Comedy routine On The Spectrum sees mother of child with autism dumped from roles

By bobb |

George Roberts

Brisbane performer Nikki Osborne has been dumped from speaking at a disability expo because her stand-up comedy routine makes light of what it is like to be a parent of an autistic child.

Ms Osborne faced a backlash even before the act's debut performance.

She said her comedy routine On The Spectrum is about how parents handle children who can be both brilliant and challenged at the same time.

Raising a happy child with autism and staying happy yourself

By bobb |

Lisa Mayoh

When a child is diagnosed with autism, a family is changed forever. Everything is different. Everyone is learning to live a “new normal” that can take years to adjust to, and decades to master.

Careers, relationships, travel, goals: everything is put on hold while the child — their treatment, progress and needs — comes first, as most would agree they should.

But to raise a child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), parents too must consider their own happiness.

How Kaspar the robot is helping autistic students to socialise

By bobb |

Barbara Miller

"My favourite pizza is pepperoni pizza."

Kaspar has introduced himself to nine-year-old Joshua Whelan.

"Mine is cheese, feta and olives," said Joshua, encountering the tiny robot for the first time.

"Sounds yummy."

Kaspar is a moving, talking humanoid developed specifically for children on the autism spectrum, now being trialled for the first time in Australia.

FoI: NDIA website mistake

By bobb |

Dear Mr Buckley

Re: FOI 17/18-285

Thank you for your email.

I can confirm that the Agency has received your below Freedom of Information (FOI) request and please find attached correspondence in relation to that request.

I can also confirm that the Agency has received five other requests from you seeking information under FOI, dated between 22 May 2018 and today, and will be providing responses in due course.

Timeframe for acknowledging requests

Autism: full confusion spectrum

By bobb |

Rick Morton

Around the world right now ­researchers are beginning to wonder whether the concept of an ­autism spectrum is a mistake.

The “thought experiment” was floated by renowned developmental psychologist Simon Baron-Cohen ahead of a global ­research conference on autism in The Netherlands last month.

What if, he proposed, intro­ducing the spectrum of disorders under one umbrella in the latest diagnosis bible was a well-­intentioned but ultimately misguided move?

NDIS could tighten access for autism

By bobb |

Work is under way to look at conditions around automatic entry to the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

Daniel McCulloch

Senior officials from the National Disability Insurance Scheme are not ruling out tightening access to people with autism trying to access the $22 billion program.

Chief executive of the National Disability Insurance Agency, Robert De Luca, has confirmed work is under way to consider conditions around automatic entry to the scheme.