(see link for video segment)

Katie Miller is an exceptional artist and award winner who says her autism is a positive influence on her work.  Ron Matz reports the Maryland Institute College of Art graduate is about to head to one of the world's biggest stages.  From the provocative to the innocent to the vulnerable, these are the people and faces of Baltimore artist Katie Miller. 

"The majority of my artwork is about the relationship between the mundane and the surreal, and how it relates to changing contemporary notions of childhood," Miller said.  "I'm interested in things that look like they may be scenes from every day, but when taken out of context they seem very odd or abnormal."

She is active in the autistic rights movement.
 read more »

(see link for more of the article, this is an excerpt from the middle)

But last week, the parents of yet another child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were awarded a lump sum of more than $810,000 (plus an estimated $30-40,000 per year for autism services and care) in compensation by the Court, which ruled that the measels-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine had caused acute brain damage that led to his autism spectrum disorder.

The family of 10-year-old Bailey Banks won their case quietly and without fanfare in June of 2007, but the ruling has only now come to public attention. In the remarkably clear and eloquent decision, Special Master Richard Abell ruled that the Banks had successfully demonstrated that "the MMR vaccine at issue actually caused the conditions from which Bailey suffered and continues to suffer."

LAUGHING MATTERS: A Benefit for The Reach for the Stars Learning Center For Children With Autism

Posted February 24th, 2009 by OrdoverAutism Education Autism Events The Benefit includes Coctails, Dinner and a Comedy Revue. "No Speeches, No Lectures, Just Laughs!"

For more about our school and this benefit, go to www.jjoproductions.com. If you can't make it, please consider making a small donation.

Tickets: $200 Table for Ten: $1,800 To Purchase Tickets, Make a Donation or Place an Ad in our Program Book go to www.jjoproductions.com or Call 347 284-6074

Location(s)
Manhattan Penthouse
80 5th Ave
New York, NY, 10011
United States
See map: Google Maps
Event:
04/01/2009 - 18:30

Ordover apologized - he's new here and didn't know it would be flagged every time he updated his event.

Location(s)

The Benefit includes Coctails, Dinner and a Comedy Revue.  "No Speeches, No Lectures, Just Laughs!"

For more about our school and this benefit, go to www.jjoproductions.com.  If you can't make it, please consider making a small donation.

Tickets: $200 Table for Ten: $1,800 To Purchase Tickets, Make a Donation or Place an Ad in our Program Book go to www.jjoproductions.com or Call 347 284-6074

The builder has donated the home to the raffle in order to raise money for the Bit-By-Bit Therapeutic Riding Center Charity in Parkland Fl where children with autism and adults with disabilities take part in therapeutic horseback riding, also called Hippotherapy.

Raffle tickets can be purchased on the website www.50DollarHomeRaffle.com

It was on the South Florida news

http://cbs4.com/homes/Bit.by.bit.2.941687.html

My son Christian, is PDD-NOS, 8-years-old and has never had any serious medical problems. So, we were horrified when he suffered from a seizure in December 2008. According to WebMD.com, “one in four autistic children can develop epileptic seizures, typically during adolescence. It is believed that the seizures are triggered by hormonal changes. The seizures may be noticeable, with clear symptoms such as convulsions, blacking out, or odd body movements. However for some, the seizures are not quite so obvious. In these cases, tantrums, self-injury, little academic progress during the teen years, or a loss of previously-acquired behavioral skills may be subtle signs of a subclinical seizure disorder”. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to educate parents about the potential risk of seizures that is linked to autism, as well as general information and resources.

Click on the newslink to read the full article.

things have been changing at work. Of course, they are not 100% but I wonder if that will ever be at that level...probably not! She just does not get it. I finally convinced her to let me begin DTT (discrete trial teaching) with the children and just the other day she said "here are some fidgeting toys for you to do whatever it is you want to do at independent learning center"...now does that sound like a "teacher" that is informed and educated in Autism??!?!?!! I guess that I shouldn't complain or expect too much but it is just frustrating for me. I came from an intense autism program to basically a classroom of sheer chaos. It's not just boring and frustrating for us but the real victims here that are losing time are the children.....that's why it is so frustrating for me. I see the potential with these children but without consistency and structure all that the assistance do are just going to waste! Now that I am working 1:1 with the individual children I have read the IEP goals and some of them are just off the charts. For example: one of our non-verbal, severe child has an IEP goal that he will identify 20 object/picture/word cards....my question: if the child is not verbal and has not really been worked closely with for some time, how will he be able to read a word card!!????!?!?!???? I know that I sound harsh and very opinionated but that goal is understandable coming from a first year teacher but this gal has been teaching in special ed. for over 7 years!!!  read more »

Hi everyone,

I'm a writer doing research for a new book for parents on ways to support children with Asperger syndrome and HFA as they move between schools.  I'm particularly interested in what helps support children as they move between primary/middle/secondary/high levels.

Does anyone have any tips for strategies that really worked for their kids?  I'm trying to gather together the best-of-the-best ideas in the hope they can be shared and our children can get a little more support during what can be a very difficult time.

Look forward to hearing from anyone who can help!

I think all the progression Michael has made put me in a different frame of mind, one not prepared for obstacles. But I guess it is like a ball rolling along and eventually there is a hill that you just cannot quite roll over, instead you find yourself rolling backwards.

I have noticed that Michael is reverting back to babble while playing. Some of the words he was saying clearly are getting slurred together in his short sentences. 

His behavior has slipped as well, even at school.

He is once again quick to tears. Which of course brings me back to the point where I am quick to tears.

I guess that just is a reminder that no matter how far we come, we can always slip back into old ruts. Take nothing for granted...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. health officials have approved Medtronic Inc's implantable deep brain stimulator to help treat patients with severe obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The Reclaim DBS Therapy device's new use was cleared on Thursday under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's humanitarian device exemption policy. The treatment is already used for Parkinson's disease, tremors and dystonia, a movement disorder, the company said.

Since I am not getting to move like I oh so dreamed of, I threw myself into redecorating my apartment. I guess it needs to feel like a real home after 4 years. Yesterday after my doctor's appointment I picked up a new shower curtain and some towels. I need new towels because the neighbors all ironically have the same colors (dark red and blue) and I am tired of not knowing if they stole them or not. I lived here first and it is my towels missing... So I chose yellow, only they do not match my old curtain. Which was getting kind of gruddy. When Michael came home to find a new shower curtain with rubber duckies on it, he turned around hugged me and said Thank you Mom. He honestly believes I bought it just for him. I was thanked several times all evening.

A quick doctor update. I had to see a different doctor because mine was out of the office and he did not want me to wait the weekend to be seen. The guy I saw was wonderful. I am starting a new medication that should help with some of the problems. But I go in to the hospital and a surgeon is running a few more tests Wednesday. Only I have to have somebody there, which basically I have my mother and nobody else. Well Michael gets on the bus between 8:30 and 8:40. I can drop him off as early as 8:15. But if my check-in is before 8:30, that really makes it difficult to get him to school. And it is a early dismissal. He gets out at noon, and off the bus about 1. Chances are Ma and I will still be at the hospital. I hate the idea of having to pull him out of school and dragging him to the hospital and having to be there several hours. I have no idea how long my tests will take, but I have to stay there 1-3 more hours after them :(

Anyone have any ideas of toys with motor sounds?  The boy that I take care of who is 42 years old loves to hear lawn mowers,  vaccuum cleaners.  I am looking for something along those lines.  He loves when I vacuum but gets a little agitated when it is not running.

Living in California is not the greatest thing, especially now that the Gov. can't balance the state budget. Due to this many, many teachers and administrators will be getting let go from both Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County and San Bernardino County School Districts. Well, I just found out that a GREAT teacher has been given her pink slip. WHY???!?! This lady has been able to turn around a severe autistic child from 20 discrete trial teaching programs to integrate him into a regular classroom. I have called her the "austism whisperer" because I have seen her work wonders with children. Mind you, this lady is 1/2 my age but the amount of knowledge that she has stored up in her brain is ageless!! SHE was the one person that has taught me all that I know about autism and special need children. Working with her inspired this old lady to specialize in autism. Working with her encouraged me to keep trying to get through these children and bring them back.  Working with her taught me how I can work with a child and get him to socialize more appropriately with others.  Working with her was a pleasure and a dream come true because I was not trained in any special needs classes but now I can not imagine working with typical children. It's just an injustice that teachers like the one that I work with now, that does not have any concept of how to begin working or even dealing with a child that has autism is still employed. I have been told that it was due to seniority but when it comes to special needs children, seniority is not appropriate...it should be knowledge, patience, experience, love, dedication and heart. It's a shame that the world of autism is without this individual. But I assure you that it wont be long before this lady begin working with another class of her own. 

 I think I'm done ranting and raving for now but just give me a bit, I'm sure that I'll be around again. 

Can anyone enlighten me as to the best city/state (s) for services that are also affordable to live? I have spent a lot of time trying to find a ranking online, but after reading some of these postings I'm not sure I should trust the rankings. My son is 27 years old.  Thank you..

I found this last week and was wondering what other people thought.

I do not personally feel that my son's ASD was caused by a vaccine but know other parents who believe that a vaccine was definitely the cause of their child's problem.

Wyatt's gone crazy with shaving cream.  I made him take it into his bath.  House smells very manly now.

Last week I was driving along the zig-zag roads that climb and descend the Green Mountains to a Build Your Family workshop that I was giving to a bunch of parents.  During the drive I replay my six hour workshop in my head, sometimes quizzing myself about the sections and going through the possible questions I would be asked.  I do all this to squash the fear that someone may fall asleep as I explain the need to come to an understanding of your own fears, anxiety, and sometimes even depression before you can truly move forward to preparing your child for adulthood.

After each workshop I give, I call Peter to report how many sleepers I had.  To my credit I have only had one attendee fall asleep and that was a medical student during a lecture about autism.  At this workshop the conversation turned hot when discussing IEP meetings and the attendees scribed pages of notes.  So, I thought this would be a great topic for a newsletter.  read more »

How do you get your kids to relax into slumber?  Yanni is the musician of choice in our house, but any similar stylings will work.  Actually, I'm one of those people who prefers total silence, so I turn off the music the moment my son drifts off.  

(click the link for a picture of this 13 yr old boy--he looks SO YOUNG!) 

A 13-year-old English boy says he will take a DNA test to prove he is the father of his teenage girlfriend's baby.

Alfie Patten, who is 1.2 metres tall, said he made his girlfriend Chantelle Steadman pregnant when she was 14 and he was just 12.

The East Sussex schoolboy, whose voice has not broken and looks much younger than his 13 years, was revealed in The Sunnewspaper on February 13 as Britain's youngest father.

He vowed to be a good father to daughter Maisie, who was born on February 9.

"When my mum found out, I thought I was going to get in trouble. We wanted to have the baby but were worried how people would react," he told The Sun.

"I didn't know what it would be like to be a dad. I will be good, though, and care for it."

Hello all,

      My name is Leigh and I am a student at Columbia College in Chicago and I am an interdisciplinary major of ASL/English Interpreting and Early Childhood Education. As part of an independent project I am working on this semester I am in need of everyone's thoughts and experience about children who have autism and also use ASL as a way of communication. I work with a 6 yr old boy who is high functioning and verbal so I have taught him some ASL signs and he seemed to really just pick it up. He uses it when he says "please" and "thank you" or when we're talking about trains around us. But because he's verbal we don't use it THAT much so I am asking for your thoughts and/or experience with autism and ASL. Please tell me anything and everything you would like. I am really interested in hearing from parents and people who have autism and may use ASL. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask! Thank you for your help, I really appreciate it.

So, with my health being questionable, I have given more thought about needing to get a will drawn up so that I know Michael will be taken care of. I keep telling myself, I have had these problems for years, so they are a little worse, I will be ok. But then the rational intelligent Holly slams open that door and reminds me that life is not that fair and you have to cover all bases. Better safe than sorry. I decided once I get my test results I will be contacting Legal Aide for a lawyer and drawing up a will. It sounds crazy but I actually want two different sets of decisions. One being if I know I am dying in adequate (not that there is really an adequate time to accept that) advance, and one being in case of tragedy... But when going over all my options, or rather lack of options, it makes me a little depressed. I am really all my son has, so thinking about failing him by not being here kills me inside. Ok bad choice of words considering we are talking about death... But in reality a will is something that ALL parents should think through. Not just those of us with children that require special considerations.

Have any of you drawn up a will? What type of decisions did you make? Were there any additions you insisted on?

Sorry everyone, I haven't been able to be online much lately.  Reports are due at school, so I'm feverishly writing...kids have been sick, so I'm caught up in that, and in general home has been very hard.  Even communication problems between husband and wife have surfaced (imagine that!), so I have been very preoccupied.  Life is never challenge-free, even though we may grow up thinking that everyone has a perfect existance.  Many of us do double-duty, having our share of family-teen-marital problems, and then our child(ren) with disabilities on top of that.  It makes one wonder - how much can I take?  And if one has faith in God, one wonders "Why, dear Lord, do I deserve all this...and not others?"  and also "Am I destined for Sainthood?"  and additionally "Will I make it till next week?  (make that Monday) without committing a felony?" 

Hope all of you make it thru the long weekend and find a way to rest up and enjoy your families!  I'm going to watch a movie tonite - "The Dresser" with Albert Finney.

Anyone else seen a good Old Movie lately?

Ten-year-old autistic boy arrested
Originally posted on: Friday, February 13, 2009 by Stephanie Tsoflias
Last updated on: 2/13/2009 6:12:31 PM

<!--Article Starts-->

LEE COUNTY: A ten-year-old autistic student was arrested for allegedly hitting and kicking a teacher at Gulf Elementary School.

When your child got first diagnosed, were you in shock, scared, maybe even cried? At the same time when you heard the diagnosis, what was your child doing. Probably behaving the same way that he/she always does. You see it doesn't matter if your child has a label or not -- they are still the same child that you've loved with all of your heart even before the day he/she was born.
Your child doesn't understand that they have a problem, as I have noticed with my own children and all of their ups and downs, they truley believe that they are like other kids. And you know what, I make them feel like they are like other kids. So as a parent you need to come to a point, sooner rather than later, that you need to acknowledge your child's disorder/dysfunction. So many people ( and I can count on more than two hands during our experience) how many parents don't acknowledge thier child's disorder and because of that they wait till they child is 5 or 6 years old for someone else to acknowledge their child's problems. It is very sad. The other part of acknowledgeing is accepting. This is a bit more difficult. As much as you didn't ask for a child with a disability, your child didn't ask to born this way. Don't turn your back, because you feel guilty or you ask yourself "why did I get a child with problems" Turn it around and say "how can I improve my child's life to make it better for him/her and for our family so that we can live life as normal as we can and so that I can help my child on his/her journey to living life as independently as they possibly can. Educate, educate, educate!!! start knowing your child like the back of your hand- socially, behaviorlly, emotionally, educationally so that you can fix problems faster when they arise and so that you can be the best advocate for your child throughout his/her life.

Are any of you involving your kids in Valentine's Day?  My mom always got me a card and some candy.  We just let Wyatt celebrate at school.  Actually, the school had a party that they didn't tell me about, so Wyatt came home with a couple of bags filled with candy and valentines.  So I didn't have to buy any valentine's stuff this year.

My husband and I never did do Valentine's Day, but we do both enjoy food, wine, and chocolate.  I heard the trend for this recession year is to make a romantic dinner at home.  So grab yourselves some cheap wine and throw some heart-shaped T-bone steaks on the grill.  They had prime rib on sale for $4/lb.  I think you could cut that into a heart shape as well.

If you're not into red meat, here's something I like to make that looks like a bouquet of rosebuds:  Stuffed jumbo shells. Find any old recipe for stuffed shells, but place the shells vertically into a bouquet shape in the pan before baking, so they look less like shells and more like rosebuds.  Easy!  You could even just make plain unstuffed shells and dump pasta sauce on top for a side dish if you wanted less hassle.  Then you could order a pizza for a full Italian dinner.

Hello everyone, I am a senior in the product design program at Parsons School of Design, working on my thesis project. I am investigating the prevalence of stereotypic behaviors amongst autistic individuals (specifically children). After thorough research, I have designed and begun prototyping a series of interactive, watch-like wristbands that are intended to help children self-manage these behaviors. Each wristband has a timer that runs for an adjustable, predetermined length of time. My hypothesis is that with training, children could be taught to interact with the wristband as a replacement for their traditional repetitive behaviors (like arm flapping, finger movements, etcetera). Ideally, children could be taught to interact with the wristband only when the timer is set - thus creating an opportunity for self-management. 

My concept is based upon a study completed in 1990 by Koegel et. al, in which they successfully taught four autistic children to self manage their behaviors with a watch that beeped at timed intervals and a series of checkboxes. 

If anyone is interested in hearing more about my project, seeing some of the sketches or prototypes, or would like to offer any thoughts, please comment/email me. Also - I am now in the user testing phase where I would like to test my hypothesis and make adjustments to my project where necessary. If anyone is interested in participating, please let me know.  

Thanks!
-Jesse

I don't know where else to turn to.  My sister, Margaret,  is a single parent of two autistic boys who are 11 & 15.  Joseph who is 15 is on a list to go to a residential home, but with the cutbacks we don't know when he will get in.  She can't handle him anymore so he needs to be in a home which is destroying her.  I never thought i would agree to put a child in a home, but there is no other option because he is so violent, but then so sweet.  In December I went over to my sister's home and Joseph was having a major tantrum because his  computer was  slow.  He was screaming, biting his arm,  punching his head and in his room he broke a  light which  cut his hand and knee.  He then  he ran into the living where i was with my friend Denise, who is a special ed teacher and an ABA specialist, and he was throwing things around.  He went to pick up the  TV and throw it, i grabbed it and i was scared of him.  He is six feet and very strong.  My sister was hysterical crying,  trying to call a phone number they gave her when this happens,  called  numerous times and no one answered.  She was going to call 911, but was afraid what would happen to him if they took him.  My friend said she never, never saw any child or any situation like this.  Her 11 year son was hiding in the bathroom, he was scared and crying too.  It took him and 1 1/2  hours to calm down, she had to give him his meds.  I call the autistism foundation that she belongs to in Bethpage,  told them what happen and they said they couldn't give me any information because it was private.  I said fine, left my name, phone # and asked if someone can help her, she is in desperate need of help.  They called her, but never received any help.  If someone doesn't help her there will be a tragedy.  She is having a nervouse breakdown or should i say already had one.  She is on anti-depressant and is very depressed, her life is in such disarr  read more »

I was at an REI store last month for their winter clearance sale.  The lines were long and people were trying not to show their impatience.  My son was in the upper level, jumping up and down excitedly, making lots of noise, and just watching all of the activity.  He loves that store.  

Behind me there was a mom and her two children who were anywhere from age 7 to 10.  The boy asked his mom what was wrong with that dumb boy up there?  Why was he making all of that noise?  Why was he saying "EEEE EYE" over and over again?  "He's annoying!  I wish he would just be quiet!" the boy carried on.  (Yeah, my thoughts exactly about that lady's children). 

"He has a disease," the mom replied impatiently.  A disease?  Can't you do any better than that?  The son frowned.  

 "What kind of disease does that stupid boy have?" the son demanded.  Oh. My. God.  Did the mom realize that they were discussing my little boy?

"It's like, you know, maybe similar to Aspbergers like that Kenny has.  A disease.  Is this line ever going to move?" the mom huffed.

Part of me really wanted to turn around and gently explain to those kids that my son has autism and talk about what autism is.  But they'd already really insulted my son and the mom didn't seem like she was in a mood for conversation.  Also, would it have been appropriate for me to deliver a lecture to someone else's children?  So I said nothing.    

What would you have done?  How would you briefly explain what autism is to children waiting in line?   

Today was My oldest son Akyli's IEP Reevaluation. He is a juior now and we were disscussing college options. They said he shouldn't try for a four year college which made me upset. They said he took the community college exam and turns out he needs to take some remedial classes. I was then very upset. I told them how is this school putting my son on honor roll and he needs so much help. I mean shouldn't they be doing something to help him improve? I asked them a year ago to raise his levels so he would be challenged and this is still not helping. The school he goes to now said that he was not qualified for there college program because he needs to take remedial classes. This to me is not fair. The school sends their 12 graders to take some college classes during school hoursand the school pays for it. I asked how could they pay for some and not the others. they said well he has to take remedial classes and we don't pay for that. My response was maybe if you werent't so easy in giving kids honor roll this question wouldn't be posed to you. I feel that they should have to pay for all kids to take classes. Especially if the child has made honor roll for the past 4 years. It's appauling to see all the crazieness that happens when you go to these meetings. What would you do if this happened to you?

CNN interview with McCain spokesman talking about how a mother of a special needs child has cut funding for special needs programs.

Has your child been diagnosed with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Hyperactive, Epileptic, Mentally Retarded, or ADHD? These are labels used incorrectly to diagnose children with brain injury. These children can be helped.

Wendy Williams, disabled and living on a fixed income, moved to Vista Mobile Home Park in 2000, seeking a quiet, inexpensive place to raise her son Kumen, who is afflicted with Asperger’s syndrome.

Having fled the Salt Lake City area because of increasing rent prices, Williams settled into a small trailer she purchased, hoping to take advantage of the then-low rent prices in the Basin.

Williams says the nine years she’s lived at Vista have been comfortable, but not necessarily pleasant.

Click on the newslink to read the full article.

Twice as many Minnesota students -- more than 5,000 in total -- attended all their high-school classes online in the 2007-08 school year, compared with the previous school year. Working online keeps junior A.J. Worth, 17, who has ADHD and mild Asperger's syndrome, organized, and has helped him improve his grades, his mother says. Officials said some students use the virtual classes to escape bullying.

Click on the newslink to read the full article.

I dont think Mawm will mind me mentioning that she doesnt have a child on the spectrum. She's one of

those angels that come into our lives to help teach and protect our very special children...., we need 

more people like her that will stand up for what's right even when its scarey. You'll sleep better tonight =)

Morning Edition, January 15, 2009 · 

Math and numbers are easy for 10-year-old Alex Lee. He can tell you what pi is out to 100 digits.

But Alex doesn't do so well with chitchat. On a late fall day, he meets with psychologist Brian Freedman.

Alex asks Freedman if he knows how to play the piano.

Freedman starts to reply that the two weren't having a conversation about pianos, but Alex interrupts him: "What instrument do you play?"

Day to Day, February 10, 2009 ·

Amy Johnson says she started noticing changes in her son Ben when he was 14 months old.

"He just stopped making eye contact," she says. "He stopped talking. ... He could say, 'See you soon,' and he'd wave. And things just started to deteriorate."

The family doctor sent Johnson and her son to Nevada Early Intervention Services. Therapists at the state program confirmed that Ben had significant speech and development delays and came up with a plan: They'd send language and behavioral therapists to the house to work with Ben, nine hours a week.

That was last September.

Well, I did it. I could not handle it any more and HAD to speak up. I contacted the principal and laid everything out on the table as to what I have witnessed. I don't really know what will come of this but at least I know that I have done the right thing and have presented the case to my superior. The next step would be to see what the principal does about "fixing" the problem. That will probably take some time since we all know how slow things get done with all of the red tape and stuff. But whatever does come of it, I will keep you updated.

I just wanted to welcome all the new members =) I know we have several. Might want to click on my account &

add a photo & tell us a little bit about your situation. You can thank Todd for making this wonderful site =)

New to the blog.  I was wondering if any parents have had their child in feeding therapy? How is went and if it helped.  My daughter is a picky eater because of texture but she also gaggs and chokes on her food constantly.  Is there another parent out there dealing this these kinds of eating issues?  Even if you have just taken your child to some feeding therapy sessions.  I would appreciate the feedback!!

Today was izzy's OT Evaluation. Sometimes I wonder about the people that do some of these exams. Some of them seem to need more help than our kids do.The evaluator did say something interesting though. I don't know if this is true I will do some research and see what I find but she told me that a parent has to try to have a child pick a hand to write with because children who write with both hands develop speech and comprehension problems. I wanted to know if anyone else has heard about this.

2 genes implicated in autism - NTV -

2 genes implicated in autism NTV, NE - 12 minutes ago 9 (HealthDay News) -- Multiple, interacting genetic risk factors may influence the severity of autism, a new study suggests. ...

I think this is very curious. I hope to keep in the know with what is happening. I think this stdy is great. I hope that one day we will find a way to help our children.

1. Leave The Room. Step away from the situation for a couple of minutes.

2. Shower. Have someone if you can watch the children and go to your bathroom and take a hot shower or bath.

3. Write It Out. Keep a journal handy and whenever you get upset write out all that you are upset about.

4. Stay In The Present. Sometimes when people get angry they tend to bring up the past. That's not healthy so don't do it.

5. Find A Good Stress Reliever. Ex: stress release ball, meditate, yoga, breathe, bake, sing a song, paint. Do something that makes you happy.

Try it and let me know how it goes.

Gladys Christina Ewell

M. ED

Autism Adocate & Consultant

(this article is a year old but maybe Mawm will find it relevant) 

Lawsuit: Readington school aides failed to report abuse by teacher

by Ralph R. Ortega/The Star-Ledger

Wednesday March 05, 2008, 5:41 PM

Paraprofessionals and school aides failed to report the alleged physical and emotional abuse of special needs children by a teacher at a Hunterdon County school over a two-year period, according to a lawsuit filed by parents of one of the students.

According to the lawsuit, the child was struck, grabbed, pushed, pinched, restrained, assaulted, battered and locked in a bathroom while attending a morning preschool autism class at the Readington School District during the 2004 and 2005 academic years.

Rearing a child on the spectrum is difficult enough. But planning for that child's adult years may be even harder to manage. If you're worried about that challenge, you're probably right to be: As with other issues related to the spectrum disorder – treatment, intervention – more research needs to be done on how to support autistic adults so they can thrive and lead full lives.

That said, there is cause for encouragement: For one, the care your child is receiving now can go a long way toward ensuring he or she grows up to become a capable, if not completely self-reliant, adult. Although it's hard to predict if she or he will grow out of the spectrum completely, early and multi-pronged intervention will greatly help him or her navigate the world. Nevertheless, it pays to plan ahead, whether your child has been diagnosed with severe autism or is considered high functioning.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers said they've pinpointed two genes that cause autism-like symptoms in mice. The findings support a long-held theory that more than one gene is involved in people with genetic-based autism.

The researchers said their discovery could lead to the development of drugs that target signaling mechanisms between genes that interact to cause some symptoms of autistic spectrum disorders (ASDs).

The study found that mice with mutations in two different candidate autism susceptibility genes -- PTEN and the serotonin transporter gene -- had more severe symptoms than mice with only a single mutation. Mice with a mutation in PTEN alone or in the serotonin transporter gene alone had brains that were larger than normal, while mice with mutations in both genes had even larger brains.

Click on the newslink to read the full article.

What ONE food can be left on the counter or refrigerated and will NEVER spoil? I'll let ya think about it.

My 10 year old son is obsessed by computer games.  He is high functioning, and achieves well in math and science.  He is antisocial (despite my organising playdates and doing lots of fun activites with him).  He just loves to be left alone to play Oblivion or Mechquest.  He talks about and thinks about these games constantly.  He wakes up early and sneaks past my bedroom to get to the computer to start playing.  Every second of unsupervised time he plays these games.  My question is - how can I use his obsession with playing computer games as a career?  He plays for hours every day and is quite skilled, so I'd like his skills directed into a money earning area so that he can be an independent adult.

thanks

Juls

The How To Set Up a Work Area at Home For Your Child with Autism e-book is a new book from AutismClassroom.com.

The How To Set Up a Work Area at home For Your Child with Autism e-book, is a guide for parents and caregivers about creating a work space at home for a child with autism. The 59-page book is filled with practical advice for starting a work area at home for a child with autism.  Each chapter provides parents and caregivers strategies and techniques to enhance their delivery of instruction for their child.  

An excerpt from the book:

       “Finally, create a teaching plan for each skill you have chosen.  Each skill, goal or objective should be very specific in describing what you want your child to do.  For example, it would be better to say you want your son or daughter to identify the colors blue, red, yellow and brown, rather than to say you want them to “learn their colors.”  Having a specific target will help you to channel your teaching and move to the next level once those specific goals or skills have been accomplished.  Having a teaching
plan may help to make this process a little easier. “

The e-book can be found at
http://www.autismclassroom.com/products_and_books  (at the bottom of the page)

I usually like to post under autism education.  But I felt that this could possibly be useful in this category as well.  Here is it line for line from my autism education post:

Listed below are a few ideas for addressing challenging behaviors.  They will not all work for everyone, but they might be worth a shot if you are dealing with tough behavior issues:  read more »

Listed below are a few ideas for addressing challenging behaviors.  They will not all work for everyone, but they might be worth a shot if you are dealing with tough behavior issues:

Here are a few Preventive Measures to Promote Positive Behaviors In the Classroom

-Class structure
-Consistent routines
-Pre-made and prepared activities with all materials present
-Pre-assigned roles and responsibilities throughout the day
-Visually labeled areas of the classroom
-Expectations made clear by using symbols or words
-Use of visual schedules for various activities
-Individual student schedules to allow for independence and ownership  

Autism and the Obama Connection 

            No, Barack Obama is not autistic; nor are his children, wife, or any family member as far as I know.  But there is an Obama connection between him and my grown son with autism. 

            Jeff Reul is 37 years old.  He has a degree in Medical Dietetics from the University of Missouri and a second degree in Communications/Journalism from Washington University.  As the thermometer on the political season steamed up throughout the election process, so did the miles on the well used van that Jeff and two friends called home as they traveled from one Obama rally to another all the while pushing political buttons, t-shirts, Teddy bears, hats and collecting souvenirs and friends; old and new.

 read more »

So, I have been doing some investigating and found out that CPS does not have any jurisdiction with schools. In my case, I would have to file a complaint with the school district, then with the county and if nothing is resolved then follow through to federal. But that does not mean the teacher will be fired for abusing her students. They might get transferred to another school. It's not good news whatsoever. It's not right and abusive teachers should not get away with doing this to the students. It's a shame that our children are not protected in school.

Hello to everyone who has a family member diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. I am a PhD candidate working in the field of Autism for a number of years. Currenlty, I am conducting a research study on the Effects of Autsm on Marital Relationships. As we all know, more and more children are being diagnosed with Autism; however, there is not enough information about the effects on parents and families. Please take the time to complete this quick survey and help spread the word to friends and families. Any participation is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for participating.

Link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=IFAiLvK2mdxCLg8FaDlQcA_3d_3d

This may seem like a minor incident... I just found it and the child doesnt have autism, even still some of these damn

adults just tick me off....... 

Boy allegedly forced to use hands to unclog toilet

• Buzz Up
• Print

<!-- end: .tools -->

<!-- end .byline --> <!-- end: .hd -->

EAGAN, Minn. – An elementary school principal could be disciplined for allegedly forcing a 6-year-old boy to unclog a toilet with his bare hands. The principal of Rahn Elementary has been on paid leave since mid-December while the school district investigated a complaint from the boy's parents. The school board proposed disciplinary action on Thursday. The nature of the discipline wasn't made public.

The boy's parents claim their son told them the principal made him clean out a toilet bowl that the boy had accidentally clogged on Dec. 12. The boy told his parents he wiped himself with paper towels, instead of toilet paper, causing the clog.  read more »

Sen. Clint Harden has put forward a legislation package of four bills that focus on helping autistic students from elementary to high school.

"What we know now is that early intervention and early treatment will help by the time an autistic child reaches eighth grade," said Harden, a Republican from District 7. "It's just really key to their progression and their performance as they get into adulthood. It can make a huge difference if we do this early."

If the bills pass, it could affect UNM, as the number of autistic students attending the University has tripled in the past two years, said Joan Green, director of the Accessibility Resource Center.

"Any legislative package that is going to be helping with intervention and early proactive things is going to ultimately be positive for us as well," Green said.

Click on the newslink to read the article.

Gov. Jim Doyle called on lawmakers Tuesday to pass a bill that would require insurance companies to cover autism treatments.

Most insurance companies don't cover autism because it's classified as an emotional disorder rather than a neurological condition. The state runs some treatment programs, but waiting lists have stretched to 18 months, said Sean Dilweg, state insurance commissioner.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

Ever since I threatened no more Susy if Michael did not poop in the toilet, we have been accident free. It is amazing what would drive a child to the point from constant accidents to full potty training. All because his girl poops in the toilet and he has to poop in the toilet to be her friend.

Although Michael does not say he pooped. He will announced "it dropped" nor will he push or squeeze the turd out, he drops it.

Hello!   Thanks so much for your comments!   I found the Jenna blog you mentioned and read it all, and wrote to her.  Yes, one of the possibilities is that Kristy is just not ready to live away from home.  We are thinking a lot about that.  We are also wondering if a supported living environment would be better for her than the group home.  We made the decision to begin looking for out-of-home placement when she was 18 and she had a "melt down" and kicked me in the chest and broke my collarbone, and we had to call the police/emergency people to come and help us with her.   Her father, my husband, is 84 years old.          We may need to bring her back home, although that seems like a big step backwards for her, and only putting off the inevitable. 

I don't know a lot about blogging and I am not sure how to keep a "conversation" going, so if I lose a thread, I 'm sorry.  I'm on my work computer and I'll be away from it now for 3 days.  I will try to get on this site with my home computer, but I am not sure if I will know how to do that.

Hello everyone.  I am the mother of a lovely autistic young woman Kristy who is 19 years old.  About nine months ago we placed Kristy in a very good group home that is only 15 minutes away.  She has been able to stay at the same high school with the same teachers and aides, and has been able to stay in her same rec program for girls, after school, four days per week.  We have done all we can to help her transition to living away from her family home.  We see her every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, and we have her over for dinner on Wednesday evenings.  We have her over for one over-night visit each month.  The group home is a really nice place, kind staff, only three other residents, Kristy has her own room.  But even after nine months, she still seems to be unable to get past her grief at being away from her family.  (Her family is myself, her father, and a sister 15 years old, and through her life, she was seldom away from us, even for a respite over-night - because there was no over-night respite near us, and there were no relatives, etc.)   Every time we take her back to the group home after a visit, she cries and is very distraught at leaving us.    I know the people at the group home are kind and loving to her, but none of us knows what else to do for her to help her through this.  Does anyone know any good books or good suggestions on how to help her with the stages of her grief at this separation?   She has very low verbal skills and cannot read or write, uses an icon schedule.  She looks forward to her visits with us, and even obsesses over the visits on the days we do not see her.   I don't think visiting her more often or less often would help, but we will try anything.    Her emotional responses are developmentally below her chronological age. 

Any ideas or suggestions would be wonderful.

Hi, Can somebody point me in the right direction??  We have a small window of opportunity to accept an offer to move to Philadelphia (or surrounding areas like Cherry Hill, NJ).  Does anyone know if the resources or services available in either state would be a better choice for us?  Can somebody recommend who I should seek services from, school, etc?  My son is 5 yrs old and is in a typical school with a shaodw and going into Kinder in the fall.  He still receives 15 hrs of ABA incidental teaching, speech and OT.  We are relocating from Florida.  I've been calling random places online and would love if anybody might have some helpful info for me :)  Thanks!!

Hi, my mother recently told me she had observed that in most cases, parents of an autistic child have large irises (color of the eye). She has shown me quite a few pictures of celebrities having an autistic child, and in every instance, both parents have large irises. This may be only a coincidence, but I thought it could be interesting to know if this phenomenon occurs every time or not. Please reply to tell me what you think about it. Thanks. 

Hello everyone! My name is Cody and I'm a Senior psychology major this year at Hanover College. My Senior Project partner and I are conducting research on Autism and parents of children with Autism. We would greatly appreciate your participation. The survey should take no longer than 20 minutes and your responses would help us immensely. Research is also being gathered on parents of chlidren with Fragile-X and Down's Syndrome, so if you know parents with children with these other diagnoses, please lead them to the survey as well. Only parents are asked to fill out the survey.

The survey can be found at the following link: http://psych.hanover.edu/research/SeniorProjects/2009/coskunpinardavis

Again, my partner and very much appreciate your participation and your willingness to contribute to research on Autism.

 Cody

I am making a list of things about Autism from a parent's point of view. They all need to be positive, and in the form of one word sentences. EX My child can sit and paint for hours. or My child has a wonderful memory.

This idea came from seeing a tshirt that read "Autism is not a Tragedy, Ignorance is" So I thought I would make a list of parent's insights and choose the best ones to put on a shirt in some cute design. The entire list will be posted on my today.com blog.

I am in a tshirt kind of mood. I made two already for Autism, but they are not totally fantastic. One could be for anybody, but the other I geared towards a child wearing it. And yes I am tempted to make my mother order it for Michael :) But I really like the idea of this list being completed so that it can be shared with everybody, not only from my blog, but hopefully pasted on social networks and everything. Lets work on ending ignorance!

So... What is your favorite thing about your autistic child?

I blogged this under "products" but I think it should be here too under education.  The How To Set Up a Work Area at Home For Your Child with Autism e-book is a new book from AutismClassroom.com.

The How To Set Up a Work Area at home For Your Child with Autism e-book, is a guide for parents and caregivers about creating a work space at home for a child with autism. The 59-page book is filled with practical advice for starting a work area at home for a child with autism.  Each chapter provides parents and caregivers strategies and techniques to enhance their delivery of instruction for their child.  

An excerpt from the book:

 read more »

LEXINGTON, Ky. — It’s early July, and Michael wants nothing to do with the dog. The feeling, if you can judge a new puppy’s intent, is not mutual.  

Michael is a 5-year-old child, diagnosed within the wide autism syndrome label, who doesn’t want to be touched, much less touch the animal in front of him.

Show focuses on a 13 yr old girl whose behavior is "out of control" in Seal Beach CA.  See current news items in the lower right on our home page or, here's a link to another detailed story about these CNN segments:

http://autism.about.com/b/2009/02/02/have-you-heard-about-autism-911.htm 

I still don't have any information to update you with in regards, to the "teacher" situation that I have been dealing with. The last few days have gone pretty smoothly so it hasn't been too much of a concern.  What has concerned me is the fact that all that we have been doing is just prepping...ALL day! I don't know if she's just all of a sudden lazy but since the beginning of this new year, we really have not done much in this classroom.  I have noticed a decline in many of the children. Some are having behaviors which can either be due to the inconsistency or the shear laziness of this "teacher".  I am really tempted to secretly video tape the goings on in this class but I don't think that it would hold up in court. At least, this would give the people higher up a clear view of what is going on all day long. I really hate it because at the end of the day, I feel like all I have done is babysat ALL day. I would really love to be a fly on the wall with all of the scheduled IEP's for these children. I would really like to hear what she has to say to these parents when they ask how much have their children progressed and show them proof. 

I hope you all don't mind me using this blog as an airing out of my "dirty laundry" but I feel that we are all in a similar situation and I hope to learn different strategies to use on the children that I do work with every day.  

Are there any or does any one know of any  Professional Family Psychologists or therapists that I could schedule a meeting or even get out here to speak with my family and help us know how we can help my sister the best. I would like to have a professional opinion about what is beneficial and positive and how we can exposed Molly to these things and what might be negative and hindering and how we as a family can minimize negative influences and or activities.

Thanks

Matt

Are there any or does any one know of any  Professional Family Psychologists or therapists that I could schedule a meeting or even get out here to speak with my family and help us know how we can help my sister the best. I would like to have a professional opinion about what is beneficial and positive and how we can exposed Molly to these things and what might be negative and hindering and how we as a family can minimize negative influences and or activities.

Thanks

Matt

The Central Coast Autism Spectrum Center in San Luis Obispo is holding its grand opening Friday night.

The all-volunteer, nonprofit center offers programs and services to families. The center is the first of its kind on the Central Coast.

Spokesperson for the center, Juli Miller said, "It really is time for our community to come together and create a center like this and help not just families that are dealing with autism spectrum disorders, but for all of our community to come together and really express some compassion and empathy."

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

Overall, about one in 10 of the extremely premature infants who did not have other health problems (including cerebral palsy, mental impairment, or vision or hearing problems) tested positive for autism at age two.

The study assessed the children via a survey of behavior known as the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers (M-CHAT). But not all children who test positive definitely have the brain development disorder. Autism spectrum disorders (which include a range of diagnoses, from mild to more severe autism) aren't typically diagnosed until age three or older, and M-CHAT is not considered a definitive test.

Click on the newslink to read the entire article.

Friday was my neigbor's daughter's birthday and she had her kids for a weekend visit. (they are in foster care) After bedtime the adults all just hung around for adult time. After chasing so many kids for so many hours, we all needed conversation that was completely understandable...

I am so used to people saying how they could never handle a special needs child. Or to be able to do what I do when it comes to Michael. I always get a little defensive and take offense, because I do not have any strength any other loving mother has. I was just forced to find it within myself. I have never had a person say they wish they had a special needs child!

 One of the guys made a comment how he wishes his boys were autistic because then they would have an excuse. Now mind you his teenage sons are smart, in sports, ect. I kept it nice, but I wanted to flip out on him. Why would a man wish his kids were held back from a normal and full life! Why would you wish for your kid to be locked inside a room and unable to figure out the maze. Yes ASD children can acheive so much, but this is not something I would wish on a child. I accept it as fact because I cannot change Michael. But I would never be so insensitive to somebody who lives within the world of disabilities and such. He was lucky I did not have my shoes on... I have a nasty habit of throwing shoes at people. I once accidentally hit our fat cat when she woke me up one morning... WHen I was in labor, Ma took my shoes and hid them accross the room....