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!

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.

 

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."