New autism research

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16740758

Some new research which may indicate children being identified as having an ASD from the age of six months! Early intervention is soo important so this is really fantastic news. Hopefully this research will display more positive results!

This is quite cool

http://storyful.com/stories/1000017532

I think this is great. A nine year old boy with an ASD raising awareness and grilling candidates about their special need proposals during the run up to the US elections. Some of the replies are incredibly patronising but once you can get past that its great!

And such a good idea,..what better way to give people with ASD a voice!

Christmas is tough...

I have read so many blogs about autism in the last few years. The general consensus is that for families with an individual with ASD..  Christmas is quite a difficult time. There are so many reasons why autism and Christmas are a complete disaster

1.       It is something that only happens once a year, its completely out of the regular routine of everyday life.

2.       It involves the concept of a spiritual story which a lot of people with ASD have a difficult time getting their head around

3.       The excitement which revolves Christmas from the shops, the rush of people, overcrowded areas and just giving and receiving presents can be completely overwhelming for an individual who just struggles to cope with an everyday situation without getting stressed out

4.       And number four Christmas is complete sensory overload, blasting music, crowded streets and flashing lights..In even find it overwhelming.

Every year me and my family greet Christmas with a sense of anticipation and a little bit of dread. We have been quite lucky the last two years and have had quite calm Christmas’s with my brother. But then we have thrown ourselves into making it as calm and routine as possible. We have schedules and rules and calendar events posted all over the kitchen. Every Christmas we follow the exact same routine from the time we get up to the time that we go to bed at night. We don’t put up many decorations – a tree and a crib is the extent of it and we just keep our fingers crossed.

I have been asked so many times to come to friends on xmas day and i think people really don’t get how important it is for me to be home with my family to help my parents. Especially since i am an only sibling my parents really need my support. This year was quite calm and i was even able to go to a Christmas party (although late that night when i was sure all was well) so hurrahJ

So my message to every family who reads this blog and has a family member with ASD , i hope you have a wonderful, calm, safe Christmas with few meltdowns and outbursts and I hope you have a peaceful new year!

A Little Bit of Controversy for Christmas Week

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0IvM8c-Pew&feature=related

So one of the whole points i started this blog was to have give honest opinion about being a sibling with autism. Obviously that involves giving my opinion on certain topics. I think one of the responsibilities of having a blog involves not being afraid to shy away from certain controversies and autism is unfortunately full of them. Also, I’m sure everyone who does read this is hopefully aware that this is just my personal opinion on topics and my own outlook I never wish to offend anyone and i completely respect every one else’s perspective. 

This video that I posted is hardly scientific but I do think that it is interesting and it involves one of the most controversy theories of what is the root of the recent surge of autism – the MMR. Despite the fact that officially the MMR has been cleared as safe and not linked to autism, it is still a topic that remerges again and again. Many parents still feel that the reaction that their child suffered due to getting this vaccine led to their child’s autism. I completely empathise with these parents. Maybe there needs to be more research to ease parents mind because unfortunately at the moment measles, mumps and rubella are at a dangerous level.

I think posting a video like this allows people to think about such an important topic that has such relevance for so many families.

Disclaimer: this link does contain a loooottt of offensive language and a lot of offensive Botox (Jenny McCarthy!)

Comedy?

http://www.rte.ie/ten/2011/1201/gervaisr.html

Ricky Gervais is getting in some trouble over his new TV show, as disability campaigners have accuses him of exploitation. This is not the first time that Ricky has come under the spot light of disability campaigners. However, my opinion on this...  I think that Gervais is a fantastic comedian and a very clever one. I think the way that Gervais handles disability in his shows is in quite a sensitive way. Throughout the Office, Extras and his new show I think Gervais jokes don’t make fun of those with a disability but the ignorant people around them. Like that classic scene in the Office where Garath points out to a girl he has just been introduced to “hey, you’re in a wheelchair” while everybody in the room puts their head in their hands. In my opinion Gervais uses the ignorance and miseducation of disability as the joke and not the person who is disabled.

However, i am completely aware that comedy and disability is such a sensitive thing. That’s why i love Gervais because the majority of comedians choose to make the person the disability that joke and I find that so upsetting and disrespectful.  I feel really stricken with the whole linking of comedy and disability sometimes, and yes i think that to promote inclusion that  we  do want people with disabilities to be included. Maybe they should be a part of the comic aspect just like every other member of society. However, my main issue is when it becomes disrespectful and mean. Comedians like Frankie Boyle and in some aspects Ben Stiller i think have clearly something missing inside them where it comes to empathy and understanding of other human beings.

Ben Stiller is an old enemy of mine. I have not watched Tropic Thunder, despite the fact that i have heard positive things about the films treatment of disability, making fun of ignorance rather than the disability again. However, after seeing “There is something about Mary” when i was 12 i just can’t bring myself to watch a single thing that Stiller is in, he has become so aversive to me he’s basically like a phobia at this stage! For anyone who hasn’t watched it, there is a horrible sterotype of an individual with a disability.

 The thing that does bother me about disability humour is that my brother can’t defend himself. Pretty much every other group can, they can issue a statement or take the piss back. Now i know there are a lot of people with disabilities that are well able to give as much as they get, but my brother is not one of them. The fact that nasty jokes are being made about people with autism, really cuts me to the core and the fact that my brother cannot defend himself is what makes me feel the worst. It is a vulnerable group.  When comedians argue the point of comedy is to push boundaries yaddayaddayadda guess what those theories are manmade! Mostly what i see are a bunch of insecure people, desperate to be shocking enough to make it into the papers and sell a few tour dates. If you don’t believe me, follow Tommy Tieran’s career- controversy- tour, controversy – tour and etc!

So again that’s just my opinion about a really sensitive matter. Again i don’t think disability humour should be not included. It allows people to become aware and hopefully discuss the disability. However, it does of course depend how it is done. Ricky Gervais you a winner in my book. Franky Boyle is worse than the worse biggest fattest playground bully picking on the smallest kid in the classroom.

Simon Baran Cohen's new research- intelligent parents

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/8905851/Rise-in-autism-may-be-linked-to-clever-parents.html

People seem to have various views about Dr Simon Baran Cohen latest research indicating that really intelligent parents ie engineers, computer scientists, mathematicians are more likely to have children with an ASD. Some opinions include – yes Simon we kind of know this already and how much more are you spending researching this fairly obvious stuff!

I agree this banter has been around a while. Temple Grandin cites in her wonderful book “Thinking in Pictures” that’s its not unusual to her that the majority of hits she gets on her web page appear to be from Silicon Valley. However, i have to say i am a big fan of Mr Cohen – not only is he related to one of the most talented comedians (Sasha Baran Cohen) but i love his research and the concept of theory of mind was revolutionary and certainly changed my perspective of autism. Also his books are very reader friendly with huge emphasise on family support and a tone that is empathetic towards families not sympathetic. Any family member related to someone with an ASD or indeed anyone diagnosed with an ASD will tell you how important that is.

So although this is probably not the most mind blowing research, I can tell you as an (almost – i have not graduated yet) scientist. It is important to properly investigate and research these things. Vagueness has been sniffing around autism for decades – what we need now (obvious as they may seem) are facts!

Friends

Friendship can be a rocky one to ride. I think anyone who has been through the teenage years knows how difficult it can be, honestly especially when half the time when you are hugging your best friend good bye who are pulling the knife out of your back as you are walking away! Ok maybe I’m being a tad over dramatic, but friendship can be tricky..especially if you are a teenager and if you have a sibling with a disability it can be even more difficult. I remember having friends in school who would openly imitate that Timmy kid from South Park knowing full well i had a brother with autism. So friends is always an area of interest for me whenever i meet another sibling, especially if they are in their teenage years,soo how are your friends with it?

I have gotton several answers to this question, verging to  they love my sister, they feel sorry for me, they don’t like coming to my house or i don’t like bringing them home .It honestly makes me feel a little bit sad just typing this.

For me, how my friends treat my brother is basically make or break with my friendship. And i have always been quite lucky. I am absolutely so protective of my brother and probably take offence maybe a bit easily sometimes. But i openly admit...if anyone makes a joke at someone with autism in my admittedly very bias eyes they are tainted forever.

 One memorable instance happened at my house when i was 18. I was about to go out and two friends were over. Friend 1 knew and had known for a few years that i had a brother with autism, friend 2 didn’t know so told her that day,”hey my brother has this thing called autism so if he stares at you or acts a little different don’t worry”, as was my way if introducing people to what was so normal to me back then. Interestingly Friend 1 was so uncomfortable - her body posture actually tightened when my brother came up to introduce himself. It was as if my brother had a flashing autism sign above his head. That was all she could see. Friend 2 acted completely normal chatted away with him and told me how much she was looking forward to meeting him again the next day. I think you can guess the one I’m still friends withJ

Now that I’m in my twenties, i still tell people that i have a brother with autism before they come to my house. Although its different as I do find there is more awareness of autism now and obviously how i explain it is a little differentJ However, i am so lucky to have wonderful people in my life now who love my brother. I can’t explain how lovely it feels to see my friends excited when they see my brother and make such an effort to talk to him. My two bestest friends in the world (they know who they are) have an amazing relationship with my brother and i don’t think they know just how much it means to me. It is so nice when people who spend time with my brother see him for who he is and not some label or in some cases flashing signs they may see over their head.

This blog post probably is not the best for advice for other siblings as it is really my opinion on a very personal subject. But i suppose every person who meeting your brother or sister whether they react in a positive or a negative way at least they are being introduced to autism and the person behind the label whether they can see past it or not...it may just let them think differently about people. And if they still don’t get it,,..screw them! Do you really want ignorance in your life anyway?