Autism Twitter Day- DEC 16

Will you join us? Autism Twitter Day – Tuesday, Dec 16th pacific standard time – 9AM, 12:30 PM and 8 PM. Prizes will be given out and a panel will be available with information and to answer questions. This is open to twitter members, specifically those who are members of the autism community, whether it be a parent, sibling or relative. If you are on the spectrum you are welcome to take part. Most of the prizes are geared to children and young adults with autism or asperger syndrome. The hashtag to be used for autism twitter day is #ASD. This means when you post a tweet that day which is on the topic of autism – positive autism awareness, please use the hashtag, either in front or at end of the tweet. Open up a window at www.summize.com and input #ASD to follow along with the conversation at the specified times. Most likely they will run longer than one hour. Stay tuned here and to my blog for prize and panel info. We will be testing your knowledge on autism spectrum disorders, this is how the prizes will be awarded. Bonnie has assembled an ever-growing collection of prizes, ranging from a children’s hammock (Charlie is too big for this, I suspect) to software to storytime felt sets. I’m not a big Twitter-er (my Twitter id is autismvox) but will be sure to be Twitter-ing on December 16th, and I don’t think I’ll be alone. So join in and see what you can find out and or contribute. You can follow along #ASD here!

Do You Twitter?

I have discovered that I like the online app, Twitter> www.twitter.com/somewannaknow is my screen name... I have many 'acquantinces' on there that are Autism advocates & I have met some neat people. Thought I would share... Oh, Gavin Bollard is on there, too!

The Zac Browser

The Zac Browser- created by a parent with Autistic children in mind. Works well for any child, in my opinion. Keeps the child on certain sites, with minimal distractions, such as ads, pop-ups, etc.

User-friendly to use & Free to download!

"We have made this browser for the children - for their enjoyment, enrichment, and freedom. Children touch it, use it, play it, interact with it, and experience independence through ZAC." -zacbrowser.com

Watch a AP news report about it here .

Must see! No problems so far... love it, actually!

Must See Short Film on Asperger's

A Short Film made by some students about Asperger's. Using Biomotion/ like Claymation... http://biomation.blogspot.com/2008/01/aspergers-film-version-1.html Must see for all Aspergians & family members alike!

I Don't Want to be Classified as a "CUREBIE"!

What is a curebie?

(Taken from "Life w/Asperger's" blog) You are a curebie if any of the following ring a bell.

1. You think that one day, with enough funding, someone will invent a magic pill, therapy or operation that the kid can take which will make them Neurotypical (NT).

2. You think that you can simply change a kids diet, parents, proximity to power sources, TV or Game viewing/playing hours and they'll suddenly become NT.

3. You think you can make a kid NT by electroshocking them, beating them, locking them up or otherwise torturing them into normality.

4. You think that being Aspie or Autistic is wrong..wrong...wrong. A burden thrust onto you (a parent) which needs to be "fixed".

5. You don't think anyone would be happy the way they are unless they are NT.

6. All you want is for your child to be the same as everyone else's child.

7. You think that any money collected for autistic children should be funneled into research into finding a cure rather than being spent on improving their quality of life.

8. Your child's condition diminishes your love for him/her - you'd love them more if they were NT.

9. You're certain that Asperger's or Autism isn't genetic, it's caused by outside/environmental factors which can be cured.

(That being quoted, I look/have looked into ways to relieve my son's moods... I was looking for relief.  If something simple presents itself & brings relief that HE views as relief, then I will most likely stick with it, with no regrets!!)

Having High Expectations

HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS when working/parenting your as child

Do not assume the person cannot do something just because the person has Autism orAsperger's syndrome.

 Do not be controlled by the person's IQ score.

 It is very difficult to accurately measure the IQ of a child who has Autism. 

Expect the person to behave, to answer you when you ask a question, to come when you call, and to complete a task you assign. The person with Autism may need more time than others to do these things and may need your help, but continue to expect good things from them.

 Above all, do not excuse bad behavior because you feel sorry for the person with Autism. 

The first change many of us need to make when we work with those with Autism is to stop thinking of persons with Autism as helpless victims. 

Persons with Autism are people. 

They are people with feelings, thoughts, desires, and needs.

They respond to positive reinforcement, love, attention, punishment, and all the things we experience in life. 

However, they may respond in different ways.

 

Jenny McCarthy? NOOOOO!!!!!

What is this nonsense???!!!

"I SAVED MY SON"?? He needed "fixing"??

She is specifically quoted as saying:

"I made a deal with God," she explains. "I said, 'You fix my boy, you show me the way and I'll teach the world how I did it.'"



Wow, if I was not  determined to stay neutral & all that, I would rally against her.  

All the hype is killing me!!  Why do a lot of parents think she is a saint? Am I missing something??!!

 She makes me ill!

I discussed this with my friend the other day that JM had said she "cured" her son & she said," NO, that is NOT what she said."

Oh yeah???  It is right here:

http://www.usmagazine.com/news/jenny-mccarthy-my-son-is-no-longer-autistic?page=6

I realize I am usually neutral- but this is pestering me to no end at the moment.

Sorry for the rant!

I ♥ My Aspie!

I say it with pride!! I have a life full of them, it defines my life now. I cannot escape the facts! .....

I ♥♥♥ the Aspies in my life !!

I don't say it out of hurtfulness, I don't say it to be derogatory.

It is a term of affection & I am sticking with that.

Name-calling is not accepted in our home, by the way. I think this term is cute & don't ask me why I want to use 'cute' terms...

I don't know why. As you can see from the random pictures in this post, I just like CUTE things!

I also add "y" to other words, like THING-Y, for instance.

If anyone uses this term negatively, then shame on them. We cannot always NOT OFFEND, as we are all different & think & speak differently. Differences should be celebrated.

My family uses the term lightly with the 3, count 'em THREE Aspies living in the house. I don't hear or use the term daily. It is said occassionally, at random times.

I don't even call my guys with AS "ASPIES" to their faces, unless they are really 'stewing' for a long while over something. It helps them to snap out of it sometimes. I don't use the term AT ALL with my youngest, as he is not dealing well with terms of endearment right now, in general.

We use it to identify Aspergian traits- not to stifle them, but to keep differences well spoken of. I am screwed up, yes?!! No?!?? I don't know, but it works for us. Keeping differences, not to take center stage, but for acceptance to others in the family. (As I re-read this statement, it does not do justice to what I am TRYING to say... I'm sorry my rant is not taking the logical route today.) My dh has opinions on how I act; he calls it "obstinance". No offense taken by me... I accept that I am not perfect in every way. What IS perfection anyhow? What IS normal? After exploring this issue for a couple of years now, the family accepts the differences, it is not an insult... it is just a LOGICAL fact that my Aspies cannot deny!! Logic rules their lives, remember? I have read: "Author and speaker Liane Holliday Willy coined the term "Aspie" in 1999 and people with the the syndrome might refer to one another with this term."

Good Advice for Parents dealing with Meltdowns

Good advice: Sounds like Tony Attwood's book, but it is not referenced at the blog I found it on.

Meltdown in Asperger children is triggered by a response to their environment. .

These responses can be caused by avoidance desire, anxiety or sensory overload. Triggers need to be recognized and identified. So how do we deal with a meltdown? What should you do when meltdown occurs? 1. Take 3 slow, deep breaths, and rather than dreading the meltdown that’s about to take place, assure yourself that you’ve survived meltdowns 1000 times before and will do so this time too.

2. Keep your speaking voice quiet and your tone neutrally pleasant. Don’t speak unnecessarily. Less is best. Don’t be “baited” into an argument. (Often Asperger children seem to “want” to fight. They know how to “push your buttons”, so don’t be side-tracked from the meltdown issue).

3. Slow down. Meltdown often occurs at the most inconvenient time e.g. rushing out the door to school. The extra pressure the fear of being late creates, adds to the stress of the situation. (Asperger children respond to referred mood and will pick up on your stress. This stress is then added to their own.) So forget the clock and focus on the situation. Make sure the significant people in your life know your priorities here. Let your boss know that your Asperger child has meltdowns that have the capacity to bring life to a standstill, and you may be late. Let your child’s teacher know that if your child is late due to a meltdown that it’s unavoidable, and your child shouldn’t be reprimanded for it.

4. Prioritize safety when your Asperger child is having a meltdown. Understand that they can be extremely impulsive and irrational at this time. Don’t presume that the safety rules they know will be utilized while they’re melting down. Just because your Asperger child knows not to go near the street when they are calm doesn’t mean they won’t run straight into 4 lanes of traffic when they are having a meltdown. If your Asperger child starts melting down when you’re driving in the car, pull over and stop. If your child tends to “flee” when melting down, don’t chase them. This just adds more danger to the situation. Tail them at a safe distance (maintain visual contact) if necessary.

5. Re-establish self control. When your Asperger child is calm and has regained self-control, he will often be exhausted. Keep that in mind as you work through the meltdown issue. Reinforce to your child the appropriate way to express their needs/requests.

Remember that all behaviour is a form of communication, so try to work out the ‘message’ your Asperger child is trying to convey with their meltdown, rather than responding and reacting to the behaviour displayed.