Autism Committee Lets Down Community

From the Age of Autism. Managing Editor's Note: "Six years and almost a billion dollars later, Insel has not only failed to produce even one medical intervention or recommendation to prevent or treat autism, the autism rate has DOUBLED on his watch."

Imagine if children were developing life threatening cancer at the rate of 1 in 54 boys -- and in six years with almost a billion dollars the committee had failed to stem the tide, refused to look at causation or prevention, and instead spent a good portion of its time diligently dickering over the curtain colors at hospice? What can Tom Insel say to the families of the fallen children - many of them born after Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) was installed?  IACC is failing the autism community.

Autistic Runner Leaves His Comfort Zone

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. -- Alan Baker, 20, runs more than five miles a day on his home treadmill. The autistic man from Thousand Oaks stays inside and avoids crowds because he feels it’s easier for him to function.
But on June 3, Baker left his comfort zone to participate in the 2012 Love Run for Senior Concerns in Westlake Village.
“Despite the fact that I’m autistic, I did it because I like to run and it was for a good cause—Meals on Wheels,” said Baker, who finished fifth in his division, completing the 5K in 23 minutes, 31 seconds.

Guest Opinion: A Will and a Way

Post by Tom Everill is President & CEO of Northwest Center. 

 MARYSVILLE, WA. -- Lately I have been meeting more and more families who are fighting a civil rights war that one might have thought had been won decisively four decades ago.

It was in 1971 that a group of bold and innovative parents fighting rejection of their children by public schools in Seattle pushed HB 90, the Education for All Act, through the Washington State Legislature. This pivotal legislation requires all public schools in the state to provide equal educational opportunity to all children regardless of ability. The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, modeled after Washington State’s, became a federal law in 1975.

Yet here is Deanna sitting in my office just a few weeks ago telling me the story of her son Dylan, a bright young man with Down syndrome and assorted other challenges, who was placed in isolation — essentially solitary confinement — by middle school administrators who misunderstood Dylan’s unique learning style and behaviors.

Holly Peete Confronts 50 Cent on Autism Insult

The 21 Jump Street star, whose eldest son Rodney, Jr. suffers from the developmental disorder, was dismayed by the hip-hop mogul's choice of language after reading the Monday night (02Jul12) Twitter exchange, which was prompted when one blogger threatened to shoot 50 Cent if he refused to release his new mixtape, 5 (Murder By Numbers), early.
He hit back, "yeah i just saw your picture fool you look autistic".
The retort sparked a flurry of messages to Peete, a celebrity ambassador for autism awareness, and she has now urged 50 to be more considerate next time he lashes out at critics.

Autistic Ticket Taker Yearns for More

David Finland helps guests Tom
Walker of Washington and
his mother, Carole Walker at
Nationals Park.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- David Finland shows up to work at Nationals Park several hours early before each home game because, well, no one’s exactly sure why.
A 24-year-old from McLean, Finland settles into a bumper sticker-laden, paint-scraped and dented silver Toyota Corolla, turns on the radio, then a rock CD, then back to the radio and heads into town. Some days, such as a recent Wednesday, he gets lost and has to rely on his Garmin to find his way. But he always arrives well before it’s time to clock in.

Lawsuit Challenges Agency End of Food Subsidy

Michael Dick

INDIANAPOLIS — A decision by Indiana's social services agency to stop helping hundreds of severely developmentally disabled people in a Medicaid waiver program pay for food violates state law and forces them to do without other necessities so they can eat, the father of an autistic man on public assistance claims.
Indianapolis attorney Steven Dick filed an administrative appeal with the Family and Social Services Administration in December and again in March on behalf of his 28-year-old son, according to previously unreleased documents provided to The Associated Press.

Karate Instills Confidence in Students

TUSTIN, Calif. – Between the front-kicks, grunting and "serious karate faces," the students at Karate For All laugh, dance and help one another off the ground.
The occupational therapy-based martial arts program works with individuals on motor, cognitive, sensory and social skills through the practice of karate. Students range from 3 ½ to 37 years old, with such diagnoses as autism, cerebral palsy and sensory processing disorders.