Autism Resource Postings - Interesting Articles from the National Autism Association - Northeast Ohio - October 27, 2009

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A u t i s m R e s o u r c e

P o s t i n g s

By the National Autism Association - Northeast Ohio Tuesday October 27, 2009

In This Issue:

ARTICLES

Preparing for Halloween

The Geek Defense: Do criminals with Asperger's syndrome deserve special treatment?

Less Sensitivity to Hormone May Play Role in Autism

Raising autism awareness after CFHS shooting/stabbing

Diverse cheerleading squads unite to become "World News'" Persons of the Week

AUTISM PARENTS: VENT AWAY IF YOU NEED TO - on Facebook!

INTERESTING ARTICLES

Preparing for Halloween

Source: The Autism News

5 Tips for Halloweenhttp://www.thews.com/2009/10/15/five-tips-for-halloween/

By Jill Cornfield | Autism Vox

Halloween is the child’s New Year’s Eve, the mother of a friend of mine observed, and it’s true. A night starry with a number of significant points: unlimited candy, free candy, dressing up, roaming around, staying up late. Some kids spend most of the year anticipating Halloween, but mine don’t. Ned occasionally pipes up with a costume idea in July or wonders in September if it’s almost here, but he doesn’t stay on message for too long. And , of course, ignores the whole thing until it’s time to dress up.

It’s a good thing we make our own costumes in this family, because I don’t think (a boy who refuses to wear any trousers but khakis these days, who for about three years would wear any t-shirt as long as it was black) would be willing to put on some strange garment made of unfamiliar fabric. Our most successful costume was the year of the cowboy. Ned had become devoted to “Toy Story,†so a Woody costume was a natural. I liked it, because he looked so cute in jeans and a yellow plaid shirt that we had anyway. I made the vest out of white and black felt. Then we realized could easily be a cowboy, too. (He was willing to wear jeans back then.) We even had a black vest to glue white patches onto — and was willing to wear it.

For a few years agreed to wear regular clothes with a bit of fiddling. He was a fireman (yellow raincoat slicker and red fireman hat). He was a skateboard dude (shorts and checkered Vans). He was a doctor (black pants, long white shirt). This year, though, I don’t think it’s going to be that easy. Maybe something like this would work. My sister thinks it’s funny. I guess I sort of do, too. (Check Zazzle.com for other Halloween/autism-themed t-shirts.)

We generally talk about Halloween for a few days beforehand, and how we’ll dress up and knock on neighbors’ doors (but NOT go into neighbors’ apartments). doesn’t like candy, but he does love chocolate, and Halloween always nets some. So that’s another selling point. We discuss with how we’ll dress up because it’s fun to pretend be something or someone unusual. Something that works with is to put him in front of a full-length mirror so he can see how he looks when he’s in character. He enjoys this a lot, and I should remember to do this when it’s not Halloween, but I’d like him to wear something he doesn’t want to wear. Like a winter coat.

Halloween talking points

Discuss in advance

we knock — say “trick-or-treat!†— we don’t go in

chocolate!

it’s fun to pretend we’re someone or something else

we’ll look in the mirror to see how we look in something unfamiliar

Source: http://www.blisstree.com/autismvox/five-tips-for-halloween/

The Geek Defense: Do criminals with Asperger's syndrome deserve special treatment?

By a Westly

Some time in the 1990s, during the heyday of the X-Files television show, a British computer enthusiast named McKinnon became obsessed with the idea that the U.S. government had covered up evidence of UFO landings. As an unemployed contract worker, he had plenty of time to pursue his theory: Between 2001 and 2002, McKinnon hacked into nearly 100 U.S. military and NASA computers to look for documents pertaining to UFOs. Prosecutors say that at one point he shut down 2,000 computers in the Army's network. Should he ever be convicted in the United States for that crime and others, he'll face at least six years in federal prison.

"His crime was a symptom of this condition, he says, and serving time in an American prison would be the worst kind of torture given the severity of his social impairments.

Now McKinnon is trying to convince European Court of Human Rights that he just can't take the stress of being extradited and made to stand trial. That's because he has Asperger's syndrome, a developmental disorder related to autism and characterized, in part, by compulsive behavior and a lack of interpersonal skills. His crime was a symptom of this condition, he says, and serving time in an American prison would be the worst kind of torture given the severity of his social impairments.

If (or when) McKinnon does get extradited, his "Asperger's defense" might still come in handy. Criminal defendants in the United States have been using similar tactics with varying degrees of success in recent years. In fact, it's not all that rare for criminal defendants with Asperger's to argue for leniency in cases of computer fraud, sexual misconduct, and murder. Three years ago, the defense even made its way into an episode of Boston Legal.

"Another, more successful approach to the Asperger's defense highlights its sufferers' propensity for obsessive, repetitive behavior. How does this gambit work? One of the hallmarks of having Asperger's is a severe difficulty navigating social situations. This awkwardness appears to stem from an inability to detect facial expressions and other social cues; people with autism and Asperger's display a notable lack of empathy for others. Indeed, a 2004 study (PDF) found that both disorders are associated with low scores on a test designed to measure social awareness and compassion. Defense lawyers have argued that violent criminals with Asperger's may therefore be incapable of understanding the harm they're inflicting on another human being.

"Still, the legal system isn't always consistent in its treatment of criminals with developmental disabilities, and the sentences handed down to autistic defendants can vary widely depending on the court.

Click here for entire article on The Geek Defense.

Click here for article on UK Government Reconsiders Hacker's Pending Extradition.

Less Sensitivity to Hormone May Play Role in Autism

A new genetic signature that's strongly associated with autism has been identified by U.S. researchers, who said the finding may lead to new ways to diagnose and treat the disorder.

This genetic signature doesn't involve changes to DNA sequence itself, but rather to the way that genes are switched on and off, said the team from Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C. They found that people with autism have a higher-than-normal number of gene-regulating molecules called methyl groups in a region of the genome that regulates oxytocin receptor expression.

"This genetic signature doesn't involve changes to DNA sequence itself, but rather to the way that genes are switched on and off, said the team from Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C.

"In both blood samples and brain tissue, the methylation status of specific nucleotides in the oxytocin receptor gene is significantly higher in someone with autism, about 70 percent, compared to the control population, where it is about 40 percent," study co-lead author Simon G. , an assistant professor in the Duke department of medicine, said in a university news release.

Oxytocin is a hormone that affects social interaction. Previous research found that giving oxytocin to people with autism can improve their ability to socialize. The hormone is being investigated as a possible treatment for autism, the study authors noted.

In their report, published in the Oct. 21 online edition of the journal BMC Medicine, the researchers noted that higher methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene may result in less sensitivity to the hormone. The authors suggested that their research may lead to ways to identify people who will respond better to treatment with oxytocin.

Click here for entire article on Less Sensitivity to Hormone May Play Role in Autism.

Click here for article on Possible Link Between Autism And Oxytocin Gene Via Non-DNA Sequence Mutation.

Raising autism awareness after CFHS shooting/stabbing

By

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - In light of the shooting and stabbing at Carolina Forest High School, WMBFNews wanted to take a look at what someone living with autism goes through.

Last week, Carolina Forest High School was forced into lockdown after a special needs student attacked a school resource officer. Horry County Police say 16-year-old Trevor Varinecz, a junior with a form of autism, stabbed Officer Marcus multiple times with two knives.

According to the police report, fired at the teen in self defense, hitting him multiple times.

"If you were to come into our classroom here, it would be hard for you to tell the child with Asperger from a typically developing child, just as an observer," Voltz-Loomis said, adding most autistic children's problems lie in socializing with others. "They're not able to connect socially or read social cues, [like] facial expressions, for instance."

The incident has raised a lot of questions about the form of autism that Trevor Varinecz had.

Robin Brunson knew from an early age, her son was not like the other children. "I knew something was different, but I didn't know much about autism," she explained. "Instead of playing with other kids, he would pick up pine straw on the playground when he was little."

At 8 years old, was diagnosed with autism.

"You're worried about the future and what that will bring, but once you get past that, you just want to do whatever you can to help the situation," she said.

According to the CDC, one in 150 children in the United States has autism.

Jeanne Voltz-Loomis, director of the Child Development Ministry of First United Methodist Church, says autistic children usually have normal language skills and perform just as well, if not better than, other students in school.

"It's very upsetting, and I just hope everybody realizes that this was an isolated case, and he was a good kid," Brunson said. "We don't know exactly what he was thinking and hopefully the schools will realize that they need more support in place for kids like Trevor and my son ."

Click here for entire article on Raising autism awareness after CFHS shooting/stabbing.

Source: US Autism and Aspergers Association Weekly Newsletter

Note: The newest official prevalance data for autism spectrum disorders in the United States is now 1 in 100 children.

Diverse cheerleading squads unite to become "World News'" Persons of the Week

Watch the cheerleaders at Pleasant Valley High School in Bettendorf, Iowa, and you may want to stand up and cheer yourself. They don't always execute perfect routines; in fact, they may miss steps or clap off beat once in a while. But their fun is contagious.

These cheerleaders are like no others. In the Spring of 2008, cheerleaders Cronk and Herr got the idea to expand their varsity squad.

"I got really inspired when I went to a Special Olympics program where they had a bunch of cheerleaders come and we helped them with the clinic and everything," said Herr. "I was like, I want to spend more time with these great athletes."

"I just anticipated that it would be another flash in the pan, but once she got a hold of it she had a passion and it just took off," Cinadr said.

The recruits, ages 8 through 15, all have special needs, from autism to down syndrome. They're called the Spartan Sparkles, and they work every bit as hard as the varsity girls.

Since the spring of 2008, the older girls and the Sparkles have practiced together twice a week.

"Their confidence has grown a huge amount," said Brenna O'Neill, 18, the cheerleaders' captain. "Every single day they walk in with a bigger smile on their face, and they run and they're excited to see everyone and they're ready to practice."

"The big thing is that when we started we thought we'd be teaching them cheers," said Herr. "But we didn't think they'd be teaching us. They've taught us so many things about life and it's really amazing."

At every game during every season, they're out there – cheering together.

Source: ABC News

AUTISM PARENTS: VENT AWAY IF YOU NEED TO!

All Autism Parents Are Invited To Vent On My Facebook Wall!

A Message from a fellow-parent Sandy Waters:

If you are having a rough day or great day with autism, I invite all autism parents to vent, rant or whatever you need to do to feel better on my Facebook wall. I wanted to create a safe haven for parents to express their feelings without being judged!! I couldn't find this anywhere else on the Internet. I understand what these parents are going through because I am one of them. A lot of people get so mad at you when you show a little sign of weakness or say it's a hard situation your in?? Not quite sure why?? So, my door is open 24/7/365 to listen to all parents!! Any and all comment are welcome and will not be deleted!!

Here is the link to my Facebook page. Vent Away!!

http://www.facebook.com/people/Sandy-Waters/1063620297

Yeah, I have already heard how controversial or negative I am and how I don't love my child if I don't accept autism. I don't accept autism but I love my child!! I don't care how much I'm attacked, put down or hated if I can help just one autism parent out there get through a hard time it will be all worth it!!

I would like tell everyone who thinks that I do not love my child as much as they do or give her a positive environment to grow up in, like they do just because I am a loudmouth activist, well they are dead wrong and do not know what they are talking about!!

That's also why I do my Radio Show to help parents that are going through this catastrophic situation like me!!. So, I invite y'all to tune in, ya hear!! Here is the link.

http://www.autismone.org/content/robert-and-sandy-waters-0

http://www.autismone.org/content/all-autism-parents-are-invited-vent-my-facebook-wall

______________________________________________________

This newsletter was brought to you by the National Autism Association - Northeast Ohio Chapter (NAA-NEO).

Contact:

Pattison

National Autism Association - Northeast Ohio (NAA-NEO) Helping Hand Program Manager

E-mail: apattison@...

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Phone (216)544-1231

Web: www.autismnortheastohio.org

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