1 in 166 children under age 10 are affected by autism - New statistics surrounding autism make it the number one growing developmental disability in the country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates as many as one in 166 children under age 10 are affected by the disorder. Nearly two million people in the U.S. are living with autism. - Autism is a highly complex neurodevelopmental disorder affecting sensory and motor systems, speech and language acquisition and communication and social skills. Children with autism face enormous challenges in interacting with others and engaging in the world around them.

A Credo for Support by Norman Kunc

A home without hugs or family meals - Christine Doyle meets a mother and daughter living with the emotional isolation imposed by Asperger's - "...Becky has Asperger's syndrome, which develops early in life and affects the way the brain processes information. It is grouped with "classic" autism as an autistic spectrum disorder, and has many similar traits, including difficulty in communicating and forming social relationships, a dislike of being touched and a lack of imagination and creative play," by Telegraph.co.uk

A Miss and a Milestone - "...Although Gloucester County has never had a Miss America, it was represented in the 2004 Atlantic City pageant by Pitman's 22-year-old Erica Scanlon. Proving that being crowned Miss New Jersey meant more to her than just winning a beauty pageant, Erica used the national spotlight to promote autism awareness. Autism, a complex developmental disability, has touched most of her life. Erica's 20-year-old sister, Jessie, was diagnosed with autism when she was 2, by Bob Shryock

An aspie quiz, A test aimed at the behavioral differences between NTs and aspie.

Are you saying autism is a disability? By New Scientist magazine, April 2001.

Asperger's man is releas

A misunderstood disability - By Jenn Abelson, Globe Staff, 12/7/2003

A series of articles from Mike Conner who is a chartered Educational Psychologist and has written widely (see catalogue). He has many years experience of working with children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Many of these papers summarise the current research findings on ASD.

A Syndrome With a Mix of Skills and Deficits

A writer aims to alter her readers' view of the world - At home with novelist Margot Livesey by Lisa Zwirn, Globe Correspondent

A World Apart From Autism, Asperger syndrome challenges experts to distinguish its symptoms and treatments by By Jamie Talan

Actor John Schneider Promotes Asperger's Syndrome Awareness

ADD, autism link may be overlooked, author says By William Croyle

After the Diagnosis - Where Do You Get Help? By Barbara Fowler

All about Autism - Medical News Today

All in a day's work / Woman finds her niche helping parents of special needs kids  - ""It's more about the child," said Miller, sitting at a table in the store. "When people come in and say, 'I have a child with autism or (Asperger syndrome)'I say, 'okay, but what are they like?'" by Amanda Parry

Answer, but No Cure, for a Social Disorder That Isolates Many by Amy Harmon

April for autism awareness Governor signs proclamation to kick off campaign by Oyaol Ngirairikl

Art of the M.I.N.D.: The Art Collection of the UC Davis M.I.N.D. Institute

AS or ADHD? Alphabet Soup by Jed E. Baker, Ph.D.

Allowed to be Odd By David Noonan

America has got Asperger's syndrome by Niall Ferguson **WARNING - Political**

Asperger Children and Gifted Children by Lynette M. Henderson

ASPERGER group brings families together - "After her son was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, Carolyn Warden wanted to connect with others who were grappling with the autism spectrum disorder," by Kristen Park

Asperger Kids are Creative by Dan Kincaid

Asperger Syndrome by Kids Health

Asperger Syndrome - Articles from Fall 2000 Issue of NJ Psychologist Magazine

Asperger Syndrome by Romeo Lucioni – Alberto Farina – Ida Basso – Alessandra Amabile

Asperger Syndrome by Rosalyn Lord

Asperger Syndrome By Stephen Bauer, MD, MPH

Asperger's Syndrome: A Developmental Puzzle Contributed by Michael McCroskery

Asperger syndrome: an update by Ami Klin / Child Psychology and Psychiatry Yale Child Study Center. New Haven, CT, USA /  download article in PDF format 

Asperger’s Syndrome and Humor by Jason McCormick, Psy.D.

Asperger syndrome: diagnosis and external validity by Klin A, Volkmar FR
Full Text | PDF

Asperger syndrome from childhood into adulthood by Dr.Tom Berney / Advances in Psychiatric Treatment (2004)

Asperger's Syndrome, High Functioning Autism, and Disorders of the Autistic Continuum"  by Sally Bloch-Rosen, PhD. Read this paper on Dr. Bloch-Rosen's AS website.

Asperger Syndrome: Through the Lifespan by Stephen Bauer, MD

Asperger Syndrome - Signal Failure by the Observer   With Asperger Syndrome it's impossible to interpret body language. Jo Carlowe reports on a much misunderstood form of autism.

Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact - This article is the  complete article by Leo Kanner, written in 1943 paper.  It appears on the Brazilian autism site of the Autistic Friends Association the home page of which is to be found at http://www.ama.org.br/main.htm

Author Diane M. Kennedy's National Book Tour and Seminar Series Examines ADHD and Autism: Is There a Connection? / Mother of Child with Asperger's Syndrome Uncovers Information that May Provide Answers to ADHD--A Major Public Health Controversy - Diane Kennedy, author of The ADHD-Autism Connection (WaterBrook Press, 2002), candidly addresses this question in an upcoming national book by PRNewsWire

Autism And Schizophrenia - by Uta Frith, from the book "Autism - Explaining the Enigma"

Autism by Psychology Today - 2002

Autism and Trauma: Reflections on Autism Awareness Month by Robert Naseef, Ph.D.

AUTISM AGONY OF 3400 SCOTS KIDS  - MORE than 3400 kids in Scotland have autism, a report has revealed. But there are shocking regional variations in the rates of the developmental disorder. First ever study into disorder. Exclusive by Judith Duffy

Autism as Metaphor - Some time ago, while trolling the Web, I came across a 30-year-old paper by William P. Sullivan, originally published in The Bulletin of the West Virginia Association of College English Teachers, that describes Melville's Bartleby as ''a high-functioning autistic adult.'' The notion struck me as far-fetched, but it certainly has had legs. A recent search using the words ''Bartleby'' and ''autism'' turned up, among other results, a 2004 Modern Language Association essay on the pale scrivener's ''autistic presence'' and a University of Iowa study guide that asks if Melville might have ''observed some of these attributes in himself.'' Bartleby even appears on a site listing literary figures with autistic traits -- along with Pippi Longstocking, Sherlock Holmes and several characters from ''Pride and Prejudice.''  By Polly Maurice

Autism 'causes greatest disability' - "..."For instance, over 90 per cent of people reporting autism, dementia or Down syndrome had severe disability." Personal and environmental factors such as place of residence, education level, marital status and socio-economic status had a strong influence on the level to which a condition impaired functioning, the report found.  But it concluded that it was impossible to predict the severity of disability caused by any given condition even when a wide range of factors was taken into account.  "It is hoped, however, that this new way of looking at these complex inter-relationships will aid our understanding of the measurement of disability and functioning," Dr Wen said.

Autism centre to open in 2006 - A long-awaited centre for the education of autistic children will now open in Co Armagh three years behind schedule, it emerged last night. The all-Ireland Centre of Excellence for Autism is due to begin to offer services to children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders from Northern Ireland and the Republic from the autumn of 2006. The new timescale was revealed by the Department of Education in response to a request from the Belfast Telegraph.  By Kathryn Torney

Autism spurs debate over its cause and incidence / 18 STATES SEEK TO ASSESS WHETHER CASE NUMBERS ARE GROWING - Autism is a set of severe developmental disorders in young children, involving impaired verbal and non-verbal communication, sometimes accompanied by repetitive or self-destructive behaviors. The list of symptoms has expanded over the years, and health authorities now sometimes use the term "autism spectrum disorders" to describe them.

Autism information group in area gaining momentum - Mike Sciortino saw the pain and anguish autism was causing his grandson, Ethan. The Cape Girardeau man decided he had to do something. So, about a year ago, Sciortino started a group called Ethan and Friends for Autism and began holding weekly meetings for anyone interested in the disease by Callie Clark

Autism Grows Up - It has been less than 40 years since autism was recognized as a biological condition. Doctors used to think it was caused by bad parenting. Although a cause and cure remain elusive, medical science has learned a great deal about the treatment of children diagnosed with the disorder… but what about adults? Their best assistance begins at an early age by Canada.com

Autism services to be boosted - The province is about to boost services for autistic children in schools, says a London advocate for children with the disorder. Patricia Gallin, president of the London and District chapter of the Autism Society of Ontario, said the province will soon announce the hiring of consultants on autism spectrum disorders who will work with school boards.  Nineteen consultants have been hired for Southwestern Ontario, Gallin said. "They will work with teachers who support the kids and we can only build from that," she said yesterday at the chapter's Cycle for Autism event.
by Hank Daniszewski

Autistic author wants to give hope to others - Daniel Hawthorne always considered himself a ''freak'' and never understood why he couldn't be like everyone else. He recently completed and copyrighted ''Guidelines to Intervention in Autism.'' He wants to publish the work, hoping to inspire those suffering from autism with his firsthand account of coping with his disability, focusing on his strengths to succeed in life," by Jordan Blum

Autism begins to get its due in Lebanon by TerraNet Plus

Autistic Boy Goes Missing For Second Time - An autistic teenager from Millis, Mass., is missing for the second time in a month. Andrew Grant's parents awoke Tuesday morning to find the 15-year-old was not in his bedroom. They're asking for the public's help. Andrew was the subject of an extensive search in late August after he wandered off barefoot from his grandparents' home. The teen was found six days later in a wooded area several miles from his home. He was asleep and covered in dirt and mosquito bites. About 400 people took part in the search, including police, firefighters, a motorcycle club and other volunteers.  AMBER ALERT

Autistic children left hanging

Autism debate by Helen Branswell

Autism diagnosis on rise Doctors say odd behavior in many kids, adults is more than a quirk by Karen Gutierrez

Autism: Autism reaching 'epidemic' levels by By Joan Lowy

Autism - from bubbly baby to disconnected child  by Daniela Lamas 

Autism fund-raiser - It's not too late to sign up for the Cure Autism Now fund-raising walk, an annual event sponsored by the organization's Pacific Northwest chapter to raise money for the treatment of autism.

Autism: More autism cases reported, yet cause remains unknown by Erica Goode

Autism: Autism reaching 'epidemic' levels by By Joan Lowy

Autism and Asperger Syndrome : The State of Play - by Mike Connor

Autism and the Pew Lady by Dan Coulter

Autism and the Reptilian Brain - By Jon Hurst

Autism and Trauma: Insights and Reflections on Autism Awareness Month by Robert Naseef, Ph.D.

Autism, Asperger's conference comes to CNY - What can we learn from families raising austistic children? by Amber Smith

Autism cases exaggerated by paediatricians by The World Today

Autism debate by Helen Branswell

Autism film triggers touching replies by Dennis McCarthy

Autism in the United States - A Perspective by Dr. Yazab

Autism is the child of social disconnection  By Gabor Mate

Autism fears over disorder bill - A leading charity has claimed that a new law on anti-social behaviour could be used against autistic children - BBC

Autism: Learn and Educate Yourself, Part 2 by Fredalynn Mortera Hecita, KUAM News

Autism on rise, forcing debates - "The developmental disability is increasing both nationally and globally. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimated last year that autism affects one in 250 children. The Autism Society of America estimates that the incidence of the disorder is rising by 10 percent to 17 percent a year and in the next decade the number of Americans diagnosed with autism will rise from 1.5 million today to 4 million," by Beth Quimby

AUTISM - Mild form defined by social ills by Daniela Lamas

AUTISM - Scientists attempt to understand cause of disorder by Daniela Lamas

Autism Stats Phonied Up? by Adelle Jameson Tilton

Autism's surge mystifies By Anita Manning, USA TODAY

Autism: More autism cases reported, yet cause remains unknown by Erica Goode

AUTISM: The Myths and the Realities' by U.S. Newswire

Autism - The Silent Epidemic is a video presented by Talk About Curing Autism (TACA).  It is a VERY POWERFUL presentation on Autism Spectrum Disorder's (ASD's) with valuable information, featuring beautiful children before and after autism hit and one child after recovery.

Autism Through Ages Baffles Science - By Robert Williams Jr., June 12, 2000 at Health24 News

Autism training for emergency workers urged - "With reports of autism on the rise nationally, a new coalition wants to train area police officers, firefighters, and other emergency responders on how to deal with people who have the disorder," by John Laidler

Autism 'up by 10,000 per cent' in Maryland by The Herald-Mail

Austism: Small steps become monumental on Bend child's path to maturity

AUTISM SKYROCKETS IN QUEBEC: A SECRET NO MORE by RFD Columnist, Dr. F. Edward Yazbak

Autistic Spectrum Disorders: Sorting it out by Martin L. Kutscher, MD

Autism toward a necessary revolution

Autism vs. Asperger's Syndrome - revised by Jim Devine.

Autism: What Pennsylvania needs to do - Some education-related recommendations from the upcoming Pennsylvania Autism Task Force executive summary report: SHORT TERM - School districts need to dramatically increase the capacity of special education teachers to provide appropriate care. They need to find people with specific expertise and provide teacher in-services to raise the expertise in the classroom. MEDIUM TERM - The state needs to give counties and school districts flexibility to combine funding streams to coordinate services. This would prevent a duplication and inefficiency of services that children with autism receive.  LONG TERM -  Pennsylvania must develop autism training programs in colleges, offering loan forgiveness to encourage people to become teachers of the autistic. Also the state needs to create a system of service provider accountability so providers offering better, proven programs will be reimbursed at higher rates. The state needs to license and certify autism service providers and create a plan of what it will and won't pay for - both in the education and health systems by Bucks County Courier Times

Beating the Odds by April Curtis

Bettleheim's Worse Crime - Autism and the Epidemic of Irresponsibility by Michelle Dawson  

Beyond Asperger Syndrome - Paper by Sula Wolff

Blame for Autism By LENORE SKENAZY

Blinded By Their Strengths: The Topsy-Turvy World of Asperger's Syndrome by Diane Twachtman-Cullen

Brilliant minds linked to autism by the BBC News UK

California Autism Numbers Decrease Causing Some in Boise to Wonder... by Linda Patton

Can ADD, or ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome Occur Together? By Barbara Fowler

Cases of child autism have increased 850 percent in Missouri  April 2004

Castlemilk high-flier triumphs over personal adversity - "...But what makes his achievement even more remarkable is that he has overcome the challenge of Asperger's syndrome, a condition often associated with dyslexia, writing problems, and difficulty with mathematics," by Elizabeth Buie

Catching up with autism by Susan Fitzgerald

Centerpiece: Early detection of autism can make a difference by Beth Francis

CHAIRMAN BURTON TO EXAMINE THE STATUS OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH DISABILITIES IN THE U.S. - According to the United States Census Bureau, there are currently over 49 billion individuals in the United States living with some form of disability. Unfortunately, a majority of this underserved population doesn’t enjoy nearly the same quality of life that many of us take for granted everyday. Chairman Dan Burton will convene a hearing to examine the quality of life experienced by persons with disabilities in the U.S. In addition, the Subcommittee plans to discuss a wide range of efforts on the part of the Federal Government, as well as non-governmental organizations to expand the participation of and contributions from this population of America. 7/2004

China reports rising number of children suffering from autism  - "Children suffering from autism, a brain disorder, have been rising rapidly in China and now there are altogether 1.8 million children with autism across the country.  Bai Xueguang, a professor of neurology with the People's Hospital of Hubei Province, based in Wuhan City, the provincial capital, said on average he had five to six children seeking medical treatment with him a month. During summer vacation the number has been higher, he said," by China View

Coming real soon to a theater near you - The Offbeats, a group of college students, are sitting in a circle around UNCG junior Kristen Woetzel's living room. "We're not going to be able to get guns," says film student Josh Jones. "Do you think we could use knives if we needed to?" asks Woetzel, the team leader. It sounds like this group is plotting to rob a mini-mart, but they are actually throwing around ideas for cop movies -- part of the team's preparation for the 48-Hour Film Project being held in Greensboro this weekend. The festival, which came to the Triad for the first time last year, gives local movie makers the chance to produce a short film.

Count to determine if autism on rise BY Dave Parks News Staff Writer

County services for autistic children debated by Joe E. Carmean Jr.

Critical shortage of support services for parents raising children with autism has been confirmed by UTS research, highlighting a need for drastic reform. The findings come hard on the heels of controversy over the tragic death of autistic ten-year-old Jason Dawes at the hands of his mother, who had received only three of the 20 hours per week of early intervention that her child needed since the age of 18 months." by Medical Condition News

Disorder still largely a mystery

Does DSM-IV Asperger's Disorder Exist?  by Susan Dickerson Mayes [1,2]; Susan L. Calhoun [1]; Dana L. Crites [1]

Early Diagnosis of Autism Critical to Treatment by wavy.com

Early treatment of autism yields results, expert says by Peggy Anderson

Einstein and Newton 'had autism' by the BBC News

Einstein, Newton, and Asperger Syndrome - Did both men have this condition? by Lisa Barrett (the Washington Post 1/14/03)

Emanuel Miller lecture: Confusions and controversies about Asperger syndrome bu Uta Frith

Epidemiologic data on Asperger disorder by Fombonne E, Tidmarsh L Full Text | PDF

Examining Autism - CBS News Sunday Examines Autism, "The problem has reached such proportions that the federal government recently convened the first National Autism Summit. Though the overall picture is gloomy, one encouraging finding has emerged, according to Nancy Wiseman of the advocacy group First Signs: Clear, early and intensive intervention can profoundly impact the quality of life for every child and family at risk."

Executive Functioning - Executive Functioning is the brain's ability to absorb information, interpret this information, and make decisions based upon this information. For example, most people have a routine when they get up in the morning. Some mornings you might look out the window and see something is dripping from the sky. This dripping is interpreted as "rain" which implies a set of rules (i.e., needing to wear different clothes, the soccer game will be canceled which means you need to make other arrangements for an after school activity, rolling down the windows while you drive is not wise, you don't need to water the grass today, etc.), by Alex Michaels

Experts challenge autism 'myths' by BBC News

Experts: Spike in autism could be anomaly - "As the number of children with autism in California continues to multiply, so too are the questions about what has caused the rise.  Meantime, some health and education experts question the validity of the statistics that point to the increase in caseload," by Emily Fancher

Facing Off Against Autism by Shannon McCallum

Families hit by cost of diet to help treat autism - "CALLS have been made for specialised dietary foods used as a treatment for autism to be made available on the NHS as parents struggle to cope with the costs. The wheat and dairy-free diet, which is increasingly popular with parents of autistic children, can send a family's shopping budget soaring as the products can cost up to 10 times more than standard alternatives," by Darren Devine - Whales

FAMILIES share stories about life with autism - ... Now his diagnosis is Asperger's syndrome, children who often possess great academic ability but poor social or communication skills. "Autism is weird by phillyburbs.com

Family hopes to bring attention to autism by Jeffery Womble

Finding the genius within, against the odds - "In his new book, "Burro Genius" (Rayo, $24.95), the acclaimed author of the 1991 book "Rain of Gold" uses his own experience as a Mexican-American child struggling with undiagnosed dyslexia to condemn an educational system he says destroys our natural genius," by Michelle Morgante

Fitting together Autism group fills a niche in the community by Susan Bacon, Pilot & Today Staff

Five Survival Strategies To Help Children With Asperger's Syndrome Overcome Inertia by George T. Lynn, M.A., C.M.H.C.

Food Safety to release review of implied claims for A2 milk - "The implied claims have included that A2 will not trigger some forms of heart disease, autism, schizophrenia and diabetes," by Kent Atkinson

Forum offers resources for a social-cognitive disability By Gloria A. Hoffner

Friends’ deaths prompt creation of memorial mural - As Tracey Sykes drove home from a friend's funeral, she thought about memorials.  A golden-haired angel takes shape with Tracey’s Sykes’ paintbrush. After the stabbing death of one friend and the drowning of another, the art therapist kept thinking there should be a happier spot than a cemetery where she could go and remember them. Now there is. Sykes is painting a colorful "Wall of Remembrance" at Bank and Lafayette streets in Northeast Decatur. She can paint up to 600 names in memory of people or to honor those still living. Sykes started daydreaming about this type of art project as she drove home from the funeral of high-school friend Mike Lucas, who was stabbed in Huntsville two years ago. She remembered another friend, Cliff Poole, who drowned in a boating accident. "I just thought there should be something on a building that won't go away and isn't in a graveyard — somewhere that's appealing, so you want to go visit and celebrate their lives," the Decatur resident said. "That helps people." By Gary Cosby Jr.

From devastated mother to pioneering researcher - Lorna Wing, psychiatrist and pioneer of the concept of the autistic spectrum, was motivated by her daughter's autism. ^- Lorna Wing is a renowned authority on autism. She was a founder member of the National Autistic Society in the United Kingdom and her paper on Asperger's syndrome stimulated interest in this condition in English speaking countries. Lorna and her colleague Judith Gould set up the first centre for social and communication disorders for both children and adults.  Mareeni Raymond reports

Funding not going into fighting autism - Canadian Press - "When Dr. Noni MacDonald starts talking about the debate over whether childhood vaccinations cause autism, her words are steeped in anger. She thinks the public ought to be angry, too.

Garrett arranges autism forum - "State Sen. Susan Garrett (D-29th) of Lake Forest will co-sponsor a two-part Autism Forum in early September in conjunction with the Jewish Children's Bureau and the Autism Society of Illinois," by Pioneer Press

George’s Place - Autism swept him off to a secret world. Could his grandmother find a way to meet him halfway? By Carolyn See, September & October 2004 AARP Magazine

Get out and do a good deed Autistic professor of animal science believes that understanding yourself and others can make a difference in a sometimes brutal world - a letter from Temple Grandin .

Girls, Boys and Autism by  Geoffrey Cowley - Newsweek / Sptember 2003

Great minds don't think alike by Mark Lythgoe

Great physicists 'had Asperger's'  by David Derbyshire, Science Correspondent

Hans Asperger - Born in Vienna. He identified a pattern of behavior and abilities that he noted in four in boys he called "autistic psychopathy," meaning autism – self and psychopathy – personality. The pattern included "a lack of empathy, little ability to form friendships, one-sided conversation, intense absorption in a special interest and clumsy movements." Asperger called children with AS "little professors," because of their ability to talk about their favourite subject in great detail.

Healthbeat: Early Diagnosis of Autism - Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction, problems with verbal and nonverbal communication and unusual or limited interests and activities. According to the Autism Society of America, the disorder affects up to 1.5 million Americans and occurs in about one in 250 births. No single cause has been found by Jen Christensen