Re: Support helps teen conquer autism

[Guest guest]

Finally read this one. Nice to see a good story out of Alabama. Dothan is on the other side of the state at about the same level as my place. I've always remembered it for being the location of one of the first alien abduction stories in the US.

Too bad the mother had to drive 6 hours for the help, but she was willing to get it, so good for her.

In a message dated 4/6/2008 9:33:56 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

DOTHAN -- Ever since the birth of her first son, Carie Tenzel has struggled to get the best for him.Planning your summer road trip? Check out AOL Travel Guides.

[Guest guest]

" Her 13-year-old son, Colt, was diagnosed with Attention Deficit

Hyperactivity Disorder, which also falls in the autism spectrum. "

and;

' " Their children are on all different levels of the autism spectrum,

from Chaz being the most highly functional to 22-year-old twins with

cerebral palsy. " '

Is ADHD and cerebral palsy on the autism spectrum?

>

> http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

> AID=/20080406/NEWS02/804060308/1009

>

> Support helps teen conquer autism

>

> By Carla Lee • The Dothan Eagle • April 6, 2008

>

> DOTHAN -- Ever since the birth of her first son, Carie Tenzel has

> struggled to get the best for him.

>

> The best diagnosis, the best treatment, the best teacher to relate

to

> an autistic child. None of these came easily in the early 1990s for

a

> young military wife who was the mother of a struggling 2-year-old

as

> well as a newborn.

>

> " Autism wasn't as well-known then, and doctors didn't give much

hope

> for children with autism to live normal lives, " said Tenzel, who

> founded a local support group three years ago for families of

> autistic children.

>

> Today, things are very different, and given the right

opportunities,

> children with autism can excel in ways once thought impossible,

> according to Tenzel.

>

> Her son, Chaz Tenzel-Walser, who is now 15, was diagnosed with a

form

> of autism known as asperger syndrome. He's attended mainstream

> classes since kindergarten, plays trumpet in the Dale County High

> School Marching Band and is on track toward an advanced high school

> diploma.

>

> However, his future didn't seem so bright a few years ago, Tenzel

> said.

>

> " As a parent, you notice if your child is meeting certain

milestones

> when they are supposed to, " she said. " Even at 8 and 9 months, Chaz

> still wasn't crawling -- he would just rock back and forth.

>

> " Even when he did crawl at 10 months, he only crawled backward, but

> doctors told me not to worry. "

>

> At the time, Tenzel worked for a daycare and noticed Chaz doing

> things other children didn't do.

>

> " He would take a dime or a penny and spin it and watch, " she

> said. " Everything had to do with the spinning motion -- wheels on

> cars, anything in motion. "

>

> During that time, he also had 13 ear infections. After he had tubes

> inserted, he started walking at 15 months, but still wasn't talking

> and showed no interest in other children, she said.

>

> " In the military at that time, it was hard to get a diagnosis, " she

> said. " I told the doctors that, given all his symptoms together,

> everything I read pointed to autism, but they said it probably

wasn't

> the case because it was such a rare disease. "

>

> Tenzel, however, was determined to get to the bottom of the mystery

> that was keeping her son from reaching the milestones he should.

She

> traveled six hours to a development pediatrician in Mississippi,

> where he spent 45 minutes with the toddler before pronouncing his

> diagnosis -- autism that would prevent Chaz from ever graduating

high

> school and news that he'd most likely need special care for the

rest

> of his life.

>

> " I was mad -- we waited four hours, he watched Chaz put together

two

> puzzles and that was it, " Tenzel said.

>

> It wasn't long before Tenzel's marriage began to suffer because of

> differing opinions on Chaz's care. She and her husband eventually

> divorced.

>

> Although Tenzel discovered many available resources, she decided to

> take it a step further and learn all she could about autism and the

> many disorders included under its spectrum.

>

> " We began speech therapy, and our early intervention therapist,

> , at Fort Rucker was a godsend, " Tenzel said. " If it weren't

for

> her and the many wonderful doctors and counselors we've met along

the

> way, Chaz wouldn't be where he is today. "

>

> Tenzel always has encouraged Chaz's interests. When he decided to

> join the band, his mother was skeptical.

>

> " Loud noises especially affect people with autism, but he knew just

> what he wanted to do, " she said. " He wanted to play trumpet, and

he's

> done well. "

>

> When he does have problems or episodes, his teachers are very good

at

> handling the situation, Tenzel said.

>

> " When he does have a meltdown, he's already having a bad day and

some

> trigger just made it worse, " she said. " His doctors, like Dr.

> Handel, help him get the bottom of the problem and find a way to

> handle it better next time. "

>

> Tenzel now has two reasons to get involved. Her 13-year-old son,

> Colt, was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder,

> which also falls in the autism spectrum. Her group, Autism

Awareness

> in the Wiregrass, has more than 50 members from across the region,

> Florida and Georgia.

>

> " We're all kind of co-leaders, " she said. " Their children are on

all

> different levels of the autism spectrum, from Chaz being the most

> highly functional to 22-year-old twins with cerebral palsy. "

>

> The group raises money for the Autism Society of Alabama through

> various fundraisers including the annual Walk for Autism, which is

> coming up on April 19.

>

> " We really work to get the word out about autism, " she

said. " Today,

> it affects one in every 150 children, and we still don't really

know

> the cause.

>

> " Some researchers think it's genetic and some say it's

environmental,

> but from my experience, I think it all runs together and could be

> caused by both.

>

> " Whatever the underlying reason is, we just want to make sure every

> family has the support they need. "

>

[Guest guest]

And now you can plainly see why Autism Squawks has such good fodder with

fearmongering: they haven't told people that the obvious reason for the

" epidemic " is that

people keep broadening the definition or at least attaching the label to cover

what it never

did before.

Autism Diagnosis: its continuuing mission: to boldly go where nothing has gone

before!

To scare new life and new civilizations, to become the buzzword for all the

fundraisers in

the galaxy, to blot out all relevant science and reasoning.

Ok, enough of my bad Star Trek meets Autism Squeaks twisted cross

>

> " Her 13-year-old son, Colt, was diagnosed with Attention Deficit

> Hyperactivity Disorder, which also falls in the autism spectrum. "

>

> and;

>

> ' " Their children are on all different levels of the autism spectrum,

> from Chaz being the most highly functional to 22-year-old twins with

> cerebral palsy. " '

>

> Is ADHD and cerebral palsy on the autism spectrum?

>

>

>

>

<snip>

[Guest guest]

I suppose cerebral palsy would affect the weay specturm conditions

manifested.

>

> Is ADHD and cerebral palsy on the autism spectrum?

>

>

As for ADHD though, it fairly clearly is on the spectrum, though

some voices, including the British NAS who do lot of bad things,

have been conservative against accepting it.

ADHD is often paired with AS -including in me - or occurs in

siblings of aspies. It carries the same skin sensitivity issues, and

hyperactivity goes with high metabolic rate goes with not feeling

the cold. The attention deficit mind involuntarily drifts off onto

its own path and goes after every distracting thought, losing

attention to the rest of the outside world including to speaking

teachers. Impeded contact with your surroundings has an obvious

autistic character to it. It can be expected to cause social

frustrations too. Hyperfocussing on a topic is part of both ADHD and

AS.

The only argument given against is that ADHD folks ( " adders " ) don't

necessarily have the inbuilt social impairment of AS. That is

because it is not the definer of ADHD. e.g. the comedian

Connolly has ADHD but he is a fast-witted rough-talking normally

social man who is comfortable in blokey pub culture and is

prejudiced against internet users. (Source, his psychologist wife's

bio of him).

The ADHD-Autism Connection, Diane Kennedy, is a good book about it.

Dates back to 2003 when the association was first becoming talked

about.

[Guest guest]

" Is ADHD and cerebral palsy on the autism spectrum? "

Neither is on the spectrum by the DSM IV and ICD 10's definition. This

is another example of the media getting their facts wrong and then

spreading incorrect information to people who subscribe to the media.

Administrator

[Guest guest]

>

> " Is ADHD and cerebral palsy on the autism spectrum? "

>

> Neither is on the spectrum by the DSM IV and ICD 10's definition.

This

> is another example of the media getting their facts wrong and then

> spreading incorrect information to people who subscribe to the media.

>

>

> Administrator

>

I was told adhd is subsumed under the autism diagnosis and only

specified when it is as prominent as the first diagnosis.(in other

words a duel diagnosis) Adhd alone is not autism. Cerebral palsy

benefits can be given to a person with Autism if the are also deemed to

have medical need. DMR funds will be given to a person with Autism if

their IQ is below 100. This may lead to conmfusion as so many agencies

are related to unrelated conditions. This is the case in Massachusetts

anyway

[Guest guest]

>

> And now you can plainly see why Autism Squawks has such good fodder

with

> fearmongering: they haven't told people that the obvious reason for

the " epidemic " is that

> people keep broadening the definition or at least attaching the

label to cover what it never

> did before.

>

> Autism Diagnosis: its continuuing mission: to boldly go where

nothing has gone before!

> To scare new life and new civilizations, to become the buzzword for

all the fundraisers in

> the galaxy, to blot out all relevant science and reasoning.

>

> Ok, enough of my bad Star Trek meets Autism Squeaks twisted cross

>

But it was funny, I like that sort of thing. The big problem with

Autism S, is their desire for money that never reaches anyone that

could benefit from actual assitive programs. there non-pragmatic

approach. They make me sad and sick. I know lots of others feel

that way too.

[Guest guest]

mimi wrote: " I was told adhd is subsumed under the autism diagnosis

and only specified when it is as prominent as the first diagnosis.(in

other words a duel diagnosis) Adhd alone is not autism. Cerebral palsy

benefits can be given to a person with Autism if the are also deemed to

have medical need. DMR funds will be given to a person with Autism if

their IQ is below 100. This may lead to conmfusion as so many agencies

are related to unrelated conditions. This is the case in Massachusetts

anyway "

Then clearly ADHD is NOT an Autism Spectrum Disorder if it can be a

dual diagnosis along with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. In other words,

you cannot be diagnosed as being " doubly autistic. "

Raven

Co-Administrator

[Guest guest]

>

>

> Then clearly ADHD is NOT an Autism Spectrum Disorder if it can be a

> dual diagnosis along with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. In other

words,

> you cannot be diagnosed as being " doubly autistic. "

>

> Raven

> Co-Administrator

>

yes but as you heard is not not stated clearly as that was doctor lingo

told to me. You need to parse out the question, but confusion for

reporters looking to capitalize on emotional topics enjoy such errors

[Guest guest]

>

> Then clearly ADHD is NOT an Autism Spectrum Disorder if it can be a

> dual diagnosis along with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. In other

words,

> you cannot be diagnosed as being " doubly autistic. "

but " autism spectrum disorder " is being used as another name for AS,

muddling the distinction between specific conditions and the wider

spectrum.

ADHD, Tourette, Irlen, dyspraxia, are all conditions that tend to

coexist but are distinct from AS. A description of the wider spectrum

is bound to include them. You can be singly autistic with 2 or 3

conditions making up your total ASD pattern. The diagnosers are

getting their language wrong when they call only one of the conditions

ASD.