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Welcome back to Autism Talk TV. In episode seven, Alex and Jack are back for part two of our interview with Steve Silberman of Wired Magazine, author of the groundbreaking article, "The Geek Syndrome," which addresses the "epidemic of autism" in Silicon Valley. Part one of the interview can be seen in the sixth episode of Autism Talk TV. As the interview continues, Steve shares several important contributions to society made by individuals on the spectrum.

Again, thanks to Steve Silberman for sitting down with us and giving us such an awesome interview. Steve is great, Steve is wonderful, all hail Steve.

For the sixth episode of Autism Talk TV, Alex and Jack snag an exclusive interview with Steve Silberman, known primarily for his work as a writer for Wired Magazine. Ten years ago, Steve published his article "The Geek Syndrome," one of the most famous magazine pieces on the topic of autism, addressing the apparent "epidemic of autism" in Silicon Valley. In this episode Steve shares his story about what got him so gosh darn interested in autism in the first place, and about his ever expanding research into "the ways that autism itself is a window into the larger question of neurodiversity." Plus, Autism Talk TV gets an exclusive sneak peak into Steve's up-and-coming book on the topic.

But wait- there's more! This is only part one of a two-part interview. Check back for episode seven of Autism Talk TV to learn more from Steve Silberman, including discussion of many amazing contributions to society and technology made by spectrumites.

Read on for the video!

Hello and welcome to episode five of Autism Talk TV. This time around, Alex Plank and Jack Robison talk with Geraldine Dawson, the chief science officer at Autism Speaks. Dawson, who's been involved in the autistic community for over 30 years, gives Autism Talk TV a sample of the research funded by Autism Speaks aimed at, not curing, but improving the lives of spectrumites.

We learn about some of the physical troubles autistic individuals sometimes face, such as sleep difficulties and GI problems, and how simply educating doctors could do a world of good. We also hear about the unfair segregation of autistic children in school communities, and how special education for aspies and auties could be made obsolete by simply raising awareness and educating teachers and school officials.

Read on for episode 5 of Autism Talk TV!

For the fourth installment of Autism Talk TV, I sat down with Peter Bell, vice president of Autism Speaks. In our interview, Peter Bell discusses his role at Autism Speaks in addition to what it is like to raise an autistic son. Peter also speaks about the controversial issue of finding a cure for autism and what it means to him as a father. Peter was also recently a guest star on NBC's Parenthood, in which an autistic boy is one of the recurring characters.

I enjoyed talking with Peter and I think you will be moved by his story. Hopefully interviews such as this will help to shed light on the similarities between those of on the spectrum against the notion of "cure" and parents who are trying to give their children the best life possible.

Read on for the video!

For the third episode of Autism Talk TV, I had the opportunity to sit down with Allson Singer who cofounded the Autism Science Foundation. This is the first video in our series of Autism Talk TV interviews conducted at IMFAR in Philadelphia last week.

Alison talks about what it was like for her brother growing up in the 1960s and 1970s with an Autism diagnosis. She discusses the history of Autism services and shares her views on the future of Autism research. In addition, Alison explains the roles genetics plays in finding future treatments for individuals on the Spectrum.

Read on to watch the interview of Alison Singer!

We sat down with Janet Price and Jennifer Engel Fisher, the authors of Take Control of Asperger's Syndrome: The Official Strategy Guide for Teens With Asperger's Syndrome and Nonverbal Learning Disorders.

Janet and Jennifer give tips about overcoming homework, making friends, and using technology, such as the iPod touch and the Palm, to help people with Asperger's stay organized.

Autism Talk TV is the new Internet television show about Autism.

Read on to watch episode two of Autism Talk TV!

Happy International Autism Awareness Day! To celebrate this day and Autism Awareness Month, we're releasing the first episode of a new internet TV show about autism. I think you'll all enjoy the first episode which covers social skills and how to survive group social settings.

We spent a lot of time on this episode so I hope you find it useful. In the future, we plan to cover new autism books, autism in the media, and other tips for surviving social situations.

Read on to watch episode one of Autism Talk TV!

We have just been informed that H.R. 4247, the Preventing Harmful Restraint and Seclusion in Schools Act is going to be marked up by the House Education and Labor Committee this coming Thursday. In order to avoid amendments to the legislation that could potentially weaken the bill's ability to protect students, it is important we send a clear message to Congress to pass H.R. 4247 and to keep it strong. This is a crucial period for the legislation and we're urging all of you to call your Representatives before Thursday to tell them to co-sponsor and support the bill.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with economist Tyler Cowen, author of Create Your Own Economy: The Path to Prosperity in a Disordered World, an economics book that argues that the Internet is making our society more "autistic" and autistic individuals have a leg up in this new digital economy.

Tyler talks to me about Economcis, the way in which autistic individuals approach concepts differently than non-autistics, and how the autistic mode of thought can be more beneficial in certain situations. Read on for my interview with Tyler Cowen and you'll find out what he thinks about everything from Autism, to the terms "low-functioning" vs. "high functioning," and even bickering in the autism community.

Read on for the interview with Tyler Cowen!

Although (as far as I know) Michael John Carley of GRASP and Alison Tepper Singer of Autism Speaks are not literally in bed together, they have had such a cozy relationship over the past two years that the expression seems quite apropos. Most of us know Singer from her appearance in the Autism Every Day film, in which she attained worldwide infamy (and, if I recall correctly, a visit from child protective services) for saying, in front of her autistic daughter, that she had fantasized about driving off the George Washington Bridge with her daughter in the car.

Carley's sordid history of kissing up to Autism Speaks began in 2006 when he and Singer wrote so-called articles of understanding, in which Singer argued in favor of Autism Speaks' cure and prevention research by claiming that her daughter "does not have any areas of strengths that I fear squashing through medication, intervention or cure," and Carley slavishly bleated that autistic adults should be more understanding of the suffering of such parents.

Read on for the details and links.

Lineagen, Inc., a developer of innovative genomic tests and services for the screening, evaluation and diagnosis of complex disorders and diseases including autism spectrum disorders, announced today that Dr. Michael S...

Starting in September, CIGNA will offer a series of free monthly telephone seminars to help people better understand the physical, mental, and emotional challenges in children who may display the symptoms of developmental disorders like autism and Asperger syndrome...

In preparation for the new school year The Children's Center's is gearing up their early intervention programs for families and children with autistic spectrum disorders between the ages 18 months to 6 years old. The Children's Center (TCC) recognizes one of the fastest growing developmental disability in the United States affecting our children is Autism...

Kennedy Krieger Institute announced new study results showing an early marker for later communication and social delays in infants at a higher-risk for autism may be infrequent gazing at other people when unprompted...

An international study led by University of Montreal scientists suggests family history may not be a good predictor of the presence of mutations predisposing to autism or schizophrenia. The findings show how new or de novo gene mutations - alterations of the cell's DNA - play a role in these devastating conditions...

Autism’s False Prophets: Bad Medicine, Risky Medicine, and the Search for a Cure is a well-referenced, historical work that explains the dangerous and unnecessary controversies that have put the lives of autistic children at risk. Offit sets up his book by explaining how he has become a major player in the field of immunology. He then explores the process by which the autism/vaccine controversy has been given so much attention. He describes how parents and physicians worked together to create treatments that when put under scientific scrutiny, have no real efficacy.

Offit sets the tone of the book by showing how secretin therapy and facilitated communication were exposed as scams. He then debunks Dr. Wakefield’s study of the MMR vaccine and employs the scientific method to show how thimerosal and other mercury-based theories have no relevance.

Read on for more about the book and a video with author Dr. Paul Offit!

There is still much that is unknown about autism spectrum disorders, but a University of Nevada, Reno psychologist has added to the body of knowledge that researchers around the world are compiling to try to demystify, prevent and treat the mysterious condition...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released new estimates that one in every 110 children (1 in 70 boys) is diagnosed with autism. Autism has become more common in our children than cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined...

The Miami Herald: As the Jackson Health System's "governing board prepares to vote Monday on a proposed budget for 2011, its two money-losing nursing homes stand as a symbol for the challenges the system faces as it attempts to cut losses. Almost 100 of the 289 nursing home patients in the Jackson Health System are uninsured. Half of those are undocumented immigrants under age 50...

Curemark, LLC, a drug research and development company focused on the treatment of neurological diseases, will present at BioPharm America™ 2010, to be held September 15-17 in Boston at the Marriott Boston Copley Place, the company announced. Dr. Joan Fallon, Curemark's founder and CEO, will provide an overview of the company's enzyme replacement therapy targeted to autism...