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Ray Halleran and Justin Gibbons raise $11,000 for Autism Awareness, Racing for Autism.

Autism Society Manitoba 22nd Annual Autism Conference, featuring Carol Gray: 2009 Social StoriesTM 10.1 And Taming the Social Context Jungle, Teaching Individuals with ASD to Effectively “Read” and Respond to Social Context. April 22–23, 2010 [View Brochure PDF]

Autism Society Canada proudly celebrates World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) April 2nd 2009. Read the March 31, 2009 Press Release [English PDF] [French PDF]

Government of Canada Endorses World Autism Awareness Day. Health Canada, Marketwire, April 2, 2009: On behalf of the Government of Canada, the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, today announced that April 2 will be recognized as World Autism Awareness Day in Canada.

Faces of Autism: A Six-Part Vancouver Sun Special Series. Pete McMartin and Glenn Baglo, Vancouver Sun, April 1, 2009.

World Autism Awareness Day international events. Autism Speaks.

Autism Ontario Celebrates World Autism Awareness Day. Autism Ontario.

Canadian Autism Researchers Mark World Autism Awareness Day. Autism Spectrum Disorders – Canadian-American Research Consortium.

G20/World Autism Awareness Day UKAF Appeal on Poverty. Blogger News Network, March 28, 2009: The UK Autism Foundation has appealed to G20 Leaders and the host Prime Minister Gordon Brown not to walk by on the other side and ignore the plight of the poor. They will be discussing the financial crisis on the United Nations World Autism Awareness Day.

The Run may be nearing completion but The Dream continues…

It's hard to believe that time has passed so quickly but after two winters, one spring, one summer, and one fall of running 8,020 kilometres in 199 Running Days, Jonathan Howard, the inspiration behind Run The Dream, dipped his toe into the Pacific Ocean at Steve Fonyo Beach in Victoria BC at approximately 11:30 a.m. PST on December 18. While many things have gone well and many challenges were met, throughout this journey, a great deal has been done to raise awareness in order to provide support and services to families and individuals living with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. (Read the latest Newsletter...).

Recently Jonathan was encouraged by a number of his supporters to enter the 2009 competition Canada's Next Great Prime Minister. An annual competition conducted by the CBC seeking out young Canadians and their thoughts about what would make our country even better. The four final candidates will appear on CBC Television in early 2009, where they engage in a heated debate on the issues facing Canada today - Jonathan’s issue is focused on Autism.

Thank you Jonathan, you have “Dreamed as though you've never failed”, An inspiration for our community and a perfect fit with ASC’s mission to help all Canadians with Autism Spectrum Disorders reach their full potential.

"I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Jonathan Howard and his team of volunteers who have successfully undertaken this courageous and exciting 2008 cross-Canada run. Over the course of this 199-day-journey Jonathan has helped to raise awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorders for all Canadians. On behalf of Autism Society Canada's Board Members from across the country and our staff; Thank you Jonathan”

Christine Dade, President, ASC

“Autism Society Canada President Christine Dade honoured by Autism Ontario…[PDF]”

Read the Autism Society Nova Scotia Newsletter, Puzzlement, October 2008.

Read the Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) Newsletter, September 2008.

N.S. Autism Group Welcomes Coverage Call from NDP. Paul Pickrem, The Chronicle Herald, August 25, 2008: A Nova Scotia autism advocacy and support group is cautiously optimistic about the provincial NDP’s call for coverage of autism spectrum disorder under the Canada Health Act... Vicki Harvey, executive director of the Autism Society of Nova Scotia, said she is still concerned that the range of lifelong services required by autistic individuals and by their caregivers might not be funded since the act only covers medical needs.

Autism Society Manitoba and Asperger Manitoba Inc. Press Release. August 13, 2008 [PDF]: Family relocates to Winnipeg to access services for their preschool child while hundreds of others must wait.

Read the Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) Newsletter, August 2008.

Autism Speaks Seeks Applications for new round of Family Services Community Grants. Autism Speaks, July 24, 2008: Autism Speaks, the nation's largest autism advocacy organization, today announced that it is seeking applications for its third round of Family Services Community Grants to promote services that enrich the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Fifty grants totaling more than $1 million have been awarded since the inception of the Family Services Community Grants program.

Provincial Autism Centre, Nova Scotia – Summer 2008 Newsletter [PDF]

Screening, Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Young Children, Miriam Foundation 2008. Now Available: Canadian Best Practice Guidelines [PDF] | Parent's Guide [PDF] | Physician Toolkit [PDF] | English Poster [PDF] Visit Autism Central for more information, and to obtain hard copies of documents.

Anna Gleave, a research psychologist, has been approached by a publisher (JKP) to consider writing a book about parenting teenagers with Aspergers. The book aims to support parents and to offer professionals a chance to see inside our world. It will take the form of an anthology consisting of six or more case histories written by parents in their own style. Currently, two more case histories are needed, and there is a specific need for a case history from parents of an older teenage girl. Interested parents may contact Anna Gleave by email: annagleave@hotmail.com

The Seaway Film Festival 2008 is being held in Cornwall, Ontario. In addition to promoting up and coming film makers, and helping to restore the Port Theater, the film festival will raise funds for ASC. Visit the website to learn more.

Jonathan Howard arrives in Peterborough July 16th, is welcomed by Mayor D. Paul Ayotte, engages community members in a 6 Km run and visits the Five Counties Children's Centre. Read the July 15 Press Release: [PDF]

Jonathan Howard arrives in Ottawa, is joined by Terry Robinson and prepares to continue westward as others show their support! Read the July 3 press release: [PDF]

Jonathan Howard Honoured by Nova Scotia Premier and Legislature... Read the May 21 press release: [PDF]

Premier of New Brunswick Welcomes Jonathan Howard to the Legislature.

Jonathan Howard Honoured by PEI Legislature...read the May 14 press release: [PDF]

Mental Illness Awareness Week – May Newsletter Released

Improved mental health literacy key to critical health issue warns national alliance at opening of Mental Health Week. Ottawa, Ontario, May 5, 2008. Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) News Release. [PDF]

Autism Society of Cape Breton Video on their Summer Camp Program:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SU87KNqsis

AutismCares: Disaster Relief Assistance for Families Affected by Autism in U.S. AutismCares was formed in 2005 to assist families devastated by the Gulf Region hurricanes. To address long-term needs, AutismCares advocates for and implements proactive rehabilitation and assistance programs in an effort to help affected families begin to rebuild their lives. Currently AutismCares is assisting families affected by the California fires. AustimCares operates a registry for U.S. families who have a family member with autism and are affected by disasters. To register call 1-888-Autism2 Website: http://www.autismcares.org/

Nova Scotia Department of Education Minister Karen Casey has received the Review Committee’s Report and Recommendations based on the Minister’s Review of Services for Students with Special Needs, which took place in Spring 2007. To view this report please click the link below:
English version of the report

Canadian Autism Awareness Month (CAAM) October 2007: Reaching Our Potential: Thank you for joining ASC in raising awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorders during the month of October. Learn more and educate others in your community with our Autism Awareness Month FAQs.

Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) September 30 - October 06, 2007 is an annual national public education campaign designed to help open the eyes of Canadians to the reality of mental illness. The week was established in 1992 by the Canadian Psychiatric Association, and is now coordinated by the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) in cooperation with all its member organizations and many other supporters across Canada. For more information on this year's events see www.miaw.ca

Thank you for helping us to Change the Face of Autism during the month of October. Friends and colleagues across the country joined together to raise awareness about Autism Spectrum Disorders during October, 2006. ASC has enjoyed working with all of you to help educate Canadians about autism. Please feel free to download ASC's CAAM education pamphlet for use at other events...PDF

Autism Volunteer Recognized. Joyce Churchill, the long-serving President of Autism Society of Newfoundland & Labrador (ASNL) was selected from over 200 nominees across the country to receive Flare Magazine's Volunteer Life Time Achievement Award. See profile.

Peter Hain to Launch Historic Northern Ireland - Wales Autism Partnership. Autism NI (PAPA) and Autism Cymru, the National Charities for autism in Northern Ireland and Wales respectively will join forces to campaign for better services for people with autism and their families as well as carry out joint research and share skills, information and identify best practice in their respective countries. Leading politicians, civil servants and representatives of autism organisations from across the UK will be present at the launch which will also see the publication of a joint report Government and Autism: Opportunities and Solutions. This report sets out the case for strategic and legislative development to address service challenges due to the critical rise in autism prevalence rates across Europe. For further information about the launch or for a copy of the report please contact Laura Morgan on 029 20464940 laura@autismcymru.org or Fiona McCaffrey on 028 90401729 fiona@autismni.org

Dignity for All Campaign Calls for End to Poverty in Canada [PDF]. May 22, 2009: Now is the time to end poverty in Canada. That’s the key message of the Dignity for All Campaign, launched today in Calgary... View Press Release [PDF]

Cheryl Gillan's Autism Bill Passes Crucial Milestone. The National Autistic Society , Medical News Today, May 18, 2009: The Government has, for the first time, declared its support for what could be England's first Autism Bill...

Federal Autism Bill Proposed, More Sweeping than Failed State Bill. Rob Moritz, Arkansas News, May 18, 2009: Proposed federal legislation designed to improve the quality of life for people with autism would raise the premium costs on insurance plans to cover the disorder, not just insurance companies like the bill that failed in the state Legislature this year, supporters said Monday.

Gov't Using Random Measures to Deny Twin Autism Treatment, Critics Say. The Canadian Press, Aliant, April 7, 2009: A six-year-old autistic girl is being denied key treatment by the Ontario government in an arbitrary move aimed at reducing wait lists, critics charged after she was taken off the therapy while her twin stayed on.

Autism Treatment Acceleration Act of 2009 - Federal Autism Insurance Reform (S. 819). Autism Votes.

Autism Resoluton Ontario Launched. April 2, 2009: Parents of children with autism in Ontario launch a new initiative to combat government discrimination against children with ASDs and to make ABA therapy more accessible.

Judge Slams Human Rights Commission, Quashes Complaint. Don MacPherson, The Daily Gleaner, March 24, 2009: A judge has quashed a decision of the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission to refer a complaint against the province to a board of inquiry.

Autism Battle on Backburner. Jonathan Jenkins, Toronto Sun, March 19, 2009: Ontario's watchdog will not -- for the time being -- look into how autistic children are treated by the province's educational system.

Autism Group Begins Work. Press Release, Department of Education, Government of Nova Scotia, February 19, 2009: Autism advocates, parents and government officials have begun work on a strategy to improve government services for people affected by autism spectrum disorder.

A Bi-Partisan Call to Transform the Federal/State Medicaid Long-Term Care System [PDF]. Centre for Self Determination, January 30, 2009.

Where Do Those Special Education Dollars Go? Moira Macdonald, The Toronto Sun, December 17, 2008: If you or someone you know has ever been told a youngster can't get the help they need at school for a learning or other disability because there's not enough money, read on.

Supreme Court Refuses Autistic Parents' Appeal. Tracey Tyler, TheStar.com, December 4, 2008: Parents of autistic children say they'll be planning the next step in their legal battle for better treatment programs now that the Supreme Court of Canada has refused to hear their latest appeal.

Supreme Court Rejects Application for Leave to Appeal in Autism Class Action Lawsuit - Five families behind case express their disappointment over the decision. Taline Sagharian, December 4, 2008: Today the Supreme Court of Canada rejected the application for leave to appeal filed by the plaintiffs in the Ontario Autism Class Action Lawsuit.

CASW Speaks Up: Economic Bravado and Social Indifference. Press Release, December 2, 2008: Finance Minister James Flaherty’s economic and fiscal statement, Protecting Canada’s Future 1, combines economic bravado with social indifference...

Medical Officers of Health Call for Closing the Health Gap in Canada's Large Cities. CNW Telbec, November 24, 2008: Medical Officers of Health from 18 of Canada's largest cities today expressed serious concern about persistent health inequalities across the socio-economic spectrum in urban Canada.

Wanted: A party with vision. Deborah Coyne, TheStar.com, November 22, 2008: With Harper's Ottawa missing in action, now's the time for an activist policy agenda.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden: Supporting Americans with Autism Spectrum Disorders [PDF]. barackobama.com.

Transparency Sought by Panel. Dr. Nancy Freeman, Letters to the Editor, theStar.com, November 10, 2008: Many professionals and parents of children with autism have passionately advocated for effective publicly funded treatment to be available for children on the autism spectrum...

Fear for Autistic Families. Dennis Lendrum, Letters to the Editor, The Mid-North Monitor, October 23, 2008: I have read the proposed October 14th, 2008 document over & over...

The Development of Benchmarks for the Delivery of Intensive Behavioural Intervention for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Ontario [PDF], September 2008.

Ontario Ombudsman Campaign/Survey of IBI [PDF].

Autism Ontario Position Paper on Bill 77 – Services for Persons with Developmental Disabilities Act, 2008; Presentation to the Standing Committee on Social Policy [PDF]. Prepared by Working Group Members on behalf of Autism Ontario: Lynda Beedham, Ethel Berry, Eileen Cole, Patricia Gallin (lead author), Julie Hunt, Laurie Pearce, Margaret Spoelstra, and Howard Weinroth (lead author).

Eager Student Thwarted. Deborah Barrett, The Edmonton Journal, September 3, 2008: Currently, there are no post-secondary programs designed to meet the needs of autistic students. (One institution may have a small pilot program ready for September 2009.)...

Autism Treatment Still Lags Despite Claims of Progress. Jim Young, The Chronicle Herald Columnists, September 3, 2008: Federal Health Minister Tony Clement has a busy schedule. He needs to find time to consider what is morally and legally right and that funding autism treatment is fiscally the best way to actually decrease the drain on public coffers over the lifespan of an individual with autism.

Autism Parents Seek Clout in Federal Election: Activists target ridings with thin margins. Tom Sandborn, The Tyee, September 1, 2008: A long-simmering fight between parents of autistic children and Canadian governments over funding for their children's therapy may boil over into this fall's expected federal election.

Ontario Parents Continue Battle for Accessible Autism Therapies. Kate Hammer, Globe and Mail Update, August 27, 2008: A class-action lawsuit brought by the Martinis and four other families against seven Ontario school boards and the provincial government has over the past three years fought and fumbled its way through levels of court, ending up at the Supreme Court of Canada. Elements of the lawsuit have been tossed out by judges and reborn in turn...

Families Take Autism Class Action to Supreme Court of Canada [PDF]. August 26, 2008: The plaintiffs in the Ontario Autism Class Action Lawsuit are taking their case to the Supreme Court of Canada, continuing their battle for full and timely access to effective treatment and education for children with autism.

Health Minister Stops by Big River to Hear Concens. Kathy Gallant, Canoe.ca, August 24, 2008: Federal Health minister Tony Clement made a stop by Big River on Tuesday, August 19 to hear concerns from the community and those from the surrounding areas.

Autism Society Manitoba and Asperger Manitoba Inc. Press Release. August 13, 2008 [PDF]: Family relocates to Winnipeg to access services for their preschool child while hundreds of others must wait.

N.S. Opposition Leader Calls for Better Services for Autistic Children. The Canadian Press, July 30, 2008: Nova Scotia's Opposition leader is calling on the province to make autism treatment a priority after a Halifax doctor announced he's leaving Nova Scotia because his son isn't getting adequate care.

Manitoba families for effective autism treatment (MFEAT) welcomes Nova Scotia family forced to relocate to Manitoba to access pre-school autism treatment program. Read the June 28 Press Release... [PDF]

The Second International Conference on Signs of Autism in Infants: Changing Outcomes through Early Identification and Intervention, October 11 and 12, 2008. Save the Date! Press Release Newswire, June 26, 2008: Identifying the signs of autism before the age of one is a priority at the forefront of the scientific, health, and education communities. Steady progress is being made in all disciplines that address the autistic spectrum. This unique conference provides an opportunity for experts across key disciplines to discuss and reach a consensus on strategies for early identification and intervention. This event -- the Second International Conference on Signs of Autism in Infants: Changing Outcomes through Early Identification and Intervention -- is scheduled for October 11 and 12, 2008 in Southern California.

It's up to Federal Liberals [to] Take Autism Action Once Elected. An open letter by Harold L. Doherty, Miramichi Leader (online), June 9, 2008: The following is a letter open letter, an the autism question I have sent to federal Liberal Opposition Leader Stéphane Dion... I am the father of two sons, one of whom has classic Autism Disorder with profound developmental delays. I have been an autism advocate for the last eight years. This year, I watched hopefully, but with no illusions, when Liberal MP Shawn Murphy of Charlottetown introduced Bill C-304, a Private Member's bill, which would called for amendment of the Canada Health Act to provide coverage for autism treatments...

Party leaders Respond on Autism: ASC asked the five Leaders of the Federal Political Parties: What action will you take, if you form the next government, to address the needs of the Autism Spectrum Disorders community, and to give autism the priority it warrants?

To date, we have received the following three responses:

Bloc Québécois [PDF]	New Democratic Party [PDF]	Liberal Party of Canada [PDF]

Green Party’s response to enquiry from ASC Board Member, Brian Rimpilainen in New Brunswick [PDF].

Group Demands Funding for Autism. Amy Reid, Surrey Now, October 7, 2008: "We want medicare for autism and we want it now!" he cried to the crowd, and was met with a standing ovation.

Read the joint press release of the Canadian Association of Social Workers and the National Association of Social Workers (US), October 2, 2008– Putting Poverty on the Election Platform: The Time to Eradicate Poverty is Now.

OAARSN template letter to advocate for adults with autism in Canada's federal election. [MS Word] [RTF]

Voters Care about Schools, Not Income Trusts: Flaherty. The Canadian Press, September 28, 2008: Jim Flaherty is used to being grilled on the economy and taxes and isn't shy about engaging in aggressive verbal sparring with the opposition...

Parents Lobby Swing Ridings in Autism Fight. Joan Delaney, The Epoch News, September 24, 2008: Activist group Medicare for Autism Now has launched a campaign called “The Two Percent Solution” in 14 swing ridings...

PM Promises Help for Families Dealing with Disabilities. The Canadian Press, September 19, 2008: Prime Minister Stephen Harper is promising more help for families caring for disabled children or relatives.

Autism Group Takes Funding Battle to the Hustings. Susan Sherrings, Sun Media, September 18, 2008: Families dealing with autism have been "shafted" by governments of all political stripes and are vowing to change that this federal election.

Autism Parents Seek Clout in Federal Election: Activists target ridings with thin margins. Tom Sandborn, The Tyee, September 1, 2008: A long-simmering fight between parents of autistic children and Canadian governments over funding for their children's therapy may boil over into this fall's expected federal election.

On May 7, 2008, Asperger Manitoba sponsored a breakfast in the Legislature Dining Room for MLAs and their staff. Members of the Legislature were briefed on challenges and issues faced by individuals with Asperger Syndrome, their families, and the community as a whole. [Read excerpts from the Q+A period]

Appeal Court Leaves Door Open for Autism Lawsuit. Colin Perkel, Canadian Press, thestar.com, May 23, 2008: In a unanimous ruling, the Ontario Court of Appeal essentially handed back the parents some of their claims against the Ontario government and seven school boards, saying they need to be substantially reworked if they are to have any hope of succeeding in their lawsuit... [Read the full text of the Court of Appeal ruling.]

The Honourable Jim Munson, Senator (Ottawa – Rideau Canal), introduces a bill to recognize April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day. Press Release, Office of the Hounourable Jim Munson.
[PDF Eng] [PDF Fre]

Taline Sagharian, April 24, 2008: The Ombudsman's office has assigned two investigators who will be responding to each individual family who had sent them information either directly or through Taline Sagharian. They will continue to gather information and make further inquiries about the wait times in the AIP and the lack of IBI in schools. Read More [PDF]...

Childhood Autism Linked To Substantial Loss Of Household Income. American Academy of Pediatrics, Medical News Today, April 8, 2008: The average loss of annual income associated with having a child with ASD was $6,200 or 14 percent of a family's annual reported income. The authors speculate the most likely explanation is that parents of a child with ASD make different working choices, such as working part-time, because of the needs associated with autism and the lack of community-based resources.

Province Boosts Autism Funding. Angela Hall, The Leader Post (Regina), April 3, 2008: The provincial government used World Autism Awareness Day to pledge $3 million in annual funding for autism services in Saskatchewan... Health Minister Don McMorris announced Wednesday that an advisory group will help determine how the money -- included in the recent provincial budget -- can best be spent.

Disabled Kids Aren't Getting the Help they Need in B.C. Paul Willcocks, Times Colonist, March 18, 2008: Families who decide they need help can't figure out where to go. They face a "complex, fragmented service delivery system." That's a big barrier if you're already spending every waking moment caring for your disabled teen. It's often not even clear where they should start. The Ministry of Children and Families and Community Living B.C., the government's agency delivering services to people with developmental disabilities both have roles, too often poorly defined.

Autism Services Not So Great After All. Allison Pike (Letter to the Editor), The (Charlottetown) Guardian, March 15, 2008: In a recent article you wrote about families dealing with autism, it was stated that in Alberta families can receive up to $60,000 per year up to the child being 18 years of age... I am in Alberta and have two young children with autism and want to make it clear that you would be hard-pressed to find any child in Alberta getting the therapy they truly need.

Parents Gather for Coverage of Autism Treatment. Jennifer Moreau, Burnaby Now, March 5, 2008: Parents are calling on the federal government to provide medicare coverage for an intensive form of treatment for children with autism. The call came from Families for Early Autism Treatment of B.C., a parent advocacy group that kicked off its campaign at Burnaby's Shadbolt Centre for the Arts March 2. Between 350 and 400 people attended the rally to listen to nine speakers calling for more treatment for autism.

KPMG Highlights of the 2008 Federal Budget. Exchange Morning Post, Waterloo, February 28, 2008: Medical Expense Credit...The list of eligible expenses is expanded to include, among other things, the cost of service animals trained to help people with autism or epilepsy.

Budget Contains Some Modest Blessings. James Daw, Toronto Star, February 28, 2008: The tax credit for medical expenses would be expanded to include devices to assist with speech disorders, mobility, standing and balance, and for the cost of buying, training and caring for service dogs for those with autism or epilepsy.

Autism Insurance Bill Introduced in Connecticut State Legislature, February 2008: State Representative Brian O'Connor, Chairman of the Insurance and Real Estate Committee, introduces legislation to mandate insurance coverage of ASD therapies. A public hearing is scheduled for March 6, 2008. Read Bill 5696.

A Lost Opportunity for Social Investment, Canadian Association of Social Workers Press Release, February 27, 2008: Finance Minister Jim Flaherty wasn’t kidding – at least in terms of social policy – when he said the 2008 budget would be lean...

Families for Effective Autism Treatments of Alberta (FEAT/AB), a not-for-profit
grassroots organization to hold press conference on February 29, 2008. FEAT/AB finds it unfathomable that families are told they will no longer receive the supports entitled by law. This also contravenes the FSCD Act, which clearly identifies the individual needs of child as paramount, not how much that department has allocated in their budget. See full Press Release (PDF).

Families dealing with autism are in crisis: Senator Munson leading charge to get more help from government to improve services for families. Wayne Thibodeau, The Guardian (PEI), Feburary 23, 2008: Munson said he’d like to see the federal government take the lead so there is not a patchwork of programs and services... Alberta is now the leader across Canada, providing up to $60,000 annually to a child with autism up to the age of 18... In P.E.I., provincial help comes to a halt at the age of six. There is also a lot less money to provide services to children with autism.

Canada lagging in early education funding. Jeff Davis, Embassy - Canada's Foreign Policy Newsweekly, February 20, 2008: Canadian experts are calling on the government to act quickly to improve the state of early childhood education, saying there is no more effective and efficient investment that can be made to bolster Canadian prosperity after Canada was cited in a recent report as spending far less than other developed countries.

The Honourable Jim Munson (Ottawa – Rideau Canal) extends his support to Stefan Marinoiu who has embarked on a mission to walk from Toronto to Ottawa to increase awareness about autism and the need for increased funding for its treatment.  Mr. Marinoiu is the father of a son with autism. The Senator has contacted Mr. Marinoiu’s family and will continue to closely follow his progress.

4.4 million too many to be ignored. Helen Henderson, The Star, Dec 29, 2007: One of the most significant signposts for 2008 got little notice when it appeared this month. But Statistics Canada's latest national survey on the growing number of adults and children with disabilities should send a clear message to politicians in what could be an election year.

Clinton Weekend Campaign Notebook. Athena Jones, NBC/NJ, Sioux City, IA: Hillary Clinton used the first stop on a two-day, post-Thanksgiving swing through Iowa on Saturday to lay out a $700 million a year plan to help people affected by autism. The money would be spent for research and provide support for families and teachers dealing with the disorder, as well as for autistic children and adults.

Flaws in N.B.'s new autism therapy system, say parents. CBC News, December 10, 2007: Some parents of autistic children say their experience over the last 18 months with New Brunswick's latest therapy program has left them longing for a time when they were in charge of finding therapy for their kids and the government just paid the bill.

Federal Government Pledges $1 Million To Fight Autism. Sunday October 21, 2007, CityNews.ca Staff: On Saturday, the federal government pledged $1 million to establish a Chair in Autism Research and Intervention.

The Politics of Autism. Roger Collier, The Ottawa Citizen, September 29, 2007: Better access to therapy for autistic children has become an election issue in Ontario. Parents are angry and active. But not everyone agrees on the best approach.

From Autism Services (Saskatoon) Saskatchewan: Cognitive Disabilities Strategy. In the Saskatoon Region a Cognitive Disabilities Intake Committee has been established to intake requests for assistance, develop a support team and, if needed, put forward a request for additional funding.  Apply to the Committee for funding of whatever services you feel your child needs that are currently not available to you.

Three More Children Funded for RDI in Alberta. August 9, 2007. From Dr. Kierstin C. Hatt, Associate Professor of sociology at Augustana Campus of the University of Alberta: In two separate Appeal Hearings, an Alberta Appeal Panel ruled that Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) services should be funded for two 6-year-old boys and another child, all with Autistic Spectrum Disorder through the Family Supports for Children with Disabilities (FSCD) program.

Experts suggest link between autism and diet. CTV.ca News Staff. Sep. 28 2007: Autism experts descended upon Parliament Hill Thursday, calling for more research to be conducted into the possible link between a specialized diet and the developmental disability.

Alberta a mecca for parents of autistic kids - Tide of families attracted to publicly-funded school program strains resources. Josh Wingrove, The Edmonton Journal, September 23: An influx of hundreds of autistic students to Alberta last year has put a strain on professionals in the Edmonton area, and prompted an audit of school programs for students with disabilities.

McGuinty Government Investing In More Services For Children And Youth With Autism - Increasing The Number Of Children Receiving IBI, Providing Relief Services For Thousands Of Families. Toronto, Aug. 17/CNW: The McGuinty government is investing more than $12 million this year to provide Intensive Behaviour Intervention treatment for 210 more children and youth with autism, bringing the total number of children receiving the specialized care to approximately 1,400 - a 160 per cent increase since 2004, Minister of Children and Youth Services Mary Anne Chambers announced today.

Money for autistic kids - Province to announce $530,000 in funding to allow 800 children to attend specialized summer camps. Kerry Gillespie, Queen's Park Bureau, Toronto Star, July 10, 2007: Hundreds of autistic kids will get to enjoy swimming, sports days and other fun camp activities this summer because of provincial funding to be announced today…Link

Autism is no laughing matter: Eugene Levy joins a group lobbying Ottawa to put autism treatment under medicare. Hayley Mick, With a report from Geoff Nixon, Globe and Mail, June 13, 2007: When Canadian comedian Eugene Levy thinks about autism, he pictures a scrawny kid. The kid is dwarfed by other kids, who have names like cancer and diabetes and are protected by wealthy foundations. And when they need treatment, those kids are swept into the loving arms Canada's health care system. But not autism."Autism is just trying to scream in the air, telling people, 'We need some help here!' and no one's really recognizing it," said Mr. Levy in a telephone interview...

Treatments by province. Geoff Nixon, Globe and Mail, June 13, 2007: The availability and access of treatment programs for children with autism spectrum disorders varies widely across Canada. Depending on family income, proximity to treatment centres and the efforts of their family physicians, autistic children can receive different levels of help and their outcomes can vary...

McGuinty Government Delivering More Support For Students With Autism – Nearly $6 Million Being Invested In New Autism Initiatives To Help Students Succeed. May 17, CNW: The McGuinty government is improving the learning environment for students with autism spectrum disorders by directing all school boards to provide Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), Education Minister Kathleen Wynne announced today...

Ontario rescues camp for autistic children – Scores of projects at risk after Ottawa denies job funding. Toronto Star, May 18, 2007: While a Toronto camp for autistic children will now go ahead this summer after Queen's Park came to the rescue, hundreds of other community projects across Canada are in doubt because they are being refused funding to hire students by the federal Conservatives…

Supreme Court rejects families' autism appeal - Burden put back on parents, who are already 'burned out,' plaintiff says. Murray Campbell, Globe and Mail, April 13, 2007: Simon Wynberg used to feel betrayed when he thought about his long struggle to get Dalton McGuinty to live up to his promise to provide treatment for school-age children with autism…

Autism Ontario’s Response to the Supreme Court Decision not to hear Arguments in the Matter of Deskin Wynberg [PDF]. April 12, 2007 (Toronto): Autism Ontario was saddened to hear today’s news regarding the decision of the Supreme Court to not hear arguments on the matter of the Deskin Wynberg case…

Stoffer slams federal government for not providing autism funding in budget [MS Word]. Mar. 23, 2007. Ottawa - NDP Leader Jack Layton and Peter Stoffer ( Sackville-Eastern Shore) slammed the federal government today for not providing funding in the federal budget to help families with autistic children. "Families with autistic children are in crying need of support," said Layton. "They are very disappointed that the Conservative government has ignored their needs in the budget. Providing support for these families should be a bigger priority for the federal government than corporate tax cuts"…

Budget Addresses Autism Provincially for the First Time with Treatment Program. For immediate release by SASKFeat, March 22, 2007: Regina – For the first time, a Saskatchewan budget includes funding specifically for addressing Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) on a provincial basis…

Grits hiding cost of autism treatment fight, MPP charges. Lee Greenberg, The Ottawa Citizen, March 14, 2007: Ontario's Liberal government is determined to keep secret the cost of its court battle against advocates of an expensive autism treatment, launching a legal action last week to have an order by the province's privacy commissioner overturned…

MP Shawn Murphy Concludes Debate on Autism Care Bill. shawnmurphymp.ca, February 16, 2007: Charlottetown MP Shawn Murphy spoke in the House of Commons Wednesday evening in the last hour of debate at second-reading stage of his Private Members Bill, C-304, an Act to provide for the development of a national strategy for the treatment of autism and to amend the Canada Health Act.

Bill C-304 to be debated in the House of Commons Wednesday. shawnmurphymp.ca, February 14, 2007. MP Shawn Murphy’s Private Member’s Bill, C-304 An Act to provide for the development of a national strategy for the treatment of autism and to amend the Canada Health Act, will be up for its last hour of debate at second reading in the House of Commons tomorrow at 5:30pm EST (6:30 Atlantic). The debate will be carried live by CPAC.

Political rivals set aside differences for fight against autism [MS Word]: Defeated NDP candidate joins Tory MPP to press for better assessment. Ottawa Citizen, January 25, 2007: Two former political adversaries are joining forces to get more services in Ottawa's western sector for autistic children.

Launch of Celtic Nations Autism Partnership. The All Wales Autism Resource (AWARES.org), January 18, 2007: The leading national autism charities in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland are to launch a historic partnership to promote the cause of autism in each of their nations as well as the rest of the United Kingdom, Europe and the rest of the world…Link

Autism cash not enough: critics. Kate Dubinski, London free Press, January 19, 2007: Ontario yesterday announced more money for expensive specialized autism services for kids, but parents and lobby groups say the cash isn't nearly enough…

Critics say Ont. doesn't spend enough on autism. CTV News/ Canadian Press, January 18, 2007: The Ontario government will spend $13 million to ensure 225 autistic children get the intensive but costly treatment they desperately need, but more than 1,000 others will be forced to continue waiting - and their ranks are growing, critics said Thursday…

McGuinty Government Investing In More Services For Children With Autism: New Measures Will Ensure More Children Receive The Best Services Available. CNW, January 18, 2007: The McGuinty government is building an improved and expanded continuum of services to help Ontario families meet the challenges of autism, Minister of Children and Youth Services Mary Anne Chambers announced today…

Province must provide benefits to disabled teen with high IQ: Vancouver Sun, January 09, 2007: For the second time, a B.C. court has ruled that the provincial government cannot deny a mentally handicapped teenager disability benefits just because his IQ is too high…

A message of hope in study of autism. The Seattle Times, January 2, 2007: A few days before Christmas, President Bush signed the Combating Autism Act of 2006, a hopeful message for the 1.5 million Americans with the development disorder, and their families…

Adults/Youth News

Channelling Autism: A Danish tech firm harnesses the power of the autistic brain. Lianne George, Macleans.ca, June 4, 2009: In Canada, one in 165 children is now born with autism—with symptoms that range from mild to requiring 24-7 care. “And now what’s happening,” says Sandra McKay, chair of the Autism Society Canada, “is that we’ve got a lot of adolescents and young adults who were diagnosed 10, 15 years ago who are going to be entering the workforce, and it’s like, what do we do now?”

Genius Locus. Economist.com, April 16, 2009: There is strong evidence for a link between genius and autism. In the first of three articles about the brain this week, we ask how that link works, and whether “neurotypicals” can benefit from the knowledge.

Tri-Valley Student Triumphs Against Autism. Kris Capps, Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, February 22, 2009: Elyse Lynn has a story to tell. It’s a story that is uncomfortable for some, revealing for others and perhaps therapeutic for Elyse. It is the story of her life as a teenager who suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, a form of autism...

No Myths PSA. Dan Marino Foundation, Autistic Self Advocacy Network, Kent Creative. The "No Myths" PSA offers a refreshingly positive and optimistic view about life with autism. And it was written and performed by people who should know--individuals who are on the autism spectrum themselves. The purpose of the PSA is to tell society that, with the right supports, people with autism can do anything anybody else can do, even if it isn't in the same way.

Researchers Pulling Back the Veil On Adult Autism. Sharon Kirkey, Canwest News Service, Calgary Herald: Autism in children has never been more in the news. But few are talking about the adults, experts say, and few therapists are available to treat the illnesses in adults just as more are seeking help.

Registered Disability Savings Plan: A Viable Option for Most Income Levels. Louise Kinross, Bugle Observer Online, January 23, 2009: Canada's new Registered Disability Savings Plan is a tax-free vehicle to help parents save for the long-term needs of children with severe disabilities.

Why "Autism Speaks" Should Give Autistics a Voice. Lisa Jo Rudy, About.com Autism Blog, December 15, 2008: Should people with autism spectrum diagnoses be included on the board, as spokespeople, and/or as advisors for Autism Speaks, the world's largest and most powerful autism-related non-profit?

Does Your Partner Have Asperger's? Times Online, Originally published February 23, 2008: Is your partner distant? Does he have poor social skills that make you shudder? Before you despair, it could be that he has undiagnosed Asperger’s syndrome

BitTorrent's Bram Cohen Isn't Limited by Asperger's [Streaming Video]. Susan Berfield, BusinessWeek, (Originally Published October 16, 2008): Bram Cohen has Asperger's, which makes it hard to deal with everyday life. Even so, he started his own company, BitTorrent...

Special Series: Adults With Autism. Channel 3000 News, November 24, 2008: The autism rates continue to skyrocket. Thirty years ago, two to four children out of 10,000 were diagnosed with autism. Today, an alarming one child in 150 will be diagnosed with the disorder. But stories of autism tend to focus on young children. What about the long-term future of autistic children?

Different for Decades: Adults with Asperger Syndrome Strive to Fit In [PDF]. Kathleen O'Brien, Star-Ledger Staff, Sunday Star-Ledger (Originally published November 14, 2004): All their lives, they have heard these words and society's ruthless verdict that, try as they might, they can never achieve that indefinable state of “fitting in.”

Mary McDonnell Speaks on Grey's Anatomy Role. Grey's Anatomy Insider (Blog), November 2, 2008: If you suspected there was a twist surrounding Mary McDonnell's upcoming three-episode Grey's Anatomy story arc, congratulations, you were right...

Aspies Find Fun Together. Katherine Dedyna, Times Colonist, October 30, 2008: Once a month at a Victoria White Spot, they get together for burgers, fries and fun with Asperger's syndrome...

Aging Parents Fear Autistic Adults will be 'Forgotten' in 'Piecemeal' System, The Canadian Press: Ontario has a "piecemeal" approach to treating autistic adults that must be dramatically changed to support the estimated 50,000 adults suffering from the developmental disorder, an advocacy group said in a discussion paper released Wednesday. Read the Autism Ontario Report, Forgotten: Ontario Adults with Autism and Adults with Aseprgers [PDF]

Wired to Waves: Autistic Surfer Clay Marzo is a Gifted Tube Rider. Katherine Nichols, Honolulu Star Bulletin, (Originally published August 30, 3008): Professional surfer Clay Marzo isn't concerned about his next contest win or whether he'll become world champion one day...

Autistic Woman Wins Human Rights Complaint Against Canada Post. Don Butler, Canwest News Service, October 6, 2008: In what's believed to be its first autism-related case, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal has upheld a complaint against Canada Post by a former Montreal mail carrier.

Looking for Buddies at Brock. Alison Potstra, The Brock Press (Online Edition), September 30, 2008: The Best Buddies program is a national charitable organization that works by pairing up a student volunteer with an individual who has an intellectual disability...

New Jessica Kingsley Publishers Newsletter Released. September 2008.

Special Schools for Special Needs: Private Schools Offer Intensive Programs for Children with Learning Disabilities. Laura Ramsay, The Globe and Mail, September 22, 2008: About 60 pupils attending the flagship school in Toronto, paying about $19,000 a year for full-time studies. Most of the students have multiple learning disabilities and attend the school for an average of three years...

New Poll: Childhood Language Delays Go Unrecognized By Parents. Hanen Centre, CNW, September 22, 2008: According to a new poll released by The Hanen Centre, an international leader in early language development, 64 per cent of Canadians fail to recognize the prevalence of speech and language delays in children. This misguided perception results in children who are unprepared to enter school.

Raise-a-Reader Part Four: A Helping Hand from Literacy Tutors. Suzanne Ahearne, Vancouver Sun, September 21, 2008: Project Literacy Kelowna was founded to help the estimated 48 per cent of working-age Canadians the government has identified as having levels of literacy too low to succeed in the changing economy.

Scrolling Out a Future: Dedicated Dad Creates Scroll Saw Businesses for Handicapped Sons. Kathleen Ryan, ScrollSaw Woodworking and Crafts: When the Warrens discovered that both of their sons were significantly handicapped, they became all the more determined to give them lots of love and help them reach their fullest potentials. They have succeeded on both counts.

'Straight Guy' to Wed Woman Born a Man. John Gelmon, The Bulletin, September 8, 2008 (originally published June 11, 2007): Since my last year of high school, 1983-84, when I was 18, I had gone an awfully long time without having a girlfriend, even though at times I desperately wanted one...

Symmetry Electronics Starts Outreach Program Employing Adults with Autism. Elana Hirschman, Maket Watch, September 3, 2008: "People with Autism and Aspergers are unique individuals who can be a major asset to companies who know how to utilize them and are willing to work with them," said Linda Andron-Ostrow, L.C.S.W. and agency director at F.A.C.T. "These individuals have talents and abilities that a neuro-typical person might not have. We are most grateful that Symmetry has pioneered this outreach program."

Students with Autism [Streaming Video]. Family Health with Beatrice Politi, Global News, September 1, 2008: Going to college or university can be a nerve-wracking experience for anyone--an even bigger challenge for students with autism. Find out what kind of help is available for them on campus and off, tonight on Family Health.

New Jessica Kingsley Publishers Newsletter Released. August 2008.

Autism in Adults Finally Getting Attention. Sharon Kirkey, The Vancouver Sun, July 21, 2008: Autism in children has never been more in the news. But few are talking about the adults, experts say, and few therapists are available to treat the illnesses in adults just as more are seeking help...

Autism Parents 'Infection Risk.' BBC News, July 29, 2008: Caring for children with developmental problems such as autism or Down's syndrome can weaken parents' immune systems, research suggests.

Real Autism. Thomas Sowell, National Review Online, July 16, 2008: Parents need to be spared the emotional trauma of false diagnoses and children need to be spared stressful treatments that follow false diagnoses. Yet the “autism spectrum” concept provides lots of wiggle room for those who are making false diagnoses.

Asperger Syndrome: 'Bosses say I'm not a team player.' Telegraph.co.uk, July 14, 2008: Danny Hancock has a brilliant mind but can't hold down a job. Sheryl Moore talks to him and his mother about changing workplace attitudes to Asperger syndrome...

Living with Autism: Public Awareness and Tolerance Needs to Increase. Alyssa Noel, Sun Media, July 10, 2008: Five-year-old Keegan Winsor has been lulled to sleep by movies almost his entire life... On the Canada Day long weekend the Winsor family packed up their camping gear, including a generator and a DVD player, and headed from Edmonton to Pocahontas Campground in Jasper National Park...

Autistic Students Get Help Navigating Student Life. Melissa Kosler Dutton, USA Today, July 8, 2008: When Dan Hackett started college, he didn't make the grades he knew he could... Hackett, who has Asperger's syndrome, found at the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh that some of his symptoms were holding him back...

Autism Disrupts Work and Pay, Article Says. Posted by Paul Nyhan on Seattle Post-Intelligencer blog "Working Dad: An Unauthorized Guide to Parenting," July 7, 2008: We learned today that more than twice as many parents, 39 percent, reported quitting, passing on a job or making major changes in a job because of child care issues tied to a child with autism, in a study of parents of 16,282 preschool-age children.

The latest edition of Education Watch is now available. Education Watch is an electronic newsletter, published by the Canadian Association for Community Living to provide current information on relevant topics and issues regarding Inclusive Education in Canada.

Controversial New Movement: Autistic and Proud. Deborah Roberts, Michelle Major, and Jonann Brady, ABC News, June 10, 2008: They're part of a controversial group hoping to radically change the way others look at autism. Their message: Stop the search for a cure and begin celebrating autistic people for their differences. It's a message that has some parents of autistic children bewildered and angry...

Siblings of Autistic Children Get Chance to Express Concerns. Don Aucoin, The Boston Globe, June 7, 2008: Once the flurry had subsided, Loring asked the youngsters to pick up one snowball apiece at random from the floor or table and read it aloud. In their piping voices could be heard this truth: To be the brother or sister of an autistic child is to live in a bewildering present and face an uncertain future, to battle an undertow of anxieties that most youngsters don't have to think about, and to balance an array of conflicting - and often confusing - feelings...

Asperger Meets Girl: Happy Endings for Asperger Boys, Jonathan Griffiths (Book): Men with Asperger’s Syndrome, young and old, experience difficulty with social interaction, which can be a stumbling block when it comes to getting a girlfriend. Here is a book that demystifies the enigma of ‘relationships’ by explaining everything in Asperger-friendly terms (some of them mathematical, naturally).

The Autism Rights Movement. Andrew Solomon, New York Magazine, May 25, 2008: A new wave of activists wants to celebrate atypical brain function as a positive identity, not a disability. Opponents call them dangerously deluded.

Read the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services Spring 2008 Newsletter. [PDF Eng] [PDF Fre]

Thousands of Adults with Autism 'Isolated and Ignored.' Jon Land, 24Dash.com, April 15, 2008: Thousands of adults with autism are isolated and ignored, unable to access the support they need, and are often completely dependent on their families... These are the findings of The National Autistic Society (NAS) I Exist report, which has its South East launch on Thursday April 17 at the BT Centre in London. Media are welcome to attend.

Love and Asperger's Syndrome. Telegraph.co.uk, April 6, 2008: He's gentle, unworldly, highly attentive and charmingly old-fashioned. The catch? The very things that make Keith so attractive to Sarah are symptoms of Asperger's. Anna Moore meets the couples living with this surprisingly common condition.

Perfect Plot: Adults with autism reap the benefits of a move away from institutional care into a home of their own. Debbie Andalo, The Guardian, April 2, 2008: From the outside, there is nothing about The Drive that sets the house apart from the other vast Victorian detached properties on the tree-lined avenue in suburban Essex. But behind its front door, a partnership between statutory and voluntary agencies is paving the way for a model of care for adults with autism that could transform lives.

Autistics Don't Want to be Cured. Julie Deardorff and Alex Plank, chicagotribune.com, April 2, 2008: Alex, who has been diagnosed with Asperger's takes issue with the whole notion of "recovery" because he believes parents of autistic children need to love them for who they are. It is not a "disease" he says. It is simply how these children are wired.

Life and Love: Positive Strategies for Autistic Adults by Zosia Zaks. Written for adults on the spectrum and those involved – parents, spouses, friends – this book is divided into two sections: life and love. In the life section, the author describes and suggests concrete ways to deal with some of the issues and problems faced by those on the autism spectrum. Examples include how to accommodate sensory issues, maintain a home, and manage a career. In the love section, instead of focusing on one topic, such as dating, the author includes a broad spectrum of suggestions for different types of relationships and weaves these together with the core concept of self-esteem. [Google Book Preview]

Crisis when the Caring Stops. Stephen Bradshaw, Board Director, Education Services, the Priory Group: While specialist provision for the 20% of children with special education needs is a perennial dilemma associated with constant over-demand, it has now become an established part of the school system in the UK. However, on reaching sixteen this situation intensifies due to the lack of tailored holistic and educational facilities for young adults, reflecting the absence of appropriate legislation with often devastating consequences.

A Camp Where Everyone Belongs. Lindsey Cole, MyKawartha.com, March 14, 2008: To Aimee Ross-Carter, playing the African drums was the best part of March Break camp... Aimee, 14, along with about 19 other students took part in the first March Break camp for students with Autism, which took place from Monday to Thursday this week.

Music Critic Tim Page Describes Life with Asperger's Syndrome. Rebecca Delaney, Columbia Missourian, March 13, 2008: At 53, Page has a formidable resume that could incite envy among journalists and music afficianados many years his senior... He worked for the Washington Post critiquing classical music starting in 1995. In 1997, he won a Pulitzer Prize in criticism for his work with the Post — work the Pulitzer board called “lucid and illuminating.” He used to be the chief music critic for Newsday, penned stories about music and culture for The New York Times and was the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s artistic adviser and creative chair from 1999 to 2001.

Newcomer Blossoms Despite Autism. Alessandra Cayley, Toronto Star, March 10, 2008: Diagnosed after moving to Canada a year ago, teen is learning English and defying stereotypes.

50,000 forgotten victims – autistic adults demand a place in society. Feona Macleod (education corrspondent), The Scotsman, February 26, 2008: Adults with autism are being abandoned by the system, a new report claims... Barely half of people over 18 year old diagnosed with the condition in Scotland receive support, says the National Autistic Society (NAS) Scotland.

Most Autistic Adults 'Isolated.' BBC News, February 26, 2008: The National Autistic Society Scotland said more than half of an estimated 50,000 autistic adults and their families do not get the support needed... It claimed the government does not know exactly how many people have autism, making it impossible to plan services.

She’s got her whole world in her hands. The Globe and Mail, Carly Weeks, January 31, 2008: For adults with autism disorders, wireless handheld devices offer the promise of organization and independence …

A Scout’s honour. At 16, Edward King -- once a violent, at times suicidal, 11-year-old -- has become a person others can admire …

Other Autism News

An Interview with Dr. Geri Dawson, Chief Science Officer, Autism Speaks, about the Organization's Research Funding and Position on Vaccines and Autism. Autism Speaks, July 30, 2009.

Richards, Lecavalier Back Together Again: Celebrity Golf Event Goes Today at Brudenell. The Guardian (PEI), July 24, 2009: Brad Richards and Vincent Lecavalier will reunite for one day in the name of charity...

Dog Guides Being Trained to Assist with Autism. Burlington Post, July 22, 2009: Dogs can be trained to help the blind, deaf and disabled and now local residents impacted by autism can look forward to some special canine care.

Finding a Home for Autism. Tyler Kula, North Bay Nugget, July 18, 2009: Eric Busby's speech is often limited to his favourite movie lines. And when he does speak, the words are garbled and only those close to him understand what he says.

Youth with Autism get new Lease on Life from Toronto's Commercial Real Estate Industry. CNW Group, July 14, 2009: The Greater Toronto Chapter of NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, has made a significant investment of $180,000 to help Geneva Centre for Autism establish Canada's first specialized resource facility for youth and adults with autism.

Interactive Autism Network Research Report 9: Family Stress - Part 2 Work Life and Finances. IAN Community, May 27, 2009: In this current report, Part 2, we turn our attention to two other factors that can contribute to the stress levels in families of children with ASD: the impact on parents’ careers and/or educational goals and on family finances.

SD71 to Test Program for Autism. Lindsay Chung, Comox Valley Record, July 7, 2009: School District 71 has been chosen to participate in a pilot project to test new software and curriculum that aim to help autistic children recognize faces.

Jeff Stimpson, author of Alex the Boy: Episodes From a Family's Life With Autism [Streaming Audio]. BlogTalkRadio, Originally broadcase June 3, 2009: Jeff Stimpson and his wife share their story of raising Alex and Ned while living in New York city.

Special Fashions for Special Needs. Cheryl Clock, The Standard, June 9, 2009: There once was a woman who had an abdominal hernia. When she sat, her belly protruded out to her knees...

Exploring Inner Space: Autistic Savant Daniel Tammet is Helping Unlock Mysteries of Creativity, Autism and How Our Brains Work. Jim Withers, Canwest News Service, June 8, 2009: He knows a dozen languages and can perform astronomical calculations in his head. He learned to speak Icelandic in only a week and he once recited from memory the first 22,514 decimal places of pi.

Action Urged for 'Kids in the Middle:' Special Needs Students Falling through the Cracks. Eva Ferguson, Calgary Herald, June 8, 2009: Jacob Duran's preschool years were often a tough, confusing battle for mother Sabrina Isabelle...

Cutback Decisions Must Be Reversed (Letters to the Editor). Belinda Shaddick, Miramichi Leader, June 8, 2009: I am a very angry mother right now and I am not an angry type person. I cannot accept nor fathom the recent decisions to lay off support staff in our schools...

Finding their Voice: Living Well. Donna Dalynuk, The Barrie Examiner, June 6, 2009: Wandering around the room aimlessly is how four-year-old Ella Skybin used to spend her mornings at Stepping Stones Nursery School...

The Provincial Autism Centre to be featured on Life & Leisure Television. Emailwire, May 28, 2009: The Provincial Autism Centre is a non-profit association located in Halifax, Nova Scotia...

What Risperdal Did to Me: Adult with Autism Speaks. Sondra Williams, Age of Autism, April 26, 2009: Jane did not know he was of resperadol as I to been of that one too and it was of the worse drug ever for me in this life...

NL Police Chief Apologizes for Arrest of Autistic Teen. CTV.ca News, April 23, 2009: Newfoundland's police chief issued an apology to an autistic boy and his mother Thursday after the young man was mistakenly arrested and jailed overnight on the suspicion of being intoxicated.

'They Were Rough With Him:' Woman says autistic son was manhandled, denied phone call by police and corrections officials. Everton McLean, The Telegram (NL), April 23, 2009: A Mount Pearl woman who says her 18-year-old autistic son was assaulted by RNC officers who thought he was drunk says she doesn't think he'll ever get over the encounter.

Doctors are "Failing to Spot Autism" in Girls. Amelia Hill, The Guardian, Observer, April 12, 2009: It is a condition on the autistic spectrum that has long been known to affect boys, who may have obsessive interests or struggle to make friends. Now an expert says many more girls have it than was thought, and failure to diagnose them can lead to misery and self-harm.

The Somali Autism Puzzle: "The western disease" has hit immigrants' kids hard and experts don't know why. Marina Himénez, Globe and Mail, April 7, 2009: Idar Hassan named her third child Ali, after a beloved cousin. Beautiful and alert, Ali could say "dada" and cruise around the living room, hanging onto furniture, by the time he was eight months old.

Why Some Kids Play Alone [Streaming Video]. CBC News: Sunday, original broadcast April 6, 2008: This 10-year-old boy can remember every detail of an NHL hockey game. But why does he have so few friends? We look at life with Asperger's Syndrome, a variant of autism, and find out how both young and old cope with a once-rare social disability.

The Anti-Socialite: Life with an Asperger’s Child. Denis Seguin, The Walrus, September 2008: On the first day of Autism 2006, the Geneva Centre for Autism International Symposium at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, the main event was a presentation by Tony Attwood...

Oxygen Therapy May Help Treat Autism Symptoms. CTV.ca, March 29, 2009: A new study suggests children with autism may benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Learning to Recognise Potential in All Children. Carmen Klassen, The Star Phoenix, March 21, 2009: Horses, Hockey & Haloes follows Sam Duncan, a single parent and reluctant rancher near the fictional Saskatchewan town of Prairie Pass. He is the father of a teenage daughter, Becka, and an autistic son, J.J.

New Documentary Takes A Look At Three Different Faces of Autism Featuring Autistic Siblings. Newswire Today, March 8, 2009.

National Post Supplement on Community Living. Presented by Canadian Association for Community Living, National Post, February 19, 2009.

Hockey: North York League Hosts High-Profile Tournament. Eric Heino, Toronto Community News, February 17, 2009: Winter Classic raises awareness about Down Syndrome, Autism...

Austim Awareness Campaign Comes to Shaunavon. The Shaunavon Standard: One of North America’s leading authorities on autism delivered an informative presentation about the disorder that was broadcast live to 40 locations across Saskatchewan, including Shaunavon, through the SCN network last week...

Pooch Offers Freedom for Teen. Cherri Greeno, TheRecord.com, January 29, 2009: They say dogs are a man's best friend. Brodie Morin wouldn't argue with that...

Dual diagnosis. Tralee Pearce, Globe and Mail, January 27, 2009: For Tammy Kliewer, learning that her two-year-old son Tavish had autism felt like solving a major puzzle. He had been non-verbal and "very much in a world of his own" his whole young life...

The Joys and Pains of Being an Animal. Dwight Garner, New York Times, January 20, 2009: Temple Grandin’s “Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior” (2004) occupies a special place among the animal books of the last few decades...

Animated Series Helped Children with Autism Recognize Emotions: Study. CBC.ca/Health, January 13, 2009: Some children with autism showed significant improvements in recognizing and understanding emotion after viewing an animated series created by British autism researchers, a new study indicates...

Are Computers and the Internet Making People a Little Bit Autistic? John Elder Robison, Psychology Today Blogs - My Life With Asperger's, November 30, 2008: One of the key components of Asperger's and autism is blindness to the nonverbal messages of other people. That blindness translates into a lack of emotional reciprocity, or responsiveness. After all, how can we respond if we don't receive the message?

Bogus Stem Cell Therapies Sold on Internet New guidelines are aimed at combating less responsible uses, claims, experts say. Amanda Gardner, HealthDay Reporter, December 3, 2008: Expensive, sham stem cell therapies are being hawked directly to desperate patients over the Internet, experts say.

Ontario Supports Registered Disability Savings Plans. Press Release, CNW Group, November 30, 2008: McGuinty Government Helps Families Save For Children With Disabilities.

Does Having a Special-Needs Child Strain Marriage? Stefanie Ilgenfritz, Wall Street Journal, November 25, 2008: Marriage is tough enough. Does it get tougher if you have a special-needs child? Recent research seems to suggest that may be true.

Raising a Child with a Mental Illness. Erin Anderssen and Andre Picard, globeandmail.com, November 22, 2008: On a Monday morning in September, 2006, during what they call their "darkest of days," Heather Bishop and Sean Quigley committed their 10-year-old daughter, Erynn, to a psychiatric hospital.

Living with Asperger's Syndrome in a Neurotypical World. Debbie Scally, OpEdNews, Originally published September 20, 2008: Almost all of us are acquainted with someone whom we would identify as a total nerd: the guy who has an umbilical attachment to his computer; the obsessive Trekkie fan...

Centers for Disease Control "Learn the Signs, Act Early" Campaign Seeks Writers and Authors for Children's Book to Increase Awareness of Childhood Developmenal Milestones. Autism Speaks.

Dual Diagnosis: The Most Common and Devastating Disorder You've Never Heard Of. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, CNW, November 10, 2008: Approximately 380,000 Canadians live with a lifelong disorder called Dual Diagnosis, but chances are you've never heard of this condition before...

Mind of an Artist. Saanich News, October 9, 2008: Beginning with the eyes, Pamela Williamson launches into her self-portrait...

Early Diagnosis Paramount. Alex Frazer-Harrison, The Calgary Herald, October 9, 2008: Autism is one of the most common developmental disabilities, but for many, it's also one of the least understood. The Autism Society Canada says more than one in 200 Canadians have some form of autism spectrum disorder -- one in 165 children...

My Journey with Autism. Anick Levesque, The Suburban.com, October 8, 2008: Four years ago, on a Friday afternoon, I received a call from my sister that would alter the course of our lives...

Healing Through Music. Lori Gallagher, The Daily Gleaner, September 27, 2008: A photographer, singer, songwriter and musician, Cathy Hutchinson is truly following her bliss.

End in Sight for Fundraising Runner. Matthew Gutwillig, The Mississauga News, September 19, 2008: Jonathan Howard has scampered more than halfway across Canada to follow his dream...

How to Help Your Child With Aspergers Fit In And Make Friends. Dave Angel, Sayangi Ananda, September 9, 2008. [I]t is essential that children with Aspergers are given the chance to build social networks and friendships. The challenge is that they do not have all the skills to do this. So it is important for the parent to teach their child through role play and other techniques these particular skills.

Looking to Assist Autistic Children, Local Firm Promises Dog Donations. Katherina DeHaas, The London Free Press, September 3, 3008: An organization that trains dogs in Canada to help autistic children is about to get a boost.

Asperger's and Special Interests. The Dad's Centre (Blog), August 27, 2008: One of the hallmarks of Asperger's syndrome, is the special interests they develop. Most Aspie's will have something to which they will devote nearly all their time, if given the chance. They will become walking encyclopedias of knowledge in their area of interest.

Read the Special Olympics Canada Memo on Dreamworks' film Tropic Thunder.

The 'Autism Epidemic.' Marlene Eisner, The Suburban, August 13, 2008: Schizas and Kamateros are determined to educate as many people as possible about autism... They plan to spread the word through a book they are writing called Autism Epidemic: Shaking the System.

Author Explains Autism to Kids. Sharon Hill, Windsor Star, August 8, 2008: Book would have helped her understand her brother, says Debbie Lockrey-Wessel.

Show Challenges Autistic Stereotypes. Lynda Frappier, The Sudbury Star, July 25, 2008: Pronounced "kee'-SA'-ra," the mother/daughter singing duo of Kim Souch and Sara Sobey graced Our Friendship Centre in Lively on Wednesday afternoon... The audience of more than 100, including clients and caregivers from hosts Community Living Greater Sudbury, as well as other local agencies, gave KiSara a warm and receptive welcome.

Exploring the Minds of Children. Donna Gray, Calgary Herald, July 17, 2008: The Ch.I.L.D. Research Group in the University of Calgary's psychology department is looking for children to help them with a new pack of studies. The call is out to bring to light more answers about such mysteries as how children perceive sarcasm, early autism behaviours, and how children form memories or understand words.

Why Some Kids Play Alone. CBC News: Sunday [Streaming Video]: This 10-year-old boy can remember every detail of an NHL hockey game. But why does he have so few friends? We look at life with Asperger's Syndrome, a variant of autism, and find out how both young and old cope with a once-rare social disability.

CTV W-Five: On the Brink [Streaming Video]. Original Broadcast May 10, 2008: They are frustrated. They are angry. They are going broke. They are parents who insist governments must do more to provide treatment for their autistic children.

The Hidden Curriculum 2009 One-A-Day Calendar: Items for Understanding Unstated Rules in Social Situations by Brenda Smith Myles with Megan Duncan - Book Now Available. For the third year in a row, one of AAPC's best-sellers, The Hidden Curriculum One-A-Day Calendar, is back! This year's edition boasts even more practical tips for how to handle everyday social situations. As anyone who has used The Hidden Curriculum Calendar can testify, this handy tool can be used with anybody who needs help understanding social situations, especially those with ASD...

Mom Vows Action after Family of Autistic Girl Kicked out of Restaurant. Rosemary Westwood, The Edmonton Journal, July 6, 2008: Sarah Seymour said her family often eats at the west end Smitty's Family Restaurant when they come to Edmonton from Wainwright for her daughter's autism treatment a few times a year... Seymour said her five-year-old daughter, Eowyn, became upset when the meal she wanted to order wasn't available. Seymour and her husband were calming their daughter down when the manager asked the family to leave.

Carly Fleishmann receives Multicultural Achievement Award. News Blaze, June 24, 2008: Carly Fleishmann, a 13-year-old Autistic girl from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, has received the first Multicultural Achievement Award from MBC Global for 2008. MBC Global, a cultural education organization based in Rochester Hills, Michigan, USA, presented the award after viewing a story produced by Canada's CTV.

Sydney Teen Will Attend Exchange for Canadians with Disabilities. The Cape Breton Post, June 24, 2008: For 15-year-old Christine Gale this summer promises to be one she’ll never forget. At the end of the month, Gale, who is from Sydney, will travel to Ottawa’s Carleton University to take part in the eighth annual Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability Youth Exchange.

Telus Donates Devices and Services to the Run the Dream Organisation. CNW Telbec, June 24, 2008: In its continued effort to 'give where we live' and support Canadian charities, TELUS has donated both wireless devices and services, including two GPS solutions, to the Run the Dream organization in order to help Jonathan Howard complete his solo coast-to-coast Canadian run raising money and awareness for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

Pacific Cinémathèque features Today's Man: Adventures of a Young Man With Asperger Syndrome, June 18, 2008: Filmmaker Lizzie Gottlieb’s brother Nicky was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism, when he was 21. With great sensitivity and insight, Gottlieb’s camera follows Nicky for six years as he struggles to leave the safety of his family’s home to go out into a world that he is not fully prepared for and that may not be fully prepared for him.

A Holiday in Holland is Certainly Not Italy. Katherine Gottli, The Brock Press, June 17, 2008: Justin is a student in grade 11 who has worked his way onto the honour roll by doing all of his own work, sings in the school choir, walks dogs as community service, bowls with a league on Wednesday nights, loves The Muppet Show, has a nearly photographic memory, has been parasailing, held a baby alligator, has an older brother, mom and dad who care about him very much and doesn't have a malicious bone in his body. Justin is the type of child that any parent would boast about, and has probably experienced more by the age of 17 that many of his peers have, or ever will. Justin is autistic.

Quebec Grandfather Builds Browser for Autistic Boy. Brian Bergstein, Associated Press, June 4, 2008: Mr. LeSieur, from Saint Remi, Quebec, tried to find online tools that could guide autistic children around the Web, but he couldn't find anything satisfactory. So he had one built, named it the Zac Browser For Autistic Children in honour of his grandson, and is making it available to anyone for free.

On June 30, ASC staff met with Jonathan Howard, Bill Robertson, Chairman and the team of volunteers of Run the Dream. Jonathan’s team had organized with Lucy van Oldenbarneveld (host of CBC News at Six) a 5 km run from Ashbury College to Parliament Hill, alongside Senator Jim Munson and other runners supporting the Run the Dream campaign.

Read the Run the Dream newsletter for the week of July 21: [PDF]

Jonathan Howard arrives in Peterborough July 16th, is welcomed by Mayor D. Paul Ayotte, engages community members in a 6 Km run and visits the Five Counties Children's Centre. Read the July 15 Press Release: [PDF]

Jonathan Howard arrives in Ottawa, is joined by Terry Robinson and prepares to continue westward as others show their support! Read the July 3 press release: [PDF]

Jonathan Howard Honoured by Nova Scotia Premier and Legislature... Read the May 21 press release: [PDF]

Premier of New Brunswick Welcomes Jonathan Howard to the Legislature.

Jonathan Howard Honoured by PEI Legislature...read the May 14 press release: [PDF]

An Autistic Child's Best Friend: Service dogs are keeping afflicted children safe, helping them form bonds and break down social barriers. Sarah Hoida, Globe and Mail, May 27, 2008: The dogs' presence can curb anxiety, induce a sense of calm and provide companionship for autistic children, according to Zoë Quinn-Phillips of Positive Assistance and Companion Canines for Kids, a new program based in Montreal...

Solving the Puzzle of Autism [Video]. ABC News, May 25, 2008: Experts from around the world gather to discuss possible causes of autism.

Autistic Author Tackles Disability. Geoff Dembicki, Sun Media, May 25, 2008: In most respects, Alexandre Lynch is every bit a normal kid. He's fond of his dog, loves to snowboard and shows a little shyness around adults... The 11-year-old has recently become one of Edmonton's youngest published authors - a feat obtained despite his daily struggle with Asberger's syndrome, a mild form of autism that can sometimes make school and socializing difficult.

Cross-Canada Runner Arrives on Island. Tracy Burmeister, The Guardian (Charlottetown), May 15, 2008: Jonathan Howard, 24, of Mississauga, Ontario, just started a coast-to-coast solo run across Canada as part of his Run The Dream campaign raising both money and awareness for Autism Spectrum Disorders... Howard started in Newfoundland making it across “the Rock” in 28 running days and is now on P.E.I. The official welcome to P.E.I. was at the Confederation Landing Park Wednesday, with music and guest speakers.

Seeking Support. Raissa Tetanish, The Amherst Daily News, May 7, 2008: For the past couple of years, Tammy Gorringe has been fighting a battle to help her daughter get the right care, attention and support she needs. At the age of three, Gorringe’s daughter, Brittany, was diagnosed with autism. “It’s a constant battle,” said Gorringe, “between teacher’s aides at school and the fact that Cumberland County has no programs for autistic individuals between 12 and 21.”

Families Wait in Limbo for Autism Assessments. Pieta Woolley, Straight.com (Vancouver), May 8, 2008: Had Anka Cornea waited patiently for Canada’s public system to assess whether or not her five-year-old daughter had autism, she’d still be waiting. More than two months ago, a doctor at Oakridge Medical Centre referred Kasandra for an assessment... So she did what so many other Canadians desperate for faster health services do: she took Kasandra to a private clinic.

Runner continues his dream. The Mississauga News, May 5, 2008: One province down, nine more to go... The 24-year-old Mississaugan, who is running across Canada in hopes of raising $2.5 million in his Run the Dream campaign to support those with autism, launches the second phase of his run today.This morning, Jonathan Howard will set off from the ferry terminals in North Sydney on a run along the Trans Canada Highway through Cape Breton.

Seeking Clues to the Mystery of Autism. Helen Henderson, thestar.com, May 3, 2008: Jim wasn't diagnosed with autism until he was 35. By then, he could say a few phrases, Holden says. But only those close to him could understand. This wouldn't change until 10 years later, when Holden invited a colleague who was a speech pathologist to lunch with her family. She was hoping for hints on how to help Jim speak more clearly. Instead, her colleague suggested a hearing test.

Signalers Help to Run the Dream for Autism [PDF]. Gillian Christie, This Week (Oromocto), June 7, 2008: Members of the 3 ASG Signalers Squadron joined Jonathan Howard on his coast-to-coast Run the Dream Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) awareness campaign.

Man’s best friend helps youngster connect. Sabrina Byrnes, The News (Mississauga), April 18, 2008: The wish for a best friend has come true for Jeremy Tingle. The eight-year-old Erin Mills boy is greeted with licks and a wagging tail every day when he returns home from school. Gracie, a two-year-old Husky/ Shepherd cross, is letting Jeremy experience the feeling of unconditional love from a friend for the first time. Jeremy was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome in August 2006. Suzanne Bickford, Jeremy’s mother, said that since the arrival of Gracie about a month ago, Jeremy has experienced a dramatic change.

Autism's Crucial Window: Experts are working to detect the disorder sooner, because early intervention can make all the difference. Carly Weeks, Globe and Mail, April 2, 2008: It's a race against time whose outcome could have a major impact on the rest of a child's life... The Miriam Foundation, a not-for-profit group that helps autistic individuals and people with other disabilities, is about to publish national guidelines, developed with the help of leading autism experts, designed to improve early detection.

When Mr. Autism Decides to Visit. Phyllis Kumi, thestar.com, April 1, 2008: Slow. Dumb. Retard. Weird. Handicapped... Many people have used these words to describe me. I, however, would like to introduce myself. My name is Autism Spectrum Disorder, but most people call me Autism.

Are psychologists the answer to delays for autism diagnosis? Kristy Rich, CJAD Newstalk Radio, March 31, 2008: With hundreds of children in Quebec waiting more than 2 years for an autism diagnosis, some experts are arguing it is time to allow psychologists to help... Quebec is the only jurisdiction in Canada or the United states that requires a diagnosis from a medical doctor, and Pscyhologist Katherine Moxness warns it is creating problems for too many children.

The Words Within. Kristen Yu, W-Five - CTV.ca, March 22, 2008: [A] 13-year-old girl from Toronto is offering a rare glimpse into the secret world of autism and has become a symbol of hope for parents and families coping with an autistic child. Carly Fleischmann is unable to speak a single syllable. But two years ago, she defied the odds and started typing words with the help of specialized computer software.

Care for Autistic Children Once Parents Are Gone. Sandy, The Crux of the Matter (Blog), March 14, 2008: This article is somewhat long because it is about why it is necessary to access help for adults who have an autism spectrum disorder — specifically those with symptoms ranging from moderate to severe. I decided to write it after reading a post by Harold Doherty at Facing Autism in New Brunswick. He asked the blunt question: Who will care for my son when I am dead?

Autism: Quebec Alone in Ignoring Research and Best Practices [PDF]. Jonathan Goldbloom Associates Press Release, March 13, 2008: Montreal psychologists called today for modifications to Bill 50 to grant Ph.D.-level psychologists with training in autism and developmental disabilities the right to diagnose children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) and prescribe non-pharmacological interventions.

Coulter Video Announces "Spirit of Support" Awards for Asperger Syndrome and Autism Community. Coulter Video, March 13, 2008: Winston-Salem, NC -- Coulter Video today announced an awards program to recognize outstanding support for people who have Asperger Syndrome or autism. The company will confer two "Spirit of Support" awards on Wednesday, April 30, 2008, selecting the recipients from candidates nominated in essays 300 to 500 words in length. Each of the winning candidates will receive a complete set of Coulter Video DVDs, consisting of nine programs supporting people with Asperger Syndrome or autism. Entries must be submitted by Monday, April 14, 2008.

N.S. Woman Develops Book to Improve Eating Habits of Autistic Kids. CBCNews.ca, March 11, 2008: Jean Nicol, who has a degree in nutrition and has spent 25 years working with autistic children, developed The Eating Game (Get Awesome Meals Everyday) to help autistic children take an active role in planning their meals, with the aim of expanding their food choices for a healthier diet. [more info. at Autism Society of Canada]

Autism Payout Reignites Vaccine Controversy. Jim Giles, New Scientist, March 8, 2008: Last week it emerged that the federal government is to compensate a couple who say that the regular childhood vaccines, given to their baby daughter in 2000, caused her to develop autism. Damages have not yet been set, but could exceed $1 million... Significantly, the government's decision says nothing about whether vaccines cause autism. Instead, government lawyers concluded only that vaccines aggravated a pre-existing cellular disorder in the child, causing brain damage that included features of autism.

Autistic kids need more gov't help. Eleanor Mui, The Edmonton Journal, February 25, 2008: I am a parent with a child with autism. In the past few years, I have seen lots of families have unpleasant experiences with Family Support for Children with Disabilities (FSCD)...

Autistic Girl's Remarkable Story Makes Headlines. CTV.ca, News Staff, February 21, 2007: The family of a 13-year-old Canadian girl with autism who learned to communicate through her laptop has been overwhelmed by the public response to her story -- and insists she is doing it without any help.

Autistic kids not getting help they need. Allison Pike, The Edmonton Journal, February 19, 2008: A recent mailout from the PC Party of Alberta states that Premier Ed Stelmach supports the Family Support for Children with autism spectrum disorder... FSCD is not working for families in this province. Families are not supported in their attempts to raise a child with autism.

Boy Faces New Fight. Allison Wall, Lloydminster Meridian Booster, February 18, 2008: A local woman is trying to shed light on a little-known illness after her son was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder this past November.

No Single Approach Can Meet Needs of all Autistic Children. Mary Hanafin (Minister for Education, Ireland), Independent.ie, February 18, 2008: Every child in this country is entitled to and can expect a top-quality education, including those with special educational needs... I wish there was agreement that one approach could meet all of their child's needs -- not just in terms of improving their behaviour, but also in developing their speech and communication skills, and helping them to become independent. But there is not.

Many Happy Returns. Jonathan Huntington, EdmontonSun.com, February 14, 2008: Oakley Ralph - a three-year-old girl diagnosed with autism - might be the biggest fan of the Edmonton Eskimos latest trade. By sending linebacker Michael Botterill and defensive back Chris Thompson to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats for Brock Ralph yesterday, the Eskimos get a speedy non-import receiver who could become a legitimate deep threat. But for Oakley, the trade means her dad will be able to live with her for the entire year.

Wayne's New World. Terry Jones, The London Free Press, February 14, 2008: Gretzky's foundation provides a focus for his charity work... It's a long list of things the Wayne Gretzky Foundation has done already.The foundation funds an after-school program for those with autism, purchases ice time, provides equipment and even paid for a national sled hockey team to go to a championship in Sweden.

Autism and Asperger’s: The Mysterious Syndromes. Marylin Smith Carlsey, The Westmount Examiner, January 21, 2008: Standing silently and inconspicuously in the back of the classroom, the eight-year-old boy seemed to be just staring into oblivion. At times, while sitting at his desk, he would rock back and forth and repeat odd phrases incessantly.

Playing with your food. Sarah Regan, The Canadian Press, January 21, 2008: LITTLE HARBOUR – A Pictou County woman says she has invented a game that will revolutionize the eating habits of autistic children everywhere …

Australia's Largest Autism Service Provider Adopts Innovative Software to Help Bridge the Services Gap. Fredericton/Sydney, Australia, January 29, 2008:
Autism Spectrum Australia has signed a deal making it the exclusive distributor for a new software program, AutismPro, developed in Canada by international autism experts. The program is designed to support one-on-one early intensive intervention, and teacher training in autism.

Solving puzzle of son's autism soothes family: Study reveals DNA clue to cause of condition. Megan Ogilvie, Health Reporter, The Star, Jan 18, 2008: In many ways, that Tuesday evening phone call did not change much for the Bond family. Stewart Bond still goes to work at IBM every day and walks their dog, Misty, around their Stouffville neighbourhood at night. His wife, Lisa, still runs errands, cooks dinner and plans fun outings with their daughter, Rebecca. And their son, Joshua, still has autism.

Additional Resources required, Parents say. Karen Brownlee, The Leader Post (Regina), January 17, 2008: While more resources are now available to families with children diagnosed with autism in the Regina Qu'Appelle Health Region, parents at a meeting of the Autism Resource Centre talked about the need for more, especially as the number of children being referred to the centre grows.

The Boy in the Moon. Ian Brown, The Globe and Mail, December 1, 2007: A three part in-depth series about living with his disabled son, Walker…

The Autism Holiday Challenge: Tips on handling holiday sensory overload for you and your child from Natural Learning Concepts.

Autism: A former mail carrier with no academic credentials is shaking up the way the people view autism. But her blunt views have put her at odds with many. Roger Collier, The Ottawa Citizen, December 01, 2007: As a warm October rain lacquers the street outside, Michelle Dawson walks to a table in a quiet Montreal café and removes her coat, exposing arms criss-crossed with scars from self-inflicted wounds. There are scars on her left cheek, too, and just above the collar of her V-neck T-shirt.

Autism: Piecing it together. Susan Sherring, Edmonton Sun, Dec. 2, 2007: The headline screams out -- Fighting for My Autistic Son: And there, on the front of a recent People magazine, is the beautiful and blond Jenny McCarthy, promising to tell readers about her son Evan's surprising breakthrough and how funnyman Jim Carrey helped her heal. Heady, eye-catching stuff. Doesn't hurt that son Evan is so picture perfect with his blond curls and blue eyes…

Autistic families flock to Alberta for help. Tarina White, Sun Media, Calgary, Dec. 2, 2007. Desperate families of autistic children flock to Alberta, optimistic this province will provide treatment and hope of a better life for their children.

Who will care when the caregiver goes? Vince Talotta, Toronto Star, Nov. 20, 2007: Alec Glen, 21, has autism and lives at home where he loves to be entertained by his mother and stepfather, Jean and Dick Winters. Jean worries about Alec and his future…

Autism: Finding Amanda.  CNN, November 19, 2007: Do you know an autistic adult? Since first meeting 27-year-old Amanda Baggs at her home in Vermont, I've asked just about everyone I know this very question. Surprisingly few people have met adults with autism, but an overwhelming majority knows a child living with the disorder…

Ontario Adult Autism Research and Support Network (OAARSN) Ontario bulletin of autism news and announcements:
http://www.ont-autism.uoguelph.ca/bulletinboard_new.shtml

A collection of articles and multimedia on autism published by The New York Times. Link

Words in My Hands a Teacher, A Deaf-Blind Man, An Unforgettable Journey. By Diane L. Chambers. The story of the journey of a teacher with her 86-year-old student who is deaf-blind and the power of sign language communication. Available from: www.ellexapress.citymax.com

Autism groups support earlier screening. UNNATI GANDHI,
Globe and Mail, October 30, 2007: Canadian autism groups are putting their weight behind an American call for universal screening for the disorder, but pediatricians here are wary of the realistic benefits of doing so.

Doctors call for earlier autism screening, Toronto Star - Ontario, Canada, October 29, 2007: Autism Society Canada puts the figure at about one in 165 children. The new reports say children with suspect cases should be treated before a formal ... See all stories on this topic

Giving autism a voice. CNN – USA, Monday, October 15, 2007: "I just love looking as if I know something. Look at me. Realize how under pressure. I just have hope now." At a keyboard with the aid of a facilitator, 24-year-old autistic Tyler Lazaruk tapped each letter one by one to form these words. His shocked parents looked on and cried with tears of joy and disbelief.

What causes autism? The answer is hotly debated -- scientists even disagree whether it's on the rise or not. With no agreement on what causes it, writes Tom Spears, doctors disagree on how to treat it. Tom Spears, The Ottawa Citizen, September 30, 2007: As soon as doctors identified autism, back in the 1940s, they blamed the "cold" mothers of toddlers with the disorder. Early theory said that these mothers -- doctors actually called them "refrigerator mothers" -- withheld affection from their babies with terrible results. No one believes that today. But science is still struggling to narrow down the list of theories about what does cause this baffling disorder.

Centre for Applied Disability Studies at Brock University receives Behavior Analysis Certification Board accreditation . For more information, please visit: www.brocku.ca/disabilitystudies, or contact Maurice Feldman, Director, Centre for Applied Disability Studies, 905-688-5550, ext. 3785; mfeldman@brocku.ca

McCarthy willing to 'go the distance' for autism. Canada AM, Sep. 26 2007: Actress Jenny McCarthy is attempting to raise public awareness about autism through a new book discussing how she is raising her son, who suffers from the developmental disorder.

University to open new autism center - Center to provide research, training for families. Kansas University, August 30, 2007.

CMA awards Medal of Honour to David Patchell-Evans. OTTAWA, Aug. 15 /CNW Telbec/ - The Canadian Medical Association (CMA) will present the 2007 CMA Medal of Honour to David Patchell-Evans, founder of GoodLife Fitness Clubs.

Ottawa accused of failing to stop toxic toys - Laws on books outdated and ignored, critics say. Iain Marlow, Toronto Star, Aug 16, 2007: The Canadian government has consistently failed to protect Canadians from the harmful effects of lead in toys and has refused to change outdated legislation to ensure product safety, says a leading environmental researcher.

Pesticide link to autism suspected: A state study suggests two farm sprays may raise chances of having a child with the disorder. By Marla Cone, Los Angeles Times, July 30, 2007: Women who live near California farm fields sprayed with organochlorine pesticides may be more likely to give birth to children with autism, according to a study by state health officials to be published today…

I Cannot Tell a Lie - what people with autism can tell us about honesty. By Simon Baron-Cohen, Arts & Letters Daily, July 21-22, 2007: In moral terms, honesty is without doubt a virtue, and dishonesty is a vice. But in social terms, absolute honesty can lead to trouble, risking causing offense to others who may not want or need to hear the complete truth. White lies may be desirable. And in biological terms, dishonesty is a sign of typical brain development, whereas someone who is incapable of dishonesty may be neurologically atypical...

Parents of autistic boy who died sue local doctor. By The Associated Press, July 9, 2007: The parents of a 5-year-old autistic boy who died after receiving a chemical treatment sued the doctor who administered it for wrongful death…

Donna Williams interviews Lewis Schofield, Irked Magazine

Study To Search For More Answers On Autism Subject. Medical News Today, June 18, 2007: A research study that may provide hope of finding an effective, alternative intervention for children with autism who do not respond to Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI), is being conducted under the leadership of McMaster University. The study is designed to determine if participation in a functional behavioural skills program provided by therapists in one-on-one and group settings, and additional training for parents, will help those children who are not responding well to IBI…

York alumna with Asperger's Disorder inspires her autistic students. Y-File. York University, May 18, 2007: It is the middle of a lesson in the classroom at Greenbriar Public School in Brampton, and the boys, aged 12 to 14, take turns jumping on the trampoline in between listening to their teacher, wrote the National Post May 17. "It releases tension," teacher Carole Ann Macdonald (BA ’95, BEd ’04) says matter-of-factly, as she surveys a classroom that also includes terrariums, a beanbag chair, a sectional couch and, most importantly, three teaching assistants and a teacher for just nine students…Link

Guide dogs transform autism care – Black Lab steers boy, 6, away from hazards in first city case of its kind. Josh Wingrove, The Edmonton Journal, May 17, 2007: EDMONTON - Aidan Papadatos got a dog for his upcoming birthday. His parents got peace of mind. Five-year-old Aidan, diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, got Leia, a two-year-old black Labrador, last month -- the first service dog trained for an autistic child in Edmonton…Link

Social Behavior Differs In Children With Family History Of Autism. Science Daily, May 7, 2007: The baby brothers and sisters of autistic children do not seek emotional cues from adults, or respond to them, as often as other toddlers do, suggests new research from the University of California, San Diego…Link

It Doesn’t Have to be About the Destination When the Journey Takes You Where You Want to Go. TRENT WILKIE, March 7, 2007: It seems that education is wasted on some people. After a recent Maclean’s article claiming that more than half of Canada’s student body cheats or has cheated, an ominous cloud is cast over educational institutions nationwide. To a large portion of students, education isn’t about learning; it’s about getting that diploma or degree, then that stereo, then that truck. This doesn’t apply to everyone, though. Especially not to Neil Mikalonis. You may already know who Mikalonis is without actually having met him. If you go to MacEwan College, he is the tall and slender 22-year-old that can be seen skip-running through the halls with Telsa coil-like exuberance. He doesn’t talk much or have any piercings or tattoos or wear his identity on his t-shirt. Mikalonis sticks out because he is authentically unique. Mikalonis has autism. Or at least, as far as he knows he does…Link

CDC's Vaccine Committee Whitewashed Toxic Vaccine Component, Says National Autism Association (NAA). Medical News Today, February 24, 2007: Parents and health advocates are expressing outrage over the recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) that pregnant women, infants and children continue to be exposed to mercury contained in the flu vaccine despite recommendations from the Institute of Medicine that mercury not be injected into these sensitive populations since 2001...Link

Her Autistic Brothers. By KAREN OLSSON, New York Times, February 18, 2007: Tarah Perry wishes her brothers would remember to put on deodorant. Other 16-year-olds, after all, don’t need to be reminded of that by their 14-year-old sister. Other families don’t keep a stick of Degree in the glove compartment to enforce deodorant compliance on the way to school in the morning. Granted, Justin and Jason are different from other brothers — they are autistic twins — and Tarah’s family is therefore different from other families, and generally speaking she is perfectly O.K. with that…Link

60 Minutes correspondent Lesley Stahl reports on ongoing research this Sunday, Feb. 18, 2007 at 7 p.m. ET/PT. (CBS) With no known cause or cure for autism yet, researchers are trying to detect the earliest signs of the disorder so they can begin treatment earlier, giving parents some hope against a condition the government now says affects about one in every 150 children…Link

Brainman, at Rest in His Oasis. New York Times, February 15, 2007, BROOMFIELD, England: Savant Daniel Tammet is one of fewer than 100 autistic people in the world with preternatural intellectual skills. Mr. Tammet refers to the English cottage, where he lives with his partner, Neil Mitchell, and his cat, Abby, as an “oasis.” BULLIED by other children and bewildered by ordinary life, Daniel Tammet spent his early years burrowed deep inside the world of numbers. They were his companions and his solace, living, breathing beings that enveloped him with their shapes and textures and colors…Link

1 in 150 Children in U.S. Has Autism, New Survey Finds. By Rick Weiss, Washington Post Staff Writer, February 9, 2007; Page A06: Approximately one in every 150 children in the United States has autism or a closely related disorder -- a figure higher than most recent estimates -- according to a federal survey released yesterday, the most thorough ever conducted. Link

No two cases of autism are alike – parents push for national research centre for puzzling condition. Shelley Boettcher, Calgary Herald; CanWest News Service, January 26, 2007: CALGARY - Like any mom, Sarah Ondrich wants the best for her kids. The mom of Olivia, 6, and Geoffrey, 8, she has all the usual parental concerns about their dietary habits, their friends and their schools. The difference, however, is that Ondrich's son has autism. Every day brings new challenges…Link

What Autism Epidemic? By CLAUDIA WALLIS, Time Magazine, January 11, 2007: Epidemic is a powerful word. It generates bold headlines, congressional hearings, research dollars and dramatic, high-stakes hunts for culprits. It's a word that has lately been attached to autism. How else to account for the fact that a disorder that before 1990 was reported to affect just 4.7 out of every 10,000 American children now strikes 60 per 10,000, according to many estimates--the equivalent of 1 in 166 kids?...Link

Cartoons to aid autistic children. By Jane Hughes, BBC News, U.K. January 9, 2007: A project that has helped a small group of autistic children understand more about human emotions is being launched nationwide. The project uses cartoons narrated by the actor Stephen Fry to help teach the youngsters about facial expressions…Link

There is no autism epidemic. David Kirby in the Huffington Post, January 2, 2007: It's been nearly two years since the release of my book, "Evidence of Harm, Mercury in Vaccines and the Autism Epidemic - A Medical Controversy," and I continue to be vilified by critics who insist that mercury does not cause autism, that autism is a stable genetic condition, and that it cannot be an "epidemic." I am going to declare a New Year's truce, and announce that my critics are 100 percent correct…Link

Research News

Sports, Exercise, and the Benefits of Physical Activity for Individuals with Autism. Autism Speaks: Physical activity is important for children with and without disabilities alike as it promotes a healthy lifestyle, but can benefit individuals with autism in unique ways.

Autism Speaks Announces Results Reported for the Study of Fluoxetine in Autism (SOFIA) First Industry-Sponsored Trial for the Autism Clinical Trials Network (ACTN). Autism Speaks, February 18, 2009.

'Friendly Fire' from Affected Gene is Shown as MS Cause. Oliver Gillie, Times Online, February 4, 2009: The scientific advance showing that multiple sclerosis is caused by insufficient exposure to sunlight in early life is in itself reason enough to celebrate.

Genetic Mutations Behind Some Mental Disorders, Quebec Team Finds. CBC.ca, February 4, 2009: Some children with a common mental disorder may have newly identified genetic mutations that affect learning and memory.

Top Ten Autism Research Events 2008. Autism Speaks Science Program, February 3, 2009.

Researchers Image Brains of Infants at Risk for Autism. Jim Dryden, Washington University in St. Louis (Press Release), February 3, 2009: Autism researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are joining other scientists to image the brains of infants and attempt to identify anatomical and behavioral changes that may be linked to the onset of autism.

Rethinking the Genetic Theory of Inheritance: CAMH study reveals that heritability may not be limited to DNA. CAMH (EurekAlert.org), January 18, 2009: Scientists at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) have detected evidence that DNA may not be the only carrier of heritable information...

Autism Speaks Establishes the Dennis Weatherstone Fellowship Program. Autism Speaks, January 8, 2009: Autism Speaks, the nation's largest organization dedicated to funding and facilitating autism research, today announced receipt of a grant of $3,750,000 from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation to establish the Dennis Weatherstone Pre-Doctoral Fellowship Program at Autism Speaks.

2008 Autism Science Achievements. Autism Speaks, January 8, 2009: What did we learn in 2008 about what causes autism? The year started out with a bang when Susan Christian, Ph.D. (from University of Chicago), Mark Daly, Ph.D. (from the Autism Consortium) and Steve Scherer, Ph.D. (from the Autism Speaks-funded Autism Genome Project) almost simultaneously reported that DNA deletions and duplications on chromosome 16 explain the cause of 1-2 percent of the cases of autism...

Autism Speaks Announces Over $2.4 Million in Pilot Study and Basic and Clinical Research Grants. Autism Speaks, December 12, 2008: Autism Speaks has announced a new set of grants in the categories of Pilot Study and Basic and Clinical research...

Mitochondrial Disease in Autism Spectrum Disorder Patients: A Cohort Analysis [PDF]. Weissman JR, Kelley RI, Bauman ML, Cohen BH, Murray KF, et al. (2008), PLoS ONE 3(11): e3815: Although all patients’ initial diagnosis was idiopathic autism, careful clinical and biochemical assessment identified clinical findings that differentiated them from children with idiopathic autism. These and prior data suggest a disturbance of mitochondrial energy production as an underlying pathophysiological mechanism in a subset of individuals with autism.

Brain Imagine Study of Infants at Risk for Autism Expanded. virtualmedicalcentre.com, December 14, 2008: A study led by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers using brain imaging of infants to examine changes in their brains and behaviour that may mark the onset of autistic symptoms is being substantially expanded after receiving an additional $3.25 million in funding.

Rice Researchers Say They've Discovered Clue to Roots of Epilepsy, Autism. KHOU.com staff report, December 8, 2008: Rice University researchers believe they have found a potential clue to the roots of epilepsy, autism, schizophrenia and other neurological disorders. And they have to share credit with the tiny fruit fly.

Landmark Study: Autism Recognized as Medically Treatable [PDF]. CoMed Inc. Press Release, December 6, 2008.

Epilepsy Drug & Autism. Ivanhoe Newswire, December 5, 2008: The cause of autism remains a mystery to the medical community, but researchers have found a link between an epilepsy drug and an increased risk of a child developing autism.

Expert Urges No-Fault Vaccine Compensation. Tom Blackwell, National Post, December 4, 2008: With children required to receive an increasing number of vaccines, Canada should institute a national no-fault compensation system for people who suffer serious side effects...

Lecture Looks at Neural Connectivity and Joint Attention in Autism. YFile, York University, December 4, 2008: The way in which various regions of the brain connect or not, and how that relates to an autistic child’s inability to engage someone else’s attention, is what education and psychiatry Professor Peter Mundy will discuss next week.

Adult Brain Neurons Can Remodel Connections. Deborah Halber, News Office Correspondent, November 24, 2008: Overturning a century of prevailing thought, scientists are finding that neurons in the adult brain can remodel their connections...

Looking for Subgroups Amongst Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders [YouTube]. University of California Television, Original Broadcast - August 7, 2007: Diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders relies largely on behavioral and developmental characteristics...the boundaries between strictly defined autism and other autism spectrum disorders remain ill-defined.

Bone Formation Goes with the Gut, Study Finds. EurekAlert (press release), November 25, 2008: When it comes to remodeling our bones—an ongoing process of break down and renewal that goes on throughout adulthood--researchers have new evidence that our guts play a surprisingly important role.

UNC Expands Brain Imaging Study of Infants at Risk for Autism. Media Newswire (press release), November 25, 2008: A study led by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers using brain imaging of infants to examine changes in their brains and behavior that may mark the onset of autistic symptoms is being substantially expanded after receiving an additional $3.25 million in funding.

Odd Play with Toys in Infancy may Signal Autism. CBCNews.ca, November 7, 2008: Infants who play with toys in unusual ways, such as spinning or repetitively rotating a rattle, may be showing early signs of autism, a study suggests.

Autism Speaks Sponsors Symposium at Neurotoxicology Meeting. Autism Speaks, October 24, 2008: The symposium was part of a five day conference attended by 200 people that covered such topics as: environmental toxicants, neurodegeneration and neurodevelopment...

Canada Says Plastic Chemical is Toxic: Bisphenol A in baby bottles to be banned. Meg Kissinger, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online, October 18, 2008: Bisphenol A in baby bottles to be banned.

Researchers Propose Minocycline As A Promising Drug For Patients With Fragile X Syndrome. Science Daily, October 4, 2008: UC Riverside-led team of biomedical scientists has found that a readily available drug called minocycline, used widely to treat acne and skin infections, can be used to treat Fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited cause of mental impairment and the most common cause of autism.

The Intense World Syndrome - An Alternative Hypothesis for Autism. Henry Markram et al., Frontiers in Neuroscience [originally published October 2007]: Based on recent synaptic, cellular, molecular, microcircuit, and behavioral results obtained with the valproic acid (VPA) rat model of autism, we propose here a unifying hypothesis where the core pathology of the autistic brain is hyper reactivity and hyper-plasticity of local neuronal circuits.

IAN Report: Parent Report of Depression. Autism Speaks. In a recent IAN survey, parents of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) reported high levels of depressive symptoms.

York Researcher Fights Autism. David Ros, Excalibur, September 20, 2008: York University professor Dorota Crawford of the school of kinesiology and health science was one of the many beneficiaries of a new $21-million Ontario provincial government research grant...

New Division Chief A Renowned Autism Researcher. Media-Newswire, September 22, 2008: A renowned autism researcher and busy clinician has taken the helm of the Division of Neurodevelopmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

New Poll: Childhood Language Delays Go Unrecognized By Parents. Hanen Centre, CNW, September 22, 2008: According to a new poll released by The Hanen Centre, an international leader in early language development, 64 per cent of Canadians fail to recognize the prevalence of speech and language delays in children. This misguided perception results in children who are unprepared to enter school.

Autism Speaks Announces $3.6 Million in Grants Focusing on Environmental Factors and Autism. Autism Speaks: Autism Speaks has funded 12 applications for a total of $3.6 million dollars over the next three years. The applications range in approach and scope, but include areas of toxicology, immunology, epigenetics, and animal models.

Lack of Association between Measles Virus Vaccine and Autism with Enteropathy: A Case-Control Study. Mady Hornig et al., Public Library of Science, September 4, 2008: This study provides strong evidence against association of autism with persistent MV RNA in the GI tract or MMR exposure. Autism with GI disturbances is associated with elevated rates of regression in language or other skills and may represent an endophenotype distinct from other ASD.

The National Institute of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have Issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement for Grants Towards Research to Advance Vaccine Safety. August 28, 2008.

Oral Tolerability of Cysteine-Rich Protein Isolate (Immunocal) in Autism - A Pilot Study. CNW, August 28, 2008: Immunotec Inc. (TSX-V: IMM) announced today the completion of an open-label clinical trial on the use of a cysteine-rich protein isolate in children with autism.

New locations added to the Clinical Trials Network participating in the Study of Fluoxetine in Autism (SOFIA). Neuropharm, ClinicalTrials.gov, August 2008: The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of fluoxetine orally dissolving tablets (ODT) on the repetitive behaviors core domain in children and adolescents with Autistic Disorder. The study will also investigate the effect of fluoxetine on the improvement of symptoms and the effects on daily living of the patient's family.

Further Evidence For Genetic Contribution To Autism. Science Daily, July 17, 2008: Some parents of children with autism evaluate facial expressions differently than the rest of us--and in a way that is strikingly similar to autistic patients themselves, according to new research by neuroscientist Ralph Adolphs of the California Institute of Technology and psychiatrist Joe Piven at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Scientific Consensus Statement on Environmental Agents Associated with Neurodevelopmental Disorders, developed by the Collaborative on Health and the Environment’s Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative, (Revised July 1, 2008). [PDF]

Prevalence of Autism Among Adolescents With Intellectual Disabilities. Susan E Bryson, Elspeth A Bradley, Ann Thompson, and Ann Wainwright, The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, July 2008: Overall, 28% of individuals, or 2.0 of the 7.1/1000 with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) in the target population (as we have previously identified in another study), were identified with autism. Autism rates did not differ significantly across severe ID (32.0%) and mild ID (24.1%); males predominated (2.3 males to 1 female), but less so for severe ID (2 males to 1 female, compared with 2.8 males to 1 female for mild ID). Socioeconomic status did not distinguish the groups with and without autism. Less than one-half of the adolescents who met diagnostic criteria for autism were previously diagnosed as such.

Child Care Problems and Employment Among Families With Preschool-Aged Children With Autism in the United States. Guillermo Montes, and Jill S. Halterman, Pediatrics, Volume 122, July 1, 2008: Ninety-seven percent of preschool-aged children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder were cared for in community settings, particularly preschool and Head Start, with only 3% in exclusive parental care. Thirty-nine percent of the parents of children with autism spectrum disorder reported that child care problems had greatly affected their employment decisions, compared with 16% of the children at high risk and 9% of those who were typically developing. In multivariate analyses, families with a child with autism spectrum disorder were 7 times more likely to state that child care problems affected employment than other families, after controlling for household and child covariates. This effect was 3 times larger than the effect of poverty.

Autism Tissue Program (ATP) Facilitates Study of Mitochondrial and Synaptic Dysfunction in Autism. Autism Speaks, July 11, 2008: The Autism Tissue Program is a brain tissue donor program sponsored by Autism Speaks that provides brain tissue to researchers worldwide. Three recently published papers relied on this precious resource to understand the impact of mitochondrial dysfunction in autism and the role of synapses in autism.

Genes from Middle East Families Yield Autism Clues. Lauren Neergaard (AP Medical Writer), Sun Herald, July 10, 2008: Harvard researchers have discovered half a dozen new genes involved in autism that suggest the disorder strikes in a brain that can't properly form new connections.

New Ways to Diagnose Autism Earlier: Detection at Younger Ages Leads to Greater Gains in Language And IQ; Predicting Risk With Eye-Movement Sensors. Jeremy Singer-Vine, The Wall Street Journal, July 8, 2008: With the number of autistic children growing, researchers are targeting new technologies to help detect the disorder at ever-younger ages in hopes of reversing some of autism's worst symptoms...

Autism Speaks Awards More than $4 Million in Treatment and Family Services Grants. Autism Speaks, June 27, 2008: Autism Speaks awarded 13 new grants in the field of treatment research, including six grants in complementary and alternative medicine. This research will help parents make informed choices for their family members at a time when treatment options for autism are far from standardized.

Canadian Researcher, Steve Scherer, named to Autism Speaks' Scientific Advisory Committee. CNW Group, June 18, 2008: Autism Speaks, North America's largest organization dedicated to funding and facilitating autism research, announced today that it has named nine new members to its Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC), a group of scientific and medical experts who will help shape Autism Speaks' strategic plan for science and research priorities.

'Faulty' Brain Connections May Be Responsible For Social Impairments In Autism. Science Daily, June 12, 2008: The study is the first to look at brain connectivity and social impairment, and focused on how the brain processes information about faces. Deficits in face processing are one of the earliest characteristics to emerge in people with autism...

CIBC donates $500,000 to the Montreal Neurological Institute for the CIBC Fellowship in Brain Imaging. McGill University Health Centre, June 12, 2008: CIBC is donating $500,000 to the Montreal Neurological Institute’s (MNI) “Thinking Ahead” campaign to create the CIBC Fellowship in Brain Imaging. This fellowship gift will facilitate exciting research projects at the MNI over the next five years, like the MNI’s pivotal role as the only Canadian institution in the Autism Centre of Excellence, a US-based multi-institutional study looking for early indicators of autism.

Autism Speaks Announces a Request for Applications Focused on International Autism Epidemiology Research. Autism Speaks: Autism Speaks recently announced a new funding mechanism for international records-based epidemiology research and is currently requesting applications. The purpose of this request for applications is to lay the groundwork for prevalence studies of autism spectrum disorders outside of the U.S., using a records-based approach.

Autism on the Rise: New Study Could Affect Government Treatment of Autism in School. Peter Walsh, The Telegram, June 3, 2008: A new study by Queen's University says Newfoundland and Labrador has higher-than-normal rates of autism, The Telegram has learned. Health Minister Ross Wiseman said the study is not yet published, but his officials have taken part and seen the findings, which compares the prevalence of autism in many jurisdictions in Canada...

Is Neuroimmunity Involved in the Pathogenesis of Autism [YouTube Video]? University of California Television, June 4, 2008. Carlos A. Pardo, MD, discusses the hypothesis suggesting that the immune system may in some way play a role in triggering the onset of autism and how certain treatments may help.

Archived News Stories

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Participants Needed for Research Studies

The ASD-CARC Research Registry is the world's largest online database of individuals with an ASD and their families. Through involvement with the Research Registry, individuals with an ASD and their families can take part in online research questionnaires, be contacted about new studies by ASD-CARC, and keep updated about findings by ASD-CARC's researchers. Headed by Dr. Jeanette Holden from Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, the ASD-CARC group of more than 60 researchers, clinicians and parents are hoping to study tens of thousands of families in order to identify the genes and environmental factors that contribute to causing these conditions. To learn more or to participate, please visit www.autismresearch.com/

Autism Spectrum Disorder Canadian-American Research Consortium (ASD-CARC) On-Line Research Projects: Autism Spectrum Disorders Research Registry: Families and individuals can participate in various studies on subjects such as gluten-free diets; patterns of sleep disturbance in children with ASD and successful treatments; extent of GI (gastrointestinal) disturbance and the extent to which secretin therapy has been beneficial; etc. Registry members decide which surveys they would like to participate in. To join the Registry click here.

Age of Disclosure: Asperger's Syndrome and Related Disorders. Jan Johnston-Tyler, a neurodiversity counselor in the Bay Area, California, seeks participants for an online survey to gather opinions on when to disclose an ASD diagnosis to youth. Johnston-Tyler can be contacted by email at janjt@evolibri.com. The survey can be accessed at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=3LaSY_2bjlUTajFxzYJCgwqw_3d_3d

Sensory Processing Patterns in the Workplace in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Tiziana Bontempo, an occupational therapist and graduate student at Queen's University, seeks participants for research study. [Read more...PDF]

Functional Behavioural Skill Training for Young Children With Severe Autism. Hamilton Health Services, July 2008. IBI is costly and there are currently long waitlists of children who are in need of treatment. The investigators have clinical and ethical obligations to determine more appropriate alternatives to IBI for children making few gains because all children with autism deserve treatment based on their needs. This study is designed to determine the effectiveness of a functional skills group intervention, based on the principles of applied behaviour analysis, for children responding slowly to IBI. [Read more...]

Sleep Problems. Even though research shows that sleep problems can affect children's learning and development, few studies have focused on the sleep problems of elementary school-aged children. Sleep difficulties are also known to be more common in children who have problems such as attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Studies show that often children are not getting the help that they need for their sleep problems. The current study has two main goals: 1) to identify influences on parental beliefs about child sleep problems, and 2) to see whether children's special needs affect parents' decisions about treatment for child sleep problems. We are looking for parents of typically developing children, children with ADHD, or children with ASD, who are between the ages of 5 and 12 years to participate in this on-line study. All information provided will be kept private, and participants will have a chance to enter their name into a draw for a $100 gift certificate to Chapters Bookstore at the end of the study. Please log onto http://myweb.dal.ca/pvcorkum to participate. For further information, please contact one of the researchers: Dr. Penny Corkam at penny.corkam@dal.ca
Dr. Isabel Smith at isabel.smith@iwk.nshealth.ca

Relationships and Attraction Among Individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Belinda Goldsworthy, a doctoral candidate in psychology at Deakin University is undertaking research under the supervision of Dr. Mark Stokes. The aim of this research is to learn about relationships involving individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. To date, there is very little research on relationships and attraction among individuals with ASD. Understanding this is the key to developing further social skills development programs, and providing assistance in this important domain. Participants over the age of 18 years old are needed to complete the study. These would need to be persons who are both in a romantic relationship of some sort, AND who either have an ASD themselves, or that their partner has an ASD. Participation is voluntary and anonymous and the questionnaire will take about 20 minutes to complete. Contact: Dr. Mark Stokes (Phone: 92446865 or via email: mark.stokes@deakin.edu.au) or Belinda Goldsworthy (Email: bjgo@deakin.edu.au). The questionnaire can be accessed at: http://www.deakin.edu.au/psychology/research/relationshipsautism/

Research study about sexuality and relationships of adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorders: Adult volunteers needed for autism research study high-functioning, verbal adults with autism, Asperger’s Disorder of PDD-NOS between the ages of 21 and 65. Researchers at the North-Shore-LIJ Center for Autism and the University of New Brunswick are conducting an (ASDs). The information collected from the study may increase knowledge of how best to help teens and adults with ASDs experience healthy sexual development. Participants in the research will complete a set of questionnaires online at www.unbstudy.com that takes approximately 45 minutes to 1 ¼ hours to complete. Contact: Shana Nichols, Ph.D., Psychologist at 516-802-8600 or snichols@nshs.edu Sandra Byers, Ph.D., Psychologist at 506-458-7697

Queen’s University Research Study. Kingston, Ontario, Canada . Action Observation and Eye Gaze: ASD Studies at Queen’s University is a group of researchers interested in Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Currently, they are recruiting adults for participation in a study with the goal of increasing understanding how adults with an ASD understand their own and other people’s movements, as well as how eye gaze works in adults with ASD. For more information regarding this study as well as others: http://psyc.queensu.ca/asdstudies or contact us at: 613-533-2841 Or at: asd.studies@queensu.ca

Call for participants: The Miriam Foundation in Montreal is looking for parents and clinicians to take part in a project called Best Practices for the Early Screening, Assessment and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders in Young Children. The purpose of this project is to bring parents, clinicians, and researchers together to agree on a set of guidelines to be promoted across Canada for the screening, assessment, and diagnosis of ASDs in very young children. This project is intended to result in a document outlining recommendations so that physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, and all other professionals involved with children with ASDs will have access to the same set of guidelines to use in making their decisions. See information page. Contact: Jennifer Nachshen, Ph.D., Project Coordinator, Miriam Foundation, Email: jennifern@miriamfoundation.ca,
Tel:  (514) 345-1300 x. 368, Fax: (514) 345-6904
Website: www.miriamfoundation.ca
Clinician questionnaire
Parent questionnaire

Researchers at Carleton University invite parents of children age 3-5 who are diagnosed with autism, ASD, PDD, or Asperger Syndrome, to participate in a study about parental well-being. The study has two parts: an online survey and a phone interview. The online survey takes about 30 minutes to complete. You will be asked questions about yourself and your child. To participate in the online survey…Link

Queen’s University Research Study: Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Social Cognitive Skill in Young Children with Autism and Toddlers at Risk for Autism. ASD Studies at Queen’s University is currently recruiting for participation in a study to better understand the social difficulties children with ASD and their siblings may experience...See details. They would appreciate hearing from any parents/caregivers of one or more children/adolescents with ASD and well as adults diagnosed with ASD. The Social Cognitive study is being conducted by Dr. Elizabeth Kelley and Dr. Valerie Kuhlmeier, from the Department of Psychology at Queen’s University. For more information regarding this study as well as others, please contact: 613-533-2841 or e-mail at: asd.studies@queens.ca

YOUNG ADULT SIBLINGS INVITED FOR NEW RESEARCH STUDY: Males and females who have autistic siblings are needed for a research study. Requirements are that they are between the ages 18-37 and have no known diagnoses of autism spectrum disorders or mental illness or developmental delay.  Diagnosis of the sibling may be Autism or PDD NOS, not Aspergers. Participation requires filling out a questionnaire and then mailing it back to me. It can even be done via email. It will take approximately 40 min. Please contact me at clanda77@aol.com with the subject line Autism Research, Canada. Carrie Landa, M.A., PhD Candidate, Suffolk University, Psychology Department, 41 Temple St., Boston, MA 02114.

Understanding the Conversation Abilities of High Functioning Adolescent Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Principal Investigators: Dr. Peter Szatmari, Dr. Jessica de Villiers, Dr. Robert Stainton, Dr. Larry Tuff, and Dr. Melissa Rutherford. Objective of the Study: To determine how an adolescent with an autism spectrum disorder’s ability to carry on a conversation is related to their information processing style. We are looking for: Adolescent Children between the ages of 13-18 who have a diagnosis of Autism or Asperger syndrome. All participants must be able to carry on a conversation and read at a grade 4 level. All participants will receive a psychometric summary report of their cognitive performance. For further information regarding the study or to inquire about participating, please contact the project coordinator:
Liezanne Vaccarella, Phone: (905) 521-2100 ext. 74356
E-mail: vaccarel@mcmaster.ca, The Offord Centre for Child Studies, McMaster University and HHSC, Hamilton, Ontario. 

Children At Risk For Autism.org - Participants wanted. The causes of Autism are still unknown. Current research, however, has identified risk factors that may contribute to Autism. The goal of the Children at Risk for Autism study is to further identify heritable and environmental factors that may contribute to the development of Autism and related disorders in individuals before birth or in early infancy. This study will refine the genetic profile of the at-risk infant for Autism. In the long term, it is hoped that identifying such genetic profiles will allow for early identification of at-risk infants and implementation of appropriate intervention...Link

Autism Speaks request your participation in a groundbreaking online autism project that launched earlier this month: IAN, the Interactive Autism Network. Visit today at http://www.ianproject.org and join over 3,000 families who have already registered. IAN aims to link researchers, families, and the entire autism community to accelerate the pace of autism research. It consists of two complementary parts: IAN Research and the IAN Community. Principal Investigator: Paul Law, M.D., M.P.H. Contact: ResearchTeam@IANproject.org

University of Guelph Research Study on Asperger Syndrome in Childhood and Adolescence looking for participants. We are conducting a study with Canadian families affected by AS. Specifically, we are looking into the ways the features associated with AS might change during the developmental period from late childhood to late adolescence. Requirements for Participation: Mothers, as well as their children who have been diagnosed with AS, will be asked to participate. We are particularly interested in hearing from those families that include a child diagnosed with AS who is presently between 7 and 18 years of age. Participation Details: Children or adolescents with AS will be required to complete two paper-based questionnaires that will be mailed to them. Participation may take between 30 and 45 minutes. Mothers of these children will be asked to complete several online questionnaires, taking up to 1 ½ hours. These online questionnaires can be completed in more than one session. Contact Information: If you are interested in participating, or would like further information, please contact Melanie Freeman (melanief@uoguelph.ca).

Autism & Developmental Disorders Lab at Simon Fraser University : At the Autism & Developmental Disorders Lab at Simon Fraser University, we are interested in the social development of children with autism. The goal of our research is to improve the social lives of children with autism. We are currently conducting a study on how children with autism learn to pay attention to eyes and faces. We are seeking children with autism between the ages of seven and thirteen years of age to come to our lab for two hour session. During this time your child will complete computer tasks and puzzles. You will be asked to participate in an interview about your child's early development. We can offer $20 compensation for your time. If you and your child would be interested in participating, please contact us at autism-lab@sfu.ca or 604-268-6746. You can also learn more about us by visiting our website at www.sfu.ca/autism-lab.

The Sainte-Justine UHC invites parents of children with mental deficiency to take part in a unique project: MONTREAL, Aug. 1 /CNW Telbec/ - The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) have awarded a $2.5 million operating grant to a Sainte-Justine UHC research project on the causes of mental deficiency. This large scale study will involve the analysis of 300 genes which are important to the development of synapses, among 276 children in Quebec - something which has never been done before in the field of genetics. In order to recruit all these children, the Sainte-Justine UHC is inviting parents to register their child for this unique project at www.chu-sainte-justine.org .
For further information: Chantal Huot, Communications Advisor, (514) 345-4663, chantal.huot.hsj@ssss.gouv.qc.ca; Sophie Allard, Communications Advisor, (514) 808-9474, sa@ahcom.ca; Source: Sainte-Justine UHC; CIHR:
http://www.irsc-cihr.gc.ca/f/25552.html

University of Calgary Research Project: Would You Be Interested in Participating in our Research Study? Seeking Adolescents and Adults between 14 and 25 Years, both typical individuals and those with Autism or developmental delays. Purpose: To examine the social attention and movement imitation abilities of individuals:   i) with Autism   ii) with developmental delays   iii) that do not have developmental delays. For more information, please call Dr. Tim Welsh (Faculty of Kinesiology - Cognitive and Motor Neuroscience Lab) at (403)210-8950 or Email: twelsh@kin.ucalgary.ca

Heather Church, a masters student in Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies (Special Education) at the University of Victoria is recruiting participants for a study: A Quantitative Inquiry into the Quality of Life in Families of Children with Autism: A Comparison Between Centre-Based Intervention Recipients and Non-Recipients. She is comparing the quality of life in families of children with autism – those who are currently receiving intervention and those who are not - between the ages of 6 and 12 years old. If you would like to participate in the study, please contact: hchurch@uvic.ca

The eLearning research team of the Disability and Information Technologies (Dis-IT) Research Alliance is seeking research participants to complete an online survey about the the accessibility of eLearning to Canadian college and university students with disabilities. Gary Annable | Community Co-Director Tel. (204) 947-0303 ext. 230. For more information or to participate in this study send an email to eLearning@Adaptech.org and indicate whether you are a student with a disability, an individual who provides disability-related services, a professor, or an individual who supports/implements eLearning on campus. Website: http://www.dis-it.ca/

ASD-CARC is working on a National Epidemiologic Database for the Study of Autism in Canada (NEDSAC): The National Epidemiologic Database for the Study of Autism in Canada (NEDSAC) will help ASD-CARC learn more about how many children who live in Canada have been diagnosed with an ASD (the prevalence), how many children are diagnosed each year with an ASD in Canada (the incidence), whether there are variations in prevalence and/or incidence of ASDs among regions or across age groups, and how the prevalence and incidence vary over time. For more information about participating in or finding out more about NEDSAC, please e-mail: nedsac@yahoo.com.

Genetics Study: Dr. Peter Szatmari, MD, FRCP(C), of the Offord Centre for Child Studies in Hamilton, Ontario, and Dr. Steve Scherer at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto are leading an ongoing investigation of the genetics of autism/PDD. They are looking for families with two or more individuals affected with autism/PDD – these may be siblings, cousins, or any other extended relative pairs. The study involves taking blood samples from the affected individuals, their unaffected siblings, the parents and grandparents. To inquire about participating in this study please contact: Ann Thompson at (905) 521-2100, ext. 77831, or toll free at 1-888-3AUTISM or by email athomps@mcmaster.ca.

York University Research Study on early autism identification is looking for parents of children with autism interested in participating in the study. Contact Alicia Allison, Community Liaison, Harris Research Initiative: allisona@yorku.ca

International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) publishes Online Abstract book for the International Meeting for Autism Research (London, May 15-17, 2008). Presentations covered the areas of autism etiology, biology, diagnosis and treatment. [Visit the INSAR resource]

Earlier the Better for Autism Therapy? New Scientist Print Edition, May 21, 2008: Before 12 months, the human brain is still so flexible that it might be possible to influence it to the extent that some children don't develop autism at all. Using behavioural therapies, researchers hope to "override" the underlying genetic causes of autism and push the brain in a different direction...

Insecticides in Pet Shampoo May Trigger Autism. Linda Geddes, NewScientist.com, May 15, 2008: Could insecticides in pet shampoos trigger autism spectrum disorders? That's the suggestion of one of the first large-scale population-based studies to look how environmental factors and their interactions with genes contribute to the condition...

World Leading Expert in Multi Sensory Environments (MSE) Visits Canada. Kimberley Clarke, Christopher Douglas Hidden Angel Foundation (CDHAF), May 15, 2008: The sensory input we take for granted every second - seeing, hearing, touching, moving, and more - is vitally important to many individuals challenged with mental or developmental disabilities. Dr. Paul Pagliano, PhD, is an Australian researcher with a passionate interest in making multisensory stimulation more accessible to individuals with disabilities. He will be conducting information sessions in Canada in June, hosted by the CDHAF. The sessions will be in Vancouver (9 June), Calgary (11 June), Toronto (12 June) and Montreal (18 June) and are open to the public.

New Test Spots Autism Signs in 9-month old Infants. CTV.ca News Staff, May 15, 2008: Canadian researchers have developed a new test for diagnosing autism as early as nine months of age... Mel Rutherford of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ont., has led a team that has been using eye-tracker technology to measures babies' eye directions while they look at faces, eyes and bouncing balls on a computer screen.

$5M to Help Scientist Probe Autism DNA. Sonia Puzic, Windsor Star, May 12, 2008: Renowned genetic researcher and Windsor native Stephen Scherer has received the prestigious Premier's Summit Award for his groundbreaking work...
Scherer, who grew up in Windsor before moving away to pursue his studies and career as a senior scientist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, was recognized for his contributions to medical research and awarded $5 million over five years to continue pursuing his work with DNA analysis and how it applies to disorders such as autism.

Canadian Institute for Health Research publishes Report on the National Autism Research Symposium (held Nov 8-9, 2007, Toronto). Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Addiction, May 6, 2008. [HTML] [PDF]

Autism Speaks Announces Multinational Initiative: Raising awareness for research, diagnosis and treatment of autism. Autism Speaks, May 9, 2008: Autism Speaks, the world’s largest autism advocacy organization announces today the formation of an international collaboration with North, South and Central America. This multinational initiative will help to raise awareness and develop research expertise focusing on public health and screening for early diagnosis and enhanced service delivery across the Americas.

The Montreal Children's Hospital of the MUHC Begins Search for Causes of Autism. McGill University Health Centre, May 7, 2008: Dr. Eric Fombonne, from the Research Institute of the MUHC at the Montreal Children's Hospital, is involved in a multi-site consortium to gather DNA samples from 2,000 autism patients and their families over the next three years.The Simons Simplex Collection (SSC) is a coordinated effort to create a database of genetic and behavioral information about cases where there is only one family member with autism. This group, which represents the great majority of autism spectrum disorders, is expected to lead to the discovery of new genetic factors that increase the risk of autism.

Neurons in the Fusiform Gyrus are Fewer and Smaller in Autism. Imke A. J. van Kooten et al., Brain 131(4) 2008: Abnormalities in face perception are a core feature of social disabilities in autism. Recent functional magnetic resonance imaging studies showed that patients with autism could perform face perception tasks. However, the fusiform gyrus (FG) and other cortical regions supporting face processing in controls are hypoactive in patients with autism.

Clues to Role of Brain Development as Risk for Mental Disorders May Also Lead to Better Treatments. Media-Newswire.com, May 6, 2008: Increasing evidence points to links between the timing and growth rates of specific brain areas in the young brain and the likelihood of developing a wide range of mental disorders later in life, say researchers convened by the National Institute of Mental Health ( NIMH ), a part of the National Institutes of Health. Included among these mental disorders are autism, anxiety, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, substance abuse, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder ( ADHD ).

Report cites chemical's risk: Bisphenol A may be harmful, federal agency says. Susanne Rust and Meg Kissinger, Journal Sentinel Online (Milwaukee), April 15, 2008: For the first time, the federal government said Tuesday that a chemical found in commonly used products such as dental sealants, baby bottles and aluminum cans is potentially dangerous to human development and reproduction.

Very Premature Babies Show Raised Risk for Autism:
Second study finds having autistic child shrinks family income by 14%. Serena Gordon, US News and World Report, April 2, 2008: Two new studies shed additional light on two different aspects of autism: One tried to pinpoint a risk factor for development of the disorder, while the other looked at the financial toll that having an autistic child takes on a family.

The Best Practice Guidelines for the Screening, Assessment, and Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorders will be available for free download at www.autismcentral.ca during the month of April. Print copies will be available beginning in May. The physician toolkit, parent guide, and waiting room poster will be available beginning in May.

New Francophone Autism Blog on the Latest Autism Research News

Stony Brook Researchers Eye Gene's Role in Autism. Delthia Ricks, Newsday.com, March 20, 2008: A key gene involved with how brain cells "talk to each other" may be disrupted in some people with autism spectrum disorders, according to medical investigators who discovered the DNA flaw in a group of Long Island children.

Mice Could Provide Clues to Autistic Behaviors, Study Suggests. ScienceDaily, March 19, 2008: Scientists have developed a new mouse model to help illuminate the vagaries of autism, according to a study from a Stanford University School of Medicine researcher and other colleagues.

McCain Cites 'Strong Evidence' of Link Between Vaccines and Autism. Mark Crane, MedPage Today, March 5, 2008: Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican candidate for president, has given credibility to "strong evidence" of a link between autism and thimerosal in childhood vaccines. He cited "divided scientific opinion" on the matter.

Learning and Developmental Disabilities Initiative (LDDI)
Publishes Scientific Consensus Statement on Environmental Factors, LDDI, Institute for Children's Environmental Health, February 20, 2008: This statement, signed by more than 50 scientists and health professionals nationally and internationally, summarizes the latest science about environmental contaminants associated with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), intellectual disabilities and developmental delays. Access to full document PDF.

[Preliminary] Interactive Autism Network Research Findings: Occupational Therapy. Interactive Autism Network, February 15, 2008: The Interactive Autism Network (IAN), a project collecting information online from families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) from throughout the United States, reports on the use of occupational therapy. How many families are using occupational therapy, or related sensory-based interventions, like sensory integration (SI) therapy, weighted vests, brushing techniques, or deep pressure, to treat their children? How difficult is it for families to obtain these treatments, and to what extent do families feel they have been helpful?

Some Cases Of Autism May Be Traced To The Immune System Of Mothers During Pregnancy. ScienceDaily.com, February 12, 2008: New research from the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute and Center for Children's Environmental Health has found that antibodies in the blood of mothers of children with autism bind to fetal brain cells, potentially interrupting healthy brain development.

Poor Recognition of 'Self' Found in High Functioning People with Autism. Graciela Gutierrez, Baylor College of Medicine, February 6, 2008: Contrary to popular notions, people at the high end of the autism spectrum disorder continuum suffer most from an inability to model "self" rather than impaired ability to respond to others, said Baylor College of Medicine researchers in a report that appear in the journal Neuron.

Canadian-led scientists find more genetic flaws linked to autism. Canadian Press, January 18, 2008: Canadian-led research has discovered numerous DNA regions containing gene abnormalities that appear to make children susceptible to autism spectrum disorder, a finding that could help parents get an earlier diagnosis for some kids with the disorder. Senior investigator Stephen Scherer said these genetic anomalies were found in seven per cent of 427 unrelated children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), representing 13 different regions of the genome.

Canadian scientists find frequent structural changes of chromosomes in autism. Copy number alterations of genes contribute to autism in seven per cent of case... CNW, Toronto, Jan. 17, 2008: A Canadian team led by scientists at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) has discovered numerous chromosomal regions containing autism spectrum disorder (ASD)-susceptibility genes.

DNA defect linked to 1 percent of autism cases. Gene Emery, Reuters  Published: Wednesday, January 09, 2008: BOSTON (Reuters) - Researchers have identified a genetic defect responsible for 1 percent of the various forms of autism, and other experts said the DNA region involved could cause many more autism cases.

The Autism Research Training (ART) Program is now accepting applications for admission into the 2008 Program. The ART Program recruits and trains outstanding researchers in the field of autism in disciplines such as genetics, brain imaging, epidemiology, neurology, psychology and other disciplines. The program provides funding, as well as intensive training opportunities, to graduate students and post-doctoral fellows.
Deadline for application is Friday March 14, 2008. Please visit our website: www.traininautism.com If you have any questions, contact Annie Coulter, ART Program Coordinator, annie.coulter@muhc.mcgill.ca

Brain overgrowth in 1-year olds suggests link with autism. By Matt Ford | Published: December 10, 2007 - 08:30AM CT: In a lecture given at this past weekend's American College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ACNP) annual meeting, researchers presented results that suggest that brain overgrowth in the latter part of an infant's first year of life may contribute to autistic characteristics. The data and results are consistent with prior work that has found brain overgrowth in autistic children by two years of age.

First-ever Genetic Animal Model Of Autism. ScienceDaily (Dec. 9, 2007) — By introducing a gene mutation in mice, investigators have created what they believe to be the first accurate model of autism not associated with a broader neuropsychiatric syndrome, according to research presented at the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology annual meeting.

Scientists finger enzyme as autism culprit. JULIE STEENHUYSEN, Reuters, December 5, 2007 at 10:48 PM EST, CHICAGO — Autism and other brain disorders may be the result of a missing protein important for building communication networks in the brain, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

Fever can unlock autism's grip. Michael Conlon, Reuters, Ottawa Citizen, Monday, December 03, 2007: CHICAGO - Fever can temporarily unlock autism's grip on children, a finding that could shed light on the roots of the condition and perhaps provide clues for treatment, researchers reported on Monday…

Largest Study Ever to Investigate Risk Factors of Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities Will Begin Enrolling Families in Bay Area and Across United States. November 14, 2007. Danielle Cass. Oakland, Calif. — Researchers from Kaiser Permanente and the California Department of Public Health, as well as from five other sites nationwide, today will begin enrolling families in the largest study to date investigating the genetic and environmental factors that may cause autism and other developmental disabilities.

Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting Spotlights Progress in Autism Research. An overview of Society for Neuroscience conference held in November 2007.

NEW AAP REPORTS HELP PEDIATRICIANS IDENTIFY AND MANAGE AUTISM EARLIER. San Francisco – For Release: Monday, October 29, 2007 12:01 am ET : Two new clinical reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) will help pediatricians recognize autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) earlier and guide families to effective interventions, which will ultimately improve the lives of children with ASDs and their families. The first clinical report, “Identification and Evaluation of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders,” provides detailed information on signs and symptoms so pediatricians can recognize and assess ASDs in their patients. Educational strategies and associated therapies, which are the cornerstones of treatment for ASDs, are reviewed in the second AAP clinical report, “Management of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders.”

Autism groups support earlier screening. UNNATI GANDHI, Globe and Mail, October 30, 2007: Canadian autism groups are putting their weight behind an American call for universal screening for the disorder, but pediatricians here are wary of the realistic benefits of doing so.

Doctors call for earlier autism screening, Toronto Star - Ontario, Canada, October 29, 2007: Autism Society Canada puts the figure at about one in 165 children. The new reports say children with suspect cases should be treated before a formal ...
See all stories on this topic

Autism Consortium releases data on genes involved in autism. EurekAlert (press release) - Washington, DC, USA, BOSTON – OCTOBER 22, 2007 – The Autism Consortium, a group of researchers, clinicians and families dedicated to radically accelerating research...

Autism Research Journal, the flagship journal of the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR), will cover research into the Pervasive Developmental Disorders (also known as autism spectrum disorders ASDs). The Journal will have a strong focus on basic genetic, neurobiological and psychological mechanisms and how these influence developmental processes in ASDs. Bethe first to publish In the Journal. The Journal encourages article submissions that take a developmental approach to the biology and psychology of autism with a particular emphasis on identifying underlying mechanisms and integrating across different levels of analysis. Submit your research today at: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/autismresearch
For more information on the journal, visit: www.autismresearchjournal.com.

Mount grads urged to help with autism care. ChronicleHerald.ca - Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Activist honoured at convocation By BRIAN HAYES Staff Reporter, Mon. Oct 22 - 12:17 PM: Graduating students at Mount Saint Vincent University were given a crash course Sunday in autism and were encouraged to become involved either as volunteers or at the professional level in helping those afflicted with the disorder. Joan Craig of Halifax, recipient of an honorary doctor of humane letters degree, praised the university and its students past and present for being directly involved in supporting autism care and research.

B.C creates national autism research chair. Vancouver Sun, October 20, 2007
VANCOUVER - A national chair in autism intervention research will be established at Simon Fraser University with $2 million in funding from the provincial and federal governments.

What causes autism? The answer is hotly debated -- scientists even disagree whether it's on the rise or not. With no agreement on what causes it, writes Tom Spears, doctors disagree on how to treat it. Tom Spears, The Ottawa Citizen, September 30, 2007: As soon as doctors identified autism, back in the 1940s, they blamed the "cold" mothers of toddlers with the disorder. Early theory said that these mothers -- doctors actually called them "refrigerator mothers" -- withheld affection from their babies with terrible results. No one believes that today. But science is still struggling to narrow down the list of theories about what does cause this baffling disorder.

Scientists make gut-brain connection to autism. CBC News, September 27, 2007: Compounds produced in the digestive system have been linked to autistic-type behaviour in laboratory settings, potentially demonstrating that what autistic children eat can alter their brain function, say scientists from the University of Western Ontario.

Rutgers gets grant to study link between genetics and autism. BY KITTA MacPHERSON, Star-Ledger Staff Friday, September 14, 2007: Rutgers University is expected to play a key role in an emerging effort to explore a new theory of autism, a brain disorder with no known cure. Scientists at Rutgers' Cell and DNA Repository in Piscataway have signed a $7.8 million contract with the Simons Foundation of New York to establish a collection of genetic samples extracted from blood, officials said yesterday. The samples will be gathered over the next two years by researchers at 11 universities in the United States and Canada. Families with a single autistic child will be the focus of the study.

Our Assumptions About What Causes Chronic Diseases Could Be Wrong, Laura Wright, Alternet, August 9, 2007: Martha Herbert, a pediatric neurologist at Boston's Massachusetts General Hospital, studies brain images of children with autism. She was seeing patients one day a few years ago when a 3-year-old girl walked in with more than the usual cognitive and behavioral problems…

A GP's guide to adults with Asperger syndrome, National Autistic Society, UK, 2007: This guide explains what Asperger syndrome is and provides questions to consider when talking with patients.

The Epidemic of Autism: Growing Neurobiological Links to Genetics, Environment and Behaviour. Dr. Derrick MacFabe, M.D. Director, The Kilee Patchell-Evans Autism Research Group, 2007.

Research Feature: Applying Precision Teaching to Language Skills Acquisition
Marlene Cohen and her colleagues....at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center at Rutgers University in New Jersey are hoping that their OAR-funded study will help adults with autism communicate better through the use of Precision Teaching.

Los Angeles, California - August 3, 2007. Child Development Media, Inc. announces DVDs of the International Conference on Signs of Autism in Infants are now available at www.ChildDevelopmentMedia.com

Autism, other illnesses may be linked by genes, July 3, 2007, Bloomberg News.: Autism, schizophrenia and manic-depressive disorder may be linked to several of the same genes, scientists said in a study that may spark a search to identity such genes as a prelude to seeking new treatments...

The Sooner the Better: A new study finds that autism can be identified at around 14 months, much earlier than previously thought. How early diagnosis can improve outcomes. By Karen Springen, Newsweek, July 3, 2007: Autism spectrum disorders affect about one in 150 children. Often doctors don't diagnose the disability--which is characterized by impairments of social interaction and communication--until age 3. And yet, experts say earlier diagnosis is critical, since it can lead to earlier intervention and better outcomes. The good news: in a study appearing this week in the Archives of General Psychiatry, researchers say they have successfully identified autism in children as young as 14 months--the earliest the disorder has ever been diagnosed…Link

Boys with Autism, Related Disorders, Have High Levels of Growth Hormones. PressZoom, June 25, 2007: Boys with autism and autism spectrum disorder had higher levels of hormones involved with growth in comparison to boys who do not have autism, reported researchers from the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and the University Of Cincinnati College Of Medicine...Link

Social Skills Programs for Children with Autism Are Largely Ineffective. Newswise, Indiana Sate University, June 25, 2007: A meta-analysis of 55 published research studies reveals programs designed to teach social skills to children with autism are failing to meet their goals. The study, conducted at Indiana University, found that outcomes for social skills training were poor overall, but programs held in normal classroom settings were more likely to result in positive changes than programs held in other environments…Link

Study To Search For More Answers On Autism Subject. Medical News Today, June 18, 2007: A research study that may provide hope of finding an effective, alternative intervention for children with autism who do not respond to Intensive Behavioural Intervention (IBI), is being conducted under the leadership of McMaster University. The study is designed to determine if participation in a functional behavioural skills program provided by therapists in one-on-one and group settings, and additional training for parents, will help those children who are not responding well to IBI…Link

Launch of the Interprovincial Directory of Researchers: Montréal and Vancouver, June 6, 2007 – A new Canadian online research resource was launched today, thanks to a joint effort between research support agencies in Québec and British Columbia. The Interprovincial Directory of Researchers (www.researchersdirectory.ca) has been created by Québec's three research funding agencies – le Fonds de la recherche en santé du Québec, le Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la nature et les technologies, le Fonds québécois de la recherche sur la société et la culture – and the Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research (MSFHR), British Columbia's support agency for health research.

CENTENNIAL FLAME RESEARCH AWARD FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES. May 2007. The Standing Committee on Human Resources, Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities is inviting Canadians with disabilities to apply for the 2007 Centennial Flame Research Award. According to the Centennial Flame Research Award Act, this monetary award is offered each year to a person with a disability to enable him or her to conduct research and prepare a report on the contributions of one or more Canadians with disabilities to the public life of Canada or the activities of Parliament…DOC Requirements: DOC

Social Behavior Differs In Children With Family History Of Autism. Science Daily, May 7, 2007: The baby brothers and sisters of autistic children do not seek emotional cues from adults, or respond to them, as often as other toddlers do, suggests new research from the University of California, San Diego…Link

The Changing Face of Autism Research. Initial Findings from Seattle IMFAR Conference. Autism Speaks, May 2007:…Link
Related Paper:The neuroscience of affiliation: Forging links between basic and clinical research on neuropeptides and social behavior. Jennifer A. Bartz & Eric Hollander. Mount Sinai School of Medicine. 2006. Abstract…Link

In May of 2006, Child Development Media, Inc. and the School of Infant Mental Health, London. co-sponsored  The International Conference on Signs of Autism in Infants:  Recognition and Early Intervention at the University of California at Los Angeles.  It was the first time the event was held in the United States.  Recognizing the significance of the presentations, the conference was recorded.   Child Development Media Inc. is pleased to announce that the individual presentations and the conference as a whole, are available on DVD and can be purchased through thier website: www.ChildDevelopmentMedia.com. 

Toxicologists Gather to Discuss Autism Spectrum Disorders: Workshops Highlight Environmental Influences, Chelation. From Autism Speaks, April 2007:The cause and treatment of autism spectrum disorders was the focus of two dedicated sessions at the annual meeting of the Society of Toxicology, held in Charlotte, N.C., in March 2007. More than 6,000 toxicologists convened to interact and present the most recent data in toxicology affecting a wide number of organ systems, including the brain…Link

Abnormal Face Processing In Toddlers With Autism And Developmental Delays. Medical News Today, April 21, 2007: Toddlers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often have difficulty focusing on people's faces and making eye contact, but a new study by Yale School of Medicine researchers found that these same toddlers do not have difficulty looking at photographs of faces...Link

Dr. Rob Nicolson will head an autism studies project at UWO with $2M in Ontario funding. London Free Press, March 31, 2007: Link

A boost for children with autism. York University
Y-File, March 26, 2007: An American foundation has made a $180,000 donation to the York University Foundation in support of a new study on two treatments for autism that will be conducted by researchers at the University's Milton & Ethel Harris Research Initiative (MEHRI)…Link

CombiMatrix Molecular Diagnostics to Utilize Autism Probe Content from a Partnership with The Centre for Applied Genomics. NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 7, 2007: Acacia Research Corporation (Nasdaq:CBMX)(Nasdaq:ACTG), announced today that its CombiMatrix group’s subsidiary, CombiMatrix Molecular Diagnostics (CMDX), has entered into a partnership with The Centre for Applied Genomics (TCAG) in Toronto, Canada. An international consortium, which included TCAG scientists, recently completed the most comprehensive study of the genetic causes of autism. CMDX has access to, and plans to use, the published markers in upcoming versions of its Constitutional Genetic Array Test. The test will then screen for the more than 50 disorders currently handled by the array, as well as for these newly discovered genetic indicators of autism susceptibility…Link

Autism discovery shows the wisdom of funding research. The Ottawa Citizen, February 22, 2007: News of a breakthrough in understanding the genetics of autism, which was splashed dramatically across the world's front pages this week, provides a precious lesson in the value of research…Link

2 new genetic links predispose people to autism, study shows. CBC News, February 18, 2007: An international team of scientists including several Canadians has discovered genetic links that put children at greater risk of developing autism...Link

Mapping autism risk loci using genetic linkage and chromosomal rearrangements. The Autism Genome Project Consortium, Nature Genetics, (advance online version), February 19, 2007: Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are common, heritable neurodevelopmental conditions. The genetic architecture of ASDs is complex, requiring large samples to overcome heterogeneity. Here we broaden coverage and sample size relative to other studies of ASDs by using Affymetrix 10K SNP arrays and 1,168 families with at least two affected individuals, performing the largest linkage scan to date while also analyzing copy number variation in these families. Linkage and copy number variation analyses implicate chromosome 11p12–p13 and neurexins, respectively, among other candidate loci. Neurexins team with previously implicated neuroligins for glutamatergic synaptogenesis, highlighting glutamate-related genes as promising candidates for contributing to ASDs…PDF

Canadian breakthrough offers hope on autism - Project makes possible DNA test to identify children most likely at risk to condition. CAROLYN ABRAHAM, Globe and Mail, February 19, 2007: A massive international effort led by Canadian scientists has homed in on the genes behind autism - a breakthrough that could revolutionize how the mysterious and surprisingly common condition is both detected and treated. Touting it as the most significant advance in the field in 30 years, researchers say the landmark project has put within reach a DNA test to identify children with autism early enough to counter the condition's worst effects. "I don't think it's inconceivable that we're going to be able to prevent autism down the road," said study leader Peter Szatmari, director of the Offord Centre for Child Studies at McMaster Children's Hospital in Hamilton. "The clinical implications of this discovery are unprecedented."...Link

CTV News Broadband video on story above: CTV News: Avis Favaro on the autism breakthrough  document.write(format_clip_duration('00:02:25.51')); // see common.js 2:25

CDC Releases New Data on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) from Multiple Communities in the United States - Autism Prevalence Now 1 in 150, According to CDC. CDC, February 8, 2007: CDC Releases New Data on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) from Multiple Communities in the United States; Majority of Children with ASDs in the Areas Studied had Developmental Concerns Before Age Three…Link

Reversal of Symptoms in an Autism Spectrum Disorder: Rett Syndrome is reversed in genetic mouse model. Rett Syndrome Research Foundation, February 8, 2007: The Rett Syndrome Research Foundation (RSRF) announced results of a landmark study reversing the symptoms of Rett Syndrome (RTT) in a genetic mouse model. The findings, by Adrian Bird, Ph.D., of the University of Edinburgh and Chairman of the RSRF Scientific Advisory Board, appear online in Science Express on February 8, 2007. Rett Syndrome is a severe childhood neurological disease that is the most physically disabling of the autism spectrum disorders. The experiments were funded by the Rett Syndrome Research Foundation (RSRF), the Wellcome Trust and the Rett Syndrome U.K./Jeans for Genes. Link

Animation DVD helps children with autism to recognize emotions. Culture Online, January 9, 2007: Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, Director of the Autism Research Centre (ARC) at Cambridge University and David Lammy, Culture Minister, today launch a novel animation DVD to help young children with autism. Link

The Early Intervention Research team is pleased to announce the official launch of their new website, created by researchers of the Canadian Early Intervention Research Project at McGill University.
Visit: www.earlyinterventioncanada.com

Foundation aids autism research. Family of Lactantia Ltd. co-founder creates Chair in McGill’s Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, Quebec – January 5, 2007: McGill University recently announced the establishment of the Monique H. Bourgeois Chair in Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD), made possible through the generosity of La Fondation François Bourgeois. This gift will have a profound impact on research into autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders and help McGill maintain its outstanding reputation as a leader in medical research. Contact: Michael Bourguignon, McGill University Relations Office, 514-398-8305 or michael.bourguignon@mcgill.ca

Request for Proposals for Autism Research. The Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation announces the availability of research funds for projects aimed at investigating communication difficulties, capacities and options for individuals with autism spectrum disorders.  Projects investigating one or more of the following areas are invited: (1) the exploration of communication options for non-verbal and minimally verbal children and adults with autism; (2) investigation of the etiology of language impairment in individuals with autism; and (3) the development of communication intervention strategies for those with autism. Please note that the Foundation particularly encourages projects which explore the development of and efficacy of Augmentative and Alternative Communication devices and strategies, including Facilitated Communication, in helping individuals with autism to communicate. The Nancy Lurie Marks Family Foundation will provide total grant support of up to $100 thousand for one year.  A copy of the full program announcement and submission information is available at: www.nlmfoundation.org. Canadian researchers are eligible.

University of Michigan leads effort to create DNA databank for autism research. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, January 10, 2007: Scientists at the University of Michigan, the University of Washington and nine other universities will use an initial $10 million gift from a New York-based charitable organization to create a databank of DNA samples from 3,000 autism patients that they hope will identify different kinds of autism and develop treatments…Link

Global Initiative on Children's Environmental Health Indicators (CEHI) – Newsletter: Link

Disability Rights/Mental Health News

1 in 7 Cdns live with disability; learning disabilities up nearly 40 per cent. Canadian Press, Toronto - One in seven Canadians is living with a disability, according to a report released Monday, part of an overall increase observers say is likely linked to greater awareness and reduced stigma surrounding self-identifying and reporting disabilities.

Hiring People with Disabilities. The theme of this year’s In U.N. International Day of Disabled Persons, December 3rd is Decent work for Persons with Disabilities. In recognition of this the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres (CAILC) has produced four information sheets on hiring people with disabilities which are available on their website.

Who will care for disabled as they age? Oct. 30 2007, The Canadian Press, FREDERICTON -- They have spent years crying for their children, fighting for their rights and pleading for help and understanding from often indifferent bureaucracies.

Finance Minister Flaherty’s Expert Panel on Financial Security for People with Severe Disabilities gave hundreds of thousands of families and people with disabilities an early Christmas present on December 12th. Plan Institute. December 13th, 2006: The Panel recommended the creation of a Registered Disability Savings Plan; a matching Disability Savings Grant and a Canada Disability Bond for low income families. Link

A New Beginning - The Report of the Minister of Finance's Expert Panel on Financial Security for Children with Severe Disabilities. Department of Finance Canada, December 2006…Link

DISABILITY SAVINGS PLAN: Most Significant Initiative for Families in 25 Years. Plan Public Policy Update, December 2006: The Disability Savings Plan took a huge step towards reality in December. An Expert Panel established by Minister Flaherty recently recommended the creation of a Disability Savings Plan; a Disability Savings Grant and a Canada Disability Bond. The recommendations, if implemented, will be the most significant federal initiative for families of people with disabilities in 25 years: up to three quarters of a million Canadian families would benefit…Link

The Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres (CAILC) releases a series of four themed fact sheets. In order to mark the International Day of Disabled Persons, build momentum leading up to this day, and celebrate the potential of independent Living Centres in Canada, the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres (CAILC) releases a series of four themed fact sheets. The theme of this year’s celebration, E-Accessibility, recognizes the importance of technology in the lives of persons with disabilities, as well as the need to improve access to information technology for persons with disabilities.  This year’s series of fact sheets, numbered in sequence from one through four, are to be released one per week starting the week of November 6th 2006. Find fact Sheets.

INDEPENDENT LIVING “BACK TO THE FUTURE” CONTEST: In celebration of the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centre’s (CAILC) 20th Anniversary, they have created a “Back to the Future” Youth Contest for youth with or without disabilities. This contest needs the imagination, creativity and spunkiness of Canada’s youth in order to envision the world of disability 100 years from now: Learn more: http://www.cailc.ca/

CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research has developed a kit for parents of children with special needs. What is the KIT: Keeping It Together™? The KIT is a binder for parents caring for children with special needs. The KIT has two parts:   A comprehensive set of User’s Guides which help parents organize information for their child; and, an interactive and comprehensive Binder which contains blank forms and different sections to store necessary information and documents that parent’s often need at their finger tips. The KIT was designed to help parents of children with special needs use information as a tool to increase communication and interaction with their child’s service providers. The KIT is useful for parents of children with a wide variety of special needs and all developmental ages from birth to 21 years. How Can Families Order The KIT? The KIT: Keeping It Together™ (ISBN 0666237433) is currently being sold by the McMaster University Bookstore. Individuals interested in purchasing The KIT can contact Customer Service by calling: 1-800-238-1623. The KIT costs $29.95 plus GST and shipping. Additional ordering information can be found online at:
http://www.KeepingItTogether.ca

NEW National Guidelines for Seniors' Mental Health . In January 2005, the CCSMH was awarded funding by the Public Health Agency of Canada, Population Health Fund, to lead and facilitate the development of evidence-based recommendations for best practice National Guidelines in four key areas of seniors' mental health. Guidelines may be downloaded for free off the CCSMH website (www.ccsmh.ca) or through http://www.ccsmh.ca/en/guidelinesUsers.cfm. 

New website. mindyourmind.ca: http://www.mindyourmind.ca
A non-profit mental health website, dedicated to inspiring youth and young adults to reach out, get help and give help. The activity based coping tools and downloads on the mind yourmind.ca website appeal to youth who are looking for an interactive and non-intrusive way of receiving valuable mental health information.  New Getting Help game is another great interactive coping tool that can guide website visitors in the right direction when problems are too tough to deal with on their own.

Tuberous Sclerosis Canada/Sclérose Tubéreuse (TSCST), the only organization in Canada dedicated solely to people affected by TSC. Spring 2006 issue of Newsletter: Connections is dedicated to “raising awareness.” PDF.

Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres (CAILC): ACCESS TO RECOVERY: SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND INDEPENDENT LIVING. Quarterly Communiqué. Spring 2006. PDF.

Disability Issues in Federal Election Platforms. January 16, 2006 . ARCH Alerts, Disability Law Centre: http://www.archdisabilitylaw.ca/publications/archAlert/index.asp

Dutch online petition for better conditions and more schools for children with
autism - Linda Vranckx and Tony Stalmans: http://www.petitiononline.com/Autisme/

Parents protest as Ontario appeals autism ruling Globe&Mail: By Richard Blackwell, Tuesday, December 6, 2005.

DAWN Info on Autism Ruling: The Disabled Women's Network compiled media and political responses about the Deskin case: Here are some of their links and suggestions:
Media coverage of court ruling by Justice Francis Kiteley that arbitrarily cutting off access to funding for behavioural analysis (ABA) based on age is discriminatory... http://dawn.thot.net/autism-ruling.html  
McGuinty Ontario Liberals will appeal the court ruling... http://dawn.thot.net/autism-ruling.html#mc

While in opposition, McGuinty pledged to help autistic children when/if he was elected....http://dawn.thot.net/autism-ruling.html#pledge
Email received from the federal Minister of Health... http://dawn.thot.net/autism-ruling.html#moh
Take Action -- A request to contact MPPs... http://dawn.thot.net/autism-ruling.html#action

On September 29th, the Voluntary Sector Forum joined six other nonprofit and voluntary sector organizations on Parliament Hill, to make pre-budget submissions to the Standing Committee on Finance. For the text of the Forum's pre-budget submission to the Finance Committee, go to:
http://www.vsf-fsbc.ca/eng/publications/2005/prebudget05.cfm

ASC Media

Public Service Announcements
ASC released a public service announcement in October 2002 for television and radio featuring Lisa Ryder, star of Gene Roddenbury's "Andromeda" and her nephew, Noah.
View this announcement ... click here…
Listen to radio spot...click here...