Tony Benn: the legacy
Herbert Shapiro is probably not that well known here in the UK. The son of Russian, Jewish immigrants he was a professor of history in the United States from 1964…
Susan Boyle and Asperger Syndrome
In today’s Observer Magazine there is an article about Susan Boyle in which she reveals her recent diagnosis with Asperger Syndrome. She found fame and fortune 4 years ago on…
Autism: Challenging Behaviour
Introduction Michael Fitzpatrick is a retired GP with a profoundly autistic son. Mike is also the author of MMR and Autism: What Parents Need to Know and Defeating Autism: A…
Furness National Autistic Society Push for Action
The National Autistic Society has been running an unusual campaign, Push for Action, that is probably one of it’s most successful in terms of participation and outcomes. That is not…
The Ageing of Autism
BACKGROUND When data from California emerged in 1999 that suggested a dramatic increase in the rate of autism it was taken by some advocates as evidence for an epidemic. This…
An Inflammatory Argument
I am beginning to feel a real sympathy for Sisyphus, who was punished for his sins by the ancient Greek gods and condemned to roll a stone uphill for all…
Why are Wakefield’s views on MMR still news?
Today’s i Paper and Independent carry a front page story that gives Andrew Wakefield everything he could wish for. Two days ago I blogged a piece on Wakefield’s recent attempt…
Libel Reform Under Threat
Britain has some of the worst libel laws in the world. They are used to stifle legitimate comment and bully writers who are trying to expose the excesses of the…
MMR and Autism
The continuing outbreak of measles in South Wales has once more drawn attention to Andrew Wakefield, the man who did more than most to create a panic over MMR and…
The Good and Bad Science of Autism
Here is a press release from Autism West Midlands, a charity that provides autism services and support in the UK. The book is available as a free download but I…