In the lead up to Christmas, it’s safe to say that I expect my newsfeed to be full of heart-warming stories of tree lightings, messages to Santa and the occasional video of a bulldog sleeping (you know, for variety). November, however, had other plans.
Instead of the fun and festive moments which I was expecting/hoping to share in this month’s autism news roundup, I took a trip to the controversial and questionable, where, despite a few nuggets of light, I was reminded why December is the most wonderful time of the year (and not a single day before it).
As always, links to the full stories can be accessed by clicking on the red titles and the bold headings.
Honourable Mentions:
Before we do delve into the heavy hitters of this anything but light month, here are a couple of autism articles which were close to making this month’s top 5 but, for one reason or another, didn’t quite cut it.
- Proposed mandatory health training in the UK will be named after Oliver McGowan, an autistic boy who lost his life due to medical mistreatment last year
- Mesa becomes the first-ever autism-certified city
- A new study questions the benefits of a gluten-free diet for autistic people
- Hollyoaks actor, Stephanie Davis, discloses her autism
- The 10th anniversary of the Autism Act
- Autism book ‘Can you See Me’ is nominated for a Carnegie Medal
- Research finds that autistic people have more symmetrical brains
- American comedian Bill Maher appears to agree with Anti-Vax doctor
- Findings suggest that many Autism Studies have been delayed due to Brexit
- A new study suggests that autistic people are twice as likely to have anxiety (with 1 in 5 autists know to have the condition)
- Autism operated chocolatier, Harry Specters, opens its first store, in Cambridge
- Kalin Bennett becomes the first known autistic athlete to score points in a Division I basketball game
- Elon Musk stated that he might be able to ‘solve’ autism with a brain-chip (and here was I thinking that the Cybertruck was his low point this month)
The Top 5 Autism News Pieces for November 2019:
5. Autism & Vaccines journal Entry Named as one of the Most Referenced Redacted Papers
For some time now, the golden bullet in the chamber of anti-vaxxers has been to quote the 1998, redacted, Andrew Wakefield paper, in The Lancet. The issue with this though is that, even though its findings have since been deemed as fraudulent (when repeated results could not be replicated), the paper itself is still often referenced in newer more modern reports.
In short, this is because of Google’s algorithm which will further promote articles that receive the most references, subsequently leading to a snowball effect, where the more people see it, the more they, naively, cite it. Under these circumstances, older articles have a better chance of staying at the top and thus begins an endless loop.
Researchers are now calling for journals to hold authors more accountable as, while citing a redacted paper isn’t enough to have anything redacted itself, this had led to an influx of misinformation in the community. Furthermore, a push has now begun to make sure that references are at least labelled where inconsistencies are present, potentially with a ‘Redacted’ marker next to the citation.
4. Autism and Animation
It was a big month for autism in animation, kicking off with Pixar’s Float: a short film inspired by the creator’s relationship with his autistic son, and closing with the announcement of Loop: a soon to be Disney+ exclusive short movie, which follows a non-verbal, autistic girl and a chatty boy she is partnered with on a canoeing trip.
Although not strictly news in the sense of life changing announcements, these back to back moments highlight that the autistic community is set to continue its roll of phenomenal representations as we end the year (and I, for one, couldn’t be more excited).
Despite this, it should probably be stated that, until its release, I can’t honestly speak about the quality of Loop itself. However, it’s hard not to praise the studio for these ground-breaking portrayals, especially when characters themselves manage to defy general stereotypical conventions – with the protagonists not being young, white, western males.
3. Lobbying Begins for Autistic Drivers to Make Themselves Known (Déjà Vu)
In a eureka moment, which is said to have come whilst watching an episode of The Good Doctor, this month autistic parents Pete and Denise Gagliardo, began lobbying in New York for driving licences of autistic people to feature labels acknowledging the condition.
This news quickly caught the attention of Yonkers State Assemblyman Nader Sayegh and, after drafting up a bill, the proposal is now waiting for approval from the full state assembly, whilst Sayegh searches for a co-sponsor in the senate, and I try to find a clue as to what all this legal legislation nonsense actually means.
Although, everyone involved in this move no doubt has the best of intentions, the news itself feels eerily familiar to the UK’s infamous announcment for autistic drivers to make themselves known (which you can read about here). However, whether the New York proposal will receive the same negative reception remains to be seen.
2. Autism & Cancer Link Scare
‘Panicked’ is probably the best way to express how our community felt this month, after many headlines prominently featured autism’s link to a cancer gene. However, for those who chose to read deeper than the title, many were relieved to learn that these items weren’t a harbinger of things to come but, instead, were about how the gene known as PTEN may be the first biological marker of an autistic typing.
As such, while many were expecting to hear about autism’s relation to cancer probability, this study instead looked at how 7 in 99 autistic people, with a mutation within their PTEN genes, have shared traits – like weaker short term reasoning. This is interesting as it is one of the first studies to ever look at a gene and find related personality traits (and not vice versa) and it could help predict how autism impacts people in later life.
With that said, I’m under no illusion that audiences are going to change their title skimming ways any time soon. However, it’s unnecessary panic like this which makes me wish that we were different. Nevertheless, if you have made it this far into this item without switching to the next, I am probably already preaching to the choir, so with that little moan out of the way, let’s move on.
1. UK General Election Manifestos
With only a few weeks until the UK general election, this month, the major political parties produced manifestos, outlining their plans for the country. For many, this included direct links to the autism community.
Sadly, while I know that for many of you, my autism-centric site is your first choice for political corresponds (joking of course), I have decided that while I dislike being CONVERSATIVE and I usually LABOUR on, I will instead set aside any forward-thinking LIBERAL ideas which I stand wholeheartedly behind, and REMAIN impartial.
So, without an inkling of bias, here are what the main parties are proposing regarding autism. Please note that, while I would love to include the Green Party, I can’t as, despite Greta Thunberg being the human embodiment of their values, the party make no mention to the condition in their manifesto:
Increase access to a broader range and number of clinically effective talking therapies so that hundreds of thousands more people can receive this support, with equal access for older people, BAME and LGBT+ patients, and people with autism or learning disabilities.
Fully introduce Sir Stephen Bubb’s ‘Time For Change’ report recommendations and ensure that Assessment and Treatment Units are closed urgently. Too many people with profound learning disability or autism are being detained in unacceptable institutions and it is disgraceful that the Transforming Care closure programme has not been implemented by the Conservatives.
We will make it easier for people with learning disabilities and autism to be discharged from hospital and improve how they are treated in law. We will also provide £74 million over three years for additional capacity in community care settings for those with learning disabilities and autism.
Our investments in social care services will enable us to more than double the number of people receiving publicly funded care packages, improve the standard of care provided to them and remove the distinction between health and care needs. The provision of additional care packages also means we can support autistic people and people with learning disabilities to move out from inappropriate inpatient hospital settings and provide support in their own homes.
Carry on the Conversation:
Do you have any more positive news to turn November around? Let me know in the comments below. And, if you would like to read more about autism in animation then check out my short review of Pablo, along with many other currently airing autsim shows found in this post on 7 Incoming Autism TV Shows for Late 2019/2020.
As always, I can also be found on Twitter @AutismRevised and via my email: AutisticandUnapologetic@gmail.com.
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Thank you for reading and I will see you next Saturday for more thoughts from across the spectrum.
