AutismParents.NET!

For many parents, myself included at times, there seems to be a fine line between advocating / researching autism issues for your child and general goofing off on the Internet.  Especially Facebook.

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Filed under: Autism and Computers, Facebook and Autism

Deja Vu …

By James Rose | KDFW – FOX 4 – Dallas Forth Worth

IRVING, Texas – The Irving mother who strangled her two children earlier this week told a 911 operator she did so because they were both autistic and she wanted normal children.

Police said 30-year-old Saiqa Akhter strangled 5-year-old Zain and 2-year-old Faraal.

She then called 911.

She can be heard in an audio recording repeating, “I kill my both kids. They are died.”

Akhter also told the operator that she tried to make the children drink bathroom cleaner, but they wouldn’t swallow. So instead she wrapped wire around their necks until “they are no more.”

“I know the policeman come to pick me,” she said.

When the operator asked Akhter why she did it, she explained both her children were autistic.

“Both are autistic. I don’t want my kids to be like that. I want normal kids,” she said. “I don’t want my kids to be autistic. I kill both of them.”

Paramedics who arrived at Akhter’s apartment in the 3300 block of Esters Road Monday evening found the children blue and unconscious in a bedroom .

Zain was pronounced dead at the hospital. His little sister Faraal was taken off life support Wednesday morning.

Akhter now faces capital murder charges.

Source: http://www.myfoxdfw.com/dpp/news/072110-911-call:-mom-didn%E2%80%99t-want-autistic-kids

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Filed under: Autism in the news, Murder Suicide

Glad to see that someone took the time to actually study this issue.  I tried in vain to find the source of the 80% number and could never find.  It always bugged me that we know divorce statistics on all kinds of other issues (different religion, lived together before marriage, etc), but the one about parents with children who have autism seemed to be pulled from a magic hat.

80 Percent Autism Divorce Rate Debunked in First-Of-Its Kind Scientific Study
Kennedy Krieger researchers find autism does not affect family structure

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Having a child with autism can put stress on the parents’ marriage, and a frequently cited statistic leads to a common perception that the divorce rate among these families is as high as 80 percent. But a study to be released at a news conference today by researchers from Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore found that a child’s autism has no effect on the family structure.

Brian Freedman, PhD, lead author of the study and clinical director of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders at Kennedy Krieger Institute, said the findings seem to debunk a lot of the general understanding about high divorce rates among parents of children with autism. Dr. Freedman and his research team found that 64 percent of children with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) belong to a family with two married biological or adoptive parents, compared with 65 percent of children who do not have an ASD.

Dr. Freedman will present results of the study in Philadelphia at the International Meeting for Autism Research, an annual scientific meeting convened to exchange new scientific progress among autism researchers from around the world.

Receiving the news of a child’s autism diagnosis can be devastating, and Dr. Freedman said the pain is compounded as parents ponder what will happen to them as a couple. “In the work I’ve done with children with autism, I’ve come across many couples who quote this 80 percent divorce rate to me. They don’t know what the future holds for their child, and feel a sense of hopelessness about the future of their marriage as well — almost like getting a diagnosis of autism and a diagnosis of divorce at the same time,” he said.

With very little empirical and no epidemiological research addressing the issue of separation and divorce among parents of children with autism, researchers sought to more scientifically examine the incidence. Using data from the 2007 National Survey of Children’s Health[1] , they examined a nationally representative sample of 77,911 children, ages 3 to 17.

Previous research speaks to the fact that parenting a child with autism is stressful, and it puts pressure on the marriage. Dr. Freedman noted that past studies have found couples with a child with autism experience more stress in their marriage than couples with typically developing children or couples with children with other types of developmental disabilities, such as Down syndrome. Mothers of children with autism report more depression than those with typically developing children, while fathers report they deal with the stress by distancing themselves and becoming less involved with the family.

“While there are indeed stressors in parenting a child with autism, it doesn’t necessarily result in the family breaking up more often than would occur in another family,” said Dr. Freedman. “And as someone who works with a team of health care professionals to treat and provide support for families of children with autism, it’s important for us to make sure our patients’ parents know that, and for our fellow clinicians to provide reliable, evidence-based information about the divorce rate among this population as well.”

This analysis of the National Survey of Children’s Health data showed there are certain factors in a family that can contribute to divorce, such as having a child with particularly challenging behaviors, with or without autism. For some families, the challenges of parenting a child with special needs may indeed result in straining the marriage to the breaking point. Further research is needed to understand the relationships among in-tact families with children with autism to identify how they work through the challenges.

“I would hope this research drives home the importance of providing support to these families, and letting them know that their relationships can survive these stressors,” he said. “We should continue to provide training for parents so that they can work through the stressors in their relationship to keep their family together and have a successful marriage.”

Dr. Freedman’s presentation will be held on Friday, May 21, 2010 at 1:30 p.m. ET during the Epidemiology 2 Session in the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, Grand Ballroom CD Level 5 room.

In addition to Freedman, the research team includes Luther Kalb, of Kennedy Krieger Institute; and Ben Zablotsky and Dr. Elizabeth Stuart, of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

About Autism
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is the nation’s fastest growing developmental disorder, with current incidence rates estimated at 1 in 100 children. This year more children will be diagnosed with autism than AIDS, diabetes and cancer combined, yet profound gaps remain in our understanding of both the causes and cures of the disorder. Continued research and education about developmental disruptions in individuals with ASD is crucial, as early detection and intervention can lead to improved outcomes in individuals with ASD.

About Kennedy Krieger Institute
Internationally recognized for improving the lives of children and adolescents with disorders and injuries of the brain and spinal cord, the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, MD serves more than 13,000 individuals each year through inpatient and outpatient clinics, home and community services and school-based programs. Kennedy Krieger provides a wide range of services for children with developmental concerns mild to severe, and is home to a team of investigators who are contributing to the understanding of how disorders develop while pioneering new interventions and earlier diagnosis. For more information on Kennedy Krieger Institute, visit www.kennedykrieger.org.

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Filed under: Divorce, Family

The following is a modified version of a poem written by Erma Bombeck.  Also, yes, I know God didn’t cause autism in a lot of our kids, but somehow this has a nicer ring than Autism Mothers Chosen by Incompetent, Uncaring, Boneheaded and All Around Clueless Medical Establishment and the Pharmaceutical Industry Complex.

Autism Mothers Chosen By God

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit.

This year, nearly 500,000 women in the world will become mothers of children with autism.

Did you ever wonder how mothers of these children are chosen?

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over earth selecting His instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation.

As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.

“Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron saint, Matthew.

“Forrest, Marjorie, daughter. Patron saint, Cecelia.

“Rudledge, Carrie, twins. Patron saint… give her Gerard, He’s used to profanity.”

Finally, He passes a name to an angel and smiles, “Give her a child with autism.”

The angel is curious. “Why this one, God? She’s so happy.”

“Exactly,” smiles God. “Could I give an autistic child a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel.”

“But has she patience?” asks the angel.

“I don’t want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she’ll handle it.”

“I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I’m going to give her has his own world and that’s not going to be easy.”

“But Lord, I don’t think she even believes in you.”

God smiles. “No matter. I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just enough selfishness.”

The angel gasps, “Selfishness? Is that a virtue?”

God nods. “If she can’t separate herself from the child occasionally, she’ll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child who is less than perfect. She doesn’t realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a ’spoken word.’ She will never consider a ’step’ ordinary.”

“When her child says ‘Momma, I Love You’ , she will be present at a miracle and know it! When she describes a tree or sunset to her child, she will see it as few people ever see my creations.”

“I will permit her to see clearly the things I see… ignorance, cruelty, prejudice… and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side.”

“And what about her patron saint” asks the angel, his pen poised in mid-air.

God smiles. “A mirror will suffice.”

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Filed under: Family, God and Autism, Misc

Bye (Trailer) from Anthony Morrison on Vimeo.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Gita Chandra (gita@pkpr.com)

Patrick Kowalczyk (patrick@pkpr.com)

PKPR, 212.627.8098

CINEREACH CELEBRATES 2009/2010 REACH FILM FELLOWS

Filmmaker Anthony Morrison receives Reach Out Award for his short film “Bye”;

Cinereach kicks off call for applications for 2010/2011 fellowship

http://www.cinereach.org/the-reach-film-fellowship

(New York, NY) – April 20, 2009 – Cinereach, a New York City based not-for-profit film foundation and production company, gave its latest group of film fellows a festive sendoff last night at a screening and party celebrating the culmination of its 2010 Reach Film Fellowship program for emerging filmmakers.

Reach Out marks the conclusion of an intensive seven-month program during which four fellows - Nadia Hallgren, Courtney Hope, Gabriel Long and Anthony Morrison -  were paired with mentors as they made short films with socially relevant themes. This year’s mentors were: Marilyn Agrelo (Mad Hot Ballroom), Laurie Collyer (SherryBaby), Annie Sundberg (The Devil Came on Horseback), and Jeremy Kipp Walker (Half Nelson).

The fellows also participated in a series of workshops led by 16 advisors, who included Susan Leber (Down to the Bone), Yoni Brook (Bronx Princess), Dan Cogan, (Impact Partners), Esther Robinson (A Walk Into The Sea), Tze Chun (Children of Invention), Todd Griffin (musician and composer), Cara Cusumano (Associate Programmer, Tribeca Film Festival) and several others.

In addition to guidance from mentors, advisors and Cinereach staff, all four fellows received a grant of $5,000 and other production support over the course of the program.

“Our program is designed to focus on the process – to create a space in which our fellows can take risks and learn, said Reva Goldberg, who heads up the Reach Film Fellowship for Cinereach. “We’re so pleased to be sharing the impactful shorts that were produced in the program with the film community and look forward to seeing where the fellows go from here.”

The four 2010 Reach Film Fellows and their films are:

• Reach Out 2010 Award Recipient Anthony Morrison (Nonfiction) worked with director Marilyn Agrelo (Mad Hot Ballroom) for his film, Bye. The film follows a two-year-old diagnosed with autism, through his first months of school in the Bronx. As the Reach Out Award recipient, Morrison receives a $5,000 grant towards his future work.

• Nadia Hallgren (Nonfiction) worked with director Annie Sundberg (Devil Came on Horseback) for her documentary film Love Lockdown which tells the story of a young mother from the Bronx as she waits to learn the fate of her incarcerated fiancée, communicating with him via shout-outs on a popular late-night radio show called “Lockdown Love.”
• Courtney Hope (Fiction) worked with acclaimed indie producer Jeremy Kipp Walker (Half Nelson, Sugar, Cold Souls) for her film, Wild Birds. The film tells the story of two sisters who have run away from an abusive home.

• Gabriel Long (Fiction) worked with director Laurie Collyer (Sherrybaby) for his film The Drawing in which a young boy navigates his complex relationship with his older brother as they anxiously await their father’s return from a fishing trip.

Cinereach also announced that it is now seeking applicants for its 2011 Reach Film Fellowship. Young filmmakers who seek to follow in the footsteps of this year’s fellows can now apply at http://www.cinereach.org/the-reach-film-fellowship/how-to-apply.

The fellowship is open to emerging filmmakers who have completed at least one short film. It is ideal for recent film school graduates, or self-taught filmmakers with the equivalent level of production experience. Applicants must reside in the New York Tri-State area from August through April of 2010/2011.  The deadline for submitting applications is Monday, July 12, 2010.

About Cinereach

Cinereach is a not-for-profit film foundation and production company that champions vital stories, artfully told. Created by young philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and filmmakers, Cinereach empowers fiction and nonfiction filmmakers from all over the world through three key initiatives: Grants & Awards, The Reach Film Fellowship and Productions. Cinereach is drawn to films at the intersection of engaging storytelling, visual artistry, and vital subject matter. It has awarded over $3 million to more than 50 feature films. Recent grantee highlights include A Small Act, a documentary by Jennifer Arnold and Patti Lee, which premiered in competition at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival; October Country, a documentary by Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher, which was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award, a Gotham Award and took home awards from the 2009 SilverDocs Festival and the Cinema Eye Awards. The Reach Film Fellowship is a granting and mentorship program (entering its fourth year) in which Cinereach helps four emerging filmmakers transition from novice to professional as they produce vital socially relevant shorts. Cinereach Productions is currently in development on a feature film project. For more on any of Cinereach’s programs, visit Cinereach.org.

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