All About Autism

Update: Student Eligibility

Posted on June 5, 2012 by all about autism

In an April blog, I discussed how Eric Dompierre, a 19-year old student with Down Syndrome, might not be eligible to play football and basketball during his senior year of high school because of the age limit for sports eligibility in Michigan. Under the previous language, students in Michigan who turn 19 before September 1^st were prohibited from playing sports for the full academic year.

Michigan students meeting the following requirements will now be able to formally file a waiver request with the Michigan High School Athletic Association (“MHSAA”): Continue reading →

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Pull-to-Sit Test

Posted on May 31, 2012 by all about autism

We all know the importance of early intervention for children with autism. We are constantly striving for earlier and more accurate diagnosis. That is why there is such interest from the wire services in a study that demonstrated weak head and neck control in babies may also be an early sign of autism.

Most of the screening tools for very young children look at language (babbling), eye contact, social behaviors and repetitive behaviors. So, what is new about this study Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged asd, autism, autism issues, autism research, autism services, barber institute, barber national institute, children, early intervention, Rebecca Landa, special needs, tips | 2 Comments

Updates from IMFAR

Posted on May 29, 2012 by all about autism

The International Meeting for Autism Research (IMFAR) was held this month in Toronto. This meeting attracts nearly 2,000 participants and presents research from basic science to potential new treatments. Since few of us have the opportunity to attend these innovative sessions, I thought that I would try to review some of the presentations that may be of interest to all of us. Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 1 in 88, apa, asd, autism, autism issues, autism research, autism services, barber institute, barber national institute, children, defining autism, DSM-V, research | 4 Comments

What Factors Increase the Risk of Autism?

Posted on May 24, 2012 by all about autism

There is much discussion among those in the autism community about certain factors that may increase the risk of autism. Many theories and studies are out there – genetics, prenatal environment, vaccines – the list goes on and on. Recently, however, I’ve had a number of people ask me for more specifics as to the increase risk of autism associated with older fathers.

In a study published in February, the researchers analyzed almost 5 million births in California during the 1990’s with 12,159 of those cases being children diagnosed with autism. In the study, Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged asd, autism, autism factors, autism issues, autism research, autism services, autism society, barber national institute, bullying, cause of autism, children, fathers, mothers, older fathers, special needs | Leave a comment

Young Adults With Autism

Posted on May 22, 2012 by all about autism

Ryan at his summer landscaping job at BNI

The first question I asked when learning that my son Ryan had an autism spectrum disorder was “What would his future look like?” Up until then, I presumed that he would attend the University of Notre Dame, as my father, brother, sister and cousins had. This dream was probably not possible, but what would happen when Ryan graduates high school? Now that Ryan is 18 and a senior in high school, we continue to address the same question.

Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged adults with autism, asd, autism, autism issues, autism research, autism services, autism support, barber institute, barber national institute, special needs, supported employment | 3 Comments

Presentation on Autism Issues by Dr. Joseph Barber

Posted on May 18, 2012 by all about autism

For those of you in the Erie area, my brother Dr. Joe Barber will be presenting Tuesday night, May 22, his first lecture at the Barber National Institute Forum from 6:00-7:15 p.m. His topic, “Upcoming Changes in the Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders,” is a “hot” issue as many have expressed concerns about the impact of the changes in DSM V.

He will discuss common issues experienced by children with ASD and associated medical and mental disorders. He will provide an overview of past, present and future diagnostic categories and the effects proposed changes will have on child and parent. Be sure to come and hear his perspective and have your questions answered.

The program is free; however registration is appreciated. Free babysitting is also offered with advance registration. Call (814) 408-6831 or visit http://bit.ly/HD5olI to register.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged asd, autism issues, autism presentation, barber institute, defining autism, dr. joseph barber, erie pa, mental disorders | Leave a comment

Defining Autism…Again

Posted on May 17, 2012 by all about autism

In early April, we discussed the planned revision of the medical definition of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in DSM V. The proposed definition of Autism, which would eliminate Asperger Syndrome and “pervasive developmental disorder,” was criticized when researchers at Yale presented evidence that about half of the people who currently have a diagnosis on the higher end of the Autism Spectrum would no longer qualify under the new definition.

Dr. David Kupfer, chairmen of the taskforce making revisions discussed these changes at Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged apa, asd, autism, autism services, autism support, barber national institute, children, DSM-V, op-ed services, special needs | Leave a comment

Building Your Child’s Confidence

Posted on May 15, 2012 by all about autism

Last week, we talked about the prevalence of bullying both in our school and online, and we discussed how we as parents can spot the signs of bullying. Today, let’s talk about how to build your child’s self confidence and self-esteem.

Positive Reinforcement! Positive Reinforcement! Positive Reinforcement! Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged autism, autism services, barber national institute, bullying, children, confidence, special needs | 1 Comment

Is Your Child Being Bullied?

Posted on May 10, 2012 by all about autism

I was reading an article recently about bullying and was surprised and saddened by the statistics – one out of four teens has experienced some form of bullying. In fact, 40% of children have been bullied while online. Certainly, bullying is a problem that affects students of all economic levels, intellectual levels, and races. However, emerging research indicates that a child with a disability is more likely to be physically or verbally bullied than his or her typical developing peers. Unfortunately, Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged autism, autism support, bullying, children, mother's day, mothers, special needs | 5 Comments

Summer Camp Tips

Posted on May 8, 2012 by all about autism

Now that you have thought about the kind of summer experience that’s best for your child, here are some suggestions to help you narrow down your choices. These ideas are tailored for recreation camps, but many of these tips can be applied elsewhere.

– Make a list of what you are looking for in a camp. What type of camp might best suit your child? Day or residential camp? What is your camp budget?

– Start your camp search by researching some resources.

American Camp Association, www.acacamps.org Continue reading →

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