I can't reveal too many details, other than to say that after a few setbacks, we're making great progress on our autism app, and generating interest in some very exciting quarters. Thank you to everyone who has helped along the way. More soon...
The Look
c-chess
The Look
Strephon kissed me in the spring, Robin in the fall, But C only looked at me And never kissed at all.
Strephon's kiss was lost in jest, Robin's lost in play, But the kiss in C’s eyes Haunts me night and day. —Sara Teasdale
Though perhaps not as often as neurotypical kids, C can and does make eye contact...and when he does, I melt.
Autism Science News
A lot is happening in autism science at the moment, especially in the areas of etiology and diagnosis. Here are some interesting articles I've come across in the past few months:
- EEG brain trace 'can detect autism' / BBC News Health / June 25, 2012
- Fast, Accurate Autism Diagnosis Produced By Web-Based Tool / Medical News Today / April 12, 2012
- Scientists Link Gene Mutation to Autism Risk / NY Times / April 4, 2012
- Gene Expression Abnormalities in Autism Identified / Science Daily / March 22, 2012
- Brain Imaging Could Detect Autism Risk in Infants as Young as 6 Months / Time Healthland/ February 17, 2012
- Prefrontal Cortex Epigenetic Signatures In Brain Tissue Of People With Autism / Medical News Today / November 7, 2011
- Study: Autistic brains are heavier, with more neurons / Boston Globe / November 10, 2011
- Study: Autistic Children Have More Brain Cells / Times Healthland / November 9, 2011
- Autism Linked With Excess of Neurons in Prefrontal Cortex / ScienceDaily / November 8, 2011
- A Five-Minute Brain Scan Tracks Kids’ Development and May Spot Disorders / Time Healthland / September 12, 2010
Pretend
Tonight during bath time I heard C saying, "I am Daddy!" When I investigated, I found him sitting at my desk wearing my glasses, pretending to type on my computer.
This is great: he's been doing more make-believe lately. These steps, combined with his improving lung disease, make me feel very fortunate indeed.
The Name Is Cake
On the playground today, for the first time that I've ever seen, M was asked his name by another boy. After M answered, the boy turned to C and asked for his name, too. "Cake," replied my lovely ASD boy, who then turned and walked quickly away.