7/2/2006
autism connect
Hello,
Contents:
1. Latest news
2. AutismJobs
Key addresses:
1. www.autismconnect.org
2. www.autismjobs.org
3. www.awares.org
Brain studies dominate the latest research stories on the AutismConnect news
pages.
Scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke
University in the United States have confirmed previous findings that children
with autism undergo abnormal brain enlargement before the age of two.
Researchers at the two institutions found that autistic children had 5 per cent
greater brain growth, particularly in the temporal lobe area, which is involved
in language.
Additionally, the researchers found that children with autism had larger head
circumferences than normal children, with the growth beginning at about 12
months.
”We do not know whether this brain enlargement plays a primary role in autism,
or is a downstream effect of another process,” said Dr Heather Cody Hazlett,
assistant professor of psychiatry at UNC. "Further studies of very early brain
development may help us better understand the timing and nature of this brain
overgrowth."
Meanwhile, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles,
believe they have discovered individuals with autism do not have the normal
automatic, empathetic response to emotion.. According to a recent paper in
Nature Neuroscience, children with autism have virtually no activity in their
brain's mirror neuron system, the apparatus that facilitates imitation and
empathy. The researchers think this malfunction may be the primary cause of
autism.
"I think that, unlike previous theories, a mirror neuron theory of autism does a
pretty good job at accounting for all major symptoms of autism," lead author
Mirella Dapretto said.
According to co-author Marco Iacoboni, if poor mirror neuron system development
is the cause of autism, it may be possible to treat the disorder with therapies
that rely on imitation, as they engage and activate the system.
The researchers used functional MRI scans to image the brains of 20 children -
10 with autism and 10 without - as the children viewed photographs of young
people displaying different emotions. In the first five-minute scan, the
children just observed the emotions; in the second five-minute scan, they were
asked to imitate the expressions.
"Typically developing" children showed activity in a section of the brain with
mirror properties. The children with autism, on the other hand, showed no
significant activity in the region, even though they could successfully imitate
the expressions.
Dapretto said they also *******uated the level of impairment in the children with
autism, and found a strong inverse relationship between symptom severity and
activity in the mirror neuron system.
"The more impaired a child was, the less the activity in this key mirror area
and, conversely, the less impaired a child was, the greater the activity we
observed in this region," she said.
This, Dapretto said, lent support to the theory that failure in the mirror
neuron system lay at the core of autism.
In other news, the Ontario government in Canada has begun an appeal
against a court ruling that declared unconstitutional its limits on funding of
autism programmes for children. The government wants Ontario's Court of Appeal
to overturn an April ruling by Justice Frances Kiteley of Ontario Superior
Court. She had said that the province violated the rights of autistic
schoolchildren when they were cut off from treatment programmes in the education
system at the age of six.
Judge Kiteley said the province had discriminated against the children, based on
their age and disability. Cutting them out of the provincial programme when they
hit six reinforced the stereotype that children over that age were "virtually
unredeemable," she said.
She awarded damages to the families of about 30 children, and opened the door
for hundreds of parents of autistic children to get treatment within the
education system.
The therapy in question is referred to interchangeably as ABA or IBI. It is a
system of behaviour modification that uses positive reinforcement to teach
autistic children language skills and how to play appropriately. The treatment
can cost up to $60,000 a year for each child.
Susan Fentie, who has two autistic sons aged 12 and 10, said it was like being
"slapped in the face" when the government said it would appeal Judge Kiteley's
ruling. She said autistic children needed the intervention programmes to
"survive and grow and learn in life and be independent."
Finally, a 22-year-old former caretaker at the Devereaux New Jersey
Center for Autism was jailed for six years on December 16 after admitting she
poured boiling water on an 18-year-old autistic man in 2004
Charlene McClain, who pleaded guilty earlier this year to second-degree bias
intimidation and second-degree aggravated assault in connection with the
incident, was caring for the handicapped man when "she popped a cork," according
to prosecutor Jon Reilly.
"According to her, the man hadn't been compliant and had been combative with her
on prior occasions," Reilly said. So on November 11, 2004, "she went into the
kitchen and put some water in the microwave." Then McClain scalded the autistic
man with the liquid. The victim suffered second-degree burns to his abdomen and
genital area.
2. We are delighted to announce the following vacancies on autismjobs.
Positions in this issue are:
* Teacher in charge
To find out more about these jobs:
* Read this newsletter and click on the links within each advert.
To enquire about placing an advert:
* Send an e-mail with your contact details to support@autismjobs.org
* We would also appreciate it if you would forward this e-mail to any
employers who you know are recruiting.
Adam Feinstein, Editor, AutismConnect
PS - unsubscribe details are at the bottom of this newsletter
=====================================================================
Employer : North Lincolnshire Secondary Resource Base
Job title : Teacher in Charge
Region : North East England
Salary : L4 to L8 (£35,808 to £39,522)
Date posted : 9 December 2005
Closing Date : 20 January 2006
Job Ref. : AJ/1
Full/Part : Full
Job Function : Teaching
Follow this link to learn more about this employer -
http://autismconnect.c.topica.com/maaekdnabmX1nboGSmvb/
Job Description:
NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE SECONDARY RESOURCE BASE FOR STUDENTS WITH AUTISTIC SPECTRUM
DISORDER
Based at Thomas Sumpter Comprehensive School, Chandos Road. Scunthorpe, DN17 1HA
Required for April 2006 (or as soon as possible)
North Lincolnshire Council is expanding its services for students with ASD. An
experienced, dynamic and enthusiastic teacher is required to run this newly
created resource base at Thomas Sumpter School, Scunthorpe.
There is a well-respected, established Autism Team which includes a primary
resource base in a local primary school. The successful candidate will work as
part of the team under the direction and guidance of the Assistant Head for the
Autism Team.
This is specialised provision for students with ASD, in mainstream schools, who
are to be educated within the Resource Base full-time or part-time as
appropriate. The aim of this provision is to secure inclusion in their own
secondary school. The post requires a teacher who displays a thorough
understanding of the needs of students with ASD and the secondary phase of
education as well as effective leadership, interpersonal and organisation
skills. There are many opportunities for continuing professional development.
For informal visits, further details and an application form, please contact
Jenny Burnett, Assistant Head, Inclusion Services, Autism Team, c/o St Luke’s
Primary School, Grange Lane North, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, DN16 1BN. Tel
no: 01724 844560; Fax: 01724 74740; e-mail:
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