In order to really fulfill our mission, we need to become a non-profit. The state non-profit paperwork should be submitted soon after the 10th of April. After that I will begin work on our 501c paperwork. I want to help autistic people and their families.

Specifically I want to help with scholarships to either colleges or universities or technical training from cooking schools to plumber’s training or computer repair schools. We want to help autistic people to start the career of their choice.

The second thing that I want to do is to help with education, entertainment and culture. We want to make it possible for autistic people and their families to purchase computers, and tablet pc’s and other needed technology and the third part is helping to attend events such as plays, movies, concerts, and go to places to enrich their lives such as camp and Disneyland.

The final thing that I want to help with are other organizations that help the community as well as I can.

Since my twin sons were premature and relatively low birth weights, 4 pounds 1 ounce and 4 pounds 11 ounces I was quite intrigued by the recent article that I noticed on Autism Speaks website.

As advances in medicine and discoveries in health sciences have lead to increased survival of infants born prior to 33 gestational weeks, there is a greater interest in understanding the later health and development of these children as they develop. This year, multiple studies reported findings of increased risk of autism in cohorts of infants born prior to 33 weeks or with very low birth weight (less than 3 lbs, 5 ounces). Researchers studied cohorts from across the globe and screened for multiple behavioral outcomes from age 4-14 years of age, including ADHD, autism, conduct disorders, phobias, cognitive delays and emotional problems. These findings expand and complement previous reports using cross sectional designs that have identified low birth weight and gestational age as risk factors for autism1.

Here is a link to the article and the references for the data:–>http://www.autismspeaks.org/science/science_news/prematurity_as_risk_factor.php

I came across an article with reference to the passing of an autism insurance bill in West Virginia.

It would be great if more states, and the United States would do the same.

It is something that would benefit many families.

Please take a look at the article snippet below and the following link as well.

by Jared Hunt
Daily Mail Capitol Reporter
Advertiser

CHARLESTON, W.Va.–Kanawha County Delegate Mark Hunt was saying “thank you” a lot to his fellow lawmakers Saturday night.

For the past six years, Hunt, a Democrat, has been pushing legislation aimed at easing the burden on families with autistic children.

That’s included proposing tax credits for autism treatments as well as mandating insurance coverage for autism spectrum disorder.

But in each of those years, the state Senate and House of Delegates were unable to reach agreement on the measures, drawing criticism from Hunt.

But in the waning hours of the legislative session Saturday, the House unanimously approved an amended a version of House Bill 2693, which requires the Public Employees Insurance Agency, Children’s Health Insurance Program and most private insurers to cover autism treatment beginning July 1, 2011.

Here is a link to the excellent story–> http://www.dailymail.com/News/statehouse/201103130272

Here is a video of the water fall, it was quite nice to see. I had heard about it for years and now we actually go to go and see it. The kids liked it. If you come out to Las Vegas for a trip, it is worth seeing.

Here is a nice video from our excursion to Red Rock Canyon. It is a video of the creek.
My wife and I and our 3 kids decided to go out and get some fresh air and exercise.

This weekend We went to the Red Rock Canyon, Near Las Vegas for a hike. I went to Highschool, with Katie who works there. She is their educational coordinator. It is a nice place to visit with your kids and friends.

I was looking for information to share with regards to autism and technology, and found this interesting article from the United Kingdom.

It was written by–>By Nancy Churnin – Reporter
nchurnin@dallasnews.com

The quest to understand autism and help those who have been diagnosed with it has spawned inspiring creativity. In England, researchers have created a robot, that they’ve named Kaspar,that plays with kids with autism. Consider the way that kids without autism learn emotional lessons from their dolls. This interactive robot gives kids with autism, who have trouble reading emotions, an extra boost by smiling, frowning and saying, “Hello, my name is Kaspar. Let’s play together.” He laughs when his sides or feet or touched,hides his face with his hands and cries out “Ouch. This hurts” when he’s slapped too hard. One mom reported that her autistic daughter is “a lot more affectionate with her friends now and will even initiate the embrace.”

Here is a link to the article–>http://dallaslifeblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/03/kaspar-the-friendly-robot-help.html

I recently read an interesting article from the Wall Street journal with regards to life with an autistic child. I have 3 so I know all about it.

My dreams and expectations changed radically when my child was diagnosed with Autism. From that moment, and for the next decade, every thought in my head, urge in my heart and pulse in my body was redirected to helping him. When your child is diagnosed as on the Spectrum, you’re told that much can improve, but most profoundly before the age of 5. My son was already three. So the clock was ticking, the meter was running, and I had a choice to make; pursue my needs, or save his life. So I put away the screenplay I was writing, abandoned the film collective I was trying to form, and forgot any notion of going back to a traditional job. In their place, I organized a line of behavioral therapists, occupational therapists, auditory training technologies, and casein-free diets. And thanked God each day that I had the resources so I could.

Here is a link to the fine article–>http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/03/12/sxsw-2011-a-film-of-ones-own/