National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM) Workshop on Autism

The National Autism Society of Malaysia (NASOM) will be holding a workshop entitled "It Has to be Said" with Dr John McEachin a Clinical Psychologist who works with children with autism.

Workshop Details

Date : 16 December 2007 (Sunday)

Time : 8.30am to 4.30pm

Venue : Singgahsana Hotel, Persiaran Barat, Selangor

Contact : NASOM - Tel 603 7710 4098 / secretariat@nasom.com.my

Download the Flyer - here

PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN

• The latest research about autism and recovery.


• What is recovery and how it is commonly defined.


• About the predictors of outcome for young children with autism


• The multitude of ways ABA can help children with autism learn very advanced skills, not just beginning programmes. Stress management, creative thinking, conversational
  skills and advanced social skills will be discussed.


• The many different teaching techniques, that can be used that are ABA based.


• Hints and tips for integrating children with autism into mainstream schools.


• How to develop a successful integration plan for shadow support.


• How to make the best use of social settings to teach social skills.
  

ABOUT THE SPEAKER


John McEachin is a licensed psychologist who has been providing behavioural intervention to children with autism as well as adolescents and adults with a wide range of developmental disabilities for more than 30 years.

He received his graduate training under Professor Ivar lovaas at UCLA on the Young Autism Project. His research has included the long term follow up study of young autistic children who received intensive behavioural treatment

Dr. McEachin has lectured throughout the world and consulted to numerous families and agencies, assisting in the development of treatment programmes and providing
training to parents , group home staff, and classroom personnel.

In 1994 he joined with Ron Leaf in forming Autism Partnership which he co directs.
They also are the co-authors of a book A WORK IN PROGRESS, one of the most recommended books on behavioural intervention.


Download the Flyer - here


The National Autism Society of Malaysia

35A Jalan SS 21/37
Damansara Uptown
47400 Petaling Jaya
Selangor Darul Ehsan

Phone : 603 7710 4098
Fax : 603 7710 4149
Email : secretariat@nasom.com.my
www.teleautism.net


[tags : disability NASOM autism children pediatric neurology national autism society of malaysia john mceachin]

The Legal Battle : Claims that Autism caused by Childhood Vaccines

In excruciating detail, an Arizona mother on Monday described severe autism and devastating health problems that plague her 12-year-old daughter and asked a court to find common childhood vaccines were the cause.

The test case is being closely watched by nearly 5,000 families of autistic children who have lodged similar claims for compensation from a federal fund.

The case of Michelle Cedillo, of Yuma, Ariz., is the first alleging a vaccine-autism link to be heard in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. It and eight other test cases are important because they will guide the handling of the other pending claims. Most contend that a mercury-rich preservative called thimerosal is to blame for the impaired social interaction typical of the disorder.

Should they prevail, the families will be eligible for compensation from a federal vaccine injury fund established by Congress to ensure an adequate supply of vaccines by shielding manufacturers from lawsuits. No autism claim has been paid from the fund thus far.

Large scientific studies have found no association between autism and vaccines containing thimerosal.

Government attorney Vincent Matanoski dismissed much of what the plaintiffs are expected to present during the three-week hearing as conjecture or speculation.

"You'll find their hypotheses untested or, when tested, have been found false," Matanoski said.

Theresa Cedillo said her daughter suffered five days of fever, her temperature often spiking to 105 degrees, after receiving a measles, mumps and rubella vaccination at age 15 months. Michelle was a happy, robust, responsive and loving child - in short, normal - but hasn't been the same since, her mother told the court.

Wearing noise-canceling headphones, Michelle was brought into the courtroom in a wheelchair at the start of the proceedings. She stayed only a short time, moaning audibly several times. Besides autism, Michelle suffers from inflammatory bowel disease, glaucoma and epilepsy. In addition, her bones, weakened by years of malnourishment, are prone to breaks, Theresa Cedillo said. Everything she eats is pumped in through a feeding tube, except for crackers and water.

"Clearly the story of Michelle's life is a tragic one," Special Master George Hastings Jr. said in thanking the family for allowing theirs to be the first test case. Hastings pledged he and two other special masters would listen carefully to all evidence.

Theresa Cedillo and husband Michael allege thimerosal-containing vaccines weakened their daughter's immune system and prevented her body from clearing the measles virus after she was immunized. That theory is one of three alleged by the thousands of plaintiffs. The others claim either thimerosal or the measles vaccine alone caused their children's autism.

"We hope to find out what happened and hopefully get the help she needs," said Theresa Cedillo, who takes care of her daughter full time at home.

The burden of proof is easier than in a traditional court. Plaintiffs only have to prove that a link between autism and the shots is more likely than not, based on a preponderance of evidence. But many parents say their children's symptoms did not show up until after their children received the vaccines, required by many states for admission to school.

"These are families who followed the rules. These are families who brought children in for vaccines. These are families who immunized their children," Cedillo attorney Thomas Powers said. Later, outside court, he cast aside any suggestion his clients were anti-vaccine.

Autism is characterized by impaired social interaction. Those affected often have trouble communicating, and they exhibit unusual or severely limited activities and interests.

In 1999, the U.S. government asked vaccine manufacturers to eliminate or reduce the use of thimerosal in childhood vaccines to limit infant exposure to mercury. Today, the preservative is no longer found in routine childhood vaccines but is used in some flu shots.

The nine test cases will be heard consecutively over the next year. A ruling in the Cedillo case could take months or longer, attorneys said.

Source

[tags : disability autism children vaccines ]

Bill Cosby and Toni Braxton Headline Concert for Autism Speaks

Bill Cosby and Toni Braxton Headline Concert for Autism Speaks April 9 at Frederick P. Rose Hall, Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center

Tom Brokaw Emcees a Night of Comedy and Music to Raise Funds for Autism Awareness and Scientific Research


Legendary entertainer Bill Cosby and six-time Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Toni Braxton will headline a star-filled night of comedy and music at the Concert for Autism Speaks on April 9 at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th Street, in New York City. NBC News' Tom Brokaw will serve as the master of ceremonies for the fundraiser for Autism Speaks, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing awareness of autism and raising money to fund autism research .

“Autism is a disorder that is robbing families of the chance to fulfill their dreams and experience the everyday joys most of us take for granted,” said Cosby. "For example, many children with autism are very limited in their ability to develop warm relationships with others, including their parents. We all need to do our part so that, with our help, these families will finally get the answers they so desperately seek.”

“When autism became a part of my family's reality, I was determined to join Autism Speaks
in its battle against this devastating disorder that is impacting thousands of families," said Braxton, who is currently headlining in a long-term engagement at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. The mother of two children, one of whom has autism, went on to say, “So much progress is being made on all fronts – from the laboratory to Capitol Hill -- but all of us must continue to fight until we have found the cause and a cure for autism.”

“We are incredibly grateful to Bill and Toni for lending their remarkable talents to us for what promises to be a memorable evening,” said Suzanne Wright, co-founder of Autism Speaks. “With the recent passage of the Combating Autism Act, the future is far brighter for every individual and family affected by autism. However, the need to raise funds for awareness, treatment and research is as urgent as ever.”

Ticket information for the Concert for Autism Speaks will be made available in the coming weeks at www.autismspeaks.org.


[tags : disability epilepsy autism children pediatric neurology]

Autism Speaks Website

Autism Speaks is dedicated to increasing awareness of the growing autism epidemic and to raising money to fund scientists who are searching for a cure.

It was founded in February 2005 by Suzanne and Bob Wright. Bob Wright is Vice Chairman and Executive Officer, General Electric, and Chairman and CEO, NBC Universal.

Autism Speaks and Cure Autism Now (CAN) recently announced plans to combine operations, bringing together the two leading organizations dedicated to accelerating and funding biomedical research into the causes, prevention, treatments and cure for autism spectrum disorders; to increasing awareness of the nation's fastest growing developmental disorder; and to advocating for the needs of affected families.

To learn more about Autism Speaks, please visit http://www.autismspeaks.org/.








What is Autism? An Overview

Autism is a complex neurobiological disorder that typically lasts throughout a person's lifetime. It is part of a group of disorders known as Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Today, 1 in 150 individuals is diagnosed with autism, making it more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined. It occurs in all racial, ethnic, and social groups and is four times more likely to strike boys than girls. Autism impairs a person's ability to communicate and relate to others. It is also associated with rigid routines and repetitive behaviors, such as obsessively arranging objects or following very specific routines. Symptoms can range from very mild to quite severe.

Autism was first identified in 1943 by Dr. Leo Kanner of Johns Hopkins Hospital. At the same time, a German scientist, Dr. Hans Asperger, described a milder form of the disorder that is now known as Asperger Syndrome. These two disorders are listed in the DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) as two of the five developmental disorders that fall under the Autism Spectrum Disorders. The others are Rett Syndrome, PDD NOS (Pervasive Developmental Disorder), and Childhood Disintegrative Disorder. All of these disorders are characterized by varying degrees of impairment in communication skills and social abilities, and also by repetitive behaviors. For more discussion on the range of diagnoses that comprise Autism Spectrum Disorder, click here.

Autism Spectrum Disorders can usually be reliably diagnosed by age 3, although new research is pushing back the age of diagnosis to as early as 6 months. Parents are usually the first to notice unusual behaviors in their child or their child's failure to reach appropriate developmental milestones. Some parents describe a child that seemed different from birth, while others describe a child who was developing normally and then lost skills. Pediatricians may initially dismiss signs of autism, thinking a child will “catch up,” and may advise parents to “wait and see.” New research shows that when parents suspect something is wrong with their child, they are usually correct. If you have concerns about your child's development, don't wait: speak to your pediatrician about getting your child screened for autism.

If your child is diagnosed with autism, early intervention is critical to gain maximum benefit from existing therapies. Although parents may have concerns about labeling a toddler as “autistic,” the earlier the diagnosis is made, the earlier interventions can begin. Currently, there are no effective means to prevent autism, no fully effective treatments, and no cure. Research indicates, however, that early intervention in an appropriate educational setting for at least two years during the preschool years can result in significant improvements for many young children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. As soon as autism is diagnosed, early intervention instruction should begin. Effective programs focus on developing communication, social, and cognitive skills.


[tags : disability autism children pediatric neurology]