Category Archives: autism

2013/03/11 · 23:09

Autism Speaks sends Holy Souls Hermitage trinkets when a list of grant recipients delving into pre-natal testing was expected

autism speaks

Autism Speaks sent Holy Souls Hermitage some stuff the other day, a Lapel Pin, a Car Magnet, a Wrist Band. Nice stuff, to be sure, as stuff goes…

Except, I mean, I was hoping for a list of grant recipients, those who are delving into pre-natal testing, you know, the kind that could be used by doctors to have autistics aborted, though, to be sure, Autism Speaks says that they don’t want that use of their research at all. Nothing like that, they say.

Autism Speaks made this response to critics about all this on this very blog: HERE. I thought that that was nice but rather unsubstantiated. Gratis asseritur, gratis negatur, right?

I mentioned to them, and thought I had agreement, that I was looking for very detailed information which would actually answer their critics. I was looking for substantiated information. I was promised a second package, the first, it seems, was that email of gratuitous statements that they worked so very hard to produce.

So I awaited the day the package would arrive. I was imaging a heavy box of photo-copies and print-outs. The large package (a small envelope!) did arrive, finally, but instead of any substantiation, there were only a few trinkets. That’s it. You can imagine my disappointment. I was utterly dismayed.

I have begged Autism Speaks for clarification. I have an email record of it. :) That clarification is not forthcoming, not even about a hate-film purported to be theirs. They only gave me some throw-away remarks about it all just being made by volunteers, etc. No big deal. But there is more to it than that: HERE.

I was told that pretty much everything that could be said is up on their web-site. So I went to their web-site. I clicked on the grant-search button. This is what I got:

autism speaks grant search

“Access Denied.” Really? Why? Supporters are forbidden to know who’s doing the research? Really? Why? Red flags going up here. Do you have an explanation for that, Autism Speaks? Are you hiding something?

I’ve been indulging in giving Autism Speaks some hints about things that they should never do, or how to go about their marketing better. Here are just some lessons / questions / suggestions:

  • Never hide what you are doing. Nobody trusts you if you do that. Really!
  • Never use hate-speech against those you say you are trying to help. They won’t love you for it. Really! If that film mentioned above is yours — and you’ve half admitted that to me already, by the way — then I really think you guys should be investigated concerning a Federal Crime of hate-speech against autistics. I mean, how is that film not a hate crime? It’s like a call to eugenics… Scary, that. You’ve got me scared. And I consider that a personal offense. Don’t forget. I never heard about you until you approached me. A significant detail. You’ve given me some information, which begs many questions, and now back away. Really scary.
  • Never treat self-advocacy groups in a generalized way, you know, the old “None of them will sit down with us!” tantrums. Maybe there is a reason some don’t like you. Have you ever made it clear to self-advocacy groups that they are not appreciated? Ever?

Just to say, Autism Speaks is getting the Vatican to light up the dome of Saint Peter’s Basilica a nice shade of blue, the same kind of blue that is used with their trinkets. I suppose they have quite the connections, considering all their work in the United Nations. Sad, all that. And, I suppose that will happen, on 2 April 2013. Sad. Autism Speaks will use that to no end for their purposes. I wish I knew more about those purposes, but since we are all locked out of lists of grant recipients, I guess we won’t know any more. Sometimes the bull who runs after the red flags isn’t killed. I should like to think that this is one of those times.

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2013/03/04 · 15:32

For a lighter moment — I just love it — A “mental DISability”? Hardly! — Too cool!

h/t His Hermeneuticalness

Not the nightmare for everyone, is it? People are people are people.

In respecting each other, we see a bit of the love to which we are called.

If we demonize those called “DISabled”, only the demonic can be seen.

Let’s love one another!

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2013/03/03 · 21:55

Update(x3): Father Byers critiques the *purported* flagship video of Autism Speaks: Demonically Evil

autism speaks stat

[[UPDATE (1): So, with the above screen shot, we know that Autism Speaks has seen this post. Moreover, I alerted them to it by way of email. So, they know. So, we are awaiting a response as to the origin of this little film.]]

This is the video on vimeo, but I don’t know if:

  • The first half is from Autism Speaks
  • The second half is from Autism Speaks
  • Both halves are from Autism Speaks
  • Neither half is from Autism Speaks

Whatever the case, I have grave reservations about both halves of this film, though perhaps Paul from Autism Speaks can sort us out on that. Everything described in this post points to the whole thing coming from Autism Speaks. Paul?

Keep in mind as you watch this that the script was pretty much plagiarized from “The Crippler”, which was used as a scare tactic in theaters in the 1950s to get people to give to the March of Dimes to get rid of the demonized Poliomyelitis. Spooky music and demonic voice and heart-breaking scenes:

“My name is virus poliomyelitis. I cause a disease which you call infantile paralysis. I consider myself quite an artist, a sort of sculptor. I specialize in grotesques, twisting and deforming human bodies. That’s why I’m called The Crippler. You’ve never seen me but I’m sure you’ve seen my shadow. I’m never invited but I’ve been an invisible guest in practically every kind of home… As you probably know, I’m very fond of children, especially little children. I have no prejudices. I’m quite impartial…. I’m feeling unusually active today. I might start an epidemic!”

So, those with poliomyelitis, “especially little children,” are turned into nothing more than a shadow of the demonic crippler. They are no longer children, but mere shadows of the demonic. Nice, huh?

Autism is also demonized in the purported Autism Speaks video, to the point where — hey! — the kids will need an exorcism with voodoo! That’s sure to help, right?!

PART I:

satan h-t v sanctepater dot comI am autism. [As a personified demon with a creepy voice. Be careful of the straw men...]

I’m visible in your children [Really? How's that? Like a demon? Sounds terrifying], but if I can help it, I am invisible to you until it’s too late. [Here's the brainwashing technique: indicators of autism are equated with the demonic. This is super dangerous. But watch the image here. Autism takes over, possesses a child like a demon. The demon throws the child into the background. All that is evident is the demon, the autism. But who knows where the child is.] I know where you live. [Just like the conscienceless Mafia!] And guess what? I live there too. [Hey! Can't even hide under the bed!] I hover around all of you. [Little red demons flying about!] I know no color barrier, no religion, no morality, no currency. I speak your language fluently. And with every voice I take away, I acquire yet another language. [Because everyone on the autism spectrum can't speak, right? That would be oh so wrong.] I work very quickly. I work faster than pediatric AIDS, cancer, and diabetes combined [Just wow. Talk about scare tactics. It's gotta be like, you know, something like contagious, like stuff that kills people, like stuff old and heavy people get lots of, like, you know.] And if you’re happily married, I will make sure that your marriage fails. [This is evil. But it's supposed to be, right? Because it's the demon talking! But actually, the demon is autism, but we're really talking about a child here, except that here, the child has somehow disappeared, having been demonically possessed by the demon autism.] Your money will fall into my hands, and I will bankrupt you for my own self-gain. [I'd like to see full financial disclosure of salaries for everyone at Autism Speaks, if this is their video, since their inception.] I don’t sleep, so I make sure you don’t either. [A real nightmare.] I will make it virtually impossible for your family to easily attend a temple, birthday party, or public park without a struggle, without embarrassment, without pain. [This so makes autism impossible to be near that one would want to abort the kid or commit infanticide or just kill the person at any age, right, like in Nazi Germany? Mind you, none of these things will be refuted below. When the demon speaks, it's the truth, right?] You have no cure for me. [Here's the financial pitch for you to give your money to Autism Speaks, if this is their video...] Your scientists don’t have the resources [Give us your $$$], and I relish their desperation. [The prep for the "We'll show you!" bit to follow in Part II below.] Your neighbors are happier to pretend that I don’t exist, of course, until it’s their child. [This is the invite to dig in one's heels in all righteousness to be rid of the demon. But it is a demon here.] I am autism. [Here we go:] I have no interest in right or wrong. I derive great pleasure out of your loneliness. I will fight to take away your hope. I will plot to rob you of your children and your dreams. I will make sure that every day you wake up you will cry, wondering who will take care of my child after I die? And the truth is, I am still winning, and you are scared. And you should be. I am autism. You ignored me. That was a mistake. [You would just want to blow your brains out, right? So, despair all around, and wallets and purses are opened up. But then... but then... it actually gets worse, when it is supposed to be all better. Whoever did this is really, really creepy.]

PART II:

And to autism [the child, that is, the demon. All that follows is addressed to the "shadow" of what the child could have been, in this mentality, not to the child. The shadow is the demon. The child is possessed, and has receded into the background. This is truly frightening:] I say: I am a father, a mother, a grandparent, a brother, a sister. We will spend every waking hour trying to weaken you. We don’t need sleep because we will not rest until you do. Family can be much stronger than autism ever anticipated, and we will not be intimidated by you, nor will the love and strength of my community. I am a parent riding toward you, and you can push me off this horse time and time again, but I will get up, climb back on, and ride on with the message. Autism, you forget who we are. You forget who you are dealing with. You forget the spirit of mothers, and daughters, and fathers and sons. We are Qatar. We are the United Kingdom. We are the United States. We are China. We are Argentina. We are Russia. We are the European Union. We are the United Nations. We are coming together in all climates. We call on all faiths. We search with technology and voodoo [searching with voodoo, that is, voodoo rituals, that is, demonic spirit-channeling, you know, just to make it clear that one fights demons with... um... demons... I mean, I dunno, are there what seem to be the usual sex rituals involved with this voodoo searching, I mean, you know, with the children themselves? Just askin'. Whatever the answer to that, this is just really, really evil...] and prayer [after all that, what kind of "prayer"?] and herbs [and after all that, is the herbal thing just nature stuff, snake-oil stuff, or is it, going along with the voodoo thing, some sort of thing for witchcraft recipes? Perhaps that would involved a newt's eye or something. But I digress, possibly.] and genetic studies and a growing awareness you never anticipated. We have had challenges, but we are the best when overcoming them. We speak the only language that matters: love for our children [who have disappeared and remain missing somewhere under the demonic shadow. There are no children present with autism in the message here. "Love for our children" refers to a figment of the imagination of "what could have been" or maybe could still be, but surely is not here now, no children now, just demonic shadows. You would like to read it another way, you know, because you're nice and like to see niceness. But that's not what the film has.]. Our capacity to love is greater than your capacity to overwhelm. Autism is naïve. You are alone. We are a community of warriors. We have a voice. You think because some of our children cannot speak, we cannot hear them? That is autism’s weakness. You think that because my child lives behind a wall, I am afraid to knock it down with my bare hands? [But this skips the point of view of the autistic person, who might not at all view autism as a wall. I direct you to this most exquisite, incredible site, which, apparently, was legally threatened. It's very much well worth the read. If you persevere, and it's not all that long, you won't regret it. You will be in awe: http://web.archive.org/web/20051124032124/http://www.gettingthetruthout.org/ Note that the site was knocked off the web, and only exists on the archive.org site. Truly: Yikes! When you get to the bit with the "keyboard", follow the links for the video and then for the transcript. This will absolutely knock your socks off. So, so, so super incredibly cool!!!] You have not properly been introduced to this community of parents and grandparents, of siblings and friends and schoolteachers and therapists and pediatricians and scientists. Autism, if you are not scared, you should be. When you came for my child [who is still gone missing, abducted by the demonic possessing shadow], you forgot: you came for me. Autism, are you listening? [Just. Wow. The idea here is that the hovering demon is trying to possess the parents and siblings and everyone else, and that one must fight being possessed, the only way to do that being to attack the demon shadow. This is just so dangerous. People get the wrong idea with this kind of ambiguous confusion. Is it about research? Also. But, should a mother, say, drive off a bridge with an autistic daughter to, you know, kill that demon? Just askin'. It happened, by the way. Right after another horrific film some group put out, something like this one. I don't have the link for that though. Anyone?]

If Paul from Autism Speaks doesn’t intervene to tell us that this little film is theirs or not — and he is following this blog http://holysoulshermitage.com closely — I’ll then just have to assume the entire video is theirs. All indicators are that. Paul?

Now, I am critical here. And I’m a little bit afraid that there may be retaliation by whoever created this video. I’ve already been informed that I’ve gone beyond critical dialogue. Also, I’ve seen what may only be rumors, but there are a number of them, which state that there have been legal threats forcing self-advocate statements off the internet. Anyway, I own nothing, no land, no house. Pretty much nothing in the bank. I’ve no job. Even the rickety pickup is not mine. So, all I would have to fear is jail, right? It’s worth it. If this site is knocked off the web, I can just put it back up, minus the pictures, but at least the text will be there. It will just be a new domain. :)

So, I’ll now make a critique of the above video (and you thought I already did!). I do NOT say that that video comes from Autism Speaks. That has nothing to do with my critique. I’m just making the critique. If it is theirs… Just. Wow. But since Paul from Autism Speaks approached me first, I feel I have a right to ask questions, the first one being is about whether they have anything to do with this video.

just me one and a half years old 2Disclaimer: On the one hand, someone who’s never met me, but with whom I’ve spoken, is convinced I’m on the autism spectrum. On the other hand, a parishioner in another part of the world, who holds the record for numbers of children having autism in her hemisphere, is convinced that I don’t have even the slightest bit of autism. At any rate, I always vote for the underdog, and that would be for the autistic child, not some huge group.

MY COMMENT: The video “I AM AUTISM” makes a clear distinction between the child — who virtually does not exist — and the shadow of the demonic autism. Some take that literally, the demon bit, as is evident with the mention of voodoo, the old fighting demons with demons trick. At any rate, the point I’d like to make is that the child is depersonalized, and that it is much easier to get rid of a non-person than a child, right? The whole question is about whether or not the prevention that is so highly touted involves abortion. Murder would prevent autism, now, wouldn’t it?! But even prescinding from that question, the idea of this video is that the person cannot be seen truly to exist if there is autism present, so that autism is not a part of the person, but somehow replaces the person. This is dangerous, and smacks of eugenics and the lead-up to hitleresque death camps. I will repeat that link description above, just for coolness’ sake:

I direct you to this most exquisite, incredible site, which, apparently, was legally threatened. It’s very much well worth the read. If you persevere, and it’s not all that long, you won’t regret it. You will be in awe: http://web.archive.org/web/20051124032124/http://www.gettingthetruthout.org/ Note that the site was knocked off the web, and only exists on the archive.org site. Truly: Yikes! When you get to the bit with the “keyboard”, follow the links for the video and then for the transcript. This will absolutely knock your socks off. So, so, so super incredibly cool!!! Please use the sharing buttons at the bottom of this post.

[[Update (2): It's said that we are to have some understanding for those who created this little film, in that they have children who are autistic. Right. But I'm in solidarity with them by helping them see the error of their ways. I'm risking having the blog thrown off the internet in doing this. Moreover, those responsible for presenting this to the world should have some critical oversight with all this, no? Also...

  • It is one thing to say that one regrets that people are offended over the video and take it off the internet. That's just more mockery, you know, the old "You're too stupid to understand our brilliance and our being right, so we'll just condescendingly remove the video, O.K.?!?"
  • It would be another thing altogether to say that the video tragically sends the wrong message, that it is altogether antithetical to the welfare of autistics and their families, and that an entire sea-change of attitudes is necessary for those who promoted this video, possible on a world level, at the United Nations. But that hasn't happened, has it? Just askin'.]]

[[Update (3): There's seems to be a confirmation that the video seen in this post is, in fact, the Autism Speaks presentation. I say that because of this Time Magazine article including an interview with the Vice President of Autism Speaks at that time, Peter Bell: HERE. H/T to a schooling forum.]]

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· 14:00

Update: HELP PLEASE: I need the original Autism Speaks “I AM AUTISM” video from 2009 [I can't find it. Can you?]

autism speaks video 1

[[Update: The *purported* video might have been found: I've fisked it HERE.]] Continue reading →

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2013/02/26 · 09:20

AUTISM SPEAKS defends itself on Holy Souls Hermitage blog — but are these the facts? HELP NEEDED!

autism chair googled image[[Autism Speaks has spent many hours compiling this Q and A for http://holysoulshermitage.com and all those wondering about Autism Speaks. Is there misunderstanding? It would be dead wrong to let that stand one way or the other. Let's get it right. Please Facebook this post and use the other social media links at the bottom of this post and forward this to all your friends and organizations and groups involved with autism in any way around the world and ask them about this. If we can support Autism Speaks, we should, in whatever way. Please, for the good of us all, add your documented answers to the comments box at http://holysoulshermitage.com, or, if lengthy and formatting is a difficulty, email your responses to // holysoulshermitage using gmail dot com //. Let's see where this goes. Don't be shy. Now's your chance to speak up. There is very much riding this. Add your comment! Here's the Q and A...]]

autism speaks world autism dayHow does Autism Speaks account for the large community of self-advocating autistics who oppose their organization? Does Autism Speaks feel this population has misunderstood their message, and if so, what might you say to clarify your intentions?

A: Autism Speaks’ mission is to improve the lives of people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families. ASD is a very heterogeneous condition and, thus, the needs of the autism community are diverse. However, a core mission at Autism Speaks is to help each individual and each family address their unique struggles and help each person with ASD live the most productive and meaningful life possible. One person with ASD might define his or her greatest challenge as the need for gainful employment and full acceptance by society, whereas another person with ASD might be most affected by severe, intractable seizures or other disabling medical problems that can often co-exist with an autism diagnosis. We believe that all of these issues deserve research and advocacy.

One tension that exists is whether basic research on the biology of autism or studies focused on services is more deserving. We believe we need to fund both kinds of research. The basic research, including genetic and other biomedical studies, offers the best hope that we will be able to help the person with seizures or other severe medical problems. Such research may also lead to treatments that improve communication and social skills. When Autism Speaks first began, much of our funding was directed toward basic research. However, over the past few years, we have been balancing this basic research with studies that are developing new service and support programs for people at all points on the autism spectrum. We have also directed more funds toward advocacy efforts and research focused on adults with ASD. Among our six targeted research emphasis areas is a focus on understanding adult development, including issues related to successful outcomes, interventions and supports, and medical issues. As a result of our soliciting these kinds of research proposals, we are funding more and more studies that focus on issues that adults with ASD face as they seek to live fulfilling, independent and productive lives.

Autism Speaks funds the Autism Genome project, described, on autismspeaks.org, as, “the largest study ever conducted to find the genes associated with inherited risk for autism.” What specific benefits might this research provide the autistic community? Why might so many autistics oppose such research?

A:  We are working hard to understand the biological basis of autism as this will help us target medical treatments to the individuals who need and want them. We now know that autism isn’t one condition, but rather many conditions with many different causes and biologies. Genes are one way of helping to categorize the different autisms so that treatments can be more effective. For example, some, but not all, people with ASD have sleep problems and, in some cases, it appears to be linked to a gene involved in melatonin production (melatonin regulates our sleep cycle). By identifying individuals with that genetic variation, we can hopefully identify those people who would be most likely to respond to melatonin supplementation. This is just one example, but there are many others like it. Genes are one of the best ways of subtyping and understanding the biology of autism so we can develop interventions that can help people with medical problems, such as sleep and GI problems, seizures, food allergies, and so on.

In 2007, Autism Speaks merged with Cure Autism Now. Does finding an autism cure continue to be one of your organizations primary objectives? Do you believe it is legitimately possible to “cure” autism, and if so, what exactly would such a cure entail? What characteristics would be removed from a cured individual and what characteristics would remain?

A: Our organization has four main objectives – to raise awareness of autism, fund research into the causes, better diagnosis and more effective treatments of autism, to advocate for families (for instance – insurance coverage for validated treatments) and to providing resources for families such as the transition toolkit for adolescents who are becoming adults, community grants to expand community services, create housing and much more, as well as information on where to get assistance around the country.

As our mission relates to “cure”, our goal is to reduce suffering associated with autism, in all its forms. Some would call that a cure. Others would call it remediation of disability. For others, it means acceptance and empowerment.

One of the things that is so challenging about autism is the fact that there’s so much variation in the way autism is expressed in people. Some individuals can have a productive and creative life, and they aren’t looking for a cure. They’re interested in being accepted and getting access to services to help them adapt to the world with their special skills. At the other end, there are individuals severely affected who have significant medical conditions, like GI distress and have never spoken. For those individuals, the prospect of a cure for autism is really important because to that person “cure” means being able to communicate and free of pain. That results in a lot of different perspectives of where our priorities should be.

A growing body of scientific research suggests that we are rapidly nearing the development of an amniocentesis test to detect autism, much like the procedure currently used to detect Down’s syndrome. Does funding provided by Autism Speaks in any way enable the development of such a test? If a prenatal test for autism was developed, does Autism Speaks believe that it should be made available to the public?

A: Autism Speaks is not funding any research to develop a prenatal test for autism. That is not our goal. The genetic research Autism Speaks has funded is aimed at finding biological causes, as described above.

It has been proposed that Autism, Asperger’s Disorder and Pervasive Developmental Disorder – Not Otherwise Specified, be replaced in the DSM-V by a general category referred to as Autism Spectrum Disorder. How might this be beneficial, and or detrimental, to the autistic community, their families, schools, the clinical practices attempting to improve their quality of life, etc…?

A: In February, 2010, Autism Speaks published a blog on this very topic at 
http://blog.autismspeaks.org/2010/02/10/a-single-diagnostic-category-for-autism/
. In that post, we acknowledged that the community would have a wide range of reactions depending on one’s perspective (a recurring theme in this interview!). We pointed out that scientifically, there is no strong scientific rationale for distinguishing among autism, Asperger syndrome, and PDD-NOS. We said at that time that the changes to the DSM, scientifically, make sense.

However we also acknowledged that people in the community living with autism may have a very different view of the change. In particular, “Many individuals personally identify with the diagnostic label they have been given and grown up with. They may participate in support or advocacy groups that identify with a specific label: for example “Aspies.” Thus, although the scientific and professional communities may institute a change in the diagnostic criteria, many may choose to use the original labels despite the changes in the DSM. And there is nothing wrong with this. In fact, there is precedent for this. For example, “sensory integration disorder” and “nonverbal learning disability” are examples of labels that have been used by the clinical community, but are not specifically part of the DSM.

One benefit of the change is that it may help increase access to services for those individuals with Asperger Syndrome and PDD-NOS who were previously denied access to autism-related services.”

Interestingly, the reaction to that blog and other articles was mixed, mirroring the very conflicts across our community.

Hans Asperger said, “It seems that for success in science and art, a dash of autism is essential.”
Does Autism Speaks believe that certain valuable human characteristics might be lost if autism was to be eradicated from the species?

A: Autism Speaks does not and never has sought to eradicate autism. We wish to celebrate the valuable human characteristics of autism, as you say, by helping each person with autism use those characteristics in the most successful and rewarding way possible. At the same time, we hope to eliminate the frequent co-occurring medical issues that negatively impact quality of life for many of those on the spectrum. We want compassion for those who need it and help for those who want it. For the individual who cannot communicate – we want to help them find a voice. For the individual who is self-injurious and cannot function, we want to ease that suffering with whatever treatments will help. For those who are self-advocates and just want to be accepted for who they are – we salute you and we would never try to change you. In fact, we desperately need your voice to help bring even more awareness, understanding and compassion to those who are not touched by autism.

How does Autism Speaks feel about speculation that certain important figures in human history, such as Einstein and Mozart, had High Functioning Autism, or Asperger Syndrome? Does Autism Speaks believe that individuals with HFA or AS have greater societal value than those with lower functioning forms of autism?

A: We believe that everyone with autism has special gifts – it’s up to families and the community to help them discover those qualities. We do not speculate on who may or may not have had Asperger Syndrome in history.

Would someone on the autism spectrum be capable of attaining a well-paid and influential position within Autism Speaks?

A: Absolutely. We post all open positions on multiple job sites and encourage anyone who meets the qualifications to apply. Autism Speaks does not discriminate in its hiring practices. People with autism are employed at Autism Speaks and are also appointed to several boards and committees, such as the Scientific Advisory Board and Treatment Advisory Board, both of which review and evaluate our research grant proposals. So people on the autism spectrum are shaping what we fund. We also have many family members at Autism Speaks, both as employees and board/committee members.

Many of Autism Speaks’ promotional strategies have been heavily criticized. Are there any specific marketing choices that Autism Speaks has come to regret? If so, what would Autism Speaks say to those who were offended by the way they have chosen to depict autism, and what corrective action is being taken?

A: We are a young organization and we learn as we grow. Without a doubt we have made mistakes – and to those we may have offended we are truly sorry. We never set out to offend. We are sincerely trying to help all those struggling with ASD. The autism spectrum is just that – a broad spectrum – and we respect that there are many different points of view. What touches someone can offend another. What we ask of this community is to also respect that others don’t think or feel the way they do – that doesn’t mean their opinions and thoughts are wrong. We all need to learn to be respectful and compassionate.

What primary goal does Autism Speaks wish to reach within the next decade?

A: Like we said earlier, our organization has four main objectives – to raise awareness of autism, fund research into the causes, better diagnosis and more effective treatments of autism, to advocate for families and provide resources for families and individuals. Our main goals moving forward are:

  • ·         Federal legislation to cover autism insurance – in the meantime we will continue going state-to-state.
  • ·         Discovering and developing more effective ways of detecting autism and providing effective interventions and supports for people on the spectrum throughout their lifespan.
  • ·         Increasing access to high-quality services and supports for people with ASD throughout the world.
  • ·         Creating a more compassionate world for all those with an autism spectrum disorder.

Contact:

:: Paul Irwin-Dudek | VP, Program and Event Development

:: Autism Speaks
:: 1 East 33rd Street, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10016

:: paul.irwin-dudek@autismspeaks.org

:: www.AutismSpeaks.org

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2012/11/20 · 08:21

Some great feedback on that novena for autistic kids (indeed, families). Do you know an autistic “family”?

Dozens of names of those with autism have been added to the side bar widget of the HSH blog, again. That makes for 3,081 kids, indeed, families, since this is a situation in which the whole family is involved, bringing all, if they are open to God’s grace, to total respect for the dignity of the human person redeemed by our Lord Jesus, having them shine as beacons of hope amidst a culture of ever so dismal hopelessness and death. “Quality of Life” is not determined by an Obama[doesn't]care death panel, but rather by our Lord’s redemption of our souls. All suffer the consequences of original sin, but our Lord comes to get us. We pray for the salvation of all those who have been redeemed.

Go the Mary Ann’s page on the ongoing novena to Saint Philomena.

You’ll remember that the 3rd annual 54 Day International Rosary Novena for the Healing of Autism has come to a close recently.

If you know anyone who has autism, and want to add his or her first name to the list of those being prayed for, go to that page on the ongoing novena to Saint Philomena for info on the rules of how to email Mary Ann about this. You’ll see many testimonies of grace on that page.

By the way, and just to say, Mary Ann is emphatic that I’m not on the spectrum. Another Australian and good friend insists that I am. Hah!

Anyway, Mary Ann sent in some feedback from the recent rosary novena:

Mary Ann, I wanted to email you this for encouragement.  This is our second year praying this Novena with you.  Last year, my son M. made great improvements, was led to a new doctor and has had a solid year of more behavioural stability, increased peace and decreased anxiety. His ability to do his schoolwork has also improved greatly over the past year.  This all was put in place by God for us right after finishing the novena and has carried through until now.

This year, I was led to two new doctors and rapidly received medical diagnosis and treatment for conditions I did not even know I could have had.  I am so grateful for the knowledge and treatment I have received and am starting to feel better than I have in a very long time. This has been ongoing over the past month, during the novena.

Thank you and God Bless you for coordinating this.  God is using this novena to bless my family in the most wonderful ways. Blessings, J. R.

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2012/09/29 · 21:36

54 Day International Rosary Novena for the healing of autism: BEGINS OCTOBER FIRST

Dozens of names of those with autism have been added to the side bar widget of the HSH blog. Go the Mary Ann’s page on the ongoing novena to Saint Philomena here, and then… and then… go HERE for info on the 3rd annual 54 Day International Rosary Novena for the Healing of Autism. That’s HERE!

If you know anyone who has autism, and want to add his or her first name to the list, go to that page on the ongoing novena to Saint Philomena for info on the rules of how to email Mary Ann about this.

Mary Ann is emphatic that I’m not on the spectrum. Another Australian and good friend insists that I am. Hah!

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2012/08/11 · 07:28

UPDATE: Holy Mass for Autistic persons and their carers, in particular…

Dozens more names have been added to the autism prayers widget in the sidebar of the blog from Mary Ann’s great autism prayer page! Meanwhile, on Holy Souls Hermitage blog, we see this on the Mass Page:

  • Saturday, 22 September, 2012, Holy Mass is offered for all autistic persons and their carers, living and dead. Motu proprio.
  • Sunday, 23 September through 2 October, 2012, Holy Mass is offered for the repose of the soul of J.T., at the request of B.S.

J.T., mind you, was the sole carer of his serverly autistic teenage son as well as a daughter with other health conditions. His tragic death will bring others into the picture, but will they be able to provide what he did? A relative informs me…

“He was their anchor and aggressively advocated for his son. A couple of weeks ago I put his son on the international prayer list for autism I found at your site, but hadn’t seen him to let him know. I am especially worried about the children so if you could keep them in your prayers I’d appreciate it. [...] I really don’t know how a severely autistic child comprehends death or that he will never see his father again, but I imagine the disruption in the children’s lives is severe.”

Dear readers, if there is an “autistic family” (autism involves everyone) near you, see if you can’t get involved to provide respite care, or do some shopping, etc. The same suggestion goes for those who have someone in home hospice or similar situations. Carers are in dire need of care as well.

Autism is not a punishment. It is simply another consequence of original sin. In the next life, the tables will be turned. I imagine that autistic persons will be right up with seraphic angels, next to the throne of the Most High. Here, autistic persons provide a great opportunity — doing us an invaluable service — to assist others in whatever way. Respect for autistic persons and their carers (who are also often looked down upon) is a clarion call for respect for life that should wake up the whole world. People look down upon carers of autistic persons because the great charity of those carers is felt to be an incrimination of their own lack of charity.

Quality of life does not depend on one’s I.Q., but on being a child of the Most High, whose tender mercies, respecting the consequences of original sin in all justice, would have us reach out to have mercy. That is the life of enthusiastic love which He brought to us while at the moment of the greatest quality of life ever known, that Hour, when He was upon the Cross, being tortured to death for us, taking on the worst effect of original sin, and thus having the right in justice to have mercy on us, to show us the tender mercies of our Heavenly Father, to show us that we too can live in His love, and manifest that love to others.

Let’s say a quick prayer for autistic persons and their carers, living and dead: Hail Mary…

Now, go to Mary Ann’s site to see who’s been joining in with those international prayers. Yikes! Here!

UPDATE (from Mary Ann):

I read the posting on your blog, where the man wondered, how a severely autistic child comprehends death, or that he will never see his father again. I can offer a small insight into this. My dad died on the 21st of June, 1988. My severely autistic, non-verbal brother came home to mum and dad every weekend, and then he went back to the place where he lived. After dad’s death S. came home, and looked everywhere for his dad, when he realised that there was no longer a dad, he went into dad’s bedroom, put his head on dad’s pillow and cried. S. suffered from epilepsy and passed away just over a year later (at the age of 24.)

Today C. and I went to a beautiful Marian Shrine near Penrith. The Archdiocese of Sydney ran a wonderful retreat for carers, (fully catered!) The Archdiocese printed out some copies of my updated version of Help from Heaven (Answers to Prayer) for the participants at the retreat, and gave me a free rein to distribute St. Philomena cards, and other devotional materials. There was a talk by an Australian member of the Missionaries of Charity, and by an auxiliary bishop from the Archdiocese.

The Archdiocese of Sydney, asked to interview me a couple of days ago for their website. It is a nice article, but has some mistakes in it. The lady reporter must have misunderstood some of my answers, but that does not matter. One thing which I am a little concerned about is, that she has written that I don’t get to Mass on a regular basis (due to being a carer.) I actually told her that C. and I go to different Masses on the weekend, not that I don’t get there on a regular basis! I hope that no one thinks it is okay to ditch The Sunday Mass obligation. The article with pictures is HERE.

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2012/06/29 · 18:02

Now 2,901 kids with autism included in the Saint Philomena prayers

For those of you following the blog by email or the WordPerfect “reader”, you probably haven’t noticed that I’ve added many dozens more names to the autism widget of the HSH blog from Mary Ann’s Autism Novena over on Missionbell.

I dumped the names in a word-processor, turned on the line-numbering, and discovered that there are now 2901 names of those with autism included in the parayers.

If you know of anyone who’s anywhere on the autism spectrum, send Mary Ann the first name of the person. Of course, a whole family has autism in a manner of speaking when one person has it. They are included in the prayers as well! In case you didn’t click on the link above: HERE!

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2012/05/11 · 09:43

| LUMENA | PAX TECUM FI | Indeed: Peace be with you, Philomena, you Lover of the Light of Christ! (Update on the Autism Novena and the coolest icon to date)

This is the best representation by way of a written Icon or a painted image that I’ve come across yet. It’s be Vivian Imbruglia, who has a child living on the autism spectrum. She was inspired to write this icon because of a favor granted while participating in the autism novena.

For those of you following the blog by email or the WordPerfect “reader”, you probably don’t notice that I’ve added a couple hundred more names to the autism widget of the HSH blog from Mary Ann’s Autism Novena over on Missionbell.

I dumped the names in a word-processor, turned on the line-numbering, and discovered that there are now 2857 names of those with autism included in the parayers.

If you know of anyone who’s anywhere on the autism spectrum, send Mary Ann the first name of the person. Of course, a whole family has autism in a manner of speaking when one person has it. They are included in the prayers as well! In case you didn’t click on the link above: HERE!

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2012/04/08 · 11:32

Dozens more added to the autism novena! Double-Yikes!

Email/WordPress followers of the blog won’t realize that dozens of names have been added to the autism novena, since that’s all in a widget on the side bar. There are so many things you miss out on by not just visiting the blog itself! I must have a light version of aspergers on the lighter end of the autism spectrum to insist like this…

Anyway, visit dear Mary Ann at MissionBell to learn more about the novena and enrolling anyone you know. This is an extremely trying challenge to families. One woman killed her autistic son in an insane “losing-it” moment. The pressure can be incredible. Perhaps the worst thing is the incomprehension of those who don’t know about autism and… and… are too selfish to find out. Anyway, the novena is for all involved. Austism is a family affair.

I post this on Easter precisely because so many continue to suffer regardless of the Liturgical cycle. Our Lord is very aware. Those who have learned to turn to our Lord in utter simplicity in the midst of their trials know all about this and are, I think, much more able to appreciate the love our Lord, risen from the dead, has for all of us.

Currents run deep with those who have autism and in autism families. Many of those families, thank God, have learned that autism in the family is, in fact, a gift, an occasion for us to get over ourselves to such a degree that we can embrace not only all the awful consequences of original sin (weakness of mind and will, emotions all over the place, sickness, including autism, and death) but also — how to say it? – all of the wretched condition of sinful mankind, and this by way of intercession looking forward to eternal life, when we will freed from this body of sin and death and rejoice in the resurrection. But we have to cooperate with our Lord’s grace, by His grace. And this needs training. Austism is a great training ground for charity! Yikes!

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2012/01/20 · 05:38

UPDATE: Autism and intelligence. I knew it, have written about it years ago. Vindicated!

I guess I’m pretty sensitive to this. I think I might have been a bit autistic myself when I was a little kid.

Over the years, having the joy of meeting autistic children in the families of my parishioners, I’ve noted the glory of the human spirit somehow being shackled and smothered in expression, but only in expression. What I saw was a defense mechanism, the brain forcing its own short-circuiting, an intelligence so intense that it had to protect itself from exploding, and even throwing the person into sensory perception to distract itself, head banging, fingernail biting, flailing about, and so on. And… that’s the way it is.

The pro-aborts who are intent on sacrificing children to their death-gods, want to find an excuse to murder these children by coming up with a test to see if unborn children are autistic. But they won’t just abort autistic kids, they will also murder as many as they can, using also this as an excuse. The tables will be turned at the Last Judgment.

I’ve updated the list of autistic children for whom we pray over on the side-widget of the blog. This comes from the Novena for Autistic Children project over on MissionBell, which is run by one of my old parishioners in Australia, and whom I helped with this while I was a chaplain in Lourdes.

After watching the must-see video above, visit Mary Ann at Missionbell, and then send her an email with the first names of the autistic children in your family, and/or in the families of friends and relatives, co-workers…

UPDATE: Mary Ann, who is quite the authority on autism by way of her family sent in an email. I think she has the record for the number of autistic children in the Southern hemisphere. Yikes!

Thank you for the posting on autism. I watched the video. I have also seen it on TV. It is amazing.

My mother told me about a case that she knew of here in Australia, of a teenage autistic boy who had never said one word in his life. His mother was always trying to get a few words out of him. One day she came to him and said with great excitement. “Let’s go down the street and see the fire and the fire engine.”  Her son replied that he was too tired to go!  The mother was astounded, and asked him why he had never spoken before, and he replied that he had never known how too! I also read about an autistic girl (in Canada) who started to speak at the age of 18. She also started to display a wonderful gift for painting pictures at that time. It seems that her Catholic parents had prayed a lot for her.

I have just received an email from one of the lists that I am subscribed to, which mentions a new test which has been delevoped in Australia, to diagnose the genetic disorder Fragile X syndrome, the most common inherited cause of autism. The article is HERE.

The main point of this article is that children will be able to be diagnosed at birth or in early infancy for autism. The article says that this would indicate autism before the the symptoms show up at the age of 3  years of age.

The symptoms of autism, for those who are attuned in a special way to it, are apparent long before the age of three.  I knew that my daughter was showing the symptoms of autism when she around the age of 11 or 12 months, because my severely autistic (now deceased) brother was born when I was nine years old.

Father Rod Bray (the former parish priest of Merrylands, who died last year) heard a radio broadcast about the symptoms of autism, and then went into the nursery to study his six month old nephew. He worked out the child had autism. This proved to be absolutely correct.

The article in the newspaper says that the widespread screening of new born babies will allow early intervention i.e. teaching, therapy etc. This may be so, or ways may be found to make sure that these children don’t survive too long.

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2011/12/06 · 22:18

A report on the completed Second International 54 Day Rosary Novena for the healing of autism

[[The list of autistics in the widget in the side-bar (visible only on the blog, not in "readers" or RSS or emails) has been updated to include many more dozens of names...]]

The organizer of the novena sent me this email:


http://missionbell.homestead.com/ThankYouLetter.html

Dear readers,

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Second International 54 Day Rosary Novena for the healing of autism, which concluded on November 23. Our family has seen a wonderful improvement during this novena, in the behaviour of my youngest child Anne (who is 24 years of age.) I sincerely hope that many other families whoare dealing with autism have experienced great help also. Autism is a very trying business which taxes every member of the family heavily and repeatedly year after year. I know that this is not easy, but do not give up praying for healing and help. Try to replace panic over the great difficulties that autism presents, with faith, which is renewed with determination each day. Continue reading →

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2011/11/03 · 16:24

An example of reports from the autism novena

M.A.M., who runs the autism novena, wrote to say this:

I have just added Marcel’s name to the list. Last week I received an email from England asking me to enroll an autistic boy in India in the St.Philomena autism novena. He said that the family was having a turbulent time. The very next morning the man in England emailed again with the following.

My heart is so grateful that you have added A. to the website already! Since this morning, his parents tell me that the difference is AMAZING!!! He has a tendency to be very violent and he has been badly hurting himself andothers. Today, he is CALM!!!!!!!!!! (UK)

For the names, see the sidebar widget. For the full story, go HERE!

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2011/09/30 · 15:00

STARTING TOMORROW 1 OCTOBER: The Second International 54 Day Rosary Novena for the healing of autism

… will commence on October 1 and will be completed on November 23, 2011!

When I was a chaplain at the Sanctuaries of Our Lady of Lourdes in Lourdes, France, for a couple of years, including the 150 jubilee 1858-2008 when 12 million pilgrims showed up, I asked one of the auxilliary chaplains, who had been coming to Lourdes for decades, whether there were now more or less crippled or otherwise physically/mentally/emotionally challenged children. At the time, I was helping out with the ongoing autism novena (see the widget on the blog site with the names of thousands of kids).

I was fully expecting that there would be more children in Lourdes now, especially since there were so many pilgrims for the jubilee year. Instead, Father T.C. said that there were FAR LESS CHILDREN, since their parents killed them off while they were still in the womb. There is already a genocide of autistics.

How dare we think that we are better than autistics! Suffering like this comes about because of original sin, not because of personal sin. How terrible must original sin be! Yet, our Lord is not cruel. He merely respects justice just as He respects His Charity and Mercy. We must all of us suffer through the effects of original sin, helping each other out, especially, especially the most vulnerable. Our Lord provides us the wherewithal with His grace, if we turn to Him asking for this. Our Lord can do this in all justice, despite origial sin, since He came to take on the worst of what we could vomit out in our sin, death, and thus have the right in justice to have mercy on us, so that, when we die, and having gone through the ravages of the effects of original sin (however forgiven!), we will then see what heaven is like with no effects of origianal sin, no weakness, no sickness, no death, no temptation, no sin, only goodness and kindness and incredible rejoicing. It is there, in eternity, in eternity mind you, that we will see the tables turned. It will be these autistic kids who will be the great ones in the Kingdom of Heaven. Upon this earth, they did us the favor of providing us with an oportunity to show some charity in the grace of our Lord. How terrible that some murder these kids, trying, it seems, to kill our Lord Jesus, who, in fact, says: What you have to the least of these, you have done to me.

May the Lord raise up another servant of God for autism as He did in the great Doctor Jérôme Lejeune for Down Syndrome. Please click on the link at the beginning of this post and participate in the 54 day rosary novena for a cure of autism. You might just be praying for the skills of another doctor like  Jérôme Lejeune to come to fruition for the sake of a cure for autism. The novena is run be a friend!

Again, I put this up on this blog for the reason that it seems to me that it is just such innocent souls such as this which uphold priests in holiness of life. We will see in heaven just how much they radiated the presence of the Triune God among us.

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