AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & DENTISTRY BY H. BARRY WALDMAN DDS, MPH, PHD, STEVEN P. PERLMAN DDS, MSCD, DHL (HON), RICK RADER, MD, FAAIDD, DHL (HON) AND MATTHEW COOKE, DDS, MD, MPH “In 1972, WABC-TV in New York sent rookie reporter Geraldo Rivera to Staten Island to infiltrate the Willowbrook State School. Robert Kennedy had visited the mental institution in 1966 and declared: ‘Willowbrook State School was not fit even for animals to live […]
My wish for you and your child is that you get the information you need, the resources that can help, and the acceptance to be able to move forward with your lives following an autism diagnosis. BY KIMBERLEE RUTAN McCAFFERTY Over the years people have asked me about how and when Justin was diagnosed with autism. My boy got an official diagnosis at 17 months from a developmental pediatrician, received a spectrum diagnosis at a […]
Nancy Gianni realized that she now had a mission – to change the way the world sees Down syndrome and promote acceptance for all, while providing opportunities and support for GiGi and others like her. When Nancy Gianni gave birth to her daughter, GiGi, 15 years ago, she thought she knew exactly what to expect of those early hours and days. She had already brought two babies into the world and was looking forward to […]
ANCORA IMPARO BY RICK RADER, MD ■ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Exceptional parents have far too many artifacts to sift through and decide which pile to place them in. What do you do with early IEPs, MRI findings, Special Olympic medals, behavioral support plans, clinic appointment cards, support group newsletters, insurance explanation of coverage and conservatorship papers? It started innocently enough. My wife decided it was time to change the carpeting in our bedroom. It had outlived its […]
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 500,000 teens with autism will age into adulthood over the next decade and housing will become one of the greatest concerns for them, their parents and other caregivers. Right now, an estimated 80,000 adults with autism in the United States are on waiting lists for publicly-funded residential placements and services. The waiting periods can run up to 15 years and the number of those waiting […]
