Re: Is autism on the rise in Ireland?

[Guest guest]

> >

> > In Friday Evening Herald – sorry link wouldn't send

> > http://www.herald.ie/national-news/is-autism-on-the-rise-in-

ireland-

> > 1439998.html

> >

> > Is autism on the rise in Ireland?

> > By FIACHRA O'CIONNAITH

> > Friday July 25 2008

> > The number of children diagnosed is soaring …AUTISM services

across

> > the country are struggling to meet the needs Confirming the

> situation

> > in an official response to a parliamentary question, the HSE has

> > stated that the " huge increase " in the number of children being

> sent

> > to specialist autism services is making it almost impossible to

> meet

> > demand.

> > …However, despite major improvements being made in the service on

> > paper in recent years, with a €5m research fund approved by the

> > Department of Health through the Health Research Board into the

> > causes of the condition, the HSE has now formally acknowledged

that

> > it is failing to fully meet the needs of hundreds of children

> > diagnosed with the condition every year.

> > ….the HSE has now confirmed that serious " challenges " are being

> > experienced by medics because of the sheer numbers of children

> being

> > diagnosed with the condition.

> > In formal correspondence sent to Deputy Durkan, a HSE official

> > noted: " Challenges experienced by the HSE and funded non-

statutory

> > service providers in meeting the needs of children include huge

> > increases in numbers of children presenting with autism and the

> need

> > to balance the requirement to provide assessments and diagnosis

> with

> > ongoing service intervention to children. "

> > The report went on; " In areas where services are provided by

child

> > and adolescent mental health services, there is a need to move to

a

> > model in line with A Vision For Change which is the strategy for

> > mental health services. "

> > It highlighted the reality that the high number of children being

> > diagnosed with the condition is now forcing a rationing of the

> > service on offer to the children and their families affected.

> > - FIACHRA O'CIONNAITH

> >

>

[Guest guest]

After almost 3 years, Connor is now set to get speech therapy for one

hour a week, 8 weeks on, 8 weeks off. And only during school term

(??????? - it;s the health dept, not the dept of Education!)

He receives sporadic OT. Maybe 10 sessions over the last year.

Nothing prior to that.

That's all he gets.

What has proven a saviour for us is a local parent led group in Cork

called IPAA. They run a local pre-school with ABA as their main

intervention. Connor got 20 hours a week there part-funded by the

Dept of Education. If it wasn't for a parent led group like this, I'd

currently be living in Michigan, USA.

Still toying with the idea of moving to Boston or California to take

up jobs there. Wet Irish summers compound this feeling.

> > >

> > > In Friday Evening Herald – sorry link wouldn't send

> > > http://www.herald.ie/national-news/is-autism-on-the-rise-in-

> ireland-

> > > 1439998.html

> > >

> > > Is autism on the rise in Ireland?

> > > By FIACHRA O'CIONNAITH

> > > Friday July 25 2008

> > > The number of children diagnosed is soaring …AUTISM services

> across

> > > the country are struggling to meet the needs Confirming the

> > situation

> > > in an official response to a parliamentary question, the HSE

has

> > > stated that the " huge increase " in the number of children being

> > sent

> > > to specialist autism services is making it almost impossible to

> > meet

> > > demand.

> > > …However, despite major improvements being made in the service

on

> > > paper in recent years, with a €5m research fund approved by the

> > > Department of Health through the Health Research Board into the

> > > causes of the condition, the HSE has now formally acknowledged

> that

> > > it is failing to fully meet the needs of hundreds of children

> > > diagnosed with the condition every year.

> > > ….the HSE has now confirmed that serious " challenges " are being

> > > experienced by medics because of the sheer numbers of children

> > being

> > > diagnosed with the condition.

> > > In formal correspondence sent to Deputy Durkan, a HSE official

> > > noted: " Challenges experienced by the HSE and funded non-

> statutory

> > > service providers in meeting the needs of children include huge

> > > increases in numbers of children presenting with autism and the

> > need

> > > to balance the requirement to provide assessments and diagnosis

> > with

> > > ongoing service intervention to children. "

> > > The report went on; " In areas where services are provided by

> child

> > > and adolescent mental health services, there is a need to move

to

> a

> > > model in line with A Vision For Change which is the strategy

for

> > > mental health services. "

> > > It highlighted the reality that the high number of children

being

> > > diagnosed with the condition is now forcing a rationing of the

> > > service on offer to the children and their families affected.

> > > - FIACHRA O'CIONNAITH

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Havent had OT for a year, havent had SLT since March 2007.

No suitable play group for building social skills, never has been.

schools use teacch, pecs, 1:1 aides have been well meaning but ill-

trained with certain belief systems about autism that have been

ultimately damaging.

I dont think anyone in London or big cities in UK can understand what

its like to live in Ireland, north or south. It really is a bad joke.

studies after studies, but nothing ever happens.

latest news about ireland, is that our heavy metals/radiation levels

are 1000 points higher than the average UK. very scary.

> > >

> > > In Friday Evening Herald – sorry link wouldn't send

> > > http://www.herald.ie/national-news/is-autism-on-the-rise-in-

> ireland-

> > > 1439998.html

> > >

> > > Is autism on the rise in Ireland?

> > > By FIACHRA O'CIONNAITH

> > > Friday July 25 2008

> > > The number of children diagnosed is soaring …AUTISM services

> across

> > > the country are struggling to meet the needs Confirming the

> > situation

> > > in an official response to a parliamentary question, the HSE

has

> > > stated that the " huge increase " in the number of children being

> > sent

> > > to specialist autism services is making it almost impossible to

> > meet

> > > demand.

> > > …However, despite major improvements being made in the service

on

> > > paper in recent years, with a €5m research fund approved by the

> > > Department of Health through the Health Research Board into the

> > > causes of the condition, the HSE has now formally acknowledged

> that

> > > it is failing to fully meet the needs of hundreds of children

> > > diagnosed with the condition every year.

> > > ….the HSE has now confirmed that serious " challenges " are being

> > > experienced by medics because of the sheer numbers of children

> > being

> > > diagnosed with the condition.

> > > In formal correspondence sent to Deputy Durkan, a HSE official

> > > noted: " Challenges experienced by the HSE and funded non-

> statutory

> > > service providers in meeting the needs of children include huge

> > > increases in numbers of children presenting with autism and the

> > need

> > > to balance the requirement to provide assessments and diagnosis

> > with

> > > ongoing service intervention to children. "

> > > The report went on; " In areas where services are provided by

> child

> > > and adolescent mental health services, there is a need to move

to

> a

> > > model in line with A Vision For Change which is the strategy

for

> > > mental health services. "

> > > It highlighted the reality that the high number of children

being

> > > diagnosed with the condition is now forcing a rationing of the

> > > service on offer to the children and their families affected.

> > > - FIACHRA O'CIONNAITH

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

>

>

>

> latest news about ireland, is that our heavy metals/radiation levels

> are 1000 points higher than the average UK. very scary.

Blimey is that a region statistic or national? the West always seems

so clean - is radiation a east coast thing (Sellafield)?

[Guest guest]

2950 units radiation for uk wide, 3950 units for ireland nationwide.

> >

> >

> >

> > latest news about ireland, is that our heavy metals/radiation

levels

> > are 1000 points higher than the average UK. very scary.

>

> Blimey is that a region statistic or national? the West always seems

> so clean - is radiation a east coast thing (Sellafield)?

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

After years of agonising over no services and very little parent

solidarity to fight for them, i now realise that I am my son's best

teacher and in fact he thinks i am his best friend! we play together

learn together, and do all the things he would with another five year

old.

WE dont need (or want) anyone else involved now. Its great,

thankfully.

> > > >

> > > > In Friday Evening Herald – sorry link wouldn't send

> > > > http://www.herald.ie/national-news/is-autism-on-the-rise-in-

> > ireland-

> > > > 1439998.html

> > > >

> > > > Is autism on the rise in Ireland?

> > > > By FIACHRA O'CIONNAITH

> > > > Friday July 25 2008

> > > > The number of children diagnosed is soaring …AUTISM services

> > across

> > > > the country are struggling to meet the needs Confirming the

> > > situation

> > > > in an official response to a parliamentary question, the HSE

> has

> > > > stated that the " huge increase " in the number of children

being

> > > sent

> > > > to specialist autism services is making it almost impossible

to

> > > meet

> > > > demand.

> > > > …However, despite major improvements being made in the

service

> on

> > > > paper in recent years, with a €5m research fund approved by

the

> > > > Department of Health through the Health Research Board into

the

> > > > causes of the condition, the HSE has now formally

acknowledged

> > that

> > > > it is failing to fully meet the needs of hundreds of children

> > > > diagnosed with the condition every year.

> > > > ….the HSE has now confirmed that serious " challenges " are

being

> > > > experienced by medics because of the sheer numbers of

children

> > > being

> > > > diagnosed with the condition.

> > > > In formal correspondence sent to Deputy Durkan, a HSE

official

> > > > noted: " Challenges experienced by the HSE and funded non-

> > statutory

> > > > service providers in meeting the needs of children include

huge

> > > > increases in numbers of children presenting with autism and

the

> > > need

> > > > to balance the requirement to provide assessments and

diagnosis

> > > with

> > > > ongoing service intervention to children. "

> > > > The report went on; " In areas where services are provided by

> > child

> > > > and adolescent mental health services, there is a need to

move

> to

> > a

> > > > model in line with A Vision For Change which is the strategy

> for

> > > > mental health services. "

> > > > It highlighted the reality that the high number of children

> being

> > > > diagnosed with the condition is now forcing a rationing of

the

> > > > service on offer to the children and their families affected.

> > > > - FIACHRA O'CIONNAITH

> > > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > latest news about ireland, is that our heavy metals/radiation

> levels

> > > are 1000 points higher than the average UK. very scary.

> >

> > Blimey is that a region statistic or national? the West always

seems

> > so clean - is radiation a east coast thing (Sellafield)?

> >

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Depressing, but well put.

Funny enough, there is a well funded, well known speech therapy

centre near me who do NOT work with kids on the spectrum. Cleft

palate, dyspraxia - yes, but autism nope.

Further because of politics, most of the private speech therapists

would not touch my kid whilst we were using an NHS funded therapist.

They didnt want to " step on toes " cause they all know each other.

Nice to see how they had such concern for my son.

I truly believe what my friend (also on this list) told me recently,

that we are destined for something we are not yet aware of (no, not

burn out) something we can't even see.

No one faces a struggle like this without a " reason " . We and our

cihldren will all profit from it eventually (i hope).

Going it alone has been the best thing we ever did. I dont have the

worry any more, i dont have to read the gloomy reports, listen to

their patronising comments and my son is far happier, which is counts

most (and doing much better).

To be honest, when were were in " they system " i was blinded by all

the eejits involved with my son, (teachers, OT's doctors, SLTs) and

never really seemed to ever get a chance to really see him for who he

truly is.

If you can read anything out of what I am saying, if you have the

opportunity - going it " alone " may actually be what you have been

looking for. We feel so blessed to be where we are now, outside the

loop of madness that is out there.

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > latest news about ireland, is that our heavy metals/radiation

> > levels

> > > > are 1000 points higher than the average UK. very scary.

> > >

> > > Blimey is that a region statistic or national? the West always

> seems

> > > so clean - is radiation a east coast thing (Sellafield)?

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Sweden?

In Autism-Biomedical-Europe , " Crombie "

wrote:

>

>

> > > >

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > latest news about ireland, is that our heavy metals/radiation

> > levels

> > > > are 1000 points higher than the average UK. very scary.

> > >

> > > Blimey is that a region statistic or national? the West always

> seems

> > > so clean - is radiation a east coast thing (Sellafield)?

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

>