Autism Speaks Is Not Evil, It's Just Drawn That Way

Why are so many websites saying mean things about Autism Speaks?

I think only crazies would say that Autism Speaks is intentionally bad or evil. But there is an unintended consequence of their way of doing things and the way they seem bent on taking over every area of the public autism world.

Autism Speaks moves in and takes over fund raising and public awareness space and shuts out other agencies or groups. They've gone into cities and held an "Autism Walk" in an area that already has one. The spend lots of money advertising it and in so doing shut down the established event. Sometimes even on the same DAY as the established event. It sure SEEMS at times that their motive are less than pure as regards other agencies.

And bear in mind, the agencies they shut out may be providing services to your child. Autism Speaks provides no real "service," only "awareness" and "information." The awareness battle is won, we need to move on to helping families with real world services. It's not just the vaccine people that see no cooperation from AS, it is pretty much all existing groups. It's great that have brochures for families new to the diagnosis but the Autism Society of America already had that. Both nationally and locally the ASA and its parent driven chapters are being pressed as Autism Speaks takes away a share of the fund raising pie and returns very little.

Autism Speaks has purchased and shut down agencies much the same as a corporate takeover. That could be expected by a company run by the former head of NBC. But is that any way to help the field of autism?

This "Adult Town Hall Meeting" (click link to go there)is an example. You won't see Autism Speaks on the website but check out the email address if you have questions. Ask any of the agencies whose lifelong purpose has been to serve adults with autism if they were included in the "brainstorming session" this past spring. If they weren't, then you will hear nothing from them in November. Ask the Autism Society of America, the National Association of Residential Providers for Adults with Autism, any of the Autism Specific Residential Providers (Jay Noland homes in LA, Ruth Sullivan's agency in West Virginia, Autism Treatment Center in Dallas, the list goes on...). They have been doing person centered, state of the art services for ADULTS WITH AUTISM for over 30 years each yet none was even informed about the new group setting out to "create meaningful futures for adults with autism that include homes, jobs, recreation, friends and supportive communities." Don't you think if you were creating a group with those goals you'd want to talk to people and groups already engaged in the fight?

That's part of the problem. Autism Speaks acts like no one was out there fighting for services or accomplishing anything before they came along.

And while all that's going on you have the family running the Autism Speaks show infighting and self destructing right in front of your eyes because they can't agree on what's best for their own child!

Autism Speaks Gets Same Reaction As Obama Health Plan After Posting Well Meaning But Horrible Video

After posting a very expensive video to further let everyone know just how awful autism is, people with autism and families effected by autism went c-r-a-z-y!

Poor autism Speaks just can't seem to throw all that money in the right direction. The video may be pulled from the Autism Speaks website by the time you read this but you may be able to find it here . Be sure to check out some of the reaction, including the videos posted in response.

Read More here

Discovery Health airs show; inadvertantly points out that Crazy Stuff is crap

Check out the Discovery Health show that discusses autism in the light of the end of the first decade of the 21st century. Just where are we now? How have the recent innovations and scientific research helped parents and their children affected by autism? They haven't. What has been the most promising "treatment?" If you have any autism sense, then you know. If you don't then watch the show.

Is Autism Reversed When Fever Strikes? Get Out Your Tin-Foil Hats!

A new study suggests that children with autism have normal brains. The theory revolves around a problem in one small area that for some reason gets better when the child has a fever. But only while the child has a fever. How long will we have to wait for some huckster to start selling fever inducing drugs or helmets to desperate and gullible families? I want mine now and I'll pay anything to get it! Read more after the jump.
(ScienceDaily)

Acceptance and Finally, Peace...

This is a touching piece in the NY Times that is all about making sense. How many parents do you know who need to reach this place? A Roller Coaster to Acceptance of a Son’s Autism is the short sweet story of a parent who tried "snake-oil treatments no thinking person would consider.

Students shocked in prank

The failsafe process for humanely instituting a program of caring shock treatment for kids (many with autism) at the Judge Rotenberg Center isn't so failsafe. It turns out anyone dropping a quarter in a payphone can have a kid shocked there. And yet, parents still would rather have their children subject to that than have the child at home with them. Is it the parents fault or the fault of the local support systems that led them to believe that Rotenberg was all there was out there?

Read on for more...

Snake Oil may have cured the Autism Speaks kid

Autism Speaks inspiration and grandson of NBC mogul Bob Wright has started to "recover" from autism. Read the article after the jump below, BUT FIRST...

Was it Secretin that did the trick? No...

Was it facilitated communication? No...

Um, auditory integration? Irlen lenses? No and No...

Was it "other, still-unproven treatments like dietary changes (no wheat or dairy) chelation therapy (removal of heavy metals from the body) and methyl B-12, which could help restore a critical process called methylation - a needed tool for detoxification and proper nerve function that is apparently deficient in some autistic children." Well, the kid did receive that intervention. So maybe.

What the article doesn't mention is that the child received intensive behavioral therapy like nobodies business. World class ABA and plenty of it. So could that have been where we got the improvement? Couldn't be or the article would say something about it, right?
Oh wait, the article was written by David Kirby, author of Evidence of Harm. So the improvement (if there really is any) had to be the result of chemicals strategically introduced into the young body of the child. You know, to counter the effects of those other chemicals in the vaccines.

Vaccines may have caused the problem but lets be fair in reporting the possible factors in the improvement. Behavioral therapies need to accompany any hocus pocus fads JUST IN CASE YOU ARE WRONG about the snake oil of the day. Because we KNOW that sound behavioral interventions work. They don't cure autism but they can make it one heck of a lot better while you're on the internet looking for the next magic bullet.

Autism Speaks may be very good for the autism community. Let's see how they handle this and whether or not the various conspiracy theorists and fad factions can deal with the hype.

Read the article here

The Autism Community Loses a Great Friend

Audrey Horne, immediate past President of the Autism Society of America passed away March 21, 2007. She served two terms as National President and was currently serving on the Board of Directors of the society. Audrey was well known for helping refocus the agency a decade ago, transforming it into a stronger and more effective organization. She was also known as a politically adept lobbyist on behalf of people with autism on both the national stage and on the local level in her home state of South Carolina.

Mrs. Horne was perhaps most proud of her son, Olin Horne, who received the Autism Society of America's Wendy. F. Miller award for Outstanding Person with Autism in 2005. He lives in Charleston, South Carolina in an autism group home run by the non-profit organization Carolina Autism Supported Living Services. "Mrs. Horne was tireless and fearless when fighting for people with autism," the agencies director, Phil Blevins said.

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford named Mrs. Horne to the South Carolina Commission on Disabilities and Special Needs in 2004 where she continued to dedicate her life to the protection and advocacy of people with special needs. According to Robert Harrell, chairman of the Commission, "Audrey Horne was a woman of great integrity." He went on to say, "She had the heart of an advocate and a gift for leadership." Working with the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs she helped the agency expand choices in South Carolina for people with autism and other disabilities.

She was a graduate of Columbia College and received her Master's degree from the University of South Carolina. She taught in public schools before moving to Washington, D.C. where she worked in Senator Olin Johnston's office. She also served on the school board in her hometown of St. George, South Carolina. Mrs. Horne was instrumental in the formation of the Autism Society of South Carolina where she was a past president.

Memorials may be made online to CarolinaAutism.org, or by mail to Carolina Autism, 4 Carriage Lane, Suite 302, Charleston, SC 29407

Shock Treatment Sought for Autistic Man

This isn't too controversial is it? A family wants to use a cattle prod to keep their (autistic) son from hurting himself. It's the oldest argument around and it's so sad that parents can't find anyone able to do better for their child. Read on for more...