Tag: autism

Autism Friendly Spaces new MSSA Erasmus plus project

trajkovski / / Projects

Dear readers,

With great pleasure we want to announce that we got the new #Erasmusplus project togethter with partners from Malta, Spain and Belgium. The title of the project is Autism Friendly Spaces.

The main aim of this project is to create a change in community by :

  • adjusting environments to be more accessible to people with autism
  • providing training and creating awareness in the community
  • helping the social aspect for youth with autism.

Online modules specifically for school educators will be created. A certificate will be
provided once the modules are complete. Providing professional guidance to modify school space into an accessible and safe space for students with autism.

  • Providing professional guidance and training to employees on autism and how to
    provide an accessible space to people with autism.
  • Creating an Autism Friendly Award which will be given to shops/services who fulfill
    the criteria.
  • Creating a website and an app with information and location about the awarded
    services and shops which are participating in this project and the services that are being
    offered.

President of MSSA

Signed cooperation agreement between UNICEF MK and MSSA

trajkovski / / Projects

Dear colleagues,

We are glad to announce that we signed a cooperation agreement between UNICEF MK and Macedonian Scientific Society for Autism on the project entitled: “Autism Social Skills and Positive Parenting Program. It is a small scale funding agreement and the duration of the project will be one year. With this, our NGO will help again to the children with #autism in Macedonia and their families as well. We are working in continuum 19 years on the improvement of the quality of life of those vulnerable category of our citizens. I would like to express my gratitude to all involved persons in this first stage of the project. We hope that the final results of the project will satisfied families who have children with autism.

President of MSSA

 

Role of NMDA receptor autoimmunity induced by food protein containing vaccines, in the etiology of autism, type 1 diabetes, neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders

trajkovski / / Publications

October 2018

DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1463600

Vinu Arumugham
Vaccines contain numerous animal and plant proteins (soy, peanut, sesame, maize, wheat, etc.). Vaccine excipients are derived from plant or animal sources. The mechanism of animal protein induced autoimmunity was previously described. Following a report associating maternal gluten intake to type 1 diabetes in the offspring, plant proteins were investigated. The Pandemrix vaccine induced narcolepsy due to molecular mimicry between a H1N1 nucleoprotein peptide in the vaccine and the human hypocretin receptor 2. The BLASTP match score for this peptide was used as a baseline. BLASTP showed strong sequence alignment between gliadin, a wheat protein, and the human ionotropic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). Analyzing further, strong sequence alignment was found between soy, peanut, sesame, maize, wheat and human glutamate receptors (GR), both ionotropic and metabotropic. There are reports of boosted wheat allergy and de novo synthesis of NMDAR antibodies following immunization. Once immunized with plant derived antigens, antibody levels will be increased by dietary exposure to these antigens. GR are expressed in the brain, heart, pancreas and the T cells of the immune system. Vaccine induced GR antibodies (GRA) disrupt or destroy GR thus precipitating numerous disorders. This explains the epidemic of food intolerances and food associated immune mediated disorders. Intestinal barrier disruption has been proposed as a cause for food associated autoimmune disorders. However, intestinal barrier disruption may itself be the result of GRA. GRA also disrupt the blood-brain barrier. This allows other anti-brain antibodies access to their targets. Vaccine-induced GRA can therefore explain a wide variety of disorders including autism, type 1 diabetes, attention deficit hyperactivity, epilepsy, schizophrenia, autoimmune encephalitis, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, dementia, cancer and allergies. The ultimate solution is to immediately remove all non-target proteins from all vaccines.
Source: ResearhGate

World #Autism Awareness Month by MSSA angle

trajkovski / / News

Macedonian Scientific Society for Autism took a part in Autism Europe’s campaign. To mark World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD), April 2, Autism-Europe has launched a Europe-wide awareness raising campaign “A New Dynamic for Autism” to call for policies that support the urgent needs of people on the autism spectrum across the European Union, in the context of the upcoming European Parliament elections. We translated all the documents into Macedonian and share them into mass and social media as well.

MSSA is realized the third phase of the project “Art for All” together with National Gallery of Macedonia, and we conducted the exhibition entitled “Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter … and Spring again”. Namely, there were 60 works on canvas made by children and youth with autism, included from several cities in the country.

The second public forum on “Cultural Inclusion of People with Disabilities” was held in the National Gallery as part of the activities from the project “Art for All”. The forum dedicated to culture as an important factor of change in the process of social inclusion of people with ASD and other disabilities. Ivana Vasilevska Petrovska, M.A., stressed that a society that strives to be inclusive has the obligation to take appropriate measures to provide people with autism opportunities for development and use of their creative, artistic and intellectual potential for their benefit, as well as a benefit for society.

Prof. Dr. Vladimir Trajkovski gave interviews about state of art for ASD in Macedonia and Autism PCP project into three national TV stations.

smartcapture

 

Public forum on “Cultural inclusion of people with disabilities”

trajkovski / / Uncategorized

Dear colleagues,

On April 5, 2019, the second public forum on “Cultural Inclusion of Disabled People” was held in the National Gallery as part of the activities from the project “Art for All”. The forum dedicated to culture as an important factor of change in the process of social inclusion of people with special needs is concluding the third, penultimate phase of this project supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Republic of Macedonia, coordinated by Ms. Maja Dimitrova.

Participating at the event were Ms. Mila Tsarovska, Minister of Labor and Social Policy, Mr. Enver Huseini, State Secretary at the Ministry of Education and Science, Dr. Dita Starova Qerimi, Director of the National Gallery, Ms. Dragi Celevski, State Counselor at the Ombudsman, Prof. Dr. Ibrahim Bedi, Vice-Dean at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Prof. Vladimir Martinovski, Ph.D., Department of General and Comparative Literature at the Faculty of Philology and Ms. Ivana Vasilevska Petrovska, MA, Special Educator and Rehabilitator, Vice-President of the Macedonian Scientific Society for Autism.

Ms. Ivana Vasilevska Petrovska stressed that a society that strives to be inclusive has the obligation to take appropriate measures to provide people with autism opportunities for development and use of their creative, artistic and intellectual potential for their benefit, as well as a benefit for society. “Through artistic creation, ways are created for these artists to be seen as capable, and their strengths are visible, valued, desired and appreciated. These events and all activities from the project are a contribution to transforming the perceptions regarding the competence of people with autism to create art and be part of our society. “

Also, she took this opportunity to promote the activities of MSSA in the next period within the project Autism PCP – A holistic Approach of person-centred planning for people with Autism. “In the next three years, within the framework of this project, we will empower people with autism at risk of social exclusion, strengthen general efforts to include autistic people in regular education and society, and strengthen the competencies of professionals working with and for these persons, and support the families of people with autism. “

The forum was held in the surroundings of the exhibition “Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter … and Spring Again” made by students with autism, followed by a projection of the short documentary recorded during the art- workshops, by Kiril Shentevski.

Vice President of MSSA

Exhibition: “Spring, summer, autumn, winter…and spring again”

trajkovski / / News

Dear friends,

MSSA is very pleased to inform you that on 04 April 2019, in the premises of the National Gallery of Macedonia, located in Cifte Amam, the third phase of the project “Art for All” was realized, i.e. an exhibition entitled “Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter … and Spring again”. Namely, there were 60 works on canvas made by children and youth with autism, included from several cities in the country. The exhibition was hosted by the project coordinator Maja Dimitrova, and opened by the sponsor of the project “Art for All” – the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Republic of Macedonia, Wouter Plomp.  The exhibition was enriched with the music point of the remarkable young violinist Philip Volkan.  All the participants from this project, including MSSA members, received an acknowledgment of their participation, investment and active work with the children during the workshops.

We are happy to be part of this project that we managed through art to look at the world from a different angle – through the eyes of these children.

Look at autism with your heart, your eyes may miss something…

Secretary of MSSA

Workshop Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter… and Spring again

trajkovski / / News

Respected colleagues and friends,

From the first to the fifth of March 2019 in the premises of the National Gallery of Macedonia, more precisely in the building “Chifte Amam” located in the Old Skopje Bazaar, this year as part of the “Art for All” project, a series of workshops were held this time under the motto “Spring, summer, autumn, winter … And again spring “intended for children with an autistic spectrum of disorders. The workshops were attended by members of MSSA who are part of this two-year project.

The purpose of the workshops is to create art by children and people with ASD who can have a therapeutic aspect, and also contributes to positive changes in their social behavior and focusing attention. Through the use of different materials (paper, stones, leaves, collages, etc.) colors and techniques, children emphasized their creativity, took pictures and presented the seasons experienced at their own pace. Apart from the art and the “magic” created in “Chifte Amam”, these days were filled with friendship, fun and smiles of the people with ASD, their families, special educators and the employees of this institution. these activities will finish in April, where the pictures of the canvases will be displayed in the National Gallery of Macedonia, as well as the photographs made during these friendships.

Secretary of MSSA

Stress that parents of autistic children and parents of children with cerebral palsy face with

trajkovski / / Publications

Natasha Mateska1, Vladimir Trajkovski2

1unemployed special educator

2University “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”, Faculty of Philosophy, Institute of Special Education and Rehabilitation, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Introduction: Autism is a diagnose that affects every member of the family in different ways. Parents should focus a bigger part of their attention toward the autistic child, which can cause a stressful effect in the family as well as outside the family.

Aim of the study: To determine the stress that parents of autistic children face with compared to parents of children with cerebral palsy.

Methodology: The entire sample includes 90 respondents, of which 45 parents of autistic children and the rest 45 parents of children with cerebral palsy. The survey was conveyed using a questionnaire and methods of descriptive and comparative analysis were used. The comparison of the groups of surveyed was analyzed by using χ2 test and Fisher Exact test. The differences that were taken into consideration were on the level of significance p<0.05.

Results: Parents of autistic children compared with parents of children with cerebral palsy, statistically show significant difference for following variables: support from close community (χ2=7.57, df=1, p=0.006), stigmatization by family and community (χ2=5.4, df=1, p=0.02), isolation by the community (χ2=10.3, df=1, p=0.001), change in the relationship between spouses (χ2=7.53, df=1, p=0.006).

Conclusion: The parents of autistic children are faced with bigger stress in managing the everyday activities and control of life, compared with parents of children with cerebral palsy.

Key words: stress, parents, autism, cerebral palsy

Citation: Mateska N, Trajkovski V. Stress that parents of autistic children and parents of children with cerebral palsy face. Book of abstracts ‡ 9th International Scintific Conference – „Special Education and Rehabilitation Today“. Belgrade, September 25-27, 2015; 31.

Plasma concentration of immunoglobulin classes and subclasses in children with autism in the Republic of Macedonia: retrospective study.

trajkovski / / Publications
Croatian Medical Journal [01 Dec 2004, 45(6):746-749]
Type: Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov’t, Journal Article

Abstract

AIM: To examine plasma concentration of IgA, IgM, IgG classes, and IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, and IgG4 subclasses in children with autism. METHODS: Infantile autism was diagnosed by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM)-IV and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 criteria. Plasma samples were collected from 35 autistic subjects, and their 21 siblings (biological brothers and sisters) who served as healthy controls. Plasma samples were separated by centrifugation and stored at -20 degrees C until the determination. Plasma immunoglobulin classes (IgM, IgA, IgG) and subclasses (IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4) were determined using a nephelometer. RESULTS: Plasma concentrations (mean+/-standard deviation) of IgM and IgG in autistic children (1.36+/-0.31 g/L and 13.14+/-1.27 g/L, respectively) were significantly higher (p=0.031 and p=0.023, respectively) in comparison with their healthy brothers or sisters (1.20+/-0.15 g/L and 12.39+/-0.96 g/L, respectively). Children with autism had significantly higher plasma concentrations of IgG4 (p<0.001) compared to their siblings (healthy brothers or sisters). Plasma concentration of IgA, IgG1, IgG2, and IgG3 were similar in autistic children and their healthy brothers or sisters. Increased plasma concentration of IgG1 was found (p=0.027) in autistic males (8.06+/-2.40), as compared with their healthy brothers (5.24+/-4.13 g/L). Plasma concentrations of IgG (14.28+/-3.66 g/L), and IgG1 (9.41+/-2.20 g/L) in autistic females were increased (p=0.012 and p=0.021, respectively) in comparison with IgG (11.07+/-2.07) and IgG1 (6.37+/-3.38 g/L) in their healthy sisters. CONCLUSION: Children with autism have increased plasma concentration of immunoglobulines. Increased immunoglobulines in children with autism could be a result of impaired development of the immune system, and/or genetic factors connected with defense mechanism in these children.

ORCIDs linked to this article

Source: https://europepmc.org

#AUTISM PCP – A hollistic approach of person-centred planning for people with Autism

trajkovski / / Projects

AUTISM PCP‘ is an innovative cross-sectoral partnership project with strong European

added value; as such, ‘AUTISM PCP’ addresses important horizontal as well as sectoral priorities

for the European Union, such as ‘social inclusion, adult learning policies and Early School

Leaving (ESL).

The main objectives of  ‘AUTISM_PCP’ are:

– Empowerment of individuals at risk of social exclusion and more specifically empowerment of ASC

individuals

– Strengthening of the overall effort for social inclusion and integration of ASC individuals at

mainstream education & society at large

– Enhancing competences of professionals and all those individuals, such as family members & relatives, etc., involved in the life of ASC individuals

– Raise awareness  to the general public with regards to social inclusion of pupils with Autism

Source: http://www.autismholistic.eu/