Post Author: Irene Tanzman

Irene Tanzman is a patient advocate and author of Abie and Arlene’s Autism War.

Why health care professionals must call for splitting the autism spectrum

Conditions

February 27, 2021

In a February 2021 Facebook Live presentation sponsored by Seattle Children’s Hospital, Jill Escher, the president of the National Council on Severe Autism (NCSA), called for splitting the autism spectrum.

In some individuals, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) presents as a serious developmental disability affecting communication, learning, motivation, and all aspects of daily living. These individuals require 24/7 level care. Others on the spectrum have mild differences in …

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Patients with severe autism: medical and dental care in the community

Irene Tanzman

Patient

December 13, 2019

The pediatrician kept on telling me that everything was fine. What could possibly be wrong? His motor skills were right on time, if not a little early. He even had emerging problem-solving skills. He did things like push a chair up to a shelf to climb up and get what he wanted. Three decades later, he still does clever things that make me question why he is so impaired.

Unfortunately, there …

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