USAAA 2008 Annual International
Autism and Asperger Conference,
Austin, Texas, September 4-7, 2008
US Autism & Asperger Association, Inc. (USAAA) kicks off its third annual International Autism and Asperger Conference (and 5th overall conference since 2006) in Austin, Texas, September 4 - 7, 2008. Twenty-Five of the world’s most renowned leading autism experts will present new interventions and new research in both education and medicine. The conference is presented in part by Care Clinics and International Hyperbarics Association and will be held at the Hilton Austin Airport.
University of Michigan begins landmark study of toddlers with autism
ANN ARBOR, Mich.—Autism researchers at the University of Michigan, the University of California-Davis and the University of Washington have been awarded a $15.3 million grant to determine the impact of intervening with toddlers age 2 and younger as part of the NIH Autism Centers of Excellence Networks.
The five-year study is the first multi-site, randomized trial funded by the National Institutes of Health to determine if such efforts can reduce--or circumvent altogether—the language impairments and social deficits associated with the developmental disorder.
Researchers will also determine the behavioral factors that help predict whether a child will respond well to this early treatment.
Catherine Lord, U-M professor of psychology, psychiatry and pediatrics, and director of the U-M Autism and Communication Disorders Center, will collaborate with UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute researcher Sally J. Rogers and University of Washington Autism Center researchers.
"We very much need to better understand how early intervention works and what interventions work best," Lord said. "Participating in the study allows us to provide high-quality service to families free of charge and to learn more about how to carry out the most effective treatments of autism in young children."
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Comment by David Kirby, author, Evidence of Harm
Eli Stone: Now that the country is focused on vaccines and autism… - Jan 29, 2008
I am not surprised by all the attention currently being lavished upon the new ABC Series “Eli Stone” [Pilot, Thursday night, January 31, 10/9c on ABC]. The producers obviously wanted to kick off with a controversial topic ripped from the headlines, and the vaccine-autism debate surely fits the bill.
But now that we know that this is a comedy-drama-fantasy, more “Ally McBeal” than “Law and Order,” maybe everyone should take a deep breath and watch the show for its entertainment value.
But now that the country is paying attention to this rancorous and very real debate over vaccines and autism, I believe it is clearly time to fund a large study of vaccinated and unvaccinated children - to see if there is any difference in the health outcomes of either group.
There are millions of unvaccinated children in this country. If rates of autism among the unvaccinated is the same as vaccinated children, then clearly vaccines are not linked to the disorder. Why won’t the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention support this study, funding for which has been proposed by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) in a bill described at this link: click here
It makes one wonder why they would not want to vindicate vaccines and thimerosal once and for all.
Virtual Reality Teaches Autistic Children Street Crossing, Study Suggests
ScienceDaily (Jan. 29, 2008) — Recent research conducted at the University of Haifa found that children with autism improved their road safety skills after practicing with a unique virtual reality system. "Children with autism rarely have opportunities to experience or to learn to cope with day-to-day situations. Using virtual simulations such as the one used in this research enables them to acquire skills that will make it possible for them to become independent," said Profs. Josman and Weiss, from the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Haifa.
The independence of children with autism depends on their receiving treatment in natural settings. One of the main problems they face is their inability to learn how to safely cross the street, a necessary skill for independent living. While acquiring this skill could greatly improve these children's independence, most of the methods for teaching street-crossing have been designed for use within the classroom, and they have been shown as insufficiently effective among autistic children.
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