Dr. Martha Herbert will be speaking at ICare4Autism’s International Autism Conference June 5^th, at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. For the conference, ‘Autism: Cutting Edge Research and Promising Treatment and Educational Approaches,’ Herbert will present her holistic approach in a seminar Taking a Fresh Look at Autism. For more information or to register for the conference, visit: http://www.icare4autism.org/events/2013-autism-conference/ .

“Autism Now: Dr. Martha Herbert Extended Interview.” PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013. <http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/health/jan-june11/herbertext_04-20.html>.

Our speakers for this event will include Eric Hollander MD, Stephen Shore EdD and Michele Robins PhD. Dr. Hollander is the Director of Spectrum Neuroscience and Treatment Institute; a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Director of Autism and Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Program at Montefiore Medical Center. He is a renowned psychiatrist recognized for his achievements both clinically and in research. Since 2002, Dr. Hollander has been voted into the book “America’s Top Doctors.” Dr. Shore is a special education professor at Adelphi University where his research focuses on matching best practice needs of people with autism. In addition to working with children and talking about life on the autism spectrum, Stephen presents and consults internationally on adult issues pertinent to education, relationships, employment, advocacy, and disclosure as discussed in his books Beyond the Wall: Personal Experiences with Autism and Asperger Syndrome; Ask and Tell: Self-advocacy and Disclosure for People on the Autism Spectrum, and the critically acclaimed Understanding Autism for Dummies. He is the President emeritus of the Asperger’s Association of New England and former board member of the Autism Society.

Dr. Robins is a licensed and school certified psychologist and a clinical/developmental neuropsychologist with expertise in the area of assessment of children, adolescents and adults with learning and emotional problems including ASD. As a past clinical associate at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Dr. Robins consults and lectures widely on the treatment of disorders throughout the lifespan. Dr. Robins uniquely integrates cognitive behavior therapy, family therapy and school consultation to create individualized treatment for individuals with ASD.

Where: Spectrum Neuroscience and Treatment Institute 901 Fifth Avenue NY, NY 10021

When: Wednesday April 24th, 2013; 12:00-2:00 pm

Cost: $100 per person

RSVP to: sw@askstefanie.com

*Please reserve your spot by April 22nd. Space is limited to 15 people.

Don’t miss AUTISM2012 – the eighth Awares international online autism conference – from November 19-23, 2012.

More than sixty papers are online now and the presenters – among the world’s leading autism authorities and individuals with ASD – will be answering your questions from November 19, 2012.

Register right now for this unique opportunity to connect directly with the some of the top names in the field!

www.awares.org/conferences

Donna Williams on autism and dissociation, Wendy Lawson on autism and ageing, Lucy Hawking on life with an autistic son (and with her famous father), Kathy Lette on her ‘challenging, hilarious, humbling and enriching’ experiences with her Asperger syndrome son, Dr Darold Treffert on the myths and realities of savant syndrome, Dr Connie Kasari on targeted interventions on joint attention and play, Dr William Mandy on high-functioning autism and Asperger syndrome, Dennis Debbaudt on autism and the emergency services and Tito Rajarshi Mukhopadhyay on his very different mind – these are just a few of the extraordinary range of papers already online at the Awares conference site (www.awares.org/conferences).  And you will have the chance to put your questions directly online to more than sixty of the world’s leading autism authorities and individuals with ASD.

There will also be research papers on brain studies, education, concepts of autism, behavioural issues, psychology, screening and diagnosis and much, much more.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to join in the event which Professor Simon Baron-Cohen has called ‘the finest online conference on the planet’.

The outstanding list of presenters includes:

Donna Williams
Dr Wendy Lawson
Tito Mukhopadhyay
Jacqui Jackson
Kathy Lette
Jesse Saperstein
Dr Darold Treffert
Merry Barua
Professor Stephen Shore
Dr Manuel Casanova
Dr Emily Williams
Dennis Debbaudt
Dr William Mandy
Dr Elizabeth Laugeson
Monique Post
Dr Efrosini Kalyva
Dr Marlene Behrmann
Dr Ralph Savarese
Dr Elizabeta Mukaetova-Ladinska
Dr Roberto Canitano
Carole Rutherford
Dr Tiffany Hutchins
Dr Patricia Prelock
Dr Dirk Dossche
Dr Rajesh Kana
Dr Antonio Hardan
Dr Lucina Uddin
Dr Lisa Wiggins
Dr Connie Kasari
Dr Paul Ashwood
Dr Andrew Cashin
Dr Elizabeth Milne
Dr Susanne Bejerot
Dr Jeffrey Deutsch
Martine Delfos
Dr Penny Spikins
Dr Karl Reichelt
Arman Khodaei
Ian Jordan
Elaine Nicholson
Dr Noah Sasson
Dan Hall
Chloe Carter
Jamie Knight

The Awares international online conference is run by Autism Cymru, Wales’s pioneering National Charity for Autism, and organised by Adam Feinstein.

For further details, please contact Adam Feinstein on:   adam@autismcymru.org

On November 6, 2012, the ‘Towards an Autism Strategy for Europe’ seminar will be held at the European Parliament to present successful national strategies for autism and discuss the possibility of a Europe-wide strategy for autism.

As any family affected by autism will tell you, searching for and coordinating services for a person with autism – such as adapted education and training, and psychological, medical and dental services can be a full-time job.

There are currently around 3.3 million people in the European Union who have autism, yet in most European countries there are not enough basic services to meet their needs, and coordination of services at national level is often poor.

Wales and some other European nations have developed successful national strategies to identify and meet these needs. By coordinating national policy across a range of fields – education, health, justice, employment, social care, research and others – they ensure a better quality of life for people with autism.

The seminar on November 6, presented by Autism-Europe, in conjunction with Autism Cymru and the Celtic Nations Autism Partnership, aims to facilitate the development of strategies for autism around Europe.

The first session of the seminar, titled ‘Benchmarks of success’, will highlight the achievements of autism strategies that are currently in place in Wales, Northern Ireland and other Celtic nations, comparing policy approaches and criteria for success.

The second session of the seminar will look at the European context and consider the possibility of a Europe-wide strategy for autism.

The seminar will be followed shortly after by a reception in the evening which will provide an opportunity for further discussion and networking among people with an interest in policy for autism.

Hugh Morgan, CEO of Autism Cymru, explains: “The seminar aims to promote our achievements and to support third sector organisations in other EU nations, as well as EU institutions, to develop successful strategies for autism.”

Autism-Europe’s President, Zsuzsanna Szilvásy, urges: “We encourage countries that do not have an autism strategy in place, to learn from successful autism strategies in Wales and other countries, and develop a strategy at their national level.”

As more and more people are diagnosed with autism (currently around 1 in 150 people in Europe), the need for coordinated policy approaches at national and European level is becoming more and more necessary.

“Providing appropriate support to people with autism and other disabilities is a human right – the member states of the European Union have confirmed that when they signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD).

“We urge national governments and the European Union to fulfill their commitments under the UNCRPD and consider strategic and coordinated approaches to meeting the needs of people with autism and their families,” concludes Ms Szilvásy

Towards an Autism Strategy for Europe seminar & reception

Date: Tuesday November 6, 2012

Time: Seminar sessions: 11.30am – 2.30pm & Reception: 6.30pm – 7.30pm

Location: European Parliament, rue Wiertz, Brussels, Belgium

Speakers will include:

Dr Kay Swinburne MEP for Wales (Host and Chair)

Gwenda Thomas AM, Deputy Minister for Social Services and Children, Welsh Government

Zsuzsanna Szilvásy, President of Autism-Europe

Antoni Montserrat, Directorate General for Health and Consumer Policy

Hugh Morgan OBE, Expert Advisor for ASD to the Welsh Government & CEO, Autism Cymru

Lord Dafydd Wigley, Patron, Autism Cymru

Aurélie Baranger, Director, Autism Europe

Dr Pat Matthews, Chief Executive, Irish Society for Autism

Cathy Maclean, Celtic Nations Autism Partnership

For interviews, more information and photos, please do not hesitate to contact:

Aurélie Baranger, Director of Autism-Europe: Tel: +32 (0)477 70 59 34 Email: aurelie.baranger@autismeurope.org

Cathy Maclean, Coordinator of the Celtic Nations Autism Partnership: Tel +44 (0) 77 18 52 60 24 Email: Catherine.Maclean@gmail.com

Guides to autism that have been developed for a range of government sectors are available on the Welsh Government’s website: http://wales.gov.uk/topics/health/nhswales/majorhealth/autism/?lang=en

For the latest news on autism in Europe, sign up for their online newsletter: www.autismeurope.org

Autism is a severely-incapacitating developmental disability that happens in the first three years of life, but if detected early can be handled better than if the disease is diagnosed later on in life.  According to statistics, autism affects one in every 88 births and can be better dealt with, if detected early.  Autism in India is high, but there are very little treatment and rehabilitation facilities available.

The member states were impressed by the determination that they are giving appropriate recognition to Autism Spectrum Disorders and developmental disabilities in policies and programs related to early childhood development including awareness and financial and technical resources.

With autism on the rise, The WHO expressed deep concern on the growing cost involved in managing such disabilities in addition to the challenges of stigma, isolation, and discrimination faced by families dealing with autism.

The 11 countries have agreed to support the activities of autism-related networks, including the South Asia Network (SAAN) — a concept that emerged from the Dhaka Declaration on Autism Spectrum Disorders and Developmental Disabilities, adopted at the end of a conference organized last year by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s daughter, Saima Hossain, to discuss the needs and challenges of the autism community in Bangladesh and South Asia.

Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Bahamas, United Kingdom and the United States of America, in addition to the 11 countries from Southeast Asia participated in the WHO conference.

Taking up the cause of autistic children, India has now decided to hold the first ‘Annual SAAN Regional Networking Meeting’ in January next year.

Dr. Alexis L. Reyes- Associate Professor of the Developmental Pediatrics department at the University of the Philippines

Dr. Alexis L. Reyes is the former president of the Philippine Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, as well as, the Associate Professor of the Developmental Pediatrics department at the University of the Philippines.  She was chosen to speak at ICare4Autism’s International Annual Conference in Jerusalem this month, to share her expertise on children in the Philippines who are on the autism spectrum.  Dr. Reyes is considered to be the Philippines “leading Developmental Pediatrician,” according to the Autism Society Philippines (ASP).  Her topic during the ICare4Autism’s conference was, Patterns and Outcomes in Autism-A 20 year Review of Filipino Children within the Spectrum.  This study included mostly males and only fifteen percent of the participants were females.  Dr. Reyes discovered that there is not a substantial amount of data regarding the prevalence of people with autism.  The number of cases reported still does not paint an accurate picture of the population who are on the autism spectrum.  This, she says is because it is still not being diagnosed.  It is usually the parents who bring the issue to the attention of the doctors.  In an article on MIMS.com, Dr. Reyes encourages doctors to “listen to the parents.  Ninety percent of the time they are correct, although in some cases parents are in denial and the grandparents are the ones who express concern over their grandchild’s behavior.”

Currently, two hospitals in the Philippines, which include, the Philippine General Hospital and the Philippine Children’s Medical Center, have decided to establish a registry to keep a record of the number of incidences of autism.  Having doctors who are able to detect early signs of autism is a vital key to ensuring that early intervention services can be delivered to those children.  As a means to train more pediatricians on how to screen for autism, the Philippine Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics provides workshops.  Upon completion of these workshops, pediatricians will be able to administer the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT) screening, as well as the Pervasive Developmental Disorder Screening Test (PDDS).

Being able to screen children for autism is only the first step, however, after a child has been diagnosed it will take more than just the child’s pediatrician to help manage the child’s autism.  Dr. Reyes believes that for the best possible management of the disorder the parents have to play a role, and they should also make sure that there is a therapist, psychologist and psychiatrist, in addition to the child’s pediatrician, on their team.  She also believes that treatments like “social skills training, early intensive behavioral intervention, Treatment and Education of Autistic and related Communication handicapped Children (TEACCH)” are all effective treatments for autism.   To hear Dr. Reyes speak about autism issues in the Philippines go to http://talkminer.com/viewtalk.jsp?videoid=rVcJtx7ow9U&q=#.UD4MAJgW9c8.

http://www.icare4autism.org/

http://www.mims.com/India/pub/topic/Medical%20Tribune/2010-08/Pediatricians%20play%20key%20role%20in%20early%20diagnosis,%20assessment%20of%20autism

http://autismsocietyphilippines.blogspot.com/search?q=12th+national+conference&x=0&y=0

Elaine Hall- Founder & President of The Miracle Project

Parents and educators who are looking for innovative ways to improve both the social, and academic skills of students on the autism spectrum would have found the information provided by Elaine Hall during the ICare4Autism International Conference in Jerusalem beneficial.  Ms. Hall is the founder and president of The Miracle Project and the co-author of Seven Keys to Unlock Autism: Creating Miracles In The Classroom.  The Miracle Project is a program Elaine created after she realized traditional therapies were not helping her son Neal, who has been diagnosed with autism after she adopted him.

Through the use of performing arts, The Miracle Project has helped those with autism to build their confidence, and to also improve their gross motor skills, fine motor skills, speech, memory, social skills, mental agility, sensory integration, as well as their ability to efficiently express themselves.  Elaine has also used her book, Seven Keys to Unlock Autism: Creating Miracles In The Classroom as a training tool for both, volunteers and staff members.  As a result of the success that she has had with The Miracle Project in Los Angeles, Elaine is currently making it available nationwide.

http://www.themiracleproject.org/

http://www.icare4autism.org/

Dr. Sunita Maleku Amatya’s son was diagnosed with autism, which later then sparked her interest and involvement with Autism Care Nepal (ACN.)  She served as the Vice-Chairperson of ACN from 2009 until 2010.  Dr. Sunita Maleku Amatya is currently serving as the Chairperson of ACN.  Autism Care Nepal was established in 2008.  ACN seeks to work alongside other organizations as a means of sharing both resources and information.  Their goal is not only to create awareness, but also to educate and serve as advocates for the rights of autistic children in Nepal.

www.icare4autism.com

www.autismnepal.org

Dr. Sunita Maleku Amatya at the International Autism Conference in Jerusalem

Hundreds of Participants from Israel

(Jerusalem) – The 2012 International Autism Conference concluded today in Jerusalem with organizers laying out a detailed plan for ICare4Autism to lead the global movement to help those on the autism spectrum.  After two days of intense panels and plenary sessions that included a thousand participants from over twenty different countries, ICare4Autism has announced that it will focus on three key areas over the next twelve months.

“We will continue to work tirelessly to realize our dream of ICare4Autism’s new global headquarters on Mt. Scopus in Jerusalem, we will move quickly to implement a state-of-the art database system to allow families and caregivers to check information from various governmental and NGO offices in one place, and finally, we will work to implement a workforce initiative for training young adults on the autism spectrum and placing them in appropriate level jobs,” said Dr. Joshua Weinstein, Founder & CEO of ICare4Autism.

Mayor Nir Barkat greeted the conference participants, presenting a detailed vision for Jerusalem in the years to come.  ”With strong research and care, we have the ability to send a message all over the world,” said the Mayor.  “Jerusalem is a powerhouse in health life sciences, and 50% of Israel’s clinical trials are conducted here. There is no doubt in my mind that ICare4Autism will be extremely successful in Jerusalem.  We will make ICare4Autism a centerpiece for this city,” the Mayor concluded.  Mayor Barkat’s greetings were followed by speeches from Dame Stephanie Shirley – the founding UK Ambassador for Philanthropy, Dr. Shekhar Saxena of the World Health Organization, and First Lady Marta Linares de Martinelli of Panama.

“As the keynote speaker at the conference, I was extremely impressed with the depth and diversity presented,” said Dame Stephanie Shirley.  The Dame shared her own personal experiences with the participants, explaining how her family’s struggles in raising their autistic son encouraged her to become active in the global cause of autism spectrum disorder policy and awareness.

Dr. Saxena noted that “The key is collaboration for NGOs, developmental organizations and social activists to work together to make a difference for affected families.”

“Jerusalem is the natural location for an event of this nature because the country has historically been a leader in groundbreaking neurological research.  We saw it as imperative to expose some of the world’s top academics and public health advocates in this quickly developing field to the Israeli marketplace of ideas,” Dr. Joshua Weinstein, continued.  “We furthermore firmly believe that collaborations like these will lead to the breakthroughs necessary to best confront this condition and we are confident that ICare4Autism will be the catalyst in this global process.”

Over the two-day event, participants chose from four tracts that focus on important disciplines relating to autism; “Policy and Awareness,” “Bio-Medical Research and Practice, “Education and Behavioral Techniques,” and “Technology and Resources.”  Each tract featured top international experts in the designated field.

Some of Israel’s leading institutions of higher learning partnered with ICare4Autism in sponsoring the conference including The Hebrew University, The Weizmann Institute, Tel Aviv University, Haifa University and Bar Ilan University.  The Israeli Ministries of Health and Education are also collaborating with ICare4Autism on the content of the conference.

Dr. Eric Hollander, a renowned psychiatrist at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in New York and the Chairman of the ICare4Autism Advisory Council added that ” The ICare4Autism 2012 Global Conference will be a unique opportunity for leading researchers, clinicians, educators and policymakers from all over the world to share their latest findings and create powerful new international collaborations that will ultimately allow us to discover the etiology of autism and its biologic and environmental causes.  This global cross-disciplinary gathering will play a vital role in speeding the development of improved methods of autism detection and treatment that are urgently needed by patients and the families.”

Dr. Benjamin Gesundheit spoke on his research on mesenchymal stem cells and autism in Israel at the ICare4Autism International Autism Conference this week in Jerusalem.  His topic, entitled “Mesenchymal Stromal Stem Cells for Autism Spectrum Disorder- The Therapeutic Rationale and its Future Potential,” highlights this new innovation in autism therapy research, and  provided insight for industry professionals.

Dr. Gesundheit discussed how autoimmune mechanisms with chronic neuroinflammation have been connected to the causes of autism spectrum disorder, offering mesenchymal stem cells as a way to open up new therapies for children with autism.  He aims to introduce these stem cells more into future clinical studies, claiming that the regenerative, immunomodulary, and anti-inflammatory qualities of the cells will provide innovative alternatives for treatment.  While research in this is still preliminary, its continuance is important, and could potentially lead to an immense breakthrough for people with autism everywhere.

Benjamin Gesundheit M.D. Ph.D., currently focuses his research interests on the use of these mesenchymal stem cells in people with ASD.  He is a pediatric hematologist oncologist who has had affiliations with the Hospital for Sick Children at the University of Toronto, Hadassah Medical Center, and Hebrew University in Jerusalem.  He has had a sufficient amount of experience in experimental cell therapy and bone marrow transplantation, which is applied to his research efforts as well.