Down with Autism!

By Rick Colosimo / July 1, 2009 / Comments Off on Down with Autism!

Let’s be clear. Autism sucks; it certainly sucks for my son. (And I don’t lump the Asperger’s group into this: I have met Aspies who are cogent, gainfully employed, capable, present in the world, and able to self-advocate; Dylan wasn’t at all like that before getting high-quality ABA and has a long way to go,…

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Scientist drawing line on vaccine research

By Rick Colosimo / July 1, 2009 /

Today, Dr. Eric London, from Autism Speaks/Autism Science Foundation and a co-founder of NAAR (which merged with Autism Speaks), announced that he is resigning from the Scientific Affairs Committee and dissociating himself from Autism Speaks. His statement generally refers to the continuation of vaccine-related research supported by Autism Speaks. This issue is one that is…

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How much value do ASD treatments create?

By Rick Colosimo / June 30, 2009 / Comments Off on How much value do ASD treatments create?

This WSJ article illustrates the type of analysis that we should all expect to have to understand as coverage for ABA moves into the mainstream of private insurance coverage and then, theoretically, becomes the responsibility of some national health insurance plan to cover. Will Congress and state legislatures be as willing to bear the burden…

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IDEA Fairness Restoration Act seeks funds for IEP experts

By Rick Colosimo / June 26, 2009 / Comments Off on IDEA Fairness Restoration Act seeks funds for IEP experts

The release below from COPAA describes new legislation introduced to allow for the recovery of expert witness fees in due process hearings and similar proceedings under IDEA. While parents who win at due process can often get reasonable attorney’s fees, and the law permits full recovery by a lawyer who charged a client less, expert…

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