autisable's Autisable

Channel Description:

Latest Articles in this Channel:

02/21/12--11:00: Book Review: The Parents’ Guide to Teaching Kids with Asperger Syndrome and Similar ASDs Real- (chan 1639737)


In The Parents’ Guide to Teaching Kids with Asperger Syndrome and Similar ASDs Real-Life Skills for Independence, Patricia Romanowski Bashe guides us through teaching life skills to kids with ASDs with average or above average cognitive skills who are seldom taught the basics of how to get along independently.  It is often assumed that our kids are smart enough to just pick up these skills, but the author describes how various aspects of Asperger Syndrome and other co-occurring conditions make it difficult for our kids to learn.  

More Here...


02/21/12--13:00: Autism Is Not a Condition of Childhood (chan 1639737)



Guest post by Merope Pavlides, editor of AutismAfter16.com, author of Animal-assisted Interventions for Individuals with Autism and mom to two sons, one of whom is on the autism spectrum.

Autism is not a condition of childhood. Autism follows the person. It follows the person into the workplace, the community, adult relationships and health care. Until recently, however, little attention has been paid to issues surrounding adulthood with autism. Fortunately, we have now begun a national dialogue, and Autism Speaks is bringing its voice—and resources—to the discussion in a big way.

More Here...


02/22/12--07:00: Autism Today: What is Dr. Shaw’s view on immunization? (chan 1639737)




The talk covers Dr. William Shaw’s perspective on the metabolic causes of autism and developmental disorders. Genetic variations of the immune system, inborn errors of metabolism, or adverse reactions to immunizations lead to recurrent infections that are commonly treated with antibiotics. A yeast overgrowth of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract occurs following the elimination of the GI normal flora with antibiotic treatments. Yeast produce abnormal compounds called gliotoxins and other immunotoxins harmful to the immune system. Because the immune system is weakened, the child gets another infection and more antibiotics until a vicious cycle is established. The yeast produces a number of harmful effects on the child’s metabolic and neurological functioning, including impairing gastrointestinal functioning, production of excess oxalates, inhibiting energy production, and eliciting food allergies that may manifest as behavior disorders.   Discussion will include why high oxalate foods may contribute to negative effects including formation of crystals in tissues. More Here...




02/22/12--09:00: What [or who] is the inspiration behind Trueman Bradley, Aspie Detective? (chan 1639737)



My inspiration, ultimately, was my brother.  He was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome(AS) from a very early age and I have been close to him since birth.  It was only due to him that I learned what Asperger’s was.  In my day, growing up in 1980s Canada, there was no test for Asperger’s in schools.  So, if I have it, or any other member of my family has it, we are largely unaware of it.  Aspies can be adaptable and, if their natural tendencies are not accommodated at an early age, they may force themselves to become typical, at least on the outside.  This may seem like a good thing to people who are neurotypical, but this kind of self-suppression is likely psychological harmful to the Aspie–encouraging them to see their natural self as flawed.  Retrospectively, some of the more eccentric qualities of my extended family seem to be neatly explained by this possibility of repressed Asperger tendencies.  But, regardless of whether AS runs in my family, the lack of understanding, and even occasional prejudice, I would see my brother encounter would break my heart.  I came to realize this “prejudice” was more often than not caused by a lack of knowledge, rather than by any genuine desire to be hurtful.  People are naturally wary of what is unknown to them.  More Here...




02/22/12--11:00: Book Review: Active Imagination Activity Book (chan 1639737)

Review by Lorna d'Entremont



Looking for the perfect gift for special needs parents? Know that overwhelmed parents cannot deal with more preparation, equipment, or time consuming reading of how-to books? Active Imagination Activity Book: 50 Sensorimotor Activities for Children to Improve Focus, Attention, Strength, and Coordination by Kelly Tilley, MCISc, OTR/L has all the features to please busy parents. The fifty sensorimotor activities will definitely please any child, not only children who need help improving strength, coordination, focus, and attention. Kelly Tilley’s unique book is the best resource for fun, effective and fuss-free movement activities I have seen. If you have a child, student, or client who could benefit from getting exercise, or who needs specific movement activities for calming, energizing, or strengthening, Active Imagination Activity Book has to be on at arm’s length.



Who Benefits from this Book?  

More Here...


02/22/12--13:00: The Curse of the Black Spot (chan 1639737)




The other night Ryan was finishing his grilled cheese sandwich when he suddenly started complaining, "Get the black spot out of my mouth!"

My first instinct was that there was a tiny burnt fleck on the bread that had somehow offended his sensibilities (I can't even describe what happens if a corner of his sandwich gets contaminated by the ranch dressing he uses as dip for his carrots). I pretended to wipe an imaginary spot off his tongue and told him he was fine.

But he wasn't fine.  More Here...


02/23/12--07:00: Please Send Him To Time Out (chan 1639737)




I often hear horror stories in the news, from other teachers and all over the internet about parents being in some epic battle with their child’s school or day care because their child had to be restrained, separated from others or other cases like that.

Most of the time, everyone sides with the parent in a unanimous cry of outrage in the complete and total mistreatment of their child. Most of the time, that comes with very little information as the schools are often unable to comment on the situation, same with any enforcement personnel. This means that we only have the parent’s information to go on. More Here...




02/23/12--09:00: Looking Forward At The Autism Spectrum (chan 1639737)






Where is this autism spectrum of ours headed?
 

It’s the time for New Year resolution, and mine is that we autistic individuals rethink how we present autism to the public.


By now you’ve likely read that the latest version of the DSM guide proposes to merge Asperger’s, PDD-NOS, and all other autistic conditions into one diagnostic category, to be called Autism Spectrum Disorder.  

A number of parents and advocates for people with very severe autistic impairment have criticized that move, saying it will render people with both severe autism and intellectual disability almost invisible.


Some even feel the traditional autism diagnosis has been “taken away from them,” to be replaced by a broader, more Asperger-like diagnosis. 


I agree with those sentiments.  

More Here...


02/23/12--11:00: Bookstores: The Reciprocal Resource (chan 1639737)



 

Looking around the grand opening at Parnassus Books and all the happy children's faces watching the puppet truck I thought, 

"Darn, forgot to blog about this." 

But Saturday at least, Parnassus didn't need the publicity.   More Here...




02/23/12--18:00: Autism for Dummies (chan 1639737)



Here are a few things you need to know when dealing with kids with autism. Those of you that have typical kids, or love someone with autism, please take note:

1. Please don't say to the parents, "can't you just". No we can't just give him something else to do, distract him, blah blah blah. If we could, don't you think we would?

2. Please don't tell us to ignore his behavior. "Have you ever tried ignoring it when he tells you something repeatedly?" Well I challenge you to hear "I can eat dinner at 6" every 30 seconds for five hours. Seriously. More Here...