Graduation, One of Many Milestones for Mark

Mark Jameson will be graduating
on May 30.

CHAPIN, S.C. -- When Mark Jameson walks across the stage May 30 to receive his diploma from Chapin High School, it will be the grand finale of an educational journey that took him from a near-silent toddler and frustrated first grader to a loquacious and personable young man.
The milestone will be cheered by his family, parents Donnie and Theresa Jameson, and brothers, Matthew and Michael, and the dozens of teenage friends Mark has come to know as he learned to master a “regular” school and take control of his autism.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/2012/05/21/2284071/a-milestone-for-mark-after-a-diagnosis.html#storylink=cpy

Searching for the Onset of Autism

Early behavioral intervention has shown some promise as a way to help children with autism. But it’s difficult to see the hallmarks of autism before two years of age with today’s diagnostic criteria. Could we find other methods?
Seeking to answer that question is Jed Elison at the California Institute of Technology, who is working with Ralph Adolphs at Caltech and Joe Piven at the University of North Carolina among other colleagues around the U.S. and Canada. Elison provided some preliminary findings at the Neuromagic 2012 conference held from May 7 to 10, 2012 on San Simón, the Island of Thought, near Vigo, Spain.

17 Wishes from an Adult with Autism

Another illuminating blog entry by the San Fransisco Chrnoicle City Brights' Laura Shumaker with recent Seton Hall graduate and adult with autism Kerry Magro.

SAN FRANSISCO- A thought provoking list from my friend Kerry Magro:

***

1. I wish that acceptance was easier to come by

2. I wish that loving one another was always on our mind

3. I wish that an "early diagnosis" remains a high priority

4. I wish that people would stop calling autism a disease

5. I wish that communication becomes easier for everyone with autism. We are trying.

6. I wish that we find more treatments to enhance the lives of people with autism

7. I wish that insurance for autism gets passed in all 50 states

8. I wish that the government would understand the need for services for the autistic in schools

9. I wish that autistic individuals can one day live their lives independently

Study: MRI of Brain May Detect Autism

Brain scans may be able to diagnose autism early.
In a small study doctors at Columbia University were able to identify kids with autism because a section of their brain was less active.
Right now the disorder is not diagnosed until kids display symptoms like repetitive behaviors and impaired language.