Doyle (D-PA), Chris Smith (D-NJ), Eliot Engel (D-NY), and Hank Johnson (D-GA).

The “Autism Treatment Acceleration Act of 2009” (ATAA) contains a total of twelve sections, each putting forth a different program for autism. A key feature of the bill is Section 12, which contains the provisions for federal reform of autism insurance coverage. If passed, Section 12 will require all insurance companies across the country to provide coverage for evidence-based, medically-necessary autism treatments and therapies.

Come Undone

Jimmy is backsliding a bit.  I think it is the departure of his longtime classmate.  She left a week and a half ago now.  In that time, there has been a notable uptick in accidents and some really uncharacteristic screaming fits.  I am going to follow up with school, but it sort of has me panicked, with the upcoming change in teacher into summer school and again into fall.  His one on one is going to be a classroom aide, according to the head of SPED, so that will be another adjustment as well.  I feel like we have hit the autism bonus round lately, with the screaming, the fights with his brother over control type issues, and the peeing (everywhere but the toilet.)  It's not that it hasn't happened before, it is just worrisome since we are the beginning of a whole bunch of changes for him.  What are we in for?

A Genetic Clue to Why Autism Affects Boys More

By ALICE PARK

Wed May 20, 5:50 pm ET

Among the many mysteries that befuddle autism researchers: why the disorder affects boys four times more often than girls. But in new findings reported online today by the journal Molecular Psychiatry, researchers say they have found a genetic clue that may help explain the disparity.

The newly discovered autism-risk gene, identified by authors as CACNA1G, is more common in boys than in girls (why that's so is still not clear), and the authors suggest it plays a role in boys' increased risk of the developmental disorder. CACNA1G, which sits on chromosome 17, amid other genes that have been previously linked to autism, is responsible for regulating the flow of calcium into and out of cells. Nerve cells in the brain rely on calcium to become activated, and research suggests that imbalances in the mineral can result in the overstimulation of neural connections and create developmental problems, such as autism and even epilepsy, which is also a common feature of autism.

"Our current theories about autism suggest that the disorder is related to overexcitability at nerve endings," says Geri Dawson, chief science officer of Autism Speaks, an advocacy group that provided the genetic data used by the study's authors. "It's interesting to see that the gene they identified appears to modulate excitability of neurons."

For the new study, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), combed the genetic database of the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange (AGRE), a resource of DNA from 2,000 families with at least one autistic child. The scientists focused on the more than 1,000 genetic samples of families in which at least one son was affected by the disorder, prompted by the results of an earlier study using the same database, which identified a rich autism-related genetic region on chromosome 17 that contained genetic variants more common in boys than in girls. While nearly 40% of the general population has the most common form of CACNA1G, one variant of the gene was more prevalent in autistic boys, researchers found. "There is a strong genetic signal in this region," says Dr. Daniel Geschwind, director of UCLA's Center for Autism Research and Treatment and one of the study's co-authors. "But this gene doesn't explain all of that signal or even half of it. What that means is that there are many more genes in this region contributing to autism." 

That's not surprising for a disorder as complex as autism - actually, a spectrum of developmental disorders involving impairment in language, social behavior and certain physical behaviors - with symptoms that range widely in number and severity. So far, studies have linked a handful of genes, all of which play a role in the way nerve cells connect and communicate, with autism spectrum disorders. It's likely not only that a large number of genes contribute to the disorder, but also that a different combination of genes - as well as unique interactions between genes and environment - are responsible for each individual case of autism.

So it's certainly a daunting challenge to begin teasing out the individual genes that may contribute to autism, as the UCLA team has with CACNA1G, but databases like AGRE make the job slightly easier. The next step will be to try to use known autism genes to help develop screening tools or early interventions. "We are going to have a much better understanding of the causes of autism over the next five to 10 years," says Dawson. "We're in a period of great discovery."

Could a Gene Test Change Autism?

An interesting article about the implication of identification of a gene that may be responsible for about 15% of autism cases.

"Termination of fetuses with Down syndrome is routine today; given the fear that autism inspires in parents, why wouldn't it follow? And what would our world be like without autism? The vast differences among individuals on the spectrum make the notion even thornier: will parents start demanding to know whether their fetus will be low- or high-functioning? But it's also impossible to ignore the parents who say they'd do anything to free their children from isolation and pain. Some feel so hopeless so much of the time, they do wonder in private if their children would have been better off not born. And who can blame them?"

I have sort of long feared this, the ethical issues that would come up in the search for a cure.  Something tells me that insurance companies would sooner pay for a child with autism not to exist than pay to actually help us raise him.  And in some rich irony, I often find that those who support arguments about reducing social funding and insurance mandates to help care for children with disabilities like autism are usually also those who are the most against abortion.  So which is it, people?

And before anyone asks the question, I would have him a million times over, even if I had known.  I love him.  I always have.

From Time: Growing Old With Autism

Must read.  I have to go have a long weep now...

My sad little boy...

So Jimmy had a huge crying jag today that broke his teacher's heart (and pretty much everyone elses.)  The little girl in Jimmy class has been gone for three days.  Since he can't communicate, we can only assume from his grief that today, day three, he has realized that she isn't coming back.  I got a message from the teacher fairly early in the morning that Jimmy had starting crying, saying her name repeatedly, and was inconsolable.  By the time I got the message, an hour had passed.  He had just calmed down and started working.  

When his therapist and I went to pick him from school, I was pleased to see him smiling.  Sadly, he got a little emotional on the walk home as well.  He gets sad when he leaves school, but he kept asking for her by name on the walk home.  We are going to have her over for the teacher's going away party, but just it is going to difficult for him to understand for quite awhile.  Jimmy and this little girl are the same age and they have been together since in the same class and on the same bus since they were 2.  Jimmy's almost 8 now.  I don't know how he perceives this, but my heart is breaking for him nonetheless.  I didn't appreciate how important she was to him until now.  

Please explain...

Why I have some measure of eloquence when I write, but when I get in a room in front of 30 or 40 adults, I sputter and choke on my own words?  I need to write stuff down before I wind up in front of a microphone or behind a podium.  Lordy.

My misadventure with Catoctin Popcorn Co.

So, I am a little mad at an online company, Catoctin Popcorn Co., and I feel the need to vent. 

I have a thing for kettle corn.  I shouldn’t, but I do.  DH often sends me shipments from this company with great kettle corn, Catoctin Popcorn Co. and it has been appreciated.  They always arrive at my work and are devoured by myself and a fortunate few friends.  If I was reviewing the product, there would be no problem.  It's good stuff.

One of my nieces in Texas has pneumonia, so DH tried to do something sweet and send a basket down to her.  I stood behind him at the computer and watch him type in and verify the address in Texas.  He put his credit card in and hit send.  No worries, right?

Well, guess what arrived at my office today.  “Feel better soon!” the card read.  What the bleep am I going to do with this?  When the heck am I going to have time to take this to the post office?  I called Catoctin Popcorn Co. and the owner Brian Casey answered the phone.  I explained what had happened, to see if I could get an explanation as to why since I watched DH put in the answer correctly.  He offered to fax me to order to prove that the address on his form was where it shipped.  That wasn’t the point, especially since I watched what was entered on my end. 

I am sure this could be easily dismissed as our stupidity if I hadn’t watched the whole thing with my own eyes, the correct information going into the computer.  We are repeat customers.  I know it isn’t clearly Catoctin’s fault, but you know, it isn’t clearly our fault either from where I am sitting.  I am thinking he might want to take a good look at his website to make sure this doesn’t happen again, but I am not holding my breath.  I am not saying he was rude or anything – Brian certainly was not at all.  I was upset at little, but I wasn’t rude either.  I just told him we wouldn’t be ordering with him again.  He didn’t seem particularly worried about that. 

That kind of shocked me, you know.  I have fifteen years in retail and DH used to own a small business.  I was trained that the customer was always right and the last thing you wanted was an angry customer, even if they were to blame to some degree.  I saw DH go out his way to make a customer happy.  Since I saw the address go in correctly, I think I am in the right here.  Even if he thought I was in the wrong, he should have acted concerned and I just didn't get that.  As a repeat customer, he should have thrown me a bone.  I guess that philosophy and pride in excellent customer service is dead and gone.  In my experience today, that isn’t the service philosophy of Catoctin Popcorn Co..  It’s too bad… their kettle corn was awesome.

I just spent $11.95 sending this stuff to Texas at the post office.  I feel like I have the right to complain and take my business (and DH's) elsewhere.  Any suggestions for a new kettle corn source? 

These are a few of my favorite things...

At least, they are Jimmy's.  

Jimmy's obsession with brown food is sort of an ongoing thing, so I thought while I wait for him to drift off, I would share a few of his favorite things.

Chicken Nuggets - I was talking with his therapist and she said she has never encountered an autistic kid who wasn't obsessed with chicken nuggets.  I would concur.  Here prefers McDonalds above all else, though I am getting "I want Burger King" because he knows the Star Trek toys are there*.  (He is sleeping the Zachary Quinto/Spock action figure, but I digress...) Going out to a place that doesn't offer chicken nuggets or strips is pointless, unless it's...

Pizza - Domino's sort of rules this one, as he is a little persnickety in the crust department.  He likes Pizza Hut and I wish I could sell him on it as a standard, as I love their thin and crispy.  Domino's has cheesy bread, which is more gold and less brown, yet still an obsession.  Pizza Hut needs to get something comparable to the glory that is Cheesy Bread.

Chips Ahoy/Oreos - Thank heaven's for Nabisco - you can get them big or small, but the boy loves them.  The only thing that sucks is you can't get them at Costco in the single serving minivan bags, where I usually get Famous Amos (but they were out last time...)

Fritos - This child loves Fritos.  Not any other corn chips, Fritos.  To be honest, he is the same way about Cheetos.  You can't run an Utz past him... this boy knows the difference and accepts no substitutes (if Frito Lay needs an autistic product poster boy, I have got your boy.)

Chocolate Milk - yep, it's brown too.  And Miss Harris gets it down him every single day, God love her.

I wish I could say that there was a fruit or vegetable on this list.  There isn't.  I can get the occasional juice down him or a Dole's fruit cup with his beloved Cheerios.  That's it.  With the advent of gummy vitamins (Scooby Doo's are the chosen ones with both boys), I can at least get that down them.  

* As cool as the Star Trek toys are, I am pissed as hell at Burger King for ditching Cinnaminis.  I loved them and was extremely bitter when I found out Saturday that they were off the menu.

I should have watched SNL last night

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Happy Mother's Day

Thank you SNL...

To Texas... or not?

My niece finishes high school in a few weeks - her graduation ceremony is Memorial Day weekend.  The plan had been (though it was in flux during the recent flu scare) was that Jacob and I would go down for the ceremony.  I'd come home on Sunday or Monday and my sister would bring him back the following weekend.  Jimmy wasn't part of the equation.  Flying on a plane with him is a major undertaking and extremely stressful - security, getting him to sit through take off (he flips when you put on the seatbelt, until you get airborne), entertaining him for three hours on a plane.  Making it worse would be dividing my attention between the two boys.  I was opting not to bring him.  

But the graduate has asked and I am forced to consider the possibility.  It's not that I haven't done it before with both of my kids - having a week between flights makes the challenge a little more palatable.  But it would be a Friday flight, Saturday, and the likely return on Sunday.  No, I don't have deep pockets - just a family member at an airline.  That brings another challenge in my situation - I fly standby.  I am crazy to consider it.  But she asked.  And my dad's there - he hasn't seen Jimmy in a long time either.  I just don't know.

Michael Savage on the UK's Least Wanted List

Love it... not only is Michael Savage not permitted in the UK (he is listed on a non-admission list under his real name of Michael Alan Wiener) for "fostering hatred," but joining him on the list is Fred Phelps - the pastor who pickets funerals of dead soldiers with signs like "God Hates Fags."  Nice.  Now, on one hand, Britain is really engaging in a form of censorship with this list, keeping out people with objectionable ideas.  But on the other, this is a man who dismissed children with a neurological disability as brats standing along side another who seeks to inflict pain on families of soldiers and others by desecrating their funerals.  Maybe the powers that be in the U.K. are on to something... 

Maternal antibodies increase autistic behavior - Science

Maternal antibodies increase autistic behavior - Science

An interesting article... I am interested in any implication of autism as a or caused by an immune response, given the familial history of autoimmune disorders.

Autism, Vaccines, and the Swine Flu

The discussion about the potential swine flu pandemic and vaccine has started up in autism circles already.  A New York school for autistic kids was closed after an outbreak.  I can't say that I haven't been thinking about this myself.  If you have read this blog for any amount of time, you know I am not of the vaccine school in regards to my son.  I think the onset of Jimmy's autism was tied to the first ear infections and the constant presence of antibiotics in his system for over a year until we hit our first set of tubes.  But the fact that the first area case of swine flu was in a special needs classroom at Rockville High School weighs on me.

If you are a student of American history, you have heard about the outbreak in 1918.  If you read the deeper press coverage today, the pandemic in 1918 and those that have been more recent have been marked by a mild spring outbreak followed by a more virulent fall wave of illness.  I know many are debating getting the flu shot, given than in 1976, the flu shots killed more than the flu itself.  I will opt to get the shot for myself and Jacob.  But this article

and its discussion of Guillian-Barre Syndrome is giving me some pause. I always fear Jimmy getting sick. He can't tell me what's wrong, how he feels, where it hurts. He is a horrible patient, physically combative in everything from doctor's appointments to taking Tylenol. In a virulent outbreak, especially as someone who will not understand concepts like social distancing or even simple things like covering his mouth when he coughs, I fear for his life. But the way GBS is describes, I think I fear that as well, as he is unable to describe any sort of neurological side effect of a flu shot.  It's a double edged sword.

The media has the fear level cranked up as it always does, but I am facing a difficult choice in the fall when it comes to the swine flu.  And it isn't just the shot.  With a child who doesn't understand basic hygiene and personal space, in my estimation, Jimmy runs a higher risk than other children of contracting the swine flu in a widespread outbreak.  I have a few months to figure out what the best approach is to keeping him (as well as the rest of us) safe.