Take Me Out to the Ballgame

and

You Are My Sunshine

And, of course, when I mentioned “Old Blue Eyes” before I sang Frank Sinatra’s “All The Way”….that did elicit some eye twinkling amongn them!

Autism is a brain development disorder that impairs social interaction and communication, and causes restricted and repetitive behavior, all starting before a child is three years old. This set of signs distinguishes autism from milder autism spectrum disorders (ASD) such as Asperger syndrome.^[2]

Autism has a strong genetic basis, although the genetics of autism are complex and it is unclear whether ASD is explained more by multigene interactions or by rare mutations.^[3] In rare cases, autism is strongly associated with agents that cause birth defects.^[4] Other proposed causes, such as childhood vaccines, are controversial and the vaccine hypotheses lack convincing scientific evidence.^[5] Most recent reviews estimate a prevalence of one to two cases per 1,000 people for autism, and about six per 1,000 for ASD, with ASD averaging a 4.3:1 male-to-female ratio. The number of people known to have autism has increased dramatically since the 1980s, at least partly due to changes in diagnostic practice; the question of whether actual prevalence has increased is unresolved.^[6]

Autism affects many parts of the brain; how this occurs is poorly understood. Parents usually notice signs in the first two years of their child’s life. Early behavioral or cognitive intervention can help children gain self-care, social, and communication skills. There is no cure.^[7] Few children with autism live independently after reaching adulthood, but some become successful,^[8] and an autistic culture has developed, with some seeking a cure and others believing that autism is a condition rather than a disorder.^[9]

I have also turned this post into a permanent page on my site for future easy access.  This is the beginning of deeper information that will be available here on the previously mentioned “niche“.

Part of this is because of what I have come to realize is my larger purpose and mission, especially in regard to this site, my songs, my nursing home ministry, my life with a child living with autism, having endured many years of infertility and failed attempts at achieving pregnancy and as an adoptive parent:

I must heed Christ’s call as so eloquently echoed by the late, Great Pope John Paul II to proclaim the Gospel of Life.

This linking continues outward beyond strictly autism, but to anyone struggling with a developmental, medical or aging condition such as Down’s syndrome, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, dementia, alzheimers or whatever affliction aging might throw at someone.

Due to my progression through this thought process, you will notice that as of today, I have modified the  tag line on my web site to now read, “Chris Hartzog dot Com - Music From and For Autism, Dementia and Alzheimer’s”

…ran this story earlier this year and I was horrified. I talked it up with some of my family and friends at the time, but now I realize that I need to get the word out to a larger audience. Part of this is because of what I have come to realize is my larger purpose and mission, especially in regard to this site, my songs, my nursing home ministry, my life with a child living with autism, having endured many years of infertility and failed attempts at achieving pregnancy and as an adoptive parent:

I must heed Christ’s call as so eloquently echoed by the late, Great Pope John Paul II to proclaim the Gospel of Life.

We must all respect life.

This is the most fundamental of rights and it cuts across all religions, races, and regions. It cannot be a political issue. It is basic. Everyone has an inalienable right to life from the moment of conception until natural death. There are no qualifiers. This right applies to everyone regardless of age, young or old, intelligence, sex, or physical or mental health.

In the case of Bill Trask, what happened? How could so many people watch him suffer and not intervene? What can we do to change the system? What can we do to change ourselves - our own attitudes towards people who appear “different”?

The Developmentally Disabled Behind Bars

Bill Trask walked into that jail healthy and left so damaged he can’t even feed himself. His story opens a window into the treatment of the developmentally disabled behind bars in Washington State.

The KING5 story was focused on Washington state, but this issue applies everywhere.

You can see the entire investigation story here, on KING 5.

Do you work for Microsoft? Do you live in the Seattle area or know someone who lives here?

Did you know Wired Magazine ran an article (The Geek Syndrome) discussing findings of autism rates much higher than average among children of high tech workers in Silicon Valley? Other research has uncovered similar links.

The Pacific Northwest, especially Seattle, Portland and Vancouver, British Columbia are high tech communities and hold the possibility of higher rates of autism.

I wrote a post a few days ago, “How About a Seattle Area Concert for Caregivers?” offering to host a free concert - sing along - get together somewhere in the Seattle metro area especially for long term caregivers who need a little break away from things.

So, I reiterate:

If you live in the Seattle area and would be interested in coordinating this, please comment. My idea is for this to be a FUN event…and an INTERACTIVE event…i.e. some audience participation (sing along) and an ENJOYABLE event…i.e. Somewhere where everyone can RELAX, such as a coffee shop (Yep, we have those in Seattle) or a restaurant, or maybe a club (Eagles, American Legion, etc.) where you can enjoy some food and beverages. Do you think you can pull together 10, 15 or 20 couples to do this?

I just finished up playing another show at Clare Bridge at Silver Lake. What a lovely facility! This was a fun show and a great way to warm up on a chilly afternoon. We all had fun doing a sing along to “You Are My Sunshine” - Thanks Governor Jimmie Davis and the State of Louisiana!

Many thanks to the staff at CB who made it happen.

Thank you one and all.

Here is Spencer:

• An hour of happiness in probably what seems like an eternity of pain and loneliness. (Remember - These are people who are often there against their will (for their own good and safety), who have lost their home, possibly lost a spouse, and have lost their health and/or mental ability)
• Something pleasant to look forward to
• It brings back the happy memories
• A chance to sing, dance, laugh, hold each others’ hands, tell stories

Music parlor…

Here’s the bus…