Comments on: Does Your Child Know That It’s Autism Awareness Month?

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Sat, 10 May 2008 19:29:06 +0000

Just read another report about a therapy dog in the NY Daily News too.

By: Bonnie Sayers

Bonnie Sayers — Sat, 10 May 2008 17:13:44 +0000

My son Nick knows that it was awareness month and when I am taping things that are about autism he asks why since I am usually watching it as well.

He watches some shows with me, not Larry King on autism but Larry King with Jack Hanna. He did like something we watched a few years ago that was from BCC on a boy with autism who got a dog and made all the difference. The dog was named Thomas since the kid liked Thomas the tank engine train.

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:08:03 +0000

Pretty “aware” I’d say!

By: Bonnie

Bonnie — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 18:48:37 +0000

I tried my darndest to get my lil’ future television announcer to do a PSA for Autism Awareness for youtube, but he claims he doesn’t have it, and better yet, it’s for babies! What does one say to that?

By: Kristina Chew, PhD

Kristina Chew, PhD — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 00:42:39 +0000

@Marla,

Charlie likes Jigzone.com and Kidzpages.com—there’s a way to upload a photo and make your own jigsaw; haven’t done that yet!

By: Daisy

Daisy — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 21:20:25 +0000

Amigo knows because he watches TV news. We’ve talked a little during the features on autism; I want him to know that when they’re emphasizing “heartbreak” and “tragedy” that’s not how we feel about him. Not at all.

By: Lenora

Lenora — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:38:06 +0000

My oldest has been wearing a tee shirt with a picture of a donkey and two hamburgers. Get it? Ass+Burgers= Aspergers. No one has got it yet at school. I asked him if he wanted to talk about autism for world autism day and he declined.

By: FXSmom

FXSmom — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:42:40 +0000

My kids could have cared less, as well. They are just worried about getting to the weekend.

By: Wendy

Wendy — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 15:42:18 +0000

I have 2 boys on the spectrum. When my oldest, who is 12, heard the words “World Autism Day” on television he asked “Do we get presents?” He had a point.
We are home on spring break so we baked cupcakes to celebrate. I don’t think our party was what Autism Speaks had in mind for commemorating April 2nd.
My boys are here to stay. It isn’t always easy but we feel blessed. I think we will have cupcakes every April 2nd.

By: H6

H6 — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:38:38 +0000

Has the role of an activated strain of HHV-6 in autism been given enough attention in the autism community?

In 1986, HHV-6 was discovered in AIDS and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome patients. It was thought to be a possible co-factor in AIDS until it was found to be widespread and then was ignored for years.

But now, new more precise tests are showing that it may be playing an important role in medical problems that involve the brain, the heart, the stomach and the immune system (for starters). HHV-6 seems to have exploded in the population starting in the early 80s. There will be a major HHV-6 conference in Baltimore on June 19, hosted by the discoverer of HIV and HHV-6. The NIH seems to be granting the virus new respect.

Given that the rise in activated HHV-6 problems seems to overlap in time with the perceived rise in autism, maybe these hypotheses should be put on the table for exploration and debate:

1) Activated HHV-6 is the cause of autism.
or
2) Activated HHV-6 is an autism co-factor
or
3) Activated HHV-6 is a factor in some cases of autism
or
4) Activated HHV-6 makes cases of autism worse

I hope this is some food for thought.