Tuesday, June 15, 2021

Shards of Glass - Severe Autism Realities Hidden from Sight

 

I love to post the many pictures of Conor's happiness and his wonderful smile but he has always suffered from the more severe realities that afflict some with autism particularly those like him with ID and epilepsy. Severe autism realities from 7 years ago. The picture shows broken glass fragments which I found some time after Conor had put his hand through a window which he did a few times back then as well as through walls ,,, many times. Things have improved for him and it has been done primarily with medications. He still suffers moments of pain on occasion. Wearing costumes and praising autism as a gift and a community doesn't address the realities of those with autism, intellectual disability, migraine level headache pain and seizures of whom Conor is one. Conor can enjoy life and his smile is proof positive but painful reality can never be dismissed or ignored.

Shards of Severe Autism Reality
We were cleaning books and papers out of the "China Cabinet" in our kitchen today. We had never stored China there only photos, albums and papers. Like other China Cabinets though there were glass doors on the front through which you could view the China. Over time Conor had, on different occasions, while suffering meltdowns, put his hands through the glass windows. I thought I had gotten all the glass out on each occasion but today after moving a group of albums I found some shards of glass, shards of severe autism realities.
Such events are not talked about by those alleged "thinking persons" and others who talk breathlessly about the joys of autism and criticize parents, and grandparents, of children with severe autism disorders and intellectual disabilities who talk honestly about the severe challenges faced by their own children, the children they love. Personally they will not stop me from talking honestly about the severe autism disorder from which my son suffers and yes he does suffer from it. I will continue to speak the truth about these serious neurological disorders and if my words seem to them like shards of glass then so be it.

Friday, June 4, 2021

          Double Disadvantage - Autism and Intellectual Disability

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jir.12573

The prevalence and general health status of people with intellectual disabilities and autism co-occurring together: a total population study
K. Dunn, E. Rydzewska, C. MacIntyre, J. Rintoul, S.-A. Cooper

Results
A total of 5709/5 295 403 (1.08/1000) people had co-occurring intellectual disabilities and autism; 2.58/1000 children/young people and 0.74/1000 adults. The peak reported prevalence was at age 10 years (3.78/1000); 66.0% were male. Their general health status was substantially poorer than for the rest of the population, more so for children/young people, and they had more limitations in their day-to-day activities. Co-occurring intellectual disabilities and autism had odds ratio = 48.8 (45.0–53.0) in statistically predicting poor health.

Conclusion
This is the first study to report the population prevalence of coexisting intellectual disabilities and autism, and the substantial influence this double disadvantage has on general health status, apparent across the entire life course. This highlights a group in need of wider recognition for whom resources should be focused on and planned for, informed by evidence. Staff in services for people with either of these conditions need to be trained, equipped, resourced and prepared to address the challenge of working for people with this duality. This is essential, to address these substantial health inequalities.

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Conor has autism, ID and epilepsy and a great smile but not a COVID Vaccination



                 
Conor has autism, ID and epilepsy and a great smile but not a COVID Vaccination

Conor's health and safety is at risk from lack of COVID vaccine and it is the government's fault. The WSJ reported 2 months ago, based on 2 studies, that persons with Downs and autism were more than 2 times as likely to die from COVID as persons generally. NB has responded by making Downs a priority group for vaccination and that is a good thing. They have not done the same for autism though. My son has profound autism, developmental challenges and epilepsy. He is not in ANY priority grouping for vaccine shots. .... I have not been able to get him an appointment for a shot and that to me is pure ignorance that places my son's safety at risk.





Saturday, April 3, 2021

Dominic Cardy Strong Supporter for Adult Autism Care April 2015 ... Minister Cardy April 2021?????


Minister Dominic Cardy do you still support an adult autism centre as you did in 2015? Adults with autism face the same future and could use your support in the current government.

"Dominic Cardy · Fredericton

On #WorldAutismAwarenessDay, in addition to noting the energy of friends like
Nick Taggart
and
Toni Swan
looking after their awesome kids, let's all push the NB govt to build a proper care centre for adults with severe autism - today we send those folks off to a centre in Maine, causing huge stress for them and their families and spending our health care dollars in another country.
Harold L Doherty
and his group has a sensible plan to deal with this and I hope the Liberals will listen. The status quo isn't good enough.
You, Andrea L. Trevors, Valerie Wiley and 51 others
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