A BANGLADESHI family with an autistic son is waiting for the federal Immigration Minister Scott Morrison to personally intervene in their case after they were refused permanent residency because of the son's medical condition.

Enamul and Siuly Kabir had their appeal to the Migration Review Tribunal knocked back in October because their son Srijon's condition could "likely result in a significant cost to the Australian community in the areas of health care and community services".

But Enamul Kabir, who works as a statistician at the University of Queensland, said Srijon required no medication or therapy.

Monique Blakemore from Manchester UK has Asperger’s Syndrome and is an autism advocate for others on the autistic spectrum and for families supporting autistic individuals. She has two young sons who are both on the autistic spectrum.

Monique is an active campaigner, advocate and coach. Earlier this year she facilitated Autism Bubble Day of which more information can be read here and which was endorsed by The World Autism Organisation.

Monique is also Mentor and Specialist Advocate for autistic parents in care proceedings that are trying to obtain correct educational provision for their children.

Monique was employed as Employment Development Consultant covering Greater Manchester and West Yorkshire for a charity that provided employment coaching to adults with Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC).

AAP

A SINGLE spray of the hormone oxytocin can temporarily help children with autism overcome their disorder, research has shown.

Scientists studied 17 children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders who were randomly treated either with an oxytocin nasal spray or an inactive dummy compound.

Felix Hua who disappeared in May 2009 during a field trip.

A carer who was unqualified to look after a severely autistic boy who drowned during a field trip should not be blamed for the teenager's death, a coroner has ruled.

On Thursday Coroner Heather Spooner ruled that Vipula Rajakaruna Mudiyanselage lacked the knowledge to care expertly for Felix Hua because he was not aware of the boy's disabilities and lacked the training and support from his then employer, Southern Cross Care.

Mr Rajakaruna Mudiyanselage was caring for Felix in his role as a community support worker when the 14-year-old went missing at Yarra Bend Park in Fairfield on May 30, 2009.

Felix's body was found three days later in the Yarra River, near Dights Falls, after an extensive search by police and the SES.

Dorothy Vasilakis with her autistic son Christiaan Dramisino at Ashford Special School earlier this year. Picture: Calum Robertson Source: News Corp Australia

Treetop Autism Specific School will open for 45 students in Ashford in 2015

A SCHOOL for students with autism spectrum disorders will open in South Australia in 2015 following a campaign by parents.

Treetop Autism Specific School will cater for 45 students in years reception to nine.

It will be based in Ashford, on the current site of the Ashford special school, which is relocating to Plympton.

The Advertiser has covered the campaign by mother of two Fiora Christou and other parents with autistic children for such a school since last year.

South Australia is the only state without a specialised education facility for students with the developmental disability.

Treetop board chairman John Dagas said students with autism would not spend their entire schooling life there.

Andrew Whitehouse, 18 Nov 2013

The internet was ablaze last week with the news that health authorities in Western Australia (WA) have given approval for IVF clinics to ‘screen’ embryos to reduce the chances of a couple having a child with autism.

Benjamin Preiss 19 November 2013

She tells tribunal her child's behaviour deteriorated after attending special school.

A mother of an autistic child has accused a special school of using restraint and seclusion to control challenging behaviour.

The woman is suing the state government in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal for her son's treatment at Cranbourne's Marnebek School, which caters for children with disabilities.

Kerry Faulkner 13 Nov 2013

The paper describes that rather than a single entity, autism is multiple disorders.

INFORMATION from the families of 1200 children with autism will be collected from next month to begin the largest autism data study in Australia which includes a team of WA researchers.

Telethon Institute of Child Health Research’s Andrew Whitehouse says the project involves several prominent research groups across the nation under the umbrella of the Autism Co-operative Research Centre for Living with Autism Spectrum Disorders which received $31 million over eight years from the Federal Government earlier this year.

Professor Whitehouse says the centre will further extensive work by Telethon including its recent ‘proof of principle’ research which advocates a new approach to autism investigation and whose findings have been documented in the Frontiers of Human Science Journal.

Nick Toscano November 13, 2013

A confused autistic boy who was engulfed in smoke during a house fire in Melbourne's south east has been rescued by two passers-by.

The pair saw smoke coming from the house on Were Street, Brighton, shortly after 1.30pm on Wednesday, and smashed a window to gain entry.

The teenage boy, who has Asperger's syndrome, had walked into the smoky kitchen but then froze and did not know what to do, according to the Metropolitan Fire Brigade.