psychesmartautismtm's posterous http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com Most recent posts at psychesmartautismtm's posterous posterous.com Thu, 17 Mar 2011 14:01:11 -0700 Psyche-Smart autism http://goo.gl/OtkP5 http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/psyche-smart-autism-httpgooglotkp5 http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/psyche-smart-autism-httpgooglotkp5

Getting there: Psyche-Smart Autism Book is about to be published. Sixteen years of blood, sweat and tears are finally about to materialize into something hopefully can help many struggling families. You may find out more
here: http://goo.gl/OtkP5
or here: http://goo.gl/N8RUg

Book highlights and learning objectives:

 from a highly sensitive doctor on a journey of self-discovery, unlock autism secrets:
 A reachable goal: autistic, communicative, consistent, congenial, happy & thriving… all in one person!
 Practical easy-to-perform screening tool for autism as early as 2 months of age and throughout life
 When and how autistic children/adults thrive
 How to delay the appearance of autism – learn the triggers you need to avoid and the behaviors you need to adopt
 Substantial emotional relief to struggling parents: why autistics behave the way they do
 A paradigm shift in parent-child relationship from caregiver for a sick child to proud parent of a quirky child who constantly craves learning!
 Step-by-step integrated approach, including unique behavioral tools necessary to raise autistic children from pregnancy to well-adjusted, social adults
 Step-by-step approach to medical and nutritional care for autistic children & adults
 Comprehensive practical advice on social and interpersonal issues management from puberty to old age
 Revealing insights on ADHD & PTSD

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Wed, 12 Jan 2011 14:01:20 -0800 STRANGITIS: What if autistics were in charge of healthcare, a short video http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/strangitis-what-if-autistics-were-in-charge-o-4 http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/strangitis-what-if-autistics-were-in-charge-o-4

STRANGITIS: What if autistics were in charge of healthcare, a short video
An onion style encounter between an autistic psychiatrist and a neurotypical patient set in an imaginary world where autistics decide health policy and societal norms

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:01:14 -0800 STRANGITIS: What if autistics were in charge of healthcare, a short youtube video http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/strangitis-what-if-autistics-were-in-charge-o http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/strangitis-what-if-autistics-were-in-charge-o

STRANGITIS: What if autistics were in charge of healthcare, a short youtube video
An onion style encounter between an autistic psychiatrist and a neurotypical patient set in an imaginary world where autistics decide health policy and societal norms

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Tue, 04 Jan 2011 14:01:27 -0800 A Swiss Perspective on Autism: how Intensity and hypersensitivity shape every autistic's future http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/a-swiss-perspective-on-autism-how-intensity-a http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/a-swiss-perspective-on-autism-how-intensity-a

A Swiss Perspective on Autism: how Intensity and hypersensitivity shape every autistic's future
I could not ignore this article coming from the Ecole Polytechnique in Lausanne, Switzerland. The researchers detail a functional model of the autistic brain and make very plausible conclusions on resulting autistic behavior.
In short, autistics approach the world with more intensity than neurotypicals. This approach has its basis in hperactive and hypersensitive neural circuits in the brain and hyperplasticity (ability of brain cells to grow, branch, multiply and make new connections with other neurons). The result is an many parents can attest for, inceased vigilence, attention to specific details or fragments of the surrounding environment. This is also associated with fear learning, avoidance and many times superior intellectual abilities.
Sadly, society associates this combination of excessive avoidance of social situations and superior intellectual abilities with bad names. However, this is just the normal that autistics experience. It is not a life sentence though. The article is also rich with explanatory notes on means to try and use this knowledge to optimize behavior.
The main premise is that more intense, prolonged or repetitive exposure to stressful situations inevitably lead to avoidance and refusal of social interaction. The solution is to expose a growing child only in a measured way to stress. Take it one day at a time and never try to push your child into a cocktail of social situations. Rather try to expose him to very few people, very gradually and string it over time.
There is a ton more to be said about this subject which I will be emphasizing in the upcoming book PSYCHE-SMART AUTISM TM.


Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Mon, 13 Dec 2010 13:09:35 -0800 From miniskirts to minivans, Uniformity's avalanche latest: domesticate Autistics http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/from-miniskirts-to-minivans-uniformitys-avala http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/from-miniskirts-to-minivans-uniformitys-avala

From miniskirts to minivans, Uniformity's avalanche latest: domesticate Autistics
It boggles my mind every time I hear it. Well meaning scientists with impeccable knowledge finding no outlet to their creativity except through pharmaceutical drugs. This time it is autism. There is a tuberculosis drug called cycloserine currently being tested to reverse autistics social inclinations and get them to conform with society's ideas of social behavior. Of course the argument is that autistics with even above average intelligence grow up to be under-employed or unemployed solely due to their social inaptitude.

While the lack of social skills can be a problem in the workplace for many, the question is, are autistics unable to learn these skills and therefore needing medication; or are autistics refusing to engage in this whole social scheme and workplace etiquette and therefore willingly ending up outside the system.

Of course for the youngsters among autistics it looks to an observer like they can't learn social rules of conduct. But this is only how it looks. Most of these kids can not express themselves and therefore cannot voice their displeasure with the communication system used by neurotypicals. However, as these autistics grow up and gain better ability of self-expression, they tell you a different story. The story I have heard over and over is about disenchantment with a communication system based in the abstract and commonly devoid of logic or reason.

The neurotypical system of interpersonal communication, while greatly evolved and serves the community quite well, does not sit well with most autistics who prefer more concrete, logic-based communication. This fact has led many autistics to rebel against workplace politics and hierarchy and rules.

At it stands this is a philosophical difference and not a deficiency that autistics have. In fact the argument, in an ideal world can go both ways. Why don't neurotypicals embrace a straightforward, logical and sensical communication system instead. Of course, this is only a rhetorical question but the point is, the fact that an autistic person prefers to communicate in a way that puts her in the minority, does not mean she needs treatment. It only means that she has a choice to make. Either learn the neurotypical ways, and stay within the system or continue your rebellion and find or create an environment conducive to the system you prefer.

What neurotypicals don't realize is that the number of autistics among them who have chosen to learn the system is bigger than they could ever imagine. In fact in business schools the teaching goes that about 6% of the workforce is made up today of "odd elements" that try everyday to comply with the needs of the current environment. Of course these 6% are the neuroAtypicals who have chosen to comply with the abstract illogical system of communication prevalent today in the workplace.

Some other autistics refuse to learn it because of all the disdain they have for the system and choose to do something else. Mainly they create or join environments that cherish their own ways of communication.

This topic is a pure choice that every autistic has to make for herself at some point in her life. This is not some sort of deficiency or defect for the medical experts to cure.

The sad part is that fully competent scientists fail to see this choice because they are wrapped up in an environment where the only way they can fulfill a career Ambition is by finding a "disease" that needs a pharmaceutical treatment. This is where the grants are and the glory. If they choose to see things the way they are, then there are not as many diseases to treat and there is so much lost potential and ruined careers.

Don't you wish we lived in a world where scientists are given grants to examine lifestyles and arrive at the most suitable lifestyle changes that fit our personalities; but no one pays you to do that so you have to go for unsanctioned drugs to keep your job and passion going. Sad very sad reality.


Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Wed, 08 Dec 2010 14:00:30 -0800 "Autism Speaks", a corporate protege' out to "cure" autism; informed consent apparently optional http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/autism-speaks-a-corporate-protege-out-to-cure http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/autism-speaks-a-corporate-protege-out-to-cure

"Autism Speaks", a corporate protege' out to "cure" autism; informed consent apparently optional

I am going to leave most of the talking to the source link since they seem to have an accurate description of the corruption and ignorance that is rampant at Autism Speaks, a self-appointed organization seeking a "cure" for autism.

For years I have been telling my clients and anyone who would listen that us adults need to change the way we look at autism from a disease to cure to a personality we need to treat as equal. I tell them that if we don't undergo this paradigm shift and soon, then this generation of autistics is Going to grow up into adulthood and punish everyone who mistreated them. And as proof of what I have been saying, here is an article published by college students in georgia exposing autism speaks for it's rampant corruption in appropriating funds and rampant ignorance in promoting a cure for autism. They view autism spectrum as a mistake that needs to be corrected. They go further to research tests that can be done on pregnant women so they can be given the choice to abort instead of having an autistic child.

The scandal grows further but I will leave it to the source link. Our ignorance as a society and our intolerance for anyone who sounds different is going to come back and haunt us. And I am not speaking about some alien minority or some outside group. I am talking about our own children, nephews and nieces. They are growing up and they are good at rebelling. Heed or face the wrath of an oppressed minority.

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:01:15 -0800 Suspected inefficiency of energy production in autistic kids may be related to less physical activity http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/suspected-inefficiency-of-energy-production-i http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/suspected-inefficiency-of-energy-production-i

Suspected inefficiency of energy production in autistic kids may be related to less physical activity

This is a study that reported an inefficient production of energy in autism at the cellular level. The power plants of the cell (mitocondria) in autistics seemed to function at one third the efficiency seen in neurotypical children. The amazing part is that testing only 10 autistic children the mitochondrial energy production problem was evident.

Of course, anxiety and feeling threatened by strangers play a big role in many autistics withdrawal and refusal to play or other physical activity. However, this mitochondrial problem could be the cellular link that manifests in fatigue and poor stamina.

Nothing in the human body is caused by one factor or one process. Everything we feel, every symptom we experience is the result of multiple factors leading to it. The same applies here. Fatigue is a state of mind, caused by anxiety, fear and a long list of threats. Fatigue is mediated by many hormones, neurohormones and other chemicals in the body. Cellular fatigue is an undercurrent that contributes to the subjective feeling of fatigue. I hope this puts the recent finding into context.

Yet this finding has it's significance since stamina, strength and limb-eye coordination depend in large part on the availability of energy in the cells.

Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:26:24 -0800 The conversation on Autism every parent wishes to have: short video from a child's perspective 1000s have watched http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/the-conversation-on-autism-every-parent-wishe-0 http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/the-conversation-on-autism-every-parent-wishe-0

This is the conversation every mom and dad with an autistic child wish they could have. The clip depicts an autistic boy trying to educate his parents on his needs from his own unique perspective.


Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

Amplify’d from www.youtube.com
this is the conversation every mom and dad with an autistic child wish they could have. The clip depicts an autistic boy trying to educate his parents on his needs from his own unique perspective.

this is the conversation every mom and dad with an autistic child wish they could have. The clip depicts an autistic boy trying to educate his parents on his needs from his own unique perspective.
... (more info)  

(less info)
Read more at www.youtube.com

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Tue, 16 Nov 2010 14:23:08 -0800 The conversation on autism, every parent wishes to have: a short video from a child's perspective http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/the-conversation-on-autism-every-parent-wishe http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/the-conversation-on-autism-every-parent-wishe

This is the conversation every mom and dad with an autistic child wish they could have. The clip depicts an autistic boy trying to educate his parents on his needs from his own unique perspective.


Rami Serhan, MD
http://sovereignresearch.org
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
https://autismtm.com

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Fri, 05 Nov 2010 13:00:20 -0700 The conversation about Autism, every parent wishes she can have: an 8 min animated video I made http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/the-conversation-about-autism-every-parent-wi-0 http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/the-conversation-about-autism-every-parent-wi-0

This is the conversation every mom and dad with an autistic child wish they could have. The clip depicts an autistic boy trying to educate his parents on his needs from his own unique perspective.

Rami
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sovereign-Autism-Research/122574297760647

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Fri, 05 Nov 2010 08:43:21 -0700 The conversation about autism every parent wishes they can have: an 8 min animated video I made! http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/the-conversation-about-autism-every-parent-wi http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/the-conversation-about-autism-every-parent-wi

This is the conversation every mom and dad with an autistic child wish they could have. The clip depicts an autistic boy trying to educate his parents on his needs from his own unique perspective.
Rami
http://sovereignresearch.org/psychesmartautismtm
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sovereign-Autism-Research/122574297760647

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Thu, 04 Nov 2010 11:51:51 -0700 The conversation every parent wishes to have about autism; an 8 min video i made http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/the-conversation-every-parent-wishes-to-have http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/the-conversation-every-parent-wishes-to-have

this is the conversation every mom and dad with an autistic child wish they could have. The clip depicts an autistic boy trying to educate his parents on his needs from his own unique perspective.

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Wed, 20 Oct 2010 12:40:17 -0700 Tomorrow 9 pm est tune in to comedy central for autism benefit Jon Stewart and numerous other comedians performin http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/tomorrow-9-pm-est-tune-in-to-comedy-central-f http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/tomorrow-9-pm-est-tune-in-to-comedy-central-f

this is good news, really good news. Jon Stewart, the most prolific comedian of our generation is hosting an autism benefit on comedy central tomorrow thursday, october 21st, 2010 at 9:00 pm eastern standard time. Tune in to watch numerous comedians perform in addition to stewart.

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Mon, 13 Sep 2010 23:05:19 -0700 Once more, no link found between vaccine preservative and autism - latimes.com http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/once-more-no-link-found-between-vaccine-prese http://psychesmartautismtm.posterous.com/once-more-no-link-found-between-vaccine-prese

It has been a while since I last wrote. I have been occupied with non-essential, non-core affairs which could not be ignored. Nonetheless, this article in the la times caught my eyes today and I wanted to share my take and experience with the possible link of autism and vaccines.

REALITY ABOUT AUTISM & VACCINES

“The righteous is not innocent of the deeds of the wicked, and the white-handed is not clean in the doings of the felon… more often the condemned is the burden bearer for the guiltless and unblamed. You cannot separate the just from the unjust and the good from the wicked; for they stand together before the face of the sun even as the black thread and the white are woven together. And when the black thread breaks, the weaver shall look into the whole cloth, and he shall examine the loom also.”
KAHLIL GIBRAN, THE PROPHET PAGE 24

I hope by now in the progress of this book I have convinced you, the reader, that autism is not a disease or a disorder and that it is a natural personality existing on the sensitive side of the personality spectrum. From this perspective no one can claim that there is a cause for autism. When there is no disease there is no cause to be pursued.

I don’t claim to possess any definitive evidence on the case of vaccines in bringing out the autistic personality. Besides, I am not sure if the focus should be on the mercury or the physical trauma of injections or the activation of the immune system that follows or if the problem is a combination of the aforementioned factors. Whatever the reason turns out to be, vaccines do contribute to the behavioral and social deterioration many kids experience after rounds of excessive vaccination. However, I want to say that whatever component of these vaccines is responsible for the deterioration is; it is only bringing the autistic personality out. I assure you it is not creating autism. Vaccines cannot make someone autistic.

Autism is a lifelong personality complex that we are born with. However, among the factors that can make an autistic person more functional or less functional, vaccination rank very high up on the list of factors, which contribute to delay in development and more profound dysfunction.

So much crucially needed energy has been put in the last few years by parents of autistic children to make the medical establishment acknowledge the harm that vaccines has done to their children. The medical establishment would love nothing more than to extend this fight another generation or two. Meanwhile, this energy can be used more constructively to find solutions that will help this generation of kids. When an autistic child sees anger or frustration or sadness in a parent, he thinks that this is the end of his chances for any care or attention. He may even think he is the one to blame for his parents’ feelings. Parental negative emotions reflect deeply on the psyche of autistic children and directly contribute to their troubles.

I understand the frustration and the sadness of the parents. I know you were all wronged. I believe my social development was delayed by some of these same vaccines too. However, I feel really bad when I hear things like, someone has to pay for our children’s troubles. Justice has to be served. We want to get even. This in the last few generations has become the glorified way. If these poor children we are defending were to speak they would teach us all something about justice. They would teach us the difference between justice and mercy. In the footsteps of the great rail-splitter, they would say: “I have always found that mercy bears richer fruits than strict justice” [Abraham Lincoln, at a speech in Washington D.C., 1865].

Everyone must think this statement is advocating mercy for government actions. Far from it; the mercy is meant in favor of the victims. The children who were adversely affected by vaccination need every instance of calm and quiescence around them to catch up with their development. They need to be surrounded by positive loving attitudes untainted by any feelings of anger or revenge.

REFERENCES:
STRESS OF VACCINATION
Stress at three-month immunization: Parents' and infants' salivary cortisol response in relation to the use of pacifier and oral glucose.
Morelius E, Theodorsson E, nelson N Eur J Pain. 2008 May 15
Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, Linkoping University, Sweden
The aims of the present study were to investigate (1) whether the salivary cortisol response could be dampened during a routine three-month immunization if the infant received sweet-tasting solution in combination with a pacifier and (2) stress experienced by parents during immunization of the infant. Ninety-eight infants were included into one of four intervention groups: 'glucose and pacifier', 'water and pacifier', 'glucose', or 'water'. Saliva was collected before and 30min after the immunization. Infants' crying-time and parents' self-reported stress (VAS) were measured before and after immunization. Infants in the 'pacifier and glucose' group had a significantly smaller change in salivary cortisol than infants in the other groups (F(3,72)=3.1, p
NEO-DHARMA:

Vaccines may very well play a role in bringing out the autism personality.

However if vaccines did not bring out the autistic personality, it will come out anyway following other traumatic experiences

Autistic children & adults are some of the most forgiving people who have walked the planet.

Parents are well advised to divert all the energy directed toward fighting the government over vaccines into energy directed toward understanding and helping their children instead.

All the negative energy and anger this type of legal fights brings to the household is bound to reflect negatively on a growing autistic child and actually further delay development

Author: Rami Serhan, MD
Medical consultant
Sovereign Research
http://sovereignresearch.org
consultant@sovereignresearch.org
(206) 659-1ASD (273)

Note: this article is an excerpt of the upcoming book, “PSYCHE-SMART AUTISM”.

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