My parents always had birthday parties for us kids when we were growing up (and beyond). In Mike’s case (my older brother who is autistic, nonverbal and low functioning), the parties I remember were at the Developmental Center or his Group home. Mike loves food. He loves cake in particular. In fact when we visited […]
I wrote several posts about diagnosis (Diagnosis and Mental Health, Diagnosis, the Beginning, Diagnosis (dx) Basics), trying to unravel some of the reasoning or at least the criteria used by doctors, psychologists and social workers to treat their patients appropriately, not to mention to be reimbursed appropriately by insurance companies. One of my readers, Womanunadorned.Wordpress.com […]
In 1993 I went to one of the best photography workshops I had ever gone to. It was with Eugene Richards, a Photographer, Magnum Photojournalist, Filmmaker and Artist. As with the other photography and vision classes, I brought my photographs of Michael, to get an assessment and more insight about how to further express my […]
Why such an odd title for a post in a blog about issues relating to autism, neuroscience and mental health issues? Lately I’ve been thinking about how things are classified. In particular, how the medical establishment classifies mental illnesses, and how diagnoses are meted out. Many of you chafe at the idea of being defined […]
I just started reading ‘The Book of Woe’ by Gary Greenberg, about the generation of the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-5, the document that physicians will use to diagnose the mental illnesses of their patients and to receive reimbursement from insurance companies. The first several chapters outline the […]
Photography class I was re-reading my journal notes from 1992, at which time I took a photography class from Mary Ellen Mark. She is the photographer whose assignment to me was to spend 24 hours with my brother, Mike. She seemed to think that Michael had a personality, after reviewing my work. This was a surprise to […]
Entire books have been written about psychiatric diagnosis. Diagnosis comes from a Latin application of the Greek: ‘gnosis’, to know and from the Greek: ‘dia’, through or thorough.[1] To diagnose something is to have thorough knowledge of it. Dx of physical ailments The means of understanding of a physical ailment is quite different from the […]
Diagnosis What does this word mean anyway? It is very important to know this for many reasons. It is particularly relevant to me for two major reasons: autism and Lyme disease. Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of anything.[1] If someone knows the nature of something, then one knows how to respond […]
First reaction When I first heard of this malady a couple of days ago, I must admit, it appealed to my macabre sense of humor, especially when Wikipedia[1] described Americans afflicted with strokes speaking with English accents after recovery, a Norwegian shrapnel victim in 1941 suddenly speaking with a German accent, and so on. It […]
Some of you may be aware of the controversy surrounding Lyme Disease. This is an important topic, in that it exposes the forces that control medical decision making and the consequences of commoditization of health care. Below is a very interesting speech by Dr. Kenneth Liegner of Armonk, NY, a leading Lyme Disease specialist. Full […]
