In the news
News Archive
May 2008
Inside bizarre world of the Big Friendly Giant
May 2008
Nicky Reilly was on MI5's radar but not considered a threat, because of his autism. Three days ago, bloodied and shaken, he emerged from the scene of a bomb attack as the main suspect.
Jamie Doward, The Observer, Sunday May 25th 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/may/25/uksecurity.terrorism
Richard Watson: The unstable are ripe for radicalisation
May 2008
Nicky Reilly is the latest victim of extremist cells that use psychologically disturbed and isolated people in their terrorism strategies.
The Independent, Sunday May 25th 2008
£100,000 payout for couple terrorised in their flat
May 2008
A West London council was ordered by the high court yesterday to pay nearly £100,000 damages to a couple with learning difficulties who were terrorised in their flat by a gang of "feral" youths. The ruling was the first to hold a council liable to protect vulnerable adults as well as children.
Clare Dyer, Legal Editor, The Guardian, Saturday May 24th 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2008/may/24/localgovernment.socialexclusion
'If you remove a baby, what does the forlorn mother do next? Go and have another'
May 2008
A teenage girl in an anorak with a round puppy-fat face and a ponytail sits in a small courtroom with her social worker. Around her is a posse of dark-suited lawyers and ahead, a bench of three magistrates. Sharon has learning disabilities. Her mother is seriously mentally ill and her father isn't even mentioned.
Juliet Rix, Guardian, Saturday May 17th 2008
http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/family/story/0,,2280497,00.html
Pyrethrin chemicals in pet shampoo may increase autism risk
May 2008
Chemicals found in pet shampoos may be linked to a raised risk of autism, a study of how environmental factors influence the developmental disorder has suggested.
Mothers who used pesticide-based shampoos to wash their pets while pregnant were twice as likely to have a child with an autistic spectrum disorder as those who did not, according to early results from a US research team.
Mark Henderson, Science Editor, The Times, Thursday May 15th 2008
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article3934070.ece
New guidlines to stop bullying of disabled pupils
May 2008
Schools should appoint a member of staff to look after each pupil with disabilities or special educational needs, under new government guidelines aimed at stamping out bullying issued today.
Anthea Lipsett, The Guardian, Thursday May 15th 2008
http://education.guardian.co.uk/pupilbehaviour/story/0,,2280191,00.html
200 babies could hold the key to early diagnostic test for autism in children
May 2008
A test that can identify the early signs of autism among babies could emerge from a major study of the developmental disorder that is being launched tomorrow.
Mark Henderson, Science Editor, Times Online, Tuesday May 13th 2008
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article3924323.ece
Revolution waiting to happen
May 2008
Assistive technology has great potential to help pupils with learning difficulties if only schools will detect the problems and train the teachers.
Sarah Jewell, The Guardian, Tuesday May 6th 2008
http://education.guardian.co.uk/link/story/0,,2277939,00.html
Autism's link to mental illness in parents
May 2008
Parents of autistic children are twice as likely to have had psychiatric illness, researchers have discovered.
Ian Sample, Science Correspondent, The Guardian, Tuesday May 6th 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2008/may/06/medicalresearch.genetics
How colours help our brother to budget when the blues come
May 2008
George is a programmer, but social learning disability means he can't organise his everyday life. Janet Jeffries explains how his family used IT to help him.
Janet Jeffries, The Observer, Sunday May 4th 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/may/04/savings.financialadvisers
Store drops anti-yob device in autism row
May 2008
The co-op is to become the first chain of shops to stop using the Mosquito, the controversial anti-teenager device - on the grounds that it may be having serious effects on people with autism.
Jamie Doward, Home Affairs Editor, The Observer, Sunday May 4th 2008
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/may/04/supermarkets.retail1
