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Here are some suggested organisations that offer expert advice on special needs.

Anyone heard of Defeat Autism Now, specifically Dr Jeff Bradstreet?

11 replies

BriocheDoree · 30/09/2008 20:21

Apparently he's doing a seminar here in Paris next week and was wondering whether to find out more.

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cyberseraphim · 30/09/2008 20:53

It's one of those contraversial topics - I don't agree with the aims of DAN but others might.

BriocheDoree · 01/10/2008 07:00

Hmm, I suspect it's not relevant to us. DD isn't actually autistic, but some of the behavioural techniques used with autistic kids can be quite helpful for her, but I think this is more about biomedical approaches which aren't relevant to us. It's just so unusual to have conferences here that you kind of want to find out about everything!

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cyberseraphim · 01/10/2008 07:03

I'm sure it's being rolled across Europe like Starbucks - Do they have many in Paris? Starbucks that is, not DAN clinics

amber32002 · 01/10/2008 07:34

sigh They worry me. They claim that people like Temple Grandin and myself are very-nearly-recovered from autism. Well, no, that's not our view at all. We haven't 'recovered' from it: we adapt, we learn, we overcome the difficulties through sheer effort and persistence and through adapting the world around us as best we can, as Temple so vividly and repeatedly describes in her book.

It gives parents the wrong idea to say that people 'recover', as it makes it sound like it's a disease that has been treated and disappears. Yes, some treatments help us to adapt to the world, which is great, but watch out for the 'spin'.

BriocheDoree · 01/10/2008 07:43

Hmm, yes, Amber, I see your point. I did google this guy and he came across a bit weird so I won't be recommending him to anyone! I am currently resisting taking DD to a psychologist despite lots of people telling me I should because we're torn here between the French approach (right back in the 60s, it's all the fault of the parents) and the American approach (feed 'em the right stuff and they'll be "cured").
Yes, cyber, we have many Starbucks in Paris. Fortunately they haven't made it out to where I live yet as we're rather out in the styx here (or should that be out in the sticks...)

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amber32002 · 01/10/2008 08:55

BriocheDoree, I'm not quite sure what the parents are supposed to have done to rewire the brain into a completely different pattern. Do they think parents are amazing brain surgeons able to carry out microscoping rewiring of circuits linking social areas to the rest??! Quite mad... !

The US approach re feeding might actually have a small amount of sense to it for some of us, and the scientists are starting to understand why. The brain wiring is done by a microscopic "mechanics team" in the brain who are working off some sort of blueprint for building a brain. Except that somehow they change their mind about what they're building.

Try this as an example. I'm sorry that it's about cars, but it sort of works for me:

Instead of building a brain that's more like a "family hatchback" car (with room for lots of people and the weekly shopping and able to handle ordinary roads), the brain-building team decide to build a Formula One racing car with room for only one person and no way to get over road bumps or fit the shopping in. We don't know why, because we don't know where they're getting the blueprint for it from. But you end up with people who only have 'room' in their brain to think about one person at a time, can't handle life's ups and downs very easily, and need careful handling...but whose brains can accelerate at incredible speeds IF you can put it in gear.

Somehow, what some of us eat changes at least the fuel mixture so it's easier for us to keep running rather than grinding to a halt.

BriocheDoree · 01/10/2008 09:18

Oh yes, I'm sure the feeding does make a lot of sense for some. I know people to whom it has made an enormous difference. I'm not knocking that, but it's not relevant to my daughter. Actually, I've never met anyone like her. That's not to say that they aren't out there, but I've never met one and I think that's why people struggle to know what to do with her!
The car analogy is a good one

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nikos · 01/10/2008 10:05

I was speaking to a psychologist who specialises in autism and there is evidence that early intervention can rewire the brain in young children. Their brain is still very plastic at this age. I think it is entirely possible - look how stroke victims can learn to reuse different parts of the brain. I would imagine early social skills interaction and encouraging flexible thinking could well be creating new pathways in the brain.
She also said the other peak time for intervention was teenage years when the brain was going through another growth spurt.

bullet123 · 01/10/2008 10:26

I can present as typical. If you met me for a short while the most you would think is that I was a bit quiet, unless you got me talking about something I know a lot about, in which case I'd natter on like nobody's business. People who see me for longer pick up there's something else and my family and husband are in no doubt I'm on the spectrum, but I can "mask" things quite well.
But I can't drive. And it's not to do with nervousness. It's for several reasons. Firstly, my judgement of space, time and distance is poor. Secondly, my body often freezes, usually only for a very short while, but if you're at a roundavbout or junction for example you don't need to suddenly find yourself unable to move. Thirdly, I have great difficulties - almost certaintly find it impossible - to focus on several things. I hyper focus. So I could concentrate quite happily on the alignment of the steering wheel, or the space between myself and the car in front of me, but that car indicating to get in beside me, that driver who's just cut me up, that one way system that's been changed, sorry, I didn't see those, I'm not aware of those. And when it comes to driving being unable to pick up on things around you, being unable to think of what to do next if there are sudden changes is not what you need.
So yes, I'm still on the spectrum, regardless of how much I appear "typical". And yes, there are lots of other things besides being unable to drive (and I do realise others on the spectrum can drive) that keep me on the spectrum.

amber32002 · 01/10/2008 10:36

What worried me on some of the D.A.N. links was the quotes from the parents more or less saying "No, don't send me any more mail - my child is now normal and we'd rather they never found out that we thought they might be autistic". Either they were never on the spectrum, in which case they've been cured of nothing at all, or they have worked out how to socialise with people at huge cost to themselves and now have to cope alone with parents who are frightened of what the neighbours will think of this 'shameful' thing and never want it mentioned again.

Grr.

cyberseraphim · 01/10/2008 10:38

Jeff is the one who believes in exorcism for autism, maybe the devil will snatch back the child if it gets on to a mailing list ?

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