Autism Discovery a Game Changer

Researcher have found that most forms of Autism may have their origins in utero. CBS news reported today results from a study from the National Institute of Health and the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle. The study found Clusters of disorganized brain cells in tissue samples from brain regions important for regulating social functioning, emotions and communication.

According to a paper published on Wednesday, March 27 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The findings suggest brain abnormalities in children with autism can be traced back to prenatal development.

There will be more research in this direction but, the findings further debunks the already discredited research that attempted to link childhood vaccines and Autism. The discovery could mean that intervention to develop new pathways in the brain can start in the first year of a child's life.

Check out the report here.  For children with autism, brain abnormalities may begin in utero

Autism and Diagnosis Anxiety

Update: The date of the FOCUS Center for Autism Unplugged Panel at Northwestern Connecticut Community College in Winsted, Connecticut is being moved to April 17th. It will be at the same time and place. The Panel presentation is from 6:30p to 8:30p.

Why parents shouldn't worry so much about regressive autism.

There's a lot of fear and anxiety among parents that their child might be diagnosed with Autism. Does the increased awareness of the disorder drive this? It might. Awareness should not only FOCUS on fundraising for a cure, but also on hope because there are many people who are willing to help. There are organizations who are treating the disorder so children on the spectrum can reach their full potential. Jennifer Richler wrote for Slate about Regressive Autism. Awareness about Regressive Autism increased after Ron Suskind’s essay in the New York Times Magazine about raising a son with autism: “Reaching My Autistic Son Through Disney.” Suskind's son Owen was diagnosed with Regressive Autism.

"Suskind describes how, at almost 3 years of age, his son Owen “disappeared.” The child was once “engaged, chatty, full of typical speech,” but then he stopped talking, lost eye contact, even struggled to use a sippy cup."

Richler says Regressive Autism is very rare. Because of the prevalence of Autism, parents are fearing the worst. She says Owen's story is really one of compassion and hope because of the involvement of his parents and engaged therapists.

Find Out More At The Unplugged Panel
Through treatment and therapy, children on the Autism Spectrum will surprise you with what they can accomplish. If you want to find out more...FOCUS Center for Autism will hold an Unplugged Panel at Northwestern Connecticut Community College in Winsted, Connecticut. The Autism Spectrum Unplugged travels statewide to schools, businesses and public venues to talk about their experiences of living with Autism. They have enlightened and educated over 100 audiences from Connecticut to Massachusetts and beyond. The Panel is Thursday, April 3rd at NCCC. It's free. You might want to reserve your space.
Call FOCUS at 860 693-8809.

Commit to Fundraising

Staffing, Not Stigma, Is Biggest Fundraising Challenge for Mental-Health Charities

A recent post in the Chronicle of Philanthropy offers hope to non-profits that help people with mental-health problems, intellectual disabilities, and substance abuse. Some thought it might be stigma holding back efforts to get donors. According to a survey conducted by The Mental Health and Addiction Network, the only thing holding us back is our commitment of resources. Actually, there are five issues.

#1 Lack of Staff

#2 Competition

#3 Need to Diversify

#4 Board Support

#5 Stigma

Click on Stigma, Staffing and Boards – Surprises and Common Struggles  to see the survey results.

Tablets Can Help Teens on the Autism Spectrum

A new study from UNC-Chapel Hill touts the value of Tablets as a teaching tool for Teens on the Spectrum.
The study focuses on teaching independence to high school students with Autism. According to Kara Hume, a researcher at the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “It’s clear that teaching independence to students with autism should be a central focus of their activities in high school.”

Independence is the biggest indicator of which students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are likely to live on their own, have a job, and participate in their communities after high school.

The full report is published in Remedial and Special Education.

The Clinical Educational Staff at the FOCUS Center for Autism employs this technology with the Children in the FOCUS Extended Day Treatment Program. They would like to expand it. We're in the process of looking for funding to acquire new iPads.

We'll need your help in acquiring the funds. Have any thoughts? Leads? A willingness to help?

Autism and Music Therapy

At FOCUS Center for Autism, we're using music as a part of our therapy. According to studies released in the 2004 music in interventions used with children and teens with ASD can improve social behaviors, increase focus and attention, increase communication attempts (vocalizations, verbalization, gestures, and vocabulary), reduce anxiety, and improve body awareness and coordination. The study was released by The Journal of Music Therapy. Marcela DeVivo, mother of a child with severe disabilities, an attorney and writer, wrote about this in an essay for the Autism Science Foundation. Her article cites several other studies.

Music encourages social interactions.
A 2009 study by Kim, Wigram, & Gold found that children with autism showed more emotional expression and social engagement during music therapy sessions than in play sessions without music. 

Music can improve behavior.
In a 2012 study of 41 children with autism over a ten-month period, See found that weekly music therapy sessions seemed to improve overall behavior, with the most improvement seen in inattentive behaviors

Music can improve communication.
Wan et. al. (2004) found music to improve the mapping of sounds to actions, by connecting the auditory and motor sections of the brain, which may help improve understanding of verbal commands. 

Music can reduce anxiety.
Children with autism are more sensitive to anxiety than the average child, as they are unable to filter out provoking stimuli. A small four-week study, conducted at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse in 2006, found preliminary success in reducing anxiety in patients with autism through music therapy.

As DeVivo points out, the most important aspect, music is fun! There's more on using music as therapy in a 2011 episode of Science Friday.http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/12/16/2011/treating-stress-speech-disorders-with-music.html

Investing in Autism

Investment Opportunities

Google and Autism Speaks are teaming up to find investors for Autism. In a report published by CNBC Private equity and venture capital firms TPG Biotech, Shore Capital Partners, Bay City Capital, Great Point Partners and Google Ventures, plus hedge fund Scopia Capital Management are among the investors slated to attend the 2014 Autism Investment Conference next week in San Francisco.

Funding for Autism has been well below the norm. Autism affects more people than those affected by diabetes, AIDS, cancer, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy or Down syndrome—combined. According to the CDC one in 88 are diagnosed. Yet funding continues to be a struggle. The reasons may include that there is no known cure and there is no known single cause. There is treatment. Where there is treatment there is hope. Places like the FOCUS Center for Autism in Canton, Connecticut offer treatment using Milieu Therapy. Others use ABA Therapy (Applied Behavior Analysis).

The Need is Growing

Investment in treatment and educational specialists is a big need. Transitional services are going to be the next big wave as these children age out of the system at 18 and 21. Services are hard to come by after chidlren on the spectrum leave high school. Unemployment levels among young adults on the autism spectrum are quite high. Nearly seven years after high school, 35 percent of autistic young adults still had no paid employment or education beyond high school.  the National Autistic Society (UK) shows that 15% of people with autism have full-time jobs, compared to 57% of non-disabled individuals. 

Stem the Tide

It is understood in treatment circles that we are about to be hit by a tsunami of individuals on the spectrum reaching adulthood. There are too few services in place. Investment in treatment, educational services, job training, groups homes and other supportive services are essential.

FOCUS Center for Autism is a licensed Extended Day Treatment Program which runs an after school program, a Clinical Educational Support Program and a Summer Social Skills Immersion program. Each of these programs uses Milieu Therapy; a treatment model that utilizes a planned treatment environment in which everyday events and interpersonal interactions are opportunities for social learning. Through individual and group activities, children and adolescents receive the attention and support they need to develop social maturity, cope with the anxiety and frustration associated with having an Autism Spectrum Disorder, and learn to become successful academically and socially. Additionally, FOCUS runs two residential programs; one DCF Level II Therapeutic Group Home for boys aged 14-21 with Autism Spectrum Disorders and trauma, and one DMHAS Transitional Support House for young men aged 18-25 with Autism Spectrum Disorders and trauma.

Investments in FOCUS gladly accepted.