USA Today posted this article regarding the link with brain development, gastrointestinal repair, autism, and the gene MET. It seems that in 118 of 214 cases, the MET gene variation was identical for those with both autism and gastrointestinal problems. This could account for nearly 30% of autistic patients who also suffer from gastrointestinal problems, and about 10% of non-autistic people.
While this is great news, it is not by any means the smoking gun for the cause of autism, but it is a piece of the puzzle as it effects brain development and connections within the brain after development. As many have posted in my comments in other posts, many autistic children suffer from gastrointestinal disorders, as well as seizures, and a number of other health problems.
Some of these disorders can be associated with life in and of itself. Just because you have cancer doesn't mean you can't die of a heart attack. The same is true with autism. Just because you are autistic doesn't mean you can't have allergies, poor vision, diabetes, or other disorders. But this research specifically linked gastrointestinal disorders with brain development. That's huge.
What I really found interesting about this report is that USA Today was not touting it as the smoking gun, but rather said right off the bat that it does not account for all instances of autism. This, to my mind at least, is ground-breaking journalism. After reading article after article regarding "cures" for autism by treating another disorder like Fragile X Syndrome, it's nice to see the admission that a discovery is not the end all beat all in the quest to learn about the most diverse spectrum that is Autism.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Wanted: Graphic Artist Instructor for Drawing with Technology Class
Hello again! Claire just passed on another contract instructor position they are looking for this summer:
Graphic Art I-Drawing with Technology (Age 10-12 & 13-16)
Want to see the art of the future? Look no further than your computer. This interactive course teaches you how to use technology like scanners and software like PhotoShop and Illustrator to create your own art. Enhance hand drawn works or design entirely on the computer -- it's up to you. You will even learn how to modify photographs of your friends and family (picture your best friend with elf ears and bug eyes.) Graphic artists use computers to create company logos, CD covers and even framed images hanging in local art galleries -- what will you create?
YETEC 050-001 • MTWThF, Jun 15-19 • 9:00 am-12:00 pm
LOCATION: Annex 2169, Campus • SLCNOTE: This section is for ages 10-12.
YETEC 050-002 • MTWThF, Jun 29-Jul 2 • 9:00 AM-12:00 PM
LOCATION: Annex 2169, Campus • SLCNOTE: This section is for age 13-16.
Graphic Art II-Drawing with Technology (Age 10-16)
You love drawing with a computer. You have taken Graphic Art or have used Photoshop and Illustrator at home. But, you are having too much fun to end it now! In this three-day extension course get further questions answered and hone your skills to realize what professional quality work you can do using Photoshop and Illustrator. Explore more advanced features including time-saving shortcuts, color-based selections and correction. Learn how to modify your own drawings, designs, and photographs. Expand your computer creativity to the max!
YETEC 051-001 • MTWTh, Jul20-Jul 23 • 1:00-4:00 PM
LOCATION: Annex 2169, Campus • SLCNOTE: Prerequisite: Beginning Graphic Art - Drawing with Technology or previous experience with Photoshop and Illustrator.
NOTE: This section is for age 12-15
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Claire Turner at cturner at aoce dot utah dot edu.
Need for Dark Basic Trainer this Summer
Hello All! Our Youth program here at the University of Utah is looking for a contract instructor to teach Dark Basic to youth ages 13 to 17. Here is the description:
Video Game Programming I with Dark Basic (Age 13-17)
If you've always wanted to create your own video games and never knew how, this class is for you, even if you've never programmed before! DarkBasic is an introductory-level computer programming language that focuses on basic concepts and 2D games. Learn the fundamentals of computer programming, such as bitmaps, sprites, input devices, sound effects, music, and movies. Course cost includes a DarkBasic book with a CD-ROM trial version of the language compiler.
YETEC 115-001 • MTWThF, Jul 27-31 • 1:00-4:00 PM
LOCATION: Annex 2169, Campus • SLC
YETEC 115-002 • MTWThF, Aug 3-7 • 1:00-4:00 PM
LOCATION: Annex 2169, Campus • SLC
Video Game Programming II with Dark Basic (Age 13-17)
Expand your video game programming skills. This advanced class will focus more on game planning, code management, and 3D games. Learn the more challenging aspects of programming and use your imagination to create a variety of fantastic games.
YETEC 116-001 • MTWThF, Aug 10-14 • 1:00-4:00 PM
LOCATION: Annex 2169, Campus • SLC
If you have any questions, please contact Claire Turner at cturner at aoce dot utah dot edu. She can let you know what they are looking for, which book they are using, and how much the contract instructor pay would be.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Fluoxetine Trial Results: What It Means
Science Daily ran this story regarding the trial of fluoxetine for children with autism, as sponsored by Autism Speaks. Fluoxetine is a drug meant to assist in treating the symptoms of autism for children. It is not a cure, but a treatment that was given a serious clinical trial, and was found to be statistically no more effective than a placebo. Naturally this came as a disappointment for the company developing the drug, and for many parents looking for some help in managing autistic behavior in their children.
But the real story here isn't about the drug, but rather the trial itself. The fact that there are serious clinical trials for Autism is a huge step toward understanding Autism itself. Clinical research, regardless of it's outcome, is quite often the best method of learning more about a condition. I'm proud that Autism Speaks organized this trial, and the community they represent is willing to look at the condition of au
But the real story here isn't about the drug, but rather the trial itself. The fact that there are serious clinical trials for Autism is a huge step toward understanding Autism itself. Clinical research, regardless of it's outcome, is quite often the best method of learning more about a condition. I'm proud that Autism Speaks organized this trial, and the community they represent is willing to look at the condition of au
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Accepting Autism: Cure vs. Explore
This morning I browsed through my news feeds, and came upon this article by Maya M entitled Accepting Autism. The author was responding to an article written about parents who chose to take their child to Mongolia in search of a cure for his autism, as "Western Medicine" had failed them. She then went into detail regarding her own personal pain she suffered when her son was diagnosed with Autism or something like it earlier on.
I love articles like this one, because it speaks to all of us who have ever had the diagnosis mentioned or suggested to us. We start by researching Autism through various websites and forums, learn all the fads and "cures" that are supposed to bring autistic children to their senses, and finally move into despair, frustration, and depression when we feel like there is nothing we can do to bring our children into the "normal" stream of society.
And that was her argument: we are trying to bring these special children into what is considered "normal". We want everything to be normal about us, him, and so on. Why? What is normal? How would you define normal?
She mentioned talking with a couple of people who were autistic as adults, and their desire for acceptance, and not a cure. A cure suggests that there is something wrong with those with autism or autism-like symptoms. There isn't, because it's part of their personality. If you "cure" them, you are making them into something that they are not. Imagine "curing" Tesla, Einstein, and others that have given our world so many great things.
My great comfort in this article is how to handle the diagnosis:
I loved this posting. It's just what every parent with autism needs to hear, particularly at the outset of the diagnosis. I would highly recommend it to any parent who found out their child
I love articles like this one, because it speaks to all of us who have ever had the diagnosis mentioned or suggested to us. We start by researching Autism through various websites and forums, learn all the fads and "cures" that are supposed to bring autistic children to their senses, and finally move into despair, frustration, and depression when we feel like there is nothing we can do to bring our children into the "normal" stream of society.
And that was her argument: we are trying to bring these special children into what is considered "normal". We want everything to be normal about us, him, and so on. Why? What is normal? How would you define normal?
She mentioned talking with a couple of people who were autistic as adults, and their desire for acceptance, and not a cure. A cure suggests that there is something wrong with those with autism or autism-like symptoms. There isn't, because it's part of their personality. If you "cure" them, you are making them into something that they are not. Imagine "curing" Tesla, Einstein, and others that have given our world so many great things.
My great comfort in this article is how to handle the diagnosis:
- Don't succumb to depression. This is a tuffy for a lot of parents, as it was for me. Depression doesn't do you or your child any good.
- Don't be obsessed with cures or treatments. It doesn't matter if your friend's cousin swears drinking potato brain juice cured their child's autism, because many of the fads and "cures" are ineffective at best and fatal to the child at worst.
- Accept your child for who he/she is. Autism has to do with genetic/biological hardware, and not some magic spell cast on your child. Accept it, and work with it.
- Be careful with mainstream treatments if they are aimed just at forcing normality down your child's throat. Yes, occupational therapy, speech therapy, and the like are good, but if your child resists, don't force it. Find something that your child doesn't resist. Normality is an arbitrary assignment.
- Build your child's self-esteem. Do not try to dissuade him from his "precocious" or "unusual" special interests. Help him to develop them into possible means of occupation. These skills can be useful, and if your child is really good at them, then people will accept them for who they are, for the skill. It's unfortunate that is the case, but it is none the less true.
- If your child is still non-verbal at age 3 - 3.5, consider teaching him an alternative method of communication, such as spelling, sign language or picture-exchange communication (depending on the child's inclinatons). Never try to neglect his generic communication (pointing, screaming etc.) with the hope that this will "make him speak".
- Be very understanding. Your child has tantrums because he cannot communicate his desires to you or because he is in a sensory overload. Getting angry may happen eventually, but it doesn't do any good, or help the situation.
- Care for the financial status of your family. Try to keep your job, if possible. Run away from every "expert" promising to rescue your child from the abyss of autism by separating you from your money. Even decent therapies sometimes aren't as good as toys and vacations that can be bought with the same money.
- Contact other parents in your situation, autistic adults, other disabled people. Get involved when you can, so that others can feel helped and supported.
I loved this posting. It's just what every parent with autism needs to hear, particularly at the outset of the diagnosis. I would highly recommend it to any parent who found out their child
Friday, February 13, 2009
Deploying Final Cut Pro to a Lab: Multicast ASR
For the past couple of weeks I have been working on and off on a project to deploy Final Cut Pro in a fresh install for our Macintosh lab. Previous to this the process was to image the machines and then install Final Cut Pro through a script. Then on each machine I would need to enter in a site license for the software. This took a lot of time, usually two days for a sizable class of 8 or so. And, it didn't give me a huge margin of error either.
At first I wanted to do something with NetBoot, because it makes it so easy. Just set the NetInstall image as the default image on the server, and then deploy by booting the system off the NetInstall image. it's really easy to set up, really easy for anyone to deploy. Unfortunately, it doesn't handle large images very well. And when I say large images, I mean large images over 38 GB. I had often wondered why, until I took the Mac OS X Deployment class, and found out that NetBoot uses a unicast method of installing, which is very inefficient. It actually surprised me that was the case.
The only other option that was even remotely feasible would be to use a multicast ASR server. Every Macintosh (either server or client install) supports the server aspect of this project, so it's very easy to deploy. The only drawback: It requires understanding of the command line. Here is the process I took in order to get Final Cut Pro installed.
Problems:
I began the project by going through the Modular system image creation process. In this process, you use a sparse image to install your OS and software, place your necessary files, and manipulate any configuration needed for the final deployment. This is ideal for initial OS setups and system images. So I installed the OS from a disk image of the install DVD with the following command:
Now, I could have added a reference to an XML file that would have removed all unnecessary installations (like printer drivers), but the default install was good enough for the project and hand. In this case, the MacintoshHD drive is actually an external FireWire drive. I could also have done this on a machine in Target Disk Mode, but I thought this would be sufficient, and it saved a lot of time, actually.
Once completed, I installed the updates. To find out what I needed, I actually booted up a machine with this default install and ran Software Update, which gave me the names of the packages. I then downloaded the disk images, moved them to my machine, mounted the images, and installed with a command like this:
I kept the verbose switch on just so that I could see when it was done and judge when I needed the next update. When I got to the Quicktime update, I ran into a problem: You can't update Quicktime to 7.6 on an non-booted system disk. That through a wrench into the whole "modular image" process. Not to worry though, it didn't set back my image creation.
Once I finished with all the updates that I needed, I then booted off of the FireWire drive and created my users in the directory. I began with the admin account, which I used to install the remaining updates and Final Cut Pro and Motion Content from their respective disk images. The installation let me enter in my site license for Final Cut Studio, and saved me a lot of time on each machine. I than ran updates for The Pro Apps, which took only a couple more updates to finish. Once done, I created my Student account with the standard login, and rebooted back into my regular computer.
Note: Do not try Final Cut Pro at this stage! It will create the scratch disk with your UUID, which will make it unusable for any other machine after imaged! I found this out the hard way.
So now I have a system that is completely imaged, has the users created and ready to go, and has not launched Final Cut Pro quite yet. Now I need to create my disk image that I'm going to use for my restore. This is really easily done in Disk Utility, particularly if you have the image on a FireWire drive.
Open Disk Utility, and then select the disk volume you created. Do NOT select the physical drive! That would result in a larger image than you need, taking up your entire drive. Want to learn why? Take the Mac OS X Deployment class. ^_^
Once the disk is selected, click on the New Image button at the top. It will then let you name it (this is just the name of the new image, not the name of the disk), and ask you which type of image you would like. I named the file ClonedImage.dmg. The image needs to be Read Only, and Not Encrypted. If you choose, you can make the image compressed, though it does take a little away from the performance. I kept it as uncompressed for simplicity's sake. Then settle in, this can take a while. For a 38+ GB image, this can take almost up to an hour (time varies on the machine you use, RAM size, processor speed, etc.).
Once it's done, click on Disk Utility's Images menu, and then select Scan Image for Restore. This can take some more time, though not as much as creating the disk image. So settle in, have a good book to read or clean out your email.
Once done, it's ready for deployment. Some may suggest that you fix your permissions on the disk before you get to this point. I've not needed to so far, but it is a good practice to adopt. This would be a case of do as I say, not as I do. ^_^
Now copy your new image to the "Server". It can be Mac OS X Server, or a Mac OS X computer. Either will support the ASR command. I chose to use a Mac OS X Server that also had NetInstall images for the Macintosh 10.5 Leopard Install DVD. You will know why in a minute. I copied the file to the root directory ( / ) for convenience.
Once copied over, boot up the new machine and log in as an Administrator. Open your Terminal, and create a config.plist file somewhere on the system. The config.plist file should have at least the following parameters:
I put it in the root directory as well for convenience, though you can place it anywhere you can remember it. Then enter this command:
sudo asr -server /config.plist -source /ClonedImage.dmg
Press enter, and you should get a notification that your ASR server is ready to begin multicasting. Once done, you now just need to get to your computers you wish to restore and run the restore image there.
In this case, I find it simpler to boot off of the Install DVD image. By making a NetInstall image, it's easy to do and doesn't require multiple disks (and the disks don't walk away unexpectedly). It also guarantees that your restore system is on the same subnet as your Server, and will have an assigned DHCP address. Once booted off of the Install DVD, select your language and then click the continue error. It will ask you if you want to run the install, instead click on the Tools menu, and then select Terminal.
Now you should only have the Terminal window open. Here, type the following command to start the restore, assuming your ASR Server has an IP address of 10.1.0.1:
asr restore -source asr://10.1.0.1 -target /Volumes/Macintosh HD/ -erase
This command will search for an ASR server at that IP address, and then erase the target drive and restore from that image. Then let it go! For my image it took about 5 hours to complete, but just about all the machines completed the restore at almost the same time. So I could have completed one install or 22 at the same time from the same server, and saw little difference in the time it takes to make the image.
Now, this is the process I used. It worked great, and our Compressor class (the guinea pig class for this image) ran just fine. But what if you don't have the time, or the confidence to run the command line tools? You can do roughly the same thing with NetRestore, which is currently no longer in development, or Deploy Studio. Both of these tools can do the same thing I do here, but have a nice GUI interface and management is simpler.
So you may ask why I chose to do it the hard way? Because I love the command line, and I want to be sure I have the process down pat. After all, unless you understand the process behind the scenes of a GUI tool, what do you do when the GUI tool doesn't work or has an error? Where can you troubleshoot the problem?
At first I wanted to do something with NetBoot, because it makes it so easy. Just set the NetInstall image as the default image on the server, and then deploy by booting the system off the NetInstall image. it's really easy to set up, really easy for anyone to deploy. Unfortunately, it doesn't handle large images very well. And when I say large images, I mean large images over 38 GB. I had often wondered why, until I took the Mac OS X Deployment class, and found out that NetBoot uses a unicast method of installing, which is very inefficient. It actually surprised me that was the case.
The only other option that was even remotely feasible would be to use a multicast ASR server. Every Macintosh (either server or client install) supports the server aspect of this project, so it's very easy to deploy. The only drawback: It requires understanding of the command line. Here is the process I took in order to get Final Cut Pro installed.
Problems:
- Fresh Install of Mac OS X 10.5 with all necessary updates
- Fresh installation of Final Cut Pro, Motion, Color, and Compressor (these are the Pro classes we offer here in Edtech).
- Practice files for the class.
- License key already included.
- An administrator and a student account setup and ready to go.
I began the project by going through the Modular system image creation process. In this process, you use a sparse image to install your OS and software, place your necessary files, and manipulate any configuration needed for the final deployment. This is ideal for initial OS setups and system images. So I installed the OS from a disk image of the install DVD with the following command:
sudo installer -pkg /Volumes/Mac OS X Install DVD/System/Installation/Packages/OSInstall.pkg -target /Volumes/MacintoshHD/ -verbose
Now, I could have added a reference to an XML file that would have removed all unnecessary installations (like printer drivers), but the default install was good enough for the project and hand. In this case, the MacintoshHD drive is actually an external FireWire drive. I could also have done this on a machine in Target Disk Mode, but I thought this would be sufficient, and it saved a lot of time, actually.
Once completed, I installed the updates. To find out what I needed, I actually booted up a machine with this default install and ran Software Update, which gave me the names of the packages. I then downloaded the disk images, moved them to my machine, mounted the images, and installed with a command like this:
sudo installer -pkg /Volumes/Mac OS X Update Combined/MacOSXUpdCombo10.5.6.pkg -target /Volumes/MacintoshHD/ -verbose
I kept the verbose switch on just so that I could see when it was done and judge when I needed the next update. When I got to the Quicktime update, I ran into a problem: You can't update Quicktime to 7.6 on an non-booted system disk. That through a wrench into the whole "modular image" process. Not to worry though, it didn't set back my image creation.
Once I finished with all the updates that I needed, I then booted off of the FireWire drive and created my users in the directory. I began with the admin account, which I used to install the remaining updates and Final Cut Pro and Motion Content from their respective disk images. The installation let me enter in my site license for Final Cut Studio, and saved me a lot of time on each machine. I than ran updates for The Pro Apps, which took only a couple more updates to finish. Once done, I created my Student account with the standard login, and rebooted back into my regular computer.
Note: Do not try Final Cut Pro at this stage! It will create the scratch disk with your UUID, which will make it unusable for any other machine after imaged! I found this out the hard way.
So now I have a system that is completely imaged, has the users created and ready to go, and has not launched Final Cut Pro quite yet. Now I need to create my disk image that I'm going to use for my restore. This is really easily done in Disk Utility, particularly if you have the image on a FireWire drive.
Open Disk Utility, and then select the disk volume you created. Do NOT select the physical drive! That would result in a larger image than you need, taking up your entire drive. Want to learn why? Take the Mac OS X Deployment class. ^_^
Once the disk is selected, click on the New Image button at the top. It will then let you name it (this is just the name of the new image, not the name of the disk), and ask you which type of image you would like. I named the file ClonedImage.dmg. The image needs to be Read Only, and Not Encrypted. If you choose, you can make the image compressed, though it does take a little away from the performance. I kept it as uncompressed for simplicity's sake. Then settle in, this can take a while. For a 38+ GB image, this can take almost up to an hour (time varies on the machine you use, RAM size, processor speed, etc.).
Once it's done, click on Disk Utility's Images menu, and then select Scan Image for Restore. This can take some more time, though not as much as creating the disk image. So settle in, have a good book to read or clean out your email.
Once done, it's ready for deployment. Some may suggest that you fix your permissions on the disk before you get to this point. I've not needed to so far, but it is a good practice to adopt. This would be a case of do as I say, not as I do. ^_^
Now copy your new image to the "Server". It can be Mac OS X Server, or a Mac OS X computer. Either will support the ASR command. I chose to use a Mac OS X Server that also had NetInstall images for the Macintosh 10.5 Leopard Install DVD. You will know why in a minute. I copied the file to the root directory ( / ) for convenience.
Once copied over, boot up the new machine and log in as an Administrator. Open your Terminal, and create a config.plist file somewhere on the system. The config.plist file should have at least the following parameters:
defaults write /Volumes/Backup/Apple/Images/config "Data Rate" -int 6000000
defaults write /Volumes/Backup/Apple/Images/config "Multicast Address" 244.0.0.10
I put it in the root directory as well for convenience, though you can place it anywhere you can remember it. Then enter this command:
sudo asr -server /config.plist -source /ClonedImage.dmg
Press enter, and you should get a notification that your ASR server is ready to begin multicasting. Once done, you now just need to get to your computers you wish to restore and run the restore image there.
In this case, I find it simpler to boot off of the Install DVD image. By making a NetInstall image, it's easy to do and doesn't require multiple disks (and the disks don't walk away unexpectedly). It also guarantees that your restore system is on the same subnet as your Server, and will have an assigned DHCP address. Once booted off of the Install DVD, select your language and then click the continue error. It will ask you if you want to run the install, instead click on the Tools menu, and then select Terminal.
Now you should only have the Terminal window open. Here, type the following command to start the restore, assuming your ASR Server has an IP address of 10.1.0.1:
asr restore -source asr://10.1.0.1 -target /Volumes/Macintosh HD/ -erase
This command will search for an ASR server at that IP address, and then erase the target drive and restore from that image. Then let it go! For my image it took about 5 hours to complete, but just about all the machines completed the restore at almost the same time. So I could have completed one install or 22 at the same time from the same server, and saw little difference in the time it takes to make the image.
Now, this is the process I used. It worked great, and our Compressor class (the guinea pig class for this image) ran just fine. But what if you don't have the time, or the confidence to run the command line tools? You can do roughly the same thing with NetRestore, which is currently no longer in development, or Deploy Studio. Both of these tools can do the same thing I do here, but have a nice GUI interface and management is simpler.
So you may ask why I chose to do it the hard way? Because I love the command line, and I want to be sure I have the process down pat. After all, unless you understand the process behind the scenes of a GUI tool, what do you do when the GUI tool doesn't work or has an error? Where can you troubleshoot the problem?
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
PTEN and Serotonin Transporters and Autism
The neurologists at MIT have been hard at work trying to unlock the genetic predisposition for Autism. In their trials, as reported in their article in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS), they found two genetic markers that can account for the social behavior and enlarged brains found in many children with autism (24 percent, in fact). The results were interesting.
Their research focused primarily on female mice, and mice in general. It was discovered that the PTEN gene and Serotonin Transporters each have an effect on the brain, causing increased brain growth. Together, they have an accumulative effect, increasing brain size even more. There was also a correlation between social interaction and brain size identified, which reinforces the theory that increased brain size (and density) is related to autistic behavior.
This is huge and comes at the right time when many parents who were led to believe their child was "given" autism by vaccinations, and that theory having been proven to be false based on several studies and the outing of fraudulent materials as the foundation for such a claim.
But, before we get too excited, there are a couple of caveats to this study: It hasn't been conclusively proven that the same genes in humans have the same results. It also doesn't explain instances of autism-like behavior that doesn't appear to be related to brain size at all (see my previous statements on allergy autism). But it is a piece of the puzzle that has been discovered and matched. That's the important thing. I would hazard a prediction that all behavioral disorders will be linked eventually to genetic markers.
So what do we take from all this? Progress is being made on the conditions needed for autistic behavior. Does this change the lives of those children with autism? It could, if it were proven to be a genetic condition that would need medical attention. It would then give medical insurance all the more reason to fund Autism treatment.
But for now, we parents are still left to find the best way to help our children's brains work through and with their autism to become productive members of society. That means working with psychologists that are helpful and willing, finding a support group that is dedicated to assisting the parent, instead of suing industries, and locating materials that provide real assistance.
Their research focused primarily on female mice, and mice in general. It was discovered that the PTEN gene and Serotonin Transporters each have an effect on the brain, causing increased brain growth. Together, they have an accumulative effect, increasing brain size even more. There was also a correlation between social interaction and brain size identified, which reinforces the theory that increased brain size (and density) is related to autistic behavior.
This is huge and comes at the right time when many parents who were led to believe their child was "given" autism by vaccinations, and that theory having been proven to be false based on several studies and the outing of fraudulent materials as the foundation for such a claim.
But, before we get too excited, there are a couple of caveats to this study: It hasn't been conclusively proven that the same genes in humans have the same results. It also doesn't explain instances of autism-like behavior that doesn't appear to be related to brain size at all (see my previous statements on allergy autism). But it is a piece of the puzzle that has been discovered and matched. That's the important thing. I would hazard a prediction that all behavioral disorders will be linked eventually to genetic markers.
So what do we take from all this? Progress is being made on the conditions needed for autistic behavior. Does this change the lives of those children with autism? It could, if it were proven to be a genetic condition that would need medical attention. It would then give medical insurance all the more reason to fund Autism treatment.
But for now, we parents are still left to find the best way to help our children's brains work through and with their autism to become productive members of society. That means working with psychologists that are helpful and willing, finding a support group that is dedicated to assisting the parent, instead of suing industries, and locating materials that provide real assistance.
Saturday, February 07, 2009
The Lie that Started It All: Doctor Who Claimed MMR Caused Autism Falsified Reports
In 1998, Doctor Andrew Wakefield published a report in The Lancet medical journal claiming the MMR vaccine caused Autism in 8 out of 12 children within days of receiving the vaccine. This set off a scare that caused a drop in vaccinations for measles, mumps, and rubella from 92% to 80%. While this doesn't seem like much, a population requires 95% vaccination to receive "hurd immunity".
Well, as the Times Online reported, the doctor falsified reports in the journal entry. There was only one case where autism-like symptoms occurred within days of the shot, while the rest had concerns about their behavior before the vaccination was given.
So why is this particularly disappointing? Because it was a doctor that gave this information. A doctor, who threatened thousands of children with childhood measles, mumps, and rubella, because he caused an unnecessary scare and untrue link to a genetic condition.
But the damage doesn't stop at those children at risk because they were never vaccinated for these deadly diseases.. N0, he set Autism research and treatment back 20 years by convincing people that vaccinations were the cause of Autism. So instead of research scientists checking on development of the brain during this period, they were distracted by angry parents duped by this one doctor.
The pain isn't in those children at risk, but those children who with autism, whose development was stunted as people squabble over the actual cause. Parents would then claim that if they skipped shots, ate only tea leaves, or stood on their heads to "get the toxins out" would improve, even though the children still had obsessive, repetitive behaviors quite typical of autistic children. Their children were not being "cured", but rather their brains were performing the miracle it is so capable of doing: It was learning and developing in spite of the increased neurons in their brains.
I sincerely hope that Doctor Wakefield understands the full impact this little desire to get published has had on the world, and on the Autism community. I hope, somewhere, he is reading this post and realizes the pain that he has caused parents of those precious children with the unique and diverse qualities resulting from having a more dense brain than "normal" children.
Sir, shame on you.
Well, as the Times Online reported, the doctor falsified reports in the journal entry. There was only one case where autism-like symptoms occurred within days of the shot, while the rest had concerns about their behavior before the vaccination was given.
So why is this particularly disappointing? Because it was a doctor that gave this information. A doctor, who threatened thousands of children with childhood measles, mumps, and rubella, because he caused an unnecessary scare and untrue link to a genetic condition.
But the damage doesn't stop at those children at risk because they were never vaccinated for these deadly diseases.. N0, he set Autism research and treatment back 20 years by convincing people that vaccinations were the cause of Autism. So instead of research scientists checking on development of the brain during this period, they were distracted by angry parents duped by this one doctor.
The pain isn't in those children at risk, but those children who with autism, whose development was stunted as people squabble over the actual cause. Parents would then claim that if they skipped shots, ate only tea leaves, or stood on their heads to "get the toxins out" would improve, even though the children still had obsessive, repetitive behaviors quite typical of autistic children. Their children were not being "cured", but rather their brains were performing the miracle it is so capable of doing: It was learning and developing in spite of the increased neurons in their brains.
I sincerely hope that Doctor Wakefield understands the full impact this little desire to get published has had on the world, and on the Autism community. I hope, somewhere, he is reading this post and realizes the pain that he has caused parents of those precious children with the unique and diverse qualities resulting from having a more dense brain than "normal" children.
Sir, shame on you.
Monday, February 02, 2009
Estate Planning for Special Needs: What to Do When Your Special Needs IdentiChild Is No Longer A Child
Last week I attended a very informative session with Matthew Wiese, a lawyer from Clyde Snow and Sessions. He graciously provided a free seminar on behalf of the Autism Council of Utah for parents interested in learning what to do for their children when they are no longer children. Sometimes it's hard to believe that your little child with autism may one day grow up, and you will not be there to protect them from others, and even from themselves.
The first thing we talked about was the difference between no will, a will, and a trust. With no will, the State will divide up your assets equally among your heirs. Generally this is what you would want, right? But what if you have a special needs child that would require more of an inheritance? The State does not have the means to determine such a necessity, and as such the benefit will not be passed on to the child that needs it most.
Next we have the will. With a will, you can designate a larger sum to go to your special needs child. Of course, this is seen as income for the child, which could therefore disqualify that child from any public Social Security benefits for which they would otherwise be eligible. So while your intentions are in the right place, it is not necessarily going to benefit the child if that child is unable to manage the funds during the disqualifying period.
Lastly, there is the Trust, specifically a Special or Supplemental Needs Trust. This allows you to provide supplemental support for your special needs child without disqualifying them for any benefits for which they are eligible. Some points to note regarding the Supplemental Needs Trust:
One huge benefit of a Trust is that it's possible to set it up so that family can contribute to the Trust. So any birthday or holiday money can be placed in the Trust for the long-term benefit of the child.
Of course, one thing that was brought up was the issue of Guardianship. Many special needs schools will tell parents that they need to get guardianship of their special needs child by the time they are 18, or they become Wards of the State. This is not true, and it's very scary to think that parents find this out the hard way.
While it is true that it is easier to get Guardianship of a special needs child before they are 18, it's possible to go through the process at any time, as long as the special needs child is represented by legal council. If one does not seek guardianship, the special needs child is not taken on as Wards of the State, but rather left to their own devices. It is highly recommended that Guardianship is sought for your incapacitated child before they are 18, because once they turn 18 the HIPA laws go into effect, and you have no control over your child's welfare or medical needs.
An alternative is Power of Attorney, where a child relinquishes the legal right to enter into contracts, and can extend to medical and other physical aspects of the care of the child. It does not, however, extend to financial welfare, which would then be covered by a Trust.
This was a very informative seminar, one that I was grateful to attend, particularly when permission to publish the handout material on my Blog was granted by Mr. Wiese. If you have any questions regarding the creation of a Trust or gaining Guardianship, feel free to schedule a meeting with a qualified attorney. Also keep in mind that while the amount of the Trust is not important, the cost of the process may be a bit steep. So contact a lawyer to find out how much it might be, and start saving. It is definitely worth it.
The first thing we talked about was the difference between no will, a will, and a trust. With no will, the State will divide up your assets equally among your heirs. Generally this is what you would want, right? But what if you have a special needs child that would require more of an inheritance? The State does not have the means to determine such a necessity, and as such the benefit will not be passed on to the child that needs it most.
Next we have the will. With a will, you can designate a larger sum to go to your special needs child. Of course, this is seen as income for the child, which could therefore disqualify that child from any public Social Security benefits for which they would otherwise be eligible. So while your intentions are in the right place, it is not necessarily going to benefit the child if that child is unable to manage the funds during the disqualifying period.
Lastly, there is the Trust, specifically a Special or Supplemental Needs Trust. This allows you to provide supplemental support for your special needs child without disqualifying them for any benefits for which they are eligible. Some points to note regarding the Supplemental Needs Trust:
- Identify and understand the public benefits for which your child is or may be eligible.
- The Trust must be irrevocable, so it cannot be changed after it is created. Once you choose the assets, you lose control over them to the Trustee.
- Although irrevocable, you can draft it with enough flexibility to allow amendments for changes in laws, state of residence, etc.
- The child does not have the right to demand access to the assets of the Trust, meaning they can't decide to pull it all out and blow it in Vegas.
- Payments from the Trust for food and shelter will be treated as income for Supplemental Security Income purposes, and reduce the SSI benefit.
- Understand the implications of "in-kind" income, the "presumed value" rule and the "one-third reduction" rule for SSI beneficiaries.
- Do not make distributions of income directly to your child. When payments for food or shelter must be made by the Trust, the trustee should make the payments directly to the landlord, vendor, or other service provider.
- Payments for non-food or non-shelter items have no impact on SSI benefits. Therefore, to the extent possible, your child should use his or her SSI income for food and shelter expenses and the Trust should pay for non-food and non-shelter items.
- Distributions from the Trust can be considered as income for income tax purposes, but not as income for SSI purposes.
- Undistributed income is taxed at the compressed trust rate for complex trusts.
- Life Insurance purposed by the Trust on the life of an important caregiver for the child may be appropriate for advisable.
- Understand the SSI rules regarding housing expenses. Payments by the Trust for rent, a mortgage, real estate taxes, gas, electricity, water and sewer, garbage removal, property insurance required by a lender or condominium fees that include the above items will be considered as countable housing expenses by SSI and result in a reduction of the SSI benefit by one-third of the federal benefit rate, plus $20.00. Payments by the Trust for a telephone, cell phone, cable television, computer, Personal property insurance, paper products, repairs, capital improvements, staff salaries, laundry, and cleaning supplies are not countable housing expenses.
- It may actually be in your child's best interest to forego public funding or receive a reduced level of benefits.
- The trustee must keep appropriate records and adhere to traditional trust rules for investments, accountings, etc.
- You get to choose the trustee who may be one or more individuals or a corporate fiduciary, or both. It's also important to choose alternate trustees, as the trust can often outlive any one trustee (or beneficiary).
One huge benefit of a Trust is that it's possible to set it up so that family can contribute to the Trust. So any birthday or holiday money can be placed in the Trust for the long-term benefit of the child.
Of course, one thing that was brought up was the issue of Guardianship. Many special needs schools will tell parents that they need to get guardianship of their special needs child by the time they are 18, or they become Wards of the State. This is not true, and it's very scary to think that parents find this out the hard way.
While it is true that it is easier to get Guardianship of a special needs child before they are 18, it's possible to go through the process at any time, as long as the special needs child is represented by legal council. If one does not seek guardianship, the special needs child is not taken on as Wards of the State, but rather left to their own devices. It is highly recommended that Guardianship is sought for your incapacitated child before they are 18, because once they turn 18 the HIPA laws go into effect, and you have no control over your child's welfare or medical needs.
An alternative is Power of Attorney, where a child relinquishes the legal right to enter into contracts, and can extend to medical and other physical aspects of the care of the child. It does not, however, extend to financial welfare, which would then be covered by a Trust.
This was a very informative seminar, one that I was grateful to attend, particularly when permission to publish the handout material on my Blog was granted by Mr. Wiese. If you have any questions regarding the creation of a Trust or gaining Guardianship, feel free to schedule a meeting with a qualified attorney. Also keep in mind that while the amount of the Trust is not important, the cost of the process may be a bit steep. So contact a lawyer to find out how much it might be, and start saving. It is definitely worth it.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Advanced Mac OS X IT Classes at the University of Utah
Starting this next month, the University of Utah's Technology Education department will be offering advanced Mac OS X IT classes. Currently we offer the the Support and Server Essentials classes which cover an introduction to the Apple Certified Support Professional and the Apple Certified Technical Coordinator certifications.
On February 9th to the 11th we will be offering Mac OS X Deployment v10.5, which covers deploying your Macintosh systems initially, deploying the OS systems for various uses, and providing updates and maintenance for the Macintosh system. For any of you who manage large Mac labs or businesses that are migrating to or integrating Macs, this would be a great class for you attend. It is one of 4 tests required for the Apple Certified System Administrator certification. More information can be found the the following URLS:
http://training.apple.com/itpro/leopard302
https://continue.utah.edu/edtech/detail.php?subject=edtec&catalog=631
April 13th to the 16th will bring the Mac OS X Directory Services class, which covers the Directory system built into the OS X platform. This covers the local directory and it's management, Open Directory (Apple's implementation of OpenLDAP), and integrating with third party Directory systems (like Active Directory and eDirectory). Because there is so much information, this class will be a 4 day class. More information can be found the the following URLS:
http://training.apple.com/itpro/leopard301
https://continue.utah.edu/edtech/detail.php?subject=edtec&catalog=632
This summer we will also offer the Mac OS X Advanced System Administration v10.5 course, which is a comprehensive course on managing the UNIX aspect of the Mac OS X system. Focusing primarily on the Command Line tools for installation, deployment, directory management, and automation, this course is a must have for every system administrator working with Macintosh machines, either at the user or server level. This class is not yet scheduled, but is planned for the Summer semester. It is the capstone course for the ACSA certification. More information can be found the the following URL:
http://training.apple.com/itpro/leopard401
If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Technology Education department at (801) 581-6061.
On February 9th to the 11th we will be offering Mac OS X Deployment v10.5, which covers deploying your Macintosh systems initially, deploying the OS systems for various uses, and providing updates and maintenance for the Macintosh system. For any of you who manage large Mac labs or businesses that are migrating to or integrating Macs, this would be a great class for you attend. It is one of 4 tests required for the Apple Certified System Administrator certification. More information can be found the the following URLS:
http://training.apple.com/itpro/leopard302
https://continue.utah.edu/edtech/detail.php?subject=edtec&catalog=631
April 13th to the 16th will bring the Mac OS X Directory Services class, which covers the Directory system built into the OS X platform. This covers the local directory and it's management, Open Directory (Apple's implementation of OpenLDAP), and integrating with third party Directory systems (like Active Directory and eDirectory). Because there is so much information, this class will be a 4 day class. More information can be found the the following URLS:
http://training.apple.com/itpro/leopard301
https://continue.utah.edu/edtech/detail.php?subject=edtec&catalog=632
This summer we will also offer the Mac OS X Advanced System Administration v10.5 course, which is a comprehensive course on managing the UNIX aspect of the Mac OS X system. Focusing primarily on the Command Line tools for installation, deployment, directory management, and automation, this course is a must have for every system administrator working with Macintosh machines, either at the user or server level. This class is not yet scheduled, but is planned for the Summer semester. It is the capstone course for the ACSA certification. More information can be found the the following URL:
http://training.apple.com/itpro/leopard401
If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Technology Education department at (801) 581-6061.
Autism and Thimerosal: A New Study That Disproves the Link
For those of you following my Autism posts, you know that I have been rather critical of the theory supporting thimerosal as a cause of autism (since I found the brain development theory to be more accurate and supported by actual research). A recent study completed from Italy now puts what I think should be the final nail in the coffin of Thimerosal as the autism smoking gun.
The study ran through over 1,000 randomly selected infants that received two different doses of thimerosal-preserved shots for whooping cough, and then evaluated the children 10 years later. The study saw no real changes in childhood development. In fact there was just one child that developed autism, and that one child was in the low dose group.
For those who are still clinging to the theory that thimerosal and the ethyl mercury that it metabolizes into is a cause of autism, keep in mind that more mercury is present naturally in a mother's breast milk than in the many shots a child may get at once. There are other potential causes, both genetic and environmental, that provide a better avenue of effort.
As a parent, I would think this would be significant enough to dispel any qualms of getting your children vaccinated. Please don't threaten your children's lives with preventable diseases just because of a myth. Get your children vaccinated for their safety. Small pox, polio, and all the others are killers, as well as being ultimately debilitating for the child that contracts them.
The study ran through over 1,000 randomly selected infants that received two different doses of thimerosal-preserved shots for whooping cough, and then evaluated the children 10 years later. The study saw no real changes in childhood development. In fact there was just one child that developed autism, and that one child was in the low dose group.
For those who are still clinging to the theory that thimerosal and the ethyl mercury that it metabolizes into is a cause of autism, keep in mind that more mercury is present naturally in a mother's breast milk than in the many shots a child may get at once. There are other potential causes, both genetic and environmental, that provide a better avenue of effort.
As a parent, I would think this would be significant enough to dispel any qualms of getting your children vaccinated. Please don't threaten your children's lives with preventable diseases just because of a myth. Get your children vaccinated for their safety. Small pox, polio, and all the others are killers, as well as being ultimately debilitating for the child that contracts them.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
The Roundup: Stories and Events of Note
Because I haven't posted a lot lately (getting ready for some new classes starting soon), I'll quickly mention some news articles and events of note that I found interesting.
So that's about it. I know there is a lot more going on in the world, but that is what has effected my little corner of the planet. Hopefully I will have more information about the points regarding Autism that the new Administration would like to accomplish, such as more concrete timelines (as they are developed), and any evidence on the House floor that such moves are being made.
- The Inauguration of President Barack Obama: Like other inaugurations, I didn't watch this one. Why? Because it's a show full of pomp and circumstance, with no real action at all. For me it's the actions of the administration, and not the actions at the inauguration that makes the difference. I'm interested in the success of President Obama because it means success to the nation. Now that he's at work I'm ready for the events.
- GovTrack.us: I've finally signed up to GovTrack.us to track the happenings of the US Legislature. It's amazing what goes on in the House, as I get updates every day on the new bills that are presented, and who presented them. I also track the Senate, which so far has accomplished little other than forming leadership and committees. The House, on the other hand, has been quite busy with various bills that seem rather trivial. I didn't realize the detail House Bills got into, nor the amount of time dedicated to minor matters. It will be even more interesting to see how the Legislature moves forward in the coming months.
- Autism on Top of Healthcare List: President Obama has listed Autism as his top concern for Healthcare research in his administration. Cancer and AIDS didn't even get a mention, but Autism was mentioned specifically. I am surprised (pleasantly, of course) that such a course was taken. I'm currently following the Administration's official blog at Whitehouse.gov (not .com). The bullet points are well chosen, particularly when it comes to screening. The cost of screening will be covered, and it will be mandatory for all children to go through the screening process. Hopefully this will make the screening process part of the covered screenings provided by health insurance.
- Salt Lake has been named as the area with the most polluted air in the United States. The cause is actually the inversion process that happens to all nestled cities in the Mountains. The warm air above creates a cap on the cold air below, which has no place to move. This causes health risks with the trapped air, until a nice storm moves in to blow the gunk out of the air (yes, gunk is a technical term ^_^). Today a storm is moving in, and should have the majority of the air cleared out by tomorrow. Thank goodness!
- Utah Legislature to Cut Autism Preschool Funding: Yes, the Legislature in their infinite wisdom has felt the need to slash education yet again, and this time for children that desperately need it. While this should not effect public preschools managed by the individual school districts, it will effect specialist schools that provide the best care for those children who cannot be mainstreamed well. It's a slap in the face of every parent who needs to find more affordable schooling for their autistic child. My sincere hope is that the Utah Legislature rethinks this policy, even if it means cutting a little more into another budget. I can tell you that if my State House Representative or Senator were to vote to kill this funding, they would not get my vote again.
So that's about it. I know there is a lot more going on in the world, but that is what has effected my little corner of the planet. Hopefully I will have more information about the points regarding Autism that the new Administration would like to accomplish, such as more concrete timelines (as they are developed), and any evidence on the House floor that such moves are being made.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Autism Council of Utah Event: Personal Planning for Children with Disabilities
The Autism Council of Utah is presenting a seminar on January 28th, 2009 at 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM: Personal Planning for Children with Disabilities. It will be held at One Utah Center on the 13th Floor, 201 South Main Street in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The seminar will explore the legal aspects for planning the future of your special needs child when you have passed away. It will be presented by Matthew S. Wiese, J.D., LL.M.. The first session will be on Special Needs Trusts, and the second session will be on How to Appoint a Guardian for your Adult Child. That will follow with a question and answer session.
Lunch will be provided at this seminar, so space will be limited. If you are interested in attending, you can RSVP to email smithfam29 at msn dot com.
The Autism Council of Utah is an independent council working to foster collaboration, communication, and learning among families and agencies. Their aim is to promote access to recourses and responsible information for individuals of all ages who have, or are affected by, autism, or related conditions (taken from their announcement).
I wasn't aware that there was an Autism Council of Utah until recently when my son was sent home with this announcement in his backpack. Their website (http://autismcouncilofutah.org) is currently down (looks like the server may be down), so I don't have a lot of information about them, and their blog hasn't been updated in a long time. So it sounds like they could use as much support as possible.
After Wednesday the 28th, I should have more information regarding the council, and will post any relevant information that may be coming up.
The seminar will explore the legal aspects for planning the future of your special needs child when you have passed away. It will be presented by Matthew S. Wiese, J.D., LL.M.. The first session will be on Special Needs Trusts, and the second session will be on How to Appoint a Guardian for your Adult Child. That will follow with a question and answer session.
Lunch will be provided at this seminar, so space will be limited. If you are interested in attending, you can RSVP to email smithfam29 at msn dot com.
The Autism Council of Utah is an independent council working to foster collaboration, communication, and learning among families and agencies. Their aim is to promote access to recourses and responsible information for individuals of all ages who have, or are affected by, autism, or related conditions (taken from their announcement).
I wasn't aware that there was an Autism Council of Utah until recently when my son was sent home with this announcement in his backpack. Their website (http://autismcouncilofutah.org) is currently down (looks like the server may be down), so I don't have a lot of information about them, and their blog hasn't been updated in a long time. So it sounds like they could use as much support as possible.
After Wednesday the 28th, I should have more information regarding the council, and will post any relevant information that may be coming up.
Restraining Children with Disabilities: 21st Century or 12th Century?
While reading my news feeds this morning, I came across this report on the dangers children have in school due to "disciplinary action". Many of the children were injured or died while under disciplinary action, and many of those children had disabilities. One child (and the reason it showed up in my feeds) was a 15 yr old autistic child that was killed while being restrained by 4 school employees.
Personally, I find this report to be shocking. I thought we as a human race left solitary confinement as a casual disciplinary measure in the 1800's when it was proven to be detrimental to a person's mental health. I also thought the restraining of children with disabilities (like autism) was abandoned by the 1900's. Apparently I was wrong.
Now, there may be people out there that would argue along these lines: Children who are unruly need to be brought under control! If that means restraining them, then that's what you do! If that means threatening them with solitary confinement, that's what you do! A few hours (not minutes, not seconds, but hours!) mean nothing if you can finally get control of the situation!
Let me counter with this: Children are not beasts. They are learning, they are growing, and they test their boundaries. Most importantly, they crave attention. If they don't get positive attention, they will try to get negative attention. One way or another they will get validation for their existence.
First with restraining children, particularly children with autism. Most autistic children do not want to be touched. The simple action of touching an autistic child can overload their sensory experience and send them into a meltdown. Often this is called a "temper tantrum", but instead of kicking and screaming, they will run around the room, scream, fall on the floor and try to block out everything around them. Sometimes they will even try to override their sensory overload with pain, and hurt themselves. The more you try to restrain an autistic child, the more likely they are to increase the behavior.
Solitary confinement was used in the 1700's and 1800's as a means of "humane punishment", where a person would sit quietly and think about the wrongs they had done. They would be shut in, with no hope of escape, almost completely locked out from any sensory experience. Unfortunately, with the idea that you have no hope of freedom or contact from another person, it can cause a mental breakdown precluded by panic attacks. This can heighten the effects of the "punishment", and cause serious mental anguish and suffering, often leading to desperate means of escape. In the case of a 13 yr old, that escape was suicide. This is not healthy on a developing young mind for obvious reasons.
I'm appalled that any educational institution would resort to such drastic measures in order to "gain control" of a situation. I would hope that, particularly where disabilities are concerned, educators would be well informed enough to manage a situation in a manner that diffuses the situation instead of escalating it. That means understanding the child's condition, learning about it, and making judgement calls with their needs in mind.
Personally, I find this report to be shocking. I thought we as a human race left solitary confinement as a casual disciplinary measure in the 1800's when it was proven to be detrimental to a person's mental health. I also thought the restraining of children with disabilities (like autism) was abandoned by the 1900's. Apparently I was wrong.
Now, there may be people out there that would argue along these lines: Children who are unruly need to be brought under control! If that means restraining them, then that's what you do! If that means threatening them with solitary confinement, that's what you do! A few hours (not minutes, not seconds, but hours!) mean nothing if you can finally get control of the situation!
Let me counter with this: Children are not beasts. They are learning, they are growing, and they test their boundaries. Most importantly, they crave attention. If they don't get positive attention, they will try to get negative attention. One way or another they will get validation for their existence.
First with restraining children, particularly children with autism. Most autistic children do not want to be touched. The simple action of touching an autistic child can overload their sensory experience and send them into a meltdown. Often this is called a "temper tantrum", but instead of kicking and screaming, they will run around the room, scream, fall on the floor and try to block out everything around them. Sometimes they will even try to override their sensory overload with pain, and hurt themselves. The more you try to restrain an autistic child, the more likely they are to increase the behavior.
Solitary confinement was used in the 1700's and 1800's as a means of "humane punishment", where a person would sit quietly and think about the wrongs they had done. They would be shut in, with no hope of escape, almost completely locked out from any sensory experience. Unfortunately, with the idea that you have no hope of freedom or contact from another person, it can cause a mental breakdown precluded by panic attacks. This can heighten the effects of the "punishment", and cause serious mental anguish and suffering, often leading to desperate means of escape. In the case of a 13 yr old, that escape was suicide. This is not healthy on a developing young mind for obvious reasons.
I'm appalled that any educational institution would resort to such drastic measures in order to "gain control" of a situation. I would hope that, particularly where disabilities are concerned, educators would be well informed enough to manage a situation in a manner that diffuses the situation instead of escalating it. That means understanding the child's condition, learning about it, and making judgement calls with their needs in mind.
Monday, January 12, 2009
My Favorite iPod Touch Apps
Now that I have been using my iPod Touch for over a month, I can't imagine being without it. I've found it more useful than any of the PocketPC's that I have owned, and far more useful than any of the cell phones I have had in the past. But what makes it so useful? Simple: the apps. It's all about the apps, and mostly about the free apps. So here is my list of favorite apps that I use on a regular basis:
Stanza: I would be lost without Stanza! I have a long commute to work using the Bus and Traxx system, and as such a good read is necessary. But most books that I want to read are very bulky and difficult to haul around between stops (particularly when the bus is late and I have to run to catch the train). Having (currently) 107 books in my pocket is wonderful. And all the books are free, as they have long been in the public domain. Stanza is a good app, and even if they should require a purchase, it would be well worth it.
Scriptures: Because Stanza can't support eBooks with DRM, I needed an app to carry my scriptures with me. Scriptures is a free app, and allows me to do my daily readings while on commute.
Free RSS: As I no longer have a radio to listen to NPR in the morning and evening, I get my news through the free RSS reader. What's nice about this reader is that I can completely customize it, catching the feeds from specific segments of the news world, those that I feel are least biased one way or another.
Last.fm: While in WiFi country, if I don't want to listen to the music I currently have, I can listen to a radio of sorts. Last.fm has all my favorite genres, and it's all on my iPod.
Facebook: Yes, I finally caved in and joined Facebook. This way I can keep up with friends I haven't seen in years, and know what they are up to. It's fun, and helps me feel somewhat more social than I ever have been.
Evernote: I was going to give this a miss entirely, because my uses for Evernote would be the same as my uses for Google Docs.... Except you can't use Google Docs from your iPod Touch. Argh! But Evernote allows me to throw together a quick list of notes that I want to keep for a long period of time. The good news: I have another writing project in the works once I finish my first one. Now if there would only be an app that would help for a writer on the go...
Fring: This was the clincher app for me, because it allows for VoIP with SIP or Skype. That's huge, as it gives me a phone in my iPod Touch. Since I rarely stay outside of a WiFi connection, it gives me an alternative to a cell phone, which I rarely use anyway. And it's a heck of a lot cheaper. ^_^ It also ties in Twitter and my various IM clients, so I don't have to have more apps than one. I love consolidation.
Files Lite: I can transfer documents to my iPod, and view them all within Files. I can read any Office doc, which makes reviewing a presentation very handy. It also supports iWork documents, which is better than other alternatives.
To-Do: A great to-do list that let's me check off items as they come due. I can also use it as a shopping list, to the great relief of my wife who sends me to shop and finds I forget at least one thing.
iStethescope: Now that I'm trying to lose some weight and get to a more healthy me, I find monitoring my pulse to be important. This is a handy app to do just that, as long as I have an iPhone headset. Good thing I bought one for fring. ^_^
Tally Counter: As my new calling in church is ward clerk, it's my responsibility to count the number of people attending each meeting. Tally counter has been invaluable in that, since it's noiseless and accurate.
Games: Yes, I do play games from time to time to relieve stress, when I'm not reading or jotting down ideas. My favorite games are Rolando, Armado, Spore Origins, Topple, Toy Bot Diaries, Solitare, and Bubbles for my son.
So that's about it for now. I'm looking into another applications, and there are new ones coming up all the time. I do have several that I don't use a lot, but I have on hand as a "just in case" scenario. Do any of you have favorite apps for your iPhone or iPod Touch that you use?
Stanza: I would be lost without Stanza! I have a long commute to work using the Bus and Traxx system, and as such a good read is necessary. But most books that I want to read are very bulky and difficult to haul around between stops (particularly when the bus is late and I have to run to catch the train). Having (currently) 107 books in my pocket is wonderful. And all the books are free, as they have long been in the public domain. Stanza is a good app, and even if they should require a purchase, it would be well worth it.
Scriptures: Because Stanza can't support eBooks with DRM, I needed an app to carry my scriptures with me. Scriptures is a free app, and allows me to do my daily readings while on commute.
Free RSS: As I no longer have a radio to listen to NPR in the morning and evening, I get my news through the free RSS reader. What's nice about this reader is that I can completely customize it, catching the feeds from specific segments of the news world, those that I feel are least biased one way or another.
Last.fm: While in WiFi country, if I don't want to listen to the music I currently have, I can listen to a radio of sorts. Last.fm has all my favorite genres, and it's all on my iPod.
Facebook: Yes, I finally caved in and joined Facebook. This way I can keep up with friends I haven't seen in years, and know what they are up to. It's fun, and helps me feel somewhat more social than I ever have been.
Evernote: I was going to give this a miss entirely, because my uses for Evernote would be the same as my uses for Google Docs.... Except you can't use Google Docs from your iPod Touch. Argh! But Evernote allows me to throw together a quick list of notes that I want to keep for a long period of time. The good news: I have another writing project in the works once I finish my first one. Now if there would only be an app that would help for a writer on the go...
Fring: This was the clincher app for me, because it allows for VoIP with SIP or Skype. That's huge, as it gives me a phone in my iPod Touch. Since I rarely stay outside of a WiFi connection, it gives me an alternative to a cell phone, which I rarely use anyway. And it's a heck of a lot cheaper. ^_^ It also ties in Twitter and my various IM clients, so I don't have to have more apps than one. I love consolidation.
Files Lite: I can transfer documents to my iPod, and view them all within Files. I can read any Office doc, which makes reviewing a presentation very handy. It also supports iWork documents, which is better than other alternatives.
To-Do: A great to-do list that let's me check off items as they come due. I can also use it as a shopping list, to the great relief of my wife who sends me to shop and finds I forget at least one thing.
iStethescope: Now that I'm trying to lose some weight and get to a more healthy me, I find monitoring my pulse to be important. This is a handy app to do just that, as long as I have an iPhone headset. Good thing I bought one for fring. ^_^
Tally Counter: As my new calling in church is ward clerk, it's my responsibility to count the number of people attending each meeting. Tally counter has been invaluable in that, since it's noiseless and accurate.
Games: Yes, I do play games from time to time to relieve stress, when I'm not reading or jotting down ideas. My favorite games are Rolando, Armado, Spore Origins, Topple, Toy Bot Diaries, Solitare, and Bubbles for my son.
So that's about it for now. I'm looking into another applications, and there are new ones coming up all the time. I do have several that I don't use a lot, but I have on hand as a "just in case" scenario. Do any of you have favorite apps for your iPhone or iPod Touch that you use?
Wednesday, January 07, 2009
Autism and Monosodium Glutamate: The Theory and The QuestionsIncr
In the 1950's and 1960's, the food industry found that if they added a special additive to their processed food, the favor was enhanced. This additive was monosodium glutamate. Also about that time, other additives, pesticides, chemical compounds, and vaccinations have been introduced to the populace, with the goal of making our lives better.
Recently, I read an article online regarding a "new" theory that places the blame of Autism on monosodium glutamate. This little additive has been pegged as the smoking gun, now that the argument against vaccinations is losing steam. Keep in mind that I have a specific bias toward genetic brain cell development, and I want to be sure I state that right at the beginning of this analysis.
The research into monosodium glutamate and the brain actually started back in the 1950's, with a resurgence of that research in the 1970's. It seems that glutamate is a chemical compound that surrounds the neuron before it fires its synapsis through the neurotransmitter. The presence of too much glutamate in the brain can cause neuron death, which leads to a number of neurological disorders. In all the articles in Google Scholar that I have read, there is no mention of metabolizing glutamate within the body, the levels of glutamate that would be necessary to cause such damage, or anything like that. Just that it is possible, and has been proven in post-natal lab rats.
Okay, so glutamate is in fact an important compound for brain function. From the research that has been done, there is ample evidence that it would effect pruning, and cause damage to the neurons through overloading those neurons. But I'm not convinced that there is a definite link between consuming monosodium glutamate in the real world and the development of an autistic brain.
As you all know (those that have followed my blog, at any rate), I assert that autism is caused by increased gray matter and decreased white matter in the brain, and by the lack of or delayed pruning in the brain by age 6. This means that autistic children have increased communication within their brain because of an increase of neurons, which causes sensitivity to any incoming stimuli. This has been proven through MRI scans of the brains of autistic children and comparing them to their control, or "normal" children (see previous blog entries for the resources).
In order for monosodium glutamate to be somehow responsible for this overgrowth of neurons at such a young age for some children and not for others would require the following:
Now, I don't want to sound closed minded about this theory, because there is a kernel of truth regarding glutamate and its effect on the brain. I would love to see actual clinical research that outlines the dosages of monosodium glutamate used, the duration, and the results compared to the "placebo" effect. Unfortunately, as with most theories about autism, such information is never available, only anecdotal evidence.
So, if there are any neurobiologists that are familiar with the proposed theory and have research either fore or against it, I would be happy to read! Remember, I want to know the details of the research, and not just the conclusions. Much of the research I have been able to find so far is from the 1950's and 1970's, about the same time when it was determined that cancer was caused by cranberries, eggs, water, and various other compounds when taken in humanly impossible doses. I trust the same is true of this study
Recently, I read an article online regarding a "new" theory that places the blame of Autism on monosodium glutamate. This little additive has been pegged as the smoking gun, now that the argument against vaccinations is losing steam. Keep in mind that I have a specific bias toward genetic brain cell development, and I want to be sure I state that right at the beginning of this analysis.
The research into monosodium glutamate and the brain actually started back in the 1950's, with a resurgence of that research in the 1970's. It seems that glutamate is a chemical compound that surrounds the neuron before it fires its synapsis through the neurotransmitter. The presence of too much glutamate in the brain can cause neuron death, which leads to a number of neurological disorders. In all the articles in Google Scholar that I have read, there is no mention of metabolizing glutamate within the body, the levels of glutamate that would be necessary to cause such damage, or anything like that. Just that it is possible, and has been proven in post-natal lab rats.
Okay, so glutamate is in fact an important compound for brain function. From the research that has been done, there is ample evidence that it would effect pruning, and cause damage to the neurons through overloading those neurons. But I'm not convinced that there is a definite link between consuming monosodium glutamate in the real world and the development of an autistic brain.
As you all know (those that have followed my blog, at any rate), I assert that autism is caused by increased gray matter and decreased white matter in the brain, and by the lack of or delayed pruning in the brain by age 6. This means that autistic children have increased communication within their brain because of an increase of neurons, which causes sensitivity to any incoming stimuli. This has been proven through MRI scans of the brains of autistic children and comparing them to their control, or "normal" children (see previous blog entries for the resources).
In order for monosodium glutamate to be somehow responsible for this overgrowth of neurons at such a young age for some children and not for others would require the following:
- The increased presence of monosodium glutamate within some children's diet rather than others. As most families have a mixture of autistic and "normal" children, this would mean somehow an unequal portion of glutamate would have gone to the autistic child.
- Levels of monosodium glutamate high enough at such a young age to cause such a transformation. As of yet, I have been unable to find the actual research data outlining the proportion and dosage of glutamate used in laboratory rats for the oft-cited study.
- The source of the monosodium glutamate. Children are typically diagnosed at age 2, or have regression around age 6. For the 2-yr old, it would suggest that the monosodium glutamate would be in either the formula being consumed, or the baby food being consumed. Most children are not on "people" food by this time, or at least not in a significant quantity. For 6-yr olds, this is possible, though it still brings up the problem of some children showing autism tendencies, and some not, though both may have a very identical meal.
- Cultures that do not use monosodium glutamate as a food additive also have children that are autistic, which brings the whole theory into question.
Now, I don't want to sound closed minded about this theory, because there is a kernel of truth regarding glutamate and its effect on the brain. I would love to see actual clinical research that outlines the dosages of monosodium glutamate used, the duration, and the results compared to the "placebo" effect. Unfortunately, as with most theories about autism, such information is never available, only anecdotal evidence.
So, if there are any neurobiologists that are familiar with the proposed theory and have research either fore or against it, I would be happy to read! Remember, I want to know the details of the research, and not just the conclusions. Much of the research I have been able to find so far is from the 1950's and 1970's, about the same time when it was determined that cancer was caused by cranberries, eggs, water, and various other compounds when taken in humanly impossible doses. I trust the same is true of this study
Monday, January 05, 2009
Journey to the Centre of the Earth: A Review
This is another one of those books that I thought I had read, but never got around to it. Finally, after my older brother gave me a copy for Christmas, I sat down to read "Journey to the Centre of the Earth".
Jules Verne has a very unique style. He's not fettered down by absolute facts, and loves to sport a myriad of different theories of his time. But first and foremost his books are travel logs. While fantastic voyages, travels, and even technologies are introduced, the basic premise is the journey itself. You are transported to other countries, cultures, and places so easily with his books.
Another enduring and fascinating piece of his writing is his hero, the narrator, who is fundamentally flawed. He either lacks fortitude, courage, resilience, or some other ideal that is instead reflected in another character. I love it, because he can then explore the faults in humans in a way that brings sympathy instead of condemnation.
Finally, there is the science! Much of the "facts" he presents in his books are theories of the time, many of which have either been proved right or wrong. Also, there is the way problems are surmounted, usually by the application of some technology that is either real, experimental from the time, or completely non-existent. At any rate, it gets the juices flowing in the mind, if only to puzzle a way to make it work.
The Journey was fabulous, as I have seen just about every version made for film, whether big or small screen. The book, as always, outshines each presentation, and makes for interesting comparisons. I just can't help comparing versions with the original story, trying to find reason in their changes.
If you have never read Journey to the Centre of the Earth, I would highly recommend it. The story is fascinating, making for a great story even before they enter the cave marked by Sarcaris. The prose is reasonable for a translation, though it does make me wish I had a better grasp of the French language, so I could read the original.
Jules Verne has a very unique style. He's not fettered down by absolute facts, and loves to sport a myriad of different theories of his time. But first and foremost his books are travel logs. While fantastic voyages, travels, and even technologies are introduced, the basic premise is the journey itself. You are transported to other countries, cultures, and places so easily with his books.
Another enduring and fascinating piece of his writing is his hero, the narrator, who is fundamentally flawed. He either lacks fortitude, courage, resilience, or some other ideal that is instead reflected in another character. I love it, because he can then explore the faults in humans in a way that brings sympathy instead of condemnation.
Finally, there is the science! Much of the "facts" he presents in his books are theories of the time, many of which have either been proved right or wrong. Also, there is the way problems are surmounted, usually by the application of some technology that is either real, experimental from the time, or completely non-existent. At any rate, it gets the juices flowing in the mind, if only to puzzle a way to make it work.
The Journey was fabulous, as I have seen just about every version made for film, whether big or small screen. The book, as always, outshines each presentation, and makes for interesting comparisons. I just can't help comparing versions with the original story, trying to find reason in their changes.
If you have never read Journey to the Centre of the Earth, I would highly recommend it. The story is fascinating, making for a great story even before they enter the cave marked by Sarcaris. The prose is reasonable for a translation, though it does make me wish I had a better grasp of the French language, so I could read the original.
Friday, January 02, 2009
New Year, New Hopes: Autism at the Cusp of Discovery, Acceptance, and Advancement
This past year has been one of anxiety and frustration for me. No, I'm not talking about the Economy, Politics, or Elections, but rather the life my family has been leading since my son was diagnosed with Autism. Since then I have looked for "cures" that don't exist, treatments that are within my price range, and general ideas on how to best serve my son. Every which way I had turned was met with frustration and distrust as I learned more about Autism and its cause.
So this year I have high hopes for my son, and this is why:
1. Autism Covered by Insurance: This year the Utah Legislature is considering a bill that will mandate autism coverage by health insurance until the child is 5 years old. While this would only mean one year of assistance, it is at least something to be excited about. Whether or not it will pass is another question all together, but it is at least a step in the right direction. It also makes sense, as the University of Utah is one of the leaders in Autism research.
2. The Cause is all but Confirmed: In spite of the drivel spouted by celebrities with little to no schooling, neuropsychologists have determined that Autism is in fact caused by increased neuro-pathways in the brain. Does this mean it can or should be cured? That's a philosophical question I will leave to others. But it does mean that Autism should no longer be considered an environmental circumstance, or the fault of getting much needed vaccinations. Instead it is a condition that can be identified medically, and therefore treated as such. No longer will children with Autism be considered poorly-behaved children that were neglected by their parents.
3. Public Awareness is Increased: Though there are still a lot of myths about autism out there, general awareness is on the increase. Most people have at least heard about autism, candidates have promised to make it a priority, and major news outlets (such as NPR) have dedicated whole news spots to the condition. The bad news is that most of the attention has been in the wrong place (i.e., vaccinations as the cause), but the good news is that more research time is being spent on the condition! That means more time spent in developing better learning models, better instructions for parents and teachers, and over all more understanding behind the condition brings more peace of mind to parents.
For those of us who are living with the condition, whether we have it or have a family member who does, these are exciting times to be alive. Gone are the days of cages and restrains in chairs. Gone are the jeers and persecutions that come from peers that ridicule out of ignorance.
Though there still are judgmental people who criticize parents for their child's behavior, once they find out the child is autistic I have found that they are more understanding. I am no longer afraid to go to certain restaurants out of fear for my son and the stares he would receive. Instead I have a growing list of restaurants where good experiences have been had with my son. It also gives me a chance to clarify the cause of autism in order to dispel the many myths and outright frauds that have been claimed as the cause of Autism.
So I look to 2009 as the year of acceptance of Autism and those with the condition. What do I hope to see come out of the new year?
1. Resources for Parents and Teachers: It's impossible for the existing treatment infrastructure to handle the growing diagnoses for Autism. Instead, the resources need to be given to those care-givers that have the most interaction with their children. I expect that this year will be the year in which Psychologists, both Educational and Neuro-psychologists release materials for parents to use, and the existing infrastructure will no longer provide treatment to the patient, but educate the care-givers on how to administer treatment with regular appointments to assess progress. Think of it as homeschooling, but well regulated and monitored by professionals. Ultimately it will save the family money, while also helping that family feel in control.
2. Myths, falsehoods, and criminally negligent information will be squashed. Too many parents are lost in the world of uncertainty concerning their child, and that has lead to a rash of quackery and hocus-pocus that drains parents of their income while doing untold damage to the autistic child. This year I have high hopes that these types of "treatments" are taken completely out of the equation, and exposed for the frauds they are. It's a huge burden on medical and scientific research, as they need to take each claim with a grain of salt as they disprove them in order to finally free the autistic child from the grips of quacks and soothsayers.
3. Medical Insurance will be provided as assistance for parents of autistic children, which expands the existing infrastructure. But instead of seeing a world where autistic children are taken from their parents and placed in special schools, I see parents and children in special schools, learning the necessary skills, and then set loose to continue to be a functional and loving family. Regular checkups would keep track of the progress both the parents and their autistic child(ren) are making, while also providing additional support and encouragement. I'm a firm believer in teaching a man to fish, instead of giving him the fish and placing the burden of fishing on someone else.
4. Finally, I would like to see 2009 be the age of acceptance for children with autism, and those parents that have a child that may occasionally have a melt down in public. Instead of stares, criticisms, and outright chastisements for the child's behavior, I see people offering assistance if necessary, even if it is to the point of helping the parent to take their child out of the over-stimulating environment. Gone will be the days of autistic children being banned from flights, and people praising the move as a way of safe-guarding themselves. It's a huge hope, but one to which I constantly cling.
So this year I have high hopes for my son, and this is why:
1. Autism Covered by Insurance: This year the Utah Legislature is considering a bill that will mandate autism coverage by health insurance until the child is 5 years old. While this would only mean one year of assistance, it is at least something to be excited about. Whether or not it will pass is another question all together, but it is at least a step in the right direction. It also makes sense, as the University of Utah is one of the leaders in Autism research.
2. The Cause is all but Confirmed: In spite of the drivel spouted by celebrities with little to no schooling, neuropsychologists have determined that Autism is in fact caused by increased neuro-pathways in the brain. Does this mean it can or should be cured? That's a philosophical question I will leave to others. But it does mean that Autism should no longer be considered an environmental circumstance, or the fault of getting much needed vaccinations. Instead it is a condition that can be identified medically, and therefore treated as such. No longer will children with Autism be considered poorly-behaved children that were neglected by their parents.
3. Public Awareness is Increased: Though there are still a lot of myths about autism out there, general awareness is on the increase. Most people have at least heard about autism, candidates have promised to make it a priority, and major news outlets (such as NPR) have dedicated whole news spots to the condition. The bad news is that most of the attention has been in the wrong place (i.e., vaccinations as the cause), but the good news is that more research time is being spent on the condition! That means more time spent in developing better learning models, better instructions for parents and teachers, and over all more understanding behind the condition brings more peace of mind to parents.
For those of us who are living with the condition, whether we have it or have a family member who does, these are exciting times to be alive. Gone are the days of cages and restrains in chairs. Gone are the jeers and persecutions that come from peers that ridicule out of ignorance.
Though there still are judgmental people who criticize parents for their child's behavior, once they find out the child is autistic I have found that they are more understanding. I am no longer afraid to go to certain restaurants out of fear for my son and the stares he would receive. Instead I have a growing list of restaurants where good experiences have been had with my son. It also gives me a chance to clarify the cause of autism in order to dispel the many myths and outright frauds that have been claimed as the cause of Autism.
So I look to 2009 as the year of acceptance of Autism and those with the condition. What do I hope to see come out of the new year?
1. Resources for Parents and Teachers: It's impossible for the existing treatment infrastructure to handle the growing diagnoses for Autism. Instead, the resources need to be given to those care-givers that have the most interaction with their children. I expect that this year will be the year in which Psychologists, both Educational and Neuro-psychologists release materials for parents to use, and the existing infrastructure will no longer provide treatment to the patient, but educate the care-givers on how to administer treatment with regular appointments to assess progress. Think of it as homeschooling, but well regulated and monitored by professionals. Ultimately it will save the family money, while also helping that family feel in control.
2. Myths, falsehoods, and criminally negligent information will be squashed. Too many parents are lost in the world of uncertainty concerning their child, and that has lead to a rash of quackery and hocus-pocus that drains parents of their income while doing untold damage to the autistic child. This year I have high hopes that these types of "treatments" are taken completely out of the equation, and exposed for the frauds they are. It's a huge burden on medical and scientific research, as they need to take each claim with a grain of salt as they disprove them in order to finally free the autistic child from the grips of quacks and soothsayers.
3. Medical Insurance will be provided as assistance for parents of autistic children, which expands the existing infrastructure. But instead of seeing a world where autistic children are taken from their parents and placed in special schools, I see parents and children in special schools, learning the necessary skills, and then set loose to continue to be a functional and loving family. Regular checkups would keep track of the progress both the parents and their autistic child(ren) are making, while also providing additional support and encouragement. I'm a firm believer in teaching a man to fish, instead of giving him the fish and placing the burden of fishing on someone else.
4. Finally, I would like to see 2009 be the age of acceptance for children with autism, and those parents that have a child that may occasionally have a melt down in public. Instead of stares, criticisms, and outright chastisements for the child's behavior, I see people offering assistance if necessary, even if it is to the point of helping the parent to take their child out of the over-stimulating environment. Gone will be the days of autistic children being banned from flights, and people praising the move as a way of safe-guarding themselves. It's a huge hope, but one to which I constantly cling.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Linux Instructor Needed, Again
Another semester is coming soon, and I find myself yet again in need of a Linux instructor. For those of you who are familiar with the Guru Labs material, this instructor would teach the 275 and the 314 classes throughout the semester on Wednesday nights from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The location of the class will be in the WEB building (built on the old Bunker), in the new Mac lab (208). The class will be run from virtual machines.
If you are interested, please feel free to contact Inita Lyon with your resume. Her email is ilyon at aoce dot utah dot edu. A degree is not required, but would be nice, as long as you have significant teaching experience. The job is not a full time instructor job, but rather an adjunct instructor position, so it will not be a replacement for those looking for full time employ. But it may help take the edge off those still looking for
If you are interested, please feel free to contact Inita Lyon with your resume. Her email is ilyon at aoce dot utah dot edu. A degree is not required, but would be nice, as long as you have significant teaching experience. The job is not a full time instructor job, but rather an adjunct instructor position, so it will not be a replacement for those looking for full time employ. But it may help take the edge off those still looking for
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Dyer's Woad: A New Experiment
This summer I am going to plant woad. What is woad? It's a highly prolific plant used to produce indigo. Utah, it seems, is an ideal place for woad to grow, as Cache County has it listed as a weed and removes around 22 tons of the stuff each year, just to bury in a landfill. Indigo is a blue pigment that is produced naturally in a number of plants, from the indigo plant to woad.
For those of you who know your Celtic history, woad produced the blue pigment used by the Picts for painting their bodies. It also has a very lasting color, one that is resistant to washing, bleach, and pollution. Unlike synthetic dyes, it is produced using environmentally friendly methods and no toxic residue or wastes.
So it would seem that in the prevailing eco-friendly political environment, processing woad on a large scale would be ideal. Unfortunately, that's just the problem. It's not that simple to process at a commercial level, though some farmers in England have had some success. But what are the ratios of dye to plant matter processed? That is what I intend to find out.
So this spring I am going to sow some woad seeds into the space between the road and the sidewalk, which is currently a barren wasteland of deteriorating red lava rock and a hotbed for weeds. I hope to have enough plant material to produce a significant amount of indigo, to determine the feasibility of producing woad. But from what I have read, you can only get about 2 grams per kilogram weight of fresh leaves, making it difficult to get a decent amount of indigo from woad. We will see.
But that is just one part, what about the market? Is there a market for natural indigo? I believe there will be, but finding it will be a little more difficult. Most likely I could sell some on the Internet to those with special interests, and eventually perhaps I could move to the farmer's markets to cater to the local residents that are interested in their own pigments that are natural.
Then, finally, there is pricing. How much should indigo made from woad cost? A cursory cost of indigo pigment comes to $32.95 for 100 milliliters, or about 3.4 ounces of pigment. That is based on a search for indigo pigment, and not necessarily natural indigo pigment. That price may not be an accurate reflection, and cannot be relied upon.
Ultimately I see a future for this industry in Utah, as woad grows well here in the dry conditions, and more "green" industries are growing in their significance. Perhaps one day an effective woad processing plant can be built in the Cache Valley area, providing a place for the County government to dump all the unwanted woad, per
For those of you who know your Celtic history, woad produced the blue pigment used by the Picts for painting their bodies. It also has a very lasting color, one that is resistant to washing, bleach, and pollution. Unlike synthetic dyes, it is produced using environmentally friendly methods and no toxic residue or wastes.
So it would seem that in the prevailing eco-friendly political environment, processing woad on a large scale would be ideal. Unfortunately, that's just the problem. It's not that simple to process at a commercial level, though some farmers in England have had some success. But what are the ratios of dye to plant matter processed? That is what I intend to find out.
So this spring I am going to sow some woad seeds into the space between the road and the sidewalk, which is currently a barren wasteland of deteriorating red lava rock and a hotbed for weeds. I hope to have enough plant material to produce a significant amount of indigo, to determine the feasibility of producing woad. But from what I have read, you can only get about 2 grams per kilogram weight of fresh leaves, making it difficult to get a decent amount of indigo from woad. We will see.
But that is just one part, what about the market? Is there a market for natural indigo? I believe there will be, but finding it will be a little more difficult. Most likely I could sell some on the Internet to those with special interests, and eventually perhaps I could move to the farmer's markets to cater to the local residents that are interested in their own pigments that are natural.
Then, finally, there is pricing. How much should indigo made from woad cost? A cursory cost of indigo pigment comes to $32.95 for 100 milliliters, or about 3.4 ounces of pigment. That is based on a search for indigo pigment, and not necessarily natural indigo pigment. That price may not be an accurate reflection, and cannot be relied upon.
Ultimately I see a future for this industry in Utah, as woad grows well here in the dry conditions, and more "green" industries are growing in their significance. Perhaps one day an effective woad processing plant can be built in the Cache Valley area, providing a place for the County government to dump all the unwanted woad, per
Monday, December 15, 2008
NAET And Autism: Allergy Autism
For those of you who have been following my autism posts, you probably know where I come from and what my biases are. I believe that Autism, true Autism, is caused by a larger proportion of gray matter to that of white matter in the brain, causing a higher level of synapses firing within the brain. Such a condition then causes the brain to become overwhelmed by various stimuli, hence the behavior associated with children with autism.
This being said I can continue with my post. I found a "cure" or collection of treatments listed for autism in the Natural Cures app for my iPod Touch. One of which was the Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique, or NAET. According to the complier of this resource, they have had first-hand experience with the success of the technique, with a report coming soon on the clinical trials.
So, as one that professes to have an open mind, I thought I would check out the treatments and their history. Apparently the treatment has to do with "allergies" to various vitamins, sugars, compounds, etc. that can be cured by using various acupressure and acupuncture treatments to be resolved, usually within a year by attending treatments once a week. Delved into more deeply, it seems that the "allergy" is determined by holding pills in the hand and pulling on the hand to see if resistance is met. This is inline with kinesiology, a technique that has been questioned by the medical field for it's scientific accuracy. Here are links to the NAET website for a positive description, and a link to the Autism Diva's blog for a more critical view.
I'm not going to comment on the accuracy or inaccuracy of the NAET claim, though I think from my biases presented earlier it may be clear what they may be, but rather on the idea behind Allergy Autism. Allergy Autism is a theory based around the idea of external stimuli causing Autism, and the elimination of such stimuli curing Autism. Now, I've mentioned my beliefs about this before, but let me clarify my position.
Autism is caused by increased brain activity. This brain activity manifests in the behavior patterns common in all Autism patients, with various stimuli causing the reaction. Generally it is caused by hypersensitive senses (sight, touch, hearing, etc.) which feed too much information to the brain.
The logical jump from this to "Allergic Autism" is not as wild as one might think, though it is often misunderstood. I fully believe that some foods can cause the brain a lot of additional stimuli based on the reactions the child has. This does not mean that the food/allergy is causing autism, but rather acts as a catalyst for the behavior to occur. Autism is still related to the brain function, while a food, bright light, flickering light, etc. can cause a meltdown when paired with the brain's wiring.
Perhaps I'm just trying to explain away the successes of those people who put their autistic children on special diets. It could be, though I think the logic behind the connection is too strong. If there are any neuropsychologists out there that disagree with me, I would be quite interested in your input. Neuropsychology is something I have little practical education in, and rely on articles and news reports to get a better picture.
So, in coming full circle, I do believe that "allergies" or other stimuli can trigger the symptoms of autism, but I don't believe they are the cause of Autism itself. So as to the accuracy of the NAET program, I'll let you read the two descriptions and judge for yourself. As for me, I've removed the natural cures app from my iPod, and I in
This being said I can continue with my post. I found a "cure" or collection of treatments listed for autism in the Natural Cures app for my iPod Touch. One of which was the Nambudripad's Allergy Elimination Technique, or NAET. According to the complier of this resource, they have had first-hand experience with the success of the technique, with a report coming soon on the clinical trials.
So, as one that professes to have an open mind, I thought I would check out the treatments and their history. Apparently the treatment has to do with "allergies" to various vitamins, sugars, compounds, etc. that can be cured by using various acupressure and acupuncture treatments to be resolved, usually within a year by attending treatments once a week. Delved into more deeply, it seems that the "allergy" is determined by holding pills in the hand and pulling on the hand to see if resistance is met. This is inline with kinesiology, a technique that has been questioned by the medical field for it's scientific accuracy. Here are links to the NAET website for a positive description, and a link to the Autism Diva's blog for a more critical view.
I'm not going to comment on the accuracy or inaccuracy of the NAET claim, though I think from my biases presented earlier it may be clear what they may be, but rather on the idea behind Allergy Autism. Allergy Autism is a theory based around the idea of external stimuli causing Autism, and the elimination of such stimuli curing Autism. Now, I've mentioned my beliefs about this before, but let me clarify my position.
Autism is caused by increased brain activity. This brain activity manifests in the behavior patterns common in all Autism patients, with various stimuli causing the reaction. Generally it is caused by hypersensitive senses (sight, touch, hearing, etc.) which feed too much information to the brain.
The logical jump from this to "Allergic Autism" is not as wild as one might think, though it is often misunderstood. I fully believe that some foods can cause the brain a lot of additional stimuli based on the reactions the child has. This does not mean that the food/allergy is causing autism, but rather acts as a catalyst for the behavior to occur. Autism is still related to the brain function, while a food, bright light, flickering light, etc. can cause a meltdown when paired with the brain's wiring.
Perhaps I'm just trying to explain away the successes of those people who put their autistic children on special diets. It could be, though I think the logic behind the connection is too strong. If there are any neuropsychologists out there that disagree with me, I would be quite interested in your input. Neuropsychology is something I have little practical education in, and rely on articles and news reports to get a better picture.
So, in coming full circle, I do believe that "allergies" or other stimuli can trigger the symptoms of autism, but I don't believe they are the cause of Autism itself. So as to the accuracy of the NAET program, I'll let you read the two descriptions and judge for yourself. As for me, I've removed the natural cures app from my iPod, and I in
Saturday, December 13, 2008
The iPod Touch 2G: 48 Hours Review
Let me preface this review by stating that I have tried PDA's in the past, all of which have not kept my interest for very long. I often quickly find a limitation that turns me off the platform, and generally it's something that is critical to the reason why I have purchased a PDA. For this reason, I have primarily used sticky notes for my contacts and notes that I carry around. But recently, with the growing number of books that I tend to carry around for teaching and the move to produce my own content, I found that I finally need a platform that can cater to my chosen platform and needs.
When the iPhone was first announced, I thought it would be perfect with several additions. Those additions were slow in coming, but even with the arrival of the App Store, the cost of ownership was still too high for an iPhone. Then the iPod Touch was released, and my heart began to race. Yet again, the lack of VoIP on the first generation was a halting point.
Then the iPod Touch 2G was released, with the capability of VoIP. Recently, software was released that consolidated most chat platforms with VoIP, taking it a step further. So I thought I would jump at the chance to try the platform and bought one. My wife will be getting hers soon. ^_^
1. The Platform
The first reason why I have not liked most PDA's is the stylus. I constantly misplace one, or my son tends to wander off with it, never to be seen again. The first thing that attracted me to the platform is the fact that you use your finger, and don't have to worry about scratching the pressure film.
A big concern was the keyboard, as it is not physical and hard to touch-type. But touch typing is all about knowing where to put your fingers when you type, not necessarily whether or not a key is actually pressed. I find that I can actually type pretty fast with my thumbs on the thing. As such, I was sold on the touchscreen. ^_^
2. The Hardware
The wireless works well with the 802.1x authentication setup at the University of Utah, so I have wireless at work and at home. This makes VoIP very possible, with only the transit between them (and various other travels) taking me away from my VoIP phone. More on that when I get to the apps.
I did want bluetooth in the platform, which is not available. So much for my bluetooth headset that I have currently with my phone and iMac. It also would be nice to have a tethered keyboard, essentially making the iPod Touch a Netbook.
3. The Apps
All the great hardware in the world wouldn't make up for really bad applications. Luckily, there are some really decent applications that are available for free in the App Store. Here are the apps I have on my iPod Touch:
Calendar: I'm still not really happy with this. You can tether your Calendar to a Microsoft Exchange calendar, but not to an iCal Server (or Google Calendar). Google Apps resolve this as viewing, but it's still not the same. I ended up having to sync the calendar with my iMac. Unfortunately, the colors don't match, and it only works if you don't use Microsoft Exchange for a mail account. So I had to set up my uMail account as an IMAP account.
Contacts: Nice to have them, but the same problem as the Calendar. It's either Microsoft Exchange, or you can use Google and sync from your desktop.
Photos: iPhoto for the iPod Touch, let's you use the photos as your "Wallpaper" on the device.
Go Figure Lite: Quick figures for every day. Nice because the formulas are created for you, you just plug in the numbers.
TouchTerm: SSH terminal for the iPod Touch. Works very well, makes accessing my web server very simple.
VNC Lite: VNC Client for iPod Touch.
eBay: Quick access to My eBay, search online, bid or buy it now. You can't leave feedback, which is too bad.
PayPal: You can send money, but it's also a really quick and simple way to check your PayPal balance.
Files Lite: Transfer documents, presentations, and other files to your iPod Touch. This one can display PowerPoint and Word docs without any additional plugins. Very convenient. The Lite version, while free, has a limit of 200 MB storage. The transfer is done by turning your iPod into a WebDAV server.
Bubbles; A game primarily for my son. You touch/drag your finger on the screen and create bubbles, then touch to pop them. My son squealed each time, so it's a keeper. ^_^
Armado Lite: Very well designed game, with a very simple and easy gameplay. I highly recommend it, even though you can only go up to 3 levels in the free version.
Tap Tap Revenge: Fun for a time-waster.
Pac-Man Lite: Classic game. ^_^
S.Deadbeef: I still am out on this one... It's a side-scroll fly and fight game. Seems pretty fun, but difficult to get used to the controls.
SQ Lite: Same thing, but more like the Chopper game from the old 8088, just with better graphics. ^_^
The Scriptures: Very convenient for reading, and better organized than the Microsoft Reader version I had with my previous Windows CE devices.
Stanza: This is the best eBook reader I have found in a long time. Easily reads any non-DRM book in just about any eBook form, it's great! I can read PDF versions of printed books and have them readily available without having to cart them around. The only drawback is getting the books from your desktop to the iPod: It has to be transferred across WiFi in order to get it on. But you can also download directly from the Gutenberg project website. That's convenient. ^_^
WordPress: Manage my WordPress blog easily from the iPod. I haven't posted anything yet from the iPod, if only because I don't feel comfortable enough with the keyboard yet to make a decent post.
Google Apps: A quick access center to your Google apps online. Very nice, except you can't write to a Google Doc. Huge problem there, as it would be nice to have that functionality. As there are other Notes apps available, I can live without for now.
Last.FM: Invaluable. I have very targeted music tastes, so an internet radio is ideal. Steampunk music is my stable for Last.FM. ^_^
LinkedIn: Track my connections and their connections for LinkedIn.
PHD Comics: I love this comic, as will anyone who is currently or has been in Graduate school. Very liberal in it's political leanings, the stories are really funny, and frighteningly true. If one is planning on becoming a Graduate student, sanity comes from this comic. I was so excited when I found they had created an app. ^_^
2Fat: Track your BMI and body fat ratio with this application. As I have started exercising in order to increase my health, this is something that has interested me greatly.
NaturalCures: I love real cures that are simple, and this app gives you various options to have. The only thing I would warn against is trusting this more than your doctor. And don't ever take "natural" medicines without your doctor's knowledge, or at least your pharmacist's knowledge. You don't want to have a severe reaction and end up faint, or worse.
iStethoscope: If you have the iPhone headphones for your iPod Touch 2G, you can use this app. It uses the microphone in the headset, which is pressed against your pulse point in your neck, to let you hear your pulse and display your pulse rate. I love this for checking my heart rate during exercise.
Fring: This is the wonder app that clinched my purchase of the iPod Touch. This app integrates Google Talk, Yahoo! Chat, AIM, MSN Messenger, Twitter, Skype, and an SIP phone together into one communications app. And the VoIP works fine for the iPod Touch 2G! Yes, I tested it, and I had no trouble talking and hearing what was going on. All of a sudden the iPod Touch 2G becomes the ideal VoIP phone. It's small, and the battery lasts all day and a good portion of the night.
So, that's been my experience so far. There were a number of apps that I ended up deleting because of duplicate performance or very poor performance. While there are a number of other platforms out there other than the iPod Touch or iPhone that work well for many people, this one works for me. ^_^
When the iPhone was first announced, I thought it would be perfect with several additions. Those additions were slow in coming, but even with the arrival of the App Store, the cost of ownership was still too high for an iPhone. Then the iPod Touch was released, and my heart began to race. Yet again, the lack of VoIP on the first generation was a halting point.
Then the iPod Touch 2G was released, with the capability of VoIP. Recently, software was released that consolidated most chat platforms with VoIP, taking it a step further. So I thought I would jump at the chance to try the platform and bought one. My wife will be getting hers soon. ^_^
1. The Platform
The first reason why I have not liked most PDA's is the stylus. I constantly misplace one, or my son tends to wander off with it, never to be seen again. The first thing that attracted me to the platform is the fact that you use your finger, and don't have to worry about scratching the pressure film.
A big concern was the keyboard, as it is not physical and hard to touch-type. But touch typing is all about knowing where to put your fingers when you type, not necessarily whether or not a key is actually pressed. I find that I can actually type pretty fast with my thumbs on the thing. As such, I was sold on the touchscreen. ^_^
2. The Hardware
The wireless works well with the 802.1x authentication setup at the University of Utah, so I have wireless at work and at home. This makes VoIP very possible, with only the transit between them (and various other travels) taking me away from my VoIP phone. More on that when I get to the apps.
I did want bluetooth in the platform, which is not available. So much for my bluetooth headset that I have currently with my phone and iMac. It also would be nice to have a tethered keyboard, essentially making the iPod Touch a Netbook.
3. The Apps
All the great hardware in the world wouldn't make up for really bad applications. Luckily, there are some really decent applications that are available for free in the App Store. Here are the apps I have on my iPod Touch:
Calendar: I'm still not really happy with this. You can tether your Calendar to a Microsoft Exchange calendar, but not to an iCal Server (or Google Calendar). Google Apps resolve this as viewing, but it's still not the same. I ended up having to sync the calendar with my iMac. Unfortunately, the colors don't match, and it only works if you don't use Microsoft Exchange for a mail account. So I had to set up my uMail account as an IMAP account.
Contacts: Nice to have them, but the same problem as the Calendar. It's either Microsoft Exchange, or you can use Google and sync from your desktop.
Photos: iPhoto for the iPod Touch, let's you use the photos as your "Wallpaper" on the device.
Go Figure Lite: Quick figures for every day. Nice because the formulas are created for you, you just plug in the numbers.
TouchTerm: SSH terminal for the iPod Touch. Works very well, makes accessing my web server very simple.
VNC Lite: VNC Client for iPod Touch.
eBay: Quick access to My eBay, search online, bid or buy it now. You can't leave feedback, which is too bad.
PayPal: You can send money, but it's also a really quick and simple way to check your PayPal balance.
Files Lite: Transfer documents, presentations, and other files to your iPod Touch. This one can display PowerPoint and Word docs without any additional plugins. Very convenient. The Lite version, while free, has a limit of 200 MB storage. The transfer is done by turning your iPod into a WebDAV server.
Bubbles; A game primarily for my son. You touch/drag your finger on the screen and create bubbles, then touch to pop them. My son squealed each time, so it's a keeper. ^_^
Armado Lite: Very well designed game, with a very simple and easy gameplay. I highly recommend it, even though you can only go up to 3 levels in the free version.
Tap Tap Revenge: Fun for a time-waster.
Pac-Man Lite: Classic game. ^_^
S.Deadbeef: I still am out on this one... It's a side-scroll fly and fight game. Seems pretty fun, but difficult to get used to the controls.
SQ Lite: Same thing, but more like the Chopper game from the old 8088, just with better graphics. ^_^
The Scriptures: Very convenient for reading, and better organized than the Microsoft Reader version I had with my previous Windows CE devices.
Stanza: This is the best eBook reader I have found in a long time. Easily reads any non-DRM book in just about any eBook form, it's great! I can read PDF versions of printed books and have them readily available without having to cart them around. The only drawback is getting the books from your desktop to the iPod: It has to be transferred across WiFi in order to get it on. But you can also download directly from the Gutenberg project website. That's convenient. ^_^
WordPress: Manage my WordPress blog easily from the iPod. I haven't posted anything yet from the iPod, if only because I don't feel comfortable enough with the keyboard yet to make a decent post.
Google Apps: A quick access center to your Google apps online. Very nice, except you can't write to a Google Doc. Huge problem there, as it would be nice to have that functionality. As there are other Notes apps available, I can live without for now.
Last.FM: Invaluable. I have very targeted music tastes, so an internet radio is ideal. Steampunk music is my stable for Last.FM. ^_^
LinkedIn: Track my connections and their connections for LinkedIn.
PHD Comics: I love this comic, as will anyone who is currently or has been in Graduate school. Very liberal in it's political leanings, the stories are really funny, and frighteningly true. If one is planning on becoming a Graduate student, sanity comes from this comic. I was so excited when I found they had created an app. ^_^
2Fat: Track your BMI and body fat ratio with this application. As I have started exercising in order to increase my health, this is something that has interested me greatly.
NaturalCures: I love real cures that are simple, and this app gives you various options to have. The only thing I would warn against is trusting this more than your doctor. And don't ever take "natural" medicines without your doctor's knowledge, or at least your pharmacist's knowledge. You don't want to have a severe reaction and end up faint, or worse.
iStethoscope: If you have the iPhone headphones for your iPod Touch 2G, you can use this app. It uses the microphone in the headset, which is pressed against your pulse point in your neck, to let you hear your pulse and display your pulse rate. I love this for checking my heart rate during exercise.
Fring: This is the wonder app that clinched my purchase of the iPod Touch. This app integrates Google Talk, Yahoo! Chat, AIM, MSN Messenger, Twitter, Skype, and an SIP phone together into one communications app. And the VoIP works fine for the iPod Touch 2G! Yes, I tested it, and I had no trouble talking and hearing what was going on. All of a sudden the iPod Touch 2G becomes the ideal VoIP phone. It's small, and the battery lasts all day and a good portion of the night.
So, that's been my experience so far. There were a number of apps that I ended up deleting because of duplicate performance or very poor performance. While there are a number of other platforms out there other than the iPod Touch or iPhone that work well for many people, this one works for me. ^_^
Book Review: The Time Machine by H. G. Wells
Being a fan of Steampunk, this is a classic read. I've loved each movie that was made, and now I hate them all. The book is far better, as the story is more believable. The prose is, as one would expect from Wells, phenomenal, drawing you into the moment as the Traveller tells of his adventure into the future.
A clarification that needs to be made about this book is the clear preference to Socialism/Communism to which Wells leans. The "future" is supposed to be the apex of socialism, but instead is the anticlimax of capitalism. That was a little harder to believe, as nature is completely ignored in this exploration.
I highly recommend this book, in any format. In this case, I read the book in Stanza on my iPod Touch. The book was from the Project Gutenberg library. I'm now working on my next book, which is
A clarification that needs to be made about this book is the clear preference to Socialism/Communism to which Wells leans. The "future" is supposed to be the apex of socialism, but instead is the anticlimax of capitalism. That was a little harder to believe, as nature is completely ignored in this exploration.
I highly recommend this book, in any format. In this case, I read the book in Stanza on my iPod Touch. The book was from the Project Gutenberg library. I'm now working on my next book, which is
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Autism and the FKBP12 Protein: The Significance
Recently the AFP posted this article on the absence of the FKBP12 protein being the root of autism and various other obsessive-compulsive behaviors. The article outlines the behavior of mice when the FKBP12 protein was removed, resembling those same symptoms associated with the above disorders.
Essentially, this protein regulates the release of the enzyme mTOR that in turn regulates neuron connections and behaviors between neurons. Removing the protein increased mTOR amounts, which in turn increases connections and changes of connections within the brain. Logically, a similar protein within the human brain should have the same effect.
But is this what autism really is? Just a missing protein? I've talked about this with other research that was done for those with Fragile X Syndrome exhibiting autism-like behaviors, as well as the commonly held belief that autism is nothing more than mercury poisoning. All have the characteristics of children with autism, isn't it all the same? Yes, if you look at the effected area: the brain.
An increase of neuron communication produces the behavior changes, which in turn cause the Autism symptoms to come to light. Increased brain activity is the cause of autism. It's that increased brain activity that the medical community is trying to get a handle on. What causes it? How is it created? Is there a way to avoid it? Is there a way to treat it?
My personally held belief is that true Autism is the result of enlarged brains and/or more dense gray matter vs. white matter. This increases the number of neurons that make connections, as opposed to effecting the rate of communication for the individual neuron. All other disorders that are environmentally manipulated or caused by external disorders (Fragile X Syndrome, mercury poisoning, cassein/gluten reaction, etc.) produce autism-like symptoms, but are not related to those with the autism brain.
Of course, the problem with this definition is that not many people agree on it because of what little is known about Autism. Keep in mind that autism was defined originally as a behavioral disorder, focusing on the behavioral patterns of the patients in relation to the "norm". It was not identified as anything more until recently when neuropsychologists began to delve into the patterns in the brain, synapses, and such.
So the long and the short of it is: the field is still really new, so take everything released now in context before you start claiming you have a cure for autism.
Essentially, this protein regulates the release of the enzyme mTOR that in turn regulates neuron connections and behaviors between neurons. Removing the protein increased mTOR amounts, which in turn increases connections and changes of connections within the brain. Logically, a similar protein within the human brain should have the same effect.
But is this what autism really is? Just a missing protein? I've talked about this with other research that was done for those with Fragile X Syndrome exhibiting autism-like behaviors, as well as the commonly held belief that autism is nothing more than mercury poisoning. All have the characteristics of children with autism, isn't it all the same? Yes, if you look at the effected area: the brain.
An increase of neuron communication produces the behavior changes, which in turn cause the Autism symptoms to come to light. Increased brain activity is the cause of autism. It's that increased brain activity that the medical community is trying to get a handle on. What causes it? How is it created? Is there a way to avoid it? Is there a way to treat it?
My personally held belief is that true Autism is the result of enlarged brains and/or more dense gray matter vs. white matter. This increases the number of neurons that make connections, as opposed to effecting the rate of communication for the individual neuron. All other disorders that are environmentally manipulated or caused by external disorders (Fragile X Syndrome, mercury poisoning, cassein/gluten reaction, etc.) produce autism-like symptoms, but are not related to those with the autism brain.
Of course, the problem with this definition is that not many people agree on it because of what little is known about Autism. Keep in mind that autism was defined originally as a behavioral disorder, focusing on the behavioral patterns of the patients in relation to the "norm". It was not identified as anything more until recently when neuropsychologists began to delve into the patterns in the brain, synapses, and such.
So the long and the short of it is: the field is still really new, so take everything released now in context before you start claiming you have a cure for autism.
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Autism and Insurance
You have probably heard me post about this before, but my insurance does not cover the diagnosis of Autism, and as such all therapy for my son has to be paid out of pocket. While I would do anything for my son, my pockets are not that deep, as the "best" places to take him cost around $28,000.00 year for tuition. Even the cost of speech therapy is too much for my family to afford. As such, we have tried to educate ourselves on how to best teach our son at home in these necessary skills.
The frustration is the inability to get my son the qualified help that he needs. Why is it that autism is not covered by insurance? Probably because the support is so high. It can be much like the cost of having a live-in nurse, or at least a part time nurse that devotes all their face time with one child. Couple that with the fact that one in 150 children are diagnosed with Autism, it becomes a very costly aspect. And health insurance companies are all about reducing costs to increase revenues. Hence, autism is not covered.
But recently, the State of Illinois passed a bill requiring insurance companies to cover Autism up to $36,000.00. I don't know if that is yearly, or total, but it's a breakthrough for families who have children with autism. But is it really a benefit? Do payments go up in order to cover the insurance requirement? Is it considered a previous condition, thereby making the move to another insurance company devastating to a family, as they immediately lose their autism coverage?
If there are any readers out there in Illinois that know more about the law, could you reply with comments? I would like to know what the ramifications of the bill would mean.
The frustration is the inability to get my son the qualified help that he needs. Why is it that autism is not covered by insurance? Probably because the support is so high. It can be much like the cost of having a live-in nurse, or at least a part time nurse that devotes all their face time with one child. Couple that with the fact that one in 150 children are diagnosed with Autism, it becomes a very costly aspect. And health insurance companies are all about reducing costs to increase revenues. Hence, autism is not covered.
But recently, the State of Illinois passed a bill requiring insurance companies to cover Autism up to $36,000.00. I don't know if that is yearly, or total, but it's a breakthrough for families who have children with autism. But is it really a benefit? Do payments go up in order to cover the insurance requirement? Is it considered a previous condition, thereby making the move to another insurance company devastating to a family, as they immediately lose their autism coverage?
If there are any readers out there in Illinois that know more about the law, could you reply with comments? I would like to know what the ramifications of the bill would mean.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
There is Always Someone: The Friend with Apple Mail Server Issues
A while a go a friend asked me if I would help him set up his office with an Open Directory system, and integrate everything through his Xserve. It sounded like a simple enough task, as I have done this numerous times in the classroom and for our lab at work. Boy was I wrong.
The setup took several hours longer than I would have expected. He already had the infrastructure, so it should have been simple to set up the server and bind all the clients to the new Directory and establish Kerberos authentication. The problem ended up being the need to run virtual machines, each of which tried to run remotely on the server instead of locally on the machine (because they were saved in the network home folder). So, I moved all the virtual machines to the local machines, which fixed that issue.
Next, preferences within the home folders would get lost all the time. That it turned out was because the network home folders were taking up too much space, so I moved everyone's iTunes libraries to the local machine to free up space. I also had trouble with some internal networking running really slow on occasion (I suspect it's a problem with the switch, but he can't replace it), so in order to deal with the flaky network and network home folders, I created mobile accounts on every machine. If the network goes down, they can authenticate locally and still get what work can be done in an unplugged world.
Finally, the mail issue. His office was using Zimbra mail, which was a neat setup, but his version couldn't be Kerberized. That, and he wanted to migrate to Apple's Mail and Calendar server. So, I set up the mail server, and set up a script utilizing imapsync to transfer the mail from one server to another. Why? Because I couldn't find any documentation on how to move one Postfix database to another while making sure the content was safe and secure. Anyway, after many attempts (I don't mind pointing out at this point that imapsync is perhaps one of the most poorly documented open source project I've seen), success was made. Now all I needed to do was redirect the DNS from the router to the new server, and everything should be hunky-dory, right?
The router was using an OpenBSD OS that was extremely limiting. It took for ever to get the blasted thing to migrate to the right IP's, and then it didn't support alias addressing in the DNS. There's probably a way to hack the DNS file manually, but I ran into another problem that was really bugging me: Starting the Mail service in Server Admin didn't actually start Postfix. That's right, it was running all the features of mail without the actual SMTP client to manage it.
This blew my mind. A quick search and help from a friend that was Linux savvy indicated that this is a rare bug that happens, and all you have to do is run Postfix manually. Seems simple enough, but then you need to set it up to start when the system starts. Again, not too difficult, and easy to set up by adding it to the rc.local file (you can also write a launchd .plist file to handle it, but that's more complicated than the rc.local step, and I wanted to get this done as soon as possible).
So now Postfix was working, but no one could send or receive mail. Huge problem, since that's the point of the mail service. So, again with the help of my friend, we managed to edit both the main.cf and the master.cf to the right specifications, all of which managed to get Mail working.
Now, I would like to point out that never in my time as an Instructor have I seen these services fail this badly and completely. Part of the problem was the strain on his internal network and some bad ports in his router. Part of the problem was random issues that should never have existed, and yet do because life is never perfect. And finally, because I have been touting Apple as such as simple solution for a UNIX-based network, it just had to be a problem.
Has anyone else out there had a similar problem where they have gone into a job with the knowledge that your solution would work, regardless of the platform, and seen it go horribly wrong? I'm just grateful my friend who asked this of me was so understanding and patient.
The setup took several hours longer than I would have expected. He already had the infrastructure, so it should have been simple to set up the server and bind all the clients to the new Directory and establish Kerberos authentication. The problem ended up being the need to run virtual machines, each of which tried to run remotely on the server instead of locally on the machine (because they were saved in the network home folder). So, I moved all the virtual machines to the local machines, which fixed that issue.
Next, preferences within the home folders would get lost all the time. That it turned out was because the network home folders were taking up too much space, so I moved everyone's iTunes libraries to the local machine to free up space. I also had trouble with some internal networking running really slow on occasion (I suspect it's a problem with the switch, but he can't replace it), so in order to deal with the flaky network and network home folders, I created mobile accounts on every machine. If the network goes down, they can authenticate locally and still get what work can be done in an unplugged world.
Finally, the mail issue. His office was using Zimbra mail, which was a neat setup, but his version couldn't be Kerberized. That, and he wanted to migrate to Apple's Mail and Calendar server. So, I set up the mail server, and set up a script utilizing imapsync to transfer the mail from one server to another. Why? Because I couldn't find any documentation on how to move one Postfix database to another while making sure the content was safe and secure. Anyway, after many attempts (I don't mind pointing out at this point that imapsync is perhaps one of the most poorly documented open source project I've seen), success was made. Now all I needed to do was redirect the DNS from the router to the new server, and everything should be hunky-dory, right?
The router was using an OpenBSD OS that was extremely limiting. It took for ever to get the blasted thing to migrate to the right IP's, and then it didn't support alias addressing in the DNS. There's probably a way to hack the DNS file manually, but I ran into another problem that was really bugging me: Starting the Mail service in Server Admin didn't actually start Postfix. That's right, it was running all the features of mail without the actual SMTP client to manage it.
This blew my mind. A quick search and help from a friend that was Linux savvy indicated that this is a rare bug that happens, and all you have to do is run Postfix manually. Seems simple enough, but then you need to set it up to start when the system starts. Again, not too difficult, and easy to set up by adding it to the rc.local file (you can also write a launchd .plist file to handle it, but that's more complicated than the rc.local step, and I wanted to get this done as soon as possible).
So now Postfix was working, but no one could send or receive mail. Huge problem, since that's the point of the mail service. So, again with the help of my friend, we managed to edit both the main.cf and the master.cf to the right specifications, all of which managed to get Mail working.
Now, I would like to point out that never in my time as an Instructor have I seen these services fail this badly and completely. Part of the problem was the strain on his internal network and some bad ports in his router. Part of the problem was random issues that should never have existed, and yet do because life is never perfect. And finally, because I have been touting Apple as such as simple solution for a UNIX-based network, it just had to be a problem.
Has anyone else out there had a similar problem where they have gone into a job with the knowledge that your solution would work, regardless of the platform, and seen it go horribly wrong? I'm just grateful my friend who asked this of me was so understanding and patient.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Getting Technical with Learning: Open Curriculum for Children with Autism
Since coming back from leave after the birth of my son, I've been engrossed with developing new learning material for my son with autism. Currently he is doing well in Pre-School, but there are always additional learning exercises that could supplement his education. The problem is, there are a lot of resources if you want to pay for them, but not many that are open to all parents that need the help now.
So, I thought I might try to come up with something myself, and see where it leads me. In order to meet this daunting task, I needed to outline what I wanted to accomplish.
So, I thought I might try to come up with something myself, and see where it leads me. In order to meet this daunting task, I needed to outline what I wanted to accomplish.
- The Material Needs to be Modular: Not all autistic children are the same, and not all children need to focus on the same skills. Modularity helps address differing skill levels for the learner, and therefore allows the instructor (teacher, parent, etc.) to better target the learner's needs.
- Specific Step by Step Breakdown: Children with Autism need to learn through a very basic breakdown of the tasks. This takes jobs, tasks, subtasks, skills, attitudes, and knowledge into a whole new level. This would also help learners find connections and relationships, which I maintain as the ground work of intelligence.
- Easy Adaptation for Existing Routine: Stability in the life of one that is on the Spectrum stems from routine. As long as the routine is not too badly interrupted, meltdowns are kept at a minimum. In order to successfully integrate the learning material into the routine, it needs to be applied to the routine minimally, which also makes it that much easier for the instructor to apply and evaluate.
- Easy Augmentation: Think of this part of the goal like adding an API for the material that allows for additional media or exercises to be added to the course. This would be a natural progression for an easily adaptable program.
- Easy, Indirect Evaluation: Most educational materials require a formal evaluation to determine how well a student is learning. Perhaps you remember your pop quizzes, final exams, and standardized tests? As children on the autism spectrum are more likely to suffer panic attacks, a non-intrusive evaluation method would be best. Practical exams that are not advertised as exams are perhaps the best method.
So those are the goals. Seems simple enough, one would think. Now it comes down to the skills that need to be taught. This is where a good relationship with your State Department of Education would be very helpful. The Utah State Office of Education has an outline for each subject for all grades from K-12, with a special section for K, 1, and 2. As most parents of a child with autism are generally interested in the first few years, this is the section I will be focusing on initially. I hope to continue the development throughout the years.
Beginning with Kindergarten, there are three cores to the curriculum that are expected to be met: Language Arts, Mathematics, and Content. Language Arts focuses on identifying written words, and differences between upper and lowercase letters. Mathematics focuses on quantity, counting up to 30, and learning how to practically add or subtract quantities, recognizing the changes in quantity. Content covers the gambit for social skills, social studies, science, health, fine arts, and physical education.
So I'm in the process of building a reasonable analysis that will help me best meet my goals within the given core curriculum expected by the Utah State Office of Education, and have it be geared directly to those parents or teachers that have children on the autism spectrum that desperately want to be taught. It's all about finding the learning method they can relate to, and helping them down that path.
It's not much right now, but at least it's a start.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Events Worth Mentioning: Catching Up
I've been MIA for a while in these past couple weeks, but for good reason. So let me cover the events of the past couple of weeks in order, based on what I felt was noteworthy.
First and foremost, my wife gave birth to our son Alistair Scott on November 1st at 10:27 PM. He was 7 pounds, 11.8 ounces, and was 20 and 3/4 inches long. Since then he has already gained 3 ounces and grown 3/4 of an inch. He's doing well, and so is my wife.
With the birth of our second son, I was worried about how this would effect my first son, who is on the autism spectrum. He was not really happy with either of us at first when he came to visit, but ended the day giving us both kisses. For the past week or so, he has barely acknowledged his little brother. Then last night he stood by the bassinet and watched his brother sleep. I think he's getting an idea of the change that has come to our family, and is accepting it. I'm going to be watching him closely, to be sure that the baby doesn't become a problem for him.
With the birth of another son, and taking into the account that 6% of all boys born are likely to be autistic, and as autism runs in my family, it's very likely that our son will have autism. So that's something that we hope to catch early if possible.
The Election on Tuesday was exciting for a lot of people, disappointing for many others, and I didn't follow it at all. I had voted a week before (because the baby's due date was so close), and as such didn't care much for the results. Instead I spent my time feeding my new son. That being said, there is what I think of the results:
1. President-elect Obama will do a fine job, particularly if he manages to make a bipartisan cabinet. I think he is a very intelligent and capable man, though I have yet to see him tested in the nightmare of an administrative job that is the Presidency. Quite frankly, I think that anyone that want's to be President of the United States has serious issues. That is why I would vote for General Colin Powell in a heartbeat: he doesn't want the job.
But that being said, I've been long burned out politically, and would rather see results on important issues instead of radical wings of both parties trying to push their agendas. I think the election was good for the Democrats, in that they got what they have long wanted: another Hoover to run against. But the election will be just as effective for the Republicans, in that they will do some soul searching to determine why they have been losing so badly. It isn't because of Sarah Palin, it isn't because of Senator Stevens, it's because they don't have a real direction in their party and have become too reactionary and desperate.
The last thing I hope to see is the issue of Autism taken up by both the new Administration and Congress. Autism is growing in diagnoses, with more parents needing help in discovering what it is and how to help those on the spectrum lead a self-sufficient life. I'm not looking for a cure, I'm looking for support from somewhere to help parents like myself and my wife who want desperately to teach our son and help him show the intelligence we have observed in him to others.
And finally, Apple and the Tablet! Yes, there seems to be a lot of evidence floating out in the rumorsphere that Apple is building a Tablet pc, and that it is due any time now. The most logical time to announce it would be in January, which would be ideal. I hope Apple keeps in mind all the features I had put down, particularly that the device will let one tether a bluetooth keyboard and mouse to it, have a full OS with the ability to install software on it, and a micro-DisplayPort for presentations.
So, anyway, that's the past week and a few days in review. Now, it's back to helping my wife with the new baby!
First and foremost, my wife gave birth to our son Alistair Scott on November 1st at 10:27 PM. He was 7 pounds, 11.8 ounces, and was 20 and 3/4 inches long. Since then he has already gained 3 ounces and grown 3/4 of an inch. He's doing well, and so is my wife.
With the birth of our second son, I was worried about how this would effect my first son, who is on the autism spectrum. He was not really happy with either of us at first when he came to visit, but ended the day giving us both kisses. For the past week or so, he has barely acknowledged his little brother. Then last night he stood by the bassinet and watched his brother sleep. I think he's getting an idea of the change that has come to our family, and is accepting it. I'm going to be watching him closely, to be sure that the baby doesn't become a problem for him.
With the birth of another son, and taking into the account that 6% of all boys born are likely to be autistic, and as autism runs in my family, it's very likely that our son will have autism. So that's something that we hope to catch early if possible.
The Election on Tuesday was exciting for a lot of people, disappointing for many others, and I didn't follow it at all. I had voted a week before (because the baby's due date was so close), and as such didn't care much for the results. Instead I spent my time feeding my new son. That being said, there is what I think of the results:
1. President-elect Obama will do a fine job, particularly if he manages to make a bipartisan cabinet. I think he is a very intelligent and capable man, though I have yet to see him tested in the nightmare of an administrative job that is the Presidency. Quite frankly, I think that anyone that want's to be President of the United States has serious issues. That is why I would vote for General Colin Powell in a heartbeat: he doesn't want the job.
But that being said, I've been long burned out politically, and would rather see results on important issues instead of radical wings of both parties trying to push their agendas. I think the election was good for the Democrats, in that they got what they have long wanted: another Hoover to run against. But the election will be just as effective for the Republicans, in that they will do some soul searching to determine why they have been losing so badly. It isn't because of Sarah Palin, it isn't because of Senator Stevens, it's because they don't have a real direction in their party and have become too reactionary and desperate.
The last thing I hope to see is the issue of Autism taken up by both the new Administration and Congress. Autism is growing in diagnoses, with more parents needing help in discovering what it is and how to help those on the spectrum lead a self-sufficient life. I'm not looking for a cure, I'm looking for support from somewhere to help parents like myself and my wife who want desperately to teach our son and help him show the intelligence we have observed in him to others.
And finally, Apple and the Tablet! Yes, there seems to be a lot of evidence floating out in the rumorsphere that Apple is building a Tablet pc, and that it is due any time now. The most logical time to announce it would be in January, which would be ideal. I hope Apple keeps in mind all the features I had put down, particularly that the device will let one tether a bluetooth keyboard and mouse to it, have a full OS with the ability to install software on it, and a micro-DisplayPort for presentations.
So, anyway, that's the past week and a few days in review. Now, it's back to helping my wife with the new baby!
Friday, October 24, 2008
Apple's Vision for the Future: The Ugly, the Bad, and the Good
Every year a whole community seems to develop around the new products Apple has in store. It's fun, it's exciting, and it can lead to huge feelings of self-righteous pride or crushing disappointment when predictions do not hold fruit. So earlier this week when Steve Jobs talked about the future of Apple, it was interesting to hear what was said, and what was not said.
First, the ugly: really cheap Apple computers are not a market Steve Jobs sees Apple going into. The cheapest computer Apple designed was the Mac Mini, which had a base purchase of $479 at one point, and is now $599. This may call the future of the Mac Mini in question, which I hope is not the case. It's the cheapest server I have ever seen. For quick and simple office deployment (outside of really high-end uses like video rendering), you can't beat the size of the Mac Mini. But, don't expect anything really cheap from the Apple anytime soon.
The Bad: UMPCs are not a priority. If you recall, what I was billing as the iPod Slate for the past year and a half would be a similar device. Perhaps not the same, so there is still a chance, but from what Steve said this is not a priority because there isn't a real market out there for such a device. Instead, you can use an iPhone for just about everything you can use a UMPC for, and it fits in your pocket. He did say that should that market start to grow, they have some ideas ready. Perhaps that is why the iPod Slate hasn't been announced....
Also as part of the bad, the Apple TV is still not being taken seriously. Steve points to the market and many devices out there like the Apple TV that have floundered. I suppose there are still a lot of people that use DVD's, and don't have children that break them easily. Or perhaps it's because there isn't a convenient way to convert their existing library to a usable Apple TV form that looks great. Either way, Steve still sees the whole thing as a hop
The Good: Apple is working on a tablet PC! Steve didn't say anything about it, other than, "It's a policy that Apple doesn't discuss any products in development." Yes! This could be a much larger version of the iPod Slate, and essentially be the same thing I was hoping for anyway. It could be completely keyboard free, using a software keyboard and a touchscreen in place of a hardware keyboard. It wouldn't be the same (keys would feel different), but it would still do the job, and only take up space on the desktop.
So, that's what I gathered from Steve's announcement. Of course a lot of it is speculation, but it doesn't hurt to speculate. I've been wrong with Apple's development strategy before, and I'm sure Steve will pull something out of his hat that will make the Media drool. Half the fun is speculation. ^_^
First, the ugly: really cheap Apple computers are not a market Steve Jobs sees Apple going into. The cheapest computer Apple designed was the Mac Mini, which had a base purchase of $479 at one point, and is now $599. This may call the future of the Mac Mini in question, which I hope is not the case. It's the cheapest server I have ever seen. For quick and simple office deployment (outside of really high-end uses like video rendering), you can't beat the size of the Mac Mini. But, don't expect anything really cheap from the Apple anytime soon.
The Bad: UMPCs are not a priority. If you recall, what I was billing as the iPod Slate for the past year and a half would be a similar device. Perhaps not the same, so there is still a chance, but from what Steve said this is not a priority because there isn't a real market out there for such a device. Instead, you can use an iPhone for just about everything you can use a UMPC for, and it fits in your pocket. He did say that should that market start to grow, they have some ideas ready. Perhaps that is why the iPod Slate hasn't been announced....
Also as part of the bad, the Apple TV is still not being taken seriously. Steve points to the market and many devices out there like the Apple TV that have floundered. I suppose there are still a lot of people that use DVD's, and don't have children that break them easily. Or perhaps it's because there isn't a convenient way to convert their existing library to a usable Apple TV form that looks great. Either way, Steve still sees the whole thing as a hop
The Good: Apple is working on a tablet PC! Steve didn't say anything about it, other than, "It's a policy that Apple doesn't discuss any products in development." Yes! This could be a much larger version of the iPod Slate, and essentially be the same thing I was hoping for anyway. It could be completely keyboard free, using a software keyboard and a touchscreen in place of a hardware keyboard. It wouldn't be the same (keys would feel different), but it would still do the job, and only take up space on the desktop.
So, that's what I gathered from Steve's announcement. Of course a lot of it is speculation, but it doesn't hurt to speculate. I've been wrong with Apple's development strategy before, and I'm sure Steve will pull something out of his hat that will make the Media drool. Half the fun is speculation. ^_^
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