Recently I wrote about a study, Immunization uptake in younger siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder, in which it appeared they had a comparison of immunized vs. non-immunized. I contacted the authors for clarification and found that “non immunized” meant the lack of the two combination vaccines. They did not specifically ask for or collect full immunization data on all children in the study.
—
By Matt Carey
This from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN): Tell NCD About Your Voting Experience. Today is election day in the U.S. and the National Council on Disability (NCD) is collecting input on the experiences of disabled voters.
Here is the announcement:
Have you cast your vote in the current election?
The National Council on Disability, in collaboration with the National Disability Rights Network and EIN SOF Communications, is collecting information about the voting experiences of people with disabilities. In early 2013, they will release a report based on their findings.
Although it violates state and federal laws, many polling places across the country are inaccessible to people with disabilities. According to a Government Accounting Office report found in 2008, only 27% of polling places were fully accessible. This means that many disabled people are denied their fundamental right to vote in federal, state, and local elections.
To help the NCD determine how people with disabilities are faring in this election, fill out their brief questionnare about your own voting experience.
For more information, or to download an alternative hard copy of the questionnaire, visit the National Council on Disability website.
—
By Matt Carey
I missed it. Autistic Speaking Day. Autistics Speaking Day grew out of a response to a poorly conceived awareness/fundraising event from Autism Speaks: Communication Shutdown (the link seems to be no longer valid).
Here’s part of what Corina Becker wrote last year about Autistics Speaking Day:
At the end of my last post, I stated that on November 1st, Autistic people should speak up and be heard. That in the absence of NT voices, Autistics should reclaim the Autism community by communicating in our own ways on our life experiences.
A series of blog posts are collected at http://autisticsspeakingday.blogspot.ca/
Yes, clearly, not all autistics participate by speaking or writing as many are non-verbal, non-conversational or have intellectual disability.
—
By Matt Carey
The U.S. is holding their Presidential election tomorrow (Nov.6). Four years ago I wrote about the election as it approached. Both major candidates made a few comments that were, well, ill informed. Barack Obama held forth a promise to make life better for the disability community. He had the clearest disability plan, including fully funding IDEA (special education) and naming an “Autism Czar”. These did not come to pass. Some extra money was set aside for special education as a one time event during the economic stimulus budget, but special education remains underfunded. No one person is in place to oversee autism research and policy, but there is a renewed commitment to keep funding research.
All in all, not where I hoped we would be four years ago.
And, yet, I have even less hope for the future with Mr. Romney.
I hope all is well for Americans who wish to vote. The east coast is still recovering. Whoever you support, make your voice heard.
—
By Matt Carey
Last week there was supposed to be a 2 day workshop of the the U.S. Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) to update the Strategic Plan. The workshop was to be held in Washington DC. The meeting was cancelled due to Hurricane Sandy.
Behind the scenes, making things work for the IACC is OARC: the Office of Autism Research Coordination. The people of OARC do a lot, including managing the meetings. No small task for this workshop. There are about 30 IACC members and about 20 experts were brought in to consult on the Plan update. These meetings are a lot of work and OARC staff were preparing long in advance and still, I am sure, were going to be working through the weekend before the workshop. And that without hurricane Sandy. With Sandy bearing down, they had to put together contigency plans. What if some people don’t make it in time? What if people can’t come? What if power goes out? Lots of contingencies which I am sure made this whole process very complicated. I was working with them to make sure I could get in and out of DC for the meeting. Or, at least I hoped to. Airports ended up shut down. Luckily OARC saw that it was going to be unworkable and cancelled the meeting the Saturday before.
Here’s a screen shot from my email on Saturday(Click to enlarge):
The people of the Office of Autism Research Coordination (OARC) were working very hard to put this workshop together. Working hard on contingency plans. Working on the weekend. All this while a hurricane was bearing down on their homes. Thank you, OARC staff. I appreciate the dedication and the hard work.
—
By Matt Carey
Note: I serve as a public member to the IACC but my comments here and elsewhere are my own.
Mark Geier has been discussed a great deal here on Left Brain/Right Brain. Including very recently on the topic of this article. Much of that discussion has recently centered on his belief that not only is autism caused by mercury, but that mercury somehow is bound to testosterone and that by reducing the amount of testosterone in the body one can reduce the amount of mercury and, thus in his flawed model, treat autism. Mr. Geier’s clinical practice was found to have been flawed as well and he lost his license to practice medicine in his home state of Maryland. He was licensed in multiple other states as well, including Missouri and Illinois. With the loss of his license in Maryland, other states have followed in license actions.
The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports: ” Controversial autism doctor Mark Geier loses licenses in Missouri, Illinois”.
Todd W. Of Harpocrates Speaks writes about this in “Mark Geier on his Last Leg” where he notes that Mark Geier is still licensed in Hawai’i only.
Todd W. keeps a map of states where Mark Geier has lost his license.
—
By Matt Carey
Left Brain Right Brain 
Recent Comments