An Open Letter to Dr. Steven Novella Concerning His Positions on Vaccines and Autism
Dear Dr. NovellaI am a parent of a 13 year old boy with Autistic Disorder. I also have a blog site on which I commented unfavorably on your response to the possibility that the IACC might recommend some vaccine autism research. I ask your response to a few questions if you have the time and are inclined to respond.One is your apparent opposition to any further research exploring possible vaccine autism connections. I am not an "anti-vaxxer". I have never attributed my son's autism to vaccines. Until recently I accepted the official view that vaccines play no role in causing autism. More recently my views have moved toward an undecided position. Thi

Autism Rising or Not? Mercury Disproved as Autism Cause or Not?
In an exchange at About.com: Autism AutismNewsBeat, the host of a blog which claims to serve as an evidence based autism resource for journalists, (it is really more of an ideologically driven Neurodiversity blog), has taken the position that there has been no real increase in autism over the past two decades. Yet ANB fails to understand that in taking that position he is disavowing the assertion by many that a thimerosal (mercury preservative in vaccines) causal connection to autism was disproved by the increase in autism rates after the removal

Autism Research, Treatment and Cure
My son, Conor, is 13 and has a diagnosis of Autistic Disorder. He is assessed with profound developmental delays. His initial diagnosis of PDD-NOS at age 2 was changed to Autistic Disorder a short time later. In the 11 years since his diagnosis there have been significant changes in autism service delivery for children here in New Brunswick and elsewhere in Canada and the United States. But there has been almost no effort made at all to find new treatments or cures for autism disorders.The latest mainstream media discourse on autism treatment and cure arrives courtesy of the Chicago Tribune which has published a series of articles beginning with criticism

Kevin Leitch Goes Overboard, Opposes Interests of Children with Autism
Yup Kevin Leitch opposes the interests and well being of autistic children.That is the logical conclusion of the false dichotomy Kevin Leitch creates when he accuses Bob Wright of opposing the interests ofautistic adults. Mr. Leitch has his knickers in a knot because Mr. Wright commented on the activities of a few autistic adults in disrupting a benefit and therefore in Kevin's mind he is opposed to the interests of all autistic adults. Using Kevin Logic, in attacking Bob Wright for defending a benefit for autistic children, Kevin Leitch opposes the inte

Conor Returns to the Circle Place
Conor returned to the Circle Place, the Nashwaaksis Commons, today for the first time in almost two years. He used to love going to the Circle Place and then he just stopped and refused to go back.Today though we were in the area anyway and with some gentle urging from Dad Conor revisited his old haunt and had a blast. He has grown at least half a foot since his last visit and his footing was a little wobbly to start but he got it back quickly and had lots of fun.Dad was happy too.