Tag Archives: icare4autism

The Intense World Theory Of Autism And An Interview With The Markrams

Posted on August 16, 2012 by | 22 comments

At the ICare4Autism Conference, held in Jerusalem August 1st & 2nd, I had the opportunity to interview the neuroscientist team Henry and Kamila Markram who created The Intense World Theory for Autism.  Henry Markram is also director of Blue Brain, and is a coordinator on The Human Brain Project.  Both were at the conference presenting.  The Intense World Theory for Autism states autism is the result of a “super charged brain.”  Feelings, visual, auditory and tactile sensations are felt so intensely they are painful.  These intense feelings, coupled with extreme pain memory causes the child to become overwhelmed and shut down, withdrawing from stimulus.

I first read The Intense World Theory in March of this past year.  I was also just beginning to find blogs written by Autistics.   My world completely changed.  It was the first time I heard anyone working in the field of autism who did not speak of it as a deficit.  I remember reading every paper they’d written, making Richard read everything I was finding as well.  We stayed up every night for weeks discussing what this might mean, how it changed our view of our daughter, how it completely upended how we worked and communicated with her.  It was as close to a spiritual awakening as I’ve ever had.  I felt as though everything I thought I knew about Emma opened up and I was introduced to a vibrant, new and hopeful world.

So it was with great excitement that I sat down with Kamila and Henry Markram after their presentation on August 1st.  I have not delineated who was speaking, other than to write my questions in bold, as the conversation was a casual one and the dialogue often overlapped.  What follows is an edited version of my interview as we spoke for close to an hour and I didn’t want to repeat much of what was covered in their terrific interview with John Scott Holman of Wrong Planet.  For a more thorough reading of The Intense World Theory of Autism read his interview ‘here‘.

In your presentation you spoke about neuroscience and how the biggest impediment to Autism is that it continues to be listed in the same category as mental retardation in the DSM.  (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)  Can you talk about that a bit more?

“Autism is not a form of mental retardation. If parents approach their child as mentally retarded, then naturally they will apply a whole program of hammering the brain. If the Intense World Theory is correct, and the brain is already hyper-reactive, then this could just accelerate autism.  We have a grant now to study this for the Swiss National Science Foundation.  We hypothesize that you need an environment that is filtered from surprise.  Surprise can be painful.  You can’t easily undo the pain.  Memories shape your life.  normally, it is difficult to undo them, but for an autistic it is much more difficult to forget.  The other problem with Autism being listed as a form of mental retardation in the DSM is that it directs the way scientists research the problem. For decades, they have just been looking for deficits. So, the biggest impediment to Autism is the way it is classified in the DSM.  This should change.”

So what do you think of ABA as a recommended therapy during early intervention?

“It can be very dangerous and irresponsible.  ABA is for mental retardation.  Evidence points to the fact that ABA could be very dangerous for autistic children.  We don’t have proof yet, we don’t have an animal model, but the risk is very high. From our analysis of it, ABA, especially in the early phases, the critical developmental stage of from birth until about 5, is very dangerous.  You cannot know the intensity in which these children see the world and they are seeing things you can’t see.  There is a hyper emotionality.   ABA at an early age is definitely a no–no.”

How do parents facilitate the transition from this early phase of a filtered environment to the real world?

“The main critical periods for the brain during which time circuits form irreversibly are in the first few years (till about the age of 5 or so). We think this is an important age period when autism can either fully express to become a severe handicap or turned to become a major advantage. We think a calm filtered environment will not send the circuits into hyper-active modes, but the brain will keep most of its potential for plasticity. At later ages, filtered environments should help calm the autistic child and give them a starting point from where they can venture out. Each autistic child probably will first needs its own bubble environment before on can start mixing bubbles. It should happen mostly on its own, but with very gentle guidance and encouragement.  Do all you would want for your child ….but in slow motion…let the child set the pace…they need that control to feel secure enough to begin to venture off into any other other bubbles.”

Given that Autism is not a psychiatric illness, that it should not be in the DSM to begin with, but rather is a difference in neurology, what do you say to psychiatrists who are coming up with theories that people then believe as though these theories were fact?

“It is very difficult.  There are lots of theories , not so many facts.  Theory of Mind is a deficit model.  I think it’s been a very distorted interpretation.  When we first came out with the Intense World Theory people were quite opposed to it.  But now people are starting to move away from the deficit model.”

Your son is Autistic?

“Yes, he is now eighteen years old, living in Israel.  The opposite of what people tell you about autism, he is so emotional, he feels so intensely.  The smallest thing happens, he is mortally wounded.  He doesn’t know how to organize himself.  He has hyper memory.”   Henry:  “I’m pretty much also autistic.  I learned all kinds of tricks,  all kinds of strategies and I was able to develop tricks.”  

It seems a great many Autistic children also have GI issues.  What do you say to that?  

“When you alter something in the brain it alters the communication in the body.  It is very difficult to separate them.  All of these things could be secondary to a neural insult.”

What about diet?

“Some respond better to diet than others.  Some may be very sensitive to diet, not necessarily because of their autism.  Allergies can affect all people.  A diet can help the symptoms of autism if that is a stressor.  You need to lower the stressors, diet, sleep, all those things are stressors, combined with their sensory overload it’s going to exacerbate everything.  These aren’t treatments for autism, they are things that can place stress on an autistic child.”

What do you say to the parent who is considering drug treatments?

“Drugs are being given by doctors who have no idea how the neurons are affected. We are living in an illusion that we can easily treat brain disorders.  The human  brain project will change everything in the way we think and treat autism.”

Care to weigh in on the ongoing vaccination controversy?

“There is no evidence to support the connection.  The idea of toxic effects after the first trimester and the idea of toxic effects after birth seem very unlikely.  Parents should not avoid vaccinations.  I think the insult has to be in utero.  The first trimester is the danger.  Avoid anything extreme, no extreme stress.  That should be taken as a black out period for women from the moment they know they are pregnant.  Stay calm, sleep well, eat well.  All we can do is guess.”

Given the intensity of an Autistic child, how can we help manage their environment?

“In the early phase of the child’s life..  Repetition is a response to extreme fear.  The Autist perceives, feels and fears too much.  Let them have their routines, no computers, television, no sharp colors, no surprises.  It’s the opposite of what parents are told to do.  We actually think if you could develop a filtered environment in the early phase of life you could end up with an incredible genius child without many of the sensory challenges.”

Kamila Markram

Henry Markram

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ICare4Autism – An Opportunity to Make a Difference

Posted on August 9, 2012 by | 17 comments

I attended the ICare4Autism conference in Jerusalem last week.  I wrote about this not long ago in the post Synchronicity, Jerusalem and Autism. As a quick recap Jerusalem was the place Richard and I had intended to go for our honeymoon.  Not six weeks before we were due to leave, the intifada broke out, forcing us to abandon our plans. That was thirteen years ago.  This past May I received a letter from the “State of Israel” inviting me to be their guest.

In addition Dr. Henry and Dr. Kamila Markram were presenting at the conference.  They are the neuroscientist team who came up with The Intense World Theory For Autism, the only theory to date that has validated my observations of my ten-year old daughter, Emma.  When I read they were going to be in Jerusalem this past winter I joked with Richard about how amazing it would be to meet them AND go to Jerusalem.  At the time we just laughed at the insanity of the idea and went on with our lives.  Then the invitation arrived.  I knew it meant I would need to write about the conference.  Writing about the conference was why I’d been invited.

Except I do not consider myself a “journalist.”  I am not an impartial, unbiased observer, prepared to provide an even-handed summation of my observations.  I am highly opinionated and exceptionally biased in my ever evolving perspective on autism.  I regard the motivations of most so-called autism advocacy organizations with suspicion and even outrage.  I am frequently hostile in my view of the self-appointed Autism experts, medical charlatans and other “professionals” who make a living off desperate parents, like myself.  If I had all the money I’ve spent on the various “cures,” biomedical interventions and dubious therapies we have employed over these past eight years, I wouldn’t have cared about an invitation providing me with airfare and hotel accommodations.

In less than a year, my perspective has radically changed.  Had I attended this conference last August my focus would have been on meeting as many researchers and doctors as time would allow.  I would have spent each break roaming through the many tables set up outside the conference rooms selling all manner of goods purported to help a child with Autism (and yes, that is how I would have described my daughter – a child with Autism) hoping for something that would cure my daughter with the same longing and desperation that had dragged me from one “specialist” to the next for all those years, not so very long ago.

But that was before.

That was before we began implementing Emma’s literacy program.  That was before Emma showed signs that something we tried could and would work.  That was before I read Henry and Kamila Markram’s Intense World Theory.  That was before I began reading the blogs of Autistic adults and as a result began communicating with a number of them (see yesterday’s post).   Suddenly, and it really was relatively quick,  I began to view my daughter through the eyes of someone seeking to understand rather than fix.  I began to see her actions, whether it was stimming or echolalia or self-injurious behavior – as her attempts to communicate rather than aberrant behaviors that needed to be quelled and eliminated.

Was ICare4Autism going to be different than any of the other organizations out there promoting interventions, therapies and the ever illusive and questionable promise of a cure?  The information I compiled prior to the conference did not look promising.  But, I kept reassuring myself, the Markrams would be there and if nothing else, I had set up an interview to speak with them.  Beyond that there seemed little to distinguish them from any of the other organizations using “autism” in their name.  Still I went to the opening dinner with an upbeat, hopeful attitude, eager for a better idea of the organizations intentions.  When the opening video played I consoled myself that at least the distraught parents filmed were not openly weeping and talking about their distress in front of their children.  By the way, just in case anyone misunderstands me, less than two years ago I could have been one of those sobbing parents and I would have wept in front of my daughter and spoken of her with the mistaken assumption that she couldn’t understand.  It would not have occurred to me that hearing her mother speak of a desire to cure her might have made her feel horrible, sad and depressed, things she wouldn’t be able to communicate to me, which would only further her sadness and feelings of isolation.  I get it.  Really I do.

The conference began with a Welcoming Ceremony with a speech from the founder and CEO, Joshua Weinstein, who called for communication and collaboration.  He spoke of plans to move their headquarters to Jerusalem, a city with a long history of misunderstanding and strife, making his call for communication and collaboration all the more significant. The Mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat spoke of his pride in hosting the ICare4Autism conference and eagerness in it becoming a world center for Autism research.  Dr. Shekhar Saxena, director of Mental Health and Substance Abuse at the World Health Organization spoke briefly as did a number of others.  And then the Autistic Boys Choir got on the stage.  Seven teenagers began to sing, their voices rang loud and clear, their pitch was perfect, their enthusiasm and joy infectious and the audience began to weep.  I was right there with them, madly rummaging around for my kleenex, trying not to let out too much noise other than the odd sniffle.   I wept from sheer gratitude, because these teenage boys/men were like my daughter.  One young man in particular who clearly reveled in performing reminded me of Emma.  So yes, I wept from relief, from joy, from seeing Autism shown not as a tragedy, but as difference and of hope for what can only be described as the possibilities, not just for our children, but for us as a society when we hand the microphone over to those we say we care about and want to help – Autistics.

Over the course of the next day and a half I tried to meet with Joshua Weinstein, but for a variety of reasons, wasn’t able to.  Then finally in the afternoon of the last day of the conference, I saw Joshua Weinstein and mustered up the courage to approach him.  I spoke to him about why the Autism = Tragedy model needed to be discarded, that while it may get people to write checks it was an unbalanced view, completely disregarding the feelings of Autistics (our children) who are being sent the message that they make their parents and families desperately unhappy, the very people who are supposedly trying to help them.  Josh was not only kind and receptive, but later thanked me for coming over to him.   He assured me that he really was interested in communicating with Autistics and would take me up on my offer to introduce him to a number of people I know, both verbal and nonverbal, and am in contact with.

Josh invited me to be on the advisory board, which I’ve agreed to.  He is working with a number of people at the UN, as well as WHO (World Health Organization) and asked that I attend the UN meeting.  He has, since we spoke at the conference called and we are in email contact demonstrating his sincere desire to follow through with his promises and words.  Am I surprised?  Yes.  I am.  But more than that I am hopeful.  Hopeful that ICare4Autism will actually include the very people they say they care about by putting them on their advisory board and by listening to them as they develop and attempt to fulfill their mission in becoming a world-wide Autism organization that does more than pay lip service to those who are Autistic.

“Caring about autism – what we know of it and how we put it in our narratives – is something from which all manner of people can and must benefit.”  Representing Autism Culture, Narrative, Fascination by Stuart Murray

Autistic Boys Choir

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The Aftermath

Posted on August 7, 2012 by | 18 comments

Richard and I returned from Jerusalem and the icare4autism conference Friday evening.  It was so good to see Emma again after being away for an entire week. The three of us spent the weekend in NYC and then flew to Colorado where we were reunited with Nic (whom I haven’t seen in a month) looked after by my doting and wonderful mother.  I have at least three hours of recordings from the conference to transcribe.  I must write about the conference in greater detail, I have a great deal of work to do for my business, the one that actually brings in money, and I want and need to spend time with my family.  I’m tired.  That’s what I keep thinking.  But there’s more to it than that and I haven’t figured out yet what that exactly means.  There’s panic.  How am I going to get everything done?  But there’s something else, something I haven’t put my finger on yet.

It’s 4 AM (I’ve been up since 3) but you could tell me it was 1 in the afternoon and I’m so turned around I’d just nod my head.  So rather than say any more I’ll end with this – a little scene from last night.

Em:  Play duck, duck, goose?

Me:  Yeah, okay.

Em:  With you (points to me) and me (points to herself) and Nicky and Daddy and Granma?

My mother: What’s duck, duck, goose?

Nic:  You’ll see.

Everyone sits at the dining room table as Emma stands waiting. 

Em:  (Going around the table, while placing her hand on each person’s head)  Snow.  Snow.  Snow.  Snow.

My mother:  Should I do something?

Nic:  No Granma.  You have to wait.  She’ll say something different.

Em:  (Grinning, pats Granma on the head)  Raining!

Richard:  Oh no!  Emmy you have to pick someone else, Granma can’t run.

My mother:  (Looking horrified) I’m suppose to run?

Me:  (Laughing)  Yes, you’re suppose to run after her.

Em: (With mischievous grin)  Granma run?

Richard:  No, Emmy pick someone else, Granma can’t run.

Em: (Continues to go around the table) Snow. Snow.  (Puts hand on Richard’s head and hesitates.  Then shouts)  Raining!

This game continued for several rounds with Emma occasionally directing when things weren’t going as she felt they should.

Em:  Okay.  Last time for duck, duck, goose.  

When she’d finished going around the table, picked someone and after lots of screaming and laughing my mother said, “That was a great game!”

Em:  Play again?  (Looks around the table grinning)  Okay, okay, later.  Play duck, duck, goose later.  Tomorrow.

It’s good to be home.

Em on the High Line Sunday

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The icare4autism Conference in Jerusalem

Posted on August 3, 2012 by | 13 comments

The icare4autism conference ended this afternoon.  It was a whirlwind of activity spanning 48 hours of discussions and presentations led by scientists, therapists, neuroscientists, policy makers, parents and advocates.  Stephen Shore, who is Autistic, gave the single most entertaining presentation, entitled:  Employment Opportunities for People with Autism: Observations on Promoting Success.

On the first day I interviewed Henry and Kamila Markram, the neuroscientists who came up with the Intense World Theory of Autism, the only theory I’ve read and heard that makes any sense and which validates my own observations of my daughter, Emma.  Yesterday I spoke with Joshua Weinstein, the CEO and President of icare4autism.  He seemed genuinely interested in hearing from people.  He actively sought out suggestions, made himself available to anyone who approached him.  He seemed sincere in his desire to bring scientists, therapists, parents, researchers, educators and advocates  together.

The organization’s weakest point is in having Autistics on their advisory committee.  According to the sheet I received there aren’t any, and only one Autistic person, Stephen Shore, was at the conference presenting.  Perhaps after today’s conversation that will change.  I hope so.  I would like nothing more than to write glowingly about an organization that carries the word “autism” in it’s name.  I spoke out whenever it seemed even remotely appropriate.  But by the end of the conference I had made my – Autistics must be included in this organization -speech more than a dozen times.  Only once was I met with any argument and interestingly enough, that one time was from a parent of a “severely autistic child” as she described him, who was furious with me for suggesting we needed to move beyond the autism = tragedy model.

There is tremendous misunderstanding surrounding labels and the designations of low, high, severe and mild.  It was clear that people do not understand why these labels are unhelpful and the terms were thrown around a great deal during a number of the presentations I attended.  Another huge misperception surrounds intelligence or “lack” of in Autism.  I was astonished to hear the words “mental retardation” used in connection with autism during a couple of the comments from the audience.  I hadn’t realized that was still thought, by many, to be synonymous with autism.

The really good news is, I heard questions surrounding the “ethics” of various treatments and interventions for Autism and I was relieved to hear a number of people talk about the abuse, mistreatment and need for greater advocacy among the Autistic population.  Of course the best advocates are Autistics themselves and so I hope icare4autism will heed some of my suggestions.  I was not the only one making these suggestions, by the way.  There were a number of people, including Stephen Shore who was wonderfully articulate in his opinions and ideas, who brought up the need for Autistics to represent themselves and the importance of Autistics to be involved in all levels of any organization that carries the word autism in its title.

Finally, I miss Emma terribly and cannot WAIT to see her this afternoon.

Em in the playground

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To The Mayor Of Jerusalem Regarding Autism

Posted on August 2, 2012 by | 27 comments

The Mayor of Jerusalem made some remarks during the opening of the icare4autism conference yesterday morning.  The organization intends to have a home in Jerusalem and while they seem to be doing a great many wonderful things, there are a few things that are not so wonderful.  The following is a letter I wrote and sent to the Mayor’s spokesperson yesterday.

“Dear Mr. Mayor,

I am a writer and a mother of an Autistic child.  I am writing a piece I intend to submit to the Huffington Post about the Icare4Autism conference and Jerusalem’s involvement.  

I am in regular contact with a number of adult Autistics, both verbal and nonverbal, who are deeply concerned with the amount of press (almost all negative) that autism receives.  The autism = tragedy model is one they vehemently object to as well as the fact that they are rarely included or invited to be on the boards, advisory committees or consulted when organizations are formed or policy is made about them.  I am hoping both you and Icare4Autism will consider their concerns and am interested to know what you are planning for the future in this regard.  
 
Will you consider including autistic people as advisors, at the very least, who can help in creating better awareness and understanding not just in Jerusalem, but in the world?  You, Jerusalem, Israel and your association with icare4autism have the unique opportunity to do something none have done to date –  work with and help develop an organization that changes the public perception of autism by including Autistic people.  But this will require more than just one or two token Autistics, it will mean truly giving Autistics the opportunity to be a part of the development of policy and organizations meant to help them.  Autism is not a tragedy, however public perception of it is.  
 
Autism is a neurological difference from that of a neuromajority.  Suggesting cures, promoting imagery that is depressing with melancholy music, showing Autistics as burdens who are broken is something that in the US is sadly the norm.  The single largest Autism organization in the US is Autism Speaks, an organization that is abhorred by a massive number of Autistics.  The prevailing perception of autism as tragic and a devastating crisis creates more misunderstanding, panic and fear.  To be Autistic, to feel that your very existence is in jeopardy because of organizations intent on “cures” only increases that fear.  None of us make good decisions or behave well when fearful.  
 
I hope that you will consider the Autistic adults who are speaking out, who are asking to be heard, respected and given a say in organizations which use the word “autism” as part of their identity.  
 
I would love to include a quote from you on any of this.  
Thank you so much.  
All my best to you and your vision for Jerusalem and autism,
Ariane”

I am going to meet with the head of the icare4autism organization this morning and will speak with him about these concerns as well.  Keep your fingers crossed and wish me luck!

The photograph below is of the Autistic Boys Choir.  They performed yesterday at the opening.  People were openly weeping.  The performance was terrific, their voices exquisite, the joy infectious and a wonderful example of what “Autism looks like.”

 The moon over the Old City last night
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Letters, Photos, Autism And Jerusalem

Posted on August 1, 2012 by | 12 comments

I have been meaning to quote from a letter I received last week from Peyton Goddard and another from her mother, Dianne Goddard.  Peyton and Dianne Goddard wrote a book, I am intelligent, which I posted a couple of weeks ago, since then I am honored to be in communication with both of them.  Click ‘here‘ to read that post again.  I asked them for permission to quote from their letters here.  They have agreed.

This is part of an email Peyton wrote me, responding to the post I wrote about her book and labels.

“Pleasured I am pointed to hearing your understanding that lasted, large, limiting, linear labels are hulking jungles greeted by limitations. Keeping one limited is to measure there wastes of their great gifts.  One’s tears taste lime. Understares, terror builds. One washes their tears by return try freed to their Creator, as rest there they hunger. Polling my limits I kettled boiling red, as heard I’m trapped. There I wasted my lived times in pity. Limiting labels murder poignancy of sweet journey. I watered my liking to keep open living by questing for others better lives poignantly sweetened by encouraging swiping labels away. Wastes caging pertinent persons must stop. A trepid heart needs verses assuring “I’m deared by this very looking world. I can be me. My heart need caw no longer.” There joy is heard. These awesome pertinent persons can be freed to limitless. It greeted I hurrah…”

And this is part of an email from Peyton’s mother, Dianne –  

“I spent much of Peyton’s first twenty years deliberating and comparing the severity of differences in persons labeled with disabilities that I met or read about. In the early years, this private, internal discussion between me, myself and I, offered some relief to my worries over Peyton’s delays and differences, as her challenges did not seem insurmountable if I therapied her enough. And professionals agreed. In the days before Internet could bring me many children to compare her levels of functionings and measured progress to, I found I could usually comfort my fearful self with observations that the few children we met with disabilities seemed to have much greater challenges than hers. A case in point was (removed the name for privacy’s sake) who was several years younger than Peyton. When talkative W. was three and not walking, he was tested. Duchene’s muscular dystrophy was diagnosed.  Debilitating muscles until death in his early twenties was the best case scenario. Pity him I did. And compare I did. While Peyton would be continuing to improve, he would be suffering a slow and sure death.

Not so. Peyton lost functioning and filled with a suffocating sadness she could not begin to shake for well over a decade. Yet W. lived happy. At his celebration of life five years ago I reflected on my foolish attempts to comfort myself by comparing the severity of challenges, and how thankful I am for new understandings of acceptance and valuing Peyton for ALL she is. Above all, I am comforted knowing she can really feel my love finally.”

The Icare4Autism Conference begins tomorrow.  More on that later.  To end, a few more photographs from our adventures in Jerusalem.

The Dome of the Rock  

Fragment of an Ancient Column in the Courtyard of The Dome of the Rock

Old Tombs in Valley of Jehoshaphat

Outside Zion’s Gate in the Old City

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Laura Nagle, Vectors of Autism and Other Exciting News

Posted on June 21, 2012 by | 8 comments

In response to my post – Losing Sleep, Autism and Strange Noises in NYC – I received a great comment (all the comments I get are great) but I’m referring to one specifically.  It was about the Theory of Mind as well as lack of empathy conclusions Simon Baron-Cohen and others like him have made.  The person who is autistic, wrote:  “But we are not being laughed at, dismissed or ignored anymore. People are arguing with us. That means they hear our message and they are aware that it conflicts with what they have been taught. Their confusion will diminish over time. The people who need to be told what to think will always listen to, and agree with, the loudest voices. And our voices are becoming louder. If we perseverate, then we will persevere.”

In keeping with this thought, you must watch this YouTube video –  A preview for the upcoming “Laura Nagle: Vectors of Autism.”

The 50 minute documentary, which this video is a preview to, will be awaiting me when I return to NYC in July.  I will be reviewing it here and for the Huffington Post.  Leah Kelley has been posting about the documentary and Laura for a while now on her blog – 30 Days of Autism.  In this brief preview Laura talks about how quickly she can read, she says, “I’m good at that” (pause and then laughs) “I’m not good at life.”    I won’t say more as I really want everyone reading this post to please take 5 minutes to watch the video, it is wonderful.

I also want to urge all who are as fascinated and disturbed by some of the various “theories” out there about autism as I am, to go over to the blog – Autistic Hoya.  There are so many terrific posts it was difficult to decide which to add links to, but to begin here are two of my favorites (but the whole blog is an education)  The Dangers Of Misrepresentation and The Other Side Of Disclosure.

I will be covering the Aspen Ideas Festival for the Huffington Post from June 27th – July 3rd, unrelated to autism, but still very exciting.  I have no intention of shirking my posting responsibilities here on Emma’s Hope Book, but may be posting on the run as they say, so please forgive typos and seemingly random thoughts.  On second thought you probably won’t even notice as that’s pretty much the norm for me anyway!   I have been asked to cover the icare4autism conference in Jerusalem, July 31st – August 2nd.  I have accepted their generous offer and am very excited!  A quick back story – when Richard and I first heard about Henry Markram and his Intense World Theory for Autism (this link is an in depth scientific paper.  It is not light reading, but if you’re interested, it is very interesting), we read that he would be giving a talk in Jerusalem in August.  At the time, now more than seven months ago, we joked – wouldn’t it be great if we could go to Jerusalem to hear him?  Just over a week ago I received the invitation and learned that this was the conference he will be presenting at!

And finally, I am including two, completely arbitrary and utterly unrelated photos…  just because… well, because I can and I felt like it and they make me smile and maybe they’ll make you smile too.  Please ignore the dust.

Merlin and the Gator

For a little perspective…

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